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Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential
Issue 1.14 - November 3rd, 2004 - ISSN: 1551-6571
In Kevin's Own Words
5 Ways to Influence Change in Others
Because of my work as a consultant, trainer and coach I deal with change and people’s reactions to it all the time. When a Client decides to work with us, they are recognizing that some sort of change is needed. After all, if they want more effective teams, better Customer Service, higher creativity, more effective training, or more effective leadership in their organizations, something has to become different than it is currently. Change must occur.
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Because of this, change is often at the center of our work, and we’ve learned a fair bit about it. In short, here are two of the most important things I have learned about change:
- People don’t resist change, they resist being changed.
- Regardless of our position, we become significantly more effective when we understand change and how to influence it in others.
Most people nod their head at the first one when I mention it, but some scratch their head at the second. So let’s start there.
Why Does It Matter?
All of us have parts of our jobs where we need to influence others to think differently or to behave differently – in other words we need to be able to influence change.
Think about it this way.
Whether you are a janitor, salesperson, Customer service professional, trainer, first line supervisor, manager, leader, or C-level executive, are there times when you encounter resistance to your ideas, approaches, and expertise? In these cases, does your job get easier and would the organization benefit when you are successful in getting others to make those changes?
Of course.
We can, in fact, all be more effective in our work when we better understand how to influence change in others. The scope of the change doesn’t matter. Some of us are proposing or leading big sweeping organizational changes, while others are making small procedure changes. All of us need to support and champion changes, and therefore benefit from greater skills and understanding in this area.
Resistance is a Key
There are many factors or levers to influencing change, but one of the key ones is reflected by my first lesson mentioned above – “people don’t resist change, they resist being changed.”
If we want to help people change, we have to help them decide the change is in their best interest. We have to influence people, not force change upon them.
Here are five things you can do, starting right now, to influence change in others:
- "Get" their perspective. Your perspective, goals and belief in the change don’t really matter. All that matters is the perspective and beliefs of the other person. We must start by understanding their view of the world. Determine their concerns, fears and assumptions regarding the change. Doing this will definitely help you counter some of these concerns. But the real benefit in truly understanding their perspective is that you are valuing their opinion and they will feel they are a part of a conversation, not a sales pitch.
- Acknowledge their perspective. You may not agree with their assumptions or share their fears and concerns, but you can acknowledge how they feel. Let them know that you understand their point of view and that it is a valid view. Part of the reason people resist being changed is that they never feel validated or acknowledged. Forgo this step at your peril.
- Speak to their interests. Once you know more about their issues and concerns you can help them see a different perspective. By acknowledging their perspective as a valid one, their mind will likely be more open to hearing a new perspective. Talk to them about the differences in your perspectives. Reduce their fears. Build a clearer picture of the future after the change, explaining the parts of it that will be of greatest interest and benefit in their mind.
- Recognize natural tendencies. Everyone has their own natural tendencies towards change. Some are more open and move more quickly to a new approach or system. Others are more cautious. If you often find yourself as the influencer of change, perhaps you are in the later group. Be aware that not everyone will move at the same rate.
- Be patient. Give people some time. Let them reflect on what you have shared with them. Give them time to justify a new position in their mind. Recognize that by giving people time it may also help them “save face” as they begin to advocate a change that they had previously opposed.
With these five approaches you give yourself a better chance to influence others to change. Each of these alone will help you – but taken together they greatly reduce resistance and help others move towards a changed perspective and actions. At a minimum you will have reduced people’s resistance to change. At best they won’t feel they are being changed – they will recognize the change as their own.
Yours in Learning,
Kevin Recommends
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
by Robert B. Cialdini
As I wrote the word "influence" throughout the article you have just read above, I couldn’t fathom any other resource to recommend today besides Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.
This book was suggested to me several years ago as a marketing classic – a book that was a must read for me as I continued to expand my understanding of marketing. This book is that and much more.
Written by a renowned professor of Psychology at Arizona State University, it is valuable far beyond the traditional bounds of marketing. As a leader we want to have the best tools at our disposal to persuade others. Follow the ideas in this book and you will become more influential and persuasive AND understand how you are persuaded as well.
The book explores six keys: reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity. The book is not academic in nature, though it is filled with research examples. It is a well conceived, enjoyable, practical and fun book to read.
If you are like me you will read it more than once and return to its examples often. I hope this short description has persuaded you to click the link below to learn more, and hopefully read it yourself!
You can learn more and order a copy at Amazon.com.
Another Perspective
The Physics of Change
By Lorraine Ball
Change is necessary! Continually encouraging, creating, and implementing worthwhile change provides a competitive edge in the marketplace.
But change, particularly in large organizations is not easy. Sometimes, it seems that a fundamental rule of physics is at work; for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
The solution - take a few lessons from your physics book as you try to create forward movement in your organization.
Resistance
When people hear the word "change," the walls of resistance appear. There is worthwhile information within this resistance. Encourage employees to ask questions. Listen carefully to the concerns, and adapt communication and actions to achieve positive reactions. Take the time to understand the issues, weighing the value of any resistance. Don’t be afraid to adjust when it is logical.
Fulcrum
In physics a fulcrum is the point or support on which a lever pivots. To create effective change, identify the pivot points in your organization. They are the departments or individuals who will be most effected by the change. Be sure they are engaged in the process; understand the benefits and their role.
Encourage these employees as they adapt to ongoing change. Establish performance goals reflecting the need to innovate. Reward those who embrace this new behavior.
Leverage
Leverage the strength of your organization; find people with the talent and skills to make the changes happen. Place responsibility for the change in the hands of people who understand the underlying business, issues, relationships and drivers.
Energy
To engage employees, you must generate level of electricity regarding change. Talk about changes, paint the landscape with its importance, and be innovative and energetic about the changes. Your passion and energy will be contagious, encouraging others to be passionate about change as well.
To be effective, energy must be focused. Define how your work connects to the overall business the business, how your accomplishments and those of your team have positively affected the organization's operation. Share the success stories.
Make it self sustaining
Don’t stop at one change! Encourage employees' adventurous spirit to develop ongoing, beneficial changes. Create a process to implement these new ideas successfully to make a long-term difference for the company.
Once you create the “change-is-a-part-of-normal-business” mindset, it won't be change any longer. It will be business as normal, very successful business as normal.
A veteran of corporate America, Lorraine Ball has been creating positive momentum within organizations for more than 20 years. Today, Lorraine teaches business owners and team leaders how to use creativity, positive energy and collaboration to achieve exceptional results in a changing environment. Learn more at http://www.roundpeg.biz.
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© 2004 The Kevin Eikenberry Group – All Rights Reserved
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