What to do when people are resisting change
Every project institutes some kind of change; and with change comes resistance. It’s human nature for people to shy away from change and new things that they don’t know.
So, how do you deal with this resistance in project change management as a project manager?
In order for change to occur, the pain of remaining the same must be greater than the pain of changing. So, you need to know how to get people on board to overcome resistance.
Here are some tips for overcoming resistance to change in your project.
1. Have a project change management plan
You need to have a change management plan that incorporates communication, training, and sustainment, which is the bare minimum that is critical to have no matter the size of your project.
This is the foundation for overcoming resistance!
2. Ensure you have strong support from management
On top of having a solid change management plan, you need to have strong support from management.
This means having your sponsor’s support, senior executives’ support, and your Steering Committee’s support.
If you’re finding that there is resistance to change throughout your project, you not only have to be aware of it, but raise it up the chain of command, because that’s what they’re there for: to remove roadblocks that could impede the success of your project.
So, ensure that you gather this support and that senior executives are aware from day 1 that removing those roadblocks is a part of their responsibilities.
More tips on overcoming resistance
I’ve got some more tips for you on this topic in my latest video about overcoming resistance. Make sure you head over to YouTube with me to watch it!
If you want to go above and beyond to make your project management career successful, take a look at my SLAY Project Management course where I give you all the templates, tips, and techniques to implement, including a deep-dive on this topic, to make every project successful.
Adriana Girdler, PMP | Creator of Slay Project Management™
