Why People Resist Change
Why People Resist Change, Part 1:
Fear
I discussed in one of my previous blog posts that resistance to change is common and can become a major obstacle to your success, in fact those responsible for change say resistance is the biggest issue they face. So it’s a big issue but there are many triggers that cause people to be resistant to change. Once you understand the main elements that can cause or lead to this resistance you can develop a strategy to overcome them and so ensure that your project is successful. Over the coming weeks, I shall look at nine key reasons that can cause people to resist change.
Fear of the unknown is probably the most common cause of resistance to change as people naturally will resist doing something they know nothing about, if you try and start a project without talking to the people involved you are guaranteed to encounter resistance from them.
They will only start to take those required steps towards the unknown if you take the time to explain to them why the change is needed, what you are trying to achieve and what is expected of them. To overcome any resistance you will need to spend time developing a good communication plan before the project starts that reaches out to all those affected by the change. Involving people in the whole process of change will help them understand and appreciate the need for change and believe that the risks of standing still are greater than those of moving forward.
