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John Kotter (Managing change)

Kotter believes that one of the key tasks of a leader is to implement change if it is
necessary to achieve the long term vision of the organisation. An effective and
successful leader will also need to manage any resistance to change from within the
organisation. Kotter set out six approaches to help deal with resistance:
Approach
Education and
communication

Most appropriate
When there is little
information
available for
employees

Example
This approach aims
to keep employees
informed, usually
through
presentations about
the reasons for the
required change

Participation and
involvement

Where input from


employees is
needed to fully
design the change,
and where
employees have
considerable power
to resist changes
Where people are
resisting because of
adjustment
problems
Where parties have
opposing interests
and where each
has considerable
power to resist
Where other
approaches will not
work

This approach aims


involve employees,
usually by allowing
some input in to
decision making

Facilitation and
support

Negotiation and
agreement

Manipulation and
co-optation

Training and
counselling

This approach
enables several
parties with
opposing interests
to bargain
The information
that is
disseminated is
selective and
distorted to only
emphasis the
benefits of the
change

Advantage
Communication of the
benefits and reasons
for changes in the
organisation should
help employees
understand the
reasons for the
changes and to accept
them
Employees who have
been consulted will be
committed to making
the changes as they
were involved in the
decision making
process
Training and
counselling helps
employees accept
change
The bargaining will
lead to a situation of
compromise from all
parties
Avoids potential
conflict, however, this
is done through
providing
selective and distorted
information
to those affected

Explicit and
Implicit Coercion

Only when it is
urgent that change
is enacted and
initiators hold
considerable power

The change is
forced up on by
direct and indirect
threats

It is a speedy
approach but can be
risky if it leaves
employees angry with
the forceful approach
taken

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