Don't Tread on Me

As a leader, you WILL need to lead others through change, and you WILL inadvertently threaten their inner sense of security.

Here, I’ll help you understand some of those threats and how to avoid the predictable resistance.

Whether it's a shift in strategy, a new technology implementation, a restructure of roles and responsibilities, changes to the physical environment or even “behind-the-scenes” policies, ANY change can feel like a potential threat and elicit a variety of challenging responses from employees. As a leader, it's essential to understand the underlying reasons why people often find change challenging. Doing so can make you a much more effective manager, and can result in fewer delays and difficulties along the way. (Not to mention making your job much easier!)

THREATS

David Rock's SCARF model (referenced in his book Quiet Leadership, 2007) provides a valuable framework for understanding people’s experience of change and leading your team effectively. The SCARF model is a way to understand why people react the way they do in social situations (like when there's a change at work). Let's break it down:

• S - Status: This is about where people see themselves in the pecking order. If someone feels like their position or importance might be threatened by a change, they might not like it.
• C - Certainty: Human brains like to know what's going on and what's going to happen next. When there's a big change, it can make things uncertain, and that can make people feel uneasy or even scared.
• A - Autonomy: People like to feel in control of their own lives and decisions. When changes happen and it feels like someone else is calling all the shots, it can make people feel like they're losing control.
• R - Relatedness: This is about how we feel connected to others. Big changes can sometimes make people feel isolated or like they're losing their connections with their coworkers, which can be tough.
• F - Fairness: People want to be treated fairly and justly. If a change feels unfair, like some people are getting special treatment or others are being left out, it can cause frustration and resistance.

So, the SCARF model helps us understand that during times of change, these five things—status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness—are really important to how people feel and behave. If we can address these concerns and make people feel more secure, valued, and involved, we can make the change process smoother and more successful.

IMAGINE

Let’s take a look at the model in action:

Imagine that you have a new manager. In some circumstances, you might welcome this change and have no issue. But in other circumstances, one or more of the SCARF domains might be piqued. For starters, you are suddenly in an uncertain situation with a new person, so it makes sense that your need for certainty and your need for relatedness might be on high alert. You might also question whether the new manager will rely on you as a subject matter expert (as did your last manager) and grant you “status” as a thought partner. You never know what the new person’s style will be, and perhaps they will want to check in more often or keep closer track of your hours. That could feel like a threat to your autonomy. And, if you had applied for the job but not gotten it, your sense of fairness might be under siege.  

Any of these possibilities can be reasons individuals resist or struggle with change. Examining how change affects these domains gives us insight and direction for best management practices. Being an effective change leader requires a deep understanding of the human factors at play. Your job is to create a supportive environment that promotes engagement, collaboration, and resilience during times of change.