What do you do if a team member refuses to adapt to change?
Adapting to change can be challenging in any team environment. When faced with a team member who refuses to adapt, it's essential to approach the situation with empathy and strategic thinking. Change can be intimidating, and resistance is often rooted in fear or discomfort with the unknown. As a team leader or colleague, your role is to facilitate a smooth transition, ensuring that all members are on board and moving in the same direction. This article will guide you through handling such scenarios with tact and effectiveness, maintaining team motivation and morale.
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Ryan GonzalesDirector of Customer Success/ Entrepreneur/Small Business Leader/Sales & Customer Experience/Front-Line & Supervisor…
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Saulo CarvalhoHead of Marketing | Marketing & Communication Manager | Business Intelligence | Data Analysis | Agile Projects | ESG |…
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Miguel Angel López HernándezDirector de RRHH, RRLL & PRL / CHRO & EHS PcComponentes
Understanding the reasons behind a team member's resistance to change is crucial. Engage in a one-on-one conversation to listen to their concerns and fears. Often, resistance comes from a lack of understanding of the change or a fear of the unknown. By providing a safe space for them to express their feelings, you can identify the root cause of their reluctance and work towards addressing it. Empathy goes a long way in building trust and can lead to more openness to change.
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Ryan Gonzales
Director of Customer Success/ Entrepreneur/Small Business Leader/Sales & Customer Experience/Front-Line & Supervisor Mentor/Customer Support/Account Management
An internal review of my leadership is the first check. Did I clearly explain the change needed to happen and clearly explain the "why"? Did I walk through the change with the team member? Did I walk through any challenges or concerns with the team member? Did I recognize and clearly communicate the underlying questions of "what's in it for me"? Stop and listen to the team member's concerns and thoughts. Walk with them through each concern to help them navigate through the resistance. Check up on them regularly! Go through the list of concerns and check them off with the associate as they are showing progress. As associates start to push through the change with success, recognize them for their efforts.
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Saulo Carvalho
Head of Marketing | Marketing & Communication Manager | Business Intelligence | Data Analysis | Agile Projects | ESG | Sales Management | Team Management in Marketing & Sales | Master's Degree in Management and Planning
A implementação bem-sucedida de mudanças organizacionais requer um planejamento cuidadoso, comunicação transparente, comprometimento da liderança e envolvimento dos colaboradores. O gerenciamento de mudanças deve ser uma abordagem contínua e adaptativa, com foco na obtenção de resultados tangíveis e na melhoria contínua.
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Estela Martín
Abogada, DirCom y RSC en Sincro. Presidenta de la Sección de Igualdad del ICAM. Docente. LinkedIn Top Voices. #SoyEJECON. TOP 200 Favikon 2023. Periodista y Abogada.
Es fundamental intentar entender cuál es la razón de esa negativa. A veces el problema está en una falta de comunicación de las razones por las que es necesario cambiar. Otras veces la negativa del trabajador puede estar fundamentada y que haya razones de peso por las que no esté de acuerdo con el cambio (y es bueno conocer su feedback). Y por último, hay que tener en cuenta cómo se ha gestionado el cambio y qué va a suponer en el día a día de las personas trabajadoras
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Saloni Sethiya
Senior Executive & Talent Acquisition at BrainerHub
Dealing with team members who resist change can be challenging, but there are several approaches that can be taken. Communicate the reasons for the change. Take the time to listen to the team member's concerns and address them empathetically. Offer training, resources, or additional support to help team members adapt to the change. Show your own willingness to adapt to change and be flexible. Provide incentives or rewards for embracing the change successfully. Offer constructive feedback to team members who are struggling to adapt to the change.
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🇵🇸Shazzy T.
Mental Health Consultant | Counselling Psychotherapist l Credentialed Mental Health Nurse | Clinical Supervisor I Neurodiversity & Disability specialist | DEIB Warrior | Actually Autistic ADHD PDA ♾️☪️🇹🇿🇬🇧🇦🇺🏳️🌈♿
Understanding why is one of the most important aspects. For a neurodivergent team member change can be incredibly difficult. It may not be a ‘refusal’ but an real difficulty so word use is very important.
