Presentation made at the PM World webinar July 20, 2017. Makes the connection between project management and managing a change project, avoiding the many possible sources of resistance to both the change objective and the process methodology to plan & implement the change.

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Transformational Leadership
Org-Change Essentials –
Avoiding
Resistance
Dr. Ross Wirth
www.OrgChangeDoctor.com
DrWirth@OrgChangeDoctor.com
PM World
Webinar
7/20/2017
Focus Today – Blend of Two Topics
• Essentials for Successful Org-Change
– What Has to be Done Right
• Sources of Change Resistance
– Change Objective
– Change Project Methodology
– YOU!!
• 7 Approaches to deal with Resistance
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Developmental, Transitional, & Transformative Change
Time
CumulativeChange
Current State
To be
Discovered
State
Transformative
Change
Pruitt & Waddell (2005) and Anderson & Anderson (2010)
Target State
Transitional
(reform)
Change
Developmental
(incremental)
Change
3 Essentials for Successful Org Change
1. Knowing what to change
– and what not to change
2. Differentiate change leadership and
change management
– Ability to mandate vs. influence change
– Lead the vision for change
– Manage the change process
3. Knowing how to involve people
– Change enablement
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Resistance to
Organizational Change
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Reasons for Resistance – Numerous!!
 Loss of positional power
 Perceived loss greater than
personal gain
 Fear of the unknown
 Habit & inertia of the status
quo
 Already tried it, didn’t work
 Altered relationships within
the group
 Disruption of group identity
 Disruption of individual
identity
 Change implies fault-finding
 Occurring too fast to adapt
 Too radical a change
 Personality conflict with
change agent
 Beyond our authority or
responsibility
 Won’t work in our industry
 Exposure to past failed
efforts
 Peer pressure for
conformity
 Forced change – lack of
participation to this point
 Purpose of the change not
clear
 Not broke, no need to fix it
 Limited resources (people,
time, money)
 Too hard
 Now is not the time
 More study is needed
 Vested interests in the
status quo
 Too new & untested
 ____ won’t accept the
change
 Investment in status quo
 Change implies other
changes also
Axson (2007) 6
Every Situation
is Different
Need to
Generalize

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Reasons why People Resist Change
• Something new to be learned (more training)
–New skills, knowledge (fear of failure)
–Productivity – time pressure
• Loss of something (respond by bargaining)
–Benefits, compensation
–Authority, responsibility, status, prestige
–Opportunity (Psychological Contract)
• Poor Timing – conflicts with other initiatives
7
Reasons why People Resist Change
• Cultural (Social) Pressures
–Traditions
–Worker relationships (peer pressure)
–Climate of mistrust
• Personal Factors
–Predisposition to change & ambiguity
–Surprise & fear of the unknown
–Personality conflicts
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However, we must dig deeper to understand resistance.

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6 Core Psychological Needs Must
Align with the Change Plan
• Competence – feeling capable
• Order & Control – predictable & structured with no surprises
• Inclusion & Connection – part of what is happening
• Power – direct & indirect influence over
outcome & process
• Security – emotionally safe without threat
• Justice & Fairness – minimal political action & no nepotism
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Goltz & Hietapelto (2002), Anderson & Anderson (2010)
Training & Communication
Change
Management
Empathy &
Identity
Typical Responses to
Organizational Change
Resistance
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Traditional approach to address Resistance
•Verify the “facts”
•What do we know?
•Challenge beliefs
•What is your opinion? Do you think ___ ?
•Acknowledge emotions
•How does ____ make you feel? Any concerns?
•Relate to values & loyalty
•What are your priorities for the organization?
1st reaction –
Fight the resistance – head on
(Find a way for “them” to change)
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Resistance depends on Perspective
• Change Manager point-of-view
–People are just resistant to anything new (self-fulfilling)
–In reality – They may be the
Cause of Resistance
• Change Recipient point-of-view
–Too hard to learn something new
–Conflicts with personal agenda (self-interest)
–Believes change objective flawed
–Being changed without involvement
–Believes timing conflicts with other initiatives
• or too resource poor
Resist
Change
Objective
Resist
Change
Process

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Triggers for Change Resistance
•Change objective
•Unclear or not aligned
•Conflicts with
• Cultural values or norms
• Personal agendas
•Change project methodology (often ad hoc)
•Engagement : Tell – Sell – Test – Consult – Co-create
Management -- Leadership
late in process early in process
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Jellison (2006)
Typical response: more Persuasion & Training
Presupposition of Resistance
•If you believe people will resist change
• Requires strategies for doing things to change recipients
to help them conform
• Sets up trust breaking & communication breakdown
• Reallocation of resources (time, people, budget)
• Reasons driving decision-making altered
• Violates psychological and implied contracts
• The change manager is not responsible
if they continue to resist
14Ford, Ford, & D’Amelio (2008)
What do you believe about where resistance originates?

