This video I want to start to tackle the complex and difficult topic of resistance to change. And its resistance to change that most change managers and project managers fear most, because it feels uncomfortable in dealing with it. So to help you, I've designed a model of how people respond to change and how they resist it. And I call it the onion model of resistance for a very simple reason. That resistance to change is like an onion, it comes in layers when you unpeel one layer of resistance, there's always another one underneath. And as you unpeel the layers, each one gets a little bit hotter, a little bit more emotionally charged harder to deal with than the last.

So this then is my own And model of resistance to change. The first layer of the onion is when people resist in a way that is often articulated something like this, I don't understand why we need to change. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. We've addressed this earlier in the course, I don't understand the need for change. Your response to that is to recognize that you need to articulate the driving forces and the compelling reasons for change. more effectively, you need to listen to what it is they don't understand and find a better way to communicate with them.

And also, this is where you can use your leverage principles of First of all, make it inevitable, then make eminence and then make it personal and if you absolutely need to, you can use your pattern interrupt the second level of resistance to change When people say Okay, Okay, I get it, I understand why we need to change. But I don't understand why this change. I don't see why we're doing this. This doesn't seem like the right response to me, I don't understand why you think this will address the drivers that you've spelt out. Now, there are two variants on this. The first is the simple one, I don't understand your lips are moving.

It's not computing, you're not explaining it clearly enough. And therefore your response is simple. Once again, listen carefully to their confusion, their frustration, and figure out a different way to communicate it that addresses what they don't understand in a way that is better suited to their preferences for communication. Some people need numbers. Some people need pictures. Some people need to speak to somebody in person.

Some people need to go and experience the ideas. But the second variant is trickier. Because they do understand what you're saying, it's just what they understand and what you understand if what you're saying is different. And as a consequence, they are misunderstanding what you're trying to communicate. You're talking at cross purposes. And that's what happens in any form of a relationship from time to time.

Consequently, you've got to be aware of this, figure it out, and then say, ah, let me give you an example. When I was little, my piggy bank got full. And my father being very wise said you need a savings account. I he explained to me the principle of how interest works, and being a private kid, I understood it immediately. But also being bright. I knew one truth about the world, which is nobody ever gives you anything for nothing.

So when he explained interest, what I assumed is that each month the people who ran the savings account will take A little bit of money away from my savings to pay for service was in tears because my piggy bank didn't take money away. or would I do this? Eventually, my father realized why I was in tears and said, No, no, no, no, no. I give you money every month. Why? Well, very key.

So be aware that I don't understand why this change may be a simple failure to communicate. Or it may be more subtle. You may not be communicating effectively, because they're understanding your understanding of what you're saying. But the resistance gets harder and hotter. There are more layers to the onion. We'll look at those in the next video.