4 Resistance to Change Free Online FlashCards

What is resistance to change?

Resistance to change is a response to a proposed shift in work, roles, relationships, or expectations.

How can resistance to change be expressed?

Direct resistance includes questions, disagreement, or criticism. Indirect resistance may appear as delay, withdrawal, workarounds, or continued use of old practices.

What kinds of perceived loss can fuel resistance?

People may fear losing status, autonomy, valued relationships, expertise, job security, or familiar routines.

How should leaders distinguish three common reasons for resistance?

Not understanding calls for clearer explanation; not agreeing calls for genuine discussion; being unable to act calls for removing barriers and adding support.

What does listening before persuading involve?

Ask open questions, give the person time to answer, reflect back what you heard, and check that you understood.

What is meaningful participation in a change?

Involve affected people in implementation choices, such as testing a process, mapping work impacts, identifying risks, or adapting procedures to local needs.

How should support address knowledge or skill gaps?

Match support to the obstacle: explain the change when knowledge is lacking; offer practice, coaching, and job aids when skills are lacking.

What should leaders monitor after initial training?

Continue support through the transition. Check whether people can perform the new work and monitor recurring errors or workarounds, which may signal a need for more instruction or process changes.

Why treat resistance as information rather than label people as resisters?

Treat concerns as information about how people experience the change. They may reveal practical flaws, unmet needs, or overlooked risks.

How can practical barriers cause resistance?

Insufficient time, staffing, equipment, training, or access can make adoption difficult, even when people support the change in principle.

Why should leaders separate observable behavior from assumptions about motive?

A missed training session might reflect workload, scheduling, or uncertainty about the training’s relevance—not necessarily resistance.

Does listening require accepting every request?

Taking concerns seriously means investigating them and explaining what can and cannot change; it does not mean accepting every request.