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Range of Approaches to
Organizational Change
Resistance
What works?
15
Typical Solutions for Resistance – 1st Steps
• Ignore – high performers leave &
poor performers stay
• Double up on training & coaching
• More communication
• Rewards and penalties
–Short-term compliance – no commitment
–Easy crutch for poor managers
–Loss of Trust and increased resentment &
anger
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Jellison (2006)

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Fallback Solutions for Resistance – 2nd Steps
• Use force – systems & infrastructure
• Manipulation (sometimes disguised)
• Reorganize – move resisters
• Fire and replace a blocker
• Revert back to accepting the status quo
– Modify Change Objective
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Jellison (2006)
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Systematic Approaches to Resistance
5. Manage the “Problem”
– Use available force (hammer time)
– Micro-manage for compliance, hoping for
commitment
6. Manipulation & Coercion
– If all else fails, use Force (Quick & Inexpensive
– Maybe NOT)
7. Declare Success (in lieu of failure)
– Face-saving effort (spin)
Jellison (2006)
Reactive
Management

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Systematic Approaches to Resistance
3. Address ad hoc (or ignore with some risk)
– Wait until problem develops (reactionary)
– Resist Resistance hoping it will go away
4. Negotiate non-essential elements
– Beg, Bargain, & Bribe (may be cost & time
effective)
– Prioritize around the edge (Let’s Make a Deal)
– Note: they may have the power to resist!
• Compliance or Commitment?
Ford, Ford, & D’Amelio (2008), Jellison (2006)
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Systematic Approaches to Resistance
1. Co-opt the source of resistance
– Building a bigger tent (co-creation)
– Involvement & enablement
2. Plan for resistance – Embrace it
– Training & communication strategy (win people over)
• Build a rational case for change
– Identify Change Champions (cheerleaders)
• Build an emotional case for change
– Support systems & structure (manage what can be)
– Anticipate possibilities (contingency plans)
– Resistance is Engagement
Proactive
Management

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Effectiveness – Prioritize your focus
1. Co-opt the source of resistance
2. Plan for resistance
3. Address ad hoc (or ignore)
4. Negotiate non-essential elements
5. Manage the “Problem”
6. Manipulation & Coercion
7. Declare Success (in lieu of failure)
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Effectiveness
Early in the Change Process
Late in the Change Process
Success
Failure
Typical
Change Resistance
Across the project methodology
not a single place, but everywhere
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Change Management Project Methodology
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Preparation
•Awareness
•Diagnosis
•Team Vision
•Planning
Implementation
•DAC leadership
•Target Stage
•Communication
•Training
•Resources
•Barrier removal
Evaluation
•Track & Celebrate
•Anchor progress
•Reinforce & Refocus
Change
Portfolio
Points of potential resistance
Bonus Content for attending today
Free Enrollment in an online course
Change Management Project Methodology
http://orgchangedoctor.thinkific.com/courses/c
hange-project-methodology
• Full Change Methodology available now
• Supporting lectures coming soon
• Request feedback
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Dr. Ross Wirth, Professor
www.OrgChangeDoctor.com
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Online courses to help change the world
Building the
Future
by what you do
Today
www.futurecollege.us
What do
You Now
Need to
Learn?
• Hip Pocket Slides
–For possible use if questions arise
earlier in the presentation
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Flip Viewpoint – Embrace Resistance
• Instead of working to overcome resistance
–Work to understand it (feedback on change &
process)
• You may not know as much as you think you do!
• True reasons may be hidden – dig deeper
• Your practices may be contributing to problem
–Use it to your advantage
• Understand where focus needs to be clarified
• Find common ground to get them onboard
• Respect resisters, do not alienate them further
• Do not take it personally – do not make it personal
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Jick & Peiperl (2011), Morrison & Milliden (2000), and Waddell & Sohal (1998)
How to Benefit from Resistance
• Clarify problems understanding the Change Objective
– Overlooking something – provides alternatives
• Identify problems with the Change Process
– Flawed Communication Strategy (message & medium)
• Avoid group-think
• Resistance implies some engagement
– Better than apathy
28Active resistance is better than passive resistance.

