Individual and Organizational Sources of Resistance to Change
Individual sources of resistance towards a change exist in the basic human tenets or characteristics and are influenced by the differences in perception, personal background, needs or personality-related differences. It is important to understand those triggering factors or issues which refrain individuals from endorsing change or extending their support and cooperation towards any change initiatives at an organizational level.
Criticizing the individuals or the teams for not being supportive in the stages of transition or compelling them cannot be an effective solution for implementing change smoothly or in a hassle free manner.
The resistance towards change at an individual level can be due to various reasons:

The following factors explain why individuals may pose resistance towards change:
Now, we will look into the organizational factors which result in resistance to change.
In the end, it can be concluded that any kind of change will surely involve heavy resistance at the individual as well as organizational level. But through effective communication during all stages and consulting, desirable outcomes can be ensured by breaking all the possible barriers or resistances towards a change. What is more important is identifying the main source of resistance and accordingly developing action plans for dealing with it.
Successful change in an organization will require strong commitment and involvement on the part of the top management, focused and an integrated approach, strong and a stable leadership, effective and open communication from the internal change agent for making people sensitive and more aware of the realities and the ultimate need for change.
For minimizing the resistance towards the change employee participation and involvement in the overall process plays a crucial role in building acceptability and seeking the cooperation of the employees towards the change. Hence proper planning, coordinated approach and complete involvement of all the stakeholders, play a decisive role in implementing strategic decisions and determining the success of change.
Related Articles
- Change Management - Introduction
- Kinds of Change & Barriers to Change
- Overcoming Barriers to Change
- Complexities in Driving Change

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