The Surprising Power of Resistance: Why Your Biggest Skeptic Might Be Your Greatest Asset

A few years ago, I was hired by an organization to help them launch a big new initiative. It was bold, strategic, and—let’s be honest—a little scary.

In our first team meeting, there was one woman—we’ll call her Lynn—who didn’t say a word. Just leaned back, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. You could feel the skepticism from across the room. Every team has a Lynn, right?

After the meeting, the director pulled me aside and said, “Don’t bother trying to win her over. She always resists change.”

But here’s the thing—I’ve learned to pay attention to the skeptics. Resistance isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, it’s often where the gold is buried.

“Resistance isn’t rejection—it’s a signal. And if you listen closely, it can show you exactly what your strategy needs to succeed.”

What Resistance Is Really Telling You

We often see resistance as a wall. But more often, it’s a doorway—one that leads straight into unspoken fears, past experiences, and very real concerns.

• “I’ve been through this kind of change before, and it didn’t end well.”

• “This impacts my job, and no one’s asked for my input.”

• “If this fails, guess who’s picking up the pieces?”

Sometimes, it’s frustration; sometimes, it’s fear; and sometimes, it’s deep care masked as criticism.

The Turning Point

A few days later, I reached out to Lynn. No agenda—just curiosity. I asked what she really thought. She was quiet at first, then said, “Honestly? I’ve seen us chase shiny objects before. People get excited, and then it fizzles—and we’re left cleaning up the mess.”

That honesty? That’s when everything shifted.

We started talking through what success would actually look like for her team, what hadn’t worked before, and what might work better this time. Her insights were sharp, grounded, and—it turns out—exactly what we needed.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and guess who was standing in front of the team, leading a training session on the new process? Lynn. The woman who’d sat in the back row with her arms crossed was now our biggest internal advocate.

From Skeptic to Champion

This isn’t a one-time story. It’s a pattern I see over and over again.

The people who push back the hardest at first often become the ones who carry the change forward with the most energy and integrity—if we take the time to bring them into the conversation.

Resistance isn’t a lack of loyalty; it’s often a sign of how much someone cares. And when we invite that resistance to speak instead of silencing it? That’s where real transformation begins.

Not every skeptic becomes a champion. But when they do? They bring others with them.

And sometimes, the most powerful change isn’t in the strategy—it’s in the shift that happens when someone goes from “This will never work” to “Let me show you how it can.”

That’s the kind of shift that lasts.

If you’re navigating a shift in your business and want support bringing your people with you—not dragging them—let’s chat. I specialize in turning “not gonna happen” into “how can I help?”

Book a free 15-minute discovery call here.