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Pathway to Studying Organizational Change
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Understanding why
organizations change Types of change –
how organizations change
Stages of Change –
how people change
Analysis & Diagnosis
Determining what to change
Organizational change
project management Tools for
enabling change
Becoming a
Change AgentTracking progress
in the change process
Change Resistance – high level
•Traditional Sources of Resistance
• Habits embedded through past practices (including past
change experience)
• Political shifts in power relationships
• Cultural momentum through existing values, norms, &
assumptions.
•Traditional approaches to “manage resistance”
• Support – training & time to acclimatize
• Communication – explain & sell change rationale
• Empathy – identify with those resisting
• Participation & involvement – bring them into the process
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Cummings & Worley (2005)

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1. Planned Change (Goal Setting) Theory
• Separate initiatives with goal setting and implementation
2. Debate-Synthesis (Dialectic) Theory
• Use of thesis – anti-thesis – synthesis to promote change
3. Life Cycle (grow/decline) Theory
• Change as a sequence of growth (decline) stages
4. Evolution (adaptation & emergence) Theory
• Natural selection among competitors in a population
Four Theories of Change – Overview
31Van de Ven & Poole (1995)
Change Models
• Do not Confuse different types of Change Models
•Think Linked Models, each with a different purpose
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Change Project Methodology (Change ℞, Kotter, LCCA, CAP, ADKAR®)
Diagnostic Models
(7S, Org Congruence, Systems
Dynamics, Competing values,
Org Growth Phases, Cynefin)
Individual Change Models
(Stages of Change, Lewin/Schein)
Resistance Transition Models
(Stages of Loss, Psychological Transition,
Stages of Transition, Phases of Acceptance)
Types of
Change
(How organizations
change)

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1. Identifying what needs to change (& what to protect)
• Deep analysis & reflection (Diagnostic models)
2. Determine the change process that is applicable (the “how”)
• Situation clarification
• Identification of appropriate change theory
• Choice of available tools (practice)
3. Change Implementation (Project Methodology Models)
Phases of Change Management
33
Perceived Risk of a Particular Change impacts Resistance
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Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols (2016)
PerceivedRisk
Past experience with change
Minimal Change Moderate Change Prolonged or
Extreme Change
High
Low
Change
Inexperience
Change
Competency
Change
Fatigue
Crisis
Acknowledged

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Emotion trumps Logic
• Plans constructed with logic & economics
– but implemented with emotion
• Disconnects arise
– Misaligned Stages of Change between
change leaders & those impacted
– Change Communication focuses on Rationale
without context
• Even rational understanding is insufficient
– Positive Emotion needed for momentum
35
Encourage Leadership at all Levels
• Do not rely solely on Positional Leadership
– Power in Distributed, Personal Leadership
– Positional leadership –
for compliance, but not commitment
• Leverage informal social networks
– Establish context for change
• DAC Leadership
– Direction, Alignment, Commitment
• Commitment is cultural with many leaders
– Cannot be mandated 36

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Encourage participation in the
change process
• Participation follows the Power Curve
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Levelofinvolvement
People
Change leaders
Most people
Seek to Understand Dominant Trends
• Determine trajectory & points of leverage
• Trends – driven by complex interactions
• Not fully predictable, but directional
• Cynefin Model – How to Respond
– Simple – Known
– Complicated – Knowable
– Complex – Patterns
– Chaotic – Turbulent
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Cynefin (kun-ev’in) Model
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Known
Sense
Categorize
Respond
Knowable
Sense
Analyze
Respond
Pattern
Probe
Sense
Respond
Turbulent
Act
Sense
Respond
Reference: Snowden (2002)
Consequences of inattention to Essentials
By ignoring these essentials, you risk
– Ineffective Change Objective(s)
– Not knowing what to communicate
and to whom
– Ineffective efforts & waste of time
– Unnecessary resistance
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Deeper Understanding of Change
Psychology
•All Change is Personal (emotion trumps logic)
•When core needs are challenged,
people protect themselves
•Core needs are often hidden (unconscious)
from ourselves
•Cross-cultural core needs, but
culturally & socially biased by local dominance
•Often, Change Starts with the Change Leader
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Anderson & Anderson (2010)