Introduction
One of the major challenges leaders face in introducing new technology is resistance from staff. For example, nursing staff may resist the use of automatic IV pumps mainly because they lack the necessary training and they therefore fear making mistakes while using them. Whether it is a fear of the unknown, a lack of confidence in their ability to use the new technique, or a fear of failing, staff members may resist change. Additionally, employees may be loyal to the established practices and resist change. Fear of change in that people may be reluctant to adopt a new technique or technology because they are afraid of the potential risks associated with the change, and lack of knowledge where people may be unwilling to adopt a new technique or technology. After all, they do not have the necessary knowledge or skills to use it effectively (Sharpp et al., 2019). This can also be because they fear using new technology for the first time and are skeptical of the results.
Case in point, people may be reluctant to adopt a new technique or technology because they resist authority or do not trust the leader. Fear of failure comes when people may be reluctant to adopt a new technique or technology because they are afraid of failing and want to continue using the same techniques, they are used to avoid inconvenience. Lack of motivation where people delay adopting a new technique or technology because they are not motivated or do not see the potential benefits of the change. Sometimes, staff may not be motivated to learn and adopt new techniques if their current methods work well (Khasawneh 2018). This lack of motivation can stem from a feeling of satisfaction with the current workflow and a desire to maintain the status quo. Lack of faith in the staff’s ability to implement new tactics effectively may make them hesitant to adopt them. These sentiments of inadequacy may result from a lack of knowledge of the subject or expertise with the technology or procedure.
Fear of the unknown can be a significant barrier for staff when adopting new techniques. Using new technologies or methods can be daunting and may cause staff to hesitate to try something unfamiliar (Sharpp et al., 2019). This fear of the unknown can be exacerbated by the lack of training or support available for staff to learn the new technique and the lack of information about the technique itself. Additionally, staff may worry that the new technique may not be effective or that it may cause disruption to the current workflow.
Theorizing Resistance to Change in Leadership Contexts
A leadership theory that might explain the situation of reluctance to change is the transformational Leadership. Transformational leadership is a type of leadership where leaders must have a clear vision and be able to articulate it to their followers, they must be persuasive and inspiring while communicating this vision. The features of a transformational leadership are;
Idealised Influence
Idealised influence is the leader’s display of strong moral character and ethical behaviour. This aspect of transformational theory is based on the belief that a leader’s behaviour sets the tone for their followers. Therefore, it is important for the leader to demonstrate integrity and ethical behaviour in order to gain respect from their followers and to set a positive example. The leader’s display of strong moral character and ethical behaviour should inspire followers to be the best they can be. This encourages followers to strive to be their best selves both professionally and personally. It also serves to create a positive and healthy work environment, as followers will be more likely to follow a leader that they trust and respect.
Inspirational Motivation
This is the leader’s use of motivational strategies to encourage followers to realize their potential. Founded on the idea that a leader should utilize inspiration to motivate people to realize their greatest potential, this part of transformational theory is based on this idea. To inspire followers to strive for excellence, the leader should employ motivational strategies (Gilbert and Kelloway, 2018). Setting reasonable expectations and rewarding success with praise and incentives will assist as followers feel valued and encouraged by the leader.
Individualised Consideration
Individualised consideration is another core element of transformational theory and refers to the leader’s ability to take the time to understand each follower’s individual needs and provide support accordingly. This aspect of transformational theory is based on the belief that a leader should be able to understand and appreciate each follower’s individual needs and provide support accordingly. The leader should take the time to understand each follower’s individual needs and provide the appropriate support and this creates a sense of trust and respect between the leader and their followers, as the followers feel that their individual needs are being taken into consideration.
Intellectual Stimulation
This refers to the leader’s encouragement of followers to think creatively and develop original solutions to issues. The foundation of this part of transformational theory is the idea that a leader should inspire their followers to think creatively and develop original solutions to issues. The leader should inspire subordinates to think creatively and develop original solutions to issues. By encouraging followers to think creatively and innovatively, this helps to develop a culture of innovation and creativity inside the team.
Theories that might help explain staff’s reluctance to adopt new technology include; Prospect Theory and social exchange theory.
