Change is hard. Especially when people feel it’s done to them rather than to them.
I was working with a company during a major organizational redesign. A new CEO had arrived with a bold, fast-paced strategy, and resistance was brewing beneath the surface. Leaders felt unsure, teams were confused, and morale was slipping.
Rather than push the change from the top down, I suggested something simple but powerful: Let’s get people in the room.
We invited employees from every level of the organization to a series of hands-on strategy sessions. There were no PowerPoint monologues, no top-down directives, just real conversations about what was coming, what it meant, and how we could shape it together.
Here’s what happened:
✅ Teams that had been passive became active participants in shaping the future.
✅ Skeptical leaders became advocates.
✅ People stopped resisting and started contributing.
And the strategy? It didn’t just land—it stuck.
The key wasn’t a slick communications plan. It was trust. When you give people an authentic voice, they show up differently. They’re more engaged, committed, and resilient through the complex parts of change.
This is one of the most overlooked elements of strategic leadership: engagement isn’t just about messaging—it’s about involvement.
If you’re leading change and getting resistance, ask yourself:
- Have you created space for people to shape the strategy, not just hear about it?
- Have you built trust by being transparent and responsive?
The best strategies aren’t imposed. They’re co-created.
Let’s build organizations where change is something people feel part of—not something they brace themselves for.Are you curious about how this might look in your organization? Let’s talk. I’d love to help your team move from resistance to momentum.
Visit ettyburk.com or send me a message to start the conversation.
