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Managing Resistance to Change: A CEO’s Guide to Turning Pushback into Progress

by | Sep 18, 2025 | Business - General, BusinessFitness, Communication, Culture, Disruption, Excellence, Growth, Motivation, Productivity, Profitability, Strategy, Success | 0 comments

Photoreal illustration of Managing Resistance to Change showing two teams of rowers – an organised one pulling ahead of a disorganised one.
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“Resistance to change is not a barrier but a signal to adjust your approach.” – Peter Senge

 

Introduction – Why Managing Resistance to Change is the Real Test

You’ve announced a major shift in your business. Perhaps it’s a new digital system, a restructure, or a bold strategic pivot. The business case is strong, the strategy watertight – yet three months later, you find the same old processes creeping back in, while your new solution sits underused. Sound familiar?

This is the reality of managing resistance to change. It’s rarely the strategy itself that derails transformation; more often, it’s the human response. Resistance is not proof of failure – it’s feedback. In fact, it’s one of the clearest signals that change matters enough to provoke emotion, habits, and behaviours.

Research by McKinsey has long warned that around 70% of organisational transformations fail to achieve their goals, with resistance a major culprit. For SMEs, where every shift in process or structure directly affects a tight-knit team, the stakes are even higher.

In earlier articles we looked at change management in the round and then at communication as the engine that drives transformation:

Together, they set the stage for this week’s focus: how to recognise, interpret, and constructively address resistance. Because if you want change to stick, you need to understand what’s pushing back, why – and to turn that pushback into progress.

 

Understanding Resistance – It’s Not Just “Difficult People”

Let’s start by reframing the narrative. Resistance isn’t about difficult people – it’s about people facing difficulty. People don’t resist change as much as they resist loss – of competence, control, or stability. Others are worn down by “change fatigue” after too many initiatives have started with promise and fizzled out.

Common drivers of resistance:

  • Fear of loss – status, skills, or influence may feel under threat.
  • Change fatigue – previous initiatives have failed to live up to expectation, so scepticism sets in.
  • Distrust of leadership – motives questioned if transparency and clear communication is lacking.
  • Poor timing – change piled on when teams are already stretched thin.
  • Cultural misalignment – new initiatives clash with deeply held organisational values.
  • Lack of inclusion – employees feel change is being done to them, not with
  • Competency concerns – “Will I be good enough in this new world?”
  • Communication gaps – uncertainty thrives where clarity is absent.

From an evolutionary psychology perspective, our brains are wired for safety, not novelty. Change signals risk. That’s why leaders must manage not only the logic but the emotions of transformation.

Forms of resistance:

  • Active resistance – vocal objections, arguments, even deliberate slowdowns.
  • Passive resistance – silence, disengagement, absenteeism, rising staff turnover.
  • Organisational resistance – process bottlenecks, policy avoidance, entrenched cultures that quietly push back.

But beneath these behaviours lie emotional drivers: uncertainty, loss of trust, identity disruption. If we ignore these, we miss the opportunity to engage meaningfully.

As Jason Goldberg notes in The Art of Scale, unclear direction leaves teams exhausted by firefighting and demoralised by inaction. Left unchecked, this frustration easily solidifies into resistance.

Related reading:

 

The Hidden, but Significant, Costs of Ignoring Resistance

The price of unmanaged change resistance extends far beyond delayed project timelines. It creates a cascade of consequences that can undermine your entire organisation’s performance and competitive position.

Immediate Operational Costs

When resistance festers, productivity plummets. Teams spend more energy navigating around new processes than implementing them effectively. Research by Prosci indicates that organisations with poor change management practices experience 2.5 times more budget overruns and 3 times more schedule delays than those with effective resistance management strategies.

Key personnel often exit during poorly managed transformations, taking institutional knowledge and client relationships with them. The recruitment and training costs for replacement staff, combined with the productivity gap during transition periods, can quickly escalate into six-figure expenses for mid-sized businesses.

