ChangeandResistancetochange

by N.Balajhi, Business Consultant, ConsultPro

T
Ta
akke
eaag
guue
esss
s––W
Wh
hoo iis
sppu
ussh
hiin
ngg ffo
orr c
chha
anng
geea
annd
dwwh
hoo iis
s rre
essiis
sttiin
ngg iitt?
?

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 1 of 10

Change and Resistance to change

“… b y t h e t i m e y o u k n o w w h e r e y o u o u g h t t o g o , i t ’s t o o l a t e t o g o t h e r e , o r ,
more dramatically, if you keep on going the way you are, you will miss the road
to the future”
Charles Handy in “The empty rain coat”

Change is one of the most popular and widely used terms in corporate circles. It gets
lot of lip service. Commonly held notions of ‘Change’ are hardly challenged. Such is
the reverence for this word that any one who challenges it in public will be rebuked.
God is revered and so is change. Mere mortals h a v e f ailed to come to terms with
both.

Resistance to ch a n g e is the devil here. It reduces the efficiency of many a c h a n g e

program and halts quiet few of them. R e s i s t a n c e i s e a s y t o a d d r e s s w h e n i t s h o w s u p
in full glare and very difficult to handle when it is in d a r k . Change is inevitable and
every organization that aspires to grow continuously s h o u l d a d a p t t o c h a n g i n g
environment and customer needs.

Change or be left behind - The ‘W h y ’of change

Every business organisation has a mission, which outlines the purpo se of its
existence. To continuously deliver on the mission an organisation has to adapt and
respond to changes in the environment. It is akin to a mountaineer cutting down his
baggage as climbing gets tougher. Any refusal to do so will weigh him down, red u c e
his pace and eventually make him sign off before reaching the summit. So the choice
is between reaching the summit in a leaner mode and g e t t i n g b o g g e d d o w n w i t h a l l
unnecessary carriages. Those organisations wanting to perform and stay ahead of the
pack must respond positively to changing needs and dictates of the market place. The
choice is ‘c h a n g e ’ or ‘be left behind’.

T h e a b o v e p a r a g r a p h i s n o t t o s u g g e s t t h a t a n y o n e w h o d o e s n ’t change will perish.

Let us put it this way. If something works then the re is no need to change that. If it
d o e s n ’t then it has to be changed. There is no need to panic or follow the herd as long
as things are in line and working perfectly. Kinder garden teachers haven’t c h a n g e d
their approach to teaching a l p h a b e t s a s i t w o r k s perfectly well to start with ‘A for
Apple’. Only when apples become extinct, they should look at some other ‘A’ letter
woorrkkss aass w
meetthhiinngg w
word. So aass lloonngg aass ssoom woouulldd
weellll aass aannyy ootthheerr tthhiinngg ccoouulldd // w
woorrkk tthheenn cchhaannggee iiss nnoott nneecceessssaarryy..
w

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 2 of 10

Good health or bad health - The ‘W h e n ’of change

When in trouble , change is a popular paradigm. That of course is inevitable and often
done in desperation. Change programs / initiatives in times of strife often get
unenviable support in the form of low morale, depleted resources a n d d i s c r e d i t e d
leadership. In times of strife first thing that will occupy the minds of people is their
own interests and safety (No wonder many change programs fail). We can safely state
that period of trouble is probably the least favourable time for ch ange.

The sigmoid curve (‘S’ shaped curve) given below captures various phases of life
cycle of almost anybody and anything. The ‘S’
curve dips initially as input exceeds output in
B
A
the learning phase, gathers momentum and
C declines after peaking. Often it is in the decline
phase when the realization sets in and change

Figure 1 programs are initiated. If change programs are

initiated at point ‘A’ a s s u g g e s t e d b y s e c o n d ‘S’
curve then it will provide the best possible environment for change. It will also ensure
timel y recovery as the first curve wanes.

