Introduction
In every change management program, the leadership should always expect resistance to the proposed changes and make adequate plans to counter the resistance. Making plans will allow the company to manage the expected objections adequately. The management should understand the most common sources of resistance because it provides an opportunity to come up with a change strategy that will address the issues. Proper administration and leadership should always involve change. The resistance may manifest itself in different ways from simple methods such as inertia, foot dragging, and petty sabotage ( Calegari, Sibley, & Turner, 2015) . It may also manifest itself in outright rebellions such as strikes or resignations. The best technique for all leaders of change should involve understanding the universal and predictable sources of resistance and come up with the best solutions. The essay will analyze resistance to change and find solutions using Kotter's theory of change.
Resistance to Change
My friend works for a company that experienced a hostile takeover from a competitor. All the employees were against the changes that were being implemented because of self-interest because their convenience, power, job security, money, and prestige are at stake ( Baack, 2012) . It is highly unlikely for employees to accept changes that would harm their current situation. Due to the new organizational setting, the managers and staff are resisting the technological and administrative changes that have led to their roles being reduced or modified. From the employees' perspective, the changes are harmful to the organization. In the long run, the changes that are being implemented will suffer because they lack employee support. Forcing changes on employees is ineffective because the employees will always find other indirect and direct ways of resisting the changes. If the new management does not implement a wise change strategy, it may trigger organizational turnover or strong resistance.
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Due to the hostile takeover, there is fear of the unknown. Very few employees knew about the changes and the impact that it would have on their job security. In fact, most employees were quite fearful. For a change strategy to be effective, every employee should have been aware of the changes and how it would affect them. The employees should be prepared for the proposed changes. When an organization lacks an effective two-way communication, grapevine rumors may come up and sabotage all the change efforts by the new management ( Matos Marques Simoes & Esposito, 2014) . Furthermore, ongoing communication is the most vital tool in solving resistance to change. However, the communications should not just be a top down approach; it should also involve the opinions of the employees. The management should listen to the views of their employees so that they can address their fears.
Peer pressure was also a critical factor in protecting their self-interests. Whether the employees are extroverts or introverts, they are social creatures. Some of the organizational stakeholders may resist the changes to protect the self-interests of their group. It was evident that most of the team leaders and their members felt compelled to resists the proposed changes to protect their colleagues. For instance, the new senior executive is facing a lot of resistance to change from the different managers who report to him because they were compelled to protect their work groups. Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, insists that employees experience the urge to belong to a particular group and that it is a powerful need or urge in all organizations ( Lozano, 2013) . If some of the proposed changes threaten or risk the social bonds that were developed, some employees will be obliged to resist the change effort. Therefore the resistance was caused by an external factor. The hostile takeover by a competitor has been opposed by the employees.
Plan for Overcoming Resistance to Change
According to Kotter’s theory of change, the first step would be creating urgency. The new management should develop a notion of urgency around the proposed changes because it may spark the initial motivation necessary to get things moving ( Baack, 2012) . It should not just involve showing them the poor financial results; it should be a convincing and honest dialogue explaining the situation and how the changes will benefit the employees. The next step should be forming a powerful coalition that will assist in implementing the changes. The new management should identify the true leaders and get an emotional commitment. The leaders should have the power that comes from various sources such as political importance, job title, expertize, and status. They should also focus on team building and unity that will allow the team to convince all employees to accept the changes.
The third step involves creating a vision for change. All the concepts of change should be related to the overall vision so that all employees can grasp easily and recall. It will allow them to understand why the changes should be implemented. The new understand the values that are essential for change and come up with a proper strategy to implement the vision. The next step involves communicating the vision. The vision should be communicated powerfully and frequently for emphasis. The vision should be used in decision making and solving problems. The visions should address their anxieties and concerns honestly and openly ( Calegari, Sibley, & Turner, 2015) . The vision should be implemented in all daily operations such as performance reviews or training. Moreover, the new management should walk the talk by complying with the vision. They should demonstrate the behavior and ethics they expect from the employees.
The fifth step involves removing obstacles. It is expected that if the above four steps have been implemented, the employees will be busy and are achieving the benefits of the changes that were proposed. Moreover, the company should recognize and reward the employees who made the change happen. However, some employees may still resist the changes, and the management should take action quickly to remove the barriers ( Matos Marques Simoes & Esposito, 2014) . The new management should continually check for any barriers and remove the obstacle while empowering the employees to implement the changes. The next step involves creating short term wins during the process like after a month or year depending on the magnitude of change. It will allow the staff to see “quick wins” that may silence the negative thinkers or critics who would have harmed the change process. Each successive win will motivate the employees to support the proposed changes while improving their overall productivity.
The management will know the plan has worked if they build on the changes and anchor it in their corporate culture. The successive wins are the beginning of the long-term implementation of the change. The company should set new goals and build on the momentum they have attained after attaining the wins. The company may even decide to implement kaizen that emphasizes on continuous improvement ( Lozano, 2013) . Ultimately, all the changes should be implemented in their corporate culture. The management should ensure that the changes are visible in all sectors of the organization. It will allow them to have a strong position in the company's culture. The change leaders should be recognized, and all staff should remember their vital contributions. Moreover, the key leaders should be replaced if they move on so that the principles of change are not abandoned. The change management plan should be evaluated to ensure it achieves the set goals. If they attain the set goals, the change plan was successful.
References
Baack, D. (2012). Organizational Behavior [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://ashford.content.edu
Calegari, M. F., Sibley, R. E., & Turner, M. E. (2015). A Roadmap for Using Kotter's Organizational Change Model to Build Faculty Engagement in Accreditation. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal , 19 (3), 31.
Lozano, R. (2013). Are companies planning their organizational changes for corporate sustainability? An analysis of three case studies on resistance to change and their strategies to overcome it. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management , 20 (5), 275-295.
Matos Marques Simoes, P., & Esposito, M. (2014). Improving change management: How communication nature influences resistance to change. Journal of Management Development , 33 (4), 324-341.
