From an early age, we are taught to believe that change is good. In fact, you could argue that we are conditioned to believe that all change is good. We are constantly told that ‘things need to change’; that the past is bad and we can build a brighter future. These are easy ideas to support as they seem logical and make good sense. After all what could be bad about a brighter future?
We are now at a point in time where if you don’t support a change, if you question or challenge it, you are viewed as a ‘dinosaur’ or ‘set in your ways’. You know, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks…
We also live in a time where technological change is happening at a rate never seen in history, although that is not really a good premise for an argument. It might be more accurate to say that there is a lot more change happening now, but this change is not as transformational as, say moving from a time when we didn’t have the ability to make fire, to a time when we can make it on command.
We hear leaders make statements like ‘get on the bus, or get hit by it’ and ‘if we aren’t changing we are dying’.
There are a number of well-documented reasons why many normal, intelligent, and even progressive people are uncomfortable with change and even ‘resist change’.
In researching for this article I found many posts and articles about why people resist change and what leaders should do to help them overcome their fear and resistance and eventually accept the change. The ‘new normal’. What I didn’t find was any articles about leaders making sure the changes they are implementing are the right changes.
It is human nature to resist change. We tend to adopt what works and discard what doesn’t and we develop routines that become habits. Habits are hard to break so make sure you develop good ones. When leaders try to force their followers to adopt new habits, especially habits that don’t make sense to them, it can be like forcing someone into rehab who’s not ready to quit their addiction.
But teaching the masses how to overcome their resistance to change or leaders how to better implement change is not the purpose of this article.
Change can be very disruptive and can cause significant damage to organisations and society if it’s the wrong change. It is absolutely critical that change is evolutionary and truly does create a better set of circumstances in the future, than what existed in the past. Change for the sake of change is a very bad idea and change to appease minority groups is a worse idea.
The world is in turmoil as I type. We are still suffering the effects of the worst pandemic in recent history which has devastated the world economy and created even more hostility with China. The death of George Floyd has sparked mass protests crying out that “black lives matter” and activists are now calling for the removal of monuments of great leaders because our current views disagree with those of the past, and social media is constantly reporting on all the negative aspects of society that ‘need to change’. It’s easy to get swept up in all the hype and become a ‘head nodder’ and simply agree that the superficial and often biased arguments for change are valid and therefore should be supported.
Thanks to social media the call to action is fast, if not immediate, and the response that follows is also fast, loud, and unwavering. Unfortunately, this tends to mean that the critical thinking that should be undertaken to validate the change and ensure it won’t result in unintended consequences, doesn’t occur. Worse, there are those in society that realise this and use it to agitate and progress their cause.
One of the main reasons that change is so difficult to implement within organisations, is that it is not seen as necessary or desirable and the masses don’t trust their leaders or their leader’s intentions. There is no ’cause’ to get behind.
This is why left-wing social activists are able to generate mass gatherings, rallies, and protests. They motivate their supporters through lighting fast social media campaigns and their message is one of saving the world and who doesn’t want to save the world – right!
They are able to quickly press emotional buttons that motivate people to act without questioning the validity of the cause and without taking time to think critically. The activists know that politicians need votes to be re-elected so their ability to promote their cause as one supported by the masses is a powerful strategy. The problem is, that it can result in changes that are not best for all. I’m not suggesting a pro-right-wing view or that the causes I’ve mentioned don’t deserve due consideration. I’m just stating that not all change is actually good.
There is a word to describe a world in constant change and that word is anarchy.
