iii) Resistance to Change
Introduction
Resistance can be defined as
"...an act or instance of opposing..."
Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023
It needs to be handled.
"...resistance is a natural reaction to change..."
Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023
Despite this, many are surprised by resistance to change; you need to expected it and plan for it.
NB Resistance can vary for every change and for every person.
Signs of resistance can include apathy, complaining, non-compliance, etc; these can have negative connotations; they are dynamic, not static, and continually evolving.
Sometimes resistance can occur because of change fatigue and/or saturation, ie have done, or are doing, too much change; need to put each change initiative into manageable bite-size bits, need to prioritise, scope them better, deliver on time and within budget, minimise the overlap between projects, etc.
Need to reframe resistance, ie turn it around and bring people along on the journey.
Need to explore what the unmet needs and/or fears that are driving the resistance behaviour ie
- what is behind the behaviour?
- what is behind the different perspectives?
NB Resistors can be an important source of information, ie telling you what could go wrong with the change initiative; need to think about resistance as a positive opportunity to learn.
Therefore, treat resisters and their ideas with respect rather than 'writing them off'
"...when managed properly, resistance can be constructive and improve change outcomes..."
Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023
Research has shown that around half of resistance (including at the management level) is avoidable (Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023).
"...most significant resistance occurs during the implementation phase of a project, giving the change practitioner less time to mitigate it..."
Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023
Being proactive in identifying resistance is clearly advantageous.
Some ways to identify resistance:
"...- Deploy formal and informal surveys and assessment
- Host information sessions and training workshops
- Conduct stakeholder interviews..."
Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023
A good assessment to start with is a risk assessment, especially if a large disruptive change is planned.
Types of resistance (described as animals in the below diagram)
(source: Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023)
For example,
- the Owl can be wise and knowledgeable in the old ways of doing business
- the Wolf will rally like-minded people together against the change initiative
(source: Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023)
Types of resistant behaviours (they are a natural reaction to change)
(source: Debbie McCarthy et al, 2023)