Change has and will always will be hard for some of us, for a variety of reasons. And, for some of us, we simply have to accept change when it happens despite our best efforts to avoid it. Gustavo Razzetti article in TLNT, titled, It’s Our ‘Schemas’ That Make Us Resist Change raises, some important facts about our resistance to change and reads, in part;
“Assimilation is easy . The new information fits within existing experiences and preconceived ideas. But, when there’s no place for it, it challenges our beliefs, emotions, and confidence.
Accommodation is harder. It requires us to alter our existing schemas or create new ones. We have to put aside our schemas — the way we look at things — and be willing to analyze the new information, accepting it as potentially good before we adopt it. Once we recognize the benefit of a new initiative, it requires challenging our existing ideas — accommodation requires training our minds.
That’s why it’s essential for any team to understand how they deal with change. Assessing what drives resistance (FEAR) is the first step toward training everyone’s mind, not only to be more open but to thrive in change (DARE).”
But why is it, humans resist change so much when that change can lead to something better? Here are three of the most poignant take-aways from this article:
FEAR: Fighting — Most of us are at war with reality. We fight what we can’t control or don’t understand. Our anxiety, emotions, and thoughts prevent us from fully understanding ourselves, others, and the context. Low self-awareness causes blindspots, clouding our judgment when making decisions.
DARE: Discovery — We must pause and reflect to increase our self-awareness. We put the time and effort to discover who we really are and become compassionate enough to accept our entire self (flaws included). We don’t let our thoughts and emotions cloud our judgment — we discover reality as is. Self-aware teams make better decisions, interact better with each other, and manage conflicts more effectively. Discovery is an ongoing process. Self-awareness turns our blind-spots into bright spots.
Dare to change: To move from FEAR to DARE a framework is not enough — it requires training, coaching, tools, and regular practice. But, above all, you must provide a safe space for dialogue and feedback.
All too often when we encounter resistance to change, it’s simply the fear of the unknown. And, sometimes it’s the little things like—changes in work methods, in routine project assignments, in the location of a computer or a new time and attendance system, or just in personnel assignments.
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