How to Overcome Change Resistance in Your Project Management Business

It’s difficult to change when you’ve become used to a particular way of doing things. So, it’s normal to be reluctant to adopt a new set of methods and processes – especially if you don’t see a good reason as to why you should.

This makes it vital to have a strategy when implementing a change in your business, to overcome change resistance. Issuing a change and hoping it’ll stick isn’t an option (because, if any effort is required on the part of your team, it won’t work).

Here are 4 steps you can employ to overcome resistance to change in your business.

Get your team members involved.

When you first decide a change is necessary to your method or processes, arrange to meet with all team members/employees affected by the change.

Tell them about the change you propose to make, discuss how it’s going to work with regards to the team and make space for them to share their concerns and ideas.

By getting them involved with the decision, they’re less likely to feel Shanghaied and more likely to be motivated to carry out the chance – because you’ve made it their change, too.

Outline why the change is necessary.

When making a change that requires significant effort – in any aspect of life – there, likewise, must be a significant source of motivation.

One of the problems companies have with employees resisting change is a lack of motivation. This comes down to not having a good ‘why’ as to why team members should adopt the change – or, at least, not sharing the ‘why’ with your team effectively.

So, let your team members in on why the change needs to happen: what problem exists that necessitates the change and how does the change provide a solution?

It’s crucial to make it clear what the benefit of the change is to the company – and to your team as individuals – in the long term.

Support your team members to adopt the change.

Any extra resistance – such as finding it difficult to work a software or unclear instructions as to how to implement the change – is going to make it harder for employees to adopt the change (and to make the change stick).

So, if you really want a change to be adopted, you need to give team members the support they need to make the change easy – or at least, less difficult.

Get feedback from employees.

You won’t know how the change adoption process is going until you speak with those who are grappling with the change.

If there’s continued resistance to the change, find out why. If your employees are finding it difficult, talk to them about why that is and see if you can come to a solution together. Ask them if there’s anything you can do – or any changes you can make – to improve the change adoption process.

By giving them the space to share their thoughts, you can address anything holding your team members back and prime them to complete the change adoption process.

Change is difficult for everyone. To make a change stick in your company, everyone involved must take an active approach to make it a success – a.k.a. when the new change becomes the new normal.