Why people resist changes

When they are not they will resist it. If we know how to engage the workforce we will do so and experience the amazing experience of working with the workforce instead of against them. Peter A Hunter. There is one more source of resistance, though maybe something on this list is meant to cover it.

The loss or threat of loss of something important. Sometimes the uncertainty of what will be lost generates the fear and resistance. Sometimes what is being lost, is very clear, e. When change takes something away that is important, some kind of resistance may arise. Excellent article! Change is hard for many people and requires repeated reassurance, very clear communication for both management and staff as well as a great deal of patience in order to achieve long-lasting results.

The gross presumption of the writer and management attendees of the article is not surprising considering the degree of dysfunctionality of the worldview presented. If the cause for change comes from management itself, that management itself operates from fallacious principles, then resistance is necessary. If a workforce is subject to abrasive, belligerent, and threatening management then common morality and ethics mandates resistance.

The hypocracy of modern American business is that while persons in management conduct their own lives under common conventions of social contract and morality, they demand to be excused from the same conventions in the business place — they insist on treating subordinates in any manner they please for the good of profits, stockholders, or the mere ego of the CEO.

Moreover, the perspective of the writer assumes that might is right, that authority bears no responsibility in its actions…as long as the flow of authority is maintained. Without ethics and morality in business, the pursuit of profit becomes a workplace nightmare. With millions upon millions of Americans unemployed by no fault of their own, the premise of this article is beyond preposterous.

Great list, Rick. Communicating effectively with people, building trust, selling the benefits, and making the change as easy as possible for them, are so important. I agree whole heartily with Duncan Brodie, I have implemented changed from the heart, but first It all starts in there minds.

Gaining trust and giving them confidence. Experience is also a reason. When people have experienced that change causes problems and offers no improvement on their situation but is done for the sake of change and the managers bonus it is common sense to resist change. Ethics, culture and integrity breed acceptance.

The reason why people resist change in organization. I really enjoyed this tips and it has really exposed me to some things like the self — esteem the denial, anger, confusion, depression, Crisis, new confidence, and acceptance. I have read this blog a number of times and every time I do I become more convinced that its not resistance to change is the problem but a failure to gain the buy-in or commitment of the people impacted by the change.

Taking the view that they are not the problem its ua who need to change the way we manage change can establish a very different dynamic. How often do we see engagement in the form of more one way communications, more spin and more trashing of the past. One organisation that carries its pride in the past and moves on is the military with medals, banners etc.

Bridges Transition Model offers a very useful approach of acknowledging the past before moving on. Is failure to do that reason 13….. It began to be used as a human phenomenon in two contexts. One was the idea of collaborative if not coordinated collective opposition to something, usually suggesting illicit basis, e.

It has passed into pop cliche e. JFK was among its original subjects. The sample was small because the study was begun prior to WWII so they stopped adding new subjects by More specifically adaptations include fantasy, sublimation, projection, sublimation etc.

They determine how people respond to personal crises, and may vary over time. None is necessarily dysfunctional unless maintained neurotically.

For example, fantasy is a common and healthy defense mechanism for children who really experience senses of threat from angry or critical parents, teachers, etc. If it is a key adaptation for people over 30 it perpetuates avoiding dealing with issues problems internal and external in a way that is less healthy.

Hence my questioning the over simplification of the graph of reaction to change. Leaders can build trust by being honest and then by including people in the change process. Further, they can create an environment in which people believe the change can be implemented and managed for the benefit of all. Many people prefer for things to stay the way they are than for it to head off into a direction that is largely uncharted or unknown.

By instinct, we know that a new way presents both possibilities and problems. But most would rather reject the possibilities if it also means avoiding the problems. Change is risky in any institution. You can balance resistance by creating certainty of the process. Top Stories. Top Videos. Getty Images. Here are five reasons people resist change and what you can do about it:. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.

Do not sell my personal information. Cookie Settings Accept. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary Necessary. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".

The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Study participants also observed groups of employees trying to be excused or exempted from adopting the new processes. Participant quote: "Same old, same old - this will go away like everything else has, just another 'flavor of the month'. Lack of attendance and absenteeism Lack of attendance was seen in three different ways: not attending status meetings and project events, not attending scheduled trainings and being absent from work altogether.

Reverting to old ways Employees would ignore the new ways of doing work and find work-arounds. A decrease in productivity and missed deadlines A noticeable reduction in work output or delays could be observed.

Ineffective methods for dealing with resistance Participants cited the top five mistakes to avoid when managing resistance. Ignoring resistance and expecting it to go away on its own Participants overwhelming cited ignoring resistance as the biggest mistake. Ignoring or avoiding resistance did not make it go away and in some cases made it worse. Not listening to and understanding the concerns of those impacted Participants said that not understanding the root cause of resistance prevented them from responding to the real issues and led to the conclusion that all resistance is the same.

This led to an ineffective "one-size-fits-all approach" to managing resistance. Next time, participants said they would not assume all behavior was a result of resistance, but instead would work toward listening to impacted employees and asking questions to understand the root causes and reasons for their behavior.

Participant quote: "Not fully understanding the nature of the resistance and the factors leading to it, and trying to apply a 'one approach fits all' mindset. This approach did not build the buy-in and engagement of those impacted and therefore made it difficult to manage resistance. Underestimating the resistance Underestimating the resistance to change was cited as a significant mistake by participants because it resulted in a lack of planning for the change. This lack of planning was felt most significantly in the areas of building executive sponsorship and securing their involvement.