People Don't Resist Change. They Resist Being Changed.

If we look at how we spend our day, most of what we do falls into two categories:

1. Things we choose to do.
2. Things we do because we feel pressured to.

In both cases, the work gets done.

But look a little closer, and the difference becomes clear.

When we choose to do something, both the person doing the work and the person receiving it are more likely to be satisfied with the result.

When we feel forced to do it, however, reluctance can affect both performance and quality. More importantly, people may gradually lose their sense of meaning in what they do.

The result is a workforce that no longer sees value in its own work.

How can someone spend such a large part of their life doing work they believe is meaningless and still feel fulfilled?

Someone who cannot find fulfillment in their own life will struggle to create it for others. And these feelings rarely stay at work. They often follow us home.

What We See Depends on What We Are Prepared to See

Our values, beliefs, expectations, habits, and experiences shape the way we interpret what happens around us.

We all see the world through our own filters.

The same event can therefore create very different emotional responses in different people.

This becomes especially important when we look at organizational change.

The Change Curve

One of the tools frequently used in change management is the Change Curve.

Its roots lie in psychology, where it describes how people respond over time to sudden and significant change.

When adapted to the workplace, the curve illustrates how a major change can affect performance over time.

We are not talking about simply moving a photocopier from one side of an office to another.

We are talking about changes such as moving office employees' workstations into the production area or introducing an entirely new management approach.

These changes affect much more than physical location or daily routines.

They challenge existing habits, assumptions, expectations, and ways of working.

Not Everyone Starts from the Same Point

As mentioned earlier, people do not respond to the same change in exactly the same way.

Not everyone starts from the same point on the Change Curve.

People who are more open to change and learning may already be further along the curve when they encounter the new situation.

In my own experience, however, most people initially experience a drop in performance.

This is why successful change management requires both a realistic plan and the right project team.

Many organizations manage change projects primarily through their management teams.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this—provided the management team itself does not include people who strongly defend the status quo and resist change.

My suggestion is to move beyond a purely hierarchical perspective and draw on your employees' insights.

Look at where potential project team members are on the Change Curve.

Start with those who are more open to change and likely to adapt faster.

Then, as the project progresses, ask each team member to identify people within their own teams who are open to change and learning—and help develop them.

In this way, your network of change champions grows, gradually bringing more people into the change.

Start by Understanding the Current State

Once the project team has been established, you can begin developing the project plan in detail.

The first step is to define the current state accurately, realistically, and honestly.

At this stage, team members need to set aside the assumptions they bring into the process—whether they are aware of them or not.

Imagine that some members of the team believe the new management system you are trying to establish is unnecessary, but they follow the instructions simply because it is their job.

That unspoken belief can quietly undermine the project throughout the process.

I know this is easier said than done.

Fortunately, there are techniques that can help.

Mental Models: The Invisible Layer of Change

Peter Senge describes these underlying assumptions as mental models in The Fifth Discipline.

People do not always behave consistently with what they say.

But they tend to behave consistently with the mental models that actually guide their behavior.

Senge recommends creating opportunities for teams to examine these mental models through reflective inquiry.

Several approaches can help.

1. Examine What We Say vs. What We Do

Look at the differences between our espoused theories—what we say we believe—and our theories-in-use—the assumptions reflected in what we actually do.

Then question those differences.

2. Recognize the Mental Leaps We Make

Pay attention to the mental leaps we make when moving from what we directly observe to the assumptions and generalizations we draw from it.

3. Balance Inquiry and Advocacy

Constantly defending our position or constantly questioning others can gradually make positions more rigid.

When that happens, genuine understanding and agreement become difficult.

Effective dialogue requires a balance between advocacy and inquiry.

4. Say What We Normally Leave Unsaid

Senge suggests the Left-Hand Column exercise as a way to explore this.

After an interaction that we believe did not go well, we write what we were actually thinking on the left side of a sheet of paper and what was actually said on the right.

The goal is to uncover the mental models behind what we left unsaid.

From Current State to Future State

Once you have defined your target state, asking the right questions can help you understand the current situation more deeply.

Consider these categories:

• Work Environment
• Behaviors
• Capabilities and Competencies
• Beliefs
• Organizational Values
• Purpose and Vision

Ask the same questions about your desired future state.

Then compare the two.

Those gaps become the starting point for your action plan.

Change Does Not Start with a New System

It starts with understanding the people who will live with that system.

Successful change is not simply about designing a better process or introducing a new management method.

It is about understanding how people interpret the change, what assumptions they hold, and what they need in order to move forward.

Before asking people to change, understand what is preventing them from seeing the change the way you do.