Are You Resisting Change Resistance?

The biggest concern I hear from executives to their proposed changes is about change resistance in their organizations, with their customers or partners. As a business change advisor for over 20 years, I always hear people in my field say, “resistance is normal”. True enough...and...what is left unsaid is resistance is a negative response to change, that must be managed or controlled so that people express more positive emotions and support for the change. So, if this response is normal, how come it so frequently is seen as negative at the same time?

You know, when you think about it, if in the context of the change I have feelings of fear, believe I may lose my choice, my livelihood, my pride, my relationships, my habits of working, my control…whatever, then resistance to the change may seem like a pretty solid response. Faced with those options, many of us would feel the same.

Resistant responses show up in our thoughts, feelings and/or bodies. When I work with clients having a hard time with change, I start with conversations about thoughts and feelings which helps me understand their beliefs, values, morals and emotional state related to the change. For example; Do they think it’s a good idea? Do they understand what will and will not be changing? Do they think it is fair? What worked or didn’t work well during past changes? How do others in their group feel about the change and so forth.

For example, when I am faced with what I perceive as a disruptive change I may notice a few things going inside of me; emotionally – grief at the loss of the status quo, intellectually – rumination or worry about the future, physically - a tightness in my chest or pain in my feet. Everyone has their own intellectual, emotional and physical response. You have yours, your team members have theirs and your boss has hers. It’s normal, not a problem and your way of navigating through life.

Cultivating Change Resilience through Mindful Self-Awareness

So why am I talking about all of this? Because changes at work, at home or in society are not going to stop…ever. We get older, our finances change, our relationships change, our health changes, new things happen at work, people come and go in our lives and so forth.

At the heart of mindfulness is a cultivated awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and without judgment. That non-judgmental part is key with respect to awareness of our thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations that arise in response to what changes are happening . The stress of change and learning to cultivate the awareness of our own unique responses to that stress is where mindfulness practices are most beneficial. We recognize what we’re thinking, feeling and emoting in the present moment…. without judgement. In fact, when we really examine our responses to change, they are actually always changing too. They may strengthen or weaken, shift their emphasis or disappear altogether. By simply and non-judgmentally naming the current state of the mind, we are given a rare freedom to choose whether that state serves our needs or not.

This is what’s happening right now. This is how it is, neither good nor bad. In a minute, hour, week, month or year the response is almost guaranteed to be different. The important thing is to be right where you are, right now. The essence of our life's experiences whether we are accepting of or resistant to them is one of impermanence and transformation.

Becoming a Mindful Leader

Providing tools and techniques for you to steady yourself, stay grounded and understand your inner states in the midst of change is our offering and goal for those we work with. The practices we share with clients include; meditation, mindfulness, building emotional intelligence, effective communications, self-compassion and empathy. They are easy to learn, easy to use and, with ongoing practice, just work . They are the best ways we know to help you move forward and navigate your world...no matter what gets thrown in your path. Life is a marathon not a sprint.

Recent research has shown that by establishing regular and sustained mindfulness practices at work we can create a more change resilient culture leading to better outcomes for our people and change efforts over time. At The YOU in You Consulting, Inc. we offer Mindful Leadership training to build on and practice these skills for yourself, your team and your organization. The 5-month training program is designed for leaders and aspiring leaders in the public, not-for-profit and for-profit sectors. During our time together, we’ll cultivate mindful and compassionate leadership skills and practices which embody care for ourselves and others, with a mindset of service to our community and the world.