Managing change and dealing with its implications will differ from person to person. There are broadly three types of reaction to change:
Resistant
Why resistance? The reasons being most people refuse to accept new ideas and approaches. They are also reluctant to undergo re-training or unlearn what they have been so accustomed. For this group of people, change means much re-working and adjustment and they are unsure whether they could cope.
Indifferent
Change is viewed as something going on around them. The view of the indifferent person might be one of avoidance until some form of acceptance becomes absolutely necessary. The indifferent person often believes that his or her world will remain unchanged and that someone else will be affected or will do what is necessary. Apathy often accompanies this attitude to change with an "I can cope with it" mentality.
Receptive and open
These people are receptive to new ideas and prepared to embrace the reality of a situation recognising what needs to be improved or done differently. It is not necessarily about the wanton desire for change for its own sake. Change will happen so there is a lot to be said for being a part of the process at an organisational level and accepting this reality at a personal level.
Why do so many people respond so negatively to change?
Positive elements of change can include the creation of a better set of circumstances, the fun of being involved in something different, the opportunities presented from a new venture or means of employment. However in the short term change can also mean loss, discontinuity, and the destruction of a familiar and "safe" way of life.... "the good old days". Consequently feelings of insecurity, a lack of trust in the hierarchy and feelings of being sold down the river can lead people to savagely protect the status quo. A lack of understanding, a lack of trust and fear of the outcome are perhaps some of the key reasons that lead people to reject change.
Question: Consider the following elements of your own life
Work environment
Work relationships
Circle of friends
Personal relationships
Family
Where you live
The job you do
Your financial status
Your health
How many of the above elements have changed for you during the past five years? It is highly likely that many if not all of these major life elements will have changed to some degree. How many of these changes, good or bad, simply happened and how many of them did you actually influence and affect
