Existence value of resistance
Organization change involves introducing new conversations and shifting existing conversations and patterns of discourse. However, new conversations have a hard time competing with existing conversation and so the challenge for change agents is getting new conversation heard. This is where resistance can be of value. Resistance helps to keep the conversations in existence. Although talking negatively or complaining and criticizing have been viewed as resistance, it can be beneficial because it keeps the topic alive, giving other the opportunity to participate in the conversation.
Engagement value of resistance
Resistance is one possible form of engagement with change acceptance and ambivalence being others and might, in some cases, reflect a higher level of commitment than acceptance, because some resistance is thoughtful. Change recipients who are highly committed to the success of the organization but who disagree with proposed change because it threatens something of value to them might engage in the change process by expressing their concerns. Where recipients have a stake in what happens to their organization they may raise their objections (Ford, Ford and DaAmelio, 2008).
Strengthening value of resistance
Resistance is a form of conflict. In addition, since conflict has been found to strengthen and improve not only the quality of decisions but also participant's commitment to the implementation of those decisions. In simple terms, resistance can stand to provide a similar strengthening value during change.
What are ordinary mistakes managers usually make while trying to commence a change?
Permitting too much contentment
Failure to make satisfactorily influential guiding alliances
Accepting the influence of vision
Under communicating the idea
Allowing obstructions to slab the new vision
Failure to make instant wins
Announcing victory ahead of time
Ignoring to secure changes determinedly in the corporate society
What are 8 sequential steps recommended by Kotter (1995)...
The danger of trailing ground in some way ignites these people into achievement.
Initiates an influential guiding coalition-change efforts normally begin with one or two individuals and ought to grow constantly to include more and more who believe change is necessary.
Create the vision-successful change rests on a picture of the outlook that is comparatively simple to communicate and appeals to the stakeholders, employees and customers.
Commune the vision-leadership should determine how much communication of the vision is needed and then multiply the effort by ten.
Authorize other people to act on vision-allow organization affiliates to make alterations in their parts of involvement and allocate funds to the new initiative.
Arrange for the short-term wins-leader actively plan and achieve some short-term achievements, which groups will be capable of seeing and celebrate.
Combine improvements as well as maintain the energy for change
Do not state victory earlier until changes are submerged into enterprise culture.
Institutionalize the new approaches-people should be helped to make the connections between the effort and the outcome and the new generation leaders should believe in and embody the new ways.
References
Issham Ismail, 5th. (2010). Proceeding of the 5th International Conference on ELearning: Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, 12-13 July 2010. Academic Conferences Limited.
Yuxia Qian, Ohio University. (2007). A communication model of employee cynicism toward organizational change. ProQuest.
Paul Parkin. (2009). Managing Change in Healthcare: Using Action Research. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Ford, J.D., Ford L.W. & DaAmelio (2008). Resistance to change: The rest of the story. Academy of Management Review, 33, 362-377.
J.P. Kotter (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, March-April, 59-67
