Irresistibly Yours

Resistance in the workplace is inevitable, so don't take it personally. As a follow-up to last month's column, we'll explore ways you might alleviate that resistance. First, accept that you'll never convince all of your colleagues that it's in their best interest to work with you. You must also recognize that it's often difficult to differentiate between resistance rooted in personal fear and the actual proposal for change. To better discern between the two, you'll need to know the people you're targeting, both as individuals and as professionals. Here are some proven strategies to help weaken the resistance you may encounter:

1. Plan for resistance when you plan for change. Real or perceived threats to the status quo will generate resistance. But you can raise the odds of successful change if you plan for the human dimension. In the end, teaching methods, curricula, classes, and programs don't change unless the people who implement and deliver them change.

2. Acknowledge concerns. Ask those involved what they know about your proposal, as well as what they think about it. This shows respect for their feelings and builds trust in your proposal. Resistance thrives on professional insults or when people feel their opinions are discounted or ignored.

3. Address specific concerns. Respectfully and directly address the concerns people have about learning new information, mastering new skills, and working in a new relationship with you. Many won't admit to their fears, but most will admit to having reservations. If they tell you their suspicions or objections, you can assess the validity of their beliefs. Then you can tackle each one by correcting mistaken impressions and imaginary obstacles. Admit that there are risks involved, but also make them see that the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks.

4. Challenge the permanence of the status quo. There's no incentive to change if people believe they can continue being successful under the status quo. Understand that your colleagues fear being incompetent in a new environment, but make it clear that a new environment is inevitable and that they will surely become incompetent if they don't change.

5. Avoid criticizing current methods. Your colleagues are bound to get defensive if you criticize their current performance, so challenge the value and effectiveness of what exists by measuring it against the greater value of what's to come. It's not easy accepting that the talents that gained your co-workers tenure are now deficient. A more workable solution is to stress that your proposal will make a good thing better and enhance their ability to respond to shifting priorities.

This is a key point that's often overlooked. Innovations in schools typically address students' rather than adults' needs. Research shows that teachers are more likely to respond positively to innovations if they can gain personal benefits. Significant innovations in education always have teachers' attitudes front and center.

6. Individualize resistance. Remember, there isn't just one solution for overcoming resistance. Each person resists change for different reasons, so it's important to know with whom you are dealing and the context of their work lives. Teachers' fears, needs, and perspectives vary greatly with age, experience, grade level, gender, intelligence, commitment, and personality. A "one-size-fits-all" approach will fail. Resistance is overcome in one-on-one experiences, not in faculty meetings.