Lead the Shift: From Resistance to Readiness

What’s your best change enrollment strategy?

Change sounds exciting… until people have to do it. 

You’ve got the vision, the strategy, the shiny new system—but without buy-in, it’s just noise. Real change doesn’t happen when you tell people what to do. It happens when you enroll them in why it matters. If you want your next big idea to land, stick, and actually move people forward, stop managing change like a checklist—and start leading it like a movement.

Change isn’t just an event or a plan—it’s a journey. If you want others to buy in and come with you, you have to lead both the external shift (change) and the internal experience (transition). These are two different things.

Change is situational—it’s what’s happening: a new strategy, system, or structure. Leaders can make as much change as they want. That does not mean it will be successful (achieving their intended results).

Transition, as William Bridges explains, is the psychological process people go through to let go of the old and embrace the new. Without successful transitions, even the best change initiatives fail. This internal process is what makes the difference in getting results and achieving lasting change.

So how do we lead change that actually works?

Let’s look at what great change leaders do:

• Start with Why – As Simon Sinek says, people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. The same is true for change. Before you pitch a new initiative, make a case for why it matters. Why now? Why this? And why does it make things better for the people involved? Be sure to explain why you can’t keep doing what you’ve always done. The greatest resistance factor is status quo, so face it and explain it away.

• Create Psychological Safety – Change creates uncertainty, which triggers fear. According to neuroscience, uncertainty activates the brain’s threat response. To reduce resistance, increase clarity and connection. Invite questions, address concerns, and create space for dialogue. Bob Johansen, a futurist and author of The New Leadership Literacies, is known for saying: “The future will reward clarity and punish certainty.”

• Enlist, Don’t Insist – Enrollment beats enforcement every time. As John Kotter’s change research shows, successful change starts by creating a guiding coalition—a group of early adopters and influencers who believe in the change and help drive it forward. This is a great video from Simon Sinek on creating change through enlisting others.

• Honor the Ending – Before embracing the new, people need space to let go of the old. Bridges calls this the “neutral zone”—a time of ambiguity, grief, and renewal. Don’t rush it. Acknowledge losses and celebrate past successes as a bridge to what’s next. Everyone has to go through the messy middle stage.

• Model the Way – Change is caught, not just taught. Leaders must model the mindset and behaviors they want to see. Consistency builds trust—and trust accelerates change.

Simon Sinek reminds us that leadership isn’t about being in charge—it’s about taking care of the people in our charge. That’s especially true during change. When people feel seen and safe, they’re far more likely to say “yes” to something new.

This week, think about how you can inspire buy-in—not by pushing harder, but by connecting deeper.

Here’s to leading meaningful change, one person at a time.

ACTION:

Identify one change you’re leading or experiencing. Ask:

• Have I clearly articulated the why?
• Have I created space for conversation and concern?
• Am I inviting enrollment or pushing compliance?
• Have I acknowledged what people might be letting go of?
  

Change is not the same as transition. Without transition, change is just a rearrangement of the furniture.”

– William Bridges