Change Management

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Managing change effectively
"The only constant is change". This familiar quotation sums up that nothing is static.
Everything - the universe, our planet and our lives - is in a state of constant flux and
there's nothing we can do to stop change. Nations, societies and organisations must
evolve and change to survive and so must every individual within them.
Where does change come from?
erhaps change is ultimately driven !y those in power or see"ing to claim power# Ta"e
the world of politics. $f one political party is see"ing to ta"e power via an election, it is
highly li"ely that it will propose a series of advantageous changes, which if voted in
would !e implemented to the positive !enefit of a particular group of people.
%istory is full of such examples. The drive for equality and votes for women, as well as
!eing morally correct, was certainly a highly pragmatic strategy and perhaps not quite so
altruistic for the challengers of power in the late &'((s. $n the short term at least, the
female vote was assured and so therefore was power for its leaders. )egislation
invaria!ly runs parallel with such political initiatives. *s with any system one change
promotes further changes.
$nventions and technology almost certainly !ring a!out great change. $t could !e argued
that the glo!al economy would not have !een possi!le without +ran" ,hittle's invention
of the -et engine. .lo!al tourism would certainly have !een impossi!le. The very fact
that you are reading this page is dependant solely on the invention of the ,orld ,ide
,e!.
How people react to change
/anaging change and dealing with its implications will differ from person to person.
There are !roadly three types of reaction to change. $t is particularly worth noting here
that these !ehaviours are not hierarchical. $n other words, it is not a!out the reactions to
change of those lower in the organisation. These reactions can apply to people at all
levels and status.
Resistant
$n the 01 during the &2'(s the government considered it economically unvia!le to
maintain the operation of a num!er of traditional coalmines. The implications of such a
statement for many people wor"ing in the mining industry were catastrophic. The spectre
of unemployment or re-written terms of employment led to one of the longest running
and most !itter industrial disputes in the history of la!our relations. This active and
organised resistance to industrial change presented one of the !iggest challenges to the
government of the time. Not all resistance to change is so confrontational and direct.
3esistance can also !e passive in people who refuse to accept re-training or cannot accept
new ideas and approaches. Extreme passive resistance can !e seen in people who refuse
to engage in conversation with those who have proposed a change.
Indifferent
4hange is viewed as something going on around them. The view of the indifferent
person might !e one of avoidance until some form of acceptance !ecomes a!solutely
necessary. The indifferent person often !elieves that his or her world will remain
unchanged and that someone else will !e affected or will do what is necessary. *pathy
often accompanies this attitude to change with an "$ can cope with it" mentality.
Receptive and open
These people are receptive to new ideas and prepared to em!race the reality of a situation
recognising what needs to !e improved or done differently. $t is not necessarily a!out the
wanton desire for change for its own sa"e. 4hange will happen so there is a lot to !e said
for !eing a part of the process at an organisational level and accepting this reality at a
personal level.
Why do so many people respond so negatively to
change?
ositive elements of change can include the creation of a !etter set of circumstances, the
fun of !eing involved in something different, the opportunities presented from a new
venture or means of employment. %owever in the short term change can also mean loss,
discontinuity, and the destruction of a familiar and "safe" way of life.... "the good old
days". 4onsequently feelings of insecurity, a lac" of trust in the hierarchy and feelings of
!eing sold down the river can lead people to savagely protect the status quo. * lac" of
understanding, a lac" of trust and fear of the outcome are perhaps some of the "ey
reasons that lead people to re-ect change.
Question: Consider the following elements of your own
life
,or" environment
,or" relationships
4ircle of friends
ersonal relationships
+amily
,here you live
The -o! you do
5our financial status
5our health
%ow many of the a!ove elements have changed for you during the past five years# $t is
highly li"ely that many if not all of these ma-or life elements will have changed to some
degree. %ow many of these changes, good or !ad, simply happened and how many of
them did you actually influence and affect# 6ften the answer is a resounding "too few"'7
4hange management tools found throughout this site could therefore !ecome some of the
most powerful in your personal tool "it.