Change doesn’t fail by itself. It fails because people resist it

Change often fails, not because the concept is bad, but because of resistance from others. Howard Aiken, the creator of the Harvard Mark computer, once said that if an idea is good, you'll have to force it on people, indicating that resistance is inevitable. When driving change, it's essential to anticipate and build strategies to overcome resistance, which can come from various sources, including rational and irrational reasons. Rational resistance can stem from factors such as the need to build trust in a new idea, change fatigue, competing incentives and commitments, and switching costs. To overcome rational resistance, it's crucial to understand the sources of resistance and devise a plan to address them. Irrational resistance, on the other hand, often doesn't have a rational basis and can be driven by emotional attachments to people, ideas, or traditions. To overcome irrational resistance, strategies such as starting with a majority, not engaging with active resistors, and using dilemma actions can be effective. Change is a strategic conflict between the desired future state and the status quo, and it requires a clear-eyed and hard-nosed approach to overcome resistance. Ultimately, successful changemakers anticipate resistance and devise strategies to overcome it, while frustrated dreamers often wait until they encounter resistance and react. By understanding the sources of resistance and building strategies to overcome them, individuals can increase their chances of successfully driving change.