Managing Change, Resistance and Conflict

1. Managing Change,Resistance and Conflict Consultancy Skills

2. Objectives • To understand how to be proactive in managing change and reducing resistance • To understand the good and bad sides of conflict

3. Buy-in SUPPORT No Buy-In RESISTANCE Resistance is to be expected when introducing change It is in the nature of a project delivering major change to encounter and to have to manage resistance in many forms. Some degree of resistance is normal and expected. The ‘buy-in to Resistance’ journey: Stakeholder mapping and movement Tailored communication and involvement People often resist because in the absence of communication, they assume the worst. The key to avoiding and minimising initial resistance is getting the communication and involvement right at the start

4. Individuals experience a wide range of emotions when going through change. These emotions range from denial through to calm acceptance over time. The source of these emotions is influenced by three dimensions of change: Managing change requires addressing three dimensions of change • Rational • Why shouldI change? • Is the new model really better? • Emotional • Am I going to be successful? • How will I look in the future? Political • Is there a risk for my position? • What will my power be tomorrow? • Addressing the rational of change is only a starting point • Understanding and addressing political and emotional dimensions of change is necessary We need to help our clients constantly and consistently see all three perspectives

5. The Emotional Cycle of Change has five stages Positive Satisfaction Certainty Level of Optimism Confidence Doubt Hope Negative Time Knowing where we and others are on the Emotional Cycle can help us to understand the effect change is having.

6. The way we deal with resistance and conflict is a critical element of our professionalism The client is NOT always right, but the way you deal with him / her has to be …it requires humility, resolve, and patience. Source: Thamhain and Wilemon.

7. As many as 13 different manifestations of resistance have been identified What does resistance look like? • Avoidance of responsibility • Flooding with detail • One-word answers • Impracticality • Attacking • Compliance • Confusion Changing the subject I’m not surprised Silence Time Nit-picking Pressing for solutions People resist by what they say AND by what they do Source: Flawless Consulting by Peter Block.

8. Rational Political Emotional Most resistance often is hidden beneath the surface and requires focused interpretation Indirect Expressions of Concerns / Visible Resistance Real / Underlying Concerns Resistance is a way of expressing feelings of concern about making a change

9. Rational Political Emotional Why resistance occurs . . . • Loss of credibility or reputation • Interpersonal rejection • Embarrassment / loss of self-esteem • Fear of the unknown • Demotion • Threat to familiar contacts: customers, colleagues, managers, group membership… • Losing their job • Change in job role • Job transfer • Knowledge of what future holds and place in the organisation • Lack of understanding of where you are going and why • Lack of career or financial advancement • Possible damage to relationships with their superiors • Territory threat

10. “AIR” is a useful technique to manage resistance • Acknowledge • What they have said in a genuine way • Investigate • Identify the main source of the resistance • Encourage them to talk more about it – and listen • Isolate and work the separate issues • Reinforce • Reinforce the positive aspects of anything you are proposing • Calmly and clearly explain the reasons for change (again!) • Look for acceptance

11. Do: Explain why Explain the benefits Invite and answer questions Set standards and clear targets Inform / involve key managers Recognise and reward efforts Communicate repeatedly Give more feedback than usual to ensure people always know where they stand Allow some time for resistance, but not too much Measure results, step back and take a look at what is going on Keep asking “Is the change working the way we want it to?” Encourage people to think and act creatively Don't: Go into more data collection Re-plan the changes to get a more acceptable response Avoid the individual who is resisting Work only with people who agree Answer the same concern many times Give lots of reasons Get caught up in the details Expect approval, encouragement, support and / or affection Lose your confidence Expect to have all the answers Avoid giving “bad news” Use aggressive language Delay / wait one more day Dealing with resistance: Do's and Don't Source: Flawless Consulting by Peter Block

12. As a summary • Resistance is to be expected • They are not 'incidents' but are part of the change process • There are positive outcomes from dealing with them • Understanding the Rational / Political / Emotional dimensions is a key to discovering real underlying issues beyond what people express • Being aware of the emotional cycle of change helps us reassure our clients • Managing stakeholders is key to secure success of our projects and achieve sustainable change • Effectively and constructively dealing with resistance and conflict is essential to building trust and long relationships with our clients • There are several methods and techniques to achieve this and gaining experience of them is a critical success factor for interacting with clients

13. One of the hardest parts of consulting is managing conflicts The top seven sources of conflict on projects are • Schedules: Timing, sequencing, duration, feasibility of schedule for project-related tasks or activities • Project priorities: Lack of goals, poorly defined project mission, differing views of task importance, shifting goals • Resources: Competition for personnel, materials, equipment, facilities among project members or across teams • Technical options: From technical issues, performance specifications, technical trade-offs • Administrative procedures: How project will be managed, reporting relationships, interfaces, work design, plans for execution, negotiated work agreements with others • Cost objectives: Lack of cost control authority, allocation of funds • Personalities: Egos, personality differences, prejudice, stereotyping Source: Thamhain and Wilemon.

14. The “Win-Win Matrix” is the background to any conflict HIGH Win / Win Win / Lose The extent to which I achieve my goals Lose / Lose Lose / Win LOW LOW HIGH The extent to which I allow the other person to achieve their goals Always seek to attain a position of ‘win-win’

15. Fighting, powerful, commanding Pressing for results, threatening, repetition Confident, persuasive, forceful In situations of conflict you can use 3 different styles TOUGHBATTLER The three “pure” styles of influence LOGICAL THINKER FRIENDLY HELPER • Helpful, sympathetic, polite • Encouraging, compromising, concerned, friendly • Trusting, optimistic, caring, supportive • Logical, knowledgeable, clarifying ideas • Facts, quoting rules, practical • Orderly, fair, thorough You may need to exercise all three styles to resolve conflict

16. The “DESC” script is useful to resolve conflicts • Describe what you want, how you see the situation objectively, and factually • Express your feelings about the situation and why you feel that way • Specify the action you think should be taken and why • Consequences both positive and negative, of doing or not doing what you are suggesting

17. There are 8 critical success factors for managing change through people The Change Wheel Behaviour & Culture Gaps Addressed Shared Vision & Strategy People Processes Updated Leaders Engaged & Aligned AlignedProcesses &Organisation Stakeholders Prepared & Mobilised Upgraded Skills & Competencies High Performing Project Team