Resistance to Change Mapping
Projects related to change are almost inevitable to receive resistance from some of the people who will be affected by the change [1]. Dent and Goldberg [2] argues that people don't resist the change itself but the unknown. To accommodate the resistance, it’s important to shed light on the uncertainties the affected employees might have and the project manager's rationale behind the changes [3]. To enhance the employees’ readiness for change and thereby reduce their resistance project managers must help to make sense of the changing situation [3]. Resistance to Change Mapping is a tool which can help to facilitate communication between the stakeholders with low influence and high interest, and the project managers and owners to involve the people affected by the change [1].
The purpose of this article is to introduce the tool ‘Resistance to Change Mapping’ as a change management tool to assess various stakeholders’ oppositions. The objective is to create a space for stakeholders to address their concerns and give rise to project managers to make initiatives to accommodate the drawbacks and uncertainties related to the change. Thus, reducing the resistance and increasing the likelihood of the project's success [1].
Contents |
The Big idea
Introduction
There are several characteristics of project work according to PRINCE2, including change. Since projects are how a change is introduced [4], change management becomes an essential part of project management. The standard states that the key aspect of change models is to gain support from those who are required to change their ways of working [4]. This involves the five points listed in figure x. The Resistance to Change Mapping tool is especially useful in understanding the resilience of those who will be impacted by the change, thus making it clear to change managers which initiatives they need to implement or communicate more clearly.
The PMI Standard for project management also addresses how every project contains an aspect of change in systems, behaviors, activities, or cultures [5]. The standard introduces five different change models, and all of them describe that resistance to change is almost inevitable, and thus the importance of people understanding why a change is desired [5].
Resistance to change is a natural part of the change process, and different logical reasons exist as to why organizational members may not show their support from the beginning [6]. From a change management perspective, it's important to understand these behaviors and the reasons behind them, and take actions to accommodate the concerns of organizational members and increase their support for the change [3].
Resistance to Change Mapping is a tool that can help to identify the reasons behind the resistance to change and make the cost of the change clear [1].
Resistance to Change Mapping
Resistance to Change Mapping is a tool to get stakeholders to express their doubts and resistance to change. Additionally, it clarifies the price for the change (Olsson et al., 2018). By utilizing the tool change managers can optimize their communication towards the stakeholders by getting a better understanding of how each individual or group respond to the proposed change (Olsson).
When changes are being implemented the project managers tend to focus on the drawbacks of the current situation, and the advantages of the future situation. Stakeholders with low influence and high interest, on the other hand, are more focused on the advantages of how it is now, and the drawbacks related to the change (Olsson et al., 2018).
Resistance to Change Mapping is divided into the situation today and after the implementation, and further into drawbacks and advantages for each category. The affected stakeholders and project managers shall in collaboration outline their thoughts for each section to create a shared understanding. The project managers shall use the output to accommodate the identified drawbacks related to the change, and improve their communication outwardly (Olsson et al., 2018).
- Future work: What does the output show, and how should project managers use this information?
Application
It's important to involve the right people when utilizing the tool since the output is only as good as the team doing the assessment. If the project managers don't have a good understanding of the stakeholders involved it would be beneficial to do a process mapping and a stakeholder analysis.
When the team has been identified, and they are meeting to conduct the tool it’s essential to create an open environment where all kind of feedback is welcome. The project managers should listen without defending their project or neglecting the concerns the stakeholders express (Olsson et al., 2018).
- Future work: How might change managers create an open environment
- Future work: Example
Limitations
Every tool has its limitations including Resistance to Change Mapping. Some of the limitations are, as mentioned earlier, that the output is only as good as the team utilizing it. If stakeholders with low influence but whose tasks are being affected by the change, don't become involved and hence becomes resistant to the unknown, the change is less likely to succeed (Olsson et al., 2018). Additionally, the tool does not provide any specific actions for the project managers to implement or a communication strategy. It only helps to give a better understanding of the unspoken uncertainties and misgivings the stakeholders might have.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Olsson, J.R., Ahrengot, N. and Attrup, M.L. (2018) Power I Projekter og Portfølje. Viborg: Djøf Forlag."
- ↑ "Dent, E.B. and Goldberg, S.G. (1999) “Challenging ‘resistance to change,’” The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 35(1), pp. 25–41. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886399351003."
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Kreye, M.E. (2020) “Reading material 42543 - Management of Change.” Kongens Lyngby: Technical University of Denmark."
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Axelos 2017, Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition, The Stationery Office Ltd, London. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [8 April 2023]."
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ® Guide) – 7th Edition and The Standard for Project Management - 4.2.4.4 Virginia Satir Change Model. Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt012LZKR6/guide-project-management/virginia-satir-change"
- ↑ "Conner, D.R. (1992) Managing at the speed of change: How to prosper in an uncertain world."
Conner, D.R. (1992) Managing at the speed of change: How to prosper in an uncertain world.
Dent, E.B. and Goldberg, S.G. (1999) “Challenging ‘resistance to change,’” The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 35(1), pp. 25–41. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886399351003.
Kreye, M.E. (2020) “Reading material 42543 - Management of Change.” Kongens Lyngby: Technical University of Denmark.
Olsson, J.R. (no date) Det dobbelte bogholderi, airborn leadership. Available at: https://airbornleadership.com/tool/det-dobbelte-bogholderi/ (Accessed: February 11, 2023).
Olsson, J.R., Ahrengot, N. and Attrup, M.L. (2018) Power I Projekter og Portfølje. Viborg: Djøf Forlag. - The tool doesn’t provide initiatives to accommodate the concerns
