Resistancteo change
Definition
Resistanceto changei s the actiont aken by individualsa nd groupsw hen they
perceive that a change that is occurring as a threat to them'
Key words here are 'perceive' and 'threat'. The threat need not be real or large
for resistanceto occur.
In its usuald escripUonit referst o changew ithin organizationsa, lthoughi t
also is found elsewherein other forms' Resistanceis the equivalento f
obiegtionsin salesa nd disagreemenitn generald isalssions'
Resistancem ay take manyf orms, induding activeo r passive,o vert or covert,
individuaol r organizeda, ggressiveo r timid.
o Rationalefo r resistance:W hat peoplet ell themselves'
The rationalef or resistanceis often quite straightforwarda s peoplej ustify their
actionst o themselves.I f you want to over@mer esistanceto change,y ou must
be able to answer the following points.
I want to stay where I am because'..
Even if you offer me a bowl of cherries, I may not be very. concerned to take
*nit Vou proffer if I am happy where I am now. People who have been in the
sum" pt"i" for a long time are usually in this state. They do not need to change
and witt view any suggestiono f changew ith distaste'
...my needs ar€ already met herc
Needsa re basicd riverso f action.I f needsa re not perceiveda s being
pEffil"rty threatened and the current situation is relatively comfortable
ipantculariyi n comparisonw ith the proposedc hange)t hen I will be happiert o
stay where I am.
If people already have their needs met, then you will need to shake the carpet
and piovide some sort of threat to those needs so they are no longer
sufficiently met for the person to want to stay where they are.
...1 have inveeted ...