Resistance= any kind of inaction.  Not wanting to do something. Not wanting to change, the opposite of movement.  The movement that does happen is a movement against. 

• Recognize the feelings (and actions of resistance) 
• Acknowledge that resistance is part of the process
• Know that resistance is normal
• Remember that resistance can be beneficial

Resistance can indicate something is really important. 

If there is a proposed change initiative that does not have resistance, it might indicate that the process, etc. isn’t actually that important. 

Resistance can be a CLUE to what is really important in an organization. 

The change will great disequilibrium and humans are not wired to be in a disequilibrium state.

80% of resistance is personal

The operative question people are asking is:  How will this change affect me?   

3 Principles to Deal With Resistance:

• Empathy 

Identify who is most likely to be affected by the change. Try to understand how they are likely to be impacted. When people or group believes their needs have been taken into consideration they are more likely to engage in the change process.  Empathy is the bridge that comes before communication

• Communication

Listen to where people are, what their concerns are.  Must be able to communicate why and what the benefits will be.

• Participation

Involve the people who are going to be affected by the change, ask them questions, incorporate as many of their suggestions as you can and address those things that you can’t use.  Some good questions to use are: 

• • What questions do you have?
  • What question do you have about the process?

Make sure to incorporate some of the ideas in the change process. 

Go two rounds of this process. People feel like they gain ownership in the change process.

Dealing with resistance is best done one on one.

Don’t exclude the people who ask hard questions. 

• Thank them for their questions
• Ask them for ideas
• Help them to find a stake in the process so they have ownership

To the extent that one believes in the change, they can afford to be patient to draw people in and give the change initiative the time it takes for people to gain buy-in. 

Resources Mentioned:

Managing Change Effectively