By Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
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Abstract: This article discusses strategies for productively shifting organizational mindsets and overcoming resistance to change. Resisting change is explored from a psychological perspective, with concepts like cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias helping to explain why individuals often dismiss new ideas. A framework is then presented for creating "cognitive openings" through leadership techniques such as empathy, shared values, humility and diverse perspectives. Once open-mindedness is cultivated, new viewpoints should be shared strategically using stories, specific benefits, balanced reasoning and pilot examples rather than abstract concepts. Applications across industries like financial services, manufacturing, healthcare and transportation are examined. The multi-dimensional approaches of first addressing psychological barriers and then communicating alternatives respectfully are posited to thoughtfully shift perspectives during times of organizational change.
As a consultant and professor, I have had the privilege of working with countless organizations and leaders over the years. There is one challenge that seems to come up time and again - how to actually change someone's mind on an important issue within the workplace. We all know the frustration of hearing "We've always done it this way" or hitting a wall of resistance when suggesting a new approach. Yet moving teams and companies forward often requires shifts in collective thinking and perspectives. Through my research and experiences, I have found there are thoughtful, evidence-based ways to overcome resistance and facilitate real mindset changes.
Today we will explore leadership strategies and interpersonal skills I have seen make the greatest impact in productively shifting minds across a variety of organizational settings and industries.
Understanding Resistance to Change
Before diving into how to change perspectives, it is important to understand where resistance comes from.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory posits that people experience psychological discomfort when holding two conflicting beliefs or opinions (Festinger, 1957). To reduce this dissonance, individuals are motivated to rationalize or dismiss new information that contradicts what they already believe.
Confirmation Bias further explains our natural tendency to actively seek out and assign more weight to information that reinforces preexisting views while ignoring disconfirming evidence (Nickerson, 1998). When leading change efforts, these human biases often emerge as stubbornness, defensiveness or dismissive attitudes towards new ideas. Successful leaders address resistance at its psychological root by creating cognitive openings that allow new thought patterns to arise.
Creating Cognitive Openings
There are several leadership techniques proven to help overcome biases by creating more receptiveness to alternative perspectives:
Empathize First: Start by listening without judgment and acknowledging others' viewpoints and experiences rather than immediately asserting a rebuttal. This builds rapport and credibility (Goleman, 2011).
Appeal to Shared Values: Find common ground by framing proposed changes around outcomes everyone cares about like improved customer service or workplace well-being. This satisfies needs for consistency (Katz & Kahn, 1978).
Admit Uncertainties: Admitting what is not yet known about a situation or approach conveys authentic humility and invites collaborative problem-solving rather than appearing dogmatic (Argyris, 1976).
Invite Peer Perspectives: Bring together diverse intra-organizational experts to respectfully debate both sides in an open forum. Hearing different credible views from colleagues can soften resistance (Wilson & Nisbett, 1978).
Acknowledge Past Successes: Note and appreciate what has worked well so far to reduce perceived threats to self or group identity from proposed adaptations (Lewin, 1951).
These cognitive openings lay the interpersonal groundwork for consideration of new perspectives by addressing underlying psychological barriers and satisfying needs for consistency, credibility and collaboration.
Sharing Perspectives Strategically
Once open minds have been cultivated, the next step is to thoughtfully share alternative viewpoints or solutions. Research indicates certain presentation formats and examples are more effective than others:
Use Stories over Statistics: Human narratives are easier to relate to on an emotional level and more likely to stick in memory than detached facts and figures alone (Guber, 2010).
Highlight Specific Benefits: Paint a clear picture of the gains individuals and work groups stand to achieve through proposed changes rather than vague promises of overall company improvement (Kotter, 1996).
Consider Multiple Viewpoints: Acknowledge weak points of current approaches while also fairly portraying the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives through balanced, multi-sided reasoning (Baron, 2000).
Offer Trialed Examples: Discuss piloted solutions showing proof of concepts' feasibility and results from analogous organizational contexts, industries or geographies (Senge, 2006).
