One chilly evening in July, an enthusiastic group of change practitioners gathered at the Syrene Boutique Hotel for the inaugural and Change Community forum. Excitement was in the air and it took the master of ceremonies, Nic, several minutes to settle the crowd so that Tom could give us a brief introduction to the Prosci® Resistance Report. Tom also explored some techniques and practical suggestions to manage resistance to change.

Tom presented some of his insights into the research including teasers about planning for resistance on a strategic level.

We also gained some useful insights into the cultural contexts for resistance behaviors. South Africa is a unique country and understanding the resistance we face can help us to tackle it creatively. Tom had some great ideas and some of the other practitioners chipped in with their experiences.

After the presentation, a lively discussion broke out. Our group of change practitioners enjoyed opening up about their problems and experiences. Tom shared some personal experiences about managing resistance to change in South Africa.

The evening wound down with snacks and cocktails while we laughed together over creative ideas for engaging with sponsors. We heard about practitioners hanging out in the smoking areas and lying in wait for unsuspecting project managers in the parking lot. We enjoyed being able to share stories with other change managers about facing resistance to change. To be a part of such a fun community session was both enlightening and inspiring and we left with a sense of being part of something bigger.