We have all heard the saying, “The only constant is change.” So, why is change so hard to do? Why is there so much resistance to change? It may have a lot to do with what I refer to as the king principle. Imagine you are king of your domain and everyone must do what they are told. Why would you encourage, promote, instigate or even consider change? Change is the last thing you want. The king principle goes even further to explain why change is so hard. The king is in a position to influence others; he may talk change or a clever king may put people in power that are mere puppets. The result is a lot of talk with no real change. To further illustrate the point, the king became such by doing things a certain way. Why would the people close to him—sharing in the good life—want change? It is very reminiscent of American politics.
Now consider your firm is the one with major market share; competitors envy your success, you’re sitting on top of the world. In this position, you will do almost anything but change. People tell you that change will be good. While it might be that, it can also change who is now king. So, now we understand why change can be hard.