How to Make Employees LOVE Change?

Build and Grow an 'Involved' Corporate Culture
Bill Boynton, Teacher, United States, Member
I think that there might be several ways or steps that could to be taken to have (followers) employee's become excited and enthused with change.
Most people are afraid for what they don't know, and worse yet, they don't understand.
To address this issue, I maintain that organizations need to establish an "organizational shared vision statement", a statement that everyone can understand, and possibly relate to.
If and when they are able to do this, they will be able to find ways to align their own personal development for career planning and many cases career alterations.
Multi career planning is fast becoming the process for all the change that is becoming our way of life today.
A shared vision that can be communicated throughout the whole organization, especially through a "dialogue" communication process can go a long way in approaching and growing a positive organizational / Institutional culture.
We become what is called a "learning organization", with a whole cadre of followers.

Making People Love Change - the Point is Find Out the Main Resistance
Nguyen Thai Hien, Business Consultant, Viet Nam, Member
I think the point is to find out the main motives and reasons they are afraid to change. The iceberg can be broken one by one. We should use Lewin's Unfreezing, Moving, Refreezing. We can concentrate on one reason at a time. After the most important reasons, proceed to the next most important one.
This requires you know your people so that you can influence their mind by the way they feel like to support you.

By Default Human Beings are Averse to Change
Umesh Dharmatti, Manager, India, Member
By default we human beings / employees are averse to change.
But on the the day I can relate the benefits of change to me, I will accept it and even become an advocate for the same.
So in summary every change management initiative must address: "What is in it for me?". The message will be different for different stakeholders and each of them needs to be satisfied for effective implementation.

Make People Get Acquaintanced with Change by Helping Them
Giang, Manager, Viet Nam, Member
Always help them to change, starting with the smallest things first, and encourage them when they get better results. I believe everyone gets excited once (s)he manages new things well.

How to Make Executives Love Change?
Andile Ace Kwakweni, Project Manager, South Africa, Member
@Bill Boynton: Any advice on what to do in a public sector environment (with approx. 5000 employees) filled with political infighting, personal vendettas in the high echelons, bureaucracy and uncertainties... 7 of 8 senior executives are acting for over 2 years and still have to perform in their middle management positions.
To drive change effectively you need to have buy in from execs and people acting as execs. But if they currently won't readily commit to the change then what can one do?
I look forward to hearing from you.

The Ingredients to Make Employees LOVE Change
niraj, India, Member
As per the basic instinct humans don't want to work or change. We are FORCED to work.
Yes the force that is used is: Motivation!
This motivation can be anything like money, power, promotion, status, family etc. The trick is how and what you use as the FORCE to drive someone. This could be one force at a time, or a fine combination of several forces, or all of them.
It is the garnish of the food that drives us to love the very dish. We are forced to eat it, but later the taste depends on the INGREDIENTS (rules, regulations, policies, benefits etc.). So a proper combination of FORCE, GARNISH & INGREDIENTS can drive people to Love the Change!

How to Make People Love Change and Herzberg's 2 Factors
Jay Shah, Manager, Australia, Member
@niraj: Indeed (according to Herzberg's 2 Factor Theory) people are encouraged to do - whatever they do - for only two reasons - to increase / maintain comfort / feel good level or to reduce discomfort / feel bad / worse off. The Change should be communicated and implemented in such a way that they are encouraged to embrace it.

Making Employees Love Change Bottom Up
Nomi Hattingh, Australia, Member
Ask for proposals/submissions for change from the bottom up. Immediately implement some, publish the successes. Continue with the top-down driven change process. Important note: do not prevent them from striving for career progression during this i.e. do not freeze them in their positions, and present opportunities for working in higher positions.

Getting the Stakeholders On-board
Mohammad Owais, Manager, Pakistan, Member
Our organization has gone through some large changes recently, our brand portfolio doubled, head office location changed to a larger place, IT and networking got their due share or expenditure. This all was possible and still is being done by taking the old people in confidence and adding new people not used to the old culture to make the process smooth. I think getting the stakeholders on-board and making them feel that the change is their choice and decision makes it easier to implement and also people start helping to make the change happen.
P.S: on the contrary you can also make the existing situation so gross people start asking for a change.

How to Make Employees LOVE Change?
Brijesh Kumar Agarwal, Manager, India, Member
As we know change is inevitable. Change is going to happen in our life from time to time.
Some changes are controllable must be managed by using the wisdom to make the maximum favourable impact.
Some changes are uncontrollable also to be managed by using skills to maximize the positive impact. For example, you want to grow as a professional but at the same time you become worried for your growing age. So for any change you must have acceptability as well as resistivity to make it lovable.

Humans are not Averse to Change
Trevor Lindars, Management Consultant, Australia, Member
@Umesh Dharmatti: Human beings are not simply "averse to change" they are averse to a perceived adverse change. In the absence of information to the contrary, the default position is to assume that it will be adverse. The key driver, therefore, is to tackle this perception.

Issues of Culture and Demographics
Chavula, ICT Consultant, Zambia, Member
Its true that change should be communicated and implemented in a way that it encourages employees to embrace it. Issues of culture and demographics and other factors should be considered as you want to implement that change. For example old fellows wouldn't like to see change involving new technology, whilst the youth would be very much interested in such new technology.

