Your team is resistant to new business innovation methods. How can you overcome their fear of change?

When working with teams on new methods, one of the first steps I do is talk with them individually and as a team what drives them, what their individual goals and values are - we are all human beings living not only a professional life, but a whole life. Creating this understanding and also giving room for experimenting with new methods is a good practice to acknowledge fears and addressing them.

Overcome your team's fear of change in business innovation by fostering open dialogue to address concerns and communicate the benefits clearly. Provide training and support to build confidence in new methods. Start with small, manageable changes to demonstrate success and minimize risk. Encourage collaboration and involve team members in decision-making. Celebrate early wins and recognize contributions to reinforce positivity. Emphasize the long-term advantages of innovation for both the team and the organization.

Clearly explain the advantages of new methods to ease fears. Highlight improved efficiency, job satisfaction, and competitive standing using relatable examples and success stories. Ensure your team understands both the 'what' and the 'why' behind the changes. When benefits resonate personally, the team is more likely to embrace new ideas and methods.

Fear to change is all about MINDSET. The Team should approach business innovation processes with the proper mindset. How to do that? Two points, based on my experience: 1. Properly set-up the rigth expectations: the Team should be aware that such a type of process will imply multiple changes in the action plan and in the short-term targets. And that this is fine, as it is necessary to be effective in achieving long-term target. 2. Continuous Team's involvement in sharing the reasons why above mentioned changes take place: that's the right approach to keep Team's momentum and to collect ideas and proposals from on how to move forward.

People are not resistant to change, we go through change constantly and ongoing. Just review a few years of your own past. However, we need to connect a change to a personal goal. If we don't see the personal value of a change, then it is really hard to transform. Therefore, be ready to address the question from their perspective: "What's in it for me?" This implies that a one-size-fits-all answer does not exist. Involve them in creating the solution. Even if individuals initially support the leader's ideas, the likelihood of a positive outcome is much higher when these ideas originate from the individuals themselves.

Maintain innovation momentum with regular check-ins, feedback loops, and an iterative approach. Ensure leaders visibly support innovation and foster a culture of knowledge sharing. Allocate necessary resources and recognize contributions. Align the team with long-term goals and stay adaptable to changes. Promote continuous learning and professional development. These strategies keep innovation on the radar and drive continuous improvement.

Incorporating a rewards system for innovative ideas can further sustain momentum. Recognize and reward team members who contribute valuable suggestions, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and engagement.

Usually this comes about because we are trying to change too much too quickly. Small incremental changes implemented over a long period of time all add up. What we are attempting here is a cultural shift towards a new mindset, not the implementation of a new process. So don't rush it. Tackling it more like painting a surface only putting down the next layer once the one below is dry