Have you ever wondered what people really mean when they talk about change? After many years of leading organisational change, I’ve learned that resistance isn’t really about the change itself. It’s about what people can’t quite articulate. Here’s my translation guide – what people say vs what it means.
Examples
“I hate change” = “I’ve been through badly managed change that burned me”
“I’ll be interested to see how you make it happen” = “I am not committed to this change and suspect you will fail”
“I don’t have time for this” = “I have not been engaged and involved with the change so it’s not my priority”
“If it’s not broken, why fix it?” = “I’m deeply attached to ways of working that make me feel competent”
“This is all about cost saving and job losses= “I don’t trust management”
“This is just another management fad” = I’ve not been engaged in the big picture and Vision for change.
“What’s wrong with how we do things now?” = “I’m proud of what we’ve built and need to know it’s valued”
“This isn’t how we do things here” = “You’re asking me to give up part of my identity”
Conclusion
Success comes when you respond to what people actually mean, not what they say.
What would you add to this translation guide?
For a more in-depth understanding of change leadership see
What People Really Mean When They Talk About Change.