If an organisation has a soul, like us, then it will know when to change and what to
c h a n g e . I n a b s e n c e o f i t identifying the point ‘A’ in the S curve is left to t h o s e w h o r u n
the organisation. W wiillll w
meess aarree ggoooodd,, nneevveerr w
Whheenn ttiim wiillll aallll bbee oovveerr ssoooonn .
wee tthhiinnkk iitt w
The fear that what if our assumption of nearing trough is unfounded will set the
enthusiasts on the back foot. T he fear that what if our change initiative fail s will
permanently lock their feet. It is a predicament that can be best solved only by a
comprehensive policy of change that facilitates identification and tracking of triggers
of change process.

The following figure lists down some common triggers of change for business
organisations. They are categorized into external and internal triggers and further into
few more subcategories. It is only an indicative list of triggers that may warrant
c h a n g e initiatives . Each and every item listed in the table requires furthermore inquiry
and deep down probing before embarking on change programs. Some may be strategic
in nature and some will lead to operational and tactical actions

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 3 of 10

 Triggers of Change
Increasing Changing profile of
abnormal buyers & t h e i r

Increasing
absenteeism P o l i c i e s & Practices Customers

Pattern & degree

Increasing of service
receivable days

Increasing WIP
cycle Internal Ex ternal Labour relations
a t supplier unit

Rising quality Work processes Triggers

problems Suppliers
of Market
intelligence
change
Pattern of
material

Triggers Triggers
Conflicting Enhanced
info rma ti o n & reports technology

Technology &
support Competitors

Instances of fraud De v e lo p m e n t o f
& duplication new products /

Figure 2

Symptoms or Roots – The ‘W h a t ’of change

On the face of it, t he question of ‘w h a t t o c h a n g e ’ may not pose much difficulty.

S u g g e s t i o n s a n d recommendations will pour in the moment a question is posed
alongside the trigger that led to it. The challenge lies in identifying change programs
that will take the organisation forward. Every problem / issue / opportunity that an
organisation faces nee d s d e e p e r i n q u i r y . O n e h a s t o g e t t o t h. e r o o t o f t h e p r o b l e m .
This is easier said than done. Triggers often highlight an area that needs attention
and throw light on broader aspects of the same. From there on identifying the exact

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 4 of 10

nature of the problem / is s u e r e q u i r e s s e r i e s o f q u e s t i o n i n g a n d p r o b i n g . C o n s i d e r t h e
hypothetical conversation, given below, between two employees of an organisation.

We need to strengthen our service team

Why?

N o w a d a y s the load on the service team is so high that our cust o m e r s a r e

increasingly complaining

Surprising. Is it a recent phenomenon?

Yes, these service problems are of recent origin.

Are you sure increasing the team size will solve the problem?

Of course yes. We can meet customer complaints on time and keep them
happy. Why, you doubt?

Yeah, sort of. Not sure whether that’s t h e r i g h t w a y b e c a u s e a l r e a d y o u r s i s

the largest service team compared to our competitors.

You are right. But then what do you think could be the solution.

Let’s nail it. Tell me how come sudden surge in complaints?

Not sure but much of it concerns our T530 machine, one of our long time
breadwinner

What are QA people doing? Are they aware of it? Haven’t they fixed it yet?

Yes, they know but didn’t seem to have fixed it

Hey, now then, isn’t it that T530 production group was moved some six
months back to our erstwhile T510 unit that has appalling work conditions?

Yeah, you are right? Awful conditions. You know, the c i t y c o r p o r a t i o n h a s

recently moved the waste composting ya rd to the nearby site. Poor chaps.
No wonder we have service headaches

What do you mean? What does it have to do with quality problems?

Come on, last week you refused to move your table near the water cooler
saying that the place is dirty and can als o b e d i s t u r b i n g . Y o u c a n ’t even
tolerate that in this cool and posh environ but expect those poor chaps to
work well in conditions that you, yourself state as awful.

Yes man right then, we have nailed it. Haven’t we?

Sort of, by the way how come this es c a p e d o u r b o s s ’s sight?

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 5 of 10

 He is busy with new launches that our marketing has lined up. Also
nowadays he d o e s n ’t spend much time on T 5 3 0. May be he is bit
complacent. It’s time I take this story to him else we will lose our long time
winning horse.

All the best

Thanks. By the way thanks a lot for your inputs.

Don’t mention it. We are all one unit. Aren’t w e ?

