Writer, speaker, and leader Lisa Bodell wrote that “change cannot be put on people. The best way to instill change is to do it with them. Create it with them.” Creating lasting and generational change requires working with the people in the organization to chase the larger vision. Some leaders meet significant resistance because they give more orders than collaborating for improvement. A collaborative environment lessens the resistance to a changing culture. Here are five ways great leaders navigate resistance to change:
- Communicate: Navigating resistance in leadership requires clearly, thoughtfully, and honestly communicating with the people in the organization. Even if some people disagree with the ideas, the honest and human element helps others understand where the leader is coming from and what they’re thinking. Communicating also means clearly showing the why behind the decisions. How clearly do you communicate when navigating change?
- Collaborate: Working through change is incredibly difficult and it should be a collaborative effort among everyone in the organization. Some leaders, unfortunately, make all the decisions from the top down and push them on people. These initiatives often fall flat and meet significant resistance. Collaborate with others in order to build a common purpose, understanding, and vision. How effectively do you collaborate with others to navigate change?
- Transparent Reality: Leaders who navigate resistance and change effectively use data to share the reality of the organization. Great leaders never back away from the reality of where the organization is at, and through sharing the difficult data, they’re able to show why certain changes are needed. Sharing these realities lessens the ownership of the leader and places it more on the entire group to solve the problems. How honest are you about the reality of the organization?
- Eliminate and Refine: Resistance to certain initiatives often comes from a place of doing too much at once. Great leaders often eliminate areas that aren’t effective or they refine them to better meet the needs of the organization. Resistance to change can be lessened when people know that their plates won’t be as full, and they’re focusing on only impactful areas. How often do you eliminate and refine strategy?
- Purpose: When asked to make significant change, everyone must understand the purpose and the why. Keeping the purpose, goals, vision, and values at the forefront of the work helps others see the impact of their actions. The goal is that everyone in the organization feels driven by the larger purpose and while it’s challenging, they feel encouraged by their hard work. How well do you align the purpose and the people?
Navigating resistance to change requires a unique leadership skill set and thoughtfully implementing strategic actions. Great leaders clearly communicate the larger purpose and collaborate to create positive changes. If leaders can narrow down on the specific strategies they’ll utilize and eliminate the rest, everyone will see how their actions impact the organization each day.
What strategies do you implement to navigate resistance to change?