After reviewing a study by IBM Global Business Services that examined  how organizations manage change and that identified the challenges, success factors and gaps to project success, I did the ‘happy dance.’ Through input from 1500 change practitioners of various industries and representing a global perspective, the authors formed a well rounded view of change initiatives.

So why did I do the ‘happy dance’? The research indicated that the most significant challenges when implementing change are people-oriented including changing mindsets and attitudes, aligning the corporate culture with change, and motivating employees. Our business for over 20 years has been about the soft side, the human side of success. And my passion for the last 15 years has been helping people change their mindset to support their skill set or external goals.The research study states, “… it turns out the ‘soft stuff’ is the hardest to get right.” I agree when you continue to approach change with training or coaching that attempts to have employees buy in to change through repetitive words, slogans or external motivation.

Safety and security is the reactionary barrier that most people respond with to change. This reaction is a subconscious, automatic pattern that is triggered when they perceive that the change will impact them. To engage people with change, you must address the subconscious thought, mindset or mental model that originates the resistant pattern.

Bringing the subconscious into alignment with the external change creates acceptance, involvement and commitment. Talking is a conscious process. It does not impact mindset or the subconscious. An analogy is talking to your MP3 player and asking it to start playing a different album. You can talk all day long, but the MP3 player will continue doing what it was programmed to do originally. In order to change what the MP3 player does, you have to take specific action that honors the way the MP3 operates. And now back to us as humans, to change our mindset, we must use a process of change that honors the subconscious.

It is possible in a simple and direct way to change mindsets and attitudes so that they are aligned with change initiatives. Contact Robin Graham at 901.757.4434 to find out more or go to one of the web sites listed on the right side of this blog site.