Strategies for Overcoming Resistance · Steps for Overcoming Resistance 1. Identify stakeholders 2. Determine if there is a gap in current vs. needed level of support 3. Capture motivation

2013 Serve Idaho 1 2013 Serve Idaho

SWIDOVS 4 TOP – May 23, 2013

Contact: [email protected]

Strategies for Overcoming Resistance

Moving ideas into action

2013 Serve Idaho 2

Focus

Often a very good idea fails to see the light of day because there is a lack of support to get it implemented.

How we identify and address resistance enables us to move ideas into action.

2013 Serve Idaho 3

How about you?

Give an example of an idea or solution that failed to achieve results.

2013 Serve Idaho 4

Why is Identifying and Overcoming Resistance Critical?

2013 Serve Idaho 5

Steps for Overcoming Resistance

1. Identify stakeholders

2. Determine if there is a gap in current vs. needed level of support

3. Capture motivation style

4. Identify resistance type

5. Develop a strategy to address specific resistance using motivation styles

2013 Serve Idaho 6

Identifying and Overcoming Resistance: Who are you speaking to?

A Stakeholder is Either: – Someone Affected by Your Idea(s)

– Someone Needed to Implement Your Idea(s)

In order for ideas to become reality, you need to understand your audience – who are key stakeholders?

What are some examples of your stakeholders?

2013 Serve Idaho 7







2013 Serve Idaho 8







2013 Serve Idaho 9

•Identify your Stakeholder’s Style

–Data Driven • Sharing of details

• The “why” behind the solutions

–Demonstration • “Show Me”

• Graphs and visual presentations

–Demand • Peer Pressure & Hierarchical motivation

• Obtain support from management and other key people first

Motivation Styles:

2013 Serve Idaho 10

–Data Driven • (40%) Data driven people love the details and are not overly impressed by

management pressure or fancy slide decks. These people are typically analytical and appreciate all of your hard work in analysis.

–Demonstration • (35%) Demonstration driven people are more interested in the bottom line and the key

points. They appreciate demonstrations or a walk-through of the solutions when it makes sense. If you try to show all the data, they often become frustrated and it can backfire. Focus on sharing a few key points referencing your data at a high level but not diving into the details.

–Demand • (25%) Demand driven people often will listen to your data and your nice

presentations, but will then look to the people that influence them for direction. If you encounter a demand driven person, make sure his or her influential peers and management have become supportive of your solutions before meeting with the demand driven person. Then you can talk with enthusiasm about the support of the managers and influential peers.

Motivation Styles:

2013 Serve Idaho 11

Motivation Styles:

•What is your Motivation Style? – Data Driven

• Sharing of details

• The “why” behind the solutions

– Demonstration • “Show Me”

• Graphs and visual presentations

– Demand • Peer Pressure & Hierarchical motivation

• Obtain support from management and other key people first

Example of working with someone different from you?

2013 Serve Idaho 12







2013 Serve Idaho 13

People Based Resistance

•Technical

•Personal

Solution Based Resistance

•Organizational

• Individual

Identifying Resistance to Your Ideas:

2013 Serve Idaho 14

People Based Resistance (1)

•Technical Resistance stems from a fear of looking stupid or a lack of knowledge of how things work.

•We tend to send people to classes which can compound this type of resistance

•Technical resistance is often “over-diagnosed” so look closely to see if there are other types of resistance occurring.


2013 Serve Idaho 15

People Based Resistance (2)

•Personal Resistance stems from a feeling of loss – regardless of whether or not the loss is real or perceived.

•A common perception is that the person feels they are not as valued and less important.

• It’s important to help the person see “What’s in it for me?” by stressing the opportunities the idea brings to this person personally.


2013 Serve Idaho 16

Solution Based Resistance (1)

•Organizational Resistance stems from issues around pride, ownership and control of a particular space.

•Common type of resistance when you see “Turf wars.”

•Effective strategy is to involve the person in the decision making discussions and to get feedback on your idea.

• It’s important for a person who is exhibiting Organizational resistance to gain an understanding of, “What’s in it for me?”

•At times it may be necessary to modify the idea (potentially lowering the Q) in order to come to a supported solution by this key stakeholder.