Clear communication is key when dealing with resistance to change. Explain the reasons behind the change and how it benefits the team and the individual. Avoid technical jargon or acronyms that might confuse or alienate your team member. Instead, use simple language and concrete examples to illustrate your points. Ensure that your team member feels heard and understood, and provide them with the opportunity to ask questions and express their concerns.
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Miguel Angel López Hernández
Director de RRHH, RRLL & PRL / CHRO & EHS PcComponentes
Es crucial explicar el porqué del cambio y comprometer a las personas en el proceso. Cuando se impone algo sin explicación, se genera resistencia. Del mismo modo, si no comprenden la necesidad del cambio, lo rechazarán. Al involucrar a las personas y explicarles los beneficios y razones del cambio, se fomenta la aceptación y la colaboración, lo que facilita una transición exitosa hacia nuevas prácticas o procesos.
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hemant SHARMA ヅ 🇮🇳
Amazon | 10x Linkedin Top Voice | Trust of 1M+ professionals & 45M+views | Actively helping Jobseekers & Recruiters #hshelpinghand | the world is full of nice people, if u cant find one. BE ONE
When communicating about change, it's important to keep things simple and relatable. Use clear language and real-life examples to explain why the change is happening and how it will benefit everyone. Encourage questions and feedback to ensure everyone is on the same page.
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Stacey Kavanagh
Workforce Management | Time & Attendance | Schedule Optimisation
Change your language and reposition your message. Explain what the change benefits will be to them personally. Highlight how the changes will positively improve their working days, with genuine examples. Show empathy that you understand that change is hard for everyone, and even harder for some. Actively listen to concerns or issues and help to address them fairly and impartially. And above all remain supportive throughout the change process, a positive change process now may reap benefits in the future when your team members feel secure and supported during times of change.
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Fábio da Silva Paulo, CEA
CEA | Finanças | Investimentos | Banking | Assistente de Negócios | Cooperativas
Acredito que a melhor maneira de envolver a equipe em uma mudança é deixar um canal aberto, onde todos possam comunicar pontos a favor e a melhorar na mudança proposta ou já implementada. Utilizar uma linguagem simples, clara e objetiva na explanação da mudança que está por vir e garantir o entendimento da equipe devem ser os principais focos. Uma vez que a equipe entenda a mudança e seus pontos positivos, comprará a ideia e fará com que a implantação da mudança seja muito mais fluída e eficaz.
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Agustina Cisneros
Talent Acquisition • Consultant • Conecto oportunidades y talento entre Latam y España
¿La persona se niega al cambio o vos estás comunicando mal? Cuando realizas una comunicación debes evaluar cuantas personas entendieron lo que quisiste decir y cuantas no. Si son más las personas que no lograron entender, entonces hay una error en tu manera de comunicar, revisa esa parte.
Offering support is essential in helping a resistant team member adapt to change. This could involve additional training, resources, or even mentorship from another team member. Assure them that they are not alone and that there is a support system in place to help them succeed. By investing in their growth and showing confidence in their ability to adapt, you can empower them to embrace the change.
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Saulo Carvalho
Head of Marketing | Marketing & Communication Manager | Business Intelligence | Data Analysis | Agile Projects | ESG | Sales Management | Team Management in Marketing & Sales | Master's Degree in Management and Planning
É fundamental oferecer suporte em processos flexíveis estruturas organizacionais flexíveis, treinamentos, como equipes multifuncionais, estimulam a colaboração e a inovação. Processos ágeis, como Scrum e Kanban, permitem a adaptação rápida às mudanças e prioridades.
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Utebay Dyussenov, Project Manager Upstream, MBA
Advisory Project Engineer - Тенгизшевройл
Good question. Such things happen time to time. In my experience, good tool is to involve a member into the change management process. Assign him a task to complete an action - to do presentation, to assist with other tasks. Side view will not help to person, being in the cockpit and doing new things is best way to bring your teammate back to teamwork.
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Duncan Trew
Inspiring experienced leader to disrupt, lead you through Change, Uncertainty. and Transformation. A Calm Captain for Stormy Waters.
