Management Essay Sample: Reflective Journal on Implementation Strategy

From the article Resistance to Change: The Rest of the Story, I have realized that everyone who takes part in the process of change management has had the opportunity of dealing with the resistance to change issue. In the business setting, for instance, the initial thing that people come across is change resistance while the second thing is how to cope with the issue. Nevertheless, the authors stipulate that it is essential to think beyond the change management beyond the change agent notion (Ford, et al., 2008). In this case, I have noted that it is not appropriate to assume that the change agent is intrinsically right while the register or change recipient is fundamentally wrong.

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In addition, the author goes on to illustrate certain realistic incidences through which the change agent usually serves as the major resistance source. Here, one of the major issues I have identified is the expectation effect, which is also referred to as the self-fulfilling prophecy. In this case, I have noted that following such an event while anticipating change would result to such resistance. Thus, through depicting the change agent as intrinsically right, it is appropriate to focus on certain suggestions that can assist in dealing with the self-developed resistance through emphasizing on change recipient in terms of where it should be located. Nevertheless, no significant information exists concerning what roles the change agent should pursue differently to facilitate in eliminating resistance stimulation in the case of the change recipient (Kanter, Stein & Jick, 2010).

The article further argues that it would be possible for the change agent to serve as a resistance source, especially when they fail to follow the psychological agreement that prevails between two major employees through infringing the agreed cooperations pattern. In most cases, I have come across incidences where the change agent does not lay any significant emphasis on re-establishing trust in the event of such kinds of violations. In this sense, the kind of loss in trust that becomes apparent in the event of the change agent might contribute to the emergence of change resistance on the side of the change recipient. Therefore, I support the notion that the change agent has emerges as the change resistance source. Besides, the change agents that lay emphasis on refurbishing the damaged psychological agreements both before as well as during the process of change would contribute to reduction in chances of facing resistance (Rousseau, 2004).

In the article Resistance to Change: The Rest of the Story I have also learnt of the three ways that change agents contribute to change resistance. These comprise of failing to legitimize the change process through providing an ideal change justification, misrepresentation through being overly optimistic or deceptive, and lacking a call for action by laying insignificant emphasis on the real behavioral changes (Ford, et al., 2008). As such, I have gained optimal insights, especially where the authors warn that agents of change should focus on listening carefully to change recipients, since not all disapproval serves as a form of resistance. Hence, I would support the idea that critical thinking and criticism would serve as ideal tools that can support the sense-making process in the case of the change recipient. In case change agents develop the capacity to interpret sense making, as a form of resistance, might harden the change recipients opinion. Thus, in most cases, it is essential to ensure that initial criticism provides the change agent with opportunity for participating in the process of sense making through justifying the change (Kanter, Stein & Jick, 2010).

Lastly, I have recognized that we should consider evaluating our present viewpoints regarding resistance. Change resistance does not take place in the change recipients mind, since they are usually stubborn to change in a manner that supports positive outcomes. As such, I would agree with the idea of considering resistance as a form of contact that exists between background conversations, which provide the change agent with opportunities for taking responsibility for the change dialogues in line with engaging with recipients of change in the event of sense-making initiatives (Rousseau, 2004).

In the case of Virgin Australia, I support that it serves as one of the companies that can realize benefits from the insights raised in the article. The company undertakes its operations in an environment that is extremely unpredictable and dynamic, characterized by natural calamities, fluctuation oil prices, union strikes, and instability in the global economy. The level of competition in the domestic market is also witnessing significant growth, thus leading the company to devise ways of coping with the changes, while trying to reduce incidences of change resistance and support sense making initiatives. Here, since change serves as part of each organization, companies should consider changing with the demands to allow them to continue operating. Hence, concerning Virgin Australia, it should consider adopting a transformation process that would allow it realize notable success in the aviation industry. It should ensure that its process of change management entails a proper vision, leadership guide, effective communication, and stakeholder participation in the process of change (Wilson, 2012). These initiatives would play a key role in terms of allowing the company to cope with any change resistance issues while adopting sense-making activities.

References

Ford, J. D., Ford, L. W., & D'Amelio, A. (2008). Resistance to change: The rest of the story. Academy of Management Review, 33(2), 362-377.

Kanter, Barry Stein, Todd Jick, R. M. (2010). The Challenge of Organizational Change: How Companies Experience it and Leaders Guide it. New York: Free Press.

Rousseau, D. M. (2004). Psychological Contracts in the Workplace: Understanding the Ties That Motivate. Academy of Management Executive, 18(1), 120.

Wilson, N. (2012). New strategy pays off for Virgin Australia. Retrieved from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/new-strategy-pays-off-for-virgin-australia/story-fn7j19iv-1226279239351?nk=4cdbed39fde365a9b070be6b970e6e9d-1477044149