RESISTANCE TO CHANGE - HOW AND WHY PEOPLE RESIST - Part I

By Robert Bacal, M.A.

No matter whether a change is of major proportions or is objectively rather small, the change manager must anticipate that people in the organization are going to find reasons to resist changes. It is a basic tenet of human behaviour that Any belief or value that has been previously successful in meeting needs will resist change. This applies even if there are better more successful alternatives to meet those needs.

Resistance to change takes many forms. The more obvious forms consist of active resistance, where people will object, or refuse to cooperate with the change. Other, more subtle forms of resistance, however, are more difficult to deal with. Some examples of "resistive symptoms" include:

1. At a staff meeting everyone agrees to utilize a new procedure, but several weeks later you discover that the procedure has not been implemented.
2. New computers are introduced into the workplace. While all staff insisted that they have their own machines, virtually nobody is using them for the purpose for which they were intended.
3. A change in job responsibilities takes place for an employee. The employee consents to the change by saying: "You're the boss, and if that's what you want..." Later the employee only changes what he is doing enough to appear cooperative, but is in fact doing most things the way he was before the change.

It is very important that the change manager anticipate, and plan strategies for dealing with resistance. This applies not only at the introduction of the change, but there must be follow-through, so that the change manager monitors the change over the long-term, being alert for difficulties as the appear.

It is helpful to have an understanding of why people resist change, because understanding this allows us to plan strategies to reduce resistance from the beginning. Also, some of the reasons that people resist change do not seem to make sense to the casual observer. At times they can seem nonsensical and illogical. They are, nonetheless, important.

SOME REASONS WHY PEOPLE RESENT OR RESIST CHANGE:1

1. One major reason why people resist change is the potential for loss on a personal level. Note that objectively there may be little threat, but people may act as if there is one.

1Adapted from How to Manage Change Effectively, Kirkpatrick, Donald, Jossey-Bass, 1985.

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Other Managing Change Articles By Robert Bacal

Understanding The Cycle of Change, And How People React To It
The Importance of Leadership In Managing Change
Leading Those That Remain After Downsizing Or Job Loss
For Managers - How Constant Change Affects Managers And Wears Them Down And Out
Leadership, Communication & Change
Understanding The Seven Dynamics of Change