Reasons why people resist change

Reason 1 The person is afraid of losing his or her job

Change is resisted because it can hurt. When new technologies displace old ones, jobs can be lost, prices can be cut, investments can be wiped out. When people feel that a business change is a threat to their own job security, that the change will eliminate the need for their job, they will resist change.One explanation for the status quo bias is aversion to loss. People are more concerned about the risk of loss than they are excited by the prospect of gain.

Reason 2 The person is afraid of losing power

Threats to power and influence are one of the most important sources of resistance to change. There is considerable revenue associated with the current successful model. Careers have been built on its growth. Any change to a new model threatens those revenues and those reputations.

Reason 3 The person is afraid of extra work pressure

When people feel that a certain change requires that they work more than they do now and already new work under high pressure they will resist change.

Reason 4 The person is afraid of not having skills to do new things

Change is resisted when it makes people feel stupid. People are worried that their skills will be obsolete, that they will lack the skills that are needed. what they did in the past worked well for them, they may resist changing their behaviour out of fear that they will not achieve as much in the future.

Reason 5

The person lacks awareness of the need for change When people are not aware of the underlying business need for change, they will resist change.

Reason 6 The person thinks that nothing can be changed

The most frozen layer in any organization, I think, is the people with experience who think they know best, who believe that nothing can be changed, and who typically exhibit a not-invented-here syndrome.
Ravi Kant

Active followers

Reactive People who resist change

Proactive People who want change

Reason 7
The person has no willingness to change
Some people, hesitant to try new routines, express an unwillingness to learn anything new. They may say, I already know all that I need to know.

Reason 8 The person does not understand what the change means for him or her
When people do not have the answer to the question Whats in it for me? They will resist change. Stakeholders often resist change because they do not understand the implications it may have for them. Such misunderstandings may lead them to perceive that the change will cost them more than they will gain

Reason 9

The person does not believe in the leader

Misunderstandings are most likely to arise when trust is lacking between the person initiating the change and the stakeholders who feel that they will be affected by it. People resist change when they do not feel that a particular solution is the best approach to fix the problem.

Reason 10 Company culture is hostile to change

To be efficient Plan Stick to your knitting

To be creative Let things emerge Think outside the box

Exploit what you know

Explore what you dont know

Creativity Curiosity Freedom

Equality Helpful Honesty Love Forgiving Friendship

Experimentation Variation Daring

Ambition Individualism Competition

Dominance Control Power

Tradition
Family

Discipline
Conformity Security Clean

Even when stakeholders intellectually understand the need for change they, sometimes, are emotionally unable to make the transition.

Part 2
4 types of expressions that people, who resist change, may make

1 Expressions that create fear

We are much too small for that, I am afraid. We are much too big for that, I am afraid. We could lose our control of our key area if we spend time on that new stuff.

Expressions that create delay

The Titanic received 6 warnings of ice on the day of the collision. They were all ignored by the wireless operator, who was preoccupied with transmitting passenger messages and by the crew, who were focused on breaking the speed record.

Passive behaviour creating delay

Verbal
The persons ignores / avoids, for example by playing things down as if they were unimportant. playing stupid pretending he/she does not know anything about the topic. driving discussions into ridiculousness. talking about unimportant matters.

Non-verbal
The person shows no interest, for example by being silent. ignoring. paying no attention. being tired. being absent. being sick.

 Surely, you understand that we just dont have time for that right now. Lets talk about it next month or so. Its too early for that. Be patient. At this point, were probably not ready for that. We need to do a thorough analysis to be sure that It is not my area. Talk to John or Maria about it. I have too much work to do. I need to get back to all my e- mails. Talk to someone else about it. Why do you want to take away the focus from the success we have had in the past? Instead of critizising the cash cows that brought us so much success so many years, shouldnt you just concentrate on praising the people, who have been here for decades and are the key reason for the success we have had?

Good idea, but it is not the right time. We need to wait until.
Response The best time is almost always when you have people excited and committed to make something happen. And thats now.

3 Expressions that create confusion

What about this? What about that? What about? Have you thought about topics A, B, C, D, E, and? When your idea can generate so many questions and comments, there must be lots of issues you have not yet thought about. If you studied this topic closer, for example by reading reports z and u [65 page reports], you would surely come to the conclusion that many aspects have not yet been thought through carefully.

4 Expressions and non-verbal behaviour that ridicule people

Are you saying that we are not good, that we are not competent? What about yourself? It is a fascinating dream, but in the real world it would be unrealistic. It sounds good in theory, but it would never work in practice. Are you sure you have done enough homework on this important issue? It is very uncareful of you to suggest a thing like that.If I were you, I would be ashamed of myself. Oh, your mother language is [language x]. I suppose that means you still need to learn more about how people speak and do things in our part of the world.

Non-verbal behaviour that can ridicule people

The person creates disputes. creates rumours. creates intrigues. builds alliances.

We tried that before. It didnt work.

Response That was then. This is now. Times change. The situation today is different.

If your idea is as good as you say it is, why have nobody done it before? Response Its an interesting point you bring up. Thank you for mentioning it. I appreciate your interest. I have learned throughout my life that there is a first time for everything. And I might add that we as first movers could take home the biggest fruits. There are several billion people in the world, and I dont know for sure whether someone somewhere is doing something like this. So let us try.

I recall we discussed a similar idea here in the company years ago. It may have been as you were still at school. Response Its really interesting to hear that there were also, years ago, people, who had thoughts about how this company can develop / renew itself. Lets keep living these values of creativity, exploration, development, experimentation that were once at the very core of this company. In these times of change, there are possibilities occurring that we should explore. Also, in a changing environment, you surely agree that it is crucial to keep learning and trying new things out.

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.
Mahatma Gandhi

Thanks RB