The pitchforks and torches come out

Some people will be resistant to change regardless of how good the new thing is, how much it will improve their experience, and how well it’s communicated.

Change aversion varies from person to person because it depends on so many unique facets.

Like how much uncertainty people can tolerate, how much control they require, how much inconvenience they can handle, how effectively they cope with loss, how fast they learn new things, and how deeply they trust themselves and one another.

It’s a wonder anyone ever introduces anything new!

Particularly with a group of people. When change is on the horizon, the villagers always grow unsettled. The pitchforks and torches come out to demonstrate their united front against the powers that be.

I found a study showing that organizations spend more than ten billion annually on change transformations, and yet, more than fifty percent those of efforts will fail to meet objectives. Often because the organization neglected people’s individual interests, or failed to sufficiently empower them, or didn’t make the change rational enough.

The researcher’s conclusions were that it must be in the individual interests of employees to change their behavior. Because people don’t willingly and proactively behave in ways that seem detrimental to their perceived goals. They prefer change that they choose for themselves, versus change that is mandated.

Without that engagement, only a minority of change programs will change people’s contexts sufficiently to produce the new behaviors that the program requires.

When I think back to every company I’ve ever worked for, each of the above researcher’s insights on change aversion resonate with me. From switching to new desks, adopting different tech solutions, pivoting the company vision, trying an alternative team structure, migrating to another chat platform, and adjusting to the leadership style of a succeeding executive, I’ve had my share of changes.

And some of them I dealt with poorly, some I handled like a pro, and everything else in between. But my takeaway from all those experiences was, the onus is on always me. Every time.

When change is swirling around me, it’s nobody else’s job to make it easier on me. That’s my responsibility as a mature, autonomous adult. I choose to actively engage with change on a personal level. I will take control on how I perceive and respond to them.

How will you actively engage with change on a personal level?