Inertia

REFORM is often associated with change and usually overturning the status quo. The underlying assumption is that an organization needs fixing, shaking it up by rearranging the boxes and dispensing with certain incumbents. Change is presumed to result in a different power structure.

Implementing change must often deal with resistance. The more radical the change, the stronger the pushback. Maintaining the status quo has a powerful appeal, especially to the ruling class and vested interests. In every organization, a powerful block that considers change a disruptive force is bent on undermining the moves for a new order. (If we move towards digital transformation, what do we do with all the office furniture?)

In physics, the law of inertia dictates that an object naturally resists change in its state of motion. So, when it is at rest, it tends to stay that way, unless shoved or pushed. This tendency to stay put applies to organizations too.

The response to a change initiative may be first to shrug it off — we already tried that before. This routine dismissal of any attempts at reform rests on the presumption of naiveté on the part of the proponent, a kind of “eager beaver” enthusiasm that is going nowhere.

The claim of having already tried the change being proposed is a favorite tactic for resisting change, especially if it failed miserably before. Change agents, especially those just taking over a company, quickly recognize the looming challenge of indifference.

Change agents first offer a new vision for incumbents to buy into. Workshops for new vision/mission statements are conducted. (Are there any senior executives in attendance?) They show charts and a picture of paradise after the changes are implemented. When all this winning over of incumbents fails, are more drastic measures in the works? Getting rid of resisters through job redundancy and offers of early retirement are studied.

Among management gurus and consultants, it is the change agent who is projected as a super-hero battling traditionalists. Purveyors of change are acclaimed as visionaries, turnaround artists, shifters of paradigms, and innovative spirits.

If those advocating change are cast as heroes, guess who the villains are.

Resisting change is seen as reactionary and even old-fashioned. (We must go with the times.) Those who resist are characterized as dinosaurs that are doomed to extinction.

The warnings of the opponents of change are dismissed as attempts to hang on to power. Of course, entrenched interests won’t buy into a move to eliminate their costly jobs, expressed in headcount reduction to achieve higher revenues with lower overhead. Still, the challenge to fight through this corporate inertia can be overwhelming. It ends up as a crusade against everything that is traditional — so, we don’t serve coffee with milk anymore?

Then the inertia of a body in motion goes the other way. The innovation, once it gets going, can no longer be easily slowed down. It has its own momentum. The organization just keeps moving in the same direction of blowing down all the processes and structures that are in its way. (There goes the pantry.)

Under a new management, especially one that is hired to shake things up, there is an implicit sub-text to leave no traditional thinkers. Anything less than enthusiasm from the natives is considered a protest movement. The missionary zeal takes over.

Is it possible for the change agent to move slowly and take a gradual approach? Little changes, even just symbolic ones, like joining the horde in the canteen for lunch or coming to work early and walking around the office to fetch a cup of coffee, may go a longer way in introducing a new culture. This gradualism can elicit broader support from potential resisters. Or it may achieve nothing.

Every change agent will understand that there are some things that need to be left alone. There are values like customer care that should remain unchanged except for further enhancement. Resistance to change may just reflect a passion for how things ought to be.

When change management is successful, a new power structure emerges. These new leaders then become the defenders of what they have achieved. This new status quo will stay in place…until a new change agent is put in charge.