Recognize this?

“I want to focus on the technical aspects of my work. Don’t bother me with the people shizzle, I’m not trained in handling human and behavioral hurdles in my team. Isn’t that the job of HR?”

Sounds familiar? Then keep on reading.

In today’s dynamic and ever-changing business environment, it’s crucial to master some basic human-centered skills such as dealing with change resistance. As technical leader, you are often responsible for introducing and implementing technical changes, such as new processes, technologies or an other way of working. Resistance within the team can hinder the successful execution of these changes. You don’t want that, right?

Take it one step at the time. Reading this is already investing in mastering this new skill. In this blog you will be inspired on:

• Awareness on skill development: Why it’s essential to enhance your skills in managing resistance to change and discover the benefits not only for yourself but also for your team and organization.
• Understanding resistance: Gaining a deeper understanding of the reasons behind change resistance in technical teams. Starting with yourself.
• Effective actions: Learning about actionable strategies that can ease the transition and minimize disruptions.

Ready for it? Let’s do this! Take your time, reflect on cases and make notes.

Resistance to change among technical experts in an organization stems from various factors. Let’s see if you recognize this common reasons with yourself (first step) ánd your team members (second step):

1. Technical competence and comfort zone: Technical experts often possess in-depth knowledge and experience within their field. They are accustomed to specific processes, tools, and technologies. Introducing change can take them out of their comfort zone and require them to learn new skills or abandon old habits, which can lead to resistance.
2. Uncertainty about new technologies: If change involves the introduction of new technologies, technical employees may be hesitant due to uncertainty about their ability to effectively use these technologies. They may fear losing their expertise or that their skills will become outdated.
3. Lack of involvement in decision-making: If technical professionals are not involved in the decision-making process regarding changes that affect their work, they may feel excluded and develop resistance. They may feel that their insights and expertise are not being taken seriously.
4. Fear of failure: Technical experts often strive for excellence and are fearful of the consequences of any failures during the transition to new processes or technologies. This fear can lead to resistance to change as they seek to minimize risks.
5. Communication issues: Poor communication regarding the reasons behind the change, its benefits, and how it will affect technical employees can lead to misunderstandings and resistance. Technical experts require clear and persuasive communication to convince them of the need for change.
6. Status quo bias: Perception that one doesn’t have to change. There is still a sense of comfort, no burning platform so why bother adapting.
7. The bastard called “No time”: Technical experts often have demanding workloads and may perceive implementing (another) change as time-consuming. They may prioritize technical tasks over change management efforts.
8. Low on energy: When people experience a variety of (personal and/or professional) challenges, it is often difficult to embrace change. The mind is tired and can’t cope the extra changes on top.

It’s crucial to recognize and understand these factors. Self-awareness regarding your own reasons for change resistance is a critical first step in becoming an effective technical leader in managing change within your team. By doing this you are already dealing with change and developing a human centered approach. How about that….

Our humble checklist when someone seems to be “stuck”: does he really want to, can he (in terms of being skilled, energized & tooled enough), does he have to (as in there is no alternative)? Or she off course. Just saying.

The gain for you and the team when you act self-aware on dealing with resistance, starting with yourself?

1. Lead by Example: As a technical leader, your actions and attitudes set the tone for your team. By demonstrating self-awareness and a willingness to address your own resistance by not shuffling it away, you lead by example and encourage team members to do the same.
2. Enhance Empathy: Understanding your own resistance can enhance your empathy toward team members who are experiencing similar challenges. It allows you to relate to their concerns and provide more effective support and guidance. Maybe some extra training.
3. Tailor Communication: When you are aware of your own reasons for resistance, you can tailor your communication to address those concerns effectively. This can lead to clearer and more persuasive messaging when discussing change with your team.
4. Reduce Hypocrisy: If you expect your team members to confront their resistance to change, it’s essential that you do the same. Addressing your own resistance demonstrates authenticity and reduces the perception of hypocrisy.
5. Open Dialogue: Self-awareness promotes open and honest dialogue within the team. When team members see their leader acknowledging their own resistance, they may be more willing to share their concerns openly, leading to constructive discussions and actions.

The gain for the organization?

