Adapting to Change as Humans

Change is an integral part of our life. Without them there would be no development, the world would stand still. But it so happened historically that most people are wary and distrustful of any innovations.

And wherever changes take place – in the family, at work or in the country, at the first stage they almost inevitably encounter rejection and resistance.

Resistance to change is an instinct. Because change is unknown. And the unknown is full of fears and risks. Do we need it?

Remember how a kitten named Woof was exploring new territories? They say to him: “Trouble awaits you in the yard!” And he answered: “Hurray! Someone is waiting for me! We must hurry! ” And everyone understood that the kitten was “hello”.

A normal, experienced cat would do that?

Resistance to change is a natural defensive reaction of the human psyche. For our ancestors from the Stone Age, walking a new path to a watering hole could be the last innovation in life. Well, and in our civilized and safe age?

First, innovations change the established relationships between people in the team and the work rhythm itself. Secondly, the new always promises the unknown and the way out of the usual comfort zone: in order to live in a comfortable apartment, you have to go through the renovation stage … Thirdly, it can be difficult for us to immediately realize our place in the new world, to reconsider the line of behavior.

For example, when an employee gets a pay cut, they feel frustrated and stressed. If the salary is raised, it also turns out to be stressful for many, since the increase in salary is usually associated with an increase in the range of duties and responsibilities.

Typology of people according to the criterion of readiness to accept new information
Sometimes the range of responsibilities expands (for example, due to staff reductions or the emergence of a new project), while the salary remains the same. No one will take it with delight. And what is there to be happy about? Why, in fact, should we work harder and receive the same amount? What do we care about cause and effect?

The reason may be, for example, a drop in the company’s income due to a sharp drop in demand due to a downturn in the economy. And the consequence of resistance in such a situation will be the closure of a division or an enterprise as a whole. The employees did not accept the change, and the company, as a result, was unable to adapt to the new conditions.

“We have already tried this, we didn’t succeed”, “We need to change too much, it’s impossible”, “We are already so heavily loaded with work” – these are the most common phrases that we pronounce ourselves and hear from people who are afraid or simply not want to accept innovation.

Change, consciously or unconsciously, is resisted by everyone – not only conservatives from the rank and file, but also the leaders themselves. Realizing the need for change, they treat them with the same distrust as other, less interested people. The diagram of resistance methods presented below is recognizable to all participants in business processes.

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