Beware of those who agree with you
Of all the people on your team, you worry the least about Alex. A quick glance at Alex’s nodding head and slight smile, indicates to you that you are on the right track in meetings. Alex is quiet, always seated to the side of the room. You count on him as your barometer of team acceptance of the change you are determined to implement. Alex often stays late after work, sidles into your office and lets you in on the whispers behind your back. “People are saying …” and you are all ears. But the anecdotes are bereft of details, with enough to get your attention, but not enough to allow you to take action.
You want feedback on how you are doing. Yet Alex often fails to meet deadlines and carry out his assigned tasks. His excuses are quite plausible, so you are never sure if you are being unreasonable. You are beginning to wonder about Alex – is he really on board?
Do you have an Alex on your team? He(or she) is a classic example of a covert resister – someone who ostensibly supports you yet is in actuality the most resistant person on your team. At first, Alex seems to be on board and you count on him/her for advice and guidance. Then you begin to have doubts as you suspect that Alex is very quietly resisting any effort at change and perhaps even sabotaging ti. But you can’t quite pin him/her down. You may also start getting feedback from other members of the team, warning you that Alex isn’t what you think he/she is.
How do you deal with an Alex? It’s not easy since Alex has probably been around a long time, the survivor of many a corporate change initiative, a master of resistance. Here are a few tips that have worked for my clients and me:
- Limit private conversations with Alex to discussions about his/her job. Stop listening to his tales unless he/she is willing to share details i.e. names and specific incidents and be quoted.
- Assign clearly defined tasks with deadlines, along with a process of Alex reporting back to you. Make sure to follow up. Be firm.
- Start listening to other members of your team, without Alex’s bias.
- Have a frank and open discussion with your team about resistance to change and how this may manifest overtly and/or covertly.
- Stay focused on your intended outcomes and always remember: “If you aren’t being resisted, you aren’t making change”.
TAKE ONE ACTION
Spend a few quiet moments thinking about the members of your team and how they are reacting to change. Meet with them individually to get their input. Listen to their fears, their concerns, their hopes.
INTERESTING LINKS
With rapid advances and breakthroughs in technology and the speed with which business must adapt, is the role and function of your IT department outdated? Does your IT leadership, steeped in technical competence, understand their new imperative? – click to view article
You know how I feel about love! Here’s an article that shows, through research, how powerful it is at work. No surprise to me – I always knew this in my heart – click to view article
Watch what happens in this video where two monkeys are “paid” unequally. Funny but is there a lesson in it for the way you reward your employees?
