Organization and Resistance
UNIT 3 RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
An important element of any change initiative which is resistance to change
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Define resistance to change.
2. Explain the life cycle of resistance to change.
3. Discuss the causes of resistance.
4. Describe the strategies to manage resistance. * WHAT IS RESISTANCE TO CHANGE?
Change creates anxiety, uncertainty and stress, even for those managing change
Seldom are there any guarantees that the new approach will work - will deliver the goods
As organisational problems emerge, managers attempt to take corrective actions which often affect patterns of work values, and in consequence meet with resistance
The problems most likely to be encountered are associated with human resistance to changing patterns of work behaviour.
* THE LIFE CYCLE OF RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
By Brown and Harvey (2006)
The response to change tends to move through a life cycle comprising of five phases :
Phase 1 :
See the need for change {identified in the first step of Kotter’s model} and take reform seriously. The resistance looks massive and the change program may die, or it may continue to grow.
Large organisations seem to have more difficulty bringing about change.
Phase 2 :
As the movement for change begins to grow the forces for and against it become identifiable.
The change is discussed, and is more thoroughly understood by a greater number of staff.
Greater understanding may lessen the perceived threat of the change. Gradually the novelty and strangeness of the change tends to disappear
Phase 3 :
There is a direct conflict between the force for and against change
Those in the organisation who see the change as good and needed often find it difficult to believe how far the opposition will go to put a stop to the change.
Phase 4 :
There is still a possibility that the resisters will mobilise enough support to shift the balance of power from the supporters.
Wisdom is necessary in dealing
An important element of any change initiative which is resistance to change
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Define resistance to change.
2. Explain the life cycle of resistance to change.
3. Discuss the causes of resistance.
4. Describe the strategies to manage resistance. * WHAT IS RESISTANCE TO CHANGE?
Change creates anxiety, uncertainty and stress, even for those managing change
Seldom are there any guarantees that the new approach will work - will deliver the goods
As organisational problems emerge, managers attempt to take corrective actions which often affect patterns of work values, and in consequence meet with resistance
The problems most likely to be encountered are associated with human resistance to changing patterns of work behaviour.
* THE LIFE CYCLE OF RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
By Brown and Harvey (2006)
The response to change tends to move through a life cycle comprising of five phases :
Phase 1 :
See the need for change {identified in the first step of Kotter’s model} and take reform seriously. The resistance looks massive and the change program may die, or it may continue to grow.
Large organisations seem to have more difficulty bringing about change.
Phase 2 :
As the movement for change begins to grow the forces for and against it become identifiable.
The change is discussed, and is more thoroughly understood by a greater number of staff.
Greater understanding may lessen the perceived threat of the change. Gradually the novelty and strangeness of the change tends to disappear
Phase 3 :
There is a direct conflict between the force for and against change
Those in the organisation who see the change as good and needed often find it difficult to believe how far the opposition will go to put a stop to the change.
Phase 4 :
There is still a possibility that the resisters will mobilise enough support to shift the balance of power from the supporters.
Wisdom is necessary in dealing