Overcoming Resistance to Change Emma C. Hamer E. Hamer Associates Ltd. Career and Performance Consultants

When Technology and People meet … Some hard facts Some ‘inconvenient truths’ Symptoms, diagnosis, and … treatment

When Technology and People meet …

To Overcome Your Opponent , You Must First Understand Him Sun Tzu The Art of War

To Overcome Your Opponent , You Must First Understand Him

The number one reason: resistance to change According to LISA’s 2006 Global Business Practices Survey: “ Staff resistance to change is a factor that complicates roughly half of all technology implementation projects and severely threatens about one in ten”

The number one reason:

resistance to change

According to LISA’s 2006 Global Business Practices Survey:

“ Staff resistance to change is a factor that complicates roughly half of all technology implementation projects and severely threatens about one in ten”

It’s (just) a technology implementation It’s (just) business as usual It’s (just) an infrastructure project It’s (just) a piece of software …

It’s (just) a technology implementation

It’s (just) business as usual

It’s (just) an infrastructure project

It’s (just) a piece of software …

If we explain the business rationale , people will understand If we tell them what will change, people will adjust If we give them application training, people will use the system

If we explain the business rationale , people will understand

If we tell them what will change, people will adjust

If we give them application training, people will use the system

people will naturally fall in line (and do as they’re told)

people will naturally fall in line (and do as they’re told)

behavior is more complex than that everyone has different drivers

behavior is more complex than that

everyone has different drivers

The technology is *just* the tool – the desired outcome is ‘to do something differently’ = transform (part of) the business

The technology is *just* the tool – the desired outcome is ‘to do something differently’ = transform (part of) the business

Business Transformation is a process - not a product

Business Transformation is a process - not a product

(With apologies to any vegetarian and vegan participants)

Technology is never the promised silver bullet – not all business problems are solvable by automation

Technology is never the promised silver bullet – not all business problems are solvable by automation

No sophisticated technology system can be used ‘off the shelf’ – there will always be a need for customization

No sophisticated technology system can be used ‘off the shelf’ – there will always be a need for customization

Inefficient Processes + New Technology = Failure Upgrading or automating a dysfunctional process: … same problems, just faster and harder to fix

Inefficient Processes + New Technology = Failure

Upgrading or automating a dysfunctional process: … same problems, just faster and harder to fix

Get your key people involved and… fix what’s broken first!

Get your key people involved and…

fix what’s broken first!

1. Secure C-level sponsorship 2. Bring in independent experts 3. Talk with your people, not just at them

1. Secure C-level sponsorship

2. Bring in independent experts

3. Talk with your people, not just at them

Change may be psychologically painful, but uncertainty about the end-state is more painful Fear of loss is a powerful motivator Loss of what?

Change may be psychologically painful, but uncertainty about the end-state is more painful

Fear of loss is a powerful motivator

Loss of what?

No more Mr. Big Shot?

No more Mr. Big Shot?

“ I have no idea what I’m doing anymore”

“ I have no idea what I’m doing anymore”

No more working from home?

No more working from home?

No longer part of the winning team?

No longer part of the winning team?

I used to know where we were headed …

I used to know where we were headed …

Get ready to pound the pavement again?

Get ready to pound the pavement again?

Dysfunctional behavior; territorialism Passive resistance; apathy Cling to inefficient work methods Jealously guard expertise; no sharing Politicized environment

Dysfunctional behavior; territorialism

Passive resistance; apathy

Cling to inefficient work methods

Jealously guard expertise; no sharing

Politicized environment

Which behaviours link to which fears? What are the risks? to the team? to the project? to the individual? What if the fear is justified?

Which behaviours link to which fears?

What are the risks?

to the team?

to the project?

to the individual?

What if the fear is justified?

One-on-one conversation Acknowledge, discuss, resolve Focus on CAUSE of behaviour

One-on-one

conversation

Acknowledge,

discuss, resolve

Focus on CAUSE

of behaviour

Do NOT like surprises

Do NOT like surprises

Get everyone together and communicate

Get everyone together and communicate

Already feel overwhelmed with ‘special projects’ – don’t need another headache Feel uncomfortable with ‘difficult’ conversations

Already feel overwhelmed with ‘special projects’ – don’t need another headache

Feel uncomfortable with ‘difficult’ conversations

Talk about the problem, not the solution Focus on positive outcome s and benefits Tap into collective memories Provide forum for sharing experiences Involve users in defining new roles Use peer-mentoring

Talk about the problem, not the solution

Focus on positive outcome s and benefits

Tap into collective memories

Provide forum for sharing experiences

Involve users in defining new roles

Use peer-mentoring

Fact: most managers spend 80% of their time with the 20% that are poor performers Stop it! Face time one-on-one with the boss should be a reward; an earned privilege, and recognition for a job well-done

Fact: most managers spend 80% of their time with the 20% that are poor performers

Stop it! Face time one-on-one with the boss should be a reward; an earned privilege, and recognition for a job well-done

Use mentor as a sounding board Ask for help dealing with internal politics

Use mentor as a sounding board

Ask for help dealing with internal politics

Bottom-up solutions enhance ownership Managing by results, not by process gets a lot more work finished

Bottom-up solutions enhance ownership

Managing by results, not by process gets a lot more work finished

Humans are actually very adaptive and, as always, evolve to suit new worlds

Humans are actually very adaptive

and, as always, evolve to suit new worlds

It’s all about trust – in the system and in each other Model desired behavior – do as I do – and most will follow … a new day

It’s all about trust – in the system and in each other

Model desired behavior – do as I do – and most will follow

Contact: [email_address] Phone: +1 604 317 2234

Contact: [email_address]

Phone: +1 604 317 2234