Kotter and Schlesinger’s techniques for overcoming resistance to change:

Education and Communication: Most effective when the opposition is based on the lack of information as people resist what they perceive as not helpful, not the change itself

Participation and Involvement: Involving staff in the process of the change can reduce resistance

Facilitation and Support: Provide the skills necessary to cope with the change, suitable for those afraid of the change

Negotiation and Agreement: Negotiate with the people resisting the change, beneficial with those losing something because of the change

Manipulation and Co-optation: When other techniques don't work, rewards or influencing the key stakeholders, who can then influence others

Explicit and Implicit Coercion: Forcing the change when other methods are ineffective, hoping that the change will be accepted. Used during crisis by powerful change agents

(Carmazzi, 2011; Moradpour et al., 2017; Yilmaz & Kilicoglu, 2013)

Competencies for leading changes

• Creativity and innovation: Being able to envision the need for change and how to achieve it.

• External awareness: Being able to understand the factors that may influence/affect the change

• Flexibility: Being open to the change

• Resilience: Being able to manage the change despite the hurtles

• Strategic thinking: Being able to center on the organizational goal

• Vision: Being able to motivate the team toward the organizational goal

(OPM, 2020 as cited in Spears-Jones, et al., 2021)