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WSDOT official: build allies one‑by‑one to overcome resistance to change
Summary
WSDOT's risk official described tactics for overcoming skepticism about major procedural changes: explain why this iteration differs from past attempts, recruit early advocates and let them help persuade others, and be persistent without being frustrated.
Responding to audience questions about resistance to change, Mike said large policy shifts often face skepticism because prior attempts failed. He advised project teams to explain clearly "why it's gonna be different this time" and to recruit early advocates who can then persuade colleagues.
"You get somebody who is kind of not really on board, getting them on board, and then they help get the next person on board, and pretty soon they're they're advocates," he said. Mike framed the work as incremental ally‑building rather than top‑down edicts and said leadership support was important but not always sufficient without grassroots buy‑in.
