PROJECTS FAIL. It happens all the time. Even though the best minds work together and every technical aspect is carefully scrutinized, projects can fail. Recent surveys reported that only 33 percent of reengineering efforts and 20 percent of new software applications succeed. Why? Fortune 500 executives and chief information officers report that resistance is the primary reason why so many good ideas fail.
Too often, project managers focus on the technical and financial aspects of a project and neglect to take into account the nontechnical issues. But it's the people who can make or break the success of a project. Without their buy-in and support, projects are doomed. To paraphrase James Carville during the 1992 presidential election, “It's the people, stupid.”
Today's nontraditional workplace further complicates the situation. Lack of “face time” among team members—caused by a rise in telecommuting, flex-time, job sharing, the use of temporary personnel, and the like—places an extra burden on project managers. They are faced with the challenge of creating a cohesive team despite the fact that team members may not have regular contact. This lack of ongoing face-to-face interaction between team members and project leaders makes it more difficult for managers to anticipate and plan for resistance. To overcome these obstacles, project managers must enhance communication wherever and whenever possible. This is the only way resistance—and its roots—will surface.
Understanding Resistance Is the Key. It's not resistance itself that leads to failure; it's the way project managers handle it. To respond to resistance in an effective and proactive manner, you must first understand what you are facing. There is resistance, and there is resistance. Talk with all members of the team—whether they are full-time, part-time, working in the office or at home—to find out their thoughts about the proposed change. Listen for common fears and anxieties in the answers and strive to find out what's behind their resistance and how strong their opposition is. Knowing the intensity can help you assess how best to approach resistance—and to transform it into support for change. Let's look at the two levels of resistance that you will encounter.
Level 1: The Idea Itself. Managers typically interpret resistance as if it were Level 1, resistance to the change itself. This is low-grade resistance, without any hidden agenda. People simply are opposed to the idea for any number of reasons: They don't understand what you are trying to accomplish. They don't know why it is important to you. They believe in the status quo. They don't know what impact the change will have on them. They don't think you realize what this change will cost in money or time. They have ideas of their own about where the organization should go.
There are effective strategies you can employ to help move beyond Level 1 resistance. Be sure to talk about your ideas clearly and honestly. If the resistance truly is Level 1, then a clear presentation with time for spirited questions and answers may be enough. However, this can be a dangerous approach if resistance is deeper.
The most common corporate response to resistance is to put on a show—tell people all about the change and try to “wow” them into agreement. If all that people needed were the facts—What's the plan? When will we begin? How much will it cost?—this approach might work. But if their questions go deeper—How do I fit into this plan? Are you really serious about this change or is this another fad idea?—then simply putting on a presentation will leave these issues unaddressed.
If left unattended, Level 1 resistance can intensify. To prevent this from happening, you must deal with resistance as soon as you recognize it. Most people fear dealing with resistance at any level. So, even a simple Level 1 challenge like “We don't have enough staff to do that” may make them uncomfortable.
It is better to talk with people about the proposed changes, giving them the opportunity to make a contribution to the idea or warn of potential pitfalls. Dealing with resistance in a proactive fashion requires that you delve deep and explore until you are certain you have addressed all concerns and areas of confusion.
Level 2: Deeper Issues. While Level 1 concerns are primarily intellectual, Level 2 concerns stem from the heart and gut and usually involve a personal fear or threat. Level 2 resistance is harder to get at. Surveys usually won't do it, nor will large meetings. The best way to get people to move beyond resistance and get support is to get them deeply involved in the change. Engage in conversation, either one-on-one or in small groups, to explore the opposition and to gain insight into its roots. By staying open and curious about what people say, you will begin to understand what their concerns really are.
Try a Little “What If.” Often the depth of resistance doesn't become apparent to project managers until they are asked to take action. For example, an administrative project team within a government agency was considering ways to improve efficiency. Their customers began to demand faster response time. The department's manual systems were no match for a clientele accustomed to the speed of fax and modem communications. Although they faced resistance during the early stages of planning, it wasn't until the team members began suggesting specific strategies that the deepest resistance surfaced. People who had supported the early planning became suspicious of the very strategies they had been supporting. It was not that they had been holding out, waiting for the right time to disrupt progress; it was just that as they got closer to implementing plans, they discovered factors they had to resist.
This scenario could be avoided by a little planning for the inevitable. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers developed a method to get issues out on the table before conflicts arise. All team members involved in a construction project come together to define what this temporary partnership will look like. They discuss how they will handle such issues as quality, completion dates, costs and cost overruns, safety and paperwork.
They address things that could go wrong. This is a pretty easy task; everyone in the business knows where the hassles are. Then they devise strategies for dealing with these potential pitfalls. Think of these as “What If?” scenarios.
It's easier to devise a solid approach to a problem before it's surfaced than when it is staring you in the face. “What If?” scenarios allow you to step back and calmly play with possibilities, without the risk. Here are some ideas to consider:
■ If the team members have worked together before, identify times when they were in conflict. If the teams are new, ask people to draw on their own experience to identify potential conflicts that could occur during the change. Do not assign blame. The goal is to identify issues that could come up during the current change, not to dissect past events.
■ Form mixed groups that contain representatives from a cross-section of departments and levels of the organizations involved. Have those groups develop strategies to address problems should they occur. Groups should address these questions: How can we keep our focus on the goal if this issue occurs? How will we summon the courage to stick with it, even if the going gets extremely tough? What can we do to ensure mutual respect in the midst of this issue? What can we do to ensure that all the critical issues get out on the table? How can we stay relaxed in the midst of this conflict? How can we promote the development of common values?
■ Subgroups report to the full group all questions, comments, and suggested changes.
■ The full group decides which of the strategies it can fully support. By addressing potential resistance before it occurs, you often preempt it. People get the critical issues out on the table and make agreements before anyone feels a need to put up a wall or attack others.
PEOPLE RESIST CHANGE—that's natural and should be expected. As project managers confront an ever-changing, nontraditional workplace, there is one word that must stand out as they strive to create support for change: communication. By talking openly and honestly with team members to learn more about their opposition and the intensity of it, project managers will be better able to find common ground and identify ways to work together to make change happen. Team members will also be better prepared to devise the “What If” strategies they will need to overcome hurdles they will face along the way. By communicating—among team members and with team leaders—teams will be able to move beyond the wall of resistance and implement the changes that will benefit all those involved. ■
Rick Maurer is author of Beyond the Wall of Resistance (Bard Press. 1996). Through Maurer & Associates in Arlington, Va., he assists clients in building support for rapid implementation of major changes in their organizations. Check out his Web site at www.beyondresistance.com.