Resistance to change

A chemist, engineer, electrician, and an IT guy got stranded on the side of the road after their car broke down. One of them gets off the phone with the towing company, “they said it will be at least two hours.”

After a few minutes, the chemist tells the other three, “I’m pretty sure I know what happened. The engine oil probably hadn’t been changed in a long time, became oxidized and contaminated, and lost its ability to lubricate, therefore completely seizing the pistons to the engine’s cylinder walls. It’ll have to be replaced.”

The engineer tells the others, “I’m fairly certain the planetary gear set or valve body inside the transmission failed, likely due to a poor design. These cars aren’t exactly the greatest, and it’s a known issue; that’s why they broke down. The transmission will have to be replaced.”

The electrician says, “you guys are overreacting; it’s probably just blown a fuse or relay that burned out, causing the car to shut off. We can check the integrity of the fuse box to make sure there’s no excessive resistance or a short to ground that caused it to blow in the first place. I have my multimeter in the trunk. We can swap it out, and we’ll be on our way.”

The IT guy looks around and says, “What if we just get out of the car and then get back in again?”

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result is an insanity?” Many business organizations know that the pandemic has reset the world. Massive changes will have to be instituted in every business organization, and the leaders will have to implement the necessary changes. But sometimes the leader is the main obstacle to change, and no leader will admit nor confess that they resist when changes occur for various reasons. The longer you have been leading may make you more settled in doing things. Your past “successes” may have been your “rationalization” those changes are unnecessary, making you conservative and less willing to take risks. To fight “change-resistance,” we may want to ask ourselves the following questions:

1. What is the reason why I am saying no?

Is it because I have to learn new things, and now I have to disrupt myself rather than just cruise on my competence?

Does this require more work from me?

Will this new change initiative reveal my incompetence and lose my people and team’s respect?

The right way to think is to consider the question: “What positive benefits will the organization expect and experience in which I am actively taking part?”

2. What am I holding on to, and what is it that is holding me back?

Am I holding on to my past successes?

Is my lack of knowledge in this new initiative holding me back from fully embracing the change?

3. What is keeping me from listening to this person?

This question is a little bit insidious.

Is it because the idea was suggested by somebody I do not like, and if this project succeeds, I will be left behind in my professional competition with this person?

Is it because this person did not support my program before and has the knack of disagreeing with me?

Leaders need to remember that when they constantly refuse to listen to other people, they will be surrounded one day by people who have nothing to say.

4. Am I resisting because I am being prudent and wise, or am I merely afraid?

Afraid that I may not be able to deliver?

Afraid that if I am slow and others are fast to deliver results, I would lose the opportunity for further advancements?

5. What other options do I have?

Will I contribute to the company and business if I continue to do more of the same?

Will I cause demoralization of the team if they see me resisting or even fighting the change initiatives?

We are in the space where massive change will occur because one tiny little invisible virus has caused the whole world to reset. I must accept changes and make myself excited with change.

Perhaps I have lived many years realizing that the only reason why I am where I am today is that I embraced change and once more am excited with the prospects the future offers.

Get this: change is scary, but it is scarier not to change.

(Francis Kong will run his Level Up Leadership 2.0 Master Class Online on April 20, 21 and 22. For inquiries and reservations, contact April at +63928-559-1798 or and for more information, visit www.levelupleadership.ph)