Psychologist Jack W. Brehm introduced the concept of reactance back in 1966, observing that people have an intrinsic drive to retain their freedom of choice. When this freedom is threatened, they experience this motivational arousal to regain it.
His theory has since been applied to understand resistance in various contexts, including organizational change, which has direct implications for software teams more specifically.
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” – Antoine de Saint Exupéry
De Saint-Exupéry’s quote is one of the best examples of how to inspire change without bending the team to your will.
Reactance will often rear its ugly head during periods of transition or when a new system or idea is trying to be implemented.
Imagine a new director comes on board with lots of new ideas. Many times there will be resistance to this change. Not because the ideas are inherently bad, but because of the way it may be implemented.
Rarely does forcing our own ideas on the rest of team work out in our favor.
Think about how hard it is to enforce design systems, standardize javascript frameworks or introduce operating models. It isn’t because any of these things are bad, but the individuals on the team generally have specific ways they like to work. Often this goes against whatever the desired change is.
When new ideas are being introduced, it’s important to be mindful of how changes are communicated and implemented to avoid triggering a reactance response.
By involving the team in the change process and providing clear, compelling reasons for new initiatives, managers can help reduce resistance and foster a more cooperative and productive team environment.
🎯 Here are some key takeaways:
Involve the team in decision-making
Encouraging participation in the decision-making process can mitigate reactance and foster a sense of ownership among team members.
Introduce changes gradually
Abrupt changes can trigger reactance. Introducing changes gradually and with clear communication can help ease the transition.
Highlight the rationale behind decisions
Understanding the 'why' behind changes can reduce resistance, as team members feel respected and informed.
Respect personal and team workflows
While standardization is important, allowing some degree of personalization in workflows can maintain a sense of autonomy.
Avoid overt persuasion
Subtle guidance is often more effective than overt persuasion, which can trigger a reactance response.
📚 Keep exploring
To dive deeper into the topic of Reactance and its implications for change manageent, check out these resources:
