Discover Rick Maurer’s brilliant concept for managing change and stakeholder engagement effectively, as highlighted in his book Beyond the Wall of Resistance.
Transcript
This is a brilliant concept from a dear friend and colleague, Rick Maurer. I think everybody should get his book called Beyond the Wall of Resistance. Rick came up with the idea of the energy bar, which measures where the energy lies and how much energy a key stakeholder has for a particular change initiative. The spectrum ranges from active resistance to indifference, neutrality, and all the way up to being an ally. In fact, Rick has an online tool on his website, and I’ll make sure you have the URL. You can visit his website, click on the tool, enter the data, and it will give you suggestions on how to move people.
My idea, which I shared with Rick, is that people need to evaluate every single stakeholder, especially those who might make the process difficult or whose support is crucial. Assess where they currently stand and consider what actions could move them just one step further. You’re not asking someone to go from being a resistor to an ally—that’s asking too much. Instead, approach the person and say, “By the way, we see you as a resistor right now or as a grumbler. Is that accurate?” Quite often, they will agree. Then ask, “What would it take to move you just one step? What do you need from us? What would help you move?” Nine times out of ten, they’ll tell you what they need—whether it’s information, data, or assurance that the initiative won’t fail. If you can provide what they need, ask, “Would you be open to moving just one step?” Quite often, they’ll go much farther than that one step.
