Layers of the onion model of resistance to change. The next layer may not be the hottest and the hardest, but it is often the most important layer. This is when the resistance is articulated something like this, Okay, I get it. I understand why we need to change. I understand why this change, but I don't like this change. And there are two completely different reasons why people will say this.

And both of them are very important. And the first is the obvious one. I don't like it, because it's rubbish. It's gonna make me worse off. Because any change in a large complex organization is likely to have winners and losers because if you could find a change, where everybody was a winner, you've probably done that. You ago.

Consequently, it may be that the person who is resisting has a genuine grievance, they may be worse off. And the worst thing you can do in this circumstance is to lie to them by self, don't worry, all right. You need to look them in the eye. As I know, I've looked at your situation too, and you're right, you are going to be worse off, you shouldn't like this. So let's think about what your choices are, what support we can give you. You need to act with integrity.

Because if you lie, you will get caught on this lie. And nobody will trust you again, in leading future changes. But it may not be that they don't like this change, because of how it affects them. They may be fine, they may be better off, it may not have a significant effect on them. When they say I don't like this change, it may be because they care passionately about your organization and they've looked at what you're trying to do. And the way you're trying to do it, and they think you're about to make a mistake.

It's kind of like they've got a map. And they've seen you're about to march not only into uncharted territory, but into dangerous territory, and they're trying to get you to stop. And as a change leader, your responsibility isn't necessarily to agree with them, but it must be to listen to what they have to say, and to evaluate it properly, and to make a decision accordingly. Because if all you do is you ignore the people who are crying, that this is a bad idea. One day, you will implement the wrong change, and whose fault will it be when you lead your organization off the cliff? So if someone says, I don't like this change, it's vital that you listen to them, you take them seriously and you evaluate their position.

Because if they're writing, they're worse off. You need to help them and if they're right, and the change is potentially flawed, in itself. design or its execution, you need to listen to them and put things right. But it gets hotter. The next level of resistance is simple. I don't like change.

And some people don't. We know there are people who suck up change, they love it. They get bored if things are the same two weeks running. But at the other end of the spectrum, there are people who hate change. If someone's moved the crossword in their newspaper, from page five to page 70, it upsets them for a whole day. I don't like changes about fear, it's about fear that I won't be able to cope.

It's about fear of what I might be losing, even though I don't know what I might be losing. So you have to support people, and you can support them at two levels. The simple level is to give them the training and the knowledge they need, so that they are equipped to thrive in the changed environment. But for some people, that's not enough. You've got to address the deepest psychological fear. Yeah, I know how to work the new system.

I know how to serve customers following the new procedure. But I'm scared that I won't be able to do that properly. You need to show people how others have thrived through similar changes how they have thrived through similar changes how the pilot has worked benefited people in their situation. You need to support them emotionally. And if that's not hard enough, it gets hot. The innermost layer of the onion is I don't like you.

Yeah. This isn't usually about you. Individually, it's about what you represent to them. It's about history. It's not about change. Everyone knows when things change in Oregon.

Ization people resist and if I've got a grievance with the organization, then Now's my opportunity to be mischievous. And so people will resist for the sake of resisting, because they have a grudge. And if that's the kind of resistance you're encountering, it's not a change management issue. It's an ordinary management issue. And because it's an ordinary management issue, it has to be handled properly in the line. If the line manager has dealt with the situation properly, and they still got a grudge, then that is misbehavior.

And there are procedures. If on the other hand, the line manager didn't deal with it properly, then they need to go back and fix it. Because otherwise, you've got an aggrieved member of staff who has a proper right to be aggrieved and you need to fix it. There is a rotten core to the onion. It's rare in good organizations, but be aware that some people resist because I like to resist. And that's the way they're wired.

And nothing you can do will stop them. unless you happen to be a therapist in your spare time. If you have someone like that in your organization, then you have a bigger problem than the change. And for our purposes, we can ignore that. So, the onion model helps you identify which layer of resistance you're encountering. Always tackle resistance in the way that it's expressed.

Never assume that the resistance is rooted in a deeper layer, it may well be, but it's just plain respectful to take people at their word. And if you don't address the resistance at the level is expressed, then you will leave something kind of dressed anyway. But if you can completely address it to the best of your abilities, and there still seems to be something going on. Then peel the onion one layer at a time and address the next level and the next level until you get to the point where you realize it's a garage or work I commend the onion model of resistance to you. It's my own model. But it's one I have found works extraordinarily well in helping to understand and respond resourcefully.

To even the most difficult resistance to