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How will you manage to work with an arrogant and resisting type of people?

You might come up with new ideas and new action plans, but your colleagues are arrogant and resisting to the new environment, how could it be managed? New changes are needed for the efficient working of the company, but the people around are resisting.

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Question added by Kiran Balan , IT Manager , American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital
Date Posted: 2013/05/10
Anita Viherpuro
by Anita Viherpuro , Consultant , Presentte Oy

An arrogant and resisting employee costs dearly to the company.
They are definitely not productive or innovative.
They believe they are doing everything right and everybody else is doing everything wrong.
With the negativity they poison the whole atmosphere.
It should be a priority of the management in every organization to reduce this kind of behavior.

Resistance to change is natural human behavior.
Sometimes we have an idea and tell others, we want to implement straight away because it is logically to us that this is the right thing to do.
We want other colleagues to see, understand and commit at the same time.
Now, they heard about if for the first time and they do not see any reason or benefit in doing things differently.
They feel just fine where they are and build a wall of resistance to the ‘unknown’.
You can have the best ideas and solid information but if you want to influence others to commit to contributing to your great ideas than you need to transform this information into value for them when communicating.
Example: we can perform faster/better and you can get more commission (promotion)….we can lose our jobs or we can create better once with a new approach…we can save time and invest focus on what matters… With regards to the other issue I believe facts will always beat arrogance.-).

walid Mohamed Ramadan
by walid Mohamed Ramadan , Business Unit Manager , Drager M.D

Actually I strongly believe that this question is very important not only in the business field but also in our regular life as far as the human nature is always resistance the change unless it emerges from the people who resist it!!! So it’s the magic key is that method!! Let them do it as a kind of their participation in a project you ask for the help of them as a supporter not as a subordinate.
You ask for the help of them as an entrepreneur, not as a direct manager, I strongly believe that it will lead them to spent too much time in searching of the optimum change that they can afford it to your project, not even that , they will struggle for the success of that change to prove that they are the only who can made the impossible which is good if it come parallel with your target.

Mohammed Shaheen
by Mohammed Shaheen , Self Trader , Private Forex Trader

resistant is a nature of some people when you want to change their belief about something or to change a specific situation, removing them from your way will eventually reduce your cost and time implementing your idea.
no matter if you are right or wrong if they are comfortable with their current situation, they can not be for any help.

Arrogant and resisting type of people may always not be on the flip side. They may have reasons to do that. A good manager here is one who identifies the reasons for their reluctance to change and attack/respond to those reasons/concerns. If a manager is not convinced with the employees reason for reluctance, then he should be able to convince the employee with the reason for the change. However, if some changes for the benefit of the organization has to brought in, it has to be brought in. Period. 

Do they feel that they are being looked down upon? It may not be the intention but really look at how THEY are looking at the situation.
Find out what are their real concerns.
Most people are resistant to change because they fear they are losing something or control.
Maybe they need more reassurance.
Maybe they feel left out of the decision making process.
Then it's important to gain their input so that they feel part of the decision making process and changes that are to come.
They may not get all that they want but is there room for negotiation?

Khalid Osman Abdelsid Ahmed
by Khalid Osman Abdelsid Ahmed , Supply Officer , UNHCR

I like your question indeed Kiran because most of us if not all come across such situations.
As Peter mentioned in his answer RESISTANCE TO CHANGE IS NATURAL HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
Through my modest experience I would suggest the following two scenarios: - (1) Get the resisting people involved in the change through assigning them roles or leading/major roles.
(2) Try to implement the change with those who accept the change, move onwards enlarging the circle of change avoiding confrontation with those opposing as much as possible.
Eventually change is going to be inevitable.
If change is beneficary, it will come but how long will it take depends on the environment in which it will be implemented.
Thank you for giving me the chance to participate.
Kind Regards, Khalid

It is Interesting working with arrogant and resisting type of people.
First of we have to identify what makes them arrogant some time causes of arrogant and resistent are anger, work stress , family problems, ego with coworkers , lack of motivational package by organization or comparing another same Industry's employee motivating level and existing company's employee motivating level.
Hence people are not machine, we have approach the properly .
Threre are some psychological tricks tell us how approach those kind of people.
Such as casual taking it is a powerfull approaching tool for an instance I met a same characteristic employee in my past organization.
So I used a small trick to make friendship between me an him.
Therefore continuesly two days I asked that had your "breakfast and lunch " by third day he asked to me I am so glad.
After some time we had a casual talk.
Hence his cause of arrogant and resistant is family background.
He is the elder in his family and he got prestige and other facilities by his family members so he is expecting those stuffs from our organization by using arrogant and resistens.
As a coworker and friend I gave some good advices to him to change him self.
My first advices are being polite , control you anger ,avoid listening rock music instead of listen melodies, never watch action movie, perform well , be friend with all employees and listen every one words.
So now he is good employee in my previouse organization.

Youssef Khalil
by Youssef Khalil , Customer Service representetive , Sykes

Just use Business face & be firm so that you can give orders without many negotiation or anything related to that & they wont be having the option to change

Kaamila Tahseen
by Kaamila Tahseen , Change Management Team Manager , cognizant technology solutions

Indeed it is a challenge working with a person of such behavior, it helps in testing your patience level.
Jus got an idea, If your team includes a person with such behavior characteristics try conducting a team meeting or a huddle with an agenda being People Management and ask the same question "How will you manage to work with an arrogant and resisting type of people? " to all the team members.
Define the characteristics of an arrogant and resisting people and start the discussion, welcome his thought process as well.
Am sure this strategy should help him identify his areas of improvement and you will find certainly find changes in him.

Waleed Dawood
by Waleed Dawood , Regional Market Manager , Rheem

To deal with them in a highly professional and diplomatic manner.

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