Managing change is one of the greatest challenges business leaders face. Everyone has advice on how to navigate the process. (Amazon, for example, returns over 50,000 book results for “change management.”) Often, however, the success of change management comes down to the ability to overcome resistance from within your own organization.
Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.
Mary Shelley
One of the best strategies I’ve discovered for dealing with this internal resistance is based on the work of Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, author of The Truth-Seeker’s Handbook, and CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts. His work deals with cognitive biases and how to deal with those in denial about the realities of a situation. His EGRIP method applies very effectively to change management.
The EGRIP Method
Tsipursky’s premise, based on research in cognitive neuroscience and behavioral economics, holds that facts and logic too often have a minimal impact on people’s beliefs and actions. Instead, his method addresses the emotional factors underlying denial and resistance to change. The five-step method includes:
- Emotions: Use empathy to figure out their emotions.
- Goals: Use curiosity to discover their goals.
- Rapport: Put yourself on the same side by highlighting the goals you share to build rapport.
- Information: Lead them away from their false beliefs by sharing factual information.
- Positive Reinforcement: Help them associate good feelings with changing their mind by providing positive reinforcement.
Applying the EGRIP Method
Let’s look at how the EGRIP method can be applied to an issue that many businesses face today: implementing a hybrid workplace. While most businesses adopted remote working during the pandemic, many leaders anticipated a return to the status quo once the crisis passed. Many employees, on the other hand, often discovered they liked working remotely and wanted it to continue.
Step One: Emotions
No matter which “side” team members fall on, they likely have strong emotions associated with this change. Managers, for example, may feel anxious about their ability to effectively supervise their remote employees. They may also fear that remote work diminished their value to the organization. Workers may feel empowered by the greater autonomy they have in a remote working situation. On the other hand, they may be fearful that their in-office colleagues will receive preferential treatment. Employees who want to return to the office but cannot do so for some reason – for example, a lack of adequate childcare – may feel frustration.
The EGRIP approach acknowledges that all these emotions feel “real” to those who have them. This is regardless of any “evidence” that their feelings are unfounded. Leaders need to foster trust and create channels of communication. Only then can team members safely explore their feelings about the proposed change and what they feel that way.
Step Two: Goals
Second, the various parties involved in or impacted by the change need to define their goals for the outcome. Leadership, for example, may want productivity levels to remain constant or even improve. They may also need to ensure the security of information systems and intellectual property and minimize additional liabilities. Direct managers may require a way to assess the performance of individual workers. They may also want to ensure that customers have ready access to information and assistance. Workers may desire great flexibility in scheduling while endeavoring to maintain an appropriate separation between work and home life.
Having defined the goals of individuals and small groups, the team can work together to identify shared or complementary goals. Prioritizing these commonalities breaks down the “us versus them” mentality and leverages the power of tribalism to promote the desired change. This approach encourages initial actions (and hopefully successes) that can energize further change.
Step Three: Rapport
In this step, the real work begins. It’s easy to say we’re open to seeing another’s point of view, but words without actions damage trust and break down the lines of communication. Team members need to demonstrate empathy for the emotional states and appreciation for the goals of all parties impacted by the proposed change. One-to-one meetings to discuss the options for hybrid work, as well as group meetings where anyone can ask questions and express concerns about the change, can provide a forum for building rapport.
Most importantly, leaders need to show sincere respect for the role that every team member plays in successfully implementing the change. This is not a one-and-done effort. Any change, no matter how well planned, will likely encounter stumbling blocks and setbacks. Unexpected and unintended consequences may result from decisions. Communication and support need to continue throughout the implementation and assessment phases.
Step Four: Information
Effective change management requires identifying clear, measurable key performance indicators. For a change to hybrid work, these might include productivity levels, error rates, customer satisfaction surveys, and adherence to policies and procedures, among others. The thought process behind these KPIs and the methodology for collecting and analyzing the data need to be communicated to all parties.
Choose KPIs that reflect and align with the agreed goals, not just those that are easily measured. When sharing findings, avoid emotional triggers whenever possible. Anonymizing data can be very helpful in doing this. Remember, the object is to challenge ideas and preconceptions, not individuals.
Step Five: Positive Reinforcement
Anytime an organization implements a major change, it can be easy to fall back into old attitudes and ways of doing things. Rather than punishing or criticizing individuals who do so, use positive reinforcement when they do follow the new patterns. Providing additional support for those who express discomfort with the pace of change – either too fast or too slow – can also ease tensions and promote the adoption of the desired behaviors.
Again, the goal is to create positive emotional anchors for new concepts and behaviors and to recognize and reward progress toward the desired change. Of course, if a team member absolutely refuses to try a new way or acts to undermine the agreed-upon goals, then other action may be required.
The greatest benefit of effective change management is that it lays a solid foundation for future change. When team members feel that change is something they help create rather than something that happens to them, innovation can flourish.