Grow through change research overview

What Drives Resistance to Change? A Leader’s Perspective

© Assentire Limited 2012

Sponsor: Assentire Ltd www.assentire.net

Researcher: Rod Willis [email protected]

Research conducted at Henley Business School as part of a post graduation qualification in Behavioral Change

Electronics Manufacturing and Test, then Mergers and Acquisitions since 1985. Engineering skills applying Enabling Technology, then moved to Process Improvement and organisational change. Now focused on the People side of the equation enabling Behavioural Change

Reflecting why are we here today? Here are some thoughts

•  Find ways of being better at what we do

•  Be free to bring new ideas to the table

•  Be able to frame new ideas contextually


POLL Ques)ons #1

•  Which one is your interest?

– Find ways of being be=er at what we do

– Be free to bring new ideas to the table

– Be able to frame new ideas contextually Select only one

n=169

Is this research Important?

•  70% of all change initiatives fail (HBR).http://hbr.org/product/hbr-s-10-must-reads-on-change-management-with-feat/an/12599-PBK-ENG

•  Resistance to Change is often cited as the number one reason why a change program has not delivered to the level that was anticipated.

•  Organisations need to respond to turbulent market conditions.

•  Needing to achieve more with fewer resources is a common theme we hear daily in the media, be this public, private or non-profit sectors.


Is this research Important?

•  70% of all change initiatives fail (HBR).http://hbr.org/product/hbr-s-10-must-reads-on-change-management-with-feat/an/12599-PBK-ENG

•  Resistance to Change is often cited as the number one reason why a change program has not delivered to the level that was anticipated.

•  Organisations need to respond to turbulent market conditions.

•  Needing to achieve more with fewer resources is a common theme we hear daily in the media, be this public, private or non-profit sectors.


n=154

The Prime Research context

•  Sixteen change leaders (past and present) via semi-structured interviews provided the prime data.

•  Combined experiences spanning > 55 organisations.

•  Operating within Oil and Gas, Professional and Financial Services, Public sector, including two District Councils and a Police Collaboration Programme.


The Problem of Change

“Change is occurring at an ever increasing pace in all phases of man’s life.

People fear change because it upsets their way of doing things and threatens their security.

This feeling is balanced by a desire for new experiences and for the benefits that come as a result of change”

(BURNS, J. E. 1966. THE PROBLEM OF CHANGE. Industrial Management, 8, 1.)


Some of the questions asked


•  When you think of the term "RESISTANCE TO CHANGE", what comes to mind?

•  Is this the term you have used in the past or do you use any other terms?

•  As you think of examples of Resistance to Change, do you perceive…?

– Only Negative activity, if so why?

– Only Positive activity, if so why?

– Both Negative and Positive activities if so why? Neither, please comment further

POLL Ques)ons #2

•  As you think of examples of Resistance to Change, do you perceive…?

– Only Nega)ve ac)vity? – Only Posi)ve ac)vity? – Both Nega)ve and Posi)ve ac)vi)es? – Neither Nega)ve nor Posi)ve ac)vi)es?

Select only one n=162


Ensuring a safe environment to enable Learning and Change

Culture of the Organization

Symptoms by level

1 off Level 1

3 off Level 2

Leading and Managing Change

Purpose, Comm’s

Change Dynamics

Symptom by level

2 off Level 1

3 off Level 2

Individual + Group Transition

Personal Dynamics

Group Dynamics

Symptoms by level

3 off Level 1

5 off Level 2

Behavioural/Psychological Levels used to categorise ‘Symptom by level’ Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability Level 2: Values, Beliefs, sense of Identity and Personal Purpose

We found 17 symptoms

8 symptoms

5 symptoms

4 symptoms

3

1

3

2

5

3


Symptom Theme:


Symptoms by level

1 off Level 1

3 off Level 2


Symptom Themes:

Purpose, Communication

Change Dynamics

Symptom by level

2 off Level 1

3 off Level 2

Individual and Group Transition

Symptom Themes:

Personal Dynamics

Group Dynamics

Symptoms by level

3 off Level 1

5 off Level 2

Leaders and Managers ability, and Resistance to Change


Is there a relationship between Leaders and Managers ability to work at a deeper

psychological level (consciously or otherwise), and being able to bring about successful

change?


Resistance in the Eye of the Beholder


Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability

Level 1

Level 2

Resistance in the Eye of the Beholder


Level 1: Environmental, Behavioural or Capability

How will we gain access to this knowledge on a

broader basis ?


