Failure to create buy-in - is that ?resistance??
Enterprise 2.0 projects that don't meet the interests and needs of the users will hit a wall. Labeling and treating such a situation as "resistance" can make it even worse.
For a recent big tech project at a bank, the implementation proposals from consultants all contained a section about "addressing resistance". After hearing a few of these proposals, the executive in charge of the sales force got up and asserted ?when my people don?t hit their sales targets, I would not let them get away with talk about ?resistance from prospects?. I?d tell them to go back and listen to the customer needs and retool their products and sales approaches.?
What happens when you label these problems ?resistance?? Essentially, you attribute the problem to the other side (the employees). Such thinking is in danger to reduce the people to ?targets? that need to be handled so that they can ?overcome the problem?. At the same time, the evangelist aim at keeping their gospel unchanged, - the problem is with the ?resisting target audience?.
How about engaging the employees early on, to design a solution that pays respect to their needs and pains? Their motivations and attitudes are not as mysterious or ?irrational? as they may appear to an outsider. (see http://bit.ly/3QYvry) It?s about active listening and skilled facilitation of participative design processes. We have seen such approaches empowering both the employees and the Enterprise 2.0 champions.
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