Managing Organizational Change, Resistance, and Conflict

IT Project Management Body of Knowledge

🎯 Learning Objectives

Understand how projects create organizational change
Apply change management frameworks and models
Identify and manage resistance to change
Resolve conflicts using appropriate strategies
Develop change management plans

📖 Introduction to Organizational Change Management

Organizational Change Management: An area of project management that helps smooth transition and implementation of new products or systems by managing how changes affect people, processes, and organizational structures.

Why Change Management Matters

Projects are planned organizational change that can:

Change the way people work
Affect how they share information
Alter their relationships
Impact organizational structure and processes

💡 Exam Tip: Remember that all organizational change involves anxiety. The key is managing this anxiety through proper change management strategies.

🔄 Change Has an Impact

Individual Response to Change

Anxiety + Hope = Anticipation (Positive)

Anxiety + Apprehension = Dread (Negative)

Leavitt’s Model of Organizational Change

Leavitt’s Model: All four elements are interdependent – changes in one area impact the others

💡 Exam Tip: Be able to explain how implementing a new information system impacts all four areas of Leavitt’s model.

🔄 Change is a Process

Kurt Lewin’s Force-Field Analysis

Driving Forces

Forces that support and push for change

Management support
Competitive pressure
Technology advances
Customer demands

⚡

Resisting Forces

Forces that oppose and resist change

Fear of unknown
Loss of power
Comfort with status quo
Resource constraints

Lewin’s Three-Stage Change Model

UNFREEZING
Creating motivation for change

→

CHANGING
Transition state / Neutral zone

→

REFREEZING
Stabilizing the new state

Neutral Zone: The transition state where people may try to revert to the original status quo or escape. This is where resistance typically occurs.

😔 Change Can Be Emotional

Kübler-Ross Model: Five Stages of Emotional Response

1. DENIAL

Shock and denial of the change

2. ANGER

Becoming angry toward others

3. BARGAINING

Cooperative, trying to make deals to avoid change

4. DEPRESSION

Understanding impact and entering depression

5. ACCEPTANCE

Understanding and accepting the change

⚠️ Important: Not everyone goes through all stages, and people may move back and forth between stages. Understanding these emotional responses helps project managers provide appropriate support.

📋 Change Management Plan Framework

Assess Willingness, Readiness, and Ability to Change

→

Develop or Adopt Strategy for Change

→

Implement Change Management Plan

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Evaluate and Develop Lessons Learned

Step 1: Assess Willingness, Readiness, and Ability

Three Key Stakeholder Roles:

Sponsors: Have willingness and power to support the project
Change Agents: Project manager and team responsible for making change happen
Targets: Individuals or groups that must change

💡 Exam Tip: Remember that targets may lose power, relationships, stability, or control – this makes them resistant to change.

🎯 Step 2: Change Strategies

Rational-Empirical Approach

Based on: People follow predictable patterns and self-interests

Method: Persuasion, explanation, and demonstration of benefits

Key: Consistent and timely information from sponsors and project team

Normative-Reeducation Approach

Based on: Behavior changes by changing social norms

Method: Focus on core values, beliefs, and relationships

Challenge: Difficult and time-consuming

Power-Coercive Approach

Based on: Exercise of power, authority, rewards, or punishment

Method: Compliance through authority

Limitation: May only have short-term effect

Environmental-Adaptive Approach

Based on: People avoid disruption but can adapt

Method: Abolish old ways and build new structure

Example: Installing new OS over weekend – no choice but to change

🚀 Step 3: Implementation

Key Implementation Activities

Create Open Communication Channels: Two-way communication to prevent gossip and rumors
Monitor Progress: Track adoption and resistance
Provide Support: Training, resources, and emotional support
Address Issues: Quick response to problems and concerns

Step 4: Evaluate and Learn

Document experiences and make them available to other team members and projects. Evaluate the overall success of the change management plan to determine effectiveness of specific strategies.

⚔️ Dealing with Resistance and Conflict

Understanding Resistance

Resistance is natural: It can be overt (memos, meetings) or covert (sabotage, foot-dragging, politicking)

Valid Reasons: Poor system performance, missing features, or legitimate concerns

Management Approach: Listen to concerns and allow people to vent frustrations

Conflict Resolution Approaches

AVOIDANCE

Withdraw or ignore conflict

When to use: Cooling-off period needed

Limitation: Not useful when immediate resolution required

ACCOMMODATION

Appease people in conflict

When to use: Overall goal is important

Limitation: Tends to work only short-term

FORCING

Use authority to resolve

When to use: Emergency or no common ground

Risk: May create resentment

COMPROMISE

Aspects of forcing and accommodation

When to use: Complex problems

Result: Partial satisfaction for all parties

COLLABORATION

Incorporate different ideas and viewpoints

When to use: Time available for solution

Benefit: Mutually acceptable solution

💡 Exam Tip: Know when to use each conflict resolution approach. Collaboration is ideal but takes time; forcing is quick but may create resentment.

📝 Key Terms and Definitions

Assimilation: The process of adapting to change over time

Change Agent: Person responsible for making change happen (usually project manager and team)

Driving Forces: Forces that support and motivate change

Force-Field Analysis: Technique for analyzing all forces for and against a change

Neutral Zone: Transition state where people may resist or try to escape change

Refreezing: Stabilizing and institutionalizing the new state

Resisting Forces: Forces that oppose and resist change

Sponsor: Person with willingness and power to support the project

Target: Individual or group that must change

Unfreezing: Creating motivation and readiness for change

🎯 Exam Preparation Tips

What You Need to Know:

Leavitt’s Model: How people, technology, task, and structure are interdependent
Lewin’s Change Model: Unfreezing → Changing → Refreezing
Force-Field Analysis: Driving vs. resisting forces
Four Change Strategies: Rational-empirical, normative-reeducation, power-coercive, environmental-adaptive
Conflict Resolution: Five approaches and when to use each
Emotional Stages: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance
Stakeholder Roles: Sponsors, change agents, targets

Common Exam Mistakes to Avoid:

Confusing driving and resisting forces
Not understanding when to use different conflict resolution approaches
Forgetting that resistance is natural and can be valid
Not recognizing the interdependence in Leavitt’s model
Assuming all people go through all emotional stages

Practice Questions to Consider:

Given a scenario, identify the stakeholder roles (sponsor, change agent, target)
Choose the appropriate change strategy for a given situation
Analyze a conflict scenario and recommend the best resolution approach
Apply Leavitt’s model to show how a technology change impacts other areas
Develop a change management plan for a given project scenario

🎓 Summary

Managing organizational change, resistance, and conflict is critical for project success. Remember that:

Change creates anxiety – manage it through proper planning and communication
All organizational elements are interconnected (Leavitt’s model)
Change follows a process (Lewin’s model: unfreeze → change → refreeze)
Use appropriate change strategies based on the situation
Resistance is natural – listen and address valid concerns
Choose conflict resolution approaches based on time, relationships, and goals
Document lessons learned for future projects

Remember: Successful change management requires understanding people, having the right strategies, implementing effectively, and learning from the experience.