Resistance is, to me, one of the most interesting and useful topics to work with and tune into. It tells us so much about what’s really going on for us (and others) – and where the solution lies.

Try it for yourself. Next time you feel the resistance rising in you, ask: “What’s this telling me? What’s the lesson I’m supposed to learn, here? In what ways is this showing me the way?”

When it comes to our team (and we all have a team, whether formally or otherwise), resistance is hard not to react to. Hard to resist resisting! But try, because there’s important learning there …

Team resistance, in my experience, points to one or a combination of three failing strategies in the leader. Sure, not exclusively – but useful to ponder, if you’re looking to learn, develop and find new, more effective strategies to working with your team.

Failing Strategy #1: Lack of Rapport. It’s difficult to convince anyone of anything if we’re not in rapport. If we’re not in sync. When in rapport: conversations flow. When it’s absent: resistance arises. Where is your request to the team out of alignment?

Failing Strategy #2: Lack of Creativity. How we frame a task, project or mission has everything to do with the willing take-up by the team. That framing is a creative act, fashioning a direction and purpose everyone can get behind. In response to team resistance, reflect on where you could be more creative.

Failing Strategy #3: Lack of Flexibility. Resistance need not be the end of the productive part of the discussion. It can be its source – if you’re willing to flex. Flexibility is a CHIEF skill in the leadership toolkit. But too often, it’s quickly discarded as weakness. Be entirely fixed on your goal; and entirely flexible on how we get there.

Thanks for reading!

I really appreciate your readership. And if you’d like to receive new articles, as they become available and direct to your inbox, you can do that in the form below or you can subscribe here.