BARRIER: CHANGE FATIGUE

Let’s be honest, teams have had to metabolize a lot of change over the past few years… it’s no surprise they want a break. But change keeps happening whether you want it to or not.

Change Fatigue is driven by: a) too many changes at once, b) a pace of change that’s too intense, and c) conflicting change messaging

To overcome this barrier: reduce other projects, prioritize change, explain why changes are happening, provide ongoing support, dedicate time to reflect on learnings, and increase trust and a sense of belonging

Read more about Change Fatigue.

BARRIER: BACKSLIDING

You swear you’ll only do it this one time… but before you know it, you’ve reverted to those behaviors you thought you left behind.

Backsliding is driven by: a) time or performance pressure, b) too many initiatives at once, c) shaking up the team too soon, and b) scaling the change too quickly

To overcome this barrier: differentiate a “slip” from a “lapse,” introduce changes more slowly, support teams that are experiencing time or performance pressure, and consistently renew the focus on the change

Read more about Backsliding.

BARRIER: CANNIBALISM

Change could disrupt your already successful business—but if you don’t do it first, competitors will.

Cannibalism is driven by: a) loss aversion, and b) the learning curve

To overcome this barrier: choose to disrupt (rather than be disrupted), consider a bigger leap to deliver better ROI, explain why you’re transitioning, and share rewards with leaders of successful phased-out projects to ensure their buy-in

Read more about Cannibalism.

BARRIER: FEAR OF FAILURE

If at first you don’t succeed… destroy all evidence you tried? Unfortunately, organizations that punish failure never learn from their mistakes—and as a result, they don’t improve.

Fear of Failure is driven by: a) a lack of psychological safety, b) a culture of individual blame, and c) risk-averse performance metrics

To overcome this barrier: encourage “safe to fail” change, model vulnerability and share mistakes, use scenario planning to improve team response, and avoid scapegoating failures

Read more about Fear of Failure.

BARRIER: LEADER ENTITLEMENT

Everyone wants change, but not everyone is willing to change… and when you’re higher up in an organization, it’s easier to excuse yourself.

Leader Entitlement is driven by: a) misunderstanding the role required for the change, b) mistrust in the leader carrying out the change, and yes, c) personal preferences

To overcome this barrier: specify and incentivize desired behaviors, appeal to their ego, and encourage compliance through peers

Read more about Leader Entitlement.

BARRIER: POLITICS

Unfortunately, good work doesn’t speak for itself—others have to speak up as well, and that could mean a power struggle that many seek to avoid.

Politics is driven by: a) ethical questions, b) discomfort with asking favors, and c) a potential loss of power

To overcome this barrier: give opponents something they want, give others the credit for your work, use rewards to reinforce behavior, control the story of change, and find allies to minimize opposition

Read more about Politics.

BARRIER: SYSTEM JUSTIFICATION

It’s one thing to accept the current situation for what it is, and another to argue that that’s the way it should be—and anyone who doesn’t like it just can’t hack it.

System Justification is driven by: a) outside criticism of the organization, b) system dependence, c) system inescapability, and d) low personal control

To overcome this barrier: question (don’t confront), provide alternatives to the status quo, share proof that change is happening, focus on incremental “safe to fail” change, and create regular forums for feedback

Read more about System Justification.

BARRIER: PROCRASTINATION

Are you sure you’re genuinely too busy to change—or are you just trying to postpone the inevitable?

Procrastination is driven by: a) trying to not overwork teams, b) unfavorable external conditions or emergencies, and c) discomfort with change

To overcome this barrier: frame inaction as loss, increase tolerance for failure, simplify change, model emotional regulation, and reward progress more frequently

Read more about Procrastination.

BARRIER: CHANGE QUICKSAND

Groundhog Day, again? Despite continued effort and investment, it just doesn’t feel like you’re making progress.

Change Quicksand is driven by: a) the sunk cost fallacy, and b) uncertainty around when to quit

To overcome this barrier: try a different path to reach your goal, test first and only publicize real progress, and establish cut-off points upfront

Read more about Change Quicksand.

BARRIER: LIMITED RESOURCES

Sure, everyone wants more time, people, or budget to change, but you really don’t have enough.

Limited Resources is driven by: a) over-ambitious end goals, b) deprioritization, and c) a failure to request more resources

To overcome this barrier: shrink the end goal, find contributors with greater availability, incorporate change into existing work, build a case for the ROI, and unite with others with similar demands

Read more about Limited Resources.

BARRIER: CHANGE THEATER

On your third launch party for the same change? Tired of empty promises to “be different?”

Change Theater is driven by: a) inadequate resources to commit to change, b) misunderstanding of how to make change, and c) misalignment of change objectives

To overcome this barrier: commit resources and time, define desired outcomes, focus on changing behaviors (not attitudes), and share lessons learned to show progress

Read more about Change Theater.

BARRIER: UNREALISTIC GOALS

Shooting for the moon might mean you reach the stars… or get lost in space.

Unrealistic Goals is driven by: a) (over)confidence in team’s abilities, b) insufficient data or history, c) external pressures, and d) false hope syndrome

To overcome this barrier: test goals for clarity and feasibility, explain the goal’s rationale, assess required trade-offs, separate short- and long-term goals, and check progress regularly to course-correct

Read more about Unrealistic Goals.