If the symptom, increase in service complaints , is treated with increas ed team size, a
knee jerk reaction, it will only act as a pain killer. Pain killers do not cure but only
dodge the real issue. It will also cause side effects through increase in costs a n d
deep rooting of the real issue. The underlying problem will keep burning and in the
long run become irreparable. Only amputation will help settle matters. K n e e j e r k
reactions will never help companies in the long run. They can at best be temporary
fixes till the core issue is d u g out and resolved.

Bulldoze or Inculcate - The ‘How’of change

I f y o u h a v e a n s w e r s f o r w h y , w h e n a n d w h a t t h e n j u st layback, the toughest part of

c h a n g e p r o c e s s i s y e t t o a r r i v e . The most critical issue of ‘h o w ’ o f c h a n g e i s a c u l t u r a l
one. Change is resisted because those who resist it do not
like it. Reasons could be anything from notions of
feasibility / viability to fear of reestablishing oneself.
Resistance to change requires change leaders to show
empathy and not let their bloated egos to bulldoze things
upon people at the very first instance of resistance.
Bulldozing of change initiatives on people will very rarely Figure 3
bear fruits and often strengthen the resolve of resistors.
The environment will only become unfriendly and every initiative will be blocked just
as in the picture given alongside.

Like ‘beauty’ and the ‘b e h o l d e r ’ resistance to change is in the eyes of the proposer.
Even careful assessments and scrutiny by people may seem as resistance if change
proposals are held close to the heart by the proposer.

Resistance is not all that a bad word and could even prove to be a blessing in
disguise. Resistance at its best can help managements rectify errors and

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 6 of 10

misjudgements in change initiatives. As mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, even
careful assessment and scrutiny may seem like resistance. Therefore once again it is
reiterate d t h a t r e s i s t a n c e i s n o t a b a d w o r d . N o w l e t ’s l o o k a t s o m e o f t h e r e a s o n s
why people resist.

Lack of consensus on the issue that necessitates change

This could be a genuine form resistance and there may not be any specific motivation
behind the resistance. S ome may think there is nothing wrong with the status quo and
some may agree that there is a problem but do not concur with its definition. T h e
intention should not be to prove them wrong or prove us right, but jointly agree on the
problem and its definition.

A comprehensive dialogue / debate can pave way for understanding each other’s
v i e w p o i n t s a n d l e a d t o c o n s e n s u s . T h i s w o n ’t be a big task for the committed leader
a n d a dedicated member of the organisation. However some troublemakers can pose
problems to a change program under the guise of this banner. But then that will be
easy to make out once their ideas are sought out. The key here is to share and listen
to the viewpo ints. Be progressive and participative. No room for egos.

Lack of agreement on the solution

Here again the approach should be the same as discussed above. Always keep an
open mind that any one could be right. Seek out alternative solutions when faced with
very stiff response. Who knows, there could be a gem hiding behind. Participation and
accommodation are key words in breaking resistance o n this g r o u n d.

Lack of supporting infrastructure / resource constraints

This should not arise if the management / chang e t e a m h a s t a k e n c a r e o f w h a t i t
requires in terms of resources to successfully implement change. Often lack of certain
knowledge or some short sightedness could lead to this scenario. Carefully evaluate
the changed picture if the claim indeed is genuine.

Lack of clarity on responsibility

This is a problem that often creeps up when tactical measures are implemented to
address certain operational problems. If a solution has a gray area in terms of who is
responsible for what then it is very important that concerned people are clearly
informed of their roles and responsibilities. If required the change team should look at
the original design of the solution and make necessary modifications.

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 7 of 10

Perceived loss of authority and benefits
This could be either true or false. If the assumption is false then educate concerned
p e o p l e o n h o w t h e c h a n g e d s c e n a r i o w o u l d n ’t undermine their authority or benefits.
One may even go a step ahead and project additional benefits that will accrue to
concerned people / department as a result of successful implementation and
execution. If, by chance, the assumption is indeed true then the change team should
clearly state the reason for proposed change and why such a tough decision is
required. It will also do well to project the pictu re that the loss of authority and
benefits will only be temporary, if that’s the case.