Don't Surprise People with a Sudden Change...
Jacob Andrews, Entrepreneur, United Arab Emirates, Member
Do not surprise them with a sudden change. Slowly involve them in the change management process and convince them of the benefits. Use them as an instrument for the change management.

How to Make People Love Change: Reward Systems
Dumiso, Manager, Member
The use of reward systems to link managers' and employees' performance to the strategy will also encourage a change in behaviour in support of the new strategy.

Perception and Belief Management
Aamir Firoz Shamsi, Professor, Pakistan, Member
This is nice discussion because without realization, neither acceptance nor love can be created. Love is a lasting factor and for this perception and belief management would work. That means an alignment of the individuals objectives with the required change objective and change mission is required.
In absence of this alignment and belief and perception management, love can not be created.

The Dance of Change with Employees
Essi Zarini, Student (University), Iran, Member
I think first of all you should persuade them to accompany you step by step. But this is difficult because they persist in doing things the old way. Thus before that you should accompany them and go along with them.
After that they will accompany you without any resistance and I call it the "dance of change".
As a bottom line, the art of going along with them is very very important.

Change and Love
Roberta Rizzo, Project Manager, Ireland, Member
I think you should convince employees that changes are challenging: a new technology or service or product could be very profitable and useful for their company and they could take advantages from that over their competitors. You should inject enthusiasm into their mind.

This Should be Tackled as a Team
Dr Ray Chatwin, Lecturer, United Kingdom, Member
@Andile Ace Kwakweni: Hawkins (2011) makes the point that it is no good trying to tackle this at an individual level because it is the effectiveness of the team and its internal and external processes that need attention. Expert team process consultancy 'where the consultant sits alongside the team carrying out meetings and planning sessions and provides reflection and review on how the team is going about its task' is what is needed, he suggests. See Hawkins P. (2011) Leadership Team Coaching. London: Kogan Page.

Changes and Fear are Connected Inside Human and Animal Brain
Pioli Maurizio, Consultant, Spain, Member
The human brain has an automatic system (Editor: Kahneman's Fast System) that works fast and effective to create fear inside our mind and body. It is not a management issue, but a neurological reality.
How to change what changes are generating in the manager brain?
Just change the beliefs of managers. The entire universe is moving and changing. What? You are not ready to change?

No Easy Route - But Change Can Be Fun
Keith Milne, United Kingdom, Member
'Change" - The word rings out with trouble - it all depends who is benefitting from the change - is the change structured and communicated properly - are employees engaged and encouraged to participate.
In my experience most changes are done just for the sake of change. I always think that when management talk of change for some reason it always seems to come across as a negative. It is very rarely made to sound like it could be fun. To me this is the key: make it fun and communicate, communicate and communicate some more until employees begin to engage. This will make it easier in the long run. Do NOT do sudden movements - it does not work.

INVOLVE People to Make them LOVE CHANGE
AHOUANGONOU Luc Dona, Management Consultant, Benin, Member
It is important to show people the advantages they'll have when a new organization is implemented. Also they need to be informed about all step that are required for that. Give them the opportunities to evaluate the performance of the system. And let them propose the corrective actions. The key is to involve them totally. If they don't have the needed skills, train them before.

How to Make Employees Love Change
Amina Bajaber, Student (University), Kenya, Member
Change is inevitable, there has to be change in one way or another, it's unpreventable.
To make employees love change, first and foremost you have to make them part and parcel of your team by involving them in decision making and allowing them to air their views. Let them know about the changes to be made before it's official and let them contribute.
Secondly, let them know the advantages of the changes being made both to them and to the company and how they'll be of benefit.
Allow a 2-way communication so that there's no barrier between the two parties which may hinder them from effective communication.
Take them for training if for example it's a case of new technology, that way, they'll be able to familiarize more.

Tapping into Employees' Quest for Change Rather than Driving Them Towards Change
D P BABU, Strategy Consultant, India, Member
Employees mostly react favorably when their aspirations are going to be fulfilled by the management whilst they look forward to opportunities in the changing scenario.
Management must realize and create a situation for them to express their ideas for improving the systems and practices and sufficiently encourage them by allowing them to do and learn.
If this goes on well, employees will pass through the change unknowingly without any resistance.

Take Time for Change and Employee Involvement
yanney John Parker, Business Consultant, Ghana, Member
Change is not an easy thing to come by over night for employees to embrace it. It takes time before it happens. If employees do not understand the concept they may feel that as a punishment rather than growth opportunities. In order words, it is the responsibility of managers to put them into the bigger picture for them to understand what needs to be achieved and why it's necessary to do so. If managers lack to share this with their employees then change cannot be effected.
It is therefore necessary that vision and missions statements of companies are shared among employees, so they know what direction the organization is gearing towards.
Also constant feedback is important, in it change will happen. If employees are not informed about the progress that is achieved how are they going to contribute to the success of the organization?. .

