When Resistance Speaks, Are You Listening?

When Resistance Speaks, Are You Listening?

Your new system just launched. Training is complete, communications went out, leadership is aligned. But then: workarounds appear immediately, people claim they’re “too busy” to learn the platform, and the old processes continue in shadow.

Most change management approaches treat this as “resistance to overcome.” But what if resistance isn’t the problem? What if it’s the most valuable feedback you’re getting?

Below, we break down why pushback during organizational change is actually data worth listening to, and how reframing resistance can save stalled projects and build solutions people actually want to use. These insights come from our work supporting nonprofits through technology implementations, team restructures, and strategic transitions—where the difference between adoption and abandonment often comes down to one question: are you managing change, or just trying to convince people to use something that isn’t working?

Share this with colleagues navigating change initiatives right now. And reach out using the form at the bottom of the page if you’re facing a stalled implementation or want to explore how human-centered change management can transform your next major transition.

When Resistance speaks, are you listening? Redefining pushback during organizational change.
Change management is the practice of supporting people through transitions — from “we're changing” to “we've changed.” It can be applied to any project.
A change is announced. Then: People say they’re too busy for training Workarounds appear immediately The new system sits unused Old processes continue in shadow Change management methodologies generally call these symptoms of "resistance.”
Often, change management treats resistance like a problem to solve: "How do we get buy-in?" "How do we move people through the change curve faster?" "How do we minimize complaints?" These are usually the wrong questions – at least at first.
Resistance is data When someone resists, they're often telling you: 'This workflow doesn't match how work actually happens' 'We tried this before and here's what broke' 'There's a constraint you haven't seen' 'This will hurt the people we serve' 'The problem you're solving isn't the real problem'" Every objection is a gift. Every workaround is a teacher.
Get curious about resistance As a change leader, this is your moment to shine! ✓ Create space for honest feedback ✓ Ask "What are we missing?" instead of "How do we convince them?" ✓ Be prepared to advocate for course-correction, even late in the process You can help project sponsors weigh trade-offs: implementation speed versus implementation quality. This might require your own resistance to project timelines and delivery pressures.
Are you managing change... or shoehorning people into using something that isn't working? We can help you build the practices and courage to actually listen, creating better projects that earn high adoption rates — whether you're a team of 5 or 500.
If you are struggling with a stalled project, major “change resistance,” or just want to trade ideas, we'd love to explore this challenge with you.

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Human Rights Watch

Case Study

Transforming Global-Scale Development Operations with Human Rights Watch

Fundraising Systems & Analytics Team Reorganization (2023)

Human Rights Watch worked with Skeleton Key Strategies to transform their Development Operations team roles and structures, for the purpose of aligning them with its new global fundraising staffing model; streamlining cross-team collaboration; optimizing their fundraising systems and business processes for future growth; and enabling data-driven decision making.

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