Cultural and Strategic Damage

Perhaps more damaging is the formation of shadow cultures – informal networks united by opposition to change. These underground alliances can persist long after the initial transformation, creating ongoing drag on future initiatives. Once your team learns that resistance works, every subsequent change becomes exponentially more difficult.

Trust erosion represents another significant hidden cost. When leaders push through changes despite obvious resistance, they signal that employee concerns don’t matter. This message reverberates through future interactions, making genuine collaboration increasingly difficult.

Market and Competitive Risks

External consequences often prove most severe. When internal resistance affects service delivery or product quality, customer confidence erodes. In today’s connected marketplace, operational disruptions quickly become reputation issues.

Consider Kodak’s cautionary tale. The company possessed the technical capability for digital transformation but faced internal resistance to cannibalising its profitable film business. Middle management and senior executives resisted changes that threatened established power structures and expertise. This internal paralysis allowed competitors to capture the digital photography market whilst Kodak clung to declining film revenues.

For SME leaders, similar dynamics play out on smaller scales but with equally devastating consequences. A professional services firm that delays digital adoption due to partner resistance may lose clients to more agile competitors. A manufacturer whose workforce resists lean processes may find themselves priced out of competitive bids.

The Compound Effect

These costs compound over time. Delayed transformations don’t simply postpone benefits – they often make future changes more expensive and disruptive. Technology implementations become more complex, skill gaps widen, and competitive advantages erode.

Moreover, unaddressed resistance creates learned helplessness within organisations. Teams begin to expect that changes will be poorly managed, communication will be inadequate, and their concerns will be ignored. This expectation becomes self-fulfilling, making even well-intentioned future initiatives more likely to fail.

The financial implications are stark: whilst investing in proper change resistance management might add 10-15% to your transformation budget, failing to address resistance can increase total costs by 200-300% whilst delivering significantly diminished results.

Related reading:

 

Recognising Early Warning Signs of Resistance to Change

The key to mastering resistance to change lies in early detection. Resistance rarely announces itself. It creeps in quietly – through behaviours, attitudes, and organisational patterns.

As a business leader, you need to develop a keen eye and ear for both the explicit and subtle indicators that a change initiative might be hitting headwinds – it’s far easier to address a flickering ember of doubt that a raging inferno of opposition…

Behavioural Indicators (The Human Element):

  • Declining Engagement:A noticeable drop in participation during meetings, fewer questions, or a general silence where there once was lively discussion. People might appear present but mentally checked out.
  • Missed Deadlines & Reduced Productivity:Project timelines begin to slip, or output quality diminishes, often accompanied by excuses or a lack of personal accountability.
  • Rising Absenteeism or Staff Turnover:A spike in sick days or a sudden increase in resignations can be a strong indicator of underlying dissatisfaction and a refusal to adapt.
  • Watercooler Chatter & Complaints:Pay attention to informal conversations. Negative talk, sarcasm, or repeated complaints, even if not directly voiced to you, are clear signals.
  • Withdrawal and Cynicism:Individuals becoming withdrawn, avoiding eye contact, or adopting a cynical, “here we go again” attitude. Silence can be more damaging than overt opposition.
  • Anxiety and Stress:Visible signs of stress, worry, or fear, particularly around new responsibilities or technologies.
  • “We Tried That Before” Mentality:A recurring theme of dismissing new ideas by referencing past failures, often without engaging with the specifics of the current proposal.

Organisational Red Flags (The Systemic Indicators):

  • Project Delays and Bottlenecks:Tasks that should be straightforward become inexplicably slow, with numerous justifications for hold-ups.
  • Excuses and Blame Culture:A propensity to deflect responsibility or attribute problems to external factors rather than engaging with the change itself.
  • Excessive Risk-Flagging:While genuine risk assessment is crucial, an excessive, often nit-picking, focus on minor risks to avoid moving forward can be a sign of resistance.
  • Rumour Mills and Misinformation:When formal communication channels are perceived as inadequate, informal networks often fill the void, sometimes with inaccurate or negative information that fuels opposition.
  • Lack of Momentum:Despite clear directives, the change simply isn’t gaining traction, feeling like you’re pushing against a constant, unseen force.

