Reading material
,Index
- Choosing strategies for change by Kotter & SCHLESINGER (1979)
- Managing change: A process perspective – Chapter 2 pp. 53-65 by Hayes (2014)
- Leadership to defeat COVID-19 by Antonakis (2021)
- Now is a great time to start practicing mindfulness by Birk (2021)
- Why emotional intelligence is important in leadership by Landry (2019)
,CHOOSING STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE BY KOTTER & SCHLESINGER (1979)
IN SHORT
Reason why change backfires
1. One-size-fits-all approach
2. Employees don’t have needed information
3. Managers don’t tailor the speed of their change strategy to the situation
Recommendations for successful change
1. Diagnosing the types of resistance you’ll encounter
2. Adapting your change strategy to the situation
Steps for managing change successfully
1. Analyze situational factors
2. Determine the optimal speed of change
3. Consider methods for managing resistance
Move quickly
1. Risks are plummeting performance
2. Death if present situation isn’t changed
Move slowly
1. Intensive and extensive resistance
2. Anticipating needing information and commitment from others
3. Less organizational power than those who may resist
Methods for managing resistance
1. Education
2. Participation
3. Facilitation
4. Negotiation
5. Coercion
Education = communicate the desired changes and the reasons for them
Employees lack information about the implications
+ Once persuaded, people often help with implementation
- Time consuming
Participation = involve potential resisters in designing and implementing the change
Change initiators lack sufficient information for design
+ More commitment
- Time consuming
- Designing inappropriate change
, Facilitation = provide skills training and emotional support
People are resisting because they fear they can’t make the needed adjustments
+ No other approach works as well
- Time consuming
- Expensive
- Can still fail
Negotiation = offer incentives for making the change
People will lose out in the change and have considerable power to resist
+ Relatively easy
- Expensive
- Blackmail
Coercion = threaten loss of jobs or promotion opportunities; fire or transfer those who can’t
or won’t change
Speed is essential and change initiators possess considerable power
+ Quick
+ Can overcome any kind of resistance
- Intense resentment towards change initiators
THE ARTICLE
What hasn’t changed since 1979: Companies the world over need to change course
Change that organizations find most difficult: Environmental change
Most common reasons for change resistant
1. Parochial self-interest
2. Misunderstanding and luck of trust
3. Different assessments
4. Low tolerance for change
Parochial self-interest = desire not to lose something of value
Dealing with resistance
1. Education and communication
2. Participation and involvement
3. Facilitation and support
4. Negotiation and agreement
5. Manipulation and co-operation
6. Explicit and implicit coercion