Breaking down barriers to change

What are the biggest barriers to change? People. As many supporters of change there are, you will find the resistors who do not want to embrace the new and unknown. They scupper any efforts to improve; sometimes unknowingly, sometimes intentionally. This risk-averse behavior is an internal threat. It puts the entire organization in a situation where change is not embraced and consequently real progress is not made. Thus the organization becomes susceptible to irrelevance.

Who are these people who keep change from happening and how can we lead them?

Fixed mindset: Carol Dweck’s research shines a light on fixed and growth mindsets. The fixed mindset person has the view that intelligence is static which leads to a desire to look smart and therefore they have the tendency to avoid challenges. But change is generally a challenge. Enter growth mindset people who believe intelligence can be developed. A new situation may be challenging but because they operate in a growth paradigm they have a desire to learn. Their tendency is to embrace rather than avoid challenge and change. They are genuinely committed to growth and are willing to put the time and effort into it. Simply by creating the awareness of the qualities of a fixed and growth mindset can cause a shift in thought towards a growth mindset. People become more aware of their thoughts, words and reactions.

Blame game: Typically linked to a fixed mindset, the people who play the ‘blame game’ can derail change. They tend to be fearful and have a limited as opposed to an abundance mentality. They avoid taking ownership and tend to blame others for poor results and failed initiatives. The blame gamers get defensive and give up quickly. It is difficult to pin them down as they push the blame off themselves on to others, the market, the students, and even the weather. We need to be alert to these people. We want to build our teams with people who look for opportunities, say “yes!” to challenges and look for feedback even if it may hurt a little. Leaders in this situation call on the team to watch each other’s language and ensure they hold each other accountable to using the words such as, “Yes and…” Simple yet powerful words that open the door to opportunity.

The Elephants:  These are not spoken about unless it is at the water cooler, behind closed doors in whispers or in hallways after meetings. Not addressing the elephants means that key change-blocking issues are not dealt with and remain as blockers. Even more challenging is an organization that claims to have a culture of open dialogue, however has issues that are ‘off the table’. Powerful individuals and teams who embrace change are comfortable in talking about the tricky things. They see challenging conversations as an opportunity to move forward. They take conflict as a positive step to promote true change. I know of a leader who put a box of Kleenex in the middle of the room alongside a toy pink elephant. On the elephant were sticky notes of all the topics that were unspoken issues. The Kleenex was for the tears that would come through the hard conversations to follow.

Leaders cannot ignore the blockers to change. Their organization depends on their ability to overcome these challenges so that progress can be made. And, progress is critical to survival.

Picture source: http://www.wespath.org/center-for-health/resources/overcoming-barriers-to-change/