Respecting people who dislike change

Lots of folks like having a steady job.  Knowing what’s going to happen each day when they start work.   They’re happy staying at the same place year after year. 

And that’s a challenge when your project is about making a major change. 

When I was younger, I couldn’t understand these folks.  Wasn’t obvious that the new way was going to be better?  Didn’t they want to do things more efficiently? 

But as I got older, I realized that companies need people like this.  People who can be counted on to do the job day after day.   People who don’t need to chase after the newest shiny object.  After all, accounting doesn’t radically change from year to year.  And no one values experience until it goes missing. 

And if everyone you hire wants something new every year, you’re going to spend a lot of time recruiting. 

One goal of project leadership is helping these folks through change.  And being a cheerleader for the “great new way.”  You need to acknowledge their concerns even while you push them ahead.   You need to make sure you have time for plenty of hand holding.  You need to find a new explanation when your first way didn’t work.   

Because one day the project will be over and they’ll still be here.