Prospect Theory
This self-regulation theory suggests people in the nursing field are motivated by the prospect of gains and losses in that nursing staff are more likely to act when they believe they will gain something from the action, and they are less likely to take action when they think they will lose something (Yemelyanov and Bedny, 2021). In this scenario, the staff may resist the new technique or technology because they fear the potential losses associated with the change. To overcome this resistance, the leader should emphasize the potential gains from the new technique or technology and how it will benefit the team in the long run. The leader should also provide incentives and rewards to motivate the staff to take the necessary steps to adopt the new technique or technology. Prospect theory suggests that people are more likely to take action if they perceive that they will gain something from it (Yemelyanov and Bedny, 2021). In this case, the staff may be reluctant to adopt the new technique or technology because they perceive they will suffer a loss.
Therefore, in this instance, the staff may resist the new technique or technology because they fear the potential losses associated with the change. To overcome this resistance, the leader should emphasize the potential gains from the new technique or technology and how it will benefit the team in the long run (Sharpp et al., 2019). The leader should also provide incentives and rewards to motivate the staff to take the necessary steps to adopt the new technique or technology.
Social Exchange Theory
Social exchange theory is a communication theory that suggests that relationships are based on a cost-benefit analysis. People will enter into a relationship if they believe that the benefits of the relationship outweigh the costs (Cropanzano et al., 2017). Thus, the staff may resist the new technique or technology because they do not believe the benefits outweigh the costs. To overcome this resistance, the leader should clearly articulate the potential benefits of the new technique or technology and how it will benefit the team in the long run. Social exchange theory suggests that people are more likely to enter a relationship if they perceive that the benefits outweigh the costs (Cropanzano et al., 2017). Therefore, the staff may resist the new technique or technology because they do not believe the benefits outweigh the costs.
Therefore, social exchange theory suggests that relationships are based on a cost-benefit analysis. In this scenario, the staff may resist the new technique or technology because they do not believe that the benefits outweigh the costs. To overcome this, the leader should clearly articulate the potential benefits of the new technique or technology and how it will benefit the team in the long run. The leader should also provide incentives and rewards to motivate the staff to take the necessary steps to adopt the new technique or technology.
Leadership Development Plan
A leadership development plan is a document that outlines the goals, objectives, and strategies for developing the leadership skills of staff.
Target
The target of this leadership development plan is the nursing staff who maybe reluctant in adopting the automatic IV pumps in the hospital which can be due to various reasons such as fear of change and therefore, according to the two theories; social exchange and expectancy theory, clinical leaders can learn how to strategise and make their staff adopt the technologies that they incorporate in their operations.
Objective
The purpose of this leadership development plan is to demonstrate what will be done to reduce the reluctance in adopting the use of automatic IV pumps and also help the nursing staff achieve the set organizational targets.
Action
First, identify the reasons for resistance and create a plan of action to overcome these. This will involve researching to understand the reasons why staff may be reluctant to change. Also, hold meetings to discuss these reasons and work with staff to develop solutions. Once the source of this behavior is established, it is easy to devise a viable solution for how this can be overcome.
Second, use of transformational leadership to motivate and engage the nursing team. This approach involves providing staff autonomy, relatedness, and competence to ensure they are motivated to adopt the new technique or technology (Yaslioglu and Erden, 2018). Transformational leaders provide their staff with the autonomy they need to make decisions and take risks. They also create an environment of relatedness by creating strong relationships between staff and emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
Clinical leaders provide their staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to be competent in the new technique or technology. Leaders should also provide their staff with ongoing support and guidance throughout the process. This could include providing regular feedback and guidance on how to use the new technique or technology and creating a safe space for staff to ask questions and express concerns (Aguinis, 2019). Additionally, leaders should create clear expectations and provide incentives for staff to reach the desired goals. Leaders should also recognize and reward staff for their efforts and achievements. This could include providing recognition for a well-done job or offering incentives for staff to reach the desired goals (Gilbert and Kelloway, 2018). Recognition and rewards can serve as a powerful motivator for staff and help create a positive atmosphere when introducing new technology or techniques.
Third, use of expectancy theory to communicate the potential rewards that can be gained from adopting the new technique or technology, thus making sure that staff is aware of how this will benefit them in the long run. Expectancy theory is a motivational theory that suggests that people are motivated to engage in a behavior if they believe that it will lead to desired outcomes (Lloyd and Mertens, 2018). The leader should be able to articulate clearly the potential benefits of the new technique or technology and how it will benefit the team in the long run. This could include improved efficiency, increased job satisfaction, or new opportunities for growth and development.
Fourth, using the social exchange theory to communicate the benefits of the new technique or technology in a way that encourages collaboration and cooperation. Also, ensure that staff has the resources and support to implement the change successfully. This theory states that individuals are motivated to engage in relationships when they perceive that they will gain more than they lose (Cropanzano et al., 2017). These benefits could include improved efficiency, increased job satisfaction, or new opportunities for growth and development.
Further, leaders should ensure that staff has the resources and support to implement the change successfully. This could include providing training and support to ensure that staff is confident in their ability to use the new technique or technology and providing adequate time and resources to learn and adjust their workflow. Finally, leaders must create an environment of trust and respect to encourage collaboration and cooperation. This can be done by creating strong relationships between staff and emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
The leader can use Lewin’s change model to refreeze the change. This model comprises three phases: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Unfreezing involves preparing staff for the change, changing involves implementing the new technique or technology, and refreezing consists of reinforcing the change and ensuring it is sustained. When using Lewin’s change model to refreeze the change, leaders need to reinforce the desired behavior and ensure that it is sustained. This could include providing positive feedback and rewards for staff for exhibiting the desired behavior or providing incentives for staff to reach the desired goals (Aguinis, 2019). It is also important for leaders to provide ongoing support and training to ensure that staff are able to continue to use the new technique or technology.
Leaders should also ensure that staff is given adequate time and resources to adjust to the change. This includes providing regular feedback and guidance on how to use the new technique or technology and creating a safe space for staff to ask questions and express concerns. Additionally, it is crucial for leaders to keep an open dialogue with staff and provide feedback opportunities to ensure that the change is successful. Finally, leaders must recognize and reward staff for their efforts and achievements.
Evaluation
In order to ensure that the set-out actions are effective, it is good to ensure that there is an evaluation program to monitor the progress of the development plan. This can be done through process and outcome-based evaluations. In process evaluation, you identify and monitor which method or action applied was more effective and in outcome-based evaluation, you look at the outcome of the process and identify if it is the desired result or the goal of your actions.
Conclusion
The leadership development plan outlined above is based on several theories, including transformational leadership, self-determination theory, expectancy theory, social exchange theory, and Lewin’s change model. These theories provide evidence-based justification for the strategies used to support staff to work towards the set targets. These strategies will help ensure that staff is motivated to adopt the new technique or technology, understand the potential rewards gained from doing so, and successfully implement and sustain the change.
Reference List
Aguinis, H. (2019). Performance management for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.
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Gilbert, S.L. and Kelloway, E.K. (2018). ‘Leadership, recognition and well‐being: A moderated mediational model,’ Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences/Revue canadienne des sciences de l’administration, 35(4), pp.523-534.
Khasawneh, O.Y., 2018. Technophobia without boarders: The influence of technophobia and emotional intelligence on technology acceptance and the moderating influence of organizational climate. Computers in Human Behavior, 88, pp.210-218.
Lloyd, R. and Mertens, D. (2018). ‘Expecting more out of expectancy theory: History urges inclusion of the social context,’ International Management Review, 14(1), pp.28-43.
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Yaslioglu, M.M. and Erden, N.S. (2018). ‘Transformational leaders in action: Theory has been there, but what about practice?’ IUP Journal of Business Strategy, 15(1), pp.42-53.
Yemelyanov, A.M. and Bedny, I.S. (2021). Self-regulation approach for setting goals in problem-solving. In International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (pp. 194-200). Springer, Cham.
Yin, J., Ma, Z., Yu, H., Jia, M. and Liao, G. (2019). ‘Transformational leadership and employee knowledge sharing: Explore the mediating roles of psychological safety and team efficacy,’ Journal of Knowledge Management 24(2), pp.150-171.