In the latter case there is a possibility that other parts of the organisation may
become apprehensive and their outlook towards management and the company itself
could get altered / infected. So whenever some tough and not so nice change
initiative s have to be carried out, the management and the change team should take
care to minimize the infection of minds and use every informal channel of
communication to this effect.

Lack of work culture

There is only one way to deal with it. Lack of work culture cannot be handled but can
only be dealt with firmly. If no amount of persuasion and explanation could bring a b o u t
the desired genuine change then u s e force to make change happen.

Fear of getting exposed

If the change team knows it upfront and the change initiative / program is designed to
handle it , then coercion is the only method as this again cannot be h a n d l e d b u t s h o u l d
be dealt with firmly.

Fear of reestablishing oneself (Insecurity )

C o n s i d e r a c a s e w h e r e o n e is well established and commands certain degree of
respect and acceptance among peers and superiors. Then out of the blue things are
c h a n g e d , w h ic h c a l l s f o r a d a p t i n g t o n e w e r w a y s / m e t h o d s o f w o r k i n g a n d l e a r n i n g /
unlearning of things.

This is one of the popular forms of resistance to change. The degree of d e p e n d e n c e i s

very critical here. If the group that resists on this ground is so important to the
organisation then it will have a tough time and will have some hard bargaining to do.
In the other way round people will be subjugated by the will of management, however
the fruits of change program may not surface and may be rotten when t h e y surface.

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 8 of 10

C r e a t i n g a w a r e n e s s a n d e d u c a t i n g o n the need to change alone will not suffice. The
fear of security has to be dealt with very carefully. Every possible support in the form
of additional training than what is actually required, some sort of assurance, period of
moratorium for performance ev aluation could help matters. E d u c a t i o n , a w a r e n e s s ,
reasoning out the costs and benefits will help matters here. If required use a bit of
force in order to ensure that good intentions are not misused.

Resistance in disguise
It is a very difficult form of r esistance to handle, as it doesn’t a s s u m e a n e a s i l y
perceptible form. It however can be smelled with meaningless actions, constant shift
in positions, dodging, a n d i r r e s p o n s i b l e reactions to change initiative(s).

People generally don’t air their views if they fear strong and negative reaction from
the superiors / management. Problem may lie with anyone. However to dispel such
fears and also to make sure resistance is expressed, the change team and / or
management should unambiguously make it clear that no one will be victimized for
expressing their reservations.

If nothing works then force may probably be the only way left with for the change team
/ management. However if there is some merit in resistance, which doesn’t surface
then the company will be po orer by going ahead with the change program. Therefore it
is always advisable that no stone is left unturned to detect and bring every reason for
resistance in full glare.

Management fad of the month

Whenever a change program is initiated it must be supported with strong commitment
by the management till it bears fruit. Management apathy could lead to loss of
momentum and inevitably loss of focus. The key here is for the management to stay
s t r o n g committed and focused on the change program till the complete transformation
and desired effects take place.

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 9 of 10

Conclusion

Change is complete and highly effective only when it comes from within us. This may
not be possible to achieve totally in a complex organisation set up. However at least it
can be ensured that chan ge agents / leaders / torch bearers fully and completely
agree with all that change intends to do and achieve. Else they themselves may ruin
it. Therefore choosing right people to lead change is paramount to the success of
change initiatives.

Creating a wareness, education, training, support, participation, accommodation are

key words that should find place in action plans of every implementation / change
program. These have positive effect and bring long term benefits to an organisation.
Power, coercion, penal action are words that should never figure in action plans but
only as last resort in contingent plans. They will have negative repercussions if an
organisation finds its way through them. Limit the use of power / force and maximize
t h e u s e o f p o s i t ive actions. Finally, t h e r e i s o n e w o r d t h a t should have n o p l a c e o r
whatsoever in any change initiative and in its action p l a n s . A n d t h a t ’s t h e t h r e e l e t t e r
w o r d EGO. It will do no good and will only ruin things. There are plenty of examples in
the environ ments that we live and work to this support this statement.

--- Happy changing, successful changing---

Reference:

1. Sustaining the paradox by Toni Nadig

2. Elephants and Fleas – Is your organisation prepared for change by Charles

Handy – www.pfdf.org

Phone – 91 422 2447198 Email – n balajhi@gmail.com P a g e 10 of 10