The importance of proactive monitoring cannot be overstated. Implement listening tours, conduct anonymous surveys, and cultivate informal feedback loops such as “coffee chats” to truly gauge the temperature of your organisation. Encourage your management team to do the same.

This isn’t about policing; it’s about understanding and responding. As Jason Goldberg points out in The Art of Scale, “When your team was small, it was easy to touch base on the fly. As the company grows, informal communication falls apart. Too many people are talking too infrequently about too many things. Critical issues slip through the cracks, confusion sets in, and it becomes harder to move forward.”

This breakdown in communication directly feeds resistance. By actively seeking out these early warning signs, you transform potential roadblocks into opportunities for dialogue and adjustment, ensuring you address the issues before they cripple your change efforts.

Related reading:

 

Practical Strategies to Address Resistance

Resistance is not an obstacle to be bulldozed but a signal to engage differently. Here are strategies CEOs can put into practice:

Listen First

Create safe spaces where people can voice concerns without fear. Don’t just rush to fix – start by understanding. Often the act of being heard reduces resistance.

Acknowledge and Validate

Don’t dismiss objections as negativity. Recognise the underlying fears and show you understand.

Communicate Transparently

Address the WIIFM – “What’s In It For Me?” Ensure two-way communication. Share the rationale, risks, and expected outcomes.

The HEAR Method When Encountering Active Resistance

  • Halt and Listen: Stop pushing your agenda and genuinely hear what’s being said. Often, the surface objection masks deeper concerns. A complaint about “too much change too fast” might really mean “I’m worried I won’t be competent in the new system.”
  • Empathise: Acknowledge the validity of their experience and emotions. “I understand why this feels overwhelming given everything else on your plate right now.” This doesn’t mean abandoning your change initiative – it means recognising the human cost of transformation.
  • Address: Provide specific solutions and support for legitimate concerns. If someone worries about skill adequacy, offer targeted training. If they’re concerned about workload during transition, discuss temporary support or adjusted expectations.
  • Recruit: Transform resisters into change champions by incorporating their insights and giving them meaningful roles in the solution. People who initially resist often become your most effective advocates because they understand the concerns others will have.

Empower Change Champions

Identify influencers within teams and equip them to model new behaviours. Peer credibility often outweighs management directives.

Ensure Inclusion

Where practical, involve employees in shaping solutions. Use one-to-one coaching where needed. Even small contributions increase ownership.

Pace Change

Pilot programmes and phased rollouts allow learning and confidence-building before scaling up.

Training & Support

Equip staff with the skills and resources to adapt, reducing anxiety about competence. Confidence reduces resistance.

Lead by Example

Employees watch what leaders do more than what they say. Walk the talk consistently. If you’re not living the change, no one else will.

Celebrate Small Wins

Acknowledge early progress publicly. Success builds belief and momentum.

Reinforce Values

Show how the change aligns with your company’s mission and culture.

Use Storytelling

Stories connect emotionally. Share real examples of success and struggle.

Include External Stakeholders

Don’t ignore customers, suppliers, or investors. They too can resist – or champion – your change. Keep them informed and involved.

Related reading:

 

Leadership’s Role in Overcoming Resistance – From Control to Collaboration

The temptation for leaders is to treat resistance as something to control. But genuine progress comes when resistance is reframed as collaboration.

CEO responsibility:

As CEO, your role is more than strategic oversight. It’s about presence, transparency, and consistency. Your team needs to see you living the change, not just announcing it. Walk the floor, listen to concerns, and answer questions honestly. If you’re not visibly committed, resistance will fill the vacuum.

