Analyze the ways in which resistance to change becomes apparent within organizations. What strategies can managers adopt to overcome such resistance when implementing change programs? There is an information avalanche that has given us more things to think about than any other generation before us. Change affects us on many levels: individual, family, community, company, nationally, and internationally. We are always restructuring in some way and at an amazing pace. Mergers and downsizing have become words with which we are all very familiar. Change can be stressful, scary, and generally unsettling. .
Table of Contents.
1. Abstract .
2. Table of Contents .
3. Introduction.
4. Why People Resist Change.
5. Defense Mechanisms.
6. Symptoms of Resistance to Change.
7. Strategies to Reduce Resistance.
8. Changing-Developing new attitudes and responses.
9. Conclusion.
10. References.
INTRODUCTION.
Change is the process of moving from one state to another. Just as moving to a new house requires the massive packing of furniture and other items, change requires just as much preparation to be successful.
Most people do not like change, we like things to remain the same. Change requires more effort from us to adapt. Change threatens our stability and security and we fear that we will not be able to cope with the change. Resistance is the natural defense to such perceived threats.
WHY PEOPLE RESIST CHANGE.
To know the symptoms of resistance to change, we have to understand why people resist change. Reasons can range from as trivial as (though not trivial to the person) flying somewhere rather than driving, being indecisive about taking a job offer at a large union company on a different shift. A recent example of this was when I almost turned down a job offer by Chrysler last year. I am extremely happy I took it now.
Fear of the unknown: The person does not know what is happening and why it is happening.