People Love Change
Mayta Braun, Business Consultant, Netherlands, Member
Someone once told me that people are 'learning devices'. The implication of this paradigm is that they do love to change, because learning equals change. Don't you love change yourself? I'm sure you love to visit places you've never been before for a holiday, you like to meet new people, you were eager to try Flappy Bird. And even some of us 'changed' their partner for a new one. So we do love change. Find new possibilities, expand ourselves, grow, learn and develop. And thus, the question is, what's the difference between people and employees? Nothing! So challenge them, learn them to see with new eyes, create a new and promising world. And they'll be happy to step into it. For sure!

People don't Resist Change, They Resist Being Changed
Rick Forehand, Manager, United States, Member
To get people to love change, engage them as early as possible in defining the problem and the solution. Everyone can't be intimately involved, but by spreading the team make-up across the organization, you can make everyone feel represented. Listen to their input and take advantage of opportunities to incorporate suggestions. The more people there are who own the change, the more people there will be who love it.

Organization Culture of Acceptance of Change
Ramakrishnan, Consultant, India, Member
Let us not start with a premise that change will always be resisted and that more often than not, change is not accepted. To LOVE change the organization should develop a culture that promotes group consensus of acceptance of change willfully and a constant flow of information within the organization to develop this culture. Over time the employees will embrace the culture of change as they see benefits to the organization and to themselves become apparent.

The Reason Why Employees are Scared of Change
Isaac Chanakira, Manager, Australia, Member
Over the years employees become experienced in the way they perform their work and this experience commands respect and job security. Any change in routine is a treat to job security and a loss of respect to those who were experienced in the old ways.
Change tends to put every employee on an equal footing, i.e. those who were with the organisation for 20 years are suddenly at par with those who are still considered clean skins (name given to newcomers to the mining industry).
Assurance that no one will lose their job coupled with proper and through training tends to fix this issue.
The problem is magnified when the organisation is very big and the change request originates from the very top (mother company) and the site management are not buying it and are not taking the lead to implement the change.

How Trustworthy are You?
E Benshetler, Project Manager, United States, Member
Resistance to change, particularly with experienced employees, often happens because of bad experiences with past changes. Management pronouncements that "this will be good for you" (note "you" rather than "all of us") will not be trusted.
Building trust is incremental and takes time. If a change is going to cause some to lose, then be honest and say that. When you come along later with a change that will be beneficial, employees will be more willing to believe you and less skeptical if you've been honest about past changes and other actions you've taken.

Connect Them to W.I.I. FM
Abdelillah ATID, Business Consultant, Morocco, Member
Just connect all of them to following magic radio station: W.I.I. FM
Help everyone answer the question: W.I.I. F.M.? What’s In It For Me?
Then personal Interest will boost motivation, minimize restricting forces and increase driving forces. It’s that simple if change leaders are ready to share benefits as they want to share effort and headaches coming along with the change process.

Manage Resistance to Change by Empowerment
Guillermo Hasing, Business Consultant, Ecuador, Member
People everyday make changes into their personal life, move to another house, get married, have children, develop new competences, try different places to eat, etc., so it is not true they resist to change, they resist to imposed changes.
So set your objectives but permit the people to resist and object, but get them to make suggestions or mention ways to reach same purpose or ask them what to do or ideas, give them some knowledge and learning about the reasons to change, control of the proposal, empowerment, commitment and responsibility for the outcome. @Rick Forehand and Luc Dona comments are on same way.

Change by Decision versus Imposition
David Ricardo Abaunza, Project Manager, Mexico, Member
The change has to be seen as a change by external aspects such as a change caused by new market norms, where everybody knows something is going to change and everyone nows that they have to be prepared to continue with the operations.
When a change that has been decided is needing the approval of the entire company, there surely will be some people adversed to the change. But when the change that has been decided explains the benefits that will come for entire company, it will have the benefit of most people supporting this change.

Change Will Be Encouraged by Leaders Inside the Organization
GONZALO MIER, Student (University), Ecuador, Member
I think all business and activities in our live have this kind of problems, we have to understand them and try to motivate others of this change of mind, it is not easy but there are ways to develop this attitude in our collaborators, one of it is to communicate why do we have to be predisposed to change, and explain the benefits or profits that give us when we are prepared for this changes.

Without Love and Change, Life Would be Boring
Leodegardo M. Pruna, Professor, Philippines, Member
Both love and change are constants and as such they should be welcomed in our lives. Without love and change, life would be boring. Change provides the challenge, love keeps us going and growing. An enterprise grows because of lovingly anticipating and responding to and embracing change..

Make Things Simple and Adaptable
Suhardi, ICT Consultant, Malaysia, Member
IMHO, make things simple and adaptable with the level of education they might have (this is for general and average) as well as sharing with them the benefits of the changes. Well, you won't get a perfect score for that, but at least the changes can be accepted by most of the target group.

To Promote the Change, Act as an Example
Pedro Danilo Diaz Tueme, HR Consultant, Mexico, Member
The only way to promote the change in our people is acting by example, leading, embracing and promoting the change through our actions. It's true, nobody can stop the change, it's part of our nature, and nature's itself is always changing.
We have to deploy our abilities to secure a good changing process, to erase the fear and security unrest that some of our colleagues might have, that's the reason why we are there for...

