You may have heard – and maybe even said yourself– “Change is inevitable.” 

If this is true, why do humans resist it so strongly? 

Peter Senge said, “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed.” There it is. That’s why we resist change – because most of the time change is thrust upon us without our involvement or input and people tend to resist the unknown. 

If we acknowledge that, more often than not, the "change target" won't just comply without any questions, it's logical to conclude that our success will hinge upon:       

Change leaders need to first understand the need for change and orient themselves to the fact before they can authentically support those they lead. It will require assessing the teams’ readiness for dispruption and identifying the individual’s capacity for change. There can never be “too much” communication, and the savvy leader will utilize a variety of mediums to get the message across, as well as allowing time to process and work through confusion and disagreement. 

Working through a change initiative may be a lengthy process, depending on the size and scope of the effort. The hope is that we will shepherd our teams through transition to transformation but that is not a given – transformation is optional. Change represents an external event, but transformation is an internal process. For the benefit of the organization and its leaders, it's crucial that team members comprehend and buy-in to our initiatives. Otherwise, we risk facing employee attrition or, even worse, apathy and disengagement.

Not all stakeholders will view a modification to the status quo in the same way. Strategic leaders will recognize this and address each groups’ concern in an empathetic and pragmatic way.  Having the ability to connect the new direction to their own strategic goals will go a long way to building consensus and acceptance. 

Change leaders can come from anywhere in the organization. They are typically individuals in leadership roles who lead change initiatives, but change advocates can be developed across the organization who can influence others to do or think differently. Regardless of the type of change, organizations need leaders who take responsibility for planning and managing change.

Areas Covered  

Who Should Attend

Directors, Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders, Change Advocates  

Why Should You Attend 

In today’s fast-moving and dynamic workplaces, change is the natural order of things. Whether your organization is contemplating a restructure, implementing company wide systems, pursuing an M&A, or any other kind of change, recognizing the impact of disruption will make the difference between success and, quite possibly, failure. Those closest to the people affected will play the largest role in ensuring acceptance and consensus.