The One Question You Need To Be Asking About Change

Photo by Ekaterina Shevchenko on Unsplash

This month we’ve been focusing on stakeholders and understanding change impact. This idea is central to the Connected Change ™ approach, in that, if we aren’t thinking about what our stakeholders are feeling and experiencing, and seeking to connect with them through change, we’re missing the point entirely.

One of the reasons I developed Connected Change and am now sharing it with the world is that I saw a persistent gap in how change leaders were approaching their stakeholders.  

Many times, we think that the technology will sell itself, that the benefits of the change are obvious or that people have to change because we “said so”.

But ask yourself, has that ever worked for you?

We need to be thinking about change from the PERSPECTIVE of our stakeholders.  This means that the question we need to be asking, when thinking from their perspective is: “what’s in it for me?” 

This is what change leadership and empathy means. By asking this question we get to the heart of what change means. 

This question also highlights the downsides of change and the areas that will create resistance. When stakeholders don’t immediately see the benefits of a change, finding out why is important.  It helps us understand the key barriers to change, whether they are systemic, related to power structures, process oriented or have to do with histories and stories about change. 

One of the key things we do in the Connected Change ™ approach is to test drive the answers and opinions we generate with this exercise with the actual stakeholders involved. By approaching this exercise with empathy, leaders are more open to hearing about points of resistance and change hesitancy.  Furthermore, when presented with a perspective they may not have heard before, it sparks curiosity and connection rather than resistance. When stakeholders realize that leadership has invested time and curiosity into understanding their points of view, it creates fertile ground for relationship building, trust and connection, the building blocks for truly Connected Change™

We’re continuing the topics of stakeholders and change impact for the next three weeks, and we’re giving away a free stakeholder template to our newsletter subscribers!  Sign up here to get yours!