🟡 Resistance Series: Episode-4 Why Your Top Team Might Be Stalling Your Transformation

Let’s talk about a type of resistance that surprises many change leaders:

High-performing teams.

Yes, the very teams you rely on, that you showcase in reports, and that everyone holds up as the gold standard. These are often the ones that create the biggest resistance when it's time to do things differently.

And here's the thing it's not sabotage. It's logic. It's self-preservation. It's influence.

To understand this form of resistance, we need to begin with how we define “high-performing.”

What Do We Really Mean by “High-Performing”?

A common definition is: High-performing teams are those that deliver on their KPIs consistently. They have a rhythm, a system, and a way of getting things done. And importantly, that way works, for now.

This is exactly where the seed of resistance sits.

Because when something works, when it delivers outcomes, and when it’s recognized and rewarded, why change it?

What Resistance Looks Like in High-Performing Teams

It’s not always loud. It’s not always labelled as resistance. But it is powerful.

Here’s what it can look like:

1. A disinterest in change. The current way is getting results, they see no reason to disrupt it.
2. No change in their KPIs. If what they’re measured by hasn’t shifted, why should their behavior?
3. Risk aversion disguised as protection of standards. They want to keep performing, so they stick with what they know works.
4. Expecting a seat at the table. They’re used to having a voice in business-as-usual decisions, and they expect the same level of input in the change.
5. Claiming to be too busy. They are busy, but more importantly, they’re not convinced the change serves their goals, their bonus, or their status. So why create the space?

This isn’t passive resistance. These teams can throw a wrench in the entire transformation engine, quietly or loudly, and stall progress across the organization. They have the influence and credibility to do it.

The Dangerous Assumption: “They’ll Be Fine”

One of the most common mistakes change sponsors and leaders make is assuming that today’s high performers will automatically stay high-performing in the new context.

But performance is contextual.

Being effective today doesn’t guarantee relevance tomorrow. A change in direction often demands:

• A new mindset
• Evolving capabilities
• Expanded capacities
• Different ways of working
• A shift in team dynamics

One or more of these might break under the new conditions, and suddenly, that “top team” is no longer ahead of the curve. But no one planned for that.

What To Do: Rethinking High Performance in the Context of Change

Start by defining what “great” looks like in the future state. Not just in terms of output, but in how things need to be done and how people need to operate.

Then, assess each of the five critical elements:

• Mindset: Are they open, flexible, and future-oriented?
• Capabilities: Do they have what it takes to deliver in the new model?
• Capacities: Do they have the bandwidth to absorb and apply the change?
• Ways of Working: Will their current methods align with the new ecosystem?
• Team Dynamics: Are their relationships, roles, and rhythms fit for the future?

This may sound like common sense but it’s often skipped. Or done too lightly. Or only on paper.

And that’s a miss.

Changing the Way We Engage High Performers

Change and transformation leaders must recognize: high performers need to be approached differently.

Sometimes they’re open. Sometimes they seem open but quietly dismiss the change behind closed doors. Other times, they challenge it head-on.

You need to get underneath the surface and understand the real emotional and strategic motives at play. What are they protecting? What are they afraid of losing? What’s at stake for them that no one’s naming?

The pitch for change must be reframed to connect to their world, their influence, their version of success. And then, you need to build a clear bridge between what matters to them now and what will matter in the future state.

Don’t skip the contracting phase either. Define:

• What their role is in the change
• What progress will look like
• What’s expected of them and what they can expect in return

This clarity builds shared ground and mutual accountability.

In Closing

High-performing teams can either power your change, or paralyze it.

It depends on how you engage them, how you challenge the assumptions around “performance” and whether you’re willing to redefine what good looks like in the future, not just in the now.

Don’t be surprised when resistance comes from the top-performing corners of your business.

Be prepared.

And be intentional.

Let me know what this brings up for you.

The next episode will explore another form of resistance, stay tuned.

In a world of accelerating change, constant demands, and shifting priorities, the leaders who truly move the dial aren’t the ones who do the most; they’re the ones who focus on what matters most.

The cost of not having that focus?

Being pulled in ten different directions at once.

Endless meetings without meaningful outcomes.

Programs and teams are spinning their wheels while energy, time, and opportunities leak away.

This month, I’m doing something I’ve never done before.

I’m releasing to the public the very methods, frameworks, and tools I’ve been using with transformation leaders inside the Transformation Leadership Institute, including a 24x7 AI Companion trained to help you find your focus and make your next move count.

Whether that’s:

• Clarifying the highest-impact move before you run a workshop or strategy session
• Choosing what to focus on in a high-stakes conversation with your board or executive team
• Deciding where to direct your effort in a complex workstream or program

This masterclass and its bonuses are scheduled to be released this month.

If you want to stay in the know and be among the first to get hooked, join my weekly email newsletter Connect& for updates, insights, and first access. Click this link to get the info: https://www.transformationleadership.institute/connect&newsletter

The Change Makers Corner (CMC) is now live! It is your FREE Space & Community to not just connect but learn and inspire

Inside, you’ll find a growing hub designed specifically for change and transformation leaders and professionals who want to stay sharp, connected, and ready for what’s next.

What’s inside?

• 🎧 1Shift – a private podcast for leaders ready to make a shift that drives real impact
• 📘Downloadable PDFs and practical tools you can use straight away
• 🎓Short, actionable mini-courses on core transformation topics
• 🌍A global community of like-minded professionals who care to make a difference

This is your space to grow, reflect, and lead with intention, on your own terms.

Join us inside CMC and stay close to what matters.

➡️🌐 Join here: www.TL-Institute.com

Til Next week,

Jess Tayel

Founder of the Transformation Leadership Institute and People of Transformation membership & community.

Enable Organizations to Become Future Fit Through their Transformations & Change efforts.

Elevate Change & Transformation high-performing leaders to soar above the sea of sameness and achieve new heights in mastery, influence, & impact without the drag of going solo or slow progression.