I’m often called to help when individuals or organizations are trying to change something but feel they are stuck. You know the feeling. It’s like those nightmares where you want to run but your feet can’t move.
They know what needs to change. They have a plan for change. They have a clear vision about how it will look after the change is implemented. But nothing is happening.
Many times people call this “resistance to change.” I don’t think it’s so much resistance as inertia
We are creatures of habit.
A habit is automatic behavior that occurs without much conscious though. Think about it. We move around automatically. We dress automatically. We eat automatically. We drive automatically. We judge first impressions automatically. We make many decisions automatically.
We tend to feel that it is better to keep doing what is familiar, even if it's not the best, than to strive for the unknown, no matter how good it seems to be. Why do we tend think this way? Because it’s easier.
It’s easier to go with the flow than to swim against the current. It doesn't require thinking or effort. This is why we generalize. This is why we use routines. Gary Klein, author of Sources of Power, says most behavior is automatic, unproblematic, and successful.
When we have to enter a passage from the known to the unknown all kinds of fears and difficulties seem to lurk around us. No matter how attractive it looks “out there” we feel we can’t move. In an organization it can feel even worse, because people tend to focus in the difficulty of the change, and it becomes the constant topic of conversation.
Getting unstuck
The main secret to getting unstuck is to remember that we thrive on challenges and enjoy the feeling of conquering something difficult. We don’t like to feel pushed. That only makes us feel more stuck. Therefore leaders need to remember that if people collaborate in designing the change, it will be easier for them to implement it.
If we can perceive change as a challenge that we can conquer step by step, if we can help construct the passage, if the conversation about change can become more focused on how to meet the challenge, then the unknown becomes attractive instead of terrifying.
In my next post I will address some specific things you can do to get unstuck. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts.
What do you think?
Where have you felt stuck? What makes a change a challenge you can enjoy conquering instead of something you dread starting? Share your comments with us.
Photo by: johndal