Happy New Year! 🎉
As we step into this fresh chapter, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how we can create meaningful and lasting change. While many of us focus on revising rules or implementing new policies, the real power lies in transforming the way people think and feel.
There are plenty of reasons why people get stuck in unhelpful behaviors, but one often overlooked factor might be the most crucial: the hidden fears and insecurities that keep us from changing, even when we know better. Add to this the anxiety that almost everyone feels when faced with change. Despite this, most organizations focus more on strategy and execution, rather than understanding how their people are feeling and thinking during a transformation. This unseen resistance can derail even the best-laid plans.
When businesses undergo transformations, they usually focus on new structural changes like policies, processes, facilities, and technology. Some companies also emphasize changing behaviors by defining new practices, training new skills, or setting new expectations for employees.
However, what many organizations miss is the internal shift — the thoughts and feelings of their people — that needs to happen for the strategy to come to life. This is where resistance shows up: mentally through fixed beliefs, deeply held assumptions, and blind spots; and emotionally through the fear and insecurity that change brings. All this shapes our mindset, which influences how we see the world, what we believe, and how we feel.
Transforming a business, therefore, also means transforming the individuals within it, starting with the senior leaders and influencers. In my experience throughout the years, few of these leaders have spent much time reflecting on their own motivations, questioning their assumptions, or pushing beyond their intellectual and emotional comfort zones. Psychologists Lisa Lahey and Robert Kegan have called this “immunity to change.” If you want to learn more about “Immunity of Change”, you can listen to this podcast.
Several factors keep mindsets in place. Much of our mindset gets deeply rooted early in life. Over time, we develop confirmation bias, seeking evidence that reinforces our existing beliefs and dismissing what doesn’t. We are also wired to prioritize our own safety and avoid risk. Instead of using critical thinking to explore new possibilities, we often use our rational mind to justify emotionally driven choices.
Often, we focus on policies to drive transformation. While policies are important, they’re only as effective as the willingness of people to embrace them. The real key to sustainable change lies in shifting mindsets.
Here’s why focusing on changing minds is more impactful than merely altering policies:
Change That Lasts:
Policies can enforce compliance, but mindset shifts create commitment. When people believe in an idea, they adopt it naturally, without the need for constant enforcement. This intrinsic motivation ensures that the change endures, even in the absence of rules.
Building Collective Buy-In:
A new policy without consensus often faces resistance. On the other hand, when you take the time to understand perspectives, educate, and engage, people are more likely to align with the vision. Changed minds create advocates, not detractors.
Inspiring Innovation:
When mindsets shift, creativity flourishes. Policies might set boundaries, but open minds push boundaries. Encouraging people to think differently fosters innovation that can lead to breakthroughs far beyond what any policy can achieve.
A Ripple Effect:
Transforming one mindset often inspires others. It’s a grassroots approach that starts small but grows exponentially. Changed individuals influence teams, communities, and eventually, policies themselves.
In 2025, let’s move beyond enforcing compliance and aim for inspired alignment. By focusing on changing minds, we create a culture of growth, collaboration, and lasting progress. Policies can guide, but transformed mindsets will lead the way.
What are your thoughts? How do you approach driving change in your teams or communities? Let’s discuss in the comments below!
