When organizational members perceive change as a threat, they resist it. Effective leadership does not only revolve around leading but also using the best approaches to implementing change. Resistance to change is among the greatest challenges business executives face (Thomas & Hardy, 2011). However, most of these assumptions are based on the notion that change is the only constant thing in a business. Changing business environments affect organizational members in unique ways and often may result in opposition. In businesses, the opposition can range from justly understated unreceptive and destructive behavior to absolute insolence, antagonism, and disruption. Resistance to change within an organization has more costs than benefits. These costs may indirectly and indirectly affect the organization’s day-to-day activities. Organizations with effective change management systems have a better chance to attain a competitive edge in the marketplace. While this paper considers uncovering the potential resistance before change implementation as an effective way of avoiding resistance to change, it will formulate strategies to overcome barriers that facilitate resistance to change.
Strategies of Overcoming Barriers and Resistance to Change
Encouraging Organizational Members to Positively Participate in the Change Plan
Primarily, there are three ways through which organizational members take part in the change process. Approaches to initiating the change process include threatening organizational members of the adverse effects of not complying with the change and educating them on the proposed course of action (Hon, Bloom & Crant, 2014). Willing involvement of organizational members is the only way to implement change. In this case, willing involvement should incorporate members’ hearts and minds. As a way of encouraging organizational members to participate positively in the change plan, change bodies should be able to communicate effectively. To communicate effectively, these bodies should be clear on the reason for to change as well as the expected result. Communication approaches should be not only passionate but also inspirational. By actively listening, change bodies should incorporate organizational members in the change process. Purging pointless activities to remove excuses. Change bodies should seek role models who will influence organizational members as a way of utilizing peer pressure. Removing threats and uncertainty by telling the truth will help in eliminating tension among organizational members (Hon, et al., 2014). In addition, change bodies should provide training in new behaviors and skills. Lastly, change bodies should provide emotional support to organizational members. While these approaches might take time, it is necessary to create momentum by incorporating easy steps in the process.
Demonstrating Benefits Associated with the Proposed Change
In the current economic climate characterized by change resistance, it is important to provide sufficient arguments that will support cost reduction. For instance, the speed of implementing new technologies and ideas in the public sector is different from that in the private sector. As argued by Thomas & Hardy (2011), the process of implementing this change in the public sector can be accelerated by pointing out the short-term advantages of implementing new business ideas. However, the main problem is that it lacks investments for achieving a vision for low-cost ownership. As businesses advance towards technological evolution, coming up with convincing arguments to counter the status quo in light of the increasing pressure in Information Technology (IT) departments can present challenges.
Being clear on the Effect(s) of the Proposed Change
Uncertainty is the primary course of change resistance within an organization. When organizational members are not sure about their future in the organization, they are bound to resist change. A major question that may arise when initiating change is that; will the new plan require organizational members to learn new abilities and adopt new practices? (Thomas & Hardy, 2011). Taking an approach that will address these concerns will help promote change. However, the body instituted to initiate change should be open and clear on the reason for changing. Being transparent and open to organizational members is important since not everyone sees the bigger picture of the proposed change. It is important for change bodies to utilize meetings so that members understand the underlying reasons for change. Resistance to change comes due to a lack of clarity on the need for change (Thomas & Hardy, 2011). Therefore, it is important to articulate the vision for change for organizational members to understand the change plan. Bodies responsible for the change process should utilize the internet in articulating the plans for their organizational members. However, these bodies need to use one-on-one meetings in discussing evolving roles and the associated change.
Building a Convincing Business Case
In most cases, organizational members support change approaches that will facilitate success. The traditional practice of building a convincing business case involves a clarification of the benefits associated with the proposed change (Thomas & Hardy, 2011). Therefore, the change team should strive to incorporate the affected business areas at the initial stage of the change process. Change bodies should translate the business to the stakeholder groups to combine goals and incentives. Incorporating incentives and goals also help change bodies to focus on necessary actions. There are many other approaches to effective change management. These approaches focus on ways of managing change. While eliminating resistance to change within an organization, it is important to incorporate the element of excitement. The excitement in the change process comes through utilizing inspirational individuals at the helm of the change procedures.
References
Hon, A. H., Bloom, M., & Crant, J. M. (2014). Overcoming resistance to change and enhancing creative performance. Journal of Management, 40 (3), 919-941.
Thomas, R., & Hardy, C. (2011). Reframing Resistance to Organizational Change. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 27 (3), 322-331.