Change Management Communications: Overcoming Resistance Through Empathy

Conduct effective conversations about the change at a group and individual level • Manage persistent resistance to the change • Demonstrate commitment to the change through their behavior

How do you teach change management to managers who are resistant to the change itself?

Managing the people side of change is about realizing change faster, with greater engagement (participation levels) and higher proficiency (performance) by all individuals affected by the change. The ultimate goal is to realize the objectives of the change and maximize the total return on investment.

Often, our first tactic for making change is information. To improve diets, we tell kids about the links between donuts, soda, obesity, and diabetes. To improve efficiency, we inform staff about new procedures or values. These educational interventions draw upon the power of authoritative information to change minds and behavior. While this tactic

Resistance from mid-level managers is cited as the most common area for resistance to change.

face-to-face discussions that are honest and straightforward, and that offer details of the change on a personal level, are the most effective form of communication.

Communicate transparently: Being able to enable the information flow between management, technical teams, and people. This is a very critical aspect that needs to be done correctly and in a timely manner. Believing that I did/do spend a great amount of deliberate time in making sure the projects, tasks, success, and failure are communicated betwee

When one-on-one time is invested with such individuals to address their resistance to change, these outspoken employees can become open advocates for the change, and their opinions can positively influence many other employees.