Is it Time to Suppress Your Immunity … to Change?
“Often, the very things we most wish to change are the most difficult to touch because they are protected by fears we have not examined." – Lisa Lahey, EdD, co-author of "Immunity to Change”
It was a statistic that immediately caught my attention. The overall best-selling book on Amazon for both 2021 AND 2023 was “Atomic Habits” by James Clear about building and changing habits. My surprise was not that the book was so popular (I have found his model helpful), but rather best expressed by that exasperated “little voice” in my head saying, “If this model so popular, where’s all the change happening!?” Despite all we “know” about change, “change resistance” continues to be tenacious and persistent. Why is it so challenging to alter habits or adopt new practices even when we anticipate positive benefits and have practical models to guide us?
For example, a seasoned physician sets a goal to become more technologically adept to enhance patient engagement and clinical efficiency. Or a colleague is determined to incorporate more patient-centered communication in their practice. Yet, despite their sincere efforts, they find themselves continually reverting to more ingrained methods. . These struggles are not unique; they mirror the many examples in healthcare alone where personal growth and professional effectiveness clash with ingrained habits and tenacious “invisible” forces.
This enigma is brilliantly addressed in the Immunity to Change model described by Robert Kegan, PhD and Lisa Lahey, EdD, which offers profound insights into our internal resistance to change. Their model suggests that our resistance to change is not just due to external barriers but even more so by internal psychological “immunity.” This resistance is composed of deeply held beliefs and hidden commitments that contradict our conscious goals and their accompanying powerful, though perhaps subconscious, emotions. In order to overcome these forces, they posit we must follow four key steps: identifying a commitment to change, uncovering the behaviors that work against this commitment, digging deeper to find the hidden competing commitments, and finally, challenging the underlying assumptions that support these commitments.
In the examples above, one might be committed to become more technologically savvy, but have subtle behaviors working against it – like avoiding training sessions or relying excessively on staff for digital tasks. The “hidden” commitment here might be the belief that these technologies could depersonalize patient care. The underlying assumption? "If I embrace technology fully, I might lose the personal touch in my practice." Or one might aim to be more empathic but subconsciously fear losing objectivity, thus creating an internal conflict. The “hidden” assumption could be the belief that emotional detachment is necessary for effective decision-making. By applying the Immunity to Change model, new skills which balance empathy with objectivity can be learned, thus aligning actions with aspirations.
This model is more than a tool; it's a mirror reflecting our deepest fears and assumptions when it comes to changing ingrained habits and beliefs. This week, consider a desired change, whether personal or professional, that has been persistently resistant to change. Click on the link above and work through the model to determine where your “change autoimmunity” might need some “immune suppression.” Consider sharing what you are discovering with your PeerRx partner so they can help provide you some encouragement as well as accountability as you take action to overcome this resistance. For those hard to change areas of your life, it might be just what the doctor ordered ….