In my numerous interactions with leaders i have heard this time and time again.
“People resist change.”
It’s become a kind of business cliché.
A convenient explanation when transformation stalls, initiatives fail, or innovation slows to a crawl.
It’s become a belief that seemingly cannot be challenged.
But here’s the question:
Is it actually true?
People change all the time.
- We change our outfits—from boardroom black to weekend denim.
- We change our diet—from meat to plant-based.
- We change jobs, cities, hairstyles, habits, and even holiday destinations.
In fact, many people seek out change—when it’s their choice.
They crave it when they feel stuck or stale.
They even pay for it (hello, gym memberships, coaching, and new gadgets).
So maybe it’s not change we resist—
It’s bad change.
Or forced change.
Or change without purpose or agency.
People resist dumb change.
What people truly resist is:
- Change they weren’t consulted on.
- Change that lacks meaning.
- Change that feels like chaos, not progress.
- Change that removes control without offering clarity.
In these moments, resistance is not a flaw—it’s a signal.
It tells us: This change doesn’t feel right. Or this wasn’t my decision.
But real change can be a door—not a wall.
The best change invites participation.
It builds on people’s energy.
It offers a pathway to something better—more aligned, more human, more fulfilling.
And when people feel empowered—when they’re given tools like Switch Thinking—they don’t resist.
They adapt, explore, stretch, and switch.
They become change-ready.
It’s time to Switch This Belief
Let’s stop repeating the myth that people hate change.
Instead, let’s help them shape it—one small switch at a time.
Because when change is meaningful, human, and shared…
People don’t just accept it.
They run with it.
It starts with leaders.
Here is the starting point.
Leaders often tell me that their team is change-resistant.
I reply, as a leader what have you changed in the past 12 months?
If you expect everyone else to change perhaps you can lead the way.
It does not have to be big.
It could be when and where you have your monthly meeting.
It’s not change for change’s sake.
It’s change that can make a difference.
And after the change has been made, start talking about why you did it and what happened.
People are then involved in the change journey and most importantly you are leading by example.
Change can be an adventure, scary, exciting and involves some risk.
But it’s also the source of learning and growth.
Being change resistant is not the problem.
It’s change that does not make sense.
It’s change that does not lead the individual or team better off.