resistance to change
Resistance to Change
MGT 426
Laurence Saidman
One of the many characteristics that add to the scarcity of change being implemented successfully within organizations is the resistance to change. Resistance to change is to be expected at some level in any organization, and can bring out a resilient reaction. The resistance may come in various forms and can be the main destroyer of vision and progress within many organizations. Resistance to change can poison the whole process of change (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2006). How can resistance be identified, and what can be done to overcome the resistance?
Organizational Resistance
Organizational resistance can come in many forms. There are seven symptoms that there is an active resistance in the workplace, and the symptoms may be passive or active in nature. The symptoms are “being critical, finding fault, ridiculing, appealing to fear, using facts selectively, blaming or accusing and sabotaging (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2006)”. Surprisingly according to a study done in 2005 the majority of resistance to change comes from the “leaders” in the company, mainly middle management (Rock 2008). The reasons management was resistant was because they were not personally aware of a need for a change, they thought that they would lose “power”, they were overloaded with responsibilities, they did not have proper training or education, and fears/doubts in general.
Individual Resistance
Individuals have many reasons for being resistant to change. They may fear being job lay-offs, they may have a lack of knowledge about the business and what it needs to progress, individuals may have a lack of training, may feel an uncertainty if there are not enough details shared regarding the change, they may perceive the change will affect directly in an adverse way. Others may simply be comfortable with routine, are attached to the current way of doing things and may even feel that the change is not needed or
MGT 426
Laurence Saidman
One of the many characteristics that add to the scarcity of change being implemented successfully within organizations is the resistance to change. Resistance to change is to be expected at some level in any organization, and can bring out a resilient reaction. The resistance may come in various forms and can be the main destroyer of vision and progress within many organizations. Resistance to change can poison the whole process of change (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2006). How can resistance be identified, and what can be done to overcome the resistance?
Organizational Resistance
Organizational resistance can come in many forms. There are seven symptoms that there is an active resistance in the workplace, and the symptoms may be passive or active in nature. The symptoms are “being critical, finding fault, ridiculing, appealing to fear, using facts selectively, blaming or accusing and sabotaging (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2006)”. Surprisingly according to a study done in 2005 the majority of resistance to change comes from the “leaders” in the company, mainly middle management (Rock 2008). The reasons management was resistant was because they were not personally aware of a need for a change, they thought that they would lose “power”, they were overloaded with responsibilities, they did not have proper training or education, and fears/doubts in general.
Individual Resistance
Individuals have many reasons for being resistant to change. They may fear being job lay-offs, they may have a lack of knowledge about the business and what it needs to progress, individuals may have a lack of training, may feel an uncertainty if there are not enough details shared regarding the change, they may perceive the change will affect directly in an adverse way. Others may simply be comfortable with routine, are attached to the current way of doing things and may even feel that the change is not needed or
References: Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2006). Managing Organizational Change. New York, NY: McGraw Hill - Irwin. Mind Tools. (2012). Lewin’s Change Management Model. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_94.htm