Middle managers resist new processes. How do you overcome their concerns and drive change effectively?

You need to be clear in your communication. Give sufficient information for the change and open an open door policy for feedback from middle managers to come up with a progressive conclusion.

To overcome middle managers' resistance to new processes and drive change effectively, clearly communicate the vision and benefits. Involve them in planning to gain their insights and increase buy-in. Address their specific concerns by offering reassurances and solutions. Provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to build confidence. Highlight early wins to demonstrate effectiveness and build momentum. Encourage open communication for continuous feedback and adjustment. Lead by example with senior leadership modelling the new behaviours. Recognize and reward those who embrace the changes. Be patient and persistent, acknowledging that change takes time.

Change takes "buy-in" from all employees to be successful. When new plans are being considered, it is helpful to include others in parts of the process: decision making, the process of development, or even just sharing their expertise and how this positively and negatively impacts them & the company as a whole. It also helps to have data to support why change is being made and share this openly with staff so they can contribute as best as possible. Assign roles to changemakers who are interested in participating. Support the change process from start to finish and celebrate its successes together.

Construir um ambiente psicologicamente seguro e trabalhar com os medos e resistências dos gerentes é um processo contínuo que exige esforço e compromisso de todos os membros da organização. Para isso, é fundamental oferecer uma escuta sem julgamentos, através de uma linguagem clara e transparente. Promover um ambiente seguro e acolhedor, entender a dinâmica do grupo, seus pontos delicados, celebrar o sucesso dos times e ofertar uma abordagem grupal e individualizada sobre os medos e objetivos de cada um são instrumentos necessários dentro desta construção grupal.

You need to involve them early in the change process, seeking their input to create a sense of ownership. Communicate the benefits clearly, highlighting how the changes align with organizational goals and improve efficiency. Provide training and resources to ease the transition, addressing any skill gaps. Establish open lines of communication for addressing concerns and feedback. Recognize and reward early adopters to create positive reinforcement. Demonstrate quick wins to build confidence in the new processes. Continuous support and engagement are key to driving and sustaining change effectively.

In many situations, I would replace "fear" with "concern". At times, managers resist change because they, along with their front-line staff, have operational expertise in the process undergoing change; and are genuinely concerned about the implications of the proposed change on productivity. They are not "resistant" nor do they "fear" change - they are concerned that it could make things worse. In these situations, it is important to truly listen to them and consider their perspective and experience to determine whether there is the validity to some or all of their concerns and then be open to adjusting the proposed changes - or at least mitigate risks that become evident through these discussions. Substantive engagement is everything.

It needs to start with clearly communicating the “why” behind the change, and aligning it with the company’s long-term goals. For me, it always helped to involve them early in the planning stages to foster a sense of ownership, and provide thorough training and ongoing support to ease the transition. Highlighting quick wins and success stories can build momentum and demonstrate the positive impact. As always - address concerns transparently, offering solutions to challenges and showing that their input is valued. This is the way 🤘🏻

En este punto la comunicación es clave para que podamos lograr entender hacia dónde vamos. De esta forma con objetivos claros y una visión global los intermedios pueden transmitir a su gente a cargo el mismo mensaje. Si todos entendemos el mensaje no será necesario que estar remarcando diariamente el trabajo que hacer. La comunicación en mi área laboral (salud) es la clave del éxito.

It is right to first make sure your middle managers gain knowledge and learn some skills. But it is very important to get to practice and use these skills. As we all know, no master has been born, they did it with practice. Secondly, it is essential to open a room for readjustments and improvement. A room where mistakes and errors lead to progress, not to guilt. If it is okay to make mistakes, you'll be encouraged to improve and change.

No solo es empoderarlos porque si, sino que los mandos intermedios son absolutamente necesarios para el éxito de cualquier proyecto. Generalmente son los que más trabajan sobre los puntos centrales del proyecto y supervisan tienen doble trabajo.

La realidad es que es intrínseco a cada líder. Algunos les sale naturalmente la felicitación así como también reprender la falta de esfuerzo. A veces se convierte en un sistema de premios y castigos cuál animales. En mi experiencia la felicitación verbal corta en público y de manera privada ha sido exitosa. Las críticas siempre en privado.