London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/05/2013 -- Barry Florin, Managing Consultant at London-based Cortex Consulting has completed the "Immunity to Change" workshop on the campus of Harvard University.

It is a tradition in the western world to make New Year’s Resolutions. These resolutions are usually health based and deal with such things as exercise, losing weight or eliminating life-threatening habits like smoking. The need to make a change is always very clear to the person making the resolution.

The fact is that most of these well-meaning and important life-changing resolutions will disappear without a trace by the end of January, even with a direct debit reminder, from the health club.

This illustrates the point that no matter how strong one’s motivation, real change is one of the most difficult things to bring about, both in and out of the workplace.

The “Immunity-to-Change” process offers a roadmap for successful change.

There are a variety of dictionary definitions for “immunity” with the word generally carrying the connotation of protecting us from something. A person can be immune from a disease or can be immune from prosecution in a criminal case.

A person’s immune system can also put their lives at risk when it comes to rejecting a life-saving organ transplant, so immunity is not always a good thing.

Human beings carry with them a complex mixture of internalized beliefs and behaviors that enable them to survive in the private and commercial worlds they inhabit. This belief system enables them to manage life on a day-to-day basis, by offering themselves immunity from possible or perceived harm and keeping them safely within their own operational comfort zones. Unfortunately their personalized “immunity” systems can also severely limit their potential for personal growth and success.

For those people who are content with their lot in life, this system works quite well. However, in the business world where organizational survival requires constant innovation and change there is a need for leaders who are willing and able to face up to the self-limiting behaviors that are holding themselves and their companies back and take the steps needed to move outside of their comfort zones.

The “Immunity-to-Change” tool has proven itself to be valuable contribution to the field of executive coaching and change management.

Barry Florin has now integrated the tool into his coaching practice http://cortexuk.com.