Strategies to Overcome Resistance to Change

Change is inevitable in any organization, but it often meets resistance from those who are uncomfortable with the unknown. While it’s crucial to focus on the majority of your team – those in the middle of the change adoption curve – it’s equally important not to neglect the outliers. These are the super supporters at the top and the resistors at the bottom of the curve. Both play critical roles in the success of your change initiatives.

In this blog, we’ll explore three practical strategies for overcoming resistance to change, drawn from years of experience in change management at Wonder Services. These strategies will help you effectively address and convert resistance into support, ensuring a smoother transition for your entire organization.

1. Activate Your Influencers

One of the most effective ways to overcome resistance is by activating your influencers within the organization. At Wonder Services, we identify five types of influencers, but one of the most critical is what we call the “convert champion.” These are individuals who naturally resist change but hold significant influence within the organization.

Why Activate Convert Champions?

Convert champions provide invaluable feedback. They are vocal about their concerns and questions, which often reflect the sentiments of other resistors in the organization. By listening to them, you gain insights into potential challenges and can address these issues proactively.

How to Activate Convert Champions

• One-on-One Meetings: Pair convert champions with a trusted individual within the organization (not the change leader) to discuss the change regularly. These sessions allow the convert champion to voice their concerns in a safe environment, and the insights gathered can be used to refine your change strategy.
• Engage Them in the Process: Involve convert champions in the change process by assigning them roles such as participating in design teams, conducting testing, or reviewing communications. Their critical eye will help you identify and fix potential issues early on, and their eventual buy-in can influence others to follow suit.

2. Ensure Resistants Are Heard

While it’s essential to focus on the majority, you can’t ignore the pockets of resistance within your organization. Making sure resistors feel heard is a powerful way to reduce pushback.

Host Q&A Forums

Create opportunities for open dialogue through Q&A forums. These forums should be optional, encouraging those who are curious or concerned about the change to engage voluntarily. During these sessions, provide information about the project and invite participants to share their concerns, ask questions, and suggest what they need in terms of communication and training.

The Power of Listening

Listening to your resistors in a group setting not only helps them feel valued but also provides you with critical insights into the challenges you may face. By addressing these concerns openly, you can build trust and gradually convert resistance into support.

3. Offer Options to Resistants

No one likes to be forced into a decision, especially during times of change. Offering options is a scientifically backed way to reduce stress and increase buy-in.

Provide Choices

Giving resistors options—whether it’s how they want to be trained, how they prefer to receive communications, or how they’d like to be supported during go-live—allows them to feel a sense of control. This autonomy helps them take ownership of their journey through the change, making them more comfortable with the outcome.

Conclusion

Overcoming resistance to change is a critical component of any successful change management strategy. By activating your influencers, ensuring resistors are heard, and providing options, you can transform opposition into support. Remember, change is as much about managing emotions and perceptions as it is about implementing new processes and technologies.