Kotter's Solutions to Overcoming Resistance to Change

Introduction

• Managers make change: Resistance to change is inevitable.
• Forms of resistance: Resistance comes in four forms.
• Focus: Discuss solutions to resistance with six methods.

1. Education and Communication

• Issues addressed: Misunderstanding, lack of information among employees.
• Trust in management: Employees may trust management but misunderstand the change.
• Approach: Explain and educate on why change is necessary.
• Drawbacks: Time-consuming, suitable for long-term approach.
• Questions: Is the business in crisis? Do you have the time?

2. Participation and Involvement

• Issues addressed: Different perceptions of change, lack of agreement.
• Approach: Involve stakeholders in the change process, give them ownership.
• Benefits: Increased willingness, potential for extra skills/input.
• Drawbacks: Can slow down the process.
• Stakeholder Analysis: Who to involve depends on their power and interest (high power/high interest vs. low power/low interest).

3. Facilitation and Support

• Issues addressed: Low tolerance for change, fear of change among workers.
• Approach: Support and train employees to cope with the change.
• Drawbacks: Expensive training costs, questioning necessity of training (is automation an option? Compliance?
• Management Style: Can imply a paternalistic approach.

4. Negotiation and Agreement

• Issues addressed: Stakeholders with different assessments.
• Approach: Bargain and negotiate to win agreement.
• Drawbacks: Requires compromise, potential for unintended change outcomes.

5. Manipulation and Co-option

• Issues addressed: Influencing high-power individuals.
• Approach: Offer rewards to win over key influential people, who can then influence others.
• Drawbacks: Potential for causing mischief among those influenced.

6. Explicit and Implicit Coercion

• Approach: Force the change through, using distraction and coercion if other methods fail.
• Long-term impact: Might change behaviors gradually assuming agreement follows the change.

Conclusion

• Summary: Six methods to address resistance to change by Kotter.
• Next Session: Further discussion on change management strategies.