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User Group Follow-up (Aug 25, 2020) - Change Management

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Employee

The purpose of this thread is to continue the conversation from the Virtual User Group on the topic of Change Management on August 25, 2020.

Many thanks to everyone who attended. Special thanks to @Leigh Burger‚ for dropping some serious neuroscience knowledge!

A PDF of the presentation is attached to this discussion, and you can watch the recording here.

If you have any outstanding questions OR want to share the best thing you learned from the session, leave a comment below. (Pro Tip: “Like” this thread to be notified as people reply.)

You can find the schedule for all upcoming User Groups on the Events page on Workfront One (one.workfront.com/events).

Thanks again. If you have any feedback (good or bad), please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can leave a comment below, direct message me here on Workfront One, or send an email to usergroups@workfront.com.

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11 Replies

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Level 7

Thanks again for this! It was extremely useful!

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Employee

This is very helpful! Thank you, @Anthony Imgrund‚!

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Level 10

Oops... forgot that I was also going to share this. In the first breakout, I mentioned for new deployments, we have the executive sponsor kick off the training/deployment week with a Why Workfront deck. Some were interested in the deck.

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Employee

Thanks so much your your willingness to share this @Anthony Imgrund‚! Your experience, your approach, and your enthusiasm made our breakout group "hum" today!

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Employee

Hi all - as promised, here is a link to the recording of today’s session on Change Management. This is definitely one you'll want to watch if you missed it! I know I'll be keeping it handy to share with folks as well.

PLAYBACK: Workfront User Group - Change Management - August 25, 2020 (34 minutes)

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Level 4

@Leigh Burger‚ Hi, Leigh. Thanks again for the presentation today. Here is a question for you (or for anyone else on this string). Do you have any suggestions for dealing with a stakeholder who is resisting strongly and vocally to the change? I totally appreciated your note to not take it personally since they are not being malicious but instead responding to the fear of change on a subconscious level. But wondering if you have any recommendations--besides repeated messaging--for working with someone who is resisting and doing it loudly, possibly affecting others openness to change. Thanks!

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Employee

Hi @Carol Majewski‚! Thank yo so much for reaching out and happy to try and address this.

Resistance to change is tough. When I have someone being vocal, I feel like they are (generally speaking) processing their fear. Their brain is screaming (for whatever reason) ALERT! ALERT! STAY CLEAR! This also usually puts them in a position to not be able to clearly articulate what their actual concern is. They need and want to be seen and heard and someone witness their fear and angst. I get it. It's a fundamental human need and so we try to address as best we can.

When they're in that mode, it's best to just be a reassuring voice and don't try to "solve' anything until you're able to get clarity on what it is exactly that's driving them to be so loud and vocal.

Best case scenario - you're able to slowly (it might take meeting a few times) work with the person and get that clarity. It's important in these conversations, you allow them to air as much as you can and just really listen and validate and seek to understand. That's always your best tool for allowing them move to past the emotion to a more logical place. Then, as you feel you can, try to narrow in on what it is exactly that's hindering them from wanting to get on board. Sometimes the process of seeking clarity can be uncomfortable b/c the person slowly realizes that they don't have a "real" business concern. Rather, they're just feeling out of sorts about the change itself. Which is completely normal and ok and worth exploration in and of itself. Sometimes, we just need a space to talk about how the enormous amount of change is impacting us.

I also think in these one on one settings, after you've laid a foundation for trust and understanding, to ask - what's it going to take to get you on board? Use this with caution, though - you know the person and trust your gut instincts if this is a good play or not. But sometimes, folks will just straight up tell you and you're able to form an ally b/c you're willing to go to work for what they want/ need. Even if you can't actually make it happen.

I'm curious - is the person generally loud and vocal or has been in the past? Or perhaps it's the COVID situation that's rocked their foundation so they're already on high alert and another change rolling to them feels really scary.

Let me know your thoughts! Hope this helps!

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Level 4

Thanks, Leigh. Your response is really helpful and has given me ideas for next steps. FYI, the person has been loud and vocal in the past but wondering if working in these times has made her more overwhelmed with change--which is totally understandable.

I will meet with her 1:1 instead of in a group so that she can air out her concerns without influencing the team. And if there is something I can do to get her on board and gain her trust it will be worth it. Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes.

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Level 10

Carol - when someone (especially an executive or Agency Admin) is resisting to change, I ask them for specific things that they don't like instead of a general, I don't like it (or it won't work). Once you have the specifics, you can 1) let Workfront Product know, and 2) do a pros and cons list.

It also might help you to go through the current problems the process has and see what their thoughts are on it. Once they verbalize the other possibilities, it might set off the light bulb in their head that "Oh yeah, Carol's way is the better way." Kind of gives them a chance to "up think" out of the lizard brain Leigh was talking about.

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Level 4

Thanks, Anthony. That makes a lot of sense to get her to give specifics that I can respond to or solve. I like the idea to plot out the process with her and add pros and cons as we go. Hopefully, she'll see that the pros outweigh the cons.