by By Randy Chittum, Ph.D.
The real reason behind why people find it hard to change
A company decides to bring in a new warehouse management system. It is a fundamentally different way of operating a warehouse. Our normal move is to explain the need for the change with a heavy emphasis on how much better this new way of operating will be. We then provide training and support to those impacted in the hopes that new habits will soon replace old ones.
Yet there is still something missing.
Consider Ralph, who has been a warehouse employee for 17 years. Ralph is a “go-to” employee because he knows a lot about how to find products and the best ways to navigate the current system. He is a mentor to newer employees. His work identity is that of an informal leader. Now he finds himself facing the same challenges in learning the new system as everyone else. He is no longer looked to for leadership. His identity is moving from leader to employee. We think we are asking Ralph to do something different. In reality we are asking him to be someone different. And this is the source of most real resistance to change.
We spend a lot of time in organizations talking about how hard it is to lead change. Change leaders often make a fundamental error in how they think about, and lead change efforts. That error is failing to adequately distinguish between systemic external change and personal internal change, or transition. We define change as that which happens in the environment. Think of it as moving the pieces around the board, creating new structures and processes. We define transition as the internal and psychological shift that occurs inside a person that enables them to adapt to the change. All comprehensive change models have some aspect of both.
Missing the mark
We are actually pretty good at managing the change process. Our changes to structure and process are often very well thought out and make a lot of sense. And yet McKinsey reports that 70 percent of change efforts fail to achieve their desired result. If you have ever participated in a merger or acquisition, you know this to be true. If you are leading a change effort and do not have a plan for the personal transitions that are necessary, you are likely to be one of the seventy percent.
Rearranging the boxes on the organizational chart is the easier part of change. The personal aspect of change has to create space and allow the letting go that is required for change to “take.”
The reality is that this work is emotional. Every individual will go through this process on their own timeline. It cannot be forced. The leader’s job is to acknowledge, support, and coach.
Think about the last change that you found it hard to adapt to. What identity shift were you being asked to make?
