This is the latest episode of The One Problem podcast interview. Today my guest is Gabriella O'Rourke. She talks about resistance to change.

My name is Avil Beckford, and this is the latest episode of the One Problem Podcast. We all know that there are tons of problems in the world. We're not going to focus on all of them. We're just going to focus on one problem. So, the guests, come on, present their problem, and they have six minutes to offer a solution. My very special guest today is someone who I actually met at an Ellevate Network event. Her name is Gabriella O'Rourke. She is a business consultant to a law firm in Toronto. Over to you, Gabriella.

Gabriella O'Rourke

Thank you Avil, and thank you so much for inviting me to join me today. I'm really excited to be here. For those who don't know me, I help organizations to execute on their business strategies by realigning their people, their processes and their technology, creating change that sticks. I want to talk today about the problem of change resistance and how we can become champions of change. Years ago, as I was starting my professional journey, I was told that my psychometric test numbers to change acceptance were off the charts, meaning I'd much rather be in an environment of perpetual change than a state of stability.

Maybe that makes me a glutton for punishment. But I think it's also created a great opportunity for me along the way. I was always the one who'd raise my hand when something new needed to be done, or when there was a difficult challenge to resolve that others didn't know where to begin. And enjoy solving unprecedented problems and reducing all the noise down to a few key priorities that will drive the greatest impact. So, for years I wondered, why are others so reluctant to step outside the familiar and adapt to changing situations?

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And then I realized that championing change is a habit that develops over time and is reinforced by our behaviors. And don't get me wrong. We're all willing to try new things from time to time, new food on the menu, new wine, new clothes, new hairstyle. These are all fairly low risk areas of change that we may be willing to explore. But in an organizational setting, change becomes so much more weighted. We fear failure. We're reluctant to lose our status and identity, especially in areas of deep knowledge and expertise.

Gabriella O'Rourke

Many of us haven't been given the opportunity to develop good habits around changed acceptance. When you've worked for over 20 years in professional services, as I have, working with highly skilled knowledge workers in the fields of accounting, business advisory services, and law. These are areas where failure can carry great cost, and it's no wonder that these environments are risk and change averse.

The same is true for any environment where people may have invested years in their career path. And developed deep expertise in a specific area, only to be concerned now that their skills may become obsolete. As we move increasingly towards a technology-enabled digital and even AI-powered world, change reluctance is an entirely natural response to what we see happening all around us as we strive for stability and self-preservation.

So how, as leaders, can we open people up to change and get them to embrace the new letting go of the past? We need to become role models for change now. Many times in my career, I've been tasked with changing the energy and the focus of the organizational culture. We need to make people more business development oriented, said one. We need to hold people more accountable, said another. We need more collaboration, said a third. The change doesn't happen effectively. When you do it to people, you have to change with them.

Gabriella O'Rourke

So leaders who want people to become more open to change, must show that they themselves are willing to do what it takes to change as well. It can start with showing people you're willing to learn new skills or behaviors that you're willing to put yourself in positions where you might not be the most knowledgeable or skilled in the room. And you may have to lean on others. You can begin developing the habit of change-acceptance by taking up a new hobby or pastime in your personal life. Or going back to school for a new skill.

Over the last 15 years, I've taken up piano playing, speed skating, gardening, and most recently, woodworking, all as vehicles to help me stay open to change. And in my professional world, I've learned about design thinking, agile project management, digital product design, all the areas that were new to me and gave me new skills. Once you're comfortable with being uncomfortable in new situations and developing the ability to learn, start bringing these habits into the workplace. Show others that you don't have it all figured out, and that from time to time you are learning things from the ground up.

The One Problem Podcast Interview With Gabriella O'Rourke

If there are new areas of expertise developing in your industry that you're not familiar with, maybe robotic processing, portfolio project management. Show people you're willing to ask questions or even say “I'm not sure how this should be done.” Some of the best leaders I've ever worked with have been very open about what they know and also what they don't know. Where they felt comfortable and confident and where they felt they would be out of their depth. The effect that had on their team was to create opportunities for others to make a contribution and share their ideas.

Gabriella O'Rourke

And even for people to volunteer to figure it out together by a leader showing that it's okay to not have all the answers. It allows others to be more open to try something new. When an organization is embarking on a critical business transformation, it's inspiring when leaders are willing to be the test subjects for new working practices, especially when the changes are uncomfortable and difficult. Be the one willing to adopt a new system or process, especially if it entails learning a new software application or technology.

If you're promoting the hybrid work environment, and you're going to expect people to share their workspaces, more compatible, be one of the first to sign up for testing out the new setup. Look for ways to improve and adapt to the new environment, so it will work well for others. If you develop your capacity for change acceptance in the ways I've described, you'll be a champion for change, and you'll create change that sticks. Thank you Avil.

Avil Beckford

As you were talking, I was listening, and it's all about a leader being vulnerable.

Gabriella O'Rourke

Absolutely so.

Avil Beckford

Thank you so much. There's a lot to unpack in that, and I know my listeners will learn a lot from the podcast. So, thank you so much Gabby.

Gabriella O'Rourke

Thank you.

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