Leadership team alignment:

Your leadership team must speak with one voice. Mixed messages from the top breed confusion and erode trust. Equip your senior leaders with aligned talking points and a shared understanding of the change journey. Have regular alignment sessions to keep the messaging on track as the change evolves.

Middle managers as pressure points:

Middle managers are the pressure point – absorbing it from above and below. They’re closest to the resistance and often caught between strategic intent and operational reality. They need support, clarity, and tools to engage – not just enforce. Equipping them with training and resources is critical so they can act as conduits, not barriers.

Board oversight:

Boards can play a useful role in surfacing blind spots. Independent directors often see resistance risks earlier, particularly when linked to culture or external stakeholders. Be sure to include them in the process.

True leadership during change means resisting the urge to silence dissent and instead leaning into it, engaging with the feedback and drawing insights from it.

Related reading:

 

Connecting Resistance to Broader Business Themes

Resistance doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It touches on every strategic theme you’re managing as a CEO.

  • Risk management: Resistance introduces risk – project overruns, cost escalation, customer dissatisfaction. Treat resistance as a risk factor with mitigation strategies, just as you would for market volatility or supply chain disruption.
  • Scaling: As your business grows, resistance multiplies. Informal communication no longer suffices, and complexity increases the chances of misalignment. Lessons from The Art of Scale show the importance of structured systems to manage resistance.
  • Business Diversification: New markets and products mean new behaviours. Resistance can derail innovation unless it’s addressed early.
  • Digital transformation & AI adoption: Technology is rarely the problem; it’s the culture around it. Many SMEs find that employees resist not the tools, but the perceived implications: redundancy, skill gaps, or loss of autonomy. Effective communication and reskilling programmes are essential.
  • Agility and Resilience: Resistance is a test of your organisation’s adaptability. See Mastering Business Agility and Resilience.

When resistance is addressed openly, it becomes a strategic enabler, reducing risk, easing scaling, and smoothing the adoption of digital innovation.

Related reading:

 

Common Pitfalls in Managing Resistance

Even well-meaning leaders fall into traps that make resistance worse. Here are the big ones to avoid:

  • Treating resistance as negative: It’s feedback. Silence is more dangerous than complaint. Treat it as insight, not insubordination.
  • Overselling benefits: If you gloss over real concerns, people feel unheard and disengage. They want honesty, not hype.
  • Punishing resisters: Fear may silence objections temporarily, but it creates disengagement and mistrust, not alignment.
  • Under-resourcing change: Without sufficient time, money, and leadership attention, teams feel stretched, initiatives falter and fatigue sets in.
  • Ignoring external stakeholders: Customers, suppliers, and investors may also resist. Don’t leave them out of your plan. Keep them in the loop.

By recognising these pitfalls, CEOs can avoid sabotaging their own change efforts.

Related reading:

 

Tools and Frameworks for Tackling Resistance

Frameworks help turn the abstract challenge of resistance into something tangible and manageable.

  • Resistance Heat Map: Chart departments by their level of engagement versus resistance. This highlights where support or intervention is most needed.
  • Stakeholder Analysis: A power-interest grid of influence vs interest clarifies who must be kept fully engaged and who simply needs to be kept informed.
  • Change Readiness Audits: Assess how prepared your business is for change across culture, leadership, and systems. See the first article in this series for more on this.
  • CLEAR Model: (Context, Listen, Empathy, Accessible, Results) – as introduced last week – applied specifically to resistance. For example:
    • Context: Frame resistance as valuable feedback.
    • Listen: Actively gather insights from resistors.
    • Empathy: Understand the fears behind the pushback.
    • Accessible: Make leaders approachable to discuss concerns, and information easy to find and understand.
    • Results: Celebrate wins and demonstrate how feedback has shaped outcomes.

Actionable Takeaways

  • Audit your change strategy for resistance risks.
  • Create a clear resistance response plan.
  • Equip managers with tools to engage, not suppress.
  • Build feedback loops – and act visibly on input.
  • Reinforce trust through transparency and consistency.

