CIO OPINION
We simply must traverse the discomfort to reach our destination as there is no way to bury our heads in the sand and teleport to the desired destination .
Pravesh Parbhoo , Head : Sales and Solution , Altron Karabina
African enterprises need to learn how to build bridges over resistance
African leaders would do well to approach change with an open mind , and rather than deny or attempt to escape resistance , leaders can use awareness to propel the organisation forward says Pravesh Parbhoo at Altron Karabina .
The world is going through unprecedented change as new technologies change the very fabric of our world . This means change management is as important today as it has ever been and an important aspect here is a willingness to accept being vulnerable and a commitment to sticking to the course , which will be characterised by fear and resistance .
Think about it , few people wake up every day seeking out disruption , it is human nature to gravitate toward a state of calm and avoid situations that make us uncomfortable . This happens even when much effort is put into addressing people ’ s doubts and highlighting the positive outcomes or opportunities that the change can bring . And as such , resistance to change is as inevitable as change itself .
However , change for the better is simply impossible without facing discomfort . One cannot transition directly from a place of resistance and fear to one of enthusiasm in a single step . That would be no different to tossing together many ingredients in a bowl , placing it in the oven and expecting a cake at the end , without having conducted all the steps in between – you will not get the result you were looking for .
We simply must traverse the discomfort to reach our destination as there is no way to bury our heads in the sand and teleport to the desired destination .
38 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www . intelligentcio . com