Resistance is a common reaction when it comes to change. Plan for it and identify the steps you can take to get buy-in. Identify where in the organization the resistance change might come from. Will it be from individual fear, or “groupism” or being too used to the status quo or past negative experiences? “Proactively identifying 'where' resistance might come from will help you plan for and deal with this pending resistance.” (Creasy, 2021) In my organization everyone knew which individuals and groups would resist change. It was always those who argued for doing things the way that they had always been done or from those whose area would face the most changes. For example when we switched from using hard copy, paper based report books to using a digital platform, there was much resistance from some of the long standing employees while the newer employees were all for it. When we rehauled, updated and outsourced our website developer and created the title of webmaster for monitoring the input of reports this caused much contention amongst a wider range of employees. They cited unfamiliarity with software, too sudden change from the previous platform and “we just don’t like the look”. (How will this change be dealt with using the premortem strategy can help)
People, i.e. the human factor seem to be the main cause of resistance to change so having some working knowledge of a change management model like the Prosci ADKAR® (Links to an external site.) model will help in dealing with change at the individual level. Leaders need to understand that the needs of their employees must not be ignored. My reasoning is as follows —let’s work backward, using the premortem strategy (Confer, 2019). Your planned changes have failed. Why? Let’s say no goals were met. Why? Perhaps because of delays in decision making, disagreements and poor collaboration, thus failure at the group level. Why did the group fail? Individualism, clash in personalities, resistance to the management style and any myriad or issues. Therefore having a structured model can help you understand the change that the individual is experiencing, this will help you learn how to get your employees to buy in to your vision and will serve to demonstrate best practices to facilitate change.
References
Confer, M. C. (2019, July 15). Before You Decide: 3 Steps To Better Decision Making. Https://Www.Youtube.Com/Watch?V=d7Jnmi2BkS8&t=626s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Jnmi2BkS8&t=626s
Creasy, T. C. (2020, October 6). RESISTANCE CHECKLIST: BEST PRACTICES FOR MANAGING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE. Https://Blog.Prosci.Com/Best-Practices-for-Managing-Resistance-to-Change. https://blog.prosci.com/best-practices-for-managing-resistance-to-change
Your post resonates deeply with the age-old adage: "People don't resist change, they resist being changed." One key aspect that struck a chord with me is the innate fear of the unknown. Humans, as creatures of habit, find comfort and security in familiar routines. The prospect of stepping into uncharted territory triggers a primal response, often manifesting as resistance. I would be interested in further exploration of strategies to transform resistance into a driving force for positive change. How can organizations leverage the human factor to become catalysts for innovation rather than roadblocks?
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more enlightening discussions on this topic.
Thanks for the response. To answer your question, by leveraging the human factor as a catalyst for innovation, organizations not only adapt to change but become architects of the future. Embracing diversity, fostering a growth mindset, encouraging collaboration, providing autonomy, and prioritizing well-being are the pillars that transform the workforce into a driving force of innovation. In this paradigm, the human factor becomes the heartbeat of organizational evolution, propelling businesses toward success in an ever-changing landscape
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