Most people believe that resisting change is good. They also believe it’s right. It is usually due to poor design, inappropriate change, and ineffective communication about the need for the change. People want to stay in their comfort zone, so any change that disturbs this comfort zone will cause unrest. People resist change because they feel insecure and depressed. Managers of change must always consider the emotional ties that are tied to the things they wish to change. People resist change. What about the benefits?
Here is a list of reasons why you might resist change:
Misunderstanding of changes or the need to change
Fear of the unknown, such as losing power or position
Competence gap
Connected to the Old Way
Low trust
Temporary fad
Poor communication
Exhaustion/Saturation
Rewards and benefits
Be satisfied with short-term gains rather than strategic or long-term goals
Incorrect or incomplete knowledge of a new process or system
Some of these reasons to resist were ‘earned’ by the company’s previous change projects. One example is when a company changes their main system. For example, an insurance company changes its Policy Admin system to Life Asia from Future first. It can be very painful and costly to switch systems mid-project.
Knowledge sharing is a powerful tool to reduce resistance to change and increase the likelihood of success for the project.
Train and educate people about the new method or system. This will help them to be more effective or have more control over their work.
How to manage it
It should be addressed formally – If you receive any changes, address them formally and verify that they have been approved by the change control panel.
Identify the root causes. – Determine the root cause of resistance to changes. Look out for reasons such as complaining, not attending key meetings or not providing requested information and resources or not being ready to adopt a process change. To manage resistance effectively, one must understand the root cause of the resistance. Effective resistance management must identify the root cause of resistance and present the whole picture to the audience.
Identify all stakeholders who are opposed to these changes. The change management team is not an effective resistance manager. Not even the most critical stakeholders can be effective resistance managers. Finally, leadership must take responsibility for managing resistance within the organization.
Senior management should have experts who can help analyze and solve resistance. This includes making a strong case for change and demonstrating their commitment for a change. Employees trust their senior managers and listen carefully to what they have to say. Senior leaders must be committed to the change and not waver in their support. This could affect the impact of the change on employees.

Oswald