Make People Love Change by Personal Creation
Perla P. Palomares, DPA, Professor, Philippines, Member
What really changes who we are comes from our daily experiences and our reactions to them. It is called personal creation and personal creation means change.
Remember you create your life, your change - no one else does. You are in the process of doing what matters, so you can start living a life that works for you.
According to experts, the first step towards change is to be become aware of the truth. No matter what's going on, no matter what's going wrong - your life is not too bad to fix if you are willing to face what needs fixing. Looking at it in the context of our own organization (the work places where we are in today), one can't change what one doesn't acknowledge. Everybody must be truthful about what isn't working. Everybody must stop making excuses and start making results.
As @Pedro Danilo Diaz Tueme pointed out here: the best way to promote the change in our people is acting by example, leading, embracing and promoting the change through our actions.

Change Management is Out, Personal Leadership is In!
Ab
It is all about Personal Leadership. Let people find their own WHY! But this is also important for Managers, CEOs. In our elective 4 Dimensional Leadership at Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, The Netherlands, School of Facility Management, we teach our students to be(come) Authentic Leaders. With respect to the whole human approach (Covey). Facilitate people to find the Spiritual drive, that what really matters: WHY and people don't wait to be changed, they initiate change by themselves! And ... let managers get rid of their big egos :-) We need humble Leaders!

Reaction on How to Initiate Change: Use Kotter's 6 Steps
mesfin, Business Consultant, Member
Simply use Kotter's change principles and apply his six approaches of change management such as creating awareness if the resistance came due to lack information up to coercion depending on the urgency of change required!

Communicate and Educate and Involve to Make People Love Change
Cosmas Phillip Mwaita, Student (MBA), Zimbabwe, Member
Every situation has advantages and disadvantages, benefits and losses. Human beings by nature weigh benefits and losses and as long as the benefits outweigh the losses then change is acceptable. If it is the other way then expect resistance. What is it that is to be gained from the proposed change? What is it that will be lost as a result of the proposed change?
Therefore for change to be regarded as good there should be sufficient and effective communication and education about the proposed change such that the impending disadvantages or losses appear insignificant to those affected by change. Change should not be seen as a way to benefit certain people but everyone to avoid resistance.
Change is a challenge. There should be a good feeling about the proposed change. Give the people the reason and energy to love change by making them participate in that change so that there is a deep sense of ownership to the whole process.

Explain, Involve and Evaluate to Make People Love Change
van Holten, Manager, Netherlands, Member
I believe that if you really want people to adapt to change, you need to make them part of the decision making. The example given by Braun about traveling and change of life partner shows indeed that people are willing to change but a prerequisite is that they can chose what and how they change it. I can not make you leave your wife for someone I've chosen, you need to make the decision yourself. That's why it so hard to get people into change because it's not likely that a lot of people make the same decision. I believe that you'll first have to explain "why" something needs to be changed, involve them in the decision making of "how" and "what" to change and in the end evaluate the change with them to optimize the solution.

Reluctance to Change?
Guilluy Olivier, CxO / Board, France, Member
@Umesh Dharmatti: Human beings are reluctant to change... But on the other hand we are the only big animal capable to adapt himself to a changing environment.

Making People Love Change Requires Trust
David Coates, Management Consultant, United Kingdom, Member
@E Benshetler: I really like this contribution. It's the only comment to mention Trust (so far) and yet this is the vital ingredient. To others: Of course some people resist change, others survive it but some thrive in change. And of course it is assisted by covering regular communication and addressing WII FM, but to love doing something in any environment and especially an organisational environment requires TRUST. Importantly you do not always need a long time to build trust. Conventionally may be, but that can be a constricting approach, and resistors love the fact it buys them time to spoil the change.
Try this approach. Get a diagonal slice (seniority) of influencers/ stakeholders (change coalition) in a workshop and insist Trust needs to be improved instantly. Brainstorm ideas for this there and then. Then get them to commit to it through EMR - that is EXPRESS it often, MODEL it always and REINFORCE it regularly.

Change Management and Leadership
Guilluy Olivier, CxO / Board, France, Member
@Bill Boynton: I agree with you.
To initiate change you need to create the awareness of why do we need to change, to make understood by all the goal we want to achieve and to make them translating in their words what is the meaning for them and their activity.
In the same time you need also to demonstrate that changing is part of life and to make people realizing how much changes they have been already through in their life. I have in mind a very interesting work hop I run with Korean blue collars to build up that awareness, asking them to list items/issues which have appeared in the last 10 years and have impacted their life and to discuss together about it. The guys came with equipments but also new behaviors and this triggered a very dynamic discussion about why did we accept it or not and the fears related to... Key findings that we are learning new things all our life and that we need to structure better our learning capabilities.

Making People Love Change by Change Management Methodologies
Conrad Brand
Very provocative question posed. A number of responses already highlight various techniques/principles to make people love change.
My experience has been that organisations can create the environment for people to love change by ensuring that every change effort in the organisation is managed with positive and excellent change management methodologies and practices. Create a history in the organisation that leaders understand change management and manage it well, it will create a self-fulfilling prophecy of good change management philosophy in the organisation. This will engage the workforce to become more agile regarding change and create a positive belief about change in the organisation. This belief that "my company" manages change well will allow a change resilient culture to develop.

