iv) Some Methods for Dealing with Resistance to Change
Situation |
Approach |
Advantage |
Drawback |
There is a lack of information or inaccurate information and analysis |
Education + communications |
Once persuaded, people will often help with the implementation of the change |
Can be very time - consuming if lots of people are involved |
The initiators do not have all the information they need to design the change, and where others have considerable power to resist |
Participation + involvement |
People who participate will be committed to implementing change, and any relevant information they have will be integrated into the change plan |
Can be very time - consuming if participators design an inappropriate change |
People are resisting because of adjustment problems |
Facilitation + support |
No other approach works as well with adjustment problems |
Can be time - consuming, expensive and still fail |
Someone or some group will clearly lose out in a change, and that group has considerable power to resist |
Negotiation + agreement |
Sometimes it is a relatively easy way to avoid major resistance |
Can be too expensive in many cases if it alerts others to negotiate |
Other tactics will not work, or are too expensive |
Manipulation + co-optation |
It can be relatively quick and an inexpensive solution to resistance problems |
Can lead to future problems if people feel manipulated |
Speed is essential, and the change initiators possess considerable power |
Explicit + implicit coercion |
It is speedy, and can overcome any kind of resistance |
Can be risky if it leaves people angry at the initiators |
(source: John Kotter et al, 1979)
(sources: John Kotter et al, 19
79; William Bridges, 1991; Robert Heller, 1998; Kathleen Liebfied, 1996; Sarah Colley, 2013)