How to Recognize the Signs of Cognitive Resistance to Change

When implementing change we often focus on the technical elements—processes, structure, roles—and tend to neglect the equally important human element.

When leading an organization through major change, it is critical to balance human and organization needs because personal change ultimately drives organizational change.

In other words, individual change is essential for organizational change to proceed.

The Signs of Cognitive Resistance to Change

The project leader needs to know how to recognize the human elements, including the signs of cognitive resistance to change. But how do we recognize the signs of cognitive resistance to change? Well, this all depends on the scale of the change.

However, it is likely that people will do one or more of the following: