Question

6. Describe the situation in which you were required to manage resistance to change and the appropriateness of the affiliating leadership style.

Answer 1

Answer 6= A typical situation where the manager has to manage the possible resistance to change is the implementation of matrix organizational structure in the firm which was earlier working as the functional organizational structure. In the case of a matrix organization, every employee has more than one reporting supervisor. The employees in the organization may oppose this change in the organizational structure as they have to meet the expectation of more supervisors, they need to change their communication style, the working pattern, and performance level. The employees may feel unsecured about this new set up as their performance may decline and this can result in their lower performance evaluation. There may also be a clash between the various expectations of the manager.

If we talk about affiliation leadership style, the main task of the manager is to promote harmony among the employees and help them to resolve their conflict. So in the above-stated situation, the manager has to ensure that there is no clash of interest among the different supervisors and the employees. The manager must develop an environment of the corporation and mutual assistance. The manager has to ensure that the new structure also results in the formation of a cohesive team and the team members work with each other with greater coordination