The only constant in life is change itself. And yet as human beings, we are resistant to change as part of our nature. This gives rise to a challenge for leaders who need to lead their team through change. Whether you’re leading a startup through rapid growth, managing a legacy team in a shifting market or simply adapting to new technology, change is part of your leadership terrain. This concept is nothing new of course, but it helps to take a deep dive into understanding why we are resistant and getting a deeper understanding as to what happens to our brains when faced with change.
Change needs to pull at the heart strings
Think of a time in your career when you were ‘managed through change’. Most leaders try to sell change by presenting data, rationale and projected outcomes. But while logic is important, it rarely moves people to really buy in to the change.
In “Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard,” Chip Heath and Dan Heath explain this tension through the metaphor of the “Rider” and the “Elephant”. The rider represents our rational side and the elephant, our emotional side.
“If you want people to change, you must appeal to both the Rider and the Elephant. The Rider provides the planning and direction, and the Elephant provides the energy.”
This insight is useful for leaders. When navigating change, don’t just talk about why a change makes sense. Instead, connect it to what people care about and explain how it affects their work, values or future.
Get clear, not complicated
Another psychological barrier to change is ambiguity. When people don’t know what to do next, they often freeze. The brain prefers predictability and in the absence of clear next steps, it defaults to the status quo. Heath and Heath call this “scripting the critical moves” which is essentially breaking down the change into specific bite-sized actions.
For leaders, this means spelling things out. Instead of just saying, “Let’s improve customer service,” define what that actually looks like and be specific: “Respond to all emails within two hours,” or “Use the customer’s name at least once in every call.” The more concrete the requirements, the more likely people will buy in to it.
Resistance is not always defiance
It’s easy to label team members who resist change as negative or uncooperative. But resistance often reflects fear and uncertainty.
Cognitive psychologist Kurt Lewin proposed a helpful model: behaviour is a result of both driving forces (motivators) and restraining forces (fears or obstacles). Change happens when the restraining forces are reduced not just when motivators are increased.
Leaders can respond more productively by asking, “What’s in the way?” rather than “Why are they being difficult?”
Are people overwhelmed? Are they unclear about expectations? Are they afraid of losing something (like autonomy or stability)? By diagnosing resistance rather than judging it, leaders can better support their teams and adjust strategies to address the real issues.
Identity matters more than incentives
People are more likely to adopt a new behaviour if it aligns with how they see themselves. So, make it really clear how they fit into the picture of the future change. Want someone to become more collaborative? Instead of rewarding them for teamwork, help them see themselves as a person who is collaborative. Shape the story they tell about who they are and the kind of team they’re part of. As stated by Heath and Heath “The goal is not just to motivate people to act—it’s to help them see the change as part of a new identity.” As an example, instead of saying “We’re rolling out a new reporting system,” try “This is part of becoming a data driven team.”
Change is a process, not an event
Leaders must remember that change doesn’t happen in a single meeting or announcement. It’s a process that unfolds over time.
Psychologically, people move through stages of change awareness, interest, trial, and adoption. Rushing the process or expecting immediate compliance can backfire. Instead, leaders need to plan for reinforcement, feedback, and small wins along the way. Heath and Heath advocate for “shrinking the change” or making it feel less overwhelming and more attainable. This builds momentum and drives sustained adoption.
By understanding the psychology behind change, leaders can move from pushing initiatives to guiding transformation.
Could your leadership change do with some help on navigating change? Get in touch today, I’d love to hear from you.
Rod Matthews