What Is change And Why Is It So Difficult? (Part 2)

– Posted in: Buying Facilitation, Decision Makers, Sales Training

Change is not the problem – we like doing new and different things. What we don’t like is the disruption change causes. And usually, we attempt to create change by pushing new information – new activities, new ideas, new rationale – into what’s already there and hoping the reasoning behind the change request will carry the day.

The problem is systems. We all live in systems. Families, teams, companies, relationships. Systems are made up of rules that everyone in a system buys in to. Each system is different, with different rules and norms and values/beliefs. And each system holds tightly to its uniqueness as the organizing force behind the activities, goals, and output. Change any of the elements and we change the system.

We learned in 6th grade that systems seek homeostasis, making it unlikely we can pull one thing out of the system and shove another thing back in without the system resisting. Currently, our attempts at change (or sales, or coaching, or negotiating) are little more than pushing in from the outside: hence, we have difficulties in implementing, in sales, in getting agreement. Indeed, all implementations, all buying decisions, all negotiations, are change management problems.

But it’s possible to create lasting change by enlisting buy-in from the system before offering information or requiring change. Listen to this podcast, Making Change Work #2: What are Systems and How Do They Influence Change and hear how systems are the organizing principle around change – and what to do about it. Then, should you wish to use any of the ideas to enhance your change issues, call me and I can coach you through facilitating any change issues you are facing.

Sales professionals take coaching with me to help them understand what their buyers are going through: why it’s taking so long, what they need to manage internally, getting the right people onto the Buying Decision Teams. Ready to start your coaching now? Let’s get started.

0 comments… add one

Leave a Comment