How Can Consultants Help Overcome Fear of Change in the Digital Age?

Hi all, I need viewpoints/suggestions on something that I came across during a discussion. The discussion was about changing people, to which I said we can't change people; rather, we actually change their mindset. To change their mindset, we need to work on the reasons for resistance towards it. One of which is fear—fear of losing power, authority, or control over something. But how can we overcome this fear as a consultant?

Overcoming Fear as a Consultant

My answer was that to eliminate the resistance, we need to address the root cause, which is the fear of losing power. To accomplish this, we need to consult in a way that leads them to believe that they won't lose anything but will actually be empowered by accepting change. For example, digitalization in processes might make them fear losing authority/power if work is done online. However, by showing them the benefits of digitalization, we can make them believe how they can save a lot of time and resources, which they can then utilize to develop and empower themselves to sustain in the fast-changing world.

Please share your views on this, especially considering digitalization as an example.

Understanding Change in Organizations

There are three main issues related to change: organizational culture, technological changes, and market changes.

As far as organizational culture is concerned, it is crucial to first decide what kind of culture you need. Recruit individuals accordingly, train them, and ensure they align with the culture. For those who are intractable, it may be more effective to replace them rather than spend time trying to change them. Removing employees on the grounds of indiscipline or performance is an example of this approach.

Technological changes are constant, and in the 21st century, the pace of change is particularly rapid. In this context, people need to be continuously educated on new technologies. If leadership fails to embrace these changes or does so too late, the organization risks losing out to business rivals. On a personal level, individuals who learn computer or mobile technology belatedly may find their careers impacted. Software professionals who do not learn new technologies are at risk of falling behind in their careers.

Lastly, the market is always in flux. Merely satisfying your customer is no longer sufficient, as competitors are constantly introducing new offerings. Therefore, business leaders must closely monitor market trends and aim to be first movers in launching new products or services. Change should be market-oriented. The failure of Nokia to adapt to market changes led to their corporate decline.

The importance of change should be instilled in employees from the start of their careers. Often, employees join well-known companies and develop a sense of complacency, which can lead to a midlife career crisis. In this context, I would like to refer to my following three replies. Hyperlinks appear the same as all three replies are from the same thread:

https://www.citehr.com/456368-use-th...ml#post2043466

https://www.citehr.com/456368-use-th...ml#post2043550

https://www.citehr.com/456368-use-th...ml#post2044505

Regards,
Dinesh Divekar

Change in a VUCA World

Like it or not, change is inevitable in a VUCA world. Initial resistance to change is expected as nobody wants to move out of their comfort zone. However, there is a shift in the mindset of even the older generation to accept and adapt to change because they are aware of how technology is affecting their lives, which they have embraced without a murmur. Additionally, they now share the workplace with millennials who welcome change and adapt to it quickly. They too want to be part of the stream.

I do not visualize any rigid resistance to change now as was seen in the 1980s when computerization was introduced in the corporate world. However, changes to culture may still be met with some resistance as it involves beliefs and behaviors, so patience and perseverance are key to bringing it about.

Regards, B. Saikumar