What do you do if senior stakeholders struggle to adapt to organizational changes?

You need to defeat the human nature that's inside all of us and get the person re-focused on positive contributions and their continuing value. I wouldn't agree with taking an overly emotional, empathetic approach. Executives are used to being in charge and dealing with challenging problems. I always try to acknowledge this and give them the respect they deserve, even if things are changing. I typically try to take the emotion out of it (pride being a foremost challenge) and bring the discussion back to "team first" and reminding the stakeholder of their skill sets and leadership ability, and how that's still "needed" to execute the company's strategic vision and operational goals.

People usually have good/valid reasons to resist stuff! Dig into their perspectives: it helps flush issues that may otherwise materialise in delivery or post-live. The nay-sayers and doubters are actually really valuable as they will honestly call out potential pitfalls. They also often represent an overlooked stakeholder community or voice - sometimes the customer! Too often transformation initiatives silence, sideline or ignore them - it's important to take the time and energy to properly listen to and evaluate their input. Inviting people to openly air and share concerns: "Let me hear your concerns"; "Tell me how this approach/solution won't work/might fall down" are good openers for an authentic conversation.

You can think of internal communications - particularly around a transformation or large-scale change - like an internal communications or marketing campaign. 1. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience and build a picture of their (likely) psychological and emotional state. 2. Craft an appropriate communications plan. In these instances, a one-and-done approach is never sufficient. 3. Roll out your campaign with appropriate touch points that may include 1:1 meetings, peer or department communication, written, verbal, technical and organizational. 4. Reiterate your message many times, in different ways, through various formats and channels. Communication of change is as much managing expectations, fears and emotions as it is technical.

When senior stakeholders struggle to adopt organizational changes, it can create challenges in implementing new strategies or initiatives. Here are steps you can take to address this situation effectively:Communicate Clearly: Ensure that the rationale behind the changes is communicated clearly to senior stakeholders. Highlight the benefits and potential outcomes of the changes to help them understand the importance and necessity of the initiatives.Listen and Address Concerns: Actively listen to the concerns and feedback of senior stakeholders. Address their questions, doubts, and reservations regarding the changes. Provide data, case studies, or examples that support the proposed changes and alleviate their concerns.

First, change is usually only effective if its backed by executive leadership. You have to have the authority to drive change. If you don't have this, stop and go back to whomever can provide this. Second, always be prepared! Know your numbers. Anticipate objections and be ready with constructive rebuttals. Third, no situation is ever clear cut. There are always positives and negatives to any decision or path. There are always trade-off between speed, cost, and quality. You need to, properly and constructively, argue along those dimensions to show why the path you're advocating for is the correct one while acknowledging the trade-offs being made in following that course.

I once read, it takes as much to follow as it does to lead, and that great leaders need to first be the great first followers. My take is, invest time to seek alignment with managers, establish where they are and what makes it hard for them to adapt. Maybe they don’t see the vision laid upfront, or they have not been involved Jan this vision, or simply don’t see the case for change, etc. So engage, build foresight and resilience. This is where leadership need be visible and indeed felt, enough to instill the needed buy in. Yes it’s harder to do than it sounds due to diverse views, as such be as inclusive to their knowledge and recognize their inputs and gain alignment. Scenario planning, strategic business planning are key.