How to Make Change Become a Relief?
Dominique SCHWARZ, HR Consultant, Switzerland, Member
When does change become a relief? To love change is only possible when the benefits of the change are more important or bigger than the disadvantages.
The problem is that the perception of the benefits or the relief is subjective and widely emotional.

Management by Chaos
Bill Boynton, Teacher, United States, Member
@Andile Ace Kwakweni: Very interesting question.
The conditions you expressed I refer to as management by “chaos,” and sorry to say, they are more common than we think.
I talk a lot about the need for organizations to have responsible followers, people who have the character, expertise as well as the initiative to want to excel and do well.
In these types of situations of your example, the followers have to drag the incompetent leaders/managers with them.
I refer to it as upward influence, and most managers/leaders won’t interfere with sound advice, or better yet, positive performance examples.
They use these positive performances then to show their peer counterparts, and when this becomes a contest, the organizations moves forward in spite of itself.
In many cases, these types of performances cause more competitive competition, and require even more upward influence.
This is not the way it should be. "But" (Thanks for asking).

To Make People LOVE Change, Start with Awareness of the Need to Change
Fernando Ochoa, Manager, Mexico, Member
I believe all replies make sense on the subject. I would add that in order to make people love change, there has to be awareness first, and this awareness has to come from the front lines of action. Management has to define and execute tools to create awareness (SWOT Analysis?), and then get the majority on board to participate on possible solutions and to actively work on the action plans. Eventually synergy will become love, once they see the results and of course, consistency from management to welcome and continue recognizing the team effort.

Vision + Organizational Learnig
Jackeline Molina, Consultant, Dominican Republic, Member
An understandable vision plus a solid and robust organizational learning system are the keys to motivate and make people love change. Nowadays organizations have to be aware that changes are a routine. So team members have to be recruited and hired on this basis. The challenge for organizations is to build a fertile atmosphere based on a learning culture through which people understand the desirability of changes.

Change and Personal Leadership
Leodegardo M. Pruna, Professor, Philippines, Member
@Ab: Personal Leadership would be meaningless unless it recognizes that change happens continuously. That is why Personal Leadership has to adapt to situations and apply what is appropriate and relevant to address the circumstances these situations bring. Leadership cannot be static because a growing enterprise needs a dynamic leadership which anticipates and responds accordingly to the continuing changes in the enterprise.

How People Love Change
Perla P. Palomares, DPA, Professor, Philippines, Member
@Jackeline Molina: Thank you so much, you are absolutely right. Everybody in the organization should be a party to for such a change to take place. As the saying goes: "It takes two to tango"...

How to Make People Love Change: Lead by Example
eustace n wachira, Kenya, Member
I think change like death is inevitable, but change is elusive. I agree with @Pedro Danilo Diaz Tueme that as a leader, change starts with you. Because your followers must see the change in you to be willing to change.
We learn by examples and again we must be the role models of change. The word of mouth is like a fish while the hands-on-style is the fishing rod.
As leaders we therefore lead by example.

Ezerman Strategies for Change
Ger de Waard, Management Consultant, Netherlands, Premium Member
I apply the Ezerman model of managing change (Editor: Use 7 strategies depending on the level of resistance: Avoiding, Informing, Supporting, Negotiating, Convincing and Coercing, and Facilitating. And I show them the video of who stole my cheese first. This gets them thinking about change.
Also people will go through the 5 stages of grief from Kuebler (Editor: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). This is also to be explained. Ultimately the most important thing is listening!
Of course - those who keep on resisting or are about to sabotage the change - should be kindly asked to look for employment elsewhere.

Precursors to Welcoming Change
Samuell Yew, Project Manager, Malaysia, Member
Since change is inevitable and is here to stay, better love it than resist it. Remember also what's the point of achieving anything if it cannot be sustained?
For Change to be successful and sustainable and drive more improvement, there are precursors required:
- Trust between Management and Workforce. It is done for Win-Win.
- Establish Clear connection between result and reward.
- Change is implemented with care and thoughtfulness to all affected.
- Communication is done extensively and effectively.
- Support and resources are visibly channeled to ensure success.
- Accountability of all concerned are clear and defined.
- Feedback from all parties are welcome and responded to.
- The alignment of goals between those implementing and those affected.
- Results are transparent to all.
- Timely reward for milestone achievement.
- Recognition is given.
If all these are done well, change will become a welcomed thing.

What is Management by Chaos?
Hans Havelaar, Switzerland, Member
@Bill Boynton: Hi Mr. Boynton, what exactly is management by chaos? Searching on the internet I couldn't find a definition or description of this type of management and I am having a feeling that this is what is happening at my workplace. However, I am not sure because I couldn't find a way to map this to a definition.
Thanks.

How to Make People Love Change
Ian van Jaarsveld
@Andile Ace Kwakweni: Andile, there is no material difference between public organizations and complex businesses. Change is a downstream activity of an (change in) organizational strategy. If the latter has been designed in a structured consultative manner, then given that structure and strategy are interdependent drivers of successful implementation, it appears that in your comment the structure is lacking.
One cannot continue when one of the primary legs of the process is broken. Go back to the strategy gatekeeper and revisit the process. Strategy within a public enterprise should not be affected by change in political office provided again that the process was sound.

