An unwillingness to embrace change can spell a business’s downfall in today’s uncertain business environment. While resistance to change does sometimes come from the top, a lack of buy-in from employees can present leaders with a significant barrier when change is sorely needed.
Whether it’s for a small initiative or a transformative event that alters how the business currently operates, adopting a coaching mindset as a strategy enables leaders to directly address and alleviate concerns about change. Below, 18 Forbes Business Council members share how taking on a coaching mindset can help leaders manage resistance to and fears around change in their organizations during a time when change is necessary and unavoidable.
1. It Helps Leaders Facilitate Change
A coaching mindset encourages leaders to be facilitators of change rather than enforcers. By asking open-ended questions and helping employees explore their solutions, leaders can shift the focus from fear to empowerment. This creates a sense of involvement and ownership, making employees more willing to adapt to change and reducing resistance by addressing concerns through guidance and support. – Beth Worthy, GMR Transcription Services, Inc.
2. It Connects Change To Individual And Larger Goals
A coach-minded leader can help employees feel heard and understood, building trust. Instead of pushing change, they guide people to see how the change connects to their own goals and the team’s purpose. This makes the transition feel less threatening and more like a collaborative journey of growth. Empathy and compassionate guidance transform fear into hope and resistance into enthusiastic engagement. – Vikrant Shaurya, Authors On Mission
3. It Drives Better Understanding Of Obstacles As Opportunities
Leaders need to help teams understand that change and uncertainty are opportunities, not roadblocks. In this context, practicing a coaching mindset means fostering resilience by practicing active listening, providing opportunities for staff to exercise curiosity and promoting a culture of openness. Treating obstacles as stepping stones can help improve team cohesion and positioning for long-term success. – Chris Moore, FIRST
4. It Helps Employees Navigate Perspective Shifts
Serving as the leader of a diverse team, I’ve led a multi-year evolution that will continue in 2025. Knowing that evolution is healthy, I have worked diligently to communicate clearly and prepare everyone for an ongoing series of shifts. A coaching mindset allows a leader to help an employee navigate from their own perspective and develop the employee rather than just waiting for the leader’s direction. – Charles Stanton, Transient Consulting
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5. It Prioritizes The Future And New Opportunities
A coaching mindset consistently shifts focus and energy to the future and opportunities. Leaders should ask employees questions like, “Why do you think this change is happening?”, “What do you want to achieve in this new landscape?”, “How can this change help you grow or advance?” and “What steps can you take to make this work in your favor?” These questions trigger curiosity and ownership, inspiring teams to see change as a pathway to their aspirations. – Ioana Dragomir, Tulipr
6. It Creates Space For Active Listening
A coaching mindset helps leaders turn resistance into growth by asking open-ended questions, listening and understanding concerns. Instead of forcing change, guide employees to see it as a shared opportunity. This builds trust, reduces fear and encourages collaboration, making necessary change feel less like a threat and more like a path forward together. – David Price, The Price Group
7. It Fosters Open Communication And Empathy
Adopting a coaching mindset helps leaders manage resistance to change by fostering open communication and empathy. It encourages leaders to actively listen to concerns, understand underlying fears and guide employees toward seeing the benefits of change. – Joel Li, EV.com
8. It Promotes Listening And Employee Empowerment
Adopting a coaching mindset as a leader helps manage resistance to change by shifting from telling to listening and empowering. People fear change due to the unknown or potential loss. By creating a safe space for open dialogue, leaders reduce anxiety and build trust. Asking questions like, “How can we make this smoother?” turns resistance into engagement, guiding the team through change. – Janice E. Moffatt-Findlay, Royale Development
9. It Encourages Leaders’ Continuous Growth And Development
I believe that a leader must be committed to continuous growth. Personal development fosters adaptability, so a leader who embraces constant evolution sees organizational changes not as a threat but as a natural step in the journey toward progress. – Jekaterina Beljankova, WALLACE s.r.o
10. It Identifies Resistance As An Important Signal
Adopting a coaching mindset helps leaders view resistance not as opposition but as a signal that team members may need more clarity, support or skill building. By actively listening, asking guiding questions and providing targeted feedback, leaders can address underlying concerns, build confidence and empower employees to engage more fully in the transformation process. – Jason Anderson, Vast Coworking Group
11. It Fosters Investment Into Employee Development
Adopting a coaching mindset helps leaders ease resistance to change by showing a vested interest in their team’s growth. When employees feel supported and valued, defenses lower and trust grows. Coaching normalizes imperfection, fosters collaboration and reframes change as a shared journey, empowering teams to embrace development and adapt together. – Aaron Knipp, Cicospace
12. It Transforms Resistance Into Partnership
Embracing a coaching mindset allows leaders to transform resistance into partnership. By listening deeply, asking thoughtful questions and illuminating the purpose behind change, you invite others into the journey. This empowers employees, turning fear into curiosity and doubt into shared purpose. Rather than leading through authority, you lead through collaboration and collective vision. – Sahit Muja, Albanian Minerals
13. It Builds Relationships Between Team Members
A good coaching mindset fosters teamwork, not just player-to-coach trust. Encouraging team members to coach each other through changes—sharing tips, shortcuts and moral support—reduces the sense of isolation that can amplify fear. Over time, this peer support network makes the whole team more adaptable. – Ran Ronen, Equally AI
14. It Guides A Deeper Understanding Of Change
Coaching flips resistance on its head. It’s not about giving orders—it’s about asking the right questions. When leaders guide their teams to discover why change matters, the fear shrinks. People resist being told what to do but rally behind their own “aha” moments. That’s how you turn hesitation into momentum. – Greg Clement, Realeflow
15. It Puts The Focus On Individual Benefits
A coaching mindset turns resistance into buy-in by shifting the focus from “what’s changing” to “how this benefits you.” Ask your team open-ended questions like, “What concerns you most?” and “What could make this transition easier?” It’s not about convincing—it’s about co-creating solutions. When people feel heard, they’re far more likely to embrace change. – Dr. Christina Carter, Her Practice®
16. It Drives Resilience Through Change Acceptance
Rather than pushing people to accept the impending change directly, a coaching mindset helps to teach resilience, allowing them to accept what they cannot change and influencing what they can change to their benefit. It also helps to ask about the fears that create the resistance to change, as there might be something that they have power over after all. It’s a fancy way of saying make lemonade when life gives you lemons. – Beate van Loo-Born, PhysikInstrumente (PI)
17. It Invites Employees To Take Ownership Of Change
Leaders can empower employees to take ownership of their role in the change process. By guiding them through the transition and offering support, employees feel more in control and confident. This sense of responsibility boosts their engagement and encourages them to actively contribute to the success of the change. – Sabeer Nelliparamban, Tyler Petroleum Inc.
18. It Differentiates The Company
I come from the ever-evolving world of entertainment where adopting a coaching mindset can be your ultimate differentiator. Invest in the growth of your employees and your customers. Show genuine curiosity in their concerns and feedback. Embrace retrospection and act promptly to implement changes. A leader who leads from within earns trust and loyalty while inspiring genuine commitment. – Deepali Jamwal, Live2Dance LLC
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