How to overcome resistance to change ?

One of the key responsibilities of the change agents is to bring positive change to the teams. However, we always hear that people resist change !  Some of the common answers for any change proposal includes,  “It won’t work here”, “It doesn’t work”, “We don’t have time”, “Our priorities are different”.

According to Peter Senge, “People don’t resist change but resist being changed”.  As human beings we change almost every day. Whether it is getting married and living with a new person or a new born baby adjusting to the changing environment by learning things.  People change when they perceive the change satisfies their needs and fulfills their wishes. 

From the change agents perspective, It is very important to provide as much information as possible from different angles while suggesting change. Typically, the vision for change gets initiated by the leadership and change agents are roped in to implement them.

Based on my experience, I see the following obstacles that derails changes.

1. Unclear goal
2. Goals with no way to track
3. Change agents with no access to visionary. This is a major issue as the vision gets diluted while being passed from one layer to the other
4. Benefits of the change shared only through the business angle. People who are supposed to change will keep asking, What is in it for me ?
5. Looking at a quick fix rather than a sustainable change

I could enlist many more challenges !! 

Before I conclude, I invite you to watch this good video about overcoming resistance to change.

Photo courtesy: http://flic.kr/p/7e1XGT

Tips for coaching Agile teams

I recently attended Lyssa Adkins’s workshop on coaching agile teams at the YOW conference, and I would like to share some of the lessons I learned. The workshop began with a presentation defining the different characteristics of an agile coach, including being a bulldozer of blockers,a servant leader, and a guardian of quality and performance.

One needs to understand the skills and mastery needed to succeed as an agile coach. The agile coaching competency framework provides the guidelines, criteria, and pathways for an aspirant. Knowledge is one part of it, but listening skills are even more important. Coaches need to be aware of their own listening skill level and strive to reach level three.

Change could be brought, not by listening but by asking powerful questions (PQ). Even though there are several resources about PQ available on the Internet, I would highly recommend reading Co-Active Coaching.

Continue reading this article here to learn more about  Arc of conversation and Asking powerful questions.

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