In ‘The Heart of Change’, John Kotter and Dan Cohen report on a study they conducted with Deloitte Consulting. Having interviewed over 400 people from more than 130 companies, they hoped to understand why change happens in large organisations.

Kotter analysed the data and said that in most change situations, managers initially focus on strategy, structure, culture or systems, which leads them to miss more important issues. Kotter states:

“The core of the matter is always about changing the behaviour of people, and behaviour change happens in highly successful situations mostly by talking to people’s feelings.

This is true even in companies that are very focused on analysis and quantitative measurement. In highly effective change situations, people find ways to help others see the problems or solutions in ways that influence emotions, not just thought”.

In other words, when change works, it’s because leaders speak to people’s hearts as well as their minds.

Kotter says that most companies think change happens in this order: ANALYSE-THINK-CHANGE.

But big change situations don’t look like that. In most cases, the parameters aren’t well understood and the future is fuzzy. The analytical arguments for change do not work well. (For example, if someone is reluctant to marry their long-term partner, discussing the tax benefits and rent savings are probably not going to swing it for them!).

In almost all big change situations, the sequence of change is thus:            SEE-FEEL-CHANGE.

You’re presented with information that makes you feel something. Either pain associated with the current position, or future reward promised if change takes place. Whatever it is, it hits you at the emotional level.

So, if you’re faced with changes in your own business, naturally talk through the analysis and think through the repercussions. But if you want your people to accept, get involved with, and drive the change forward, you need to identify the emotional impact on them.

Have some people who will be affected by the change been working with you for a long time? If so, what will the psychological effects be for them? How will you monitor the changes they have to go through? What emotional impact will it have on them? You need to consider this as they go through the change.

Conversely, what about new people? Do they still need some support as they go through the changes? What emotional impact might it have on them? Have you made sure they know why the changes are necessary?

Trying to fight inertia and indifference to change with analytical arguments is like throwing a fire extinguisher to someone who’s drowning. The solution doesn’t match the problem.

Analyse how people feel about the changes they are going through. Deal with the emotional aspect. All the analytical, rational, process-driven arguments in the world won’t help if people feel their emotions aren’t tied to the results.

Do this effectively, and they will buy in to your ideas and help you deliver the necessary changes.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

You may have tried to initiate change in your team, seen the benefits of the change and even communicated it well to every team member. Then you may have been puzzled by certain people’s reactions where they resisted the changes and wondered why they put up such a defense of the current position.

Well, you’re not alone. Many managers have hit the wall of resistance and created real challenges by not approaching the situation in the right way.

Here are four reasons why the resistance to change may be quite large:

The need for security and stability: some people rely heavily on the current status quo for their self-worth. Changing something may affect their secure position and all they associate with change is pain.

They fear the results of the change: personal effects for themselves may outweigh the benefits they see happening.

A misunderstanding of the reasons for change: the person may lack information as to the reasons for change, or it hasn’t been communicated properly with them.

Disagreement as to the reasons for change: they assess the situation differently or may disagree that change is needed at all.

Any of these reasons may produce obstacles to the changes you are attempting to put forward.

There are many ways that these obstacles can be overcome, though they seem to boil down to specific methods that lay the foundations for change.

They include;

• Communicating an effective message using the correct medium
• Involving the people concerned in the change process instead of insisting they follow directions
• Support the change mechanism and help people adjust to it
• Agree what will happen to those who may lose out in the change
• Work with people to create a team consensus where they play a major role in the development of the change
• As a last resort, managers can use force by making clear what the end results of not changing would be.

It’s important to ascertain the reasons for the resistance before prescribing the way forward, as using the incorrect means may crank up the resistance levels and you’re left with even more obstacles than before.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”