In a study by the Conference Board, respondents rated organizational resistance as the biggest challenge to implementing successful change. Resistance is a natural reaction to any change. For example, employees have been trained to work in a particular way; they follow certain processes; and they have mastered those processes over time. Then a change comes along. Isn’t it natural that at least some people would question the change even when the reasons are compelling? Others might go beyond questioning and simply refuse to [...]

“There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders by all those who could profit by the new order. This lukewarmness arises from the incredulity of mankind who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experiences with it.” —Niccolo Machiavelli, Italian historian, politician, [...]