How to Deal With a ‘change blocker’ at work (video)

Picture this.

You're new to your job or team. You’ve specifically been brought into the team to help bring new ideas and ways of working as part of a larger transformation or change initiative already underway.

One day, while sharing an idea in a meeting with another team member who has been in the organization for quite some time, that team member pipes up and says, "I liked it better when the other guy was here," referring to ‘the other guy’ who was in your role before you arrived.

What do you do?

I actually had a similar scenario happen to me recently at a client that I was working with. And, believe it or not, this wasn’t the first time something like this has happened, nor the first company it’s happened at. As someone who often comes into an organization as part of a change initiative or a huge transformation, I've experienced similar moments more times than I care to admit.

I even have a sort of nickname for the type of team member or co-worker who would make such a statement.

I call them: Change Blockers.

Change blockers resist change by resisting you - the agent of change.

So what happens when you encounter a coworker who is a change blocker? Aka, somebody who's trying to block you at work, or somebody who's throwing all kinds of shade or drama your way, and is making the working relationship close to impossible, and definitely very uncomfortable.

How do you avoid the feeling of being in constant conflict with this person even when you're not quite sure what the problem is?
The short answer is: Avert your energy.

Going toe-to-toe with a change blocker rarely results in anything other than more conflict and more frustration… for you. Which is exactly what the change blocker wants. A person who is resistant to change will consciously or unconsciously do anything to keep change initiatives from progressing, while making themselves out to be either victim or hero.

I’ve developed a few strategies for dealing with change blockers and other similarly difficult team members. These strategies have worked very well in the past and have kept me focused on what it is that I'm trying to do or what I've been hired to do while negating, navigating around or completely disarming the change blocker.

If you've had a similar experience and are looking for ways to navigate around a change blocker or other negative or difficult coworker, check out my tips in the video below.