2 min readEnhancewell
Every time I run into a business that's resistant to change, it makes me think of a story I once heard about a holiday ham recipe.
The story involves four generations of women: a child, her mother, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother. The ever-curious child watched her mother prepare the holiday ham and asked why her mother cut off the two ends of the meat. She replied, "that's how my mother always did it, so there must be a reason. Ask her."
The child approached her grandmother, sitting at the kitchen table, saying, "Mom always cuts the ends off the holiday ham and told me you would know why." The grandmother replied, "that's how my mom always did it, and I always assumed it was to let the juices in." With keen hearing for her old age, the great-grandmother bursts out laughing from the living room. She hobbles in and tells the three younger generations that her oven and pan were small, so she cut off the ends so the ham would fit.
The "way it's always been done" isn't always the right way— especially when you don't stop and consider why you're doing it that way.
As a business coach, I am often hired by clients eager for change, only to learn that their desire for change is outweighed by their sense of security and faith in the way it's always been done.
Clients don't tell me they're resistant to change. Instead, I'll be met with:
- Procrastination
- Defensiveness over current methodology
- Repeating unhelpful patterns instead of implementing new ones
- Inconsistency
I don't throw in the towel when I identify this resistance. Instead, I try to discover its root cause. Usually, it comes from one of a few places:
- Fear
- Lack of trust
- Past negative experiences or failures
- Limiting beliefs
- Commitment to tradition
Figuring out where the opposition comes from is essential. Once I identify the root, I can alter my coaching methods to overcome and grow. After all, in coaching, as in physical training, working with resistance leads to growth.
Discovering where resistance is coming from isn't always easy. In fact, some clients don't even realize they're being resistant! Here's what I do when coaching clients who hired me for change dig their heels in on "the way it's always been done":
- Build trust and rapport
- Ask the client to identify goals and reasons for wanting to change
- Understand the company's history and important traditions — you may be able to modernize them
The process of change is hard, but the end result can exponentially improve profits, work environment, and business longevity. Staying in your cocoon is safe but won’t let you soar.
If you want to find out how Enhancewell Consulting can equip you to react with confidence to obstacles and thrive during challenges, reach out for a free consultation and meet the coaching experts who can bring positive change to your organization.