More than anything I would help them visualise themselves in the change and visualise the new person once transformed. Explain and talk about opportunities, ease or fluidity of the work, the transition they will experience, how they will be viewed or perceived and demonstrate confidence and trust that they can make it
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Anete Kalniņa
Customer Experience Guru & Operations Leader | Driving Success in SaaS & B2B Startups | Team Leadership | Account Management | LLB
Make sure to facilitate peer support. Encourage team members who have successfully adapted to the changes to share their experiences and tips with their peers. Peer support can be effective in encouraging reluctant team members to see the benefits of change and learn from their colleagues' experiences as it adds a personal touch and builds trust.
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Agustina Cisneros
Talent Acquisition • Consultant • Conecto oportunidades y talento entre Latam y España
Si tienes personas trabajando para vos, siempre debes ofrecer y recordar que tienen un espacio para hablar con vos. Que estás para acompañar y dar soporte. De esta manera las personas se sienten más contenidas y ayuda a promover el cambio. Si algo sale mal, saben que pueden contar con vos.
Setting clear expectations is important for ensuring that all team members understand what is required of them. Outline the new behaviors or processes that will be expected and provide a reasonable timeline for adaptation. It's important to be firm yet fair, making it clear that while support is available, the change is non-negotiable. This clarity helps to minimize uncertainty and sets a standard for accountability.
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Cristian Garcia Venegas
Sales & Growth Development en Q-tech | Desarrollo de negocios y crecimiento.
¿Tu equipo necesita un rumbo claro? ¡Establece expectativas y navega hacia el éxito! Define qué se espera: nuevos comportamientos, procesos y plazos. Sé firme y justo: el cambio es necesario, pero brinda apoyo. Comunicación clara: reduce la incertidumbre y marca el estándar. ¡Juntos, alcancen sus metas! Tip: Revisa las expectativas periódicamente y adapta si es necesario.
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María Rosa González Paoncello
Co-Founder Coaching mas dos
Las expectativas no son buenas desde mi punto de vista, ya que si estás superan a la realidad hacen que nuestro motor este bajo mínimos. Es importante dejar claro que queremos conseguir, y que podemos conseguir si lo logramos. Sin más. Nada de vender humos o utilizar frases que inviten a que la imaginación del equipo vuele. Reglas del juego claras.
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May Khaled
Senior Retail Optimizer @ Total Energies | Analytical Skills, Problem Solving
You need to provide a clear vision, the reason of changes, how it will affect all the team members & the expected benefits coming from this change. Also ensure that nothing is done against the company’s employees interest as they are the company’s most valuable assets.
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Rosely Machado
Secretária Executiva/Escritora/Gestão de Pessoas/Criadora de Conteúdo Digital/Colaboradora Artigos Especialista LinkedIn
Defina padrões e estabeleça regras já que é inegociável. Aponte os melhores caminhos e apresente a necessidade da adaptação que não é um bicho de 7 cabeças, e que todos são capazes de absorvê-las confortavelmente.
Encouraging engagement can make a significant difference in how a team member perceives change. Involve them in the change process by seeking their input and showing how their contributions make an impact. This inclusion can foster a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the new direction. Recognizing and rewarding positive steps towards adaptation can also reinforce their willingness to change.
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Saulo Carvalho
Head of Marketing | Marketing & Communication Manager | Business Intelligence | Data Analysis | Agile Projects | ESG | Sales Management | Team Management in Marketing & Sales | Master's Degree in Management and Planning
Capacitação e desenvolvimento: investir no desenvolvimento de competências e habilidades dos colaboradores cria uma base sólida para a inovação para o engajamento. Treinamentos, workshops e programas de mentoria incentivam a geração de ideias e a criatividade e formam uma cultura de time.
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María Rosa González Paoncello
Co-Founder Coaching mas dos
Crear sentido de propiedad no es tarea fácil, para poder crear compromiso es importante tomar en cuenta la opinión del equipo, sin perder de vista los objetivos y la visión de empresa. Creo que es importante involucrar al equipo en las decisiones que aporten valor a la empresa, y recompensar ese aporte para que el equipo realmente se siente parte de la misma
Monitoring progress is an ongoing process that requires patience and attention. Check in regularly with the team member to discuss their experiences with the change and address any ongoing challenges they may face. Offer constructive feedback and celebrate small victories to keep morale high. Continuous support and recognition of effort can lead to gradual but positive change in attitude and behavior.