Related reading:

 

Case Studies & Stories

Nokia – The Missed Pivot

Nokia dominated mobile phones but hesitated to embrace smartphones fully. Internal resistance to cannibalising existing success delayed decisions. The result? Loss of market leadership followed by a catastrophic decline, and a necessary pivot out of smartphones. Today it trades at around 2 percent in revenue terms, and 1% in EBITDA, of its peak, and has transitioned into cybersecurity.

SME Example – Automation in Manufacturing

One SME I worked with faced significant resistance when introducing automation, with staff fearing job losses. Instead of pushing ahead regardless, they involved frontline staff in designing workflows and offered training to reskill employees. Resistance turned into ownership, and adoption was rapid and smooth.

Lesson: Suppressing resistance creates bottlenecks; engaging with it creates breakthroughs.

 

Conclusion – From Resistance to Resilience

Resistance to change is not a threat; it’s an opportunity. Every objection is data. Every hesitation is a signal. When approached with trust, empathy, and structure, resistance becomes a source of insight that strengthens the change process.

Silence is more dangerous than pushback. Because silence means disengagement. Resistance means people still care.

For CEOs, the challenge is to stop treating resistance as a battle to win and instead see it as dialogue to nurture. The businesses that thrive are those that build resilience by listening, adapting, and responding to resistance constructively.

 

Next week we’ll be focusing on Sustaining the Momentum – how to embed change so it becomes part of the fabric of your business – to wrap up this series on Change Management.

 

Key Takeaways:

  • Resistance is feedback, not failure – it highlights where fears, gaps, or misalignments exist and gives leaders a chance to adapt.
  • Listening comes first – safe spaces, surveys, and informal conversations help uncover the real concerns behind pushback.
  • Communication must be transparent and two-way – address the “what’s in it for me” and keep dialogue ongoing, not one-off.
  • Equip leaders at every level – from CEOs to middle managers, consistent messages and aligned behaviour are essential.
  • Small wins build momentum – celebrate early progress to turn sceptics into supporters and keep the organisation moving forward.

 

Next steps:

You don’t need to wait for a major transformation to prepare your organisation for resistance. Start by taking the temperature of your business today: run a quick culture or engagement survey, hold informal listening sessions, or walk the floor and observe how people really feel about the business. Look for subtle signs of hesitation, frustration, or disconnect. At the same time, review how your leadership team communicates – are messages consistent, transparent, and aligned with your company values?

By taking these simple before any formal change arises, you’ll strengthen trust, build resilience, and ensure your team is ready to embrace future shifts with confidence.

It’s your turn now:

So, let me ask you:

“How have you successfully recognised and turned resistance into a positive force in your change initiatives?”

Share your thoughts in the comments, DM me, or feel free to drop me an email directly if you’d like a more private conversation.

 

FAQs – Managing Resistance to Change

1. How can I tell the difference between legitimate concerns and simple resistance to change?

Legitimate concerns typically focus on specific implementation challenges, resource needs, or potential negative consequences. They’re often accompanied by constructive suggestions or questions about alternatives. Simple resistance tends to be more general (“this won’t work”), emotional without specifics, or focused on why change isn’t necessary rather than how to make it successful. The key is to listen for underlying issues rather than dismissing any pushback as mere resistance.

2. Why do employees resist change, even if it’s for the good of the business?

Employees resist change for a variety of reasons, which are often rational from their perspective. Common factors include fear of the unknown, loss of control, a perceived threat to their job security or status, lack of trust in leadership, previous negative experiences with change, poor communication about the “why” and “how,” and simply the effort required to learn new ways of working.

3. How can I identify resistance to change in my business?

Look for both overt and subtle signs. Overt signs include direct complaints, arguments, or public questioning. Subtle signs are often more common and include declining engagement, missed deadlines, increased absenteeism, watercooler gossip, cynicism, passive-aggressive behaviour, or a general lack of enthusiasm. Listening tours, informal feedback, and monitoring team dynamics are crucial for early detection.

