Avoiding Resistance to Change

​Change is scary.

Even when it’s to the benefit of employees, there will be resistance. Because people deal with change at varying rates:

✅ Some will be excited and on board right away
✅ Others will resist and never embrace it
✅ The majority will be somewhere in between

Even major change, though, can be accepted by most people.

🚩 First, remember change is a process.

It’s not something that is communicated one day and done the next.

🚩 Second, it’s critical to communicate early and often.

𝑰𝒇 𝒏𝒐𝒕, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒅, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍, 𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

The communication should include the good from what is being left behind. Do that before talking about the advantages of the new, and people will more readily accept the change.

🚩 Next, don't focus only on the rational reasons (the business case), a very common mistake.

Instead, also address the emotional and the political.

🚩 Finally, train your managers.

You want them to know what to say to their employees, who have questions. In short, a systematic approach, involving communication and trained managers, will ensure success.

#leadership #management #employeeengagement