Resistance (“Do/Don’t” Actions Checklist)

Introduction

Below is a generic checklist with ‘do’ and ‘don’t’ items to mitigate resistance.

1. Education & Communication

Do:

• Explain why the change is happening, what will be different, and how it affects people’s roles.
• Use clear, accessible language and multiple formats (meetings, visuals, storytelling, etc).
• Encourage questions and feedback; make it a dialogue, not a one-way broadcast.
• Provide timely updates so people don’t feel kept in the dark.

Don’t:

• Assume everyone “gets it” because you announced it
• Avoid or forget to follow-up.
• Use heavy jargon or overly technical language when dealing with a diverse audience.
• Under-communicate the impact on individuals and groups; people need to see the personal relevance.
• Wait until the change is almost done before you start explaining what it means.

2. Participation & Involvement

Do:

• Invite representatives of all impacted, relevant stakeholder groups into the design or planning team.
• Create workshops, focus groups or co-design sessions where people contribute ideas and shape the change.
• Be transparent about which aspects can be influenced and which are fixed; clarify boundaries.
• Use the input to refine the change plan and show how contributions shaped the outcome.

Don’t:

• Tokenise participation (invite people but ignore or override their input).
• Use participation as a PR exercise and exclude genuine influence.
• Make participation optional for groups who feel their voice matters; exclusion increases resistance.
• Promise that everything will change exactly as stakeholders want; do not set unrealistic expectations.

3. Facilitation & Support

Do:

• Identify skill/knowledge gaps early and provide training, mentoring or coaching.
• Create networks or peer-support groups for people to share experiences and strategies.
• Acknowledge and address emotional responses, such as fear, loss, uncertainty, etc; provide safe spaces for discussion.
• Allocate resources (time, tools, finance, etc) so the change doesn’t feel like “extra work” tacked on.

Don’t:

• Assume people will “just adapt” without structured support.
• Provide only technical training, without addressing mindset, culture or emotional adjustment.
• Ignore the extra workload during the transition; overload breeds fatigue and push-back.
• Neglect follow-up support once the change is implemented; ongoing reinforcement is needed.

4. Negotiation & Agreement

Do:

• Recognise who stands to lose and explore what incentives or compensations might address those losses.
• Be fair and transparent about what is offered in return for cooperation.
• Use negotiation to build partnership rather than simply buying support;
• Maintain trust.
• Document agreements clearly and track them; ensure follow-through.

Don’t:

• Use incentives only for a few high-power individuals while ignoring broader group impacts as this may breed resentment.
• Make secret deals that others find out about later; it undermines credibility.
• Assume that material incentives alone will ensure buy-in; psychological and cultural aspects matter.
• Use negotiation to avoid addressing underlying issues; be careful of a “quick fix” rather than a solution.

5. Manipulation & Co-operation

Do:

• Identify influential stakeholders early and invite them to endorse or champion the change; seek genuine co-operation.
• Frame information strategically by highlighting benefits while still being honest about implications.
• Use pilot or “early adopters” or “informal leaders” who can model the new way and influence others.

Don’t:

• Mislead people, hide key information or use manipulation covertly as it erodes trust.
• Tokenise champions purely for appearance; make sure they are genuinely engaged.
• Rely on manipulation instead of substantive effort; it may work short-term but damages long-term change capacity.
• Use it as the primary strategy when there are more constructive and inclusive alternatives.

6. Explicit & Implicit Coercion

Do:

• Reserve this only for situations where urgent or non-negotiable change is essential (eg, compliance/legal requirement) and time does not permit slower approaches.
• Communicate the inevitability of change clearly and respectfully by explaining why alternatives are not feasible.
• Combine coercion with support as people still need direction and help to adjust.

Don’t:

• Use threats or ultimatums indiscriminately as it will damage morale, trust and goodwill.
• Assume coercion will create long-term commitment; it often leads to surface compliance, not real behavioural change.
• Ignore cultural, relational and emotional factors when using coercion, especially in settings with historical mistrust or complex stakeholders.
• Use coercion when less drastic strategies are viable—this element should be the last resort.

Summary

Six Approaches to Managing Resistance

1. Education & Communication

• What do people currently misunderstand?
• How will you ensure communication is two-way?
• What channels will you use for clarity and consistency?

2. Participation & Involvement

• Who needs to be involved early to build ownership?
• What decisions can stakeholders influence?
• How will you show their input shaped the change?

3. Facilitation & Support

• What skills, tools, and emotional support are required?
• What training or mentoring will you provide?
• How will you reduce overload during transition?

4. Negotiation & Agreement

• Who stands to lose from this change?
• What fair incentives might help cooperation?
• How will agreements be communicated and tracked?

5. Manipulation & Co-operation

• Who has informal influence on others?
• How will you ensure transparency and trust?
• Is there a more constructive approach you can use?

6. Explicit & Implicit Coercion

• Why is the change non-negotiable?
• How will you communicate necessity respectfully?
• What support will accompany expectations?

(main source: Niall McCreanor, 2004)