Your People Aren’t Always Resisting Change. Sometimes They’re Resisting You.
Change creates a strange phenomenon in organisations.
The person who asks difficult questions becomes “negative.”
The person who challenges the plan becomes “difficult.”
The person who doesn’t immediately agree becomes “not on board.”
And the person who says, “I’m not sure this is going to work” can very quickly acquire the label:
Resistant.
But what if we are sometimes diagnosing the wrong problem?
What if the person isn’t resisting the change?
What if they are resisting how the change is being led?
I’ve seen this many times.
A new strategy is announced with very little explanation. A restructuring decision arrives before people have had a chance to process what it means. A new technology is introduced with an expectation that everyone will simply adapt. Roles change. Responsibilities disappear. Familiar ways of working are removed.
And then leadership asks:
“Why are people resisting?”
But imagine experiencing that change from the other side.
You haven’t been involved.
You don’t understand the reasoning.
You don’t know what happens to your role.
You haven’t had space to ask questions.
Perhaps something you valued is being taken away.
And the only explanation you’ve received is:
“This is the new direction.”
Would your response necessarily be resistance?
Or might it be a very human response to uncertainty, loss or lack of control?
Deloitte’s 2026 Global Human Capital Trends research found that one-third of surveyed workers experienced 15 major changes in the previous year. The research also found that only 27% of respondents believed their organisations manage change effectively.
That matters because change isn’t simply a business process.
People experience change.
They experience uncertainty.
They experience loss.
They experience excitement.
They experience fear.
They experience opportunity.
And sometimes several of these at once.
This doesn’t mean leaders should lower standards or allow every objection to determine the direction.
Quite the opposite.
Strong leadership can still make difficult decisions.
But there is a significant difference between involving people in navigating a decision and expecting them to simply accept it.
A leader might say:
“We’ve made the decision. Here’s why. I know this creates uncertainty. I don’t have every answer yet, but I want to hear what you’re seeing, what concerns you, and what we need to think about as we move forward.”
That doesn’t surrender leadership.
It strengthens it.
Because people don’t necessarily need to control the change.
They need to understand it.
They need somewhere to put their questions.
They need to know their experience matters.
And sometimes they need to know that disagreeing with you won’t make them a problem.
So the next time someone appears resistant, pause before reaching for the label.
Ask:
What are they actually resisting?
The change?
The uncertainty?
The way it was communicated?
The loss of something important?
Or the feeling of being changed without being heard?
That question can completely change the conversation.
Leadership isn’t about making everyone love the change.
It is about creating enough clarity, trust and voice for people to navigate it with you.
And perhaps the most powerful shift is this:
Don’t ask, “How do I overcome their resistance?”
Ask:
“What is their resistance trying to tell me?”
Because sometimes resistance isn’t the problem.
Sometimes it’s information.
To your success,
Isabel
Isabel Valle is a Global Leadership Strategist and ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) who helps senior leaders and organisations achieve high performance without losing their humanity.
With 25+ years of international leadership experience across Europe, Australia and Asia, Isabel combines strategic thinking, executive coaching and real-world leadership experience to help leaders build stronger leadership, high-performing teams and cultures where people can thrive.
She is the creator of LeadWise™ – Radically Human Leadership, a leadership philosophy grounded in the belief that sustainable performance starts with how we lead ourselves, develop others and shape the environments around us.
A keynote speaker, author and award-winning leadership expert, Isabel works with leaders who don’t simply want to perform better — they want to lead better, and make a lasting impact.