How to Overcome Emotional Resistance to Lead Massive Change!

Emotions trigger some of the most profound forms of resistance to change.

We might like to believe we are rational beings and that cold data grounds all our decisions. But the truth is more complex.

As a leader driving change, understanding the emotional aspect of resistance is critical to your ability to make change happen.

Emotional forms of resistance can be the most entrenched. Why? Because organizations are made up of people. As people, we are fuelled by our emotions.

We often react to events, ideas and others according to our past experiences. Reactions that are gut responses. When change threats us, or we perceive it will threaten us, our reaction is to recoil. Dig our feet in.

Emotions spike even further when ideas are full of uncertainty. Disruption often unsettles us. The bolder the change, the more negative emotions can be.

One of the most extreme emotional reactions is driven by fear. It can be a fear of losing your job, demotion or just uncertainty.

As a leader, when faced with emotional fear driven resistance, the default is to respond rationally. We say to our self. Perhaps people did not understand the change, we better explain it to them again, and again.

Far from reducing anxiety such rational responses actually enflame resistance. More memos from HR are emotional incendiaries. Red flags that you, the leader, is hiding something.

If someone is scared he or she will lose their job, going deeper into the details of the plan, can sharpen their fears that you have an ulterior motive.

When faced with emotional driven resistance, your role as a leader and innovator is to listen. You must spend the time and listen to why your idea is provoking such a negative emotional reaction. What is driving it? What are circumstances that are creating this reaction?

Only by understanding the root causes driving these fears can you respond in a way that lowers the temperature of emotions and tackles the drivers of emotional resistance.

It can manifest as a direct attack on your credibility, competence, and authority as a leader.

“I have XX years of experience,” they say. In other words, “who are you to tell me what to do?” “I know better.” “I have more experience than you.”

In professional settings, people are rarely that blunt. Often this personal form of resistance is coded.

In its worst form, this type of personal resistance can be the most malicious. It can get deeply personal. The resister may try to sabotage your idea, dig in their heels and derail your idea’s momentum.

Surprising, such vivid reactions can be overcome. Personal attacks are emotional barbs. Often they are charged with a fear that your innovation is a direct threat to their sense of status and authority.

In the end, all innovators must understand how to overcome resistance. The life of your idea depends on it. The fact you are making waves is bound to rock someone’s boat.

The key is to be tuned into the signals resisters give you so that you can adapt your message, approach and even idea to level the barriers in front of you.

Great ideas will always face push back. Resistance is a signal you are making a difference. The key is to learn how to read why people resist and responding to them will enable you to achieve your goals.

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About the Author

Simon Trevarthen is Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Elevate Your Greatness (EYG). EYG helps individuals, teams, and organizations unpack the secrets of success by becoming even better versions of themselves through dynamic keynotes, seminars, and workshops on innovation, inspiration and presentation excellence.

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