When a transformational leader attempts to force change upon their followers, it often runs into difficulty. Followers may recognize the need for change and they may even share the leader’s vision but if changes are forced upon them, they will resist. The key for successful implementation of change is for the leader to learn how to overcome the resistance to change.
The first step in understanding the resistance to change is to understand why individuals resist change. A study by Shaul Oreg at Cornell University (2003) looks at four reasons for resistance to change the first of these reasons is reluctance to lose control. Some researchers have emphasized this as a primary reason for resistance to change. Individuals like to feel in control of their situation and feel threatened by changes that they perceive as taking away this control.
The second reason for an individual’s resistance to change is cognitive rigidity. This type of resistance usually occurs in dogmatic individuals. These individuals tend to be rigid in their ways and close-minded to change. This rigidity makes them less able to adjust to the changes being imposed on them (Oreg, 2003).
The third reason involves a lack of psychological resilience. Change is viewed as a stressor and therefore an individual’s ability to adapt to change is dependent upon their psychological resilience. Individuals with a low resilience will experience greater resistance to change where as those with greater resilience will be better equipped to accept change (Oreg, 2003).
The forth reason involves some individuals intolerance to the adjustment period involved in change. Change within an organization often requires adjustment and learning. Some individuals are better able to go through this adjustment and learning process then others. An individual’s ability to endure this adjustment period will determine their level of resistance to change (Oreg, 2003).
The fifth reason involves an individual’s preference for low levels of stimulation and novelty. Some individuals function best within a framework of well-defined and familiar settings. Individuals who are innovators exhibit a need for novel stimuli (Oreg, 2003). These individuals may actually thrive during the change period.
The final reason presented by Oreg (2003) is a reluctance to give up old habits. Many researchers see this as a common characteristic of resistance to change. Since familiarity breeds comfort, changes that introduce new stimuli and unfamiliar situations will be uncomfortable since they will require the learning of new habits. However, since all habits were once new habits there is no reason to believe that these new habits cannot be learned (Oreg, 2003).
Determination of an individual’s reason for resisting change will help the transformational leader develop a plan for lowering this resistance and empowering the individual to make the needed changes. A transformational leader who ignores the causes of resistance to change and instead attempts to force changes on individuals will only reinforce their reason for resisting change. Successful implementation of change requires a sense of empathy with their follower’s reason for resistance. If the followers know change is needed and share the leader’s vision for change, knowing that their leader empathizes with their reasons for resisting change eases the stress they experience during the change process. This lowering of resistance will smoothen out the implementation process.
The transformational leader must also be aware of the cycle of change. This cycle goes through four phases, the comfort zone, the no zone, the chasm, and the go zone. Prior to change implementation, individuals live in a comfort zone. In this zone, the individual is comfortable and has a sense of control over their situation (Craine, 2007). When change is implemented, the individual’s resistance will go up. It is at this point that the leader must show empathy with the individual concerns. Knowledge of which of the six reasons for resistance to change (Oreg, 2003) will help the leader develop empathy with the individual’s concerns.
The change cycle now enters the “no zone”. When change is introduced, individuals will have several reactions. First, they experience shock at being forced out of their comfort zone. Next individuals move into a stage of denial. At this point they may say things such as “This won’t affect our department” of “I’ll give it six months and it will pass”. Individuals may even begin to refute the reasons for the need for change in the first place (Craine, 2007). The no zone is an extremely emotional phase and the leader must continue to demonstrate empathy based upon the individuals underlying reason for resisting change.
The change cycle now moves into the chasm. At this point individuals begin to realize that there is no going back. In this phase individuals may begin to doubt whether they will be able to adapt to the changes. They begin to wonder if they will fit in (Craine, 2007). The transformational leader must reassure individuals that they are an important part of the needed change and reinforce his of her vision for how changes will have a positive effect on their lives.
Finally, the change cycle enters into the go zone. In this phase change is accepted and resistance is virtually gone. At this point change has been successfully implemented, individuals have developed new habits, and are beginning to function in a new comfort zone (Craine, 2007).
By knowing the reasons individuals resist change, the transformational leader can begin to empathize with their follower’s reluctance to change. The leader can then successfully lead individuals through the change cycle and change can be successfully implemented. Once again, we see the importance of involving individuals in the change process and not just forcing change on them. Individuals who view their leader as someone concerned with their resistance to change are more apt to adopt their leader’s vision, buy into the reason for change, and help in the implementation of change by learning, adjusting, and developing new habits. Next week we will begin looking at personality types and traits of leaders.
References
Craine, K. (2007). Managing the cycle of change. Information Management Journal, September/October 2007, pp. 44-50. Retrieved January 19, 2010, http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=13&hid=5&sid=07a78323-a248-4b97-b957-3b989244fa21%40sessionmgr10
Oreg, S. (2003). Resistance to change: developing an individual differences measure. Journal of Applied Psychology, 55, pp. 680-693. Retrieved January 19, 2010, http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=5&sid=07a78323-a248-4b97-b957-3b989244fa21%40sessionmgr10
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