Re: Resistance to Change LO1192

Bernard Girard (bgirard@Dialup.FranceNet.fr)
Sat, 13 May 1995 19:24:31 +0000

Replying to LO1177 --

Dickover - Melvin E. way :

>Another way of looking at "resistance to change" that is very useful to
>consultants is to translate the phrase into "I'm using an ineffective
>method". This moves the problem to you from the organization, and
>motivates you to do something different and better.

It looks like a great idea on the surface. But might be dangerous and lead
to manipulation ("forget the mean, says the manipulator, only the end is
important!").

In my experience as a consultant working in the management of change,
there is a lot to learn in what we call "resistance to change". Those who
resist usually have "good motives" to do so. Understanding these motives
often say more on a company, its management and its flaws than long
academic studies. It is in the resistance to change that you see an
organization in its nudity : people who usually keep silent fight back,
say "no" to the management and expose in the process what they usually
hide : the way they really work.

Listening to these resistances to change may change the planned change for
the best.

--
Bernard Girard
bgirard@Dialup.FranceNet.fr