To change one’s behavior often sounds easier than it is. We see this over and over again when we run workshops with managers, or support individual teams. You probably also know that what sounds easy in theory is a lot harder as soon as you’re about to take the first steps.
A recent article on this topic (in Swedish unfortunately) listed five forces within people with the potential to counteract the change we want to create:
- Our need for safety and security
- Our need to find meaning in our work
- Our need for control over the things that affect us
- Our need to be linked together, with people, habits, ideas and things
- Our need to achieve success
Thus change processes require that employees understand how those needs will be met, both during the change process and when the change is complete. Those who drive the change must be able to give clear answers as to how these forces will be addressed, in planning, implementation as well as monitoring. All steps are equally important.
We hope you will drive changes that will increase both the meaning and the success of your company, but do you successfully communicate this to all your employees? Not easy, but important to keep in mind when you start to plan your change programs.