How to Unlock Restraining Forces

Simply telling, bribing or forcing someone to change their behavior without creating the right conditions always produces employee resistance, apathy or indifference.

Change often produces restraining forces - or when otherwise disturbing leader’s or employee’s status quo. Restraining forces are Behaviors - but Behaviors are always driven by the silent, unexpressed Opinions that employees bring to work every day. Each employee protects their Discretionary Privilege - they decide how much to buy-in, and how much discretionary effort to put forth. Management can’t force that.

Restraining Forces push down from the top against the Driving Forces of change pushing up from the bottom. This creates a gap between the current state and a desired state.

The restraining forces ALWAYS represent deeply held Opinions people hold.

Efforts to change Behavior are usually fruitless without effectively addressing the personal Opinions that are in the way - often rooted in emotion.

Restraining Forces are more likely to give way when leaders are skilled and intentional about creating the right Experiences that influence Opinions, coupled with the 3 Interdependent Skillsets.

All 4 circles of the TEAMALIGN Align & Mobilize Framework are essential to creating the conditions for buy-in.