The good in emotional reactions - embrace change resistance

Photo by Go Montgenevre

Dealing with change is a natural process. But when people express a natural reaction to change, we find it annoying and say, "They are resistant to the change.” Unjustified.

When thinking about change management, many people immediately associate it with "resistance." For me it has a negative connotation and indicates that 'someone else' does not want to go along with the change. That action is needed to reverse or break through the resistance.

Have you ever considered where 'resistance' comes from? During training and workshops on change management, I ask this question. Usually, participants pinpoint that 'resistance' results from an emotional reaction. And that is true. But I rarely hear about the upside of emotional responses, although they teach us two precious insights: people are engaged, and we hit something that matters to someone.

Comfortzone as comfortable habitat

People thrive on predictability and regularity. As much as 95% of our behavior is automatic or habitual. We know what we have to do without consciously thinking about it. Fortunately. We would get exhausted if we have to think about everything we do.

During winter sports last winter, I had this experience - once again. I snowboard long enough to come down the slopes without much effort for multiple days. But after two hours of private lessons with much thinking about my basic technique, I was both tired and less convinced of my abilities. I was consciously doing something I usually do unconsciously. And stepped out of my comfort zone.

Our comfort zone is a very comfortable zone. We prefer to stay in this zone and change it as little as possible. However, if we want a profound change in our organization, then affecting the comfort zone is inevitable.

With organizational change, we want to break through fixed patterns and habits to fulfil our higher purpose and serve customers meaningfully. New ways of looking, thinking, and doing. And with that, the comfort zone is up for discussion.

Pressure on the comfort zone leads to primary responses

Once we compromise the safety of the comfort zone, we switch to a behavior we have been demonstrating since the dawn of humanity: survival. Sometimes by going into battle, sometimes by fleeing or evading. In organizational change, we call this "resistance to change”. We refer to this behavior as "not taking responsibility," "flight behavior," or "digging in our heels”. Not positive qualifications for qualities that have allowed humanity to survive on the earth for centuries!

Survival is a primary reaction to protect ourselves from outside danger. In organizational change, this danger comes from those who conceived and initiated the change.

Who challenges the comfort zone?

Therefore, dealing with resistance to change does not begin with the one who exhibits an emotional reaction. It starts with the one who questions the comfort zone. Usually, that is the one who says others are showing resistance.

Do you want to know more about how to turn ‘resistance’ into a force for profound change? Subscribe to our newsletter or contact us directly.