Hearts and Minds
How to appeal to hearts and minds, and why it matters
It seems obvious, but when orchestrating large change initiatives, we often overlook a fundamental step: considering the human experience.
We forget what it is to be human, to be empathetic and to truly consider how the change that we’re planning affects the people involved. I’m in no way suggesting that we do this intentionally, in fact I know that when this happens, it’s often due to a lack of clarity that leaders themselves have. As a result, they favour silence over giving partial information. They delay announcements over being transparent about the challenges they’re facing. But withholding information rarely helps. Acknowledging challenges, keeping people informed, and ensuring psychological safety is key.
Having just completed APMG’s Change Management Foundation & Practitioner course, I’d like to share some of the tools I’ve learned on how leaders and change teams can engage and motivate people in times of change, as well as how to recognise and counter resistance to it.
How to engage people
Many theories have been developed on how to engage people in times of change, and there’s no one size fits all. We’re all different and respond to change in our own way. The climate and culture of a business also play a big part in how people respond to a change, but there are some simple guidelines we can follow that are proven to help. Julie Hodges (2019) developed five key principles to help build and maintain engagement in times of change:
Inclusivity - involving people in the planning and implementation of change (often called co-design) is proven to help people feel engaged and motivated. It’s vital that they feel they have a ‘part to play’ (Bridges, 2017) and are not just being told to implement change for change’s sake.
Connectivity - we all want to feel connected, both to each other and the bigger picture. Finding ways to facilitate meaningful connection between people is a vital part of ensuring people can be their true authentic selves and truly feel part of a team that respects and values them.
Transparency - this is not only about sharing key information but also about a cultural shift to being open in how we communicate, behave and make decisions. Sharing personal perspectives, welcoming feedback and explaining the rationale behind a change truthfully, helps mitigate uncertainty and builds trust and respect.
Dialogue - Providing opportunities for feedback, conversation and yes, vulnerability. This is particularly important for leaders. Showing willingness to adapt the change strategy based on others’ views, to not shy away from the hard topics and honouring what people are losing creates a climate of safety and trust.
Empathy - Showing an awareness of what impact a change is having on someone personally can make a huge difference to how comfortable they feel to voice their concerns and have an open conversation.
How to recognise resistance to change and counter it
Common reasons for resistance to change (Kanter, 2012):
Loss of control - fear of losing autonomy or areas of responsibility
Excess uncertainty - over job roles or responsibilities, future of the business
Surprise (no one told me about this) - being caught off guard
Too many changes going on at the same time - multiple change affecting many areas
Loss of face - reputationally, this can feel quite personal
Concerns about competence - new processes and systems can make people feel incompetent
More work - unfortunately, this is inevitable. Change does usually require more work for everyone.
Ripple effect - Impact on other teams and output can challenge relationships and processes
Past resentments - change often brings up ghosts from the past
Sometimes the threat is real - Genuine loss of roles, colleagues or past team structures: ‘change is resisted because it can hurt’
Steps to heal and counter the resistance:
Define clear boundaries and clarity on roles and responsibilities, offer opportunities for input and co-design.
Create certainty by sharing clear timelines and objectives.
Be sensitive to how news of change will land, try not to surprise people or give them too much ‘instruction’ at once. As Kanter puts it, ‘plant seeds’
Unify the change efforts happening across the business, identify overlaps and give clarity on priorities and explain what isn’t changing.
Celebrate heroes of the past and honour what’s gone before, recognising the loss but making it clear why it needs to change.
Help people understand their new roles, offer information and training to help them feel competent and empowered, and allow for overlaps to ease transition.
Acknowledge and reward the hard work required to make the change successful, and focus on engaging and motivating teams to want to help make it happen.
Widen the pool of stakeholders and invite collaboration to iron out the impact the change is having
Find ways to heal past experiences of change. Acknowledge past failures and honour people’s emotional responses.
When dealing with the real pain of change, the best thing leaders can do is be ‘honest, transparent, fast, and fair’.
Change can be painful. Leaders must acknowledge that reality and approach it with honesty, transparency, and fairness. People don’t resist change itself, they resist the uncertainty, loss, and upheaval it brings. The best way to guide them through it is to respect their experiences, communicate openly, and never dismiss their concerns.
Only by acknowledging our own humanity, by showing vulnerability, strength and kindness, can we truly lead with integrity and respect.
If you’re planning a change and need some help, book a discovery call with me and let’s start building a plan together.
