The Real Reason Your Team Resists Change (It’s Not Them, It’s You)

Leaders often blame employee resistance when change initiatives stall. But according to David M. Sluss of ESSEC Business School, the real issue is a leadership blind spot — the hero complex. It’s that urge to take sole credit for change and to see the initiative as “mine.” The result? Leaders stop listening, take feedback personally, and overlook what’s needed for the next evolution of the business.

To avoid falling into the hero trap, Sluss offers three practical strategies drawn from real companies navigating growth and transformation.

Build a Coalition of Problem Experts — Not Cheerleaders

Many leaders recruit allies after deciding on a change. That’s backwards. Sluss says effective leaders form their “powerful coalition” early — with people who understand the problem, not just those who endorse the proposed solution.

He highlights four essential roles:

• Technologists who grasp the technical problem deeply.
• Evangelists who understand the political and cultural landscape.
• Analysts who predict and channel resistance.
• Advocates or sponsors who control resources and clear obstacles.

When a medical device company built a bicontinental team around its regulatory challenges — rather than defaulting to its existing process — it avoided costly setbacks and delivered faster results.

Tell the Problem’s Origin Story — Not Just the Vision

Leaders love to “sell the vision,” but that skips the emotional and practical why. In one case, a fintech company’s leader pushed a “digital-first” solution without explaining the pain point: missing critical user feedback from Asian customers.
What moved people wasn’t the fix — it was understanding the problem.

Sluss suggests sharing the origin story of the issue: How was it discovered? Why does it matter? What’s the opportunity if we solve it? Even creative tools like generative AI can help visualize the problem — as one telecom team did by illustrating their broken client handoff process, which sparked a breakthrough.

Stop Trying to Change the Culture — Align With It

Not every change requires a culture overhaul. Sometimes the smarter move is to show how the change supports what your culture already values.

Sluss tells the story of an energy operations company struggling to cut emissions. Instead of battling its “win-the-business” culture, leaders reframed an electric vehicle rollout as a competitive advantage and cost-saving opportunity. When managers worried about profit hits, the timeline was adjusted — proving that aligning with culture, not fighting it, can still deliver results.

The Bottom Line

Change leadership isn’t about being the hero who saves the company. It’s about building a team of heroes — people who understand the problem, share ownership, and stay grounded in the organization’s purpose and culture. When leaders release the need for credit, real transformation can take root.

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