In her Personality Matters series, Leslie Sachs examines the personalities and people issues that are found in technology groups from cross-functional, high-performance teams to dysfunctional matrix organizations.
Yet, despite this obvious reality, some people will resist any and all threatened change. Often, these individuals do not even realize that change makes them anxious and interferes with their productivity.
People get very creative when they do not want to accept change
The dynamics can get very complex when people start resisting change and some professionals may begin to exhibit behavior that is anything but collegial.
So why DO people resist?
Fear of the unknown
People can get very nervous when confronted with pending change because many changes have no guarranteed outcome. Even when a specific proposal is selected because of some desired result, seasoned professionals know that "unintended consequences" often accompany the actual goal. It takes a very confident employee to embrace change while accepting the uncertainty that is a necessary component of doings things differently. Look for the employee who has a "high need for novel experiences" to generate enthusiasm for new ideas and programs your firm may be considering.
Loss of power
People can also get very anxious over what they perceive to be threats to their own base of power. Psychologists have long known that one's sense of control of their own fate is a critical factor in job satisfaction. If an employee believes that suggested changes in their organization will result in their having less control, they will usually resist such adaptaions to the status quo. Resistance of this type may be active & overt or, as is more common, may surface in subtle, passive-aggressive ways.
Not invented here syndrome
There is a certain personality type that just cannot tolerate outside direction. These individuals do not mind change per se. They simply need to feel that they were the primary force driving new initiatives. Including these people early on in planning and allowing them to be an important part of the implementation is key to eliciting their support and minimizing any potential resistance.
Becoming a change agent
Effective managers know that change is not only inevitable, but is also quite valuable. Successful CM leaders know how to handle a myriad of common resistance behaviors. Sometimes employees do not even realize they are resisting change and it is wiser to work around their anxiety than provoke confrontation.At other times, a more direct approach addressing specific behaviors which impede progress is called for. Sensitivity to personalities and experience are the tools a skilled manager will utilize to move his team along the path of change. Of course, modeling a positive attitude is also a key factor in encouraging employees to embrace needed adjustments in the workplace.
Conclusion
Change may be constant, but it is not necessarily welcome. The savvy IT manager knows that human nature frequently resists change for any number of reasons. CM professionals have to deal with issues of resistance on a regular basis as their discipline requires a particularly high degree of adaptability. Insightful and creative leaders know how to parlay an understanding of personality into specific strategies for overcoming resistance to change so that their teams can keep moving forward.