Get People Involved
Maria Montero, Coach, Venezuela, Member
Briefly, the culture of the organization needs to become flat, so everybody gets involved in the process of change. All the employees participate in developing the mission, vision and values. Everyone knows how his/her work is connected to that vision and there are coaches throughout the organization providing feedback to correct anything that has diverted employees from this vision, promote everyone's participation and ideas, provide safe space for interaction and brainstorming, create communities of practice, among others.
All in all, build a culture of cooperation.

Clarification of my Use of the Word 'Chaos'
Bill Boynton, Teacher, United States, Member
@Hans Havelaar: Management by "Chaos" is a term that I have used through the years, that reflects on managers creating an organizational environment where no one seems to now what is going on.
They make their own decisions regardless for how it effects other parts of the organization. Some refer to it as just random actions with no seemingly aligned purpose.
Mass confusion seems to be the operation of the day. That is my purpose in describing some organizations functions. Sorry if I made things more "complicated.

How to Make People Love Change
Allen Mushonga, Student (University), Zimbabwe, Member
The way you introduce change will have an effect on whether employees will love or hate change. As my other colleagues have pointed out the unfreeze moving and refreezing concept can work.
But in addition Mendelow's Power Interest Matrix can be of great use. Within the organization there are groups of people with high power but low interest, high interest and low power, low power and low interest and high power and high interest.. For change to be effective the people with high power and high interest should be able to convince the people with high power but low interest, these will then assist in motivating and encouraging the other lower groups with low power and low interest...
How we do it is through destabilizing the status quo. Change cannot occur where forces for change are equal to forces against change but rather forces for change should be more than those against change. People will change slowly when they feel that change will be bring more benefits than misery.

How to Make Employees Love Change
GABRIEL A OKRONIPA, Manager, Ghana, Member
Some individuals have the habit of resisting change, while others readily accept it. The CEO introducing the change could use small group discussion or use the most influential people in the organization. Such group or individuals need to understand why the change occurs and what is its impact on the employees.
Change introduced with force may be met with a greater opposite force especially if it is believed to negatively affect the employees.
Dialogue may be a good option to use. Managers need to explore every available option possible.

How to Make Your Particular People Love Change
Pedro Danilo Diaz Tueme, HR Consultant, Mexico, Member
There's a whole universe of people out there. Everybody is different, and they have their own opinion about everything.
You cannot just have a recipe for loving change as a magic potion, they have, and should have the right to a different perspective about all kind of things, thoughts or topics like: religion, politics, life, and way of living, about everything...
Nobody can tell you how to make people love changes, YOU have to figure out why, in your particular environment, you found resistance to change, and fight it back. There's no such thing as a magical solution to fix everybody's fear for change...
You as HR specialist will have to work it out, on a case by case basis.

Loving Change at the Work Place
Adrian Cosereanu, Entrepreneur, Canada, Member
Hi all, in my opinion, the change should be a normal state of mind for any employee; they have to think about change like necessary for their career. BUT, like a manager, you have to let them think what is necessary to be changed.
To me, the most important moment is when I give to my employees a piece of paper and let them a few days to write down what they want to change in their job to be more efficient and how can I help them. Change should be part of their daily way of thinking.
The problem is that many of them are afraid about the change proposals of others, because they can bring something new for them and could be hard to handle.
For this reason, I have to figure out what is good for everybody and for the company too. This is a manager's job, a real job.

How to Make People Love Change
MOHD.NAZRIE ABDULLAHJOSRIN BIN AMBAN, Student (University), Malaysia, Member
Transformation and change are not easier said than done/implemented, because we need to involve the people as a group and individually. How to make people love change?
Firstly, encourage to people that they need to participate in order for them to understand the objective of the change and its benefits.
Ultimately, we must make the people love to know the new change and feel that they are appreciated due to their involvement on this planned change.
If they are invited to participate this will definitely reduce negative perceptions of people. Without comprehensive participation of people they are likely to look for the weaknesses of the change and they may communicate in a negative way to other people about it.

Transform the Change into a Motivator!
Keith Burnett, Director, United Kingdom, Member
As previously mentioned I believe change can embraced if the vision/goal is articulated in such a way that it creates excitement. In my experience people are willing to change if they understand why it's necessary, not only will they change but they will become ambassadors for change, making future change programs easier to implement. Relating back to Herzberg's dual factor theory, use change as a motivator!

How to Make People Love Change
Perla P. Palomares, DPA, Professor, Philippines, Member
Consider that action to (personal) change is like a conversion. One makes careful decisions and then pulls the trigger. Learn that the world couldn't care less about thoughts without actions. When you have come this far and you've done a lot of self-analysis and honest assessing. You don't like where you are in your life and you've been getting in touch with what you don't like, why you're there, and how you'd like to change. You have to step outside the comfort zone and challenge your natural desire to feel safe and secure. Resolve now to take the risks, to put in the effort and to persist towards your goals.

