Resistance

Resistance

JESSICA SCHELITZCHEJUAN SANTA ELLA

IRIS HOOVER ERIC GOUGH

JEFF GATESMITH

Agenda

• Introduction• Why do people Resist Change? • Non-Verbal Resistance• Verbal Resistance • How to Overcome Resistance• Tools/Resources• References

Humans are wired to Resist ChangeComfy Habits

Take the Easy Way Out (Lieberman, 2007)

X-systems (Reflexive) - requires lower energy-Limbic System hippocampus C-systems (Reflective) – requires more energy –located in pre-frontal cortex Error Alert (Rock & Schwartz, 2006)

Survival/Surprise “Auto-Pilot” Orbital Cortex Amygdala Action Brain then looks for a return to certainty and predictability reflection is absent.Threat/Reward Minimize threat and maximize reward….Oxygen and glucose levels drop in the pre-frontal cortex when threats occur making change less likely….and When rewarded the Brain releases dopamine we feel better and are more likely to repeat behaviors that have made us good in the past as opposed to change (Gordon, 2000)

Reasons for Resistance(1/3)

Misunderstanding about the need for change Is there a hidden agenda? (Internal Consultants)

Few or no role models for change People can’t imagine what change will be like Observational learning works!

Poor Communication

Temporary fad May believe change is wrong and should not occur

Reasons for Resistance (2/3)

Connected to the old Emotional bonds of loyalty Change can feel like a betrayal

Fear of the unknown Risk of change vs. risk of not changing

Low trust Low trust in the leader or consultant to ‘do it right’

Reasons for Resistance(3/3)

Lack of competence Fear of inadequecy New skill set required, individuals ask if they have what it takes

Changes to routines and themselves Change can threaten who a client is as an individual and their sense of self (D&I work)

Exhaustion/Saturation Change can be put off until real risk jumps starts the client

Change in the status quo Is not always a win/win for all parties involved

Benefits and rewards

How Resistance Shows up

Active Finding Fault/Blaming Ridiculing/Arguing Appealing to Fear Manipulating/Distorting Blocking Strike Boycott Lockouts

Passive Resistance Agree verbally & Not Follow-

up Feigning Ignorance Withhold information Failing to Participate Ignoring Mishandling

Non-Verbal Resistance

Non-Verbal Resistance

Types of Non-Verbal Resistance

http://youtu.be/Ow0lr63y4Mw

Types of Verbal ResistanceAccusations

Impractical

Attack

Moralizing

Questions

Give client more detail

Confusion

Methodology

Pressing for solutions

Avoidance

Client gives more detail

Time

Not surprised

Silence

Intellectualizing

Compliance

Flight to health

Verbal Resistance: Accusations

Verbal Resistance: Questions

Verbal Resistance: Avoidance

Overcoming Resistance vs Dealing with Resistance

Resistance is and emotional process

Three Steps to dealing with resistance Identify the form of resistance Name the resistance Let them respond

What May Drive ChangeBusiness or Organizational Strategy Driven by the Market• Technology• Political • Competition • New Opportunities…Obsolete products or services• Financial pressures or opportunities

Organizational Structure ….• Mergers/Acquisitions• New Leadership or Key Turnover• Expansion or contraction of products or services.

Cultural• Workforce diversification/generational• Customer base “Globalization”

Pick up on Cues

Trust your eyes and not what the client is saying

Listen to yourself

Listen for repetition or telling lines

Name the Resistance(This doesn’t mean calling someone out)

It is about keeping open and honest conversation

“…And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people the right to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Williamson, M. (1992).

Be Quiet and Let Them Respond

Ask to listen

Do not take responses personally

Respond in good faith

Remember: at the end of the day some things just do not go right with clients

Tools and models to understand and overcome resistance

Kotter’s Eight Step Model for Change

Lewin’s UnFreeze-Change-Freeze Model

Bridge’s Model for Managing Transitions

Burke/Lewin Model of Organizational Change

Bibliography Block, P. (2011). Flawless Consulting: A guide to getting your expertise

used. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer Publications. Bridges, W., (2009). Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change.

Philadelphia, Pa.: Da Capo Lifelong. Bringselius, L. (2010). Resistance to change, Four interpretations. School

of Economics and Management, Lunds Univeristy. Retrieved January 11, 2015.

Burke, W.W. (2008). Organization change: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Dent, E. B. and Goldberg, S. G, (2013). Challenging 'Resistance to Change' Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 35 (1), 25-41

Gordon, E. (2000). Integrative Neuroscience: Bringing together biological, psychological and clinical models of the human brain. Singapore: Harwood Academic Publishers.

Bibliography Leiberman, M. (2007), “Social Cognitive Neuroscience: A Review of Core

Processes. “ Annual Review of Psychology 58: 259-89.Lewin, K. (1947a).‘Frontiers in group dynamics’. In Cartwright, D. (Ed.), Field Theory in Social Science. London: Social Science Paperbacks.

Mindrum, C. (2013). Do people always resist change. Talent Management. Retrieved from http://www.talentmgt.com/articles/do-people-always-resist-change.

Nur-e-Rahman Nichols. Why Change Management Often Fails: The People. www.forbes.com/sites/sungardas/2015/05/20/the-dirty-side-of-change-management

Rock, D, and Schwartz, J. (2006). “The Neuroscience of Leadership.” Strategy + Business 43: 72-82

Strebel, P. (). Why Do Employees Resist Change?. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 74 Issue 3, p.86-92

Williamson, M. (1992). A return to love: Reflections on the principles of a Course in miracles. New York, NY: HarperCollins.