Topic 2: Understanding and managing resistance

In any change strategy, the colleagues affected by the change must do things differently, acquire new knowledge and use it. As the change forces them to step out of their safety comfort zone, it is completely natural for explicit or implicit resistance to change to appear in the organisation as a result. In this chapter, we look at the causes of resistance and ways to overcome it. The task for you and your senior colleagues is not to reject resistance, but to understand it and translate it into commitment.

Also, be aware that only some of the resistance is due to real counter-interest, most of it is due to some kind of communication problem, misunderstanding or inadequate change management. 

Before moving forward to topic 3 “Understanding and managing resistance”, please complete activity 3.