Switch by Chip and Dan Heath is a Good Start
Jozef Van Giel, Strategy Consultant, Belgium, Member
An interesting book on change is "Switch" by Chip and Dan Heath, who based their conclusions on the research of Daniel Kahneman, Caroll Dweck and a number of others. Really worth reading. They model change by comparing the human mind with an elephant and a rider (System 1 and System 2 in Kahneman's thinking). To make a switch you have to address the rider, the elephant and the path. I will not tell you much more. Read the book and be surprised (especially concerning the unexpected conclusions they make).

What's the Reason Why They Should Consider to Change?
Edmundo Biter, Manager, Philippines, Member
There should be a compelling reason why they need to consider change. If that reason would affect what they value most if they don't change they would open up and consider what's the best thing to do. Leaders need to communicate this effectively and offer support to get engagement from the team in developing the best implementation plan to manage the change. This is why a good vision should be developed, because this will serve as a guiding path in their journey towards transformation.

Change and the Employee Puzzle
Ramakrishnan, Consultant, India, Member
How often do we hear the employee with a puzzled expression asking why change? And why now? And how many times do we see he is left confused?
It would be better if we prepare him well before the change is put on the agenda as to the exact nature of the problem/s the company is facing, its short term and long term implications, the options that the company can consider to get over them, the kind of changes the company can opt for. And also explain to him the ways the proposed changes might affect him and his colleagues in the company.
After having given enough time to reflect on these considerations, the puzzled look of the employee may vanish and he could be enabled to be ready for this and other changes in the future.

Leaders Must Make Employees Love Change
Owoyale, Samuel Olaniyi, Turnaround Manager, Nigeria, Member
The composition of any organization can be broadly classified as Leaders and Followers.
Leaders by their responsibilities are expected to have a clear focus and vision that is well communicated to the entire community. It is a fact that changes are inevitable and those who fail to embrace change will no doubt be forced to change.
Followers depend on the leaders communicating and leading the change.
Do the leaders walk the talk? Do the leaders demonstrate a sense of commitment with a high level of integrity? Followers will always follow leaders who believe in the change being reached. No follower will follow a leader who does not want the change he preaches to change them. Remember, those who do not want change to change them have no business in leading change.
To get followers to effectively follow
1. The intended change must be communicated well.
2. The leaders who lead the change must walk the talk.
3. A periodic review of the progress must be carried out.
4. No rigid change process.
5. Listen to ideas.

How to Make Employees Love Change
Jafeth Quintanilla, Teacher, Peru, Member
Effectively, people refuse change when they are afraid about it, when they don't know or when they don't understand it, and then it is necessary involve them to get they participate in the change, and this is possible only if there are a very strong effect of leadership, specially sensitized to the person.

Understanding Why People do not Love Change
Guillermo Hasing, Business Consultant, Ecuador, Member
Take resistance to change as a favorable situation. Leaders should view it as a FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY. People at daily work can have good ideas. Let them participate, express and inform you to make improvements to the proposed project. Resistance could be transformed as a productive conversation getting other perspectives for the proposal. It is a LEARNING PROCESS to accept resistance as a favorable resource and valuable perspective to change initiatives.
The most important issue is to reach commitment and to achieve a better solution together.

How to Make Employees Love Change
venkataramanan, Professor, India, Member
In addition to all the points stated above,I would like to add this. We can also exploiting the animal instinct; A cow moves from the current to another ground when the other looks greener, when the proposed change is more beneficial.

How to Make Employees Love Change
Tong Tong, Manager, Cameroon, Member
Change management is a complex issue. But if the employees are involved in the change plan and the expected results are of short term, they will come to love change. So let the opinion of the employees count in the change process.

Strategy Knowledge is an Important Factor for Changing
Guillermo Hasing, Business Consultant, Ecuador, Member
@Bill Boynton: I agree with your theory of chaos, most important matter is to have knowledge all company know what the strategy of the organization is, without it no change happens.

How to Make Employees Love Change: Transform the Change into a Motivator
venkataramanan, Professor, India, Member
Transform the change into a motivator is a good strategy.
In that case it is going to satisfy one of the employee's needs which he cherishes and automatically he will appreciate the change and start loving it and the job of the change-master is made simple.

If There is Trust, There is Less Resistance to Change
Nomi Hattingh, Australia, Member
@Trevor Lindars: I have recently attended a personal development course titled 'Leading at the speed of trust'. The context here is that when leaders are able to extend trust, and when the team trust each other, there will be less resistance to change, based upon 'trusting my leader is doing the right thing for us, this cannot hurt too much'.

Belief Based Implementation is Better Than Rule Based Implementation
Jacob Andrews, Entrepreneur, United Arab Emirates, Member
If the leaders try to implement the changes through trust and belief, then the transition will be much easier than through a rule based implementation. The team's acceptance will be higher in the trust-based situation compared to a rule-based implementation.

Make Employees Love/Demand Change
venkataramanan, Professor, India, Member
Have any of the consultants come across situations where the demand for change in organizational structure, manufacturing process, products or selling price came from the employees?
Of course when the sales force were not able to clear the stock I have come across several occasions when they come forward for changes in price, discount rates, etc. But in other areas can anybody give their experience?

Change is About More Than Trust
Trevor Lindars, Management Consultant, Australia, Member
@Nomi Hattingh: Yes, trust is very important as it facilitates positive collaboration. However, leaders do not change people, people change themselves if suitably inspired. It should not be a case of blind trust, rather a matter of understanding the vision and deciding to be a part of it.

