Immunity to Change

How to create change that lasts

Coaching involves a process of transformation, with enduring and sustainable change being that can be integrated into personal development plans. It's common to revert to previous thought patterns and behaviours, which is why I appreciate the Immunity to Change process. It's also an excellent tool for facilitating discussions. Below I've used an example of the process for a common challenge that leaders face and that is not sharing their workload across their teams.

1. Identify the Commitment to Change

• What to do: Define a personal or organizational improvement goal that matters deeply and feels important to achieve.

• Key question: What do I want to improve or change in my behaviour or performance?

• Example: "I want to foster a culture of shared accountability and responsibility to empower my team."

2. Surface the "Doing/Not Doing" Behaviour

• What to do: Reflect on the current actions or inactions that contradict the stated goal.

• Key question: What am I doing (or not doing) that works against achieving this goal?

• Example: "I tend to retain ownership of tasks rather than fostering shared responsibility, which limits my team’s ability to step up."

3. Uncover Hidden Competing Commitments

• What to do: Explore why the problematic behaviour persists by identifying "competing commitments." These are unconscious commitments or fears that conflict with the stated goal.

• Key question: What fear or concern might be motivating the counterproductive behaviour?

• Example: I’m committed to maintaining control to ensure success, which prevents me from creating opportunities for shared ownership."

4. Reveal the Big Assumption(s)

• What to do: Identify the underlying beliefs (big assumptions) that drive the competing commitments. These assumptions often feel like truths but can limit progress.

• Key question: What belief sustains my competing commitment?

• Example: "I assume that if I don’t maintain direct responsibility for outcomes, projects will suffer, and my leadership might be questioned."

5. Test the Assumptions

• What to do: Develop experiments or small actions to test whether the big assumptions are valid. This helps weaken the power of the assumptions and opens pathways for new behaviours.

• Key question: How can I challenge or disprove this assumption in a low-stakes way?

• Example: "Invite a team member to co-own a project and agree on shared responsibilities. Support them as needed while observing how shared ownership impacts outcomes."

6. Take Action to Support Change

• What to do: Use insights from the experiments to intentionally adopt new behaviours that align with the stated goal. Continuously reflect on progress and adjust actions.

• Key question: What new behaviours can I practice to replace the old ones?

• Example:  "Intentionally share ownership of tasks and outcomes, celebrate collective achievements, and focus on supporting the team’s growth and confidence."