The Many Faces of Resistance
“Change is hard”. People say this as if it is a valid reason to avoid change, or to explain resistance.
Everywhere I look there is evidence of people making massive changes and doing it with energy and enthusiasm. People moving house (or even countries), people changing jobs, people entering and leaving relationships, starting businesses, innovating, inventing.
Choice and Control are two critical elements to engage people in any change process.
Unless there is a sense of both, some resistance is guaranteed.
In the current climate of exponential and global change, there is no longer room for change just for the sake of it. That simply causes fatigue and even greater resistance.
A modern leadership imperative is to discern what your company, family, partnership or cause is seeking to become and then base all your changes on that.
One of my personal business imperatives is to ensure my customers and clients are highly satisfied and engaged. I want to become more satisfying and engaging. I consider any potential changes in that light. Will this change create more or less satisfaction and engagement?
As a result there is always choice and control, which in turn creates energy for the change.
Mike House is one of Australia’s leading Survival Specialists. When he’s not in the outback teaching people how to survive being lost or stranded, he works with businesses to improve their team work, resilience and capacity to handle uncertainty. Participants in Mike’s programs find his approach refreshing, down to earth and practical. Mike can be contacted at www.mikehouse.com.au. He’d love to hear from you.