Barriers to Change

 

Three general causes explain resistance to change: organizational factors, group factors and individual factors. While planning and implementing change, leaders must consider all three causes.

 

The primary organizational cause for resisting change is inertia, which is the tendency for an organization as a whole to resist change and want to maintain the status quo. Closely related to inertia are the culture and structure of the organization, which, if well established, are hard to change.

 

In addition to inertia and culture and structure, organizations can provide a barrier to change by not rewarding people for change or complementing change at inappropriate times, for example when the previous change has not had time to “freeze”. Other causes of resistance to change are related to group norms and cohesion. Cohesive groups with strong norms present many benefits. Members stick together, work well together, and can provide a supportive environment for learning. strong group norms, however, can also be a formidable obstacle to change. In addition, the presence of strong charismatic leaders who do not support the change can also be an obstacle.

 

The final cause of resistance involves individual factors, such as fear of the unknown, of failure and of jobs. Individual characteristics can also play a key role. For example, individuals who are open to new experiences, those with internal locus of control, or high self-monitors are more likely to be comfortable with change and able to adapt to it more quickly. Similarly, entrepreneurs, who tend to be characterized by flexibility and willingness to try new ideas, are more comfortable with change. In addition, a person’s culture, particularly the degree of tolerance of ambiguity, may play a role. Finally, the person’s previous experience with change may present an obstacle to change. If an individual has experienced job loss or has been through other painful organizational changes in the past, he or she is more likely to be wary of implementing changes in the future.

 

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