The document summarizes research conducted on resistance to change from a leader's perspective. It interviewed 16 change leaders from over 55 organizations across various industries. The research identified 17 symptoms of resistance to change categorized into individual, group, and organizational levels. It suggests that leaders' inability to address deeper psychological levels like values and identity may be why most change initiatives fail. The document explores frameworks for leading change and individual/group transitions more effectively.

1. What Drives Resistance to Change?
A Leader’s Perspective
Research conducted at Henley Business School as part of a
post graduation qualification in Behavioral Change
Researcher: Rod Willis
rod.willis@assentire.net
Electronics Manufacturing and Test, then
Mergers and Acquisitions since 1985.
Sponsor: Assentire Ltd
www.assentire.net
Engineering skills applying Enabling Technology,
then moved to Process Improvement and
organisational change. Now focused on the
People side of the equation enabling Behavioural
Change
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2. Reflecting why are we here today?
Here are some thoughts
• Find ways of being better at what we do
• Be free to bring new ideas to the table
• Be able to frame new ideas contextually
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3. POLL
Ques)ons
#1
• Which
one
is
your
interest?
– Find
ways
of
being
be=er
at
what
we
do
– Be
free
to
bring
new
ideas
to
the
table
– Be
able
to
frame
new
ideas
contextually
n=169
Select
only
one

4. Is this research Important?
• 70% of all change initiatives fail (HBR).
http://hbr.org/product/hbr-s-10-must-reads-on-change-management-with-feat/an/12599-PBKENG
• Resistance to Change is often cited as the number
one reason why a change program has not
delivered to the level that was anticipated.
• Organisations need to respond to turbulent
market conditions.
• Needing to achieve more with fewer resources is
a common theme we hear daily in the media, be
this public, private or non-profit sectors.
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5. Is this research Important?
• 70% of all change initiatives fail (HBR).
http://hbr.org/product/hbr-s-10-must-reads-on-change-management-with-feat/an/12599-PBKENG
• Resistance to Change is often cited as the number
one reason why a change program has not
delivered to the level that was anticipated.
• Organisations need to respond to turbulent
market conditions.
• Needing to achieve more with fewer resources is
a common theme we hear daily in the media, be
n=154
this public, private or non-profit sectors.
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6. The Prime Research context
• Sixteen change leaders (past and present) via
semi-structured interviews provided the prime
data.
• Combined experiences spanning > 55
organisations.
• Operating within Oil and Gas, Professional and
Financial Services, Public sector, including two
District Councils and a Police Collaboration
Programme.
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7. The Problem of Change
“Change is occurring at an ever increasing pace in all
phases of man’s life.
People fear change because it upsets their way of
doing things and threatens their security.
This feeling is balanced by a desire for new
experiences and for the benefits that come as a
result of change”
(BURNS, J. E. 1966. THE PROBLEM OF CHANGE. Industrial Management, 8, 1.)
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8. Some of the questions asked
• When you think of the term "RESISTANCE TO
CHANGE", what comes to mind?
• Is this the term you have used in the past or do
you use any other terms?
• As you think of examples of Resistance to Change,
do you perceive…?
– Only Negative activity, if so why?
– Only Positive activity, if so why?
– Both Negative and Positive activities if so why?
Neither, please comment further
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9. POLL
Ques)ons
#2
• As
you
think
of
examples
of
Resistance
to
Change,
do
you
perceive…?
– Only
Nega)ve
ac)vity?
– Only
Posi)ve
ac)vity?
– Both
Nega)ve
and
Posi)ve
ac)vi)es?
– Neither
Nega)ve
nor
Posi)ve
ac)vi)es?
n=162
Select
only
one

