Embrace resistance for greater success with change management

In addition to being accountable for delivering successfully on project outcomes, supply chain leaders are tasked with leading employees through extensive and often coinciding change initiatives. This isn’t a challenge that will cease anytime soon, with the pace of technology change and complexity of supply chains only set to rise amid scarcity of supply chain talent and skills required to respond to those changes.

According to Gartner’s Future of Supply Chain Survey, more than half of respondents cite the biggest challenge in delivering more effective people leadership in their organization to be a focus on operational outcomes rather than people strategies.

Supply chain leaders need to transform multiple parts of their function and are being asked to introduce new technologies such as Gen AI to support the company’s growth objectives. These changes require cooperation and skills development across their workforce. Addressing change resistance cannot be overlooked to achieve success with their operational goals. Supply chain leaders should take the following steps to drive change.

Accept that change is a transition

Change is often viewed as a singular moment in time—a one-off event during which a shift occurs, and things are done differently from thereon. However, the reality for some is that change is much more. For those required to modify their behaviors or ways of working, change is an emotional transition that happens over a period of time as employees process the change event and its impacts.

Supply chain leaders can use this knowledge to respond to change resistance and engage with affected employees over a longer timeframe, supporting them through the period of transition—and not just at the point of change.

For example, if employees are asked to change their workflow to support a wider process change, supply chain leaders can help with the transition by ensuring communications and capability building related to the workflow change begins before the point of implementation and extends until employees can adapt their behaviors to new ways of working.

For some employees, the emotional transition of change may take a short period of time, while others will find it more challenging. Start by recognizing and advocating that employees need time to process anticipated or existing changes in their environment to commit to an initiative, or to begin behaving differently as they transition to a new way of working. Communicate your understanding of this to employees and be clear on how you will engage with them over time to help them with the transition.

Reposition your perspective

When faced with pushback, it can be challenging to see it as anything other than a negative. This narrow perspective disadvantages supply chain leaders in responding to resistance and driving toward change outcomes. Leaders should shift their perspective and view resistance as a source of information by interpreting “negative” reactions as a form of feedback/input and engagement.

According to a survey by Gartner, 76% of logistics transformations never fully succeed, failing to meet critical budget, timeline or key performance indicator (KPI) metrics. However, effectively responding to team resistance and incorporating feedback increased the odds of transformation success by 62%.

Consider resistance as an opportunity to understand an employee’s transition, why there is resistance and where it stems from. Resistance can suggest that an employee “cares” enough about the change and its impacts to dissent. Gaining an understanding of this perspective can strengthen change management plans, increase engagement and guide you in diagnosing and overcoming obstacles for those who are less vocal in the challenges they are facing.

Supply chain leaders should also be on the lookout for “silent resistors”—those who appear apathetic or to completely ignore an initiative. It’s tempting to infer that silence is acceptance, but this is a dangerous assumption. Silence may pose a more troubling form of resistance. Without information as to the challenges faced, supply chain leaders are blind to the issues perceived in the employee population, and thus powerless to overcome them and shape the narrative around the change (e.g., via communication and feedback).

Focus on more listening, less convincing

The natural reaction to resistance is often to try and convince employees to come around to a new way of thinking through arguments and providing more information. However, individuals can only process so much information, and during periods of change, there is even more information than usual.

By shifting approach and engaging employees through listening, leaders can guide them in their transition process. As employees engage with the change, welcome the interaction and be willing to hear resistance. Acknowledging negative attitudes and opinions is not the same as agreeing with them but is a powerful way to build trust.

Once lines of communication are open, leaders can further engage employees by asking questions and allowing them to answer for themselves (and a group if they are together). In this process, we help them to recognize the problems faced, the risks and benefits of doing nothing and the potential advantages of doing something different. This opens the door for leaders to help employees imagine how they can most effectively manage their transition to a new way of working.

Achieving change management success

Most companies manage change as a point in time. Processes are updated, new systems are implemented, and organization structures are overhauled. This approach does not engage and support stakeholders throughout the duration, often resulting in a failed initiative.

By responding in a meaningful way to support employees and advance change, supply chain leaders can guide employees through their transition to a new way of working. As employees engage with the change, you can direct them to the areas they can control or influence, and where they can impact the change through participation.

About the author:

Lorraine Gavin is an organizational development analyst in the Gartner Supply Chain practice where she is aligned to the CSCO Enablement Team, supporting chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) and supply chain leaders.

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