Examples Of Resistance To Change

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Resistance to Change in an Organization
As society changes, so does the need for organizations to change in an effort to maintain stability and relevance. Some variables of resistance to change are affective, cognitive, and behavioral. The role of resistance to change may test an organizations’ commitment to change, as well as the motivation of employees. Fear of failure appears to be a primary cause for resistance, particularly when such fear spreads among employees. Resistance to change is manageable when an organization is cognizant of the motivation behind the resistance. Finally, resistance to change along with the ability to overcome resistance is demonstrated in the example of personal experience.
Variables of Resistance to Change
Among …show more content…

One theory of motivation is the self-determination theory (SDT), which highlights the significance of a person’s psychological needs in establishing self-motivation (Harakas, 2013). The idea is that if a person is motivated to accept, or even embrace change the organization will experience less resistance. Harakas (2013) reported that SDT suggests three human needs are fundamental to personal growth: relatedness, competence, and autonomy. To decrease resistance to change, an organization must find a way to relate the change to resistant employees, helping him or her recognize the benefits to the proposed change. Equally, if the plan for change is not adequately communicated to employees, this can lead to questions of competence, which is likely to increase …show more content…

The staff maintained short-term focus complaining about the additional work required to implement the program. The statement ‘this is how we have always done things’ remained a theme for every PBIS meeting, with no recognition that the school must change with the population. Such rigidity can make implementing change more difficult and potentially lead to failure.
Overcoming Resistance to Change As Harakas (2013) reported, one key to reducing resistance to change is to increase the motivation of employees. The PBIS leadership team could not seem to find a way to motivate the staff to accept the changes, necessary to implement the program. However, in time the outcome of the changes ignited self-determination in the staff to embrace the PBIS program. This staff went from completely resisting any changes in daily routine to suggesting further changes that would enhance the learning environment for students’ and staff alike.

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