How would you address team members' resistance to change during a leadership transition?

First and foremost I would seek to understand where their resistance was coming from - what the underlying fear is that is causing them to (perhaps) see the future in a dreary light. Simply asking "what are you afraid of" won't do it. This needs to be done 1:1, with inquisitive and open-ended questions that show you are there to listen, and value their input. Perhaps they had a previous poor leadership transition. Perhaps they are concerned their skills aren't up to par. Perhaps they heard something concerning. Whatever the case, understanding, then helping them see new possibilities can make that resister a strong advocate, when done with care and a safe environment for mutual dialogue.

Addressing resistance to change during a leadership transition starts with clear, empathetic communication. Acknowledge the team's concerns and provide a transparent explanation of the reasons for the transition. Involve team members in the process by seeking their input and addressing their questions, which helps reduce uncertainty. Offer support and training to help them adapt to new expectations and roles. Demonstrate stability by consistently leading with confidence and integrity, and by modeling the behaviors expected in the new leadership. Reinforce the benefits of the change and celebrate small wins to build momentum and trust, gradually easing the team into the transition.

"Resistance" to change during an important organizational transition can be a gift. It provides you important additional perspectives, that might help you adapting your approach and mitigating additional risk. In addition, making the respective voices heard, can increase their confidence and trust and involve them more in the process. Consider "resistance" in the end is just a matter, which frame you choose to look at the situtation.

Navigating resistance to change during a leadership transition requires a powerful shift in mindset. First, inspire your team by communicating a clear, compelling vision of the future. Help them see the positive outcomes of the change and how it aligns with their personal and professional goals. Next, engage with empathy: listen to their concerns and acknowledge their feelings. Address their fears with transparency and provide the necessary support and resources to ease the transition. Empower them to take ownership of the change by involving them in the process and celebrating small wins along the way. This approach transforms resistance into resilience and drives collective success.

Resistance to change is normal, and you have to understand the change curve - and that people will move through this curve at different speeds. When trying to understand someone's concerns, I'd use the following key tactics. Active Listening, Empathy and acknowledgement of their emotions, Offer support. Give them an opportunity to talk, and encourage them to talk with others. Learn where they are coming from, and what the deep rooted issues they might be facing are.

Demonstrar sua vulnerabilidade ajuda a conexão com liderados que querem crescer na instituição. Pois não somos perfeitos e como qualquer um temos falhas ou já falhamos no cargo anterior. Penso que liderar pelo exemplo é a melhor saída para maior conexão

Em minha experiência, percebi que os funcionários precisavam falar, questionar condutas anteriores. Nesse momento não houve julgamento, apenas utilizei da ferramenta da escuta, acolhendo os sentimentos. E aproveitei para esclarecer os objetivos da empresa, da minha liderança e alinhar com os objetivos da equipe, buscando trazê-los para uma nova oportunidade mesmo diante de problemas presentes ou futuros. E então, seguimos mais unidos e eu atuava junto nas pequenas e grandes atividades, orientando, reforçando, elogiando, o que os deixava confiantes e confortáveis, trazendo bons resultados para equipe. Mas sim, tivemos problemas e conflitos, que fazem parte de qualquer equipe.

Once you get to a point where individuals have accepted the change, and are exploring the new opportunities - make sure you are clear about the path forward. Encourage experimentation, give them the resources and freedom to try new things, and recognize their progress. As you start to see positive outcomes make sure you celebrate them!

Nach einem Führungswechsel ist es essenziell, ein neues, gemeinsames Teamverständnis sowie eine klare Vision zu entwickeln. Dies gelingt nur, wenn alle Teammitglieder in diesen Prozess eingebunden werden. Setzen Sie auf offene Kommunikation und den Austausch von Ideen, um ein starkes Gemeinschaftsgefühl zu schaffen. Eine gemeinsam erarbeitete Vision motiviert das Team, weil sie nicht nur den Weg, sondern auch das Ziel der Zusammenarbeit klar macht. Durch die gemeinsame Erarbeitung einer solchen Vision fördern Sie ein Wir-Gefühl und stärken die Identifikation des Teams mit der neuen Richtung, was die Grundlage für langfristigen Erfolg bildet.

The large Goal and vision need to be communicated to everyone, so that they are aligned to the process of the changes. Assure their safety and security of job and other essential things.

Precisamos liderar em um ambiente livre para trazer feedbacks construtivos e que as mudanças sejam feitas rápidas. Assim, os liderados terão mais foco e sentirão parte do time com maior facilidade. Um ambiente leve e com boa conexão com ideias da linha de frente motiva.

During a challenging leadership transition, I faced significant resistance. I decided to involve the team in the process by empowering them to participate in shaping the new direction. We held brainstorming sessions where everyone could contribute ideas on how to implement the changes. This not only gave them a sense of ownership but also reduced resistance, as they felt part of the transition rather than just being subjected to it.

There are a few ways you can offer support to your team in times of change. Be Patient and Flexible: Understand that everyone moves through the change curve at their own pace. Maintain Open Communication: Keep communication lines open throughout the entire process, make sure people feel informed and heard. Lead by Example: Model the behaviors and attitudes you wish to see in others. Demonstrating your own journey through the change can inspire others act the same way.

In one transition, I noticed that some team members were struggling with the new expectations. Rather than letting them flounder, I offered targeted support through coaching sessions and additional resources. I made myself available for questions and provided clear guidance on how to adapt. This proactive support helped ease their concerns and enabled them to adjust more comfortably to the new leadership, reducing overall resistance.

When leading through change, I found that focusing on the positives helped shift the team’s perspective. In one situation, I consistently highlighted early wins and small successes resulting from the transition. I made sure to celebrate these moments in team meetings, reinforcing the benefits of the new leadership direction. This positive reinforcement gradually changed the narrative, helping team members see the value in the changes and reducing their resistance.

This should be the first point at the top. It’s crucial to check in with ourselves before addressing our team members: make sure you are ready to embrace this change, you understand the positives of it, know which ones are most valuable to your team and practice your pitch. If you need help with any of these, take your time and run them with your mentor/coach, boss or role model. It’s okay not to be ready ourselves even as leaders. Self-prepare before you communicate to others.

A melhor abordagem será. Faça você primeiro e como faz para que o exemplo arraste o time ao sucesso. Estou vivendo isso justamente e o melhor. Funciona pois os liderados querem alguém ao lado e não acima.

Leaders lead the team member with goal and vision orientation. They have to be an example of what they preach. When we show them how to do it by demonstration, they understand the importance of it and do it.

During a leadership transition, I made it a point to embody the changes I wanted to see in the team. I openly embraced the new direction and adapted my own work style to reflect the shift. By doing so, I demonstrated that the change wasn’t just a top-down directive but something I was fully committed to as well. My actions encouraged the team to follow suit, as they saw that I was walking the talk, which helped to lower their resistance.

When it comes to leading by example, I think it can be helpful to do the work of making sure that everyone is using the same language. For example, there are many stages / phases of the transition cycle: By sharing these with team members, they can voice their views by saying, "I am in X" and then you (and others) can demonstrate how adaptability, optimism, and resilience can address the challenge(s).