Employees Love Change Through Customer Circles
Gautam Mahajan, CEO, India, Member
We started Customer Circles at the bottom of the organization. The employees champion and manage the change.

How to Make Employees to Love Change
Jevin k. Kiriago, Student (MBA), Member
To add to the above contributions: it's true that - with the current trend of changes in technology, globalization - change is inevitable and there will always be resistance but the most vital thing are education and communication by explaining the need for such change to occur.
Involve the employees on how they would prefer the change to be implemented, facilitate the change itself and as a manager walk the talk change to show support in facilitation of change in order to motivate employees to also want the change themselves.

Making Employees Love Change / Demand Change
venkataramanan, Professor, India, Member
I agree with @Gautam Mahajan. Innovation & change circles at the bottom of the organization just like quality circles. In India, an approach similar to the above was followed in a public sector organization (BEL) where groups of employees were made to present a critical review of the existing system and suggest modifications which were discussed, implemented and reviewed without any resistance as it originated from them only.

Inspire Change in Employees
Ramakrishnan, Consultant, India, Member
Bottom up approach to change is a good model.I agree with @Trevor Lindars's 'Leaders do not change people but people change themselves if suitably inspired'.
Innovation and change circles at the bottom of the organization should however be briefed adequately in a positive way by the leaders to inspire the group to discuss and suggest changes.

Communicate Change, Don't Decree It
Olukayode Oyeleye, Journalist, Nigeria, Member
A dictatorial approach to change management is often met with subtle resistance or outright rejection. Getting it right from the start is critical. With increasing awareness of human rights, socio-cultural and belief cleavages, change must be carefully introduced and effected. Otherwise, results will prove undesirable and costly.
Some public health interventions have proven a failure in instances where the interventionists failed to take cognizance of the peculiar socio-cultural attributes of the intended beneficiaries who rejected the 'assistance' they perceived was being foisted on them.
Change managers should avoid assuming that they have the best solutions until they have been able to resolve the issue of receptivity on the part of the intended beneficiaries.

Loving, Anticipating and Owning Change in the Enterprise
Leodegardo M. Pruna, Professor, Philippines, Member
The best way to communicate and make employees love change is to make people actively participate in the change process and thereafter, whatever comes out of the change, make them OWN it.
Ownership will not only make people think that they are PART of the change, but rather it will make them think that they are RESPONSIBLE for whatever happens.

How to Make Employees Fall in Love with Change
David H. De Jesus, Director, Saudi Arabia, Member
The idea to make employees love change is something not easy. It takes a leader to get the job done. Among circles of employees we will still find those that do not believe that change is good. Why? Because change in eventualities pushes them away from their comfort zone. When they are not comfortable, they tend to slide backward and halt the changes we wish.
"Doing the change" could be an alternate option to make them love change. Place them in an environment were language of change is best applied, best accepted, best learned and best FELT.
I think if we wish to make employees love change, we should penetrate the very meaning of its purpose, prove it, let them get on board and trigger their comfort zones with rationale. Only then loving change can be achieved.

4 Elements to Create Love for Change and a Change Ready Organization
Aamir Firoz Shamsi, Professor, Pakistan, Member
To make people love change is a proactive approach rather than a reactive one. If employees love change, they can make their organization a change ready organization.
For this four elements are required to create love and change ready organization:
1. Effective and respectable leadership
2. Knowledge workers
3. Alignment of individual's objectives with change objectives
4. An effective culture having effective communication and incentive system.
These four elements will make employees understand and love change and this will then turn the organization into a change ready organization.

Change is Inevitable and People Love Change
THOMAS K. BOGYA, CEO, Ghana, Member
Change is one factor no one can run away from. Everything happens and will keep happening. In an organizational set up, a change means a lot because of the various stakeholders and their perceived gain or loss. The onus then lies with the change implementers to ensure that the reason for the change is properly explained to the employees, their interest taken care of and also they are involved in the change process.

Avoiding Resistance to Change
aziza abubakr, Sudan, Member
@Rick Forehand: I agree with you Sir, I think people in an organization resist change because they were not aware about how it will look like and what are its advantages to the organization and its employees. If they are told before the change is initiated they will understand it better and react more positively than when they are told only after the change has been established.

Why we all say 'People' or 'Employee' when Managers are the ones who Resist?
FREDDY VILLAVICENCIO, Business Consultant, Venezuela, SIG Leader
I think there is a misuse of the term "people". Change is a matter of strong leadership shown by supervisors and middle management. It is here where change finds its energy. The big barrier is not to work closely with this group of leaders.
It is more critical when organizations have big and sophisticated leadership structures. That is why pyramidal structures must be reviewed when the time of change comes. From my point of view, the first things to review by the change management team are the leadership structure (change for a flat sort of model) and organization policies (it will be a consequence of the structure's review and it is the hardest goal to achieve by the change management team) and the values and principles which rule the new behavior of the whole organization. The vision and the plan to achieve it into the window time given. Just to mention two critical tasks commonly left behind.
The rest will be part of the particularities each organization must deal with (culture, country, sub region, others).