Essay on Overcoming Resistance to Change: An Example From Kegan and Lahey (2001)

Introduction

Today, the world is drastically changing, and we are living in times that demand that we focus on ways that can change our lives. The changes in society call for the adoption of an approach that will ensure that we overcome the challenges that we are bound to face. However, not everyone will have the above perspective, and such people tend to be more resistant to change. Kegan and Lahey (2001) provide an example of employees who are resistant to change. The authors opine that resistance to change does not portray defiance, but most people do not direct the needed energy that is necessary for change. Therefore, a person may be willing to change towards the right path various issues that may be preventing them from changing, which may go unnoticed. For instance, a person may have the desire to change, but because of social dispositions such as race, change may be difficult. Changes take place in various forms, and to be able to transition from one state to another, we need to overcome the tension that comes with the transition.

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Self-Analysis

I strongly believe in acting in ways that do not compromise my relationship with others. The tendency has dramatically impacted my adjustment capacity even when I have to change in ways that benefit. Although such changes may be for the good of others, I tend to focus on how other people around me will react to any position that I take (Jankovic, 2016). I am passionate about engaging in things that will foster my relationship with others and keeping my identity amidst other people prepare that we don't share social affiliations.

I remember working in a charity organization working to help street children. I was made a team leader in charge of the group and had the daunting task of getting all the street children's records with three months. In the group with people with different social dispositions, and because I wanted to maintain a good working relationship with the teammates, I feared to indulge in ways that would affect our working relationship. My contact was guided by my leadership philosophy of being inspirational and credible. I, therefore, tend to develop an attitude that affects in profound ways (Jankovic, 2016). Even in situations where a particular team member should be held accountable for a given act, I usually take the blame because I care most about my relationships.

I am generally mindful of how my actions may affect the people around me. Their things that people do, but they overlook how their acts can impact another person's life. When working with others, I find it necessary to talk to someone about things that I feel they are not doing right. Accordingly, employers have the role of helping their employees embrace change (Hornung, 2020). Therefore, the adaptation by employees may be part of the employer's overall change.

Change is easier when a person can candidly communicate their concerns. There is a need for people to speak openly regarding any issues that they encounter when there is something that demands them to shift to new ways. For instance, I have realized that I have a problem disclosing things about myself to effect change. I keep to myself and only communicate my issues to people who personally relate to me. For people that we work with no personal attachments, I usually find it hard to communicate with them on matters that may affect my transition to a new thing (Hornung, 2020). To understand and adequately manage change, it is crucial that overcome limitations by sharing our worries with people who can help us.

The changes that occur in our lives are significantly determined by the people around us. I value the relationship that I have with people, regardless of their culture. Change is determined by the culture that we have and how it affects the people around us. As such, I intend to develop assumptions that are in line with my beliefs. The belief will guide most of the actions (Hornung, 2020). For example, I believe that involving me in what others are doing will undermine their capability to effectively accomplishing what they are doing.

Accordingly to Cameron & Green (2019), failure to reason contrary to significant assumptions denies us the opportunity to change. Once we remain attached to our significant assumptions, we fail to identify the competing commitment and thus making it hard to change. As a result, it has been a great challenge to me in terms of moving from my assumptions to what is need to enable me to embrace change.

Ability to Instigate Change and Drawbacks

Over the years, I have been compelled to change myself a lot. The urge and drive have made me stop comparing myself with others. I have since learned that whatever other people post on social media platforms like Facebook, Tweeter, WhatsApp status, and Instagram does not necessarily reflect their real lives. We live in the age of double sides and experiences, and this may stretch copy cats overboard. My authenticity and maintaining high levels of honesty and genuineness have propelled the ability to instigate change in myself. Social media makes people portray themselves differently, often more favorable than they are (Treur, 2016). Embracing generosity and being empathetic has redefined my engagements with those I work with and prove a vital tool to my change process.

Instigating the inner change has led me to make improvements and change my worldview of the things which are close to me. I have since learned that we live in a society, and everyone is different from another. Political and spiritual bigotry not only divides us in society but also at the workplace. My inward change has made me settle political and religious questions to myself. On these matters, silence is golden to avoid eliciting emotions of colleagues (Treur, 2016). We also learn to be kinder when we respect other people's backgrounds.

Change is easier talked than done. The biggest impediment to change is fear. Fear of the unknown is mental torture that I have to manage. I have always lived with the fear of "what if" the change backfires? How will my colleagues, friends, and family cope with my new self? What if I degenerate to my old self unknowingly? I have been most often held back by labeling, scorn, and stigmatization from different quarters. Such acts make it difficult to attain new heights in change management (Treur, 2016). Lack of focus at times also has drawn me back as it makes it challenging to start change or stamp the real character thus developed.

Managing Change Differently

Fear, labeling, stigmatization, lack of focus have limited my change process. Going forward, I intend to be more focused by clearly defining the change I want to make and aligning it to the predetermined goals, whether individual or corporate. In doing so, it behooves me to develop strategies aimed at determining the impacts on anyone affected. Such techniques are essential in developing effective communication with any affected person (Beech & MacIntosh, 2017). It is important to note that proper feedback is necessary for any adjustments to the change process.

As a team leader, I also intend to train those around me effectively to overcome the barriers to change. Such efforts help in managing company politics, instilling corporate change, and improving understanding across the board. Implementation of a support structure is vital to necessitating change. Availing detailed communication protocol, reporting, and handling grievance amongst people and promptness to provide feedback are valuable support systems. It is also imperative to measure change (Carnall, 2018). Measurable variables with corrective measures need to be introduced in the future.

Going forward, I have come to a self-realization that I need to be more humane and systematic in the manner I address any issue. Transformations create problems among the people that need to be handled speedily but on a case-by-case basis. It is also crucial for me as well as any other person pursuing self-change to start at the apex. Change unsettles people, and it must be appreciated and supported by the top management unit of any organization. After this, then every other member of the organization needs to be involved. The aspect of involving everyone reduces resistance to change and gives everyone a sense of ownership. Ownership to change guarantees problem identification and solution are found through teamwork. It also assesses and addresses the cultural landscape of an organization (Carnall, 2018).

Conclusion

There is excellent inner potential for anyone to manage change without compromising social relationships. Understanding and managing change is a high inward realization that should not be intimidated by fear of the unknown, lack of focus, and stigma. I have also learned that going into the future, and I have to define the change in measurable variables, determine its impacts on people, and involve the top management and every other member of the organization. It will also be priceless to create ownership of the change being fostered, make clear communication to them, and develop an effective support structure that takes care of the cultural landscape of an organization.

References

Beech, N., & MacIntosh, R. (2017). Managing change: Enquiry and action. Cambridge University Press.

Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2019). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.

Carnall, C. (2018). Managing change. Routledge.

Hornung, S. (2020). Changing the Situation or Changing Oneself? A Model of Task and Cognitive Job Crafting. In Eurasian Business Perspectives (pp. 3-28). Springer, Cham.

Jankovic, B. (2016). Changing oneself: transformations of Croatian historiography in late socialism.

Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2001). The real reason people won’t change. HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Change, 77.

Treur, J. (2016). Changing Yourself, Changing the Other, or Changing Your Connection. In Network-Oriented Modeling (pp. 285-319). Springer, Cham.