The Clear Warning Signs of Resistance

Pushback against change rarely should catch leaders by surprise - but it happens, more often than you think. By the time employees openly resist (aka all hell breaks loose), they’ve likely been signaling discomfort for weeks—maybe even months. The signs are there, just not always in the places leaders are looking. And arguably, some leaders are not looking.

It might show up in team meetings, where certain employees stay silent when change is mentioned. Or in one-on-one conversations, where managers nod along but never really engage. It could be happening in Slack chats or side conversations, where employees are candid in ways they wouldn’t be in front of leadership.

Change Resistance can be addressed effectively only if you know the warning signs

Why Leaders Miss the Warning Signs of resistance

There’s a gap between how leaders think change is received and how employees actually experience it. Part of the problem is that leaders often get filtered information. Employees aren’t always comfortable voicing concerns in formal settings, so they say what they think leadership wants to hear or they stay quiet altogether.

Another issue is the assumption that communication equals understanding. Just because a change was announced doesn’t mean employees grasp what it means for them, how it affects their day-to-day, or whether they have concerns. Without a space for two-way dialogue, and several opportunities for employees to test, adjust and adapt to the new way you don't reach understanding of change quickly.

And finally, there’s a tendency to dismiss early concerns as temporary discomfort rather than valid resistance. Small grumblings or passive disengagement can be easy to ignore in the moment, but they often snowball into full-blown pushback when the change becomes real.

Spot Resistance Early: A Leader’s Checklist

If you want to catch resistance before it becomes a roadblock, start by assessing your organization’s pulse. Here’s a quick checklist to help you identify early warning signs:

✅ Are people disengaging in meetings when the change is discussed? Look for silence, side-eye glances, or vague agreements

✅ Are managers struggling to explain the “why” behind the change? If mid-level leaders aren’t aligned, their teams won’t be either.

✅ Are employees asking the same questions repeatedly? This could signal a lack of clarity or unaddressed concerns.

✅ Is feedback mostly positive—but only in formal settings? If concerns are only surfacing in private conversations, employees may not feel safe speaking up.

✅ Have teams stopped bringing up related challenges? A sudden lack of discussion on a major change can mean people have disengaged rather than embraced it.

✅ Are productivity or morale subtly dipping? Resistance can manifest as slower work, missed deadlines, or general apathy.

If you’re checking off multiple boxes, its time to recalibrate and adjust your approach.

How to Get Ahead of Resistance

Leaders can take proactive steps to surface concerns before they become barriers:

1️⃣ Listen beyond the formal channels. Pay attention to what’s being said (or not said) in smaller group settings, manager meetings, and employee forums.

2️⃣ Check for understanding, not just awareness. Ask, “How do you think this will affect your work?” If employees struggle to articulate it, there’s already a disconnect.

3️⃣ Create a culture where feedback is safe. If employees believe that questioning a change will be seen as resistance—or worse, career-limiting—they won’t speak up. A strong change strategy includes space for concerns and not just compliance.

Pushback is a signal. If leaders want to reduce resistance, they need to stop reacting to it and start anticipating it. The earlier you catch signs of friction, the smoother your change efforts will be.

Leaders, if you’re surprised by employee pushback, you weren’t paying attention.