- Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll better understand how difficult it is to get others to change their opinion or their way of doing things.
2. Don’t be upset by resistance; it’s natural. Many people are more comfortable with old problems than they are with new solutions.
3. People tend to feel threatened by change, so clearly demonstrate how they will be better off as a result of the change. If you can’t show that they’ll be better off, you should reconsider the change.
4. People are less likely to resist change if they know exactly what lies ahead and the value of each step along the way. Before introducing a major change, work out how to communicate clearly the details to everyone who will be affected.
5. Remember that big changes are more readily accepted when presented in bite-size pieces.
6. Find out what’s most important to the people affected so that you can craft the change in a way that allays as many of their concerns as possible.
7. People who don’t care about a problem won’t care about its solution, so always begin by clearly explaining the nature of the problem and the negative effects it’s having, or will have, on the people involved if changes aren’t made.
8. Before deciding on its final details, ask for ideas and assistance from those who will be most affected by the change. This will make them feel that at least part of the decision was theirs and they’ll be more apt to co-operate. Ideas are like children; a person’s own are special.
9. When changing a procedure don’t be overly negative about the status quo. Somebody is responsible for it and it might be the person you’re talking to. Concentrate instead on the advantages of the proposed change.
10. When change involves many people, don’t waste too much time working on the ten percent who will never accept it. Concentrate instead on the ninety percent who can be convinced it’s a good idea.