Turnaround in Process: Resistance is Futile

Recently, on Linked in, I answered a questions about how to handle extremely change-resistant team members. I’d like to share it here as well.

In my experience here in China Turn-around situations, I find that extreme resistance by some team members is the rule, not the exception. While it is difficult to generalize how to handle it, generally some combination of the following strategies are used:

1. Being patient, understanding the objections, and working through the objections with that person, ensuring that he or she understands why the change is being made, and giving a reality check on how really small the risks are when put into perspective.

2. Showing everyone that the change will happen, and that ultimately, resistance is futile, so it is better to embrace the change rather than resist it.

3. Removing team members who fail to respond to 1 or 2 above, and letting everyone know why that person was removed (fired, re-assigned, etc.).

4. When change is successfully implemented, reward the team, let everyone know not only how much value they’ve added, but also how much their own value has improved.

5. Monetary incentives are usually not a bad idea. They are not always appropriate, but sometimes they are.

One other thing: I would make two classifications: those who are “resistant” and those who are “obstructionist”. The latter tend to leave the organization long before they’ve seen the change implemented.