Resistance to Change

“People don’t change their behaviour unless it makes a difference for them to do so.” Fran Tarkenton

It is important to understand why organisations and its members resist change and how it can be overcome. Firth is of the opinion that resistance is a good thing, because it’s a sure sign that the change has begun - what we have tried is not working perfectly yet; that it is a programmed, healthy response when continuity and evolution depends on it and that it is nothing else than loyalty in action. When change is suggested, we can expect resistance whether we like it or not. The challenge is to understand why people and organisations resist change and this knowledge can enable us to identify ways and means to manage it.

When people show resistance, they typically say some of the following things:

• It’s just another management fad.
• We’ve never done it like that.
• It can’t be done like that.
• The customers won’t like it.
• The technology can’t do that.
• It would take too long.
• We don’t have enough resources to do it.
• It won’t work, you know.
• If you listen, I’ll tell you how it could be done, but I know you won’t listen so I won’t bother.