The surprisingly simple reason people reject change
Change management is a topic in every company and even in private life. How can systems be made to carry out necessary or desired changes as well and with as little disruption as possible? Whole armies of consultants and a huge library of reference books serve this market.
Our life is change — from birth to death. Again and again, the circumstances in which we live and, of course, we ourselves change. The entire ageing process is a chain of changes.
At the same time, we resist change. We have an innate tendency to remain in our previous state — “comfort zone” we call it. Of course, there are people who are naturally more open and curious and others who look cautiously and fearfully at everything that is new and different.
Both groups have their right to exist. If we immediately rush after every new idea, every stimulus, we get bogged down and lose sight of the important things. If we fearfully shirk every change, we block our development and stand in the way of others.
However, I have always asked myself one central question in the change processes that I have initiated: why don’t the others join in? Why don’t they realise that the path I have worked out — perhaps together with my team — is the right one?
