Runs on PeopleBlog / Change · 3 min read
How to enable change without a change programme
People don't resist change. They resist loss, and being done to. How to lead a change so people come with you, whether it's a new system, a new structure or a new way of working.
The mistake
Most change starts with a launch: a deck, an announcement, a go-live date. Then leadership is surprised when people drag their feet, find workarounds or leave.
The plan wasn't wrong. It just treated people as the last step, when they're the whole thing.
What's really going on
People don't resist change. They resist losing something: competence, status, control, the colleagues they worked with, the way they knew how to do their job. And they resist being told rather than asked.
Everyone goes through a version of the same curve. How fast they move through it depends almost entirely on how they're led.
What to do
- Explain why, from someone they trust. The reason for the change should come from their own manager, in person, not from an email from three levels up.
- Name what's ending. Say out loud what people are losing. "The old system was slow, but you knew it inside out. That's a real loss." Acknowledging it speeds people up.
- Involve people before you decide the details. The people who do the work know where the new way will break. Ask them early and they'll help it work. Ask them late and they'll prove it doesn't.
- Make the first step small. A pilot with one team, one process or one week. Small steps make the change feel possible, not imposed.
- Find your early movers. In every team, a few people are curious first. Back them visibly and let the rest see it working through people like them.
- Treat resistance as information. When someone pushes back, ask what they know that you don't. Often they've spotted a real problem.
- Say it seven times. People hear a change message far fewer times than you think. Repeat the why, in different settings, for months.
- Celebrate the first wins, with names. The first person to make it work deserves public credit. It tells everyone else it's safe to follow.
What people need at each stage
| Stage | What you'll see | What they need from you |
|---|---|---|
| Shock | Silence, disbelief, lots of questions | Facts, honesty, and time |
| Doubt | Pushback, anger, "this won't work" | To be heard, and their concerns taken seriously |
| Exploration | Tentative trying, mistakes | Support, training, and permission to get it wrong |
| Commitment | New habits, ideas to improve it | Recognition, and a say in what comes next |
In other industries
A new rota system in a practice, a new audit methodology in a firm, a new line layout in a factory: the curve is the same. So is the cost of skipping the doubt stage.
In the frameworks
Try this week
For the change you're leading now, write down what each person on your team is losing. Talk to the one who loses most.
Think about it
Think of the last change you resisted. What would have brought you round sooner?
Keep reading
Twelve small rituals that stop a team going stale
Teams rarely burn out from one big thing. They wear down from the same week on repeat. Twelve small, cheap ideas to bring some energy back, none of which need a budget.
Change fatigue: when your team has had enough
One change is manageable. Five at once, with no end in sight, wears people out. How to spot change fatigue early and protect your team from it.
The 15-minute team health check
You don't need an engagement survey to know how your team is doing. You need fifteen minutes, five honest questions and the nerve to act on the answers.