Fundamentals of Management, 8th ed

196

Part 3: Organizing

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Understanding Resistance to Change

Another element in the effective management of change is understanding the resistance

that often accompanies change.

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Managers need to know why people resist change and

what can be done about their resistance. When Schlumberger first provided all its man-

agers with smartphones, most people responded favorably. One manager, however,

resisted the change to the point where he maintained two telephone numbers, one on

his new smartphone (which he left with his assistant) and his old standard cell phone

that he continued to use. Such resistance is common for a variety of reasons.

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The “Leading

the Way” feature illustrates resistance to change.

Uncertainty

Perhaps the biggest cause of employee resistance to change is uncer-

tainty. In the face of impending change, employees may become anxious and nervous.

They may worry about their ability to meet new job demands, they may think that

their job security is threatened, or they may simply dislike ambiguity. Nabisco was once

the target of an extended and confusing takeover battle, and during the entire time,

employees were nervous about the impending change. The Wall Street Journal described

them this way: “Many are angry at their leaders and fearful for their jobs. They are swap-

ping rumors and spinning scenarios for the ultimate outcome of the battle for the

Establishment of goals for the change

Recognition of the need for change

Evaluation and follow-up

Diagnosis of relevant variables

Planning for implementation of the change

Selection of appropriate change technique

Actual implementation

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