PAMELA WATERS, MEd, CAC, CPPDirector, Southern Coast ATTC

ATTC Network Meeting Los AngelesNovember 2, 2010

Reframing ResistanceReframing Resistance

1

key concepts of change management

“all change is personal”

resistance is identifiable across several dimensions

specific strategies to move resistance into support and action

change as an opportunity for improving leadership skills and innovation

2

Resistance

•Resistance is the opposition to flow or movement.

Resistance protects people from harm

•Resisting change helps to preserve balance in our lives by relegating habitual responses to the unconscious.

3

BUT, we talk about “Resistors” as a label

Resistance Resistance to New to New InnovationsInnovations

4

DisComfort

Zone

Discomfort Zone

anxiety neutral condition

Stress Response

5

6

CHANGE ACTIVITY

Signs of Resistance

Confusion

Immediate Criticism

Denial

Easy Agreement/Does not fully Understand What the Change Means

Silence

Malicious Compliance

Sabotage

Deflection

In-Your-Face Criticism

7

Resistance

Resistance is in the eye of the beholder

Resistance can be reframed as CAUTIONCAUTION from the vantage point of the person resisting

Resistance to change is often a reaction to the way a change is being led

8

A Little Theory A Little Theory

9

9–10

Change is an Change is an eventevent

Change is an Change is an eventevent

Transition is a Transition is a psychological psychological

processprocess

Transition is a Transition is a psychological psychological

processprocess

Changes/Transitions

Organizations often Organizations often develop elaborate develop elaborate

change strategies for change strategies for things they want to things they want to

changechange

Organizations often Organizations often pay inadequate pay inadequate

attention to attention to implementation implementation

strategies that help strategies that help people through the people through the

process of adjustmentprocess of adjustment

10

9–11

Leading Change

What do employees want from leaders in times of change?

Employees want four P’s:Employees want four P’s:

PurposePurposeWhy are we Why are we changing?changing?

PicturePictureWhat will the What will the

change look like?change look like?

PlanPlanHow are we going How are we going

to do this?to do this?

PartPartWhat is my role in What is my role in this? What will it this? What will it

mean for me?mean for me?

11

9–12

TransitionsWilliam Bridges

EndingEndingEndingEnding BeginningBeginningBeginningBeginningNeutralNeutralZoneZone

NeutralNeutralZoneZone

12

Michael Diamond, PhD

Lack of attention to change as a human change as a human process = process = failure of change initiatives

People want to learn and be competent but desire feeling psychologically secure & anxiety-free

Change at work is a combination of emotional emotional loss loss and cognitive reframingcognitive reframing

Strategies - cognitive mapping in a safe transitional space and attention to grief processes to resolve feelings of loss

The Unconscious Life of Organizations: Interpreting Organizational Identity (1993). M. Diamond, Quorum Books of the Greenwood Publishing Group

13

Kotter - Leading Change – 8 Steps

SET THE STAGESET THE STAGE

1. Establish a Sense of UrgencyEstablish a Sense of Urgency Help others see the need for change and the

importance of acting immediately.

2.Create the Guiding TeamCreate the Guiding Team Make sure there is a powerful group guiding the

change—one with leadership skills, bias for action, credibility, communications ability, authority, analytical skills

Taken from “Leading Change,” by John P. Kotter, Harvard Business School Press, 1996.

14

Kotter - Leading Change – 8 Steps

DECIDE WHAT TO DODECIDE WHAT TO DO

3. Develop a Vision and StrategyDevelop a Vision and Strategy Clarify how the future will be different from the

past, and how you can make that future a reality.

MAKE IT HAPPENMAKE IT HAPPEN

4. Communicate the Change VisionCommunicate the Change Vision Make sure as many others as possible

understand and accept the vision and the strategy.

15

Kotter - Leading Change – 8 Steps

MAKE IT HAPPEN (continued)MAKE IT HAPPEN (continued)

5. Empower Broad-Based ActionEmpower Broad-Based Action Remove as many barriers as possible so that those who

want to make the vision a reality can do so.

6. Produce Short-Term WinsProduce Short-Term Wins Create some visible, unambiguous successes as soon as

possible.

7. Don’t Let UpDon’t Let Up Press harder and faster after the first successes. Be

relentless with instituting change after change until the vision becomes a reality.

