1. Why does resistance occur?
There are several recurring reasons for resistance to change:
The purpose is not made clear.
The participants are not involved in the planning.
The appeal is based on personal reasons.
The habit patterns of the work group are ignored.
There is poor communication regarding a change.
There is fear of failure.
Excessive work pressure is involved.
The cost is too high, or the reward for making the change is seen as inadequate.
The present situation seems satisfactory.
There is a lack of respect and trust in the change initiator.
There is a lack of knowledge and skills required for the change to be successful.
Modified from Fullan, M. and Stiegelbauer, S. (1991). The New Meaning of Educational Change. New York: Teachers College Press.

2. What does resistance look like?
Types of resistance to change (from Teachers and Technology, published by the National School Boards Association's Institute for the Transfer of Technology to Education)
Positive Resister: agrees with new ideas and programs, but never moves to implement any changes
Unique resister: believes each change is find for other areas but not for his or her "unique" situation
Let-me-be-last resister: hopes new ideas and programs will die before his or her department must act on them
We-need-more-time-to study resister: discovers that others find it hard to object to this form of resistance
Big-picture resister: wants no part of programs initiated elsewhere (also known as the not-invented-here syndrome)
Cost-justifier: want everything cost-justified before any change
Incremental change resister: wants the new program, system, or machine as long as it just adds on to everything the old one had.

3. Five Steps for Dealing with Resistance
Identify the form the resistance is taking
Trust what you see and how you heard it, more than what you hear
Pick up cues
Look at yourself - use your own feelings as a barometer
Uneasy
Bored
Irritated
Listen for repetition and telltale phrases 1 S T E P
Acknowledge the resistance
Tell the person your perception of the resistance
Do it in a neutral, non-aggressive way with WIN/WIN words: “What I think I hear you saying is . . .”
Tell the person how the resistance is making you feel
Use “I” statements
Be specific, clear, authentic 2
Be quiet, listen, let the person respond
Get him/her talking
Encourage full expression of the concerns
Be aware of other forms of resistance surfacing 3 3 19

4. Five Steps for Dealing with Resistance (cont’d)
Don’t take it personally
Remember, their behaviour is not a reflection on you
Let them air their defences without responding defensively
Do NOT defend your actions - this encourages “looking for holes”
Do NOT counterattack head on 4 S T E P
Remember the “Good faith response” rule
The majority of questions about the project are just expressions of discomfort
but.. the third time the question is asked, respond to the question with a statement that suggests the person is reluctant to commit to the process 5 4 20

5. Top Tips for minimising resistance
1. Explain why
2. Identify the benefits
3. Invite and answer questions
4. Solicit participation, and, if possible, early involvement
(“first-draft / strawmodel” reviews, membership in planning / implementation teams, etc.)
5. Avoid surprises
6. Set standards and clear targets
7. Inform / involve informal leaders
8. Recognise and reward efforts
9. Over-communicate
Reference: Block, Peter, Flawless consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used; Pfeiffer,1999. 5 21

6. Top Tips for minimising resistance
10. Provide appropriate training in new skills and coaching in new values and behaviours
11. Encourage self-management
12. Give more feedback than usual to ensure people always know where they stand
13. Allow for resistance. Help people let go of the “old”
14. Measure results, step back and take a look at what is going on. Keep asking, “Is the change working the way we want it to?”
15. Encourage people to think and act creatively
16. Look for an “opportunity” created by the change
17. Allow for withdrawal and return of people who are temporarily resistant
Reference: Block, Peter, Flawless consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used; Pfeiffer,1999. 6 22

7. What Not to Do Fight the resistance Go into more data collection
Reengineer in the attempt to get a better intervention
Avoid the individual
Work more with your “allies”
Give more than two good faith responses to questions
Give lots of reasons
Expect approval, encouragement, support and / or affection
Get hooked into the details
Lose your confidence
Expect to have all the answers
Collude with the individual
Avoid giving “bad news”
Use aggressive language
Delay / wait one more day
Reference: Block, Peter, Flawless consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used; Pfeiffer,1999. 7 23