Symptom Theme:


Symptoms by level

1 off Level 1

3 off Level 2


Symptom Themes:

Purpose, Communication

Change Dynamics

Symptom by level

2 off Level 1

3 off Level 2

Individual and Group Transition

Symptom Themes:

Personal Dynamics

Group Dynamics

Symptoms by level

3 off Level 1

5 off Level 2

Change Programs under-performing Could this be why?



What are the implications if you, or your Leaders and Managers are

NOT able to work at a deeper level than Capability?

It would seem the majority of change programs fail to deliver what is wanted, is there a link

here?

POLL Ques)ons #3

•  Please select the one you feel is hardest to work with. – Capabili)es – Environment – Values and/or Beliefs – Behaviours – Sense of Iden)ty Select only one

n=165

The ‘Grow Through Change’ framework and the Research findings


Lack of a clear Purpose

Fear of failure, Personal “ROI”, conflict with an individual’s “System” and/or career objectives

Low awareness regarding Leadership of Transformation and Individual Transition

Staff involvement, Tipping Point, Assimilation capacity and Change-cycle (Transition Psychology)

Old habits die hard, perceived excessive work, present system is OK, outdated life-cycle view “Group-Think”

Appropriate Process, Timing & Content

Sins of the past, low trust in the leadership, limited “soft skills” awareness in the leadership, inadequate training or support provided

Self-Determination Theory (SDT) Purpose, Mastery, Autonomy

Transition: Origin: mid 16th century: from French, or from Latin transitio(n-), from transire 'go across’ Definition: The process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another

What next? ‘Grow Through Change’, working with other frameworks

goo.gl/xPlbm6

apm.org.uk/BOK6

assentire.net/supervision/

How to engage in this space •  Funded Research •  Workshops •  Professional Coaching •  Professional Supervision

Rod Willis [email protected]

APM Body of Knowledge

ISO 9004

And

Adult Development & Leadership Theory

Thoughts for the day


Resistance to Change, has our view actually changed in 50 year?

‘Real-life leaders: closing the knowing-doing gap’ (CIPD Research report September 2013)

‘New research finds 'reality gap’ in the capability of UK plc's 8 million managers, undermining attempts to boost economic

growth’ (CIPD 3rd of May 2012)

It’s not new after all! Books for consideration

Leading and Managing Change 1: Purpose (Heron, 1999, Pink, 2011, Jung, 1995, Sinek, 2011)

3: Communication (Patterson, 2002, Wright, 2009, Gallwey, 1986)

4: Change Dynamic (Black, 2008, Conner, 2006, Hurst, 2002, *Kim and Mauborgne, 2003)

Ensure a safe environment to enable learning and change 2: Culture (Covey, 2006, Kotter and Cohen, 2002, *Welsh NHS Confederation, 2008, Schutz, 1994)

Leading and Managing Individual and Group Transition 6: Group Dynamic (Jaques and Salmon, 2008, Senge, 1994, Senge, 2006, Thornton, 2010)

5: Personal Dynamic (Argyris, 2008, Cartwright, 2004, Deci, 1997, Hawkins and Smith, 2006, Lawrence and Nohria, 2002)

Transformational Leadership Frameworks (*Rooke and Torbert, 2005, *Jr., 2006, Collins, 2005, *Michael J. Zickar, 2008)

A link for the books available from Amazon is available at http://goo.gl/5DfUh5

References prefixed with an * are Papers, please contact me for more details if you would like the full reference.


References for Journals introduced at the start of the presentation

COGHLAN, D. 1993. A person-centred approach to dealing with resistance to change. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 14, 10.

LAWRENCE, P. R. 1954. How to Deal with Resistance to Change. Harvard Business Review, 32, 49-57.

ROOKE, D. & TORBERT, W. R. 2005. 7 Transformations of Leadership. Harvard Business Review, 83, 66-66.

STONE, D. N., DECI, E. L. & RYAN, R. M. 2009. Beyond talk: creating autonomous motivation through self-determination theory. Journal of General Management, 34, 75-91.

THOMAS, R. & HARDY, C. 2011. Reframing resistance to organizational change. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 27, 322-331.


To close


‘Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different

results’ (Albert Einstein)

Thank you for your time

Grow through change research overview

Business

Transcript of Grow through change research overview