An obscure word keeps cropping up in business

From a business perspective it is becoming increasingly important to understand the obstacles to change, the psychology of change, what works and what doesn’t, according to the new book Rethinking the Corporation. Hard wired in the human brain is what psychologists call misoneism, defined as hatred, fear or intolerance of innovation or change. Right at the start that is a tough hill to climb.

There is resistance to new products, ideas, or methods that come from the outside.

Underlying the fear of change is the vague uneasiness that people feel that somehow, in some undefined way, change isn’t going to be good for them. Another obstacle blocking the path is the not-invented-here (NIH) attitude that exists in many companies. There is resistance to new products, ideas, or methods that come from the outside.

Then there is the reality of entrenched bureaucracy, the notion that this is the way we have always done it. This can breed fierce resistance on the one hand, or timidity about challenging the status quo. Charles Kettering, the inventive genius credited with jump-starting General Motors, is quoted as having challenged his people with this comment, “If you have always done it this way, it is probably wrong.”

In the quest to make changes that solve problems, short cuts can sabotage the effort, according to the book. It is important to start with an understanding of the root cause of the problem. Starting in the wrong place is likely to result in ending in the wrong place.