Why people resist change

PASTOR Rick Godwin once said, "One reason people resist change is because they focus on what they have to give up instead of what they have to gain." Bill Gates thinks that those who resist change "will be confronted by the growing number of people who see that better ways are available, thanks to technology." Peter M. Senge believes that "people don't resist change — they resist being changed."

These three wise men said a mouthful. In a way, they explain why we see resistance whenever change is being instituted in organizations. To better understand the dynamics of a planned change, let's dissect planned organizational change.