16

Kotter - Leading Change – 8 Steps

MAKE IT STICKMAKE IT STICK

8. Create a New CultureCreate a New Culture Creating better performance Articulating the connection between new behaviors

and success

17

Our Iceberg is Melting (2006). John Kotter

“IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO CHANGE.  SURVIVAL IS NOT MANDATORY.” 

~W. EDWARDS DEMING

"CHANGE IS HARD BECAUSE PEOPLE OVERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF WHAT THEY HAVE—AND UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF WHAT THEY

MAY GAIN BY GIVING THAT UP.“

~ JAMES BELASCO AND RALPH STAYER

Reframing ResistanceReframing Resistance

18

The Value of Resistance

Using the force of resistance can increase success and speed up the rate of the change

Showing respect for those who resist builds stronger relationships and build a solid base for the future

Working with resistance increases the likelihood that a win-win solution can be achieved

If we understand resistance, we also understand the other side of that coin - support for changesupport for change

Beyond the Wall of Resistance (2005). Rick Maurer

19

resolving ambiguity

importance…relevance…confidence

Stages of ChangeProchaska and DiClemente (1982)

Involves incremental movement

Fluid movement between and among stages

20

Rick Maurer – Reframing Resistance

21

Level 1 Resistance

involves information:

facts, figures, ideas and rational arguments

They Don't Get ItThey Don't Get ItLack of information

Disagreement with data or conclusions

Lack of exposure to critical information

Confusion over what it means

Agreement at this Level Agreement at this Level People understand the idea and

its implications; agree with leadership about its importance

22From Why Don’t You Want What I Want? (2002). Rick Maurer

Level 2 Resistance

involves:

an emotional reaction to the change

fear

faulty or stifled communication

They Don't Like ItThey Don't Like ItAfraid of failing (confidence) or

losing face, status, control - maybe even jobs

Feel survival is at stake leading to fight or flight reactions

Negative emotional reactions can fester

Agreement at this Level Agreement at this Level People are excited about the idea;

see potential benefit; open for discussion; not sabotaging the effort

23

Level 3Resistance

involves:

lack of trust in person implementing the change

lack of trust of overall management

deep entrenchment in beliefs, experiences and biases

They Don't Like YouThey Don't Like YouDon't have confidence in person

leading the change initiativeTheir history with you or the

organization makes them waryPolarization can occur due to

cultural or value differencesTakes a lot of work to change this

level

Agreement at this Level Agreement at this Level People like and respect the leader;

is inclined to respect the organization; is likely to take ideas seriously even if there is disagreement

24

Strategies for Level 1 Resistance

Make sure people know why a change is needed. Explain why before how.

Present the change using language they understand.

Find multiple ways to make your case. People take in information in different ways. Some like to hear things. Others like to see things.

25From Why Don’t You Want What I Want? (2002). Rick Maurer

Strategies for Level 2 Resistance

Increase the excitement about what's positive about the change.

Listen with an open mind and try to understand how they feel and why they feel that way. Find common ground.

Let people engage with the information and give their opinions.

Stay calm, centered, focused and relaxed.

Remove as much of the fear as you can. Help people to see the personal points of power/control within the change process.

26

Strategies for Level 3 Resistance

Continually work on building relationships.

Begin working on issues where all sides see a benefit

Don’t get defensive and blow it

Get people deeply involved in changes that affect them

Be prepared for setbacks.

Be prepared to walk away. 27

28

Principles of EngagementPrinciples of Engagement

From Why Don’t You Want What I Want? (2002). Rick Maurer

29

Principles of EngagementPrinciples of Engagement

Resources

30

Resources

http://www.beyondresistance.com/index.htm http://www.jimclemmer.com/

Take Away Messages

Change is best when a rational commitment moves to an emotional commitment

Change is a process…significant change within organizations requires a logically sequenced strategy

3 Levels of Resistance

Specific strategies to turn resistance to support

6 overarching Principles of Engagement

All change is personal

Additional Resources

Online Toolbooks, Blogs or Wikis: Change Management Toolbook/Change Management

Community http://www.change-management-toolbook.com/

Change Management Open Source Project (facilitated by Rick Maurer) http://introtochangewithoutmigraines.ning.com/

Books Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to

the Models, Tools & Techniques of Organizational Change (2004). Esther Cameron and Mike Green

Making Change Stick: Twelve Principles for Transforming Organizations (2005). Richard C. Reale