Change is necessary. You know that. The board knows it. Your clients expect it. So why is it still so hard to move from decision to execution?
Here’s the truth: It’s not just about strategy. It’s about psychology. Fear, bias and organizational habits play a much bigger role in blocking change than most leaders care to admit. If you’re a CEO, COO, CFO or division head struggling to turn intent into impact, this article is for you.
Here is a breakdown of five core barriers to change, and how to move through them, not around them.
1. Fear of the unknown
The barrier: Uncertainty can make people freeze. Whether it’s about roles, outcomes or reputational risk, fear of what might happen is one of the most paralyzing forces in business.
What works:
- Scenario planning: Get your team thinking in terms of “if-then.” This reframes fear as something manageable.
- Over-communicate the why: You may be clear on the vision. That doesn’t mean your team is.
- Pilot before you push: Start small. Scale what works.
Put it into practice:
- Run a change simulation with your leadership team. Surface the real fears before rollout.
- Give your managers a communication toolkit – talking points, FAQs, frameworks — to keep messaging consistent and confident. And remember, repetition matters!
- Launch the change initiative in one process or business unit first. Use that as a learning lab.
2. Fear of the known
The barrier: Not everything scary is uncertain. Sometimes people resist change because they know exactly what’s going to be disrupted, and they just don’t like it.
What works:
- Data first: Go deep into the facts. Share hard numbers: declining productivity, lost opportunities, client attrition. Make the case undeniable.
- Involve the people doing the work: Leaders often forget that those closest to the problem may also have the best solutions. Make your team co-owners in writing the next chapter of your organization’s story.
- Celebrate progress: Acknowledge wins, even when they’re small, and don’t let nostalgia stop momentum.
Put it into practice:
- Host working sessions to unpack what’s not working. Let your teams tell you.
- Set clear KPIs for before and after the change. Share the results.
- Create internal recognition moments for teams who embrace and lead the change.
3. Legacy bias (a.k.a. “We’ve always done it this way”)
The barrier: This is the most subtle and dangerous form of resistance. It hides behind tradition, tenure and track records.
What works:
- Pressure test the past: Ask one simple question: “If we weren’t already doing this, would we start now?”
- Elevate internal champions: Find the influential voices on your team who believe in the future and can bring others with them.
- Benchmark relentlessly: Show how competitors, or even clients, are moving faster, better or smarter.
Put it into practice:
- Launch a “challenge the norm” campaign. Permit teams to question sacred cows.
- Bring in external voices for perspective – peers, clients, even competitor stories.
- Share side-by-side comparisons: legacy approach vs. new model. Let performance speak for itself.
4. Discomfort with doing something new
The barrier: Even when people are open to change, they may not feel equipped to handle it. That leads to hesitation, and hesitation kills momentum.
What works:
- Targeted training: Not generic learning modules. Focus on what’s essential to adopt now.
- Lead by doing: If your execs aren’t in the trenches with the new systems or workflows, your teams won’t be either.
- Make failure safe: Set expectations that early missteps are part of the process.
Put it into practice:
- Roll out interactive learning sprints. Think “learn it today, apply it tomorrow.”
- Have leaders show their learning journey. Acknowledge that it’s okay not to have all the answers.
- Create internal mentorship pairs between early adopters and those still adapting – the coalition of the willing.
5. Discomfort navigating the change
The barrier: Big picture clarity often gets lost in the day-to-day grind. That’s when confusion sets in, and energy starts to fade.
What works:
- Structure the change: Phased rollouts beat overnight overhauls every time.
- Keep the communication flowing: Silence breeds assumptions — and they’re usually wrong.
- Track progress visibly: People want to know where they stand. Show them.
Put it into practice:
- Use a simple visual road map. Tie each phase to milestones that matter.
- Send weekly progress briefs. Include wins, issues and next steps. Keep it honest.
- Survey pulse checks after each milestone. Course-correct as you go.
Navigating change is not a project. It’s leadership’s primary responsibility.
If you’re waiting for a perfect time to lead change, stop. That moment doesn’t exist. You don’t need more alignment. You need more action — and the courage to push through the barriers that show up every time change gets real.
Start small. Stay consistent. And remember – resistance isn’t a stop sign. It’s a signal that what you’re doing actually matters.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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