It is a myth that people resist change. People resist what other people make them do, not what they themselves choose to do. Professionals like to be part of the decision-making and problem-solving process. However, that absolutely does not mean that a group leader's role is merely that of facilitator, devoid of opinions. It means that you must be good at creating feasible alternative options, and good at helping people reason through the options, gently bringing to their attention considerations they may not have taken into account.

As Michael Hodges (of global real estate advisers Jones Lang Lasalle) commented to us:

We have found that many senior people do not immediately see the need for change. It only becomes apparent that change is an essential step once individuals become aware and accept that their view of the world may not be the same as that of their peers. At this point the need for change becomes an inevitability. It is first important to recognize how dysfunctional our own individual visions of success can be. A group exercise which enables members to compare their own personal view of the challenges facing the company and where the company is going can quickly create the context for change.

You need to spend time with one person at a time. Think about what motivates each professional, so that you can match your discussion of the issue to that person's individual interests.

Here are a few steps to take to gain individual support for change:

1.  Describe the situation and how it affects the individual and the group.

If you firmly believe this to be an important issue, then to initiate change, you must start by creating a "call to action." A certain degree of zeal needs to accompany the announcement of change as a priority.

Be as specific as possible about the effects of the situation, problem, or issue. Describe how it will make or is currently making work for both of you more difficult, more stressful, more costly, less satisfying, more time consuming, such that it lessens your ability to provide for the level of client quality that you would wish. Decide what effects to stress based on your knowledge of the individual you need to influence.

2.  Discuss the stake you both have in addressing the situation

This is your opportunity for soliciting the counsel of your colleague, beginning to transform this from being your issue to our issue.

You may very well have thought this issue through and formed your own opinion as to the best course of action. However, if your team member gets the impression that you are merely going through the motions in an attempt to persuade her to accept your plan, you diminish your chances of obtaining her support. Accept that while you may have devoted significant time to this issue, others in your group may offer improvements to the initial thinking, or may even come up with a far better way to approach the issue.

3. Offer options you see, and ask for comments on their relative merits.

Briefly explain what you've been thinking, and how the various options might benefit this particular person and how they might benefit the group.

4. Ask your colleague for assistance in addressing any concerns that may arise.

Make sure the person fully understands the consequences and implications of each possible path of action. Ask for his opinion and reaction to each of the ideas. Probe for any resistance, hesitation, or negative reactions so you can get them out and can deal with them. By engaging your colleague's assistance in your efforts, he becomes more of a champion to the cause.

5. Ask for the specific support you need and explain what you will do.

Be very specific about what you need (time, funding, approvals, colleague assistance, or certain project parameters) to implement any action plan. Ask for her individual support.

Explain what you will do. People are more likely to give support willingly if they see your own willingness to pitch in.

6. Express your appreciation

Convey your appreciation for whatever level of commitment you have received, even if it is not all you had hoped for.

For more information about First Among Equals, a "playbook" of real-world examples and self-evaluation materials for managing professionals, visit www.firstamongequals.com

PATRICK J. MCKENNA is a widely recognized expert on managing professional service firms and a partner in Edge International in Edmonton, Canada, a consulting firm serving professional service firms throughout the world. He is the co-author of two Canadian Top 10 management bestsellers, Beyond Knowing and Herding Cats.

DAVID H. MAISTER, one of the world's leading authorities on the management of professional service firms, is the author of Managing the Professional Service Firm, True Professionalism, and Practice What You Preach, and co-author of The Trust Advisor.