Watching a child’s reaction to seeing their shadow for the first time is captivating – it’s frightening for them, yet so intriguing. It’s all too similar to our own lives. We too react to new experiences with fear, which is why it is important to learn how to handle resistance to change without fear.
RESISTANCE IS A NATURAL EMOTION
If you are in Human Resources, Organizational Development or Talent Development then you have seen first-hand participants in development experiences react to their shadow. Sometimes it’s a reaction to seeing their dark side clearly for the first time, or reacting to new experiences or expectations.
This reaction is normal. In fact, it is totally human. We all react. And we call it resistance. Resistance is a natural human emotion. We are not consciously reacting to changes with fear, so it’s important to give your team members, friends and family a break.
AVOID JUDGING REACTIONS TO CHANGE
When observing an individual’s reaction to change, it’s important to avoid judging the reaction. It is an involuntary impulses within the brain designed to protect us. Often what we react to is harmless OR EVEN BENEFICIAL. Our lack of experience triggers the reaction unnecessarily, and we begin to resist the moment, which can lead to impeding on the learning.
MANAGE RESISTANCE TO CHANGE TO IMPROVE TEAM LEARNING
If you choose opportunities to develop capacity in your employees, be careful with the reflex of reactions to new approaches as they can often inhibit new learning. If you do not handle team members’ resisting change, you remain in the speaker, one-off world of content delivery rather than the experiential and participant-centered world of transformative experiences. These experiences prepare your team for the future and hold them responsible for learning.
LEARN HOW TO HANDLE RESISTANCE TO CHANGE WITH LEARN2
If your salespeople or team members want to work through customer resistance or their resistance, you have a choice. Choose a transformational experience that leaves your people with the capacity to evaporate any resistance. If you want to learn more, check out Learn2’s transformative program Handle Resistance. Removing fear and the barriers that lead to resistance will open up your team’s ability to be more productive and committed to their team and culture.
