Most people don’t like change. People will tolerate change if they have a reason. Change is a hassle.
You have to figure out the new stuff. Without the change, you already had it figured out. Everybody would like the change to be an improvement for them. Not all will realize this desire.
So at the end of the day, most people’s opinion of change is a) it is a hassle, and b) good chance it will not be an improvement for me.
In order to sell change, you have to make a compelling reason. The reason must appear to be fair, and must represent a real improvement for someone. It must be worth the cost – not only the investment of time and money, but my own sacrifice of my improvement, so someone else can have theirs.
Trading one group of dissatisfied folks for another is only valid when the soon to be dissatisfied folks are asked to make the sacrifice, and the sacrifice is recognized in the whole.
People are not receptive to change for a reason, because it often costs them.
You can help people accept change when you:
- recognize the impact of change to all affected, and not just the beneficiaries
- recognize the gift of those who sacrifice for the greater good.
Just make sure that there is a greater good!