“Osmosis is the diffusion of water from a high concentration to a low concentration through a semi-permeable membrane.”
Hands down, this is the most impressive one-liner I can regurgitate from high school. I learnt it in Food Tech, and to this day, I have no idea why I learnt it there and not in biology. That being said, I remember next to nothing from biology, so this isn’t a convincing point in and of itself.
I digress (which is impressive because I haven’t even really started). Now whilst the knowledge of osmosis, or rather the rote learning of its definition, did not serve me all that impressively in high school, it is now finding a redeeming purpose in my life 20(!) odd years down the track. It’s providing me with a helpful framework to articulate what I’ve only really intuited on a topic that is incredibly important to not only me, but I’d wage a bet its incredibly important to you as well.
Change.
It’s a funny old word, change, isn’t it? It has a way of bypassing our sterile reasoning and instead elicits an automatic response, like the word “religion” or “coriander.” For some of us it makes our eyes grow wide in anticipation, yet for others it triggers almost a defence mechanism of sorts. We find ourselves wanting to fortify our surrounds in order stave off the impending mental conflict that change can bring.
Experiencing change is one thing. We’ve all had it inflicted upon us and will continue to for the rest of our days. Being involved in implementing a change process is an entirely different beast. In doing so, we are forced to pass through the instinctual reactions of our fellow humans, like some sort of human-emotion-osmosis experience.
Implementing change is never as clear cut as you hope it will be. It’s rarely a case of smoothly flowing from one state to another.
I’ll lay my cards on the table. I’m one of the wide eyed (read: annoying) kind of change people. However, it is clear to me that although I might be energised by the prospect of change, change is always more complex and taxing than one would hope. It is something that, when traveling with other people, needs to be dealt sensitively and deliberately.
For some reason, my life has been framed by helping people navigate change. Some change experiences have been harrowing, some deeply impactful relationally, others very technical, with individuals, with small groups, and at times with larger groups of people. I’ve been involved in implemented poor change experiences, tried to cut corners, and even just tried to will change into reality. I have also been blessed to participate in bringing real change to real situations that have a positive impact on real people.
Whilst there are many interlaced dynamics at play when bringing about change, the following is what I’ve experienced to be one of the most important factors to consider when putting your hand to the work of change:
Change is about people. And there is always someone in the mix that feels threatened by the change you are facilitating.
As a “people person,” I am always quietly mortified when it becomes clear to me that the course I’m on will bring me directly into the firing line of someone who will take issue with the thing I’m putting my hand to. However, without fail, when you are involved in bringing about change, you best believe you are well on track to potential mortification.
Now, rather than stick my head in the sand and assume that everything and everyone is going to be ok at all times (something I desperately would like to be true), understanding what’s at stake for others and being sensitive to the reasons why this is the case, goes a very long way in helping you and others navigate the change ahead.
There are a few different reasons why people can feel threatened by the change you are involved in facilitating. Here are a couple I’ve noticed along the way:
- The gut instinct to resist change.
- Better the devil you know.
- They think your plan is dumb.
- The person/people involved played a meaningful part in constructing reality as it currently is. The very state of play that you are helping people navigate away from.
It’s that final point that is most often at play, even in the most subtle of ways. In facilitating change, you are moving from where you currently are to (hopefully) a preferred future. However, the present became the present in part due to those who were present during its shaping. In sharing the vision of the preferred future, you will be well placed to appreciate that the words you share and actions that you implement could very well be interpreted as a personal critique of people who are quietly sitting in the room. Choose your words delicately, tread lightly, and honour the past and present where appropriate and authentic.
Whilst you know that your motives are to help an individual or group move towards outcomes that better serve where they are heading, others may be suspicious that you are trying to do something else. You are trying to make a point. You are telling everyone they didn’t/don’t know what they were doing. You are trying to take over.
So, what is one to do with such a fraught scenario? Avoid being involved in helping facilitate change at all costs?
Yes.
But if that doesn’t work, be deliberate about your approach. Yes, the “what, how, and when” types of things, but much more than that, it is wise to appreciate that it is empathy that helps bind change and victory.
Empathy is your ultimate companion in helping others navigate change.
Having a deep commitment to seeing, hearing, and attempting to truly understand the other is the only way to truly help foster buy in. You could certainly try and ram change through, but in doing so you will be leaving people to make up their own minds about how to deal with all the context you just marched over in order to achieve your mission.
Just because the proposed change might be an objectively good initiative, without stopping to listen to the individual about their hopes and concerns, you will not be doing the healthy version of implementing change.
Take the time to choose your words carefully when describing the reasons for change. You are speaking into the lives of others that are rich with history and subtext. Will they feel seen and heard in the vision of what will be, or will they see themselves as just another steppingstone in your conquest towards victory?
None of the above means rejecting change on the basis of differing opinions that others may offer. That being said, the differing opinions do give you a much clearer picture of the lay of the land and can help you augment the steps towards change in meaningful ways and bring about a brighter preferred future.
Change doesn’t flow unhindered from one state to another. You best believe you are flowing right through a giant semi-permeable membrane of experiences, hopes, and hurts. Rather than shy away from this reality, facilitating change we can be proud of involves embracing these dynamics, honouring the other, and proceeding accordingly.