Opting Out

I realize that I’m stating the obvious, but here goes – Professionally, we’re all riding some pretty powerful currents of change. For some of us, they’re the most significant that we’ve had to navigate in our careers.  And what makes it especially tricky is that different people react differently to change (okay, go ahead and say it…duh!). Change adoption models tell us that half of the people in your workplace, the Innovators, Early Adopters and Early Majority will adapt reasonably well and quickly to changes; the other half, the Late Majority and Laggards, will resist change until really late in the game. The bigger and hairier the change, the more resistance you encounter and the longer it lasts.

One of my favorite quotes from Woody Allen really captures the change adoption process in many organizations: “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.” When I ask professionals in organizations: “Who wants things to improve around here?” almost every hand goes up. And when I ask the follow-up question: “Who’s willing to change in order for that to happen?” almost every hand goes down.

Today’s change cycle is so rapid fire that there’s little time for organizations to ‘warm the soil’ to allow people to get used to something new before implementation. It’s more like ripping off a really, big bandage every day at work – it stings for a while and then it subsides…until the next rrrrrip!

So what? The point is that we can’t outrun change today. We can’t affix a ‘happy face’ sticker over our problems, challenges and changes, ignore them and hope that things will work out on their own. And for the most part, resistance is futile (a tip of the hat to Star Trek).  In fact, most of the changes that we are experiencing at work today are helpful and moving us forward constructively.

As adults, we must welcome ongoing learning, speak up and offer our input on upcoming changes in a very short window of time and then consciously commit (even if we continue to disagree) to the new way of doing things. Yes, even if we disagree, we need to commit. Or do we?

For some, there seems to be another alternative – I call it opting out. They simply don’t embrace ‘it’, whatever it is. Even when the reason for the change is clear;  when it’s about improving our organization or enhancing our competitiveness, and even when we have agreed to the change.   That’s right even when we’ve sat in meetings and nodded our heads in the affirmative. “Yes, we’re all on board!” (fingers crossed).  We return to our desks and quietly decide not to change our behavior, not to adopt the new way of doing things. It seems that some people dig in their heels and continue familiar practices under the radar, almost as though the changes only apply to TOG (the other guy). Some of these professionals may think that they are taking a righteous stand for tradition or against a new rule. And, if it were an occasional, conscious act, I might agree. But too often, and for too many people, opting out is a knee jerk reaction to anything new or fresh or unfamiliar. It’s a wicked problem in some organizations. And it really gets in the way of our collective success.

How?

·         It has the potential to keep us stuck in dysfunctional comfort. In order to get better, we’ve got to change. It’s healthy. Being responsive to the changing needs and desires of customers, funders, shareholders, etc. is essential to your long term success.

·         It drains relationships, teams and sometimes organizations because we must turn our attention and energy to convincing, cajoling, reminding, tracking, courting and ultimately warning these skeptics about their behavior.

·         It can cause a permanent rift between team members because others may need to pick up the work that you’re not doing or fix the work that you’re doing so that it meets the new process. It can lead to resentment and disillusionment. And, if there are no consequences for ‘opting’ out, others may simply throw up their hands in frustration and join in.

·         It perpetuates the parent-child dynamic. It’s childish and it’s cowardly – if you truly have strong reservations about a change, then speak up and passionately present your opinion. Having said that, unless this change is unethical, dangerous or in some other very real way, wrong, we have an obligation to commit to it as a professional.

·         It stifles creativity and innovation. We all need more not less of these. Opting out of most changes is the organizational equivalent of throwing the baby with the bathwater.

·         This behavior is not you at your best. It’s not the behavior of an everyday leader. We can’t afford anything short of full throttle engagement.

 Now what? 

What can we do to break the habit of ‘opting out?’ If you are the one who’s engaging in the behavior, you can make a different choice. Instead of opting out, you can –

·         Get to the bottom of this behavior. Confront this behavior in yourself.   Do a deep dive and find out what’s behind this choice. Are you afraid? Of what? Feel as though you can’t keep up? Don’t have the skills needed to do the job?

·         Find an accountability partner. Someone with whom you can collaborate to deal more directly and constructively with change. Someone who will help you to more effectively hold a framework of accountability around change.

·         Be certain that your voice is heard. Join the committee that is charged with making key recommendations in areas of keen interest to you. Be a part of the research, debate and recommendation process.

·         Talk with different people. Take in diverse perspectives. Sometimes, we hang out with like-minded people who generally feel the same way that we do. We reinforce our thinking instead of having it challenged in a healthy way.

·         Pilot the change. Fully embrace it for a period of time (e.g. 30 days) and then provide objective feedback, highlighting both the positive as well as the negative. The period of time must be long enough to give the new process a fair shake. And you must fully engage!

·         Sincerely ask yourself….Is this the best version of me at work? If you can’t honestly answer yes to that question, then find a different way forward.

We’re adults…professionals. We can consciously choose a different response to change. You may have tendencies when it comes to change adoption, but you’re not hardwired a certain way. Go all in for a change!