Resistance to change and Newton’s Gravity law

Criticizing your employees for resisting change is like blaming an apple for falling down instead of up.

Every large system tends to maintain its structure.

Systems analysis has a term: “System Preservation Law.”

It states that complex systems tend to preserve their existing structures and resist change even if such change is valuable.

The state of rest is the greatest blessing in a world of scarce energy.

Employees are naturally resistant to change.

Change is energy-consuming and brings risks.

Only those who benefit from change here and now don’t resist it.

No employees resist change more than others – or less.

This resistance, like gravity, affects everyone.

Those who welcome change today will start resisting it tomorrow – or under different circumstances.

You have only two options when making a change:

  1. Force people to change even if they don’t want to
  2. Give them a reason to want to change

The first way is fast but causes a lot of collateral damage.

The second one is slower but more effective.

Svyatoslav Biryulin

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Read also: The Business Paradox: the More You Think of Profit, the Less You Make

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