Beating Resistance to Change and Change Fatigue: How High-Performing, Happy Teams Adapt Faster
The Real Challenge of Change Management
Over the years, I’ve worked with leaders across resources, energy, utilities, and government who are responsible for delivering major transformation projects. They face challenges like:
“We’ve rolled out new systems, but people keep reverting to the old ways.”
“We’re leading an industry shift, but our people are just fatigued.”
“We’ve explained why the change is happening, but engagement is still low.”
At the core of these challenges isn’t the change itself—it’s how people experience the change.
I’ve seen organizations that approach change as a compliance exercise, assuming that if they communicate it enough, employees will simply get on board. But that rarely works.
Industry Statistics from our High Performance Research: The Reality of Change Initiatives
70–80% of change initiatives fail, often due to resistance and lack of leadership engagement.
Companies with high employee engagement are 4.5x more likely to successfully implement change.
Organizations that prioritize psychological safety see 30% faster adoption of new initiatives.
Why Do People Resist Change?
Resistance to change isn’t just about people being stuck in their ways. In fact, people don’t actually resist change—they resist uncertainty and loss of control.
Here’s why:
1. Change Feels Like Something Done ‘To’ Them
One of the biggest mistakes I see is top-down change. Leadership decides something, communicates it, and expects people to follow.
People resist what they don’t help create.
When employees have no voice in the process, change feels imposed rather than owned.
2. Fear of the Unknown
People aren’t against new ways of working—they’re against the uncertainty that comes with it.
• What happens to my role?
• Will I be able to keep up?
• What if I fail?
Without clear expectations and a safe environment, uncertainty leads to resistance.
3. Lack of Psychological Safety
A lot of organizations talk about innovation and adaptability, but punish mistakes.
If people feel like they’ll be blamed for trying and failing, they won’t take risks. They’ll stick with what’s safe.
True adaptability happens when teams feel safe to experiment, challenge ideas, and learn from mistakes—without fear of backlash.
What High-Performing, Happy Teams Do Differently
I’ve worked with teams that thrive in uncertainty. They don’t wait for change to happen to them—they drive it themselves.
What sets them apart?
1. They Have Psychological Safety
Harvard researcher Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as a team’s ability to speak up, challenge ideas, and take risks without fear.
A simple test:
If someone at the frontline sees a problem, will they speak up or stay quiet?
If they stay quiet, your organization has a psychological safety issue—and that will block any meaningful change.
2. They Understand the ‘Why’
High-performing teams don’t just follow orders. They need meaning.
• Why does this change matter?
• How does it connect to our long-term vision?
• What’s in it for us?
If teams don’t see the bigger picture, they’ll resist change by default.
3. They’re Given Ownership, Not Just Instructions
One of the fastest ways to kill engagement is top-down micromanagement.
Instead of saying:
“Here’s the change. Get on board.”
Try:
“Here’s what we’re aiming for. How do we make it work?”
When teams have autonomy, they take ownership of change rather than being passive participants.
The real key to beating resistance to change?
Build teams that are naturally adaptable.
When a team is high-performing and happy, they don’t just accept change—they lead it. They see change as an opportunity, not a threat. They don’t need to be convinced or coerced into new ways of working; they embrace them proactively.
Insights from our High Performance and Happiness Research on Change Done Right
1. Legal Aid NSW : Transition to E-Government
Challenge:
Legal Aid NSW aimed to implement an online strategy to enhance service delivery. The transition to e-government required significant organizational change, including adopting new technologies and processes.
What they did differently:
Comprehensive Change Management: Analyzed the change process against a detailed model of business process change, ensuring all aspects were addressed.
Inclusive Planning: Engaged staff at all levels in the planning and implementation phases, fostering a sense of ownership and reducing resistance.
Continuous Learning: Emphasized lessons learned throughout the process to inform future initiatives and adjustments.
2. Rio Tinto: Embedding an Operational Readiness Culture
Challenge:
Rio Tinto wanted to improve Operational Readiness across one of it's newest mine sites. But compliance-based programs weren’t working.
What they did differently:
Shifted from compliance to commitment—focusing on psychological safety and open conversations.
Created peer-led programs instead of just top-down processes.
Built a shared sense of responsibility, making Operational Readiness a team-led priority.
Result?
A sustained reduction in Schedule, with employees owning Operational Readiness instead of just following outdated processes
.
How to Build a Team That Embraces Change
If you want your team to adapt, lead, and thrive through change, start with these steps:
Create Psychological Safety – Encourage open conversations and normalize learning from mistakes.
Involve Teams Early – If they help shape the change, they’ll own the change.
Give Teams Autonomy – Set the vision, but let teams figure out the best way forward.
Communicate Clearly – Confusion leads to resistance. Be transparent.
Reward Adaptability – Celebrate resilience and problem-solving, not just outcomes.
Want to Know How Change-Ready Your Team Is?
Take our High-Performing Teams Self-Assessment to:
Identify gaps in your team’s ability to embrace change.
Get actionable insights on where to improve.
Learn how to create a change-ready culture.
Final Thoughts
If you want to beat resistance to change, don’t just push change harder.
Build the right team culture, and resistance won’t be an issue at all.
ความคิดเห็น