1. Successful change implementation: When a technical leader models effective change management by addressing their own resistance, it sets a positive example for the rest of the organization. This can lead to a smoother and more successful implementation of organizational changes.
2. Enhanced employee engagement: By showing empathy, transparency, and a commitment to addressing resistance, the technical leader can enhance employee engagement. Engaged employees are more likely to actively participate in change efforts and contribute positively to their success.
3. Improved team morale: Addressing one’s own resistance demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn and grow. This can boost team morale and create a more supportive and positive work environment, which is crucial during times of change.
4. Better decision-making: Self-awareness allows the technical leader to make better-informed decisions regarding change. They can identify and mitigate potential biases, leading to more objective and effective decision-making.
5. Enhanced trust and credibility: When employees see their technical leader addressing their own resistance and actively working to improve, it builds trust and credibility. This trust can extend beyond the leader to the organization as a whole.
6. Reduced resistance across the organization: A self-aware technical leader can influence the broader organization by demonstrating the importance of addressing resistance. This can lead to a reduction in resistance at all levels, making change initiatives more successful.
7. Adaptive organizational culture: Over time, a culture of self-awareness and openness to addressing resistance can become embedded within the organization. This adaptive culture is better equipped to respond to and thrive in a rapidly changing business environment.
8. Competitive advantage: Organizations that can adapt to change more effectively gain a competitive advantage in their industry. A technical leader who manages resistance contributes to the organization’s ability to stay competitive and innovate.

Congrats! If all went well, you have conducted a pretty good root-cause analysis of the change resistance that you often experience yourself or observe within your team. Start by analyzing a single situation and attempt to identify if a pattern emerges.

“One occurrence may be a coincidence, two occurrences deserves our attention, but three times is BINGO and a pattern! “

Try to experiment with the above next time you feel are see resistance, but fully self- aware this time. Try to experiment with another way of communicating and see what’s happening.

Sure, there are a few other human-centered actions you can do to ensure the successful implementation of change within a team and counter their resistance. These actions focus on providing structure, measurement, and support mechanisms. Equally important!

1. Using a clear roadmap: Develop a clear roadmap or plan for the change, including milestones and timelines. This provides a structured path for the team to follow. In situations where a traditional roadmap may not be suitable, organizations may opt for more adaptive and flexible approaches to change management and a more emergent strategy. Always look at the complexity of the context.
2. Measuring progress: Define metrics to measure the progress and effectiveness of the change initiative. Regularly review and share these metrics with the team. It’s important to select metrics that provide valuable insights into the progress and impact of the change but are also meaningful for those involved.
3. Change champions: Identify and empower change champions within the team. These are individuals who are enthusiastic about the change and can help influence and support their peers.
4. Feedback loop: Establish a feedback loop to continuously gather input and assess the impact of the change. Use this feedback to make adjustments and improvements as needed. Let them feel it’s worth the effort.

So, we made it to the end. Congrats again!

Now you understand more that a human-centered approach to change management also places people at the forefront of the transformation process. Including yourself as leader. It’s not the first time that we discover in mentoring sessions that the leader lacks essential information himself to fully commit to the change, a voice in the decision-making process, or the necessary skills to address resistance to change. We also encounter só many leaders low on energy. How in the world can you lead yourself and a team then? It is such a complex theme, talking about it helps to discover your own patterns and find root-cause the right steps to experiment with.

By writing this blog and supporting technical leaders and teams, we want to emphasize that successful change is not solely about structural adjustments, but also about addressing the unique needs and concerns of individuals within the organization. This approach emphasizes that while structural initiatives provide the framework for change, it is the cultivation of a positive and adaptable organizational culture, along with active engagement and communication with employees, that ultimately leads to lasting and successful change.

Do you want to learn more about this, share cases, and be challenged by it? Don’t hesitate to book some mentoring, you won’t regret it. Do you prefer to address the topic with the whole team? Nice one! We can open a dialogue in a team facilitation. Dealing with a lot of change and in need of an inhouse change expert or advisory? Let’s talk.

We are C-lab. We are mentor, coach & advisor for leaders & teams who recognize the need of a human-centered approach along with technical excellence to achieve their objectives. Reach out to boost your transformation.