Change is dynamic. Change is the only constant thing in life. It has been said that it is really futile to keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. So in essence, change is good.
It’s easy to get comfortable in a zone. Your life falls into one routine and you get stuck in it. You find yourself in a comfort zone where you have finally tricked yourself into believing that that’s the best there can be. You become relaxed because there are no risks, no new challenges, and no new experiences. You short change yourself and sabotage your own growth.
Then comes the changer with the intention of pushing you above your current state. Pushing you to push yourself more, to discover yourself and grow out of your shell. This could be in any aspect of your life.
Here’s introducing the change manager at the work-place. He/she is the one who wishes to bring about a change in the culture, behavioural pattern, manner of thinking /approach to things and general attitude in the office, with a vision to making it more positive and more productive. This person is usually a fresh blood who has just joined the team with a lot of energy and ideas. Or perhaps, someone who has really gotten tired of the comfort zone or status quo and wishes to make a change.
It is normal to meet resistance from employees to organizational changes because there is a feel of uncertainty on the part of the employees, which is only natural. This resistance could be because the employees do not accept the change solution or they do not like the change process. Whichever is the case, employee resistance should not be seen as a negative effect but rather, as a way to gain more insight on how to implement the change the organisation needs.
If the change manager does not understand, accept and make an effort to work with resistance, it can undermine even the most well-intentioned and well-conceived change efforts.
As much as the resistance reaction is only natural, any good employee would most definitely want to make changes that would improve on their productivity and ultimately their take home pay.
This means in essence that, with a little bit of patience on both the change manager and employee’s part, an effective change can take place. While bearing in mind that whatever friction that may arise as a result of this change is not entirely personal and should not be taken as such.
Vivian Ifekwem
P.A to Mediacraft Associates CEO