BARRIER: RECENCY BIAS

You don’t mean for it to happen, but problems that are out of sight are all too often out of mind.

Recency Bias is driven by: a) distractions, b) time pressure, c) an organization-wide focus, and d) partial understanding of the problem

To overcome this barrier: create a regular review schedule, build a cross-functional and cross-level coalition, decide when to pivot, and encourage incremental change

Read more about Recency Bias.

BARRIER: LIMITING BELIEFS

To paraphrase a saying, if you think you can’t, you’re probably right.

Limiting Beliefs is driven by: a) a fixed mindset, b) past failure, and c) imposter syndrome

To overcome this barrier: assess true abilities, frame change as incremental experimentation, remind individuals of past success, make change easier, and encourage a growth mindset

Read more about Limiting Beliefs.

BARRIER: LACK OF SKILLS

Sometimes teams need to get back to basics before they can move forward.

Lack of Skills is driven by: a) insufficient learning opportunities, b) outdated or inaccurate training, and c) efforts to mask other concerns

To overcome this barrier: assess skills gaps, establish training plans, make experimentation “safe to fail,” demand leaders lead and train change skills, hire or contract skills in the short term, and adjust performance metrics as people learn

Read more about Lack of Skills.

BARRIER: REGULATIONS

Change is still possible when facing legal restrictions, but you need a different (still legal!) approach.

Regulations is driven by: a) external regulatory bodies, b) risk-averse legal and compliance departments, and c) internal policies

To overcome this barrier: determine what’s the law and what’s internal policy, work with authorities, guide future regulation, look for new opportunities created by the rules, and find solution-oriented partners

Read more about Regulations.

BARRIER: CONFORMITY

Well if what you’re proposing is such a good idea, why isn’t everyone doing it already?

Conformity is driven by: a) ease and convenience, b) wanting to fit in, and c) assuming the majority are working the “correct” way

To overcome this barrier: target key influencers, introduce critical thinking practices, retrain for desired behaviors, hold teams to objective standards, and celebrate people who do break the mold

Read more about Conformity.

BARRIER: MISALIGNMENT

It’s one of the simplest yet most intractable problems: leaders don’t always agree about what or how to change

Misalignment is driven by: a) different interpretations of strategy, b) personal agendas, and c) conflict avoidance

To overcome this barrier: increase psychological safety for healthy debate, establish a common language, clarify decision-making rights, and hold others accountable for commitments

Read more about Misalignment.

BARRIER: NOT INVENTED HERE SYNDROME

We’re not saying your team doesn’t have all the answers, but we’re not not saying it.

NIH Syndrome is driven by: a) believing the organization is unique, b) ego protection, c) wanting to maintain personal consistency or group identity, d) making a power play, and e) skewed incentives

To overcome this barrier: get teams to own the change, rotate team members and encourage new perspectives, insist people explain objections, and incentivize applications of existing solutions (not just inventions)

Read more about NIH Syndrome.

BARRIER: CYNICISM

Skeptics believe change is unlikely—cynics know it won’t happen because leaders are just in it for themselves

Cynicism is driven by: a) past failures to change, b) distrust in leadership, and c) a desire to avoid disappointment

To overcome this barrier: avoid labeling people as cynics prematurely, increase transparency, involve teams in decision-making, gather evidence change is happening, and focus on change champions (not cynics)

Read more about Cynicism.

BARRIER: STATUS QUO BIAS

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right?

Status Quo Bias is driven by: a) losing track of customer needs, b) valuing comfort above relevance, and c) attempting to protect the organization from unnecessary change

To overcome this barrier: ask why people are defending the status quo, frame the status quo as loss, excite them about a better future, and create a coalition for change

Read more about Status Quo Bias.

BARRIER: LACK OF AUTHORITY

You gotta fight. For your team’s right. To… make decisions about how they work together.

Lack of Authority is driven by: a) unclear role definition, b) consensual decision-making, and c) prior punishment for making change

To overcome this barrier: make change within zones of control, clarify roles and responsibilNOBL Academyities, and show examples of change already happening

Read more about Lack of Authority.

BARRIER: IGNORANCE

It’s hard to motivate teams to be better if they think they’re already doing pretty well.

Ignorance is driven by: a) less experienced teams, b) more insular teams or organizations, and c) attempts at defending social identity

To overcome this barrier: explore individual aspirations, bring in outside examples, rotate people through teams, and build self-reflection skills

Read more about Ignorance.

BARRIER: ROLE LIMITATION

Change management has traditionally been limited to leadership—but modern organizations need everyone involved to succeed

Role Limitation is driven by: a) outdated role descriptions, b) a limited perception of change leadership, and c) time demands and work boundaries

To overcome this barrier: reset expectations around change leadership, re-balance workloads, and assess performance metrics

Read more about Role Limitation.

BARRIER: FATALISM

How much change can one person really make in an organization? Enough to make a difference.

Fatalism is driven by: a) negativity bias, b) a lack of autonomy, and c) defensive mechanisms

To overcome this barrier: prime people for success, focus on zones of control, encourage testing (not hypotheticals), and create a support network

Read more about Fatalism.