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Managing Change,Resistance and ConflictConsultancy Skills
Objectives
• To understand how to be proactive in managing change and reducing resistance
• To understand the good and bad sides of conflict
Resistance is to be expected when introducing change
It is in the nature of a project delivering major change to encounter and to have to manage resistance in many forms.
Some degree of resistance is normal and expected.
The ‘buy-in to Resistance’ journey:
Stakeholder mapping and
movement
Tailored communication
and involvement
Buy-in
No Buy-In
SUPPORT
RESISTANCE
People often resist because in the absence of communication, they assume the worst. The key to avoiding and minimising initial resistance is getting the communication and involvement right at the start
Managing change requires addressing three dimensions of change
• Individuals experience a wide range of emotions when going through change. These emotions range from denial through to calm acceptance over time.
• The source of these emotions is influenced by three dimensions of change:
Emotional• Am I going to be
successful?• How will I look in the
future?
Rational• Why should
I change?
• Is the new model really better?
Political• Is there a risk for
my position?
• What will my power be tomorrow?
• Addressing the rational of change is only a starting point
• Understanding and addressing political and emotional dimensions of change is necessary
We need to help our clients constantly and consistently see all three perspectives
The Emotional Cycle of Change has five stages
Knowing where we and others are on the Emotional Cycle can help us to understand the effect change is having.
Time
Negative
Positive
Level of Optimism
Certainty
Doubt
Hope
Confidence
Satisfaction
Source: Thamhain and Wilemon.
The way we deal with resistance and conflict is a critical element of our professionalism
…it requires humility, resolve, and patience.
The client is NOT always right, but the way you deal with him / her has to be
The client is NOT always right, but the way you deal with him / her has to be
Source: Flawless Consulting by Peter Block.
What does resistance look like?
A. Avoidance of responsibility
B. Flooding with detail
C. One-word answers
D. Impracticality
E. Attacking
F. Compliance
G. Confusion
H.Changing the subject
I. I’m not surprised
J. Silence
K.Time
L.Nit-picking
M.Pressing for solutions
As many as 13 different manifestations of resistance have been identified
People resist by what they say AND by what they do
Most resistance often is hidden beneath the surface and requires focused interpretation
Real / Underlying Concerns
Indirect Expressions of Concerns / Visible Resistance
Resistance is a way of expressing feelings of concern about making a change
EmotionalPolitical
Rational
Why resistance occurs . . .
Lack of career or financial advancement
Possible damage to relationships with their superiors
Territory threat
EmotionalPolitical
Rational
• Losing their job• Change in job role• Job transfer• Knowledge of what future holds
and place in the organisation• Lack of understanding of where
you are going and why
Loss of credibility or reputation
Interpersonal rejection
Embarrassment / loss of self-esteem
Fear of the unknown
Demotion
Threat to familiar contacts: customers, colleagues, managers, group membership…
“AIR” is a useful technique to manage resistance
• Acknowledge– What they have said in a genuine way
• Investigate– Identify the main source of the resistance– Encourage them to talk more about it – and listen– Isolate and work the separate issues
• Reinforce– Reinforce the positive aspects of anything you are
proposing– Calmly and clearly explain the reasons for change
(again!)– Look for acceptance
Dealing with resistance: Do's and Don't
• Do:• Explain why• Explain the benefits• Invite and answer questions• Set standards and clear targets• Inform / involve key managers• Recognise and reward efforts• Communicate repeatedly• Give more feedback than usual to ensure
people always know where they stand• Allow some time for resistance, but not
too much• Measure results, step back and take a
look at what is going on• Keep asking “Is the change working the
way we want it to?”• Encourage people to think and act
creatively
Don't:• Go into more data collection• Re-plan the changes to get a more
acceptable response• Avoid the individual who is resisting• Work only with people who agree• Answer the same concern many
times• Give lots of reasons• Get caught up in the details• Expect approval, encouragement,
support and / or affection• Lose your confidence• Expect to have all the answers• Avoid giving “bad news”• Use aggressive language • Delay / wait one more day
Source: Flawless Consulting by Peter Block
As a summary• Resistance is to be expected
– They are not 'incidents' but are part of the change process – There are positive outcomes from dealing with them
• Understanding the Rational / Political / Emotional dimensions is a key to discovering real underlying issues beyond what people express
• Being aware of the emotional cycle of change helps us reassure our clients
• Managing stakeholders is key to secure success of our projects and achieve sustainable change
• Effectively and constructively dealing with resistance and conflict is essential to building trust and long relationships with our clients
• There are several methods and techniques to achieve this and gaining experience of them is a critical success factor for interacting with clients
One of the hardest parts of consulting is managing conflicts
The top seven sources of conflict on projects are• Schedules: Timing, sequencing, duration, feasibility of schedule for
project-related tasks or activities
• Project priorities: Lack of goals, poorly defined project mission, differing views of task importance, shifting goals
• Resources: Competition for personnel, materials, equipment, facilities among project members or across teams
• Technical options: From technical issues, performance specifications, technical trade-offs
• Administrative procedures: How project will be managed, reporting relationships, interfaces, work design, plans for execution, negotiated work agreements with others
• Cost objectives: Lack of cost control authority, allocation of funds
• Personalities: Egos, personality differences, prejudice, stereotyping Source: Thamhain and Wilemon.
The “Win-Win Matrix” is the background to any conflict
The extent to which I allow the other person to achieve their goals
The extent to which I achieve
my goals
HIGH
LOW
LOW HIGH
Win / Lose
Lose / WinLose / Lose
Win / Win
Always seek to attain a position of ‘win-win’
In situations of conflict you can use 3 different styles
• Fighting, powerful, commanding
• Pressing for results, threatening, repetition
• Confident, persuasive, forceful
Logical, knowledgeable, clarifying ideas
Facts, quoting rules, practical
Orderly, fair, thorough
TOUGHBATTLER
LOGICAL THINKER
FRIENDLY HELPER
Helpful, sympathetic, polite
Encouraging, compromising, concerned, friendly
Trusting, optimistic, caring, supportive
You may need to exercise all three styles to resolve conflict
The three “pure” styles of influence
The “DESC” script is useful to resolve conflicts
• Describe what you want, how you see the situation objectively, and factually
• Express your feelings about the situation and why you feel that way
• Specify the action you think should be taken and why
• Consequences both positive and negative, of doing or not doing what you are suggesting
Shared Vision & Strategy
Leaders Engaged &
Aligned
High Performing
Project Team
Stakeholders Prepared &
Mobilised
People Processes Updated
AlignedProcesses &Organisation
The Change Wheel
There are 8 critical success factors for managing change through people
Upgraded Skills &
Competencies
Behaviour & Culture Gaps
Addressed