4. Is all resistance to change negative?

No, not at all. While active resistance can be disruptive, it often contains valuable feedback. Viewing resistance as a signal, rather than just a barrier, allows leaders to uncover legitimate concerns, identify flaws in the change plan, and make necessary adjustments. Silence or disengagement can often be more dangerous, as it means concerns are not being aired.

5. What is the most effective way for an SME leader to address resistance?

There’s no single magic bullet, but a multi-pronged approach is most effective. Key strategies include active listening, transparent and consistent two-way communication (especially addressing “What’s In It For Me”), involving employees in the change process (inclusion), providing adequate training and support, leading by example, and celebrating small wins to build momentum and confidence. Remember the HEAR Method when addressing active resistance, too.

6. How can communication help overcome resistance to change?

Effective communication is paramount. It must go beyond mere announcements. Leaders need to clearly articulate the rationale behind the change, its benefits for the individual and the business, and be transparent about potential challenges. Crucially, it must be two-way, allowing employees to ask questions and voice concerns, which must then be acknowledged and addressed.

7. How important is leadership in managing resistance?

Leadership is critical. The CEO and leadership team set the tone. Their visible commitment, consistent messaging, empathy, and willingness to engage with pushback – rather than suppress it – significantly influence how employees react. Leaders must model the desired behaviours and build trust through honest and open dialogue.

8. What are some common mistakes leaders make when dealing with resistance?

Common pitfalls include treating resistance as solely negative, over-communicating benefits while ignoring concerns, punishing those who resist, failing to adequately resource the change (leading to burnout), ignoring external stakeholders, and imposing changes that clash with the existing organisational culture.

9. Can external stakeholders also resist my business’s internal changes?

Yes, absolutely. Customers might resist changes to products or services, suppliers might resist new procurement processes, and investors might have concerns about strategic shifts. Proactive communication and engagement with these external groups are just as important as internal efforts to mitigate pushback.

10. How does managing resistance to change contribute to long-term business success?

By effectively managing resistance, SMEs not only ensure the success of individual change initiatives but also cultivate an organisational culture of adaptability and resilience. This ability to embrace and navigate change is a strategic asset, enabling the business to innovate, scale, manage risk, and thrive in an ever-evolving market, ultimately leading to sustained growth and competitive advantage.

 

 

If you’ve found these answers helpful and want to look more deeply into the subject of change management, you can explore the full article and more resources in the previous sections. And as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or reach out to me directly for further insights.

 

Want more tailored advice on scaling, transformation, change management or other issues in your business? Book a free 30-minute strategy session today and get personalised advice.

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This month, we’re exploring the topic of Change Management, with this being the third article in the series. The earlier ones, should you wish to review them, were:

> Mastering Change Management: How to Build an Organisation That Thrives on Transformation

> Effective Change Communication: How to Inspire Trust, Reduce Resistance, and Keep Your Team Aligned During Change

 

Stay tuned for further articles to help you take your business to the next level – or better yet, subscribe to my blog and receive the latest insights straight to your inbox. Click here to sign up or send me a note here and I’ll add you to the list.

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💡 Need help with your strategy, culture, leadership, board dynamics, or scaling your business? Let’s talk. Book a complimentary 30-minute strategy call today and unlock new opportunities for growth. Schedule your session here.

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Related Posts

If you’d like to learn more about change management and the areas we’ve covered here, the following articles and posts might be of interest:

 

Backgrounders

Forbes –  Three Tips For Managing Resistance To Change 

Harvard Business School – How to Deal with Resistance to Change

FastCompany –  How To Better Anticipate-And Deal With-With Resistance to Change  

 

 

#BusinessFitness #ArtOfScale #Attitude #BusinessCommunication #BusinessGrowth #Change #ChangeManagement #ChangeResistance #Communication #Growth #Leadership #ScalingYourBusiness #QOTW

 

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