What If It’s Not Resistance?
Resilience Reset Newsletter
October 20th, 2026
What If It’s Not Resistance?
I have a unique vantage point in my work. I hear from leaders across all kinds of organizations: Fortune 500 companies, school districts, government agencies, nonprofits, and everything in between.
And lately, I’m hearing some version of the same thing everywhere:
We have a lot of change taking place, and we need people to adapt. Quickly.
New technology. New systems and processes. New teams. Shifting priorities. Doing more with less. Regardless of the type of organization, change is upon us.
And when people aren’t adapting as quickly as we’d like, it’s easy to assume they’re resistant to change. It’s easy to make assumptions:
But resistance isn’t always a lack of motivation. Sometimes it’s a lack of confidence, competence, or capacity.
Confidence: I don’t know if I can do this.
Change can shake our confidence, especially when we’re stepping outside our comfort zone. What looks like reluctance may actually be fear of failure, judgment, or making mistakes.
Capacity: I don’t know if I can handle one more thing.
Change fatigue is real. After restructuring, shifting priorities, and constant uncertainty, resistance to the next change may have very little to do with the change itself. Their tank is simply empty.
Competence: I don’t know how to do this yet.
Sometimes people resist change because they haven’t been given the knowledge, training, or tools to succeed. What looks like unwillingness may actually be a need for more guidance and support.
You can’t coach someone out of exhaustion, motivate someone into skills they don’t have, or expect confidence without giving people opportunities to build it.
The next time you encounter resistance, get curious before you get frustrated. Find out what’s getting in the way, then focus on what would help someone move forward. Sometimes it’s encouragement. Sometimes it’s support. And sometimes it’s simply giving someone room to breathe.
Pause & Ponder
Think about a change you’re struggling with right now. Instead of asking, Why am I having such a hard time with this?
Try asking: What would make this easier to navigate?
Maybe you need more information, a little encouragement, some practice, or simply time to adjust.
Identify what’s getting in your way and take one small step to address it.
You may not be able to change what’s happening, but you can get clearer about what would help you navigate it.
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