Reading Resistance to Move Forward
Today I was speaking with an employee of an iconic company in Peru, from the industrial sector, with a trajectory of over 34 years working at the company. Literally: he started working there the year I was born. A whole lifetime in the same place!
He told me about the mergers and acquisitions the company went through, the different types of leaders who managed his area, how technology came in and changed everything, the training they received to learn how to fly drones, how they adapted to the pandemic, and much more... It was truly a pleasure to listen! And if there was one word that came up again and again in this admirable story, it was "change."
I think change is unpleasant, uncomfortable, and doesn’t feel great at the beginning. At least that’s my personal and professional experience. I believe it’s a natural reaction when we're faced with the possibility of "losing something." I lose control, I lose security, I lose certainty, I lose comfort, I lose something I already knew, that was already a part of me.
At Vértice we are focused on maximizing talent and, in that process, we’ve had the opportunity to support individuals, leaders, teams, departments, and organizations through their change processes. These changes vary widely: cultural transformation in fintechs, organizational redesigns in universities, team integration in retail companies, restructurings in banking, among many others. And I dare say that in most cases, there is resistance if change is not properly managed—if we act like it’s not happening. And if our response is:
- - “The only constant is change.”
- - “They’re stuck in the past.”
- - “The pandemic changed everything, and we’ve already learned to adapt.”
- - “They need to develop a growth mindset, and they just don’t.”
Well… yes and no. At this point in our careers, we can’t pretend to go against our nature as human beings. Nor can we pretend to be static beings in the broadest sense of the word. Resistance is not the problem. The real risk is not knowing how to read it. Because resistance is information: it tells us what isn’t clear, what creates fear, what doesn’t make sense (yet).
So what do we do? Focusing on the organizational world, our position at Vértice is always: anticipate, recognize, and manage change.
What have we learned along the way?
- 1. Know your people. There will be people affected by the change, and you need to know them. What are they like? What does their story say? What defines them? Who leads them? When we truly get to know them, we understand that they don’t resist just to be difficult—they do it to protect something they value.
- 2. Communication is not enough. An announcement, a presentation, or an email doesn’t change behaviors. Change needs to be discussed, explained, grounded—as many times as necessary. At a university we worked with, the organizational redesign was well communicated, but there were no real spaces for dialogue. The result: people didn’t understand how it affected them, and the change became confusing, slow, and full of discomfort.
- 3. It’s not just about processes, it’s about people. A bank asked us to support the implementation of a new work model. The process was clear, but the team was divided. The issue? No one had talked about the fears, about what remote work had meant emotionally. Change stirs things up, and if we don’t create space to manage that, resistance becomes entrenched.
- 4. Leadership is key. In a retail company, we saw how the team’s commitment depended more on how their direct leader supported them than on what the executive committee said. When the leader listens, supports, and sets an example, change moves forward. When they don’t… it stalls.
So, what helps overcome resistance?
- - Listen before acting. Don’t assume. Ask: What are you worried about? What do you need to move forward?
- - Provide meaning, nos just instructions. Explain the why, not just the what or how. When there is purpose, there is commitment.
- - Take care of the how. A plan is not enough. Emotional support is essential. Validate, support, keep the conversation going (as many times as needed).
When an organization learns to manage resistance, it doesn’t just change. It evolves and transforms.
Kiara Artieda is a Business and Team Coach from CENTRUM, holds a Master’s in Digital Marketing from EUDE Business School, and is an Educational Psychologist from PUCP. With over 12 years of experience in human talent development and organizational culture. She has worked in companies such as Rímac, Entel, and Backus. Founder and Director of Vértice, a boutique consulting firm focused on maximizing talent. Currently People Lead at TuCambista and a partner of companies like Falabella, Aruma, BanBif, BCP, ISEG, among others.
You can contact Kiara through her social media (LinkedIn and Instagram) or via email at hola@vertice.la