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Daniel Fontana
It's All About People! | Inovação em RH | Gente e Gestão | T&D | DHO | R&S | Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) na Share People Hub
Grandes mudanças são um processo, geralmente gradual, o que é normal. Monitorar de forma clara ajuda a equilibrar a linha tênue entre persistência e teimosia: as ações tomadas estão surtindo efeito ou seguimos insistindo no erro? Quando temos critérios objetivos, combinados desde o início, como rituais de acompanhamento, indicadores e um timing para reavaliação da mudança, aumentamos a assertividade e colheita dos resultados.
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Kristie N. Isaacs
WorldChanger | Mentor | Philanthropist
When monitoring progress, a person must consider if there is a culture of trust. Trust ensures that a person receives feedback with care rather than questioning intent. For example, after a discussion about how an employee could improve, a team leader mentioned it would be a great idea to create a personal budget for training. After a period of reflection, the employee expressed her concerns about the statement without fear of retaliation. The question remains, would this be the result in a different environment? Monitoring progress begins with trust built from empathy!
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Mohamed I.
IT and Telecommunications Project/Program Manager
When a team member refuses to adapt to a change, it's crucial to understand their perception on why they are not accepting it and resisting it. Their perception may be true and the introduction of the change isn't valuable or will add extra complexity and hinder efficiency. On the other hand their negative perception of the change might be false or unrealistic. In that case, crucial conversations should happen to clearly communicate why this change has happened, what are its benefits and demonstrate to the team member that this change is in their best interest and that they should actually welcome it and embrace it. Bidirectional communication is crucial when it comes to change management. Imposing changes on team members never works.
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Jalvi Valdes
👉 Certified Happiness Coach 👉 Workplace Wellbeing Consultant 📈 On A Mission To Help 100,000 Asian Professionals, Entrepreneurs, & Leaders Improve Their Lives Through Happiness Science 🌏 Founder - The Better Happy 😁
Here's a quick and practical Framework I use to ease people into change: 📌WE-ABCD📌 ✔️WHY - Explain WHY the change is needed. Is it to meet a Goal? To make things more efficient? ✔️ EMPATHY - Always try to see where the other person is coming from. An easy change for one might be monumental another! ✔️ ASSURANCES - Sprinkle Assurances throughout the conversation. Assure them that their needs are being considered, that you will assist, and that they are not alone. ✔️BENEFITS - What's in it for them? (Do not silver-line bad news.) ✔️ CLARITY - Make sure all details are complete, such as timelines; action plans; persons involved & how; hardware and software needs. ✔️ DEMEANOR - The overall tone is best when Empowering & Kind.
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Gabriela P.
Recursos Humanos | Volkswagen do Brasil
Entendo que devemos abordar a resistência com empatia, comunicação clara e suporte adequado. É importante comunicar os benefícios da mudança, oferecer treinamentos que ajudem o colaborador, estabelecer expectativas claras e dar feedback regular. Acho que este é o caminho que vai priorizar o desenvolvimento e bem-estar da equipe.
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Ahmed Taha
PMP | BMP Area manager , E commerce and home delivery operations manager at International Medical Company (Kulud Pharmacy)
1. Listen First: Hear out their concerns and fears about the change. 2. Paint the Picture: Clearly explain why the change is happening and its benefits. 3. Offer Support: Provide resources and training to help them adapt. 4. Lead the Way: Show enthusiasm for the change yourself. 5. Address Concerns: Have a heart-to-heart to address their worries. 6. Set Expectations: Make it clear that change is non-negotiable. 7. Track Progress: Keep an eye on how they're adjusting. 8. Celebrate Wins: Recognize and reward those who embrace the change. 9. Take Action if Necessary: Consider further interventions if resistance persists. Remember, a little creativity can go a long way in inspiring your team to embrace change!
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Ahmed AboulFotouh
Leading Digital Transformation Initiatives | SAP | ERP | PMO | Senior Project Manager
Managing change need to be proactively addressed in early stages by developing a change management plan including a solid stakeholder analysis, risk plan, communication plan and training/enablement plan Impacted team members to participate in project planning so you will get their buy-in, with highlights about the change value and what is in it for them. Then during the excution to keep the team informed about the value realization progress and add incentives and recognize the top performers. At the end if you fave resistance to change, affectively listen to his point then try to provide clear explanations regarding the change benefits for both individuals and the organization,it is essential to use motivation and empowerment as tools.
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