At the end of a conference on change, I asked, what many might have thought was, a dumb question of the speaker, who was an expert on the topic and who had presided over the two-day event. “What do you do about an individual who simply will not change?”
My question came out of some frustration that we conference participants had worked from a common assumption that change is always possible. We focused on how to create change. But what if someone or some group did not want to change or would not?
“You walk away,” the expert answered. I was shocked, but I laughed. I was shocked because the teacher did not seem to have an answer. I laughed because I knew he was right. Sometimes, he added, some people just will not change. And there is nothing you can do about it. (See Marshall Goldsmith’s excellent insights on this).
I have thought about his comment frequently over the years since my own expertise and livelihood come from communication and change consulting. Where it has concerned and challenged me the most is changing middle management. That group can intimidate many well-crafted efforts and even persuade a professional change-agent to consider changing careers.
For sure, much of middle management’s resistance has evaporated in the past year as organizations trimmed their management midriff. But, be assured, when the economic diet ends, those organizations will soon regain the weight. So, be prepared.
The key to embedding change – at least some change – in this group is, first, to understand in theory and from personal interaction with them, what pressures them to maintain the status-quo.
Here are 3 understandable reasons why many, if not most, middle managers shy away from change.
- Middle managers typically are in their mid-30s to late 40s when novelty moves to the back seat. Says psychologist Peter Borkenau, “People tend to become more reliable and agreeable with age, but their openness to novelty drops at the same time.” There are exceptions, of course, but the pattern dominates. Interestingly, a large survey by psychologist Sanjay Srivastava of the University of Oregon indicates that men are more responsive to new experiences than women as young adults, but fall behind quickly during their 30s.
- Middle managers have time-constraining, risk-averse obligations like committed relationships, college-bound children, and mortgages that require diligence and protection. They see the future acutely and anxiously, and value the importance of compounding interest over speculation.
- Middle managers look two ways. They look back somewhat longingly at the enthusiasm of the younger workers they used to be but also critically of their naiveté. And they look ahead more longingly at the prestige and rewards of older executives but also critically at the inflexibility and irrationality of senior management. Still, joining the latter group is more desirable and feasible than reverting to the spontaneity of youth.
Admittedly, those entrenched factors are formidable for us change professionals. But, there are inroads we can make to create a trickle of change that just might turn into something big.
I have 5 recommendations.
- Get the whole-hearted and public support for your change program from one or two executives whom middle managers admire and want to emulate. Their endorsement gives middle managers permission to adopt change. Those executives are likely to be about age 60, when people are empty-nesters, mortgage-free and rethinking life priorities. Research suggests that there is some resurgent, albeit brief, interest in novelty at that age.
- In your communication about the progress of change in the organization, highlight success stories of middle managers who are credible and respected, not glad-handers and grandstanders. As with the senior executive connection, when others like oneself are engaged, it gives permission to do likewise.
- Make a personal connection with a few key middle managers. Spend time discovering their interests and issues, but most importantly, demonstrating that you are a reasonable person with the best interest of the organization in mind and not a shill for some program.
- Do everything possible to link your change projects to bottom-line impact. Bottom-line can mean increased revenue or savings dollars, or can be reflected in terms of efficiency gains, employee loyalty, or other soft measurement that middle managers appreciate.
- Waste no time on the one or two, no-way-no-how middle managers. They may block the Progress Road at times, but eventually they will step aside when faced by a throng of supporters.
Richard Skaare 05.07.09
Further reading: “Set in Our Ways,” by Nikolas Westerhoff, Scientific American Mind, December 17, 2008
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Richard, you’ve got great points here.
I want to continue your point a little. Resistance to change is universal. And it’s ALWAYS about fear. Always. Alwaysalwaysalways.
If you can identify what the person is afraid of – whether middle manager or anyone else you encounter – then you have a handle on how to help them see new perspectives and actually become a participant in change.
I’ll spare you and your readers the story of how I created a cross-organizational change initiative that – five years after I left the organization – I’m still being told is going strong and a tremendous benefit to the people affected by it, even though there’s no longer anyone running the program. But it was all about first, knowing the people involved; second, understanding what they were afraid of in this situation; and third, directly, personally, and individually addressing those fears.
Not, I hasten to add, by running up to them and declaring, “I know what you’re afraid of!”
Instead, by thoughtfully establishing some key points within which we could specifically address those fears – and set guidelines and benchmarks to measure how well we were doing.
In the end, I had a better project approach and their complete buy-in – which also meant I could tap into the time and expertise of their key people, who were, not coincidentally, the thought leaders of their departments.
I say this not to toot my own horn (though it’s a key part of what I teach in some of my programs), but to point out: Understand the fears of the people you work with, whether you’re an external consultant or an internal employee. It gives you a tremendous ability to respond to those fears in direct and specific ways that will ultimately yield the results you want.
Great thought-provoking post!
Great points Richard.
I was always taught ‘Ego, Fear, Greed’ as the emotions to address, and I think they are most appropriate (and most easily answered) at middle management level.