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Part 4 • Leading
• Co-optation. Co-optation is influencing resistant parties to endorse the change effort by providing them with benefits they desire and opportunities to fill desired roles in the process. This might be accomplished through establishing profit-sharing systems, stockownership plans, or opportunities for career advancement. • Coercion. At certain times, managers might have to use authority and the threat of negative incentives to force acceptance of the proposed change. For example, if employees do not accept proposed changes, it might be necessary to shut the plant down, decrease salaries, or lay off people. When Might Resistance to Change Be Helpful? Resistance to change is not necessarily bad. Resistance sometimes keeps an organization from being whipsawed by capricious ideas for change that, if too frequent, could seem like random chaos, which destroys predictability.16 Resistance can be a stimulus to dialog and deeper, thoughtful analysis of alternatives and their consequences. Resistance can also provide meaningful feedback to management, for example, that it needs to strengthen its commitment and support, or that training needs to be implemented to overcome ingrained work practices.17
CONCEPT QUIZ Take the following 10-question, true–false quiz. The answers are at the end of the quiz. If you miss any answers, go back and check your understanding of the concepts to determine why you got it wrong. Circle the right answer. True False 1. Co-optation can prevent resistance to change. True False 2. Effectively planned change goes through four phases. True False 3. Refreezing is necessary to reinforce changes. True False 4. People usually have to be forced to change. True False 5. Transformational leadership creates a vision that makes change appear desirable. True False 6. Only change agents need to understand the underlying reasons for change. True False 7. Because the stages of the change process overlap, it is advantageous to skip some in order to expedite change. True False 8. All levels of management should be included in planning change. True False 9. Offering incentives in return for agreement to change is often necessary when dealing with powerful resisters. True False 10. Leaders of change should focus on long-term goals and not worry about the short-term wins. Answers: (1) True; (2) False; (3) True; (4) False; (5) True; (6) False; (7) False; (8) True; (9) True; (10) False
