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A new perspective on change
We want to emphasize and implement change and innovation everywhere, but are we changing well? How can we visually see the change? There are textbook-like answers. It is to present clear directions and goals according to the leader’s clear will for change, improve related systems, and, above all, change the organizational culture so that members can acquire the will to change. So, I receive consulting, improve the system, and put a lot of effort into campaigns and education. However, everyone talks about change, but looking inside, no one has changed, even if the leader or the follower. Why? Why don’t people really change?
It is often said that change fails because there is a lack of planning or execution of the change process or a lack of motivation or management for change. I also think that the reason people refuse or resist change is that they do not want to put in the unnecessary effort by protecting their interests or inertia. However, Kegan & Lahey proposes the concept of ‘Competing Commitment’ and looks at the individual’s psychological dynamics of change from a different perspective. Real change requires an effort to understand change from an individual’s point of view.
Competing Commitment
Even people who take change seriously and want to make an effort, they choose to use their energy in places that reject change without even realizing it. In other words, it is a psychological action that causes people to unknowingly resist change.
Understanding this requires two different perspectives on change. The first is to get rid of the negative view of people who don’t change. People who resist change are usually judged negatively. Not sacrificing yourself, trying to protect your vested interests, being lazy, etc. This leads to personal criticism. However, from a competitive commitment perspective, resistance to change is seen as ‘the choice for people to make the most rational use of their energies’. It may seem like resistance and rejection of change, but in fact it can be seen as a result of a kind of unconscious risk avoidance. Second, change is a personal psychological problem. Resistance to change is due to the action of a psychological defense system that is not even aware of, and therefore, in order to promote change in an organization, it is necessary to approach the psychological realm of the individual.
Examples of Competitive Commitments to Change
Company A wants to change into a more flexible and faster organization for innovation. To this end, we are improving systems and systems so that all information is shared using collaboration tools and horizontal collaboration and decision-making are made. However, Team Leader Kim and Responsible Park, who are known for their good work performance and attitude, are resisting change. Team leader Kim has leadership and has quick judgment and execution skills, but in a changed environment, he only blows out conclusions, does not share information, and does not want to get involved in anything other than his own team problems. Responsible Park, who is usually sincere and faithful to his role, does not join the team and tries to pursue work unilaterally. As a company, it is difficult to know what to do with talented people. Why don’t they change?
You should help them discover their competitive commitments. As a result of coaching the two people for change management, meaningful psychological dynamics were discovered.
The problem with Team Leader Kim is that he behaves differently than he thinks. He is careful not to get caught up in complicated matters, and is acting with a conclusion only on what is absolutely necessary. Team leader Kim’s competitive commitment was ‘not to get involved in something he couldn’t solve’ . Because he unconsciously felt that he had to solve all the problems and that was his competitive edge. He felt that his problem-solving skills were difficult to show in the changed collaboration system, and he was afraid of appearing uncompetitive and wanted to avoid such a situation.
Park’s competitive commitment was ‘to be trusted and valued for his work’ . When the boundaries of work performance become vague through intensive collaboration, the fear that one’s own worth will not be recognized or that there will be conflicts acts to keep the clear boundaries of one’s work. In conclusion, they recognized the direction and necessity of change, and even though they had the attitude to fulfill their roles and responsibilities, they chose something else in the moment of change.
A three-step process for change
1. Discover Competitive Commitments
To drive real change, you need to derive the real reason, a ‘competitive commitment’. Well-designed questions are helpful to uncover psychologically hidden contradictions or real reasons.
“What do you want and what more can you do in the change the company is pursuing?”
Recognize the present and motivate you by asking tense questions.
“Do you have any complaints or difficulties with the change?”
It is more likely to tell an external reason. Team leader Kim says that collaboration leads to inefficiency, and Manager Jeong will have complaints that only free riders can benefit from collaboration.
“What are some of the reasons why you are acting against or not participating in the direction of change?”
You find yourself opposing change.
“Are you uncomfortable or concerned about changing your behavior against the change?”
It’s time to uncover the real reason in your heart. Team leader Kim answers that it is inconvenient to enter an area that he cannot solve due to collaboration and he is concerned that his abilities will not be shown, while Responsible Park says he is concerned that his contributions and contributions will not be properly recognized and buried.
“What outcomes do you think the action against your own change contributes to?”
Clearly recognize the consequences of your passive fear and attempt to break. Team leader Kim’s refusal to collaborate contributes to preventing him from immersing himself in problems that he cannot solve alone, and this contributes to blocking opportunities for team leader Kim to contribute to other issues that he needs.
2. Diagnose the root cause
Next, you need to figure out for yourself why you have such fears and worries. This step should start from the positive point of view that resistance to change is not to be blamed, it is a kind of natural self-defense and a rational choice for the individual. So, instead of rationalizing yourself, you have to face the reason inside your heart. Team leader Kim had the belief that ‘a capable leader must present a solution in a smart way’. If not, they looked uncompetitive and were making their own walls that it was shameful. Responsible Park has a personality that does not express herself well, so she thought that her work performance would be fully revealed in a clearly defined work area and only then would her value be recognized.
3. Trying to do things that make a difference
It is necessary to immediately recognize whether one’s beliefs that resist change are protecting them, find evidence that defense mechanisms are useless in the changing reality, and try to break the fear. In the case of Team Leader Kim, he recognizes that he does not appear incompetent when he participates rather than turns away from problems he does not have an answer to. Then, make the choice to engage in collaboration in such a situation, and evaluate people’s reactions and your own feelings. Team leader Kim understands. I recognize that what the company and co-workers want from me is not a role of a solver, but a role of facilitator or thinking together. Even if the answer is not correct, a word or two of advice from your own experience and know-how is very important.
Making change happen, change comes anyway!
Concerns about change continue. Considering change in an organization, you don’t know how much time and effort it will take, and how effective it may be. But isn’t this kind of worry a defense mechanism against change attempts? As mentioned above, worrying about change can start with finding out the real reason for the individual. Changing in a straight line according to the direction set by the organization and otherwise negatively evaluating it can rather strengthen the defense mechanism hidden in the individual. It is necessary to accept resistance to change as a natural and natural process, and to help and encourage each other to find the real reason and relieve discomfort. Communication is especially important for change in an organization. In an environment where organizations must accept changes set by them, members tend to pretend to accept changes to conflict. Therefore, it is necessary to share and resolve conflicts and problems that naturally arise in the process of change through publicized communication.
Change is difficult. It is difficult to change even a small habit of an individual, but how difficult would it be for each member of an organization to recognize the change and change their behavior to become an organizational culture? But in reality, haven’t we been making that difficult change? Haven’t we already chosen and adapted to change? Now and in the future, we will choose to change. Anyway, change is coming!.
Article References
Kegan, R., and Lahey, LL (2001), ‘The real reason people won’t change’. Harvard Business Review. Vol. 79, no. 11, pp. 76-85.
Burnes, B. (2011). Introduction: Why does change fail, and what can we do about it? Journal of Change Management, 11(4), 445-450.
