PRO: People Just Resist Change Naturally
According to Robert Tanner, a leadership professional with over twenty years of experience at all level of management, “It is not in our nature to make changes that we view as harmful to our current situation” (Tanner, 2017). In addition to it, Mr. Tanner explains that people do actually resist change naturally due to the fear that we normally undergo in respect to failure, which in many cases, it takes place in our work life. As for example, when we encounter changes that are being implemented at our workplace, these new adjustments could be seen as substantial obstacles, and consequently, it can cause our brain to have serious doubts about our capabilities to perform other different tasks than the ones we are already used to execute in our current job. In other words, we would naturally feel worried and therefore resist change if we cannot adapt to the new work requirements.
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On the other hand, although I believe that sometimes “change” could be inevitable in someone’s life based on specific circumstances, I totally agree that people just resist change naturally due to the fear that we face toward the unknown, and because it is, in fact, part of our behavior as human beings (Jack, 2014). Furthermore, Sue Langley, a global business consultant and a leading advisor on the practical workplace applications of neuroscience states, “Even when faced with a life-threatening situation, people tend to resist change despite knowing the repercussions” (Langley, 2012). For instance, when we see that change is happening around us, we naturally feel threatened. This behavior is due to our brain’s threat-reward system, in which we basically desire to minimize threat and maximize reward (Langley,
Individuals and groups are influenced by change that is cataclysmic, whether it would be inevitable or voluntary. As discussed above, change can be seen as acceptance. Once one accepts this change it is adopted but one must live to fulfill it.
Change is good." We hear the catchy phrase everywhere. From company slogans to motivational speeches, our world seems to impose this idea that change is always a good thing. Assuming that the change is for the better, it is probably a true statement in most cases. The root of this idea seems to come from the notion that we are dissatisfied with the state that we are in, so, in order to create a more enjoyable surrounding, we adjust. Others, however, stray from this practice, and instead of trying to adapt to the people around them, they try and change others.
For many, change is a cause for ignorance. Most of us fear the idea of change. When one is faced to deal with c...
Many people are resistant to change. They become comfortable with their lives and don’t dare to venture outside of the box.
As a person one might find that we follow a specific routine on the day to day basis. Sudden changes to these routines feels weird and out of place. In William Faulkner’s “A Rose For Emily” based in a fictional town called Jefferson taking place during the twentieth century. The time period is indeed an important factor because southern tradition was above all of the highest importance. This short story gives the audience details of life during that time in which they followed the values of southern tradition and the importance to never stray away from those traditions. The context of the story is laced with subliminal messages of humanities resistance to change.
In March, my PSYC class was presented with a challenge - to identify a personal improvement goal and to address this issue using an Immunity to Change map. My lengthy list of personal struggles was quickly narrowed down to one item with focused reflection. My improvement goal was to engage in productive thoughts and behaviors that would provide better time management practices. I was initially looking to improve my behaviors at home so that it would translate into success in all areas of my life including my career. With thoughtful observation and consideration, the Immunity to Change (ITC) map provided a developmentally raw process that continues to help me focus on my improvement goal today. Although I am still working on this goal, this process created more opportunities to make significant development changes above and beyond my initial intentions.
The promise of change motivates certain people to make immediate changes in their life for the better. When given the opportunity
...ny one individual. You might ask three people what their personal definition of change is and receive three different answers. Some people offer very little resistance to change, they consider it the spice of life; it prevents stagnancy and maintains excitement through diversity. Some people view change like the U.S. viewed Russia during the cold war, as an inevitable threat that we must constantly monitor and prepare for. Other people react to change like an ostrich reacts to danger. They just stick their head in a hole and pretend it doesn't exist. Change is constantly happening all the time to everyone in someway or another. Whether or not change is accepted does not alter the fact that it exists however the way you accept change can alter the way you exist.
Individuals, when faced with any major change, will be inevitably resistant and will want to preserve the status quo, especially if they think their status or security within the organization is in danger (Bolognese, 2010). Folger and Skarlicki believe that organizational change produces skepticism in employees, which makes it problematic and possibly even impossible to contrive improvements within the organization (as cited in Bolognese, 2010). Therefore, management must understand, accept and make an effort to work with resistance, since it can undermine even the most well-conceived change efforts (Bolognese, 2010). Furthermore, Coetsee states that for organizations to achieve the maximum benefits from change they must effectively create and maintain a climate and culture that does not support resistance and rewards acceptance and support ( as cited in Bolognese, 2010). Therefore, it is important to understand what resistance is and how to reduce the effects of resistance.
For obvious reasons, people reject change. Especially people who are close to each other because they feel that this change is going to seperate them and make them not as close as they used to be. They fight the change until they force the person to change. It's sad how this works, but in reality, it's probably the single most reason why people change. The people we love, love us so much that they want us to remain the way we are forever. Forever is a long time and not one person can always stay the same. Sometimes if the people we love would just accept the change and go with it, they would understand where the change was origianlly coming from.
Implementing change in the workplace is a dynamic process. Although change itself can be controlled and limited to some degree, innovation is substantially even more dynamic. This dynamic, unpredictable process introduces vulnerability, which can lead to employee frustration. Just as the scenario addresses, many individuals become motivated at the thought of change and innovation; however, the change does not occur due to resistance or other obstacles. Much of this resistance arises from the unpredictability and vulnerability of the process. Managers must be able to prevent or manage resistance by using tools and strategies to smooth the process.
Individuals go through a reaction process when they are personally confronted with major organizational change (Kyle, 1993; Jacobs, 1995; Bovey & Hede, 2001). Within this process there are four phases that it consists of: initial denial, resistance, gradual exploration, and eventual commitment (Scott & Jaffe, 1988; Bovey & Hede, 2001). Resistance to change is the initial area to focus on. The issues of organizational change and resistance to change have received a lot of attention over the past decade (Macri, Tagliaventi & Bertolotti, 2002). The perceptions of individuals play a fu...
There are many aspects in change leadership and people’s fear is one of them. Working as team member in a company takes a long time to adapt to other team members and work productively. Those employees who cannot accept changes fast and adapt to new team members may have troubles to work effectively and may be causing stagnation of other workers and a...
The employee reflects change in an organization as a shift of role, responsibilities and skill. However, in an organizational level its refers change as a framework structure around the changing needs and capability of an organization to perform. Both employee and organization’s perception of change are needed to ensure the change is successful. Brown (2011) reported that “the role of change as a corrective action often affect patterns of work or values, and in consequence meet with resistance” (p. 144). Once an organization and its member decide to conduct a change program, they intensify the forces that driving the change. The life cycle of employee’s resistance is necessary in accomplishing change in an organization. There are five important phases in a life cycle of employee resistance to change in an organization, namely introduce the change, forces of change emerge, direct conflict happens in an organization, residual resistance appear in an organization and lastly, establish the change. (refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).
In my life, I have been exposed to a challenge called change. Change can occur in many different ways and is dealt with in many different ways. I have come to the awareness that change can be the deepest of all things. I always thought that change occurred when you moved to a state or when you lost someone real close to you. Those are a challenge to change, yes, but change doesn’t have to occur over a climactic incident. It can just appear overnight when your brain winds up when it’s time to do something different. Even with friends that you used to have and know that move on. For example, most of my friends from elementary school, I don’t even talk to them anymore.