The change is harder in those cases where the intended audience or the target population is diverse and is comprised of multiple interest groups and power centers. Indeed, in large organizations with diverse workforces and multiple power centers with their own agendas, organizational change is indeed hard to implement and actualize in practice.
So, what can you do in order to manage this unavoidable resistance to change? Below are 9 effective tactics and strategies from the Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM) a structured, practical change management process for the human side of organizational change that Reinforcing Sponsors and Change Agents can use to manage resistance while it is occurring.
- Create personal rapport – Talk directly with the Targets of the change by asking questions to better understand their personal Frame of Reference.
- Ask open-ended questions – It’s the best way for Change Agents to really understand where the resistance is coming from.
- Occupy less than 25% of the air time – Managing resistance is more about listening than it is about talking. Limit your own speaking time to no more than 25% of the conversation.You will learn much more if you spend the bulk of the time in listening rather than in talking mode.
- Establish and communicate the expectations – People want to know what is expected of them, and how they will be evaluated.
- Realize you are dealing with resistance – After two “good faith” attempts to explain the change, make sure you realize where the resistance is coming from and acknowledge it.
- Explain the change from the Target’s Frame of Reference – What is a small change in the eyes of one person may be very big from another’s perspective. Make sure you are communicating from each Target’s Frame of Reference, and that you answer the two “me” questions: What’s in it for me, and what does it mean to me?
- After the “why’s” are agreed on, focus on “what we can do to work it out” – After both parties have a mutual understanding of each other’s Frame of Reference, and the “why’s” of the change are clearly established, focus on “what” we can do to work it out.
- Identify non-supporters and involve them in key roles – Recognize your Target has a lot of energy invested in their resistance. If you can re-direct this energy to helping to work it out,you will be using one of the most effective resistance-management techniques invol-vement.
- Create “win-win” situations – When possible, make it easy for the Target to back down from his current position without losing face.
