Most of what we do everyday is the same. When we get up in the morning, we do the same few things in the same order everyday. We brush our teeth the same way. We exercise the same way. We start work the same way. Most of what we do in a day is just repeat our habits. If one day, we are not able to repeat our habits, we get frustrated. For example, having to brush your teeth with your left hand instead of the right hand. We are creatures of habit. Change often involves abandoning old habits and creating new habits. That is painful. Two years into the pandemic, I still hate having to wear a mask. I am still struggling to build that habit. Most of us are frustrated with the changes we had to make in response to the pandemic.
In an organization, change often comes from leaders. Most people don’t like mandated changes. The most common feelings that arise from such change mandates are:
- Mad: We become angry, frustrated, irritated, or disgusted
- Sad: We become depressed, discouraged, upset, and unhappy
- Glad: We become excited, amazed, happy, or hopeful
- Ashamed: We are puzzled, embarrassed, guilty, or feel humiliated
- Afraid: We are frightened, anxious, concerned, or worried
Then we develop judgements from these feelings. A judgement is how you interpret events. Judgement can be based on facts, emotions, or both.
The fewer facts and information available to people, the more likely it is for them to reach negative judgements. The less trust people have in their leaders, the more likely it is for them to reach negative judgements. Once negative judgements are formed, people rationalize them by finding people who share the opinions and by finding data that can be used to support their judgements.
Therefore, it is very important to communicate data, facts, and make a case for the change before the change is introduced. Otherwise, you will be fighting an uphill battle with people resisting the change.