There seems to be a general sense that people don’t like change. In fact, one study claimed that 88% of people surveyed believed that a change would make things worse for them! One thing we know for sure, change is constant. Does that mean we are doomed to life getting worse and worse as things constantly change? I don’t think so. It turns out that we might be focusing on the wrong thing. According to Mark Seine, Senior Director of Clint Leadership at TIAA, people don’t tend to resist change so much as they resist loss. He suggests that most people want change to happen, but they also have a hard time with the loss they will be experiencing about the old way they have done things. This is a normal and completely valid feeling that can happen during big and small changes.
Saine suggests that our tendency, as people driving the change, is to try and push others into a sense of excitement about the change without allowing space for them to work through the loss, disorientation, and nostalgia that might be associated with what is happening. Rather, we should acknowledge the past and maybe even take a Marie Kondo approach to thank it for getting us to this next step. With people, fast is slow and slow is fast. If we take time to allow those involved to process the change and ask questions and work through it, they will usually get to a point where they can see the path forward and start moving towards engagement in the change.
When you are leading a change effort, take time to acknowledge the loss we may feel for the old way. As leaders, we can lead discussions and allow people to share what they’re concerned about so they can eventually start exploring the possibilities that will present themselves in the change. Taking a slower approach up front, can lead to a better engagement with change in the long run.