Before coming to your training, please do the following:
Some associates may exhibit ambivalence and resistance toward making changes in their lives. This lesson will help you understand possible causes of ambivalence and resistance, the role of empathy and other Motivational Interviewing techniques in handling them, and how to deal with them in particular scenarios.
The word ambivalence is defined as “1: simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action; 2 a: continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite) b: uncertainty as to which approach to follow“ (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Eleventh Edition [2014], 39).
From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.
Review the definition of ambivalence quoted above. Then, as a group, discuss the following questions:
Individually, take a few minutes to ponder and record what you have learned about ambivalence. Then think of a particular associate who is struggling with ambivalence. Record a few possible causes for that associate’s ambivalence and how you can help that associate.
If you feel comfortable doing so, share your impressions or ask for feedback from the rest of the group.
Think of a situation in which you or someone you know struggled to make a decision. In small groups, discuss the following questions:
After everyone has shared an experience, discuss the following questions:
How can Rosengren’s approach help you as a job coach trainer deal with an ambivalent associate?
“So then, how does the practitioner explore and resolve ambivalence beyond that early stage? The answer, which . . . has been present since the earliest writings on motivational interviewing (Miller, 1983), is to be directive and selectively elicit and reinforce change talk“ (David B. Rosengren, Building Motivational Interviewing Skills: A Practitioner Workbook [2009], 198).
As a group, discuss the following questions:
Choose a behavior or an issue that an associate is or might be ambivalent about. Then have two volunteers role-play the situation: one of them will play the ambivalent associate, and the other one will play the job coach trainer. The job coach trainer should use Rosengren’s approach to help the ambivalent associate move toward deciding to change.
After the role-play, as a group discuss what insights you gained from this activity.
From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.
Think of a time in which you, or someone close to you, resisted a change. Ponder the following questions and record your answers in your learner's journal:
Share your thoughts with the rest of the group. Make sure you address possible causes for resistance, how resistance was met, how this seemed to increase or decrease resistance, and what lessons you learned about resistance.
As a group, discuss the article “Mastering Positive Coaching: Rolling with Resistance“ (Jennifer Reintjes and Tim Gould, Deseret Employment Quarterly Newsletter, 18–20). Use the following questions to drive your discussion.
On the board, have a volunteer create a chart that will be used to identify three different associates, each experiencing resistance to a particular change of behavior. This chart will be used to keep track of how each of the questions below apply to these associates.
As a group, decide which three associates you will discuss for this activity. You can use associates with whom you work, create fictitious associates that embody a common resistance to a particular behavioral change, or use a combination of these options. If you use current associates or situations, be sure to use fake names to maintain confidentiality.
As a group, discuss the following questions for each of the associates. Record your answers on the chart.
Once you have recorded these answers on the board, read the following quote:
“Distrust, anger, sadness, and hurt are often at the root of resistance“ (Jennifer Reintjes and Tim Gould, “Mastering Positive Coaching: Rolling with Resistance,“ Deseret Employment Quarterly Newsletter, 19).
Then, as a group, discuss the following questions:
According to the article you read for today’s lesson, empathy is a good way to respond to resistance because it can establish trust and help associates feel understood. One way you can show empathy is by using reflective listening skills.
From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.
As a group, review the following forms of reflective listening. (See also Jennifer Reintjes and Tim Gould, “Mastering Positive Coaching: Rolling with Resistance,” Deseret Employment Quarterly Newsletter; David B. Rosengren, Building Motivational Interviewing Skills: A Practitioner Workbook.)
Individually, complete “Exercise: Rolling with Resistance” (Jennifer Reintjes and Tim Gould, “Mastering Positive Coaching: Rolling with Resistance,” Deseret Employment Quarterly Newsletter, 20). Use different reflective listening forms for each of your two responses to each of the associate’s statements.
Divide into pairs. Take turns role-playing responding to each associate’s statement using reflective listening. You may use your own statements, statements from your group discussion, or others you may think of on the spot.
As a group, discuss the following question:
Watch the video “Rolling with Resistance: Role Play, Demo.” As you watch the video, consider the following questions:
After watching the video, as a group, discuss your answers to these questions. Come up with three to five resistant statements the group has heard from associates and write them on the board. Respond to each resistant statement by using three reflective statements. (See also Jennifer Reintjes and Tim Gould, “Mastering Positive Coaching: Rolling with Resistance,” Deseret Employment Quarterly Newsletter, 20.)
Divide into pairs. With your partner, review the different forms of reflective listening, listed in Lesson 4.13. Then role-play two of the scenarios you worked on in activity 3 of “Understanding Resistance.” If you did not do this activity, choose two of the following scenarios or create your own. After completing one scenario, switch roles with your partner so that both of you get to practice using reflective listening when encountering resistance in associates.
Arjun is an associate. He has many work behaviors that could be improved to help him become work-adjusted. After browsing the AWARE form, he says, “I don’t have any work behaviors I need to work on. I’m good at all of them."
Chloe consistently texts and checks her phone throughout the day. This has happened three days in a row. She explains, “I can work just fine with my cell phone. It’s my phone anyway, and I should be able to have it with me while I work.”
Samuel is a non-English–speaking immigrant. He has been a hard worker at Deseret Industries for the past 16 months. He has grown very comfortable with his position and does not want to leave Deseret Industries. Furthermore, Samuel feels he still does not have the English skills to get a job with another company. Samuel says, “I will work to find a good job when I feel ready.”
Olga is very socially isolated and struggles to reach her goals due to lack of social support. She says, “I don’t want to have a mentor meeting. I’m not sure why someone else needs to know my goals.”
Seek to identify a personal or business gap or need.
Spend a few minutes silently pondering what you've discussed during this lesson. Listen as the Holy Ghost helps you identify areas where you can improve. Record your impressions in your learner's journal under the question “What Lack I Yet?”
Seek ways to close the gap or develop the required talent(s) to meet the need.
With the guidance of the Spirit, create your plan of how you will improve and close the gap(s) you have identified. You may use one or more of the exercises below, your own strategy, or a combination of both. Record this plan in your learner's journal under “What Must I Do?”
After a few minutes, those who are comfortable doing so can share their impressions with the group.
Seek understanding, and then share what you learned.
During the week, focus on implementing the plan you created. Record your impressions or lessons learned in your learner's journal under “Therefore, What?” You will be given time at the beginning of next week's lesson to share your experience with the group.
Use this material if you would like to learn more about how to roll with resistance.