Stop Fighting Your Team—Your Shot of Fearless Culture #390
Where change agents find their weekly dose of culture insights and exercises, one topic at a time.
Most leaders see resistance as the enemy of change. I see it as free consulting.
When people push back, they’re not always saying no—they’re telling you something about your plan, your priorities, or your blind spots.
The trouble is, most organizations punish that feedback instead of decoding it.
Kurt Lewin’s original research showed that resistance is a systems issue, not a people issue.
Somewhere along the way, we twisted that into blaming individuals for “not wanting to adapt.”
The truth? People don’t resist change—they resist stupid change.
If you learn to listen, every objection is a chance to improve your idea and bring people on board. The pushback isn’t the problem—it’s the solution
Explore this week's newsletter:
My latest article → How to Overcome Resistance to Change
Practical tips and activities to turn resistance into an asset
Stay fearless, my friend.
Gustavo
P.S. I'm studying how AI is reshaping team collaboration. Take 2 minutes to share your experience
In Case You Missed It
→ Modern Canaries: The Voices Your Organization Needs the Most
Ask Your Team This
Which past changes faced zero pushback, and what conditions or actions made that possible?
⚠️ Try This
Reframe Resistance as Valuable Objections.
Step 1 – Gather the signals:
For each initiative, list the specific objections people raised—not vague statements like “they didn’t like it,” but the actual words, behaviors, or pushbacks.
Example: “This will double my commute” or “We already have too many platforms.”
Step 2 – Spot the patterns:
Look for recurring patterns—these are likely systemic barriers, not project-specific ones such as:
Burnout: “We don’t have time for this.” “We have too many priorities.”
Misalignment: “This doesn’t connect to our goals.” “Why are we doing this now?”
Feeling excluded: “We weren’t consulted.” “This came out of nowhere.”
Incompatibility: “This tool doesn’t integrate with what we already use.”
Step 3 - Uncover the root cause:
What truth or valid concern is embedded in this objection?
Which parts of our system might be causing or amplifying this?
What early conversations could have prevented this objection from emerging?
🍦 Feed Your Curiosity
We are more adaptive than we think
Let’s replace resistance with objection
Resistance is a systems phenomenon, not a psychological one
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Gustavo Razzetti
CEO, Fearless Culture