Many change initiatives fail to deliver what they set out to do, so it is perhaps not surprising that this is an area where people turn to neuroscience to solve problems; While it doesn’t have all the answers, neuroscience sheds light on why change management often ends up being a waste of time.

By considering how the brain works and why people behave that way, we begin to get to the root of the problem; and new approaches to change management are already emerging from the research.

Here are seven ideas you might want to consider before launching your next change program.

1. People don’t like change.

Our brains have an automatic survival instinct and when threatened, the ‘barriers’ go up. Change by definition means upsetting the status quo and introducing unpredictability about the future. This instinctively triggers the survival fight/flight state of the brain; we are incapable of engaging in ‘higher thinking’ when in this threatened state, so it is not surprising that decision-making suffers.

2. People like to be in control.

Our brains are much calmer when they feel in control of the situation; again, the nature of change means that this is not the case when we are asked to start doing things differently. Surprising people is not the way to maintain performance – the process must be managed with clear information communicated every step of the way.

3. People want to feel part of the group.

Trying to force change on people who feel alienated from the ‘group’ is never going to work. It will be strongly resisted. Efforts to introduce change must be preceded by efforts to foster a comfortable work environment in which everyone feels part of the group and contributes to it.

4. people want choice

Being in control means having the freedom to make decisions. The change that people choose for themselves is almost always more effective than the imposed change; So instead of simply conveying what will happen in the future, leaders could help people draw their own conclusions. They will then feel that they have contributed to the process rather than just another ‘cog in the wheel’, and this raises engagement levels.

5. Our brains are always changing.

It is a mistake to think that people cannot change, no matter how old they are. Neuroscience shows that our brains can change and develop well into old age. This means that we can all change and learn, if we have enough positive reasons to do so; it also means that we can always change ingrained habits.

6. dopamine is addictive

Even the smallest changes have the ability to trigger dopamine production. Dopamine is sometimes referred to as the “reward” chemical. It works as a neurotransmitter that sends signals to other nerve cells; most addictive drugs increase the release of dopamine. Providing goal-oriented tasks in the workplace can help stimulate production, as this increases a sense of accomplishment, as does achieving your own knowledge, being recognized among peers, and remembering successes rather than failures.

7. people are emotional

Leaving your emotions at the door when you go to work is impossible. People are essentially emotional beings, and the words of leaders have a great impact on how they feel. These feelings are also contagious, so negative or positive emotions can multiply quickly in the workplace. Rather than talk about ‘transformational change’, it might be better to focus on what people will personally get out of the change, so that positive emotions are triggered.

Too often in organizations, people are an afterthought in change programs and seen as “obstacles” that must be overcome to achieve what the organization wants. This must change if the change itself is to be more accepted and successful.