RECIPES FOR RESISTANCE

Life becomes easier when we see resistance as an opportunity to engage, rather than a blockage. This way we create conversations, not conflict. And as leaders of projects, people or change, that is our job.

Slashed tyres, PC monitors smashed and executives intimidated: there is not much that I haven't witnessed when it comes to resistance behaviours.

I shared these war stories in a recent virtual keynote in the US, South Africa and Australia about resistance to change, ways to recognise it and recipes to avoid it.

The crowd loved it and the Zoom chat went crazy.
The event organiser told me they had never seen such involvement at their events. Maybe thats because I start every keynote with a call for participation: my sessions are conversations, not one way presentations.

I ask for involvement and input, not silence or compliance.

I was delivering the session at 7am, so was not going to accept any resistance to involvement at that time of the morning :)

Behind their behaviour
Over the years I have learnt a great deal about behaviours and how insights can help us learn to lead better. My new resistance model explores the four types of resistance that we experience as people, project or change leaders. I will be sharing it over the next few weeks.

I see resistance as an opportunity to engage. Not a barrier. And the new model helps you and your business do the same: change your mindset and create winning ways from barriers and blockers.

Conversation, not compliance
I have an opportunity mindset. What does that mean? I believe resistance provides us with a chance to lean in, learn about the motivations and expectations of others. Doing so gives us an advantage in moving forward in that scenario and in future ones. In this sense resistance can help our engagement superpowers. It helps us anticipate resistance and blockages more successfully.

Seeing resistance simply as as non-compliance, creates a mental roadblock for you and others. It creates conflict, not conversations.

Right conversation
Each of the four types of resistance needs its own type of conversation. Have you experienced resistance? If so, how did you handle it? Maybe you didn’t. That’s ok too.