Interest-Based Resistance: The Hidden Stumbling Block in Change Processes

Today, we’re diving deep into a topic that we frequently encounter in change processes but often underestimate: interest-based resistance. You know, that subtle form of resistance that hides behind excuses and sometimes drives us to despair. But don’t worry, I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve to help you uncover and address this tricky resistance.

What’s Really Behind Interest-Based Resistance?

Let’s pause for a moment and clarify what interest-based resistance is all about. At its core, it’s a highly personal form of resistance where someone feels threatened by a change in their values, beliefs, or interests. And the tricky part? It often happens unconsciously!

Imagine you’re in a company and suddenly it’s announced: „We’re implementing OKRs now!“ For some, this sounds like an exciting adventure; for others, it’s their worst nightmare. Why? Because it might turn their familiar work methods upside down, threaten their comfort zone, or even question their position in the company.

The Hidden Nature of Interest-Based Resistance

The nasty thing about interest-based resistance is that it often hides behind other excuses. „I don’t have time for this“ or „We don’t need this“ – sound familiar? Often, these are just pretexts concealing the actual interest-based resistance. It’s simply easier to say „I don’t have time for that“ than to admit „This contradicts my innermost convictions.“

How Do We Recognize Interest-Based Resistance?

Now you’re probably wondering, „How on earth am I supposed to recognize this?“ Don’t worry, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to help us uncover this hidden resistance.

The Backpack Approach

Imagine everyone carries an invisible backpack. In this backpack are all our values, motivators, experiences, and inner drivers. When a change is on the horizon, it might conflict with the contents of our backpack.

For example: If someone has „security“ at the top of their backpack and suddenly everything is supposed to become agile and flexible – well, interest-based resistance is pre-programmed!

The Art of Listening

Another key to recognizing interest-based resistance is active listening. Pay attention to what people say between the lines. If someone constantly emphasizes how important hierarchies are, it could be a hint that they feel threatened in their position by flatter structures.

Tools and Techniques for Dealing with Interest-Based Resistance

Now it gets really exciting! I have a few cool tools for you that help us not only recognize interest-based resistance but also deal with it. Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride!

Moving Motivators – A Look into the Backpack

One of my favorite tools is Moving Motivators. It’s like looking into employees‘ backpacks, only much less creepy. Essentially, they’re cards with different motivators that people can sort.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Everyone sorts the cards by importance.
  2. Then, consider how the upcoming change affects each motivator.
  3. The cards are moved up (positive influence) or down (negative influence) accordingly.

The cool thing? You get a visual overview of what’s important to people and how the change affects it. And the best part: It makes things discussable!

The Venting Session – Yes, You Heard Right!

Sometimes we just need to let it all out, right? The venting session is exactly for that. Give people 10 minutes to really vent. Everything that bothers them about the change can come out.

But be careful: Set a timer! Otherwise, it can quickly get out of hand, and you’ll still be sitting there next week.

A little tip on the side: The Whining Cloth. This is to be taken literally – a towel with „Whining Cloth“ embroidered on it. Whoever holds it can whine. When the time is up, the cloth is passed on. This often brings some humor into the matter!

Nightmare Change – The Controlled Nightmare

Know headstand exercises? Nightmare Change is something like that. Instead of asking „What could all go well?“, we ask „What would be the absolute nightmare?“.

This does two things:

  1. It takes the pressure off because it’s suddenly okay to think about the worst.
  2. It often brings hidden fears and concerns to light that might not have been expressed otherwise.

And the best part? When we know what the nightmare would be, we can work specifically on preventing it from happening!

The Change Balance Quadrants – A Bit of Math Must Be

Okay, don’t panic, it doesn’t really get mathematical. The Change Balance Quadrants are a great tool to make the pros and cons of a change visible.

We divide a sheet (or a whiteboard) into four quadrants:

  1. What’s not good if I change?
  2. What’s not good if I don’t change?
  3. What’s good if I don’t change?
  4. What’s good if I change?

The great thing about it? It forces us to look at the change from all angles. Often, things come to light that we hadn’t thought of before.

The Importance of Needs and Values in the Change Process

Now it gets a bit psychological, but don’t worry, I’ll keep it simple! Needs and values are the fuel of our actions. If a change threatens these, resistance is pre-programmed.

The Value Check

A little trick I like to use: Have people write down their top 5 values. Then we look together at how the upcoming change affects these values. Sometimes we find that the change even helps to live certain values better!

Making Needs Visible

Often, people are not even aware of their own needs. A simple tool I like to use for this is the Needs Pyramid. We go through the different levels together and consider which needs could be affected by the change.

The Tolerance Poker – Not Just for Gamblers

The Tolerance Poker is a brilliant tool to get into conversation about different perspectives. Everyone gets cards representing different levels of tolerance – from „I think it’s great“ to „that’s not acceptable at all.“

Then different aspects of the change are presented, and everyone plays a card face down. When all are revealed, it gets exciting! Often it shows that perceptions in the team are totally different. And that’s exactly what we get to talk about.

Visualization – A Picture Says More Than a Thousand Words

I’m a big fan of visualization. Why not create a „change map“? Draw the path of change together, with all its ups and downs, branches, and possible obstacles. This makes the change process tangible and gives everyone a shared image.

Practical Tips for Change Managers

Alright, now we come to the practical part. Here are a few tips you can implement right away:

  1. Create a Safe Space

Before you start with all these tools, it’s important to create a safe space. People need to feel comfortable to speak openly about their concerns. How do you do that?

  • Establish ground rules for exchange (e.g., confidentiality, respect)
  • Lead by example and share your own concerns
  • Don’t react defensively to criticism, but take it as valuable input
  1. Timing is Everything

Choose the right timing for your interventions. Right after the announcement of a big change, emotions are often running high. Give people time to let it sink in before you come with workshops and tools.

  1. Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up

After a venting session or a Nightmare Change workshop, your work isn’t over! Pick up the insights in follow-up conversations. Show people that you take their concerns seriously and are working on them.

  1. Be Flexible

Not every tool works in every situation. Be ready to adapt your approaches. If you notice that the Moving Motivators aren’t well received, try something else. Flexibility is the key to success!

  1. Don’t Forget the Supporters

In all the focus on resistance, it’s easy to forget the supporters. Involve them actively! They can be valuable allies and show others the positive sides of the change.

Conclusion: Interest-Based Resistance as an Opportunity

Phew, that was a lot of input, wasn’t it? But you know what? I now see interest-based resistance as an opportunity. It shows us what’s really important to people. And when we understand that, we can shape changes in a way that aligns with these values and interests.

Always remember: Behind every resistance is a need. Our job as change managers is to recognize these needs, take them seriously, and find solutions together.

So, dare to dig deeper when you encounter resistance. Use the tools I’ve presented here, and above all: Stay curious! Every resistance is an opportunity to learn something new and make your change processes even better.

I hope this post has given you some new ideas and approaches. As always: Try it out, adapt it to your needs, and let me know how it worked! I’m always happy to hear your feedback and experiences.

Now it’s your turn: What experiences have you had with interest-based resistance? Do you have any other tricks and tools you like to use? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time, stay curious and open to change!

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