Management Perspectives

Technological innovation has an annoying habit of moving faster than most people can handle. It compels organisations to add more technologies into the work cycle—technologies that are more intelligent and more connected than ever before.

Organisations undertaking digital transformations tend to focus exclusively on the newer, greener pasture that lies ahead. But with any new change, people will experience it through the filter of “What do I stand to lose?” as opposed to “What do I stand to gain?” No matter how great and innovative a transformation appears, it has monumental obstacles to overcome within the minds, hearts, and instincts of the people for whom it’s designed.

We humans are motivated primarily by fear. Our brains are prone to following primitive superstitions and denial as ways to counter the fears that drive them. Facing a digital transformation conjures up a host of deep-seated fears—of change, of the unknown, of losing control, or even of losing our job. And, when we fear something, we seek to avoid it, which leads to procrastination, push back, or even sabotage. Therefore, those in charge of leading others through a digital transformation must be careful to establish a process of comfort using awareness, exposure, and reinforcement that addresses people’s doubts and fears.

For example, learning the skills required to use new technologies takes effort, and we naturally will do things incorrectly as we learn. This dredges up still another fear—our fear of looking foolish. Learning means we are required to craft a new sequence of procedures and carve them into mental and physical memory. But if people remain afraid of looking stupid as they learn, many will simply withdraw.

When leading such initiatives, it is vital to follow a careful plan that allows habits to transform in league with gradual emotional acceptance. This means establishing a drip feed of reinforcement, delivering vision and facts in advance, focusing on small wins, and supplying appropriate amounts of emotional and practical support.

What can you do as an employee or an employer to help offset the many fears that will stand in the way of your company’s digital transformation efforts? Consider these strategies:

• Share the vision early and often. For projects that involve change, you cannot keep everyone in a state of blind compliance up until the moment of the ‘big reveal’. Humans need vision and sustenance regularly throughout a transition. Successful change management strategies involve some sort of acclimatisation process. Set out the vision, the steps, the plan, and the perspective—in that order—to help your staff move toward this future.
  
  
• Counter fears with facts. The monster of fear dines on instinct and emotion. Facts will help to tame it. To overcome the fear of change, facts must be presented at the right time and in the right way. As you help people look toward the future, it is vital to help each individual identify and acknowledge the change, the corresponding loss, and at the same time, to identify what is not changing.
  
  
• Invite people to air worries and concerns. People undergoing a transformation in their lives will encounter doubts and fears along the way. If those thoughts are left alone to brood internally, they can turn negative and even more fearful. But when they are allowed to be aired, especially in live dialogue, a remarkable catharsis occurs. Every problem needs to be brought out into the open and placed on a tangible surface—like a whiteboard, paper, or computer screen. When thoughts and ideas are placed on a physical space, the mind gets a chance to vet them, process them, and take them in afresh. Any time there is a worry that is creating fear, it helps to tangibly lay out all of the items, facts, and potential actions in text form. This helps to dissolve ‘analysis paralysis’ and replace it with actionable items.
  
  
• Account for different learning styles. When attempting to explain new technological concepts to people who are not subject matter experts, consider presenting issues in various ways to account for different types of learners, attention spans, and attitudes. Some may prefer visual formats and will relate better to graphics or videos, while others may be more receptive to stories and case studies as opposed to theory and tech speak. Recognise that in this era, every learner is different.
  
  
• Allow for mistakes. The fear of failure starts during the formative years, which guarantees it will remain indelibly stamped on one’s psyche for life. Fear of failure is a key obstacle to successful change. But mistakes during learning should be embraced for what they are: part of the learning process. Treat every action— successful, partially successful, or not at all successful—as an opportunity for both student and teacher to learn and move forward.
  
  
To allay fears around change, make people aware that there is another side to this mountain and help them move toward it and around it. Remember that many innovations brought into the workplace throughout the twentieth century—the telephone, the computer, the internet—were greeted with resistance until they, too, became the new normal.