Lewin's Force Field Analysis (Organizational change)

Fear of Unknown

Uncertainty about outcome of change • Preference for known status quo • Sense of less control

Breaking Routines

Unwillingness to invest time/energy in learning new behaviors or roles • Sense that is slower to do things the new way

Not-invented-here Syndrome

• Unwillingness to accept ideas/initiatives imposed from the outside • Especially if have expertise internally

Negative Valence of Change, Fear of Unknown, Not-invented-here Syndrome, Breaking Routines, Incongruent Team Dynamics, Incongruent Organizational Systems

6 reasons employees resist: _______ ______ __ _____, _____ __ ________, ___-_______-____ _______, ______ ______, _________ ____ ________, and _______ ________ ______ (include hyphens)

Communication • Learning • Employee involvement • Stress management • Negotiation • Coercion

6 strategies to reduce employee resistance are ________, ________, ________ _________, _____ __________, ________, and _________

Negative Valence of Change

Expecting more negative than positive outcomes from change • For selves, team, and/or organization

Coercion

Forcing people to go along with change, Includes reminding people of obligations, monitoring behavior, confronting, and using threats. Should be last resort.

Stress Management

Helping employees cope with stress sparked by change (e.g., sessions to air concerns)

Learning

Helps employees get knowledge and skills necessary for success under new conditions, Increases employees' confidence about their potential for success post-change

Lewin's Force Field Analysis

Highlights that at any moment there are forces for and against change. This model identifies how change may be brought about.

Negotiation

Means promising benefits/resources in return for employee compliance with change, Helps gain support from certain employees who are likely to lose something because of the change

Incongruent Organizational Systems

Misalignment between existing systems and organizational changes • Includes rewards, technology, hiring, etc.

Incongruent Team Dynamics

Mismatch between existing team norms and organizational changes • Difficult to change entrenched team norms

Communication

Most important strategy! Generates urgency for change by explaining why change is needed

Driving Forces

Push organizations toward new state of affairs, include external and leader-created forces.

Ingredients for effective change

Transformational leadership, coalitions/social networks, and pilot projects

Restraining Forces

Counteract driving forces, Maintain the status quo, Represent resistance to change, Result in stability when are equal to driving forces

Employee Involvement

Critical element of change process • Including employees in decisions about change that affects them