147: Innovation Resistance: How Stories Overcome Flight, Fight, and Freeze

In the fourth and final episode of my series on the Innovation Storytellers Show with Peter Temes, CEO and Founder of the Institute for Innovation at Large Organizations (ILO), we explore the complex world of innovation resistance. 

This episode, a culmination of insightful discussions on trust, the evolution of innovation rules, and the innovation awareness gap, takes a closer look at innovators' challenges when introducing new ideas within their organizations.

The conversation opens by acknowledging a common experience many innovators share: the frustration of seeing a groundbreaking idea get ignored, sidelined by office politics, or outright rejected. I share a thought-provoking statistic from the Harvard Business Review, which suggests a significant portion of organizational changes fail due to employee resistance, mainly stemming from inadequate communication about the change's rationale and benefits.

Together, we discuss empathy maps as essential tools for understanding the benefits and drawbacks of change from an employee's perspective. This approach is central to navigating the "pain and gain" dynamic crucial to overcoming innovation resistance.

The episode further explores the nature of resistance, which often arises from a deep-rooted human bias toward overvaluing fear over opportunity. Peter shares personal anecdotes and professional experiences, highlighting how natural it is for individuals and organizations to cling to the status quo. He discusses the importance of viewing resistance not as an obstacle but as a valuable signal that can inform and refine the innovation process.

One of the most compelling parts of the discussion revolves around the idea that resistance to change is inevitable and necessary. It prompts organizations to examine their approaches critically and consider how to communicate better and implement change. Peter emphasizes the transformative potential of approaching resistance with empathy, understanding, and strategic communication.