How you can encourage your people to positively contribute when their process is changing, even when they don’t like the change!
“..but I always push the button!”
When changes occur that affect people’s job functions, due to automation or other changes in the workplace, sometimes they are grateful for, and excited about the new way of doing things.
Way more often, though, they are NOT happy. They are nervous or even angry about the loss of the job as they know it. They are stuck on how they used to do things. They say things like “but I always…”.
In short, they resist — even if it’s a change that makes their job easier, and lets them focus on higher-value tasks.
As a leader, you can do more than just overpower their complaints. You can recognize what is behind their resistance: their ownership, their desire to contribute. It’s their pride in their job. It’s a really good thing.
If you’re skilled enough to acknowledge and redirect their resistance, instead of squashing it, you can benefit it.
Channel their energy in a more productive direction by supporting them through the change and you’ll get that same commitment to the new process — one of the many ways your business can ‘level up’ from process changes!