10. We found 17 symptoms
Ensuring a safe environment to enable Learning and Change
Culture of the
Organization
Leading and Managing Change
Symptoms by level
Purpose, Comm’s
Individual + Group Transition
1 off Level 1
1
Change Dynamics
Symptom by level
Personal Dynamics
3 off3
Level 2
4 symptoms
2 off Level 1
2
3 off3Level 2
Group Dynamics
Symptoms by level
3 off Level 1
3
5
5 off Level 2
5 symptoms
8 symptoms
Behavioural/Psychological Levels used to categorise ‘Symptom by level’
Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability
Level 2: Values, Beliefs, sense of Identity and Personal Purpose
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11. Leaders and Managers ability, and
Resistance to Change
Ensuring a safe environment to enable Learning and Change
Symptom Theme:
Culture of the Organization
Leading and Managing Change
Symptom Themes:
Purpose, Communication
Individual and Group Transition
Symptoms by level
1 off Level 1
Symptom Themes:
Is there a relationship between Leaders and
Change Dynamics
Personal
3 off Level 2
Managers abilitylevel
work at a deeper Dynamics
Symptom by to
Group Dynamics
psychological level (consciously or otherwise),
2 off Level 1
Symptoms by level
and beingoff Level 2
bring about successful
3 able to
3 off Level 1
change?
5 off Level 2
Behavioural/Psychological Levels used to categorise ‘Symptom by level’
Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability
Level 2: Values, Beliefs, sense of Identity and Personal Purpose
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12. Resistance in the Eye of the
Beholder
Level 1
Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability
Level 2
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13. Resistance in the Eye of the
Beholder
How
will
we
gain
access
to
this
knowledge
on
a
broader
basis
?
Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability
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14. Change Programs under-performing
It would seem the majority of
Could this be why?
deliver
change programs fail to
what is wanted, is there a link
Ensuring a safe environment to enable Learning and Change
here?
Symptom Theme:
Culture of the Organization
Symptoms by level
1 off Level 1
Leading and Managing Change
Symptom Themes:
Purpose, Communication
Change Dynamics
3 off Level 2
What are the implications if you, or
Symptom by level
your Leaders and Managers are
2 off Level 1
NOT able to work at a deeper level
3 off Level 2
than Capability?
Individual and Group Transition
Symptom Themes:
Personal Dynamics
Group Dynamics
Symptoms by level
3 off Level 1
5 off Level 2
Behavioural/Psychological Levels used to categorise ‘Symptom by level’
Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability
Level 2: Values, Beliefs, sense of Identity and Personal Purpose
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15. POLL
Ques)ons
#3
• Please
select
the
one
you
feel
is
hardest
to
work
with.
– Capabili)es
– Environment
– Values
and/or
Beliefs
– Behaviours
– Sense
of
Iden)ty
Select
only
one
n=165

16. The ‘Grow Through Change’
framework and the Research findings
Low awareness regarding Leadership
of Transformation and Individual
Transition
Appropriate Process, Timing &
Content
Fear of failure, Personal “ROI”,
conflict with an individual’s
“System” and/or career objectives
Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
Purpose, Mastery, Autonomy
Lack of a clear Purpose
Staff involvement, Tipping Point,
Assimilation capacity and Changecycle (Transition Psychology)
Old habits die hard, perceived
excessive work, present system is
OK, outdated life-cycle view
“Group-Think”
Sins of the past, low trust in the
leadership, limited “soft skills”
awareness in the leadership,
inadequate training or support
provided
Transition:
Origin: mid 16th century: from French, or from Latin transitio(n-), from transire 'go across’
Definition: The process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another
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17. What next? ‘Grow Through Change’,
working with other frameworks
How to engage in this space
• Funded Research
• Workshops
• Professional Coaching
• Professional Supervision
Rod Willis
rod.willis@assentire.net
assentire.net/supervision/
apm.org.uk/BOK6
APM Body of Knowledge
ISO 9004
goo.gl/xPlbm6
And
Adult Development & Leadership Theory

18. Thoughts for the day
Resistance to Change, has our view actually changed in 50 year?
‘Real-life leaders: closing the knowing-doing gap’
(CIPD Research report September 2013)
‘New research finds 'reality gap’ in the capability of UK plc's 8
million managers, undermining attempts to boost economic
growth’ (CIPD 3rd of May 2012)
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19. It’s not new after all!
Books for consideration
Leading and Managing Change
1: Purpose (Heron, 1999, Pink, 2011, Jung, 1995, Sinek, 2011)
3: Communication (Patterson, 2002, Wright, 2009, Gallwey, 1986)
4: Change Dynamic (Black, 2008, Conner, 2006, Hurst, 2002, *Kim and Mauborgne, 2003)
Ensure a safe environment to enable learning and change
2: Culture (Covey, 2006, Kotter and Cohen, 2002, *Welsh NHS Confederation, 2008, Schutz, 1994)
Leading and Managing Individual and Group Transition
6: Group Dynamic (Jaques and Salmon, 2008, Senge, 1994, Senge, 2006, Thornton, 2010)
5: Personal Dynamic (Argyris, 2008, Cartwright, 2004, Deci, 1997, Hawkins and Smith, 2006, Lawrence and Nohria, 2002)
Transformational Leadership
Frameworks (*Rooke and Torbert, 2005, *Jr., 2006, Collins, 2005, *Michael J. Zickar, 2008)
A link for the books available from Amazon is available at http://goo.gl/5DfUh5
References prefixed with an * are Papers, please contact me for more details if you would like the full reference.
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20. References for Journals introduced
at the start of the presentation
COGHLAN, D. 1993. A person-centred approach to dealing with resistance to change. Leadership &
Organization Development Journal, 14, 10.
LAWRENCE, P. R. 1954. How to Deal with Resistance to Change. Harvard Business Review, 32, 49-57.
ROOKE, D. & TORBERT, W. R. 2005. 7 Transformations of Leadership. Harvard Business Review, 83, 66-66.
STONE, D. N., DECI, E. L. & RYAN, R. M. 2009. Beyond talk: creating autonomous motivation through
self-determination theory. Journal of General Management, 34, 75-91.
THOMAS, R. & HARDY, C. 2011. Reframing resistance to organizational change. Scandinavian Journal of
Management, 27, 322-331.
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21. To close
‘Insanity is doing the same thing, over and
over again, but expecting different
results’ (Albert Einstein)
Thank you for your time
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