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