You change [fill in the blank (too fast/too slow)]. If you said “too fast,” then I’m talking to you today.

I’m a too-fast changer. I’ve cost myself millions of dollars in revenues, countless excellent employees, and more sleepless nights than I can count. I’ve pushed too hard, I’ve yelled at people, and I’ve embarrassed myself repeatedly. I’ve made big mistakes when it comes to change.

Today, I’ll show you how to make change without damaging yourself, your people, and your reputation.

Managing Resistance to Change

Here’s the deal, “fast changer,” so listen up: you’re overdoing it. You’re creating more problems than you’re solving. You need to slow down—way, way down.

We work in a profession that is extremely resistant to change. Your lawyers are conservative (even the political liberals). They choose their path—college, law school, working for you—because it’s a safe, conservative path. They are predisposed to resist change—all change.

There’s a reason they didn’t start their own businesses. There’s a reason they didn’t take a risk on a “new,” different career path. These are conservative, risk-averse people. They view change with suspicion. They don’t like change. They’re comfortable with the status quo. They’d like you to leave things alone and stop screwing with their world.

Don’t misread me. Don’t assume that I think change resistance is bad. I don’t intend to convey that there’s something wrong with resisting change. Everyone is different. Some people love change. Some resist. The resistance is just the position of many lawyers. Accept it, work with it, and work within it.

Rosen’s Theory of Change

Here’s my experience:

It takes two years from the time you introduce a major change to your lawyers before the change is fully adopted as the new normal.

Example:

You announce that you’re going paperless. Two years from now, it’ll be normal. Between now and then, you’ll encounter resistance in a variety of forms. They’ll resist by using paper, hiding paper, complaining about the lack of paper, arguing with you about why it’s a bad idea, explaining why it’s not going to work, etc. It’ll take two full years before everyone thinks being paperless is the way things should work.

Here’s what’s really weird: after two years, if you reverse course and change back to using paper, it’ll take two full years for them to again accept using paper. When you go back to paper, you’ll get all the same resistance. It’s just the way they roll. It is what it is.

I’ve encountered the resistance over and over.

• It happened when we adopted a computerized practice management system.
• It happened again when we moved that system to the cloud.
• It happened when we got rid of attorney offices and moved to a newsroom group office arrangement.
• Again when we moved to working from home.
• Again when we expanded to other cities.
• Again when we eliminated phone handsets.
• Again when we went to fixed fees.
• Again every time we change compensation systems.

The resistance is to be expected. Managing it is your job. Expecting people to change at your pace is not going to happen. You are the change manager. Treat change with respect. Give it your full attention. Don’t expect it to happen without a great deal of effort on your part.

You’ve been coming up with new ideas and adopting them. You go to a seminar, read a book, or talk to an expert and learn about something new. You come back to your team and roll it out. You expect the change to be adopted.

What happens? You get the resistance. Often, for those who come back with too many ideas, the resistance comes in the form of a revolving door of employees. You change; they go. It repeats itself over and over. You start to believe that the fastest path to change is to replace your entire team. That’s a big mistake.

How Should You Handle Change?

1. First, slow down. Carefully consider any changes you wish to adopt, especially changes affecting the lawyers. Is the change worth making? Don’t rush to do the latest thing until you’ve had a chance to carefully consider it.
2. Second, get buy-in from the key players. Talk to them in advance. Minimize the resistance from the vocal opinion leaders. Get them on board first. This is not a one-conversation undertaking. Give them time to come on board.
3. Third, announce the change well in advance of actually doing anything. Give people time to ask questions, give feedback, and wallow around in the idea. Then, announce it again and again and again. Spend a few months talking about what’s coming. Talk about it until you can’t stand talking about it. Do it in group meetings and one to one.
4. Fourth, make the change and talk about it. Invite feedback. Make small modifications to accommodate the resistance (plan some concessions so you’ll be ready when the time comes). Keep an open dialogue with the chief resistors. Acknowledge their issues, but keep moving forward. Don’t blow up on them. Keep calm: they’re just doing what they do. They’re normal to resist; it’s you, the fast changer, who falls outside of the normal range.
5. Finally, let time pass before you start on the next big thing. Give them time to settle down. Don’t push them too hard too fast. They’ll come along for the journey if you treat them respectfully and meet their emotional needs. Just give them what they need as you gently push and pull. It’s worth it in the long run, and these folks will be no different than another batch. Work with the people you’ve got.

Big changes are an important part of moving forward. Adapting to an evolving external environment is essential. In all new situations, there are winners as well as losers. The winners are those who manage change while continuing to keep clients happy, generate revenues, and maintain a healthy bottom line. Manage the change well, and you’ll be a winner.

You can go from changing too fast to changing “just right.” Pick your changes carefully, and give your people information and understanding plus sufficient time, and you’ll strike the right balance while you make great progress.