Discover how applied neuroscience can help overcome resistance to change. Learn techniques to rewire thinking patterns, reduce fear, and enhance adaptability. Explore strategies to engage the brain’s natural capacity for change, fostering a more receptive and resilient organisational culture.
Resistance to change is often perceived negatively, but it can actually be a valuable asset for organisations.
By understanding resistance from an applied neuroscience perspective, we can leverage it to drive positive change.
Our brains are naturally adaptive, and with intentional, brain-friendly strategies, we can turn resistance into engagement and innovation.
This blog explores how to harness resistance to change using the amber light, green light approach, which identifies common neurological barriers and provides actionable solutions to overcome them.
Historically (and frustratingly a lot of the time today), change resistance was / is seen as this immovable force needing to be overcome in order to achieve change success.
An example of this is In 1979 when Kotter and Schlesinger published “Choosing Strategies for Change” in the Harvard Business Review. In it, they proposed six strategies to manage resistance in order of difficulty.
As you can see, as you go down the list, the strategies become increasingly forceful and less collaborative.
While this approach is clearly outdated, it highlights the negative mindset towards change resistance.
Many change agents even today still view resistance to change as highly problematic, something to be overcome and the fault of the employees rather than acknowledging that the change initiative has been either poorly designed or communicated.
This perspective fails to recognise the potential benefits of resistance as an opportunity for valuable feedback and engagement in the change process which we will discuss in the next section.
We believe the traditional stance on resistance to change is short-sighted and a glass-half-empty approach.
When people express resistance to change they are actually engaging in the change.
They are invested enough to consider it and respond.
This is a good thing.
This engagement provides valuable insights into their concerns, fears, and expectations, which can be leveraged to refine and enhance the change initiative.
With the right mindset, it also gives you the opportunity to recognise poorly communicated or designed change from your end, allowing for necessary adjustments and clearer communication.
Rather than viewing resistance as a barrier, it can be seen as an opportunity for dialogue and improvement.
By embracing this positive outlook, organisations can turn resistance into a catalyst for more thoughtful and effective change, fostering a collaborative environment where everyone feels heard and valued.
This perspective transforms resistance into a constructive force that drives innovation and growth.
While change resistance has been a much-debated and written-about concept for over 40 years since Kotter and Schlesinger published their strategies in the Harvard Business Review, applying the lens of applied neuroscience offers a different approach.
It prompts us to ask critical questions that challenge traditional views and lead to more effective solutions.
Understanding resistance through the neuroscience of change compels us to consider the underlying mechanisms at play in the brain.
These questions drive a deeper exploration into the human experience of change and resistance.
For instance, rather than viewing resistance as a purely negative force, we can start to see it as a natural, biological response to uncertainty and disruption.
Recognising that the brain is wired to seek safety and predictability helps us appreciate why resistance occurs and how we can address it more compassionately.
Questions such as:
By reframing resistance in this way, we open up new avenues for managing it. Instead of relying on forceful or coercive strategies, we can adopt approaches that align with the brain’s natural tendencies.
This includes fostering environments of trust, promoting open communication, and gradually introducing changes to allow the brain to adjust.
Moreover, this perspective encourages leaders to view resistance not as a barrier, but as a form of engagement.
When employees resist, they are signalling their investment in the process.
This engagement can provide valuable feedback and insights, enabling leaders to refine their strategies and enhance the overall change initiative.
Ultimately, shifting our perception of resistance to change allows for more innovative and empathetic approaches to change management.
By asking the right questions and leveraging our understanding of brain-friendly change, we can transform resistance into a powerful driver of positive, lasting change.
First, you’ll need to have a basic understanding of resistance from a neurological perspective.
Cutting-edge neuroscientist Dr Lisa Felman Barrett notes that “Change is hard because it requires us to break existing patterns of thought and behaviour and establish new ones.”
But whilst change is hard, remember that our brains aren’t inherently “change-averse”, they’re extremely adaptive and are built to change over our entire lifetime (thanks to neuroplasticity!).
And with a little understanding of what’s “under the hood” and being intentional about creating brain-friendly, human-centric change experiences by design and not by default, we can help create adaptive change and even foster adaptive cultures.
Rather than feeling like we’re constantly “fighting resistance”.
To simplify this, Michelle Teunis, our collaborator in Brain-Friendly Change likes to get change agents to get change agents to use the amber light, green light approach.
This method helps identify common neurological barriers to change (amber lights) and provides actionable strategies (green lights) to address and overcome them.
Here are six examples of this approach:
Our brain has a not-so-secret crush on the well-worn comfort of habit.
So much so, that the brain’s habit centre (called the basal ganglia) reinforces the status quo by creating reward loops for repeated actions.
This explains resistance to even positive change. Organisations often solidify this too by rewarding established ways (think: norms and culture).
And habits don’t change by default, they change by design.
Some of the green lights you can activate for this are:
Change generally requires new or changed habits, right? So, let’s focus on the “habit loop”.
A habit loop has three elements.
By making cues easy and rewards clear and beneficial, we can design change that people are less likely to avoid and change that sticks.
Our brains are like savvy investors – they calculate a perceived ROI on change. If the effort feels high and the relevance and reward is unclear, people will likely hit “decline.
Some of the green lights you can activate for this are:
Our brains are like time travellers – they use past experiences to predict what’s coming next.
Even if the experience is part of the organisation’s history – people will be wary of the future.
Some of the green lights you can activate for this are:
Social norms can at times be a powerful force against change.
People are more likely to respond in a way that aligns with the norm, of how their leaders respond, how their peers respond, and based on behaviour that’s been rewarded in the past (and what feels safe – think: in-group bias or herd mentality).
Some of the green lights you can activate for this are:
If there is no alignment across the WHY, the change process itself, and the environment, you’re likely to see cognitive dissonance and resistance.
Some of the green lights you can activate for this are:
Our brains are very good at constantly scanning for threats. And these potential threats represent a perception of risk.
Lack of clarity in your change – well that’s the risk that things could be worse, or loss could be involved. And people will hit the brakes!
Some of the green lights you can activate for this are:
Engaging with change resistance is a core element of all of our courses.
If you’re looking to develop strategic leadership skills, our Agile Change Leadership Certificate will equip you with the tools to turn resistance into a catalyst for growth.
For those focused on implementing effective change processes, our Agile Change Management Certification provides practical techniques for managing and leveraging resistance.
If you want to extend your applied neuroscience knowledge in this space, then our Brain-Friendly Change course is the one you are looking for.
So whether you are a leader or a change manager, head to our course offerings to see which is the best fit for you or contact us on 1300 959 496 or via our online contact form to speak with a member of our team today!
We specialise in contemporary change management and leadership, enabling you and your team to develop the confidence and capability to handle fast-paced change.
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