2013 Serve Idaho 17

Solution Based Resistance (2)

• Individual Resistance stems from fear and emotional paralysis often from a feeling of overload due to the impact of the solution on the individual’s workload.

• It appears to be about the person on the surface, but it is the nature of the solution.

•The strategy is to sit down with the person and find out what is not working and why. (Or why they think it will not work) and then modify the solution together.


2013 Serve Idaho 18

People Based Resistance

•Technical

•Personal

Solution Based Resistance

•Organizational

• Individual


2013 Serve Idaho 19







2013 Serve Idaho 20

Type of Resistance Underlying Issue(s) Strategy to Combat the

Resistance

Technical Feelings of inadequacy, fear

of feeling or looking stupid

Information based on

motivation style.

Involvement in education step

by step not a class

Personal Loss, real or perceived

Identification with the loss if

real, stressing the addition and

opportunities to the change

Organizational Issues of control, pride, and

sense of ownership

Modification of the change

effort, involvement of the

resistor in the change so they

can take ownership of the

initiative

Individual Fear and emotional paralysis

Modification of the change to

decrease the fear and increase

involvement by listening to

concerns

Overcoming Resistance Strategies:

2013 Serve Idaho 21

Exercise instructions:

•We will divide into four groups.

•Each group will gather around one manager persona.

•Discuss the motivation style(s) your given manager appears to exhibit.

• Imagine you are organizing an event for this manager’s group and it will take some buy-in, support, and resources from this manager. – Identify the main type of resistance you think this manager will

exhibit.

– Identify how best to overcome the resistance by determining a strategy to address it.

Hint: Use your handouts, notes, and experiences!

© Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. 22

Project Lead: Brent

In his new role, Brent’s calendar is booked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are many areas in which he is trying to come up to speed quickly. He is very process oriented that likes to take time and data to make decisions. He is very quiet and chooses his words carefully before speaking. When you have a long list of questions for him, you sometime overwhelm him. Brent needs to feel successful in his new role and never wants to appear incompetent.

Recently Promoted


Volunteer Coordinator: Cheryl

When Cheryl requests something it is always thorough and she trusts you will follow up. You have freedom to make decisions, but it is important to explain your decision to Cheryl showing her how it works. Often she wants her own fingerprints into your decision. Strangely, she has a very messy desk and is not as organized as you would expect. Cheryl needs to feel like her work is valued and can push back when she feels your ideas jeopardize the perception of her value.

Detailed note taker


Agency Director: June

June has been successful in the agency for many years and has a strong network of people she trusts. She values the leadership hierarchy and tends to push hard to deliver what the executive board defines. June can be opinionated making quick decisions and will “die by the sword” supporting her position and the people under her. Tends to micro-manage and believes she is mentoring. She has a strong ownership for her area and feels it is her responsibility to control it.

Seasoned Leader


Program Manager: Tim

Tim supports anything that keeps the people he is coordinating happy. He isn’t as concerned about the big picture in terms of how many people will benefit from something; more that the final result made someone happy. Not afraid to speak his mind or make a decision, he values both visual displays and data when making decisions. He tends to be protective of his people’s time, wanting to keep them happy, so when your ideas could result in an overload, he will push back.

People Person

2013 Serve Idaho 26

Dealing with Resistance to Your Ideas: Exercise

Key Stakeholder

Motivation Type

Type of Resistance

Underlying Issue(s)

Strategy to Combat the Resistance

Project Lead: Brent

Volunteer Coordinator: Cheryl

Agency Director: June

Program Manager: Tim

What type of motivation style, resistance, and underlying issues are exhibited?

What should the strategy be to address the resistance for each?

2013 Serve Idaho 27

EXERCISE DEBRIEF: Q&A:

•What did you find was the most difficult?

•What was the easiest?

•How would you modify doing this for your own situations?

2013 Serve Idaho 28 ©2010 HP Restricted 28

Q&A

Documents

Strategies for Overcoming Resistance · Steps for Overcoming Resistance 1. Identify stakeholders 2. Determine if there is a gap in current vs. needed level of support 3. Capture motivation