How to welcome change (instead of resisting it)
You may have heard the expression, "the only constant in life is change." The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with this idea, and I agree with him. This is especially true in our ever-evolving business world. Every day, new technologies, ideas and competition present us with opportunities to stay relevant, to innovate, to give ourselves a competitive advantage…If we are open to them, that is.
Resistance is natural
If you find change uncomfortable or anxiety-producing, you’re not alone. Humans are described as “creatures of habit” for a reason! We are hardwired to resist change. Our amygdala - the part of our brain that processes fearful and threatening stimuli - interprets change as a threat, releasing the hormones that make us feel fear, fight, or flight. Our bodies are actively trying to protect us from change. That’s why when we need to do something new (or to do something old in a new way), it takes conscious effort, even when the new idea or behavior would benefit us!
This can also apply to new additions to your team. Bringing in someone with new ideas often breeds resistance among teams. Maybe they feel like the person brought in to “shake things up” is shaking a little too hard. Or maybe you’re the one doing the shaking, only to discover that the very people that hired you are the ones dragging their feet. For a fascinating example of this kind of personnel shakeups, look no further than what’s going on at Disney with Igner vs. Chapek. The truth in these new hire situations is nearly always in the middle, and the conflict it brings is often due to your resistance or the resistance of your team.
Although the unknowns that come with change can be daunting, in order to thrive professionally, you must learn to quickly adapt to and embrace change, not meet it with resistance.
Secret signs of resistance
Resisting change normally comes down to one thing: fear. Specifically, fear of the unknown. However, just because you’re not feeling afraid doesn’t mean you’re not shying away from change. It's not only the negative changes we fear; even the most exciting and joyful changes, like buying a home or getting promoted, can trigger change resistance. So how do you know what your feeling is a fear of change? As your brain protects itself from a perceived threat, that fear can manifest itself in a number of behaviors. If you’ve seen yourself or your team exhibiting any of these out-of-character behaviors, you may have change resistance on your hands.
These are only some of the ways that your fear of change may manifest. Your discomfort may look different. That’s why if you see yourself feeling or behaving in ways you normally wouldn’t, it’s important to take notice. What’s really making you feel this way? No matter what you’re experiencing, your resistance is bad for your organization and bad for you. Whether it's at work, in a volunteer effort, or in your family, resisting change will only slow you (and your team) down. Along with this self-reflection, there is thankfully a longstanding tool that will help you and your team to navigate change more successfully.
The formula for change
Resistance to change as a state, something that can be conquered. If you are trying to get yourself or your team to be more comfortable with changes, it’s important to understand how to tip the scales from resistance to acceptance (and maybe even enthusiasm). In 1960, economics professor David Gleicher developed a formula for change. It was later refined by Kathie Dannemiller and when it’s written out, it looks something like this:
Don’t worry, there’s no math required! Let me explain. Gleicher’s Formula tells us that three factors must be present for meaningful organizational change to take place:
Dissatisfaction with how things are now.
Vision of what is possible.
First concrete steps that can be taken towards the vision.
If the product of these three factors is greater than the Resistance, then true Change can occur.
In other words, if you create a vision and come up with a plan that solves a problem, you will be able to implement changes more effectively.
When you’re working with your team, you must recognize first and accept that dissatisfaction exists, listen to the difficulties of your team members and identify necessary changes. To make that change happen, it is necessary to create a vision of the future that speaks to your team and to identify those crucial, early steps towards it. Do use this formula on yourself, identify your own dissatisfactions; what makes your job harder? Think about the future; what could it look like without those difficulties? Then consider the first steps toward that better future; how does the proposed change fit into those steps? If you can answer these questions for yourself, you’ll discover that you’re closer to accepting changes than you may think.
Ultimately, there will always be some resistance to change. It’s a safety mechanism, and one we’d be foolish to throw away. But if we remember that we will adapt, eventually, and show ourselves some compassion, change is possible. The power to do so is inside all of us.