Invite Discussion, Not Debate: Foster respectful, solution-focused exchanges of perspectives rather than combative "discussion to win" mentalities (Stone, Patton & Heen, 2010).
Reinforce with Recognition: Express appreciation for an open-mind and efforts considering new ideas, even without fully committing yet. This positive reinforcement nurtures further exploration (Goleman, 2011).
By thoughtfully crafting how new perspectives are communicated - focusing on real people, tangible outcomes, balanced reasoning and examples versus abstract concepts - evidence indicates greater chances of minds expanding their views.
Applying Strategies in Practice
Let us now explore in more detail how these mindset shifting strategies could apply within different organizational contexts and industries:
Shift to Agile in Financial Services - For a large investment bank transitioning processes, the CIO could share user stories from clients who benefitted from faster product iterations enabled by Agile. Peer perspectives from successful industry competitors using Agile could reinforce potential gains. Ongoing recognition and discussion of initial pilot project results could further shift mindsets.
Embrace Diversity in Manufacturing - At a plant undergoing leadership transition, empathy and transparency regarding leadership's own biases could build openness. Leveraging shared values around innovation through diverse problem-solving could frame diversity initiatives. Peer-led roundtables on inclusion case studies in analogous plants could invite cooperative exploration of alternatives.
Adopt Tech Solutions in Healthcare - A hospital CIO hoping to modernize records systems faces resistance to change. Appealing to doctors' and nurses' core purpose of patient care by highlighting specific ways new tools could save time spent on paperwork and better enable focusing on patients could shift priorities. Inviting medical staff from facilities successfully using similar tools to share first-hand benefits witnessed could open additional perspectives.
Transition Sustainability in Transportation - For a global logistics firm setting carbon reduction targets, the CEO could acknowledge uncertainties regarding fully electrifying fleets while fairly portraying pilot project results. Framing the moral and business case for sustainability through customer and investor values could cultivate willingness. Ongoing recognition of division and driver efforts considering efficiency solutions on the path towards broader transformations could reinforce exploration of perspectives.
In each case study, the multidimensional approaches - crafting cognitive openings through empathy, values, humility and cooperation before strategically communicating alternative views through relatable narratives focused on tangible benefits, balanced reasoning and piloted examples - hold promise for thoughtfully shifting mindsets across these diverse organizational settings and industries undergoing strategic transitions.
Conclusion
Leading productive change means overcoming inevitable human tendencies towards cognitive biases and resistance. The research-grounded strategies presented provide a thoughtful leadership framework for doing so by first addressing underlying psychological needs and barriers, inviting collaboration and consideration of diverse credible perspectives in a solution-focused spirit of continuous learning and improvement. While mindset shifts take time, these approaches hold promise for leaders navigating strategic transitions across all manner of organizational contexts in a caring, evidence-based manner aligned with human nature. Change ultimately arises from within individuals through expanded consideration of alternatives, not by coercion alone. It has been my professional observation that cultivating open and cooperative exploration of new perspectives in a spirit of shared progress represents the most constructive path forward for organizations and those they aim to serve.
References
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175–220. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.2.175
Goleman, D. (2011). Leadership: The power of emotional intelligence: Selected writings. Northampton, MA: More Than Sound LLC.
Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley.
Argyris, C. (1976). Single-loop and double-loop models in research on decision making. Administrative Science Quarterly, 21(3), 363–375. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2391848
Wilson, T. D., & Nisbett, R. E. (1978). The accuracy of verbal reports about the effects of stimuli on evaluations and behavior. Social Psychology, 41(2), 118–131. https://doi.org/10.2307/3033572
Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science. New York: Harper & Row.
Guber, P. (2010). Tell to win: Connect, persuade, and triumph with the hidden power of story. New York: Crown Business.
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Baron, J. (2000). Thinking and deciding (3rd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511803932
Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization.New York: Doubleday/Currency.
Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, S. (2010). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Changing Perspectives: Thoughtful Leadership for Shifting Mindsets. Human Capital Leadership Review, 12(1). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.12.1.12
