Spotting Resistance: The "We Are Not Clear" Card

Welcome to episode #2 of the Resistance Series. Last episode was about Capacity. Today's episode is about Clarity.

We’ve all been there. The program is underway. The workshops have been held. The decks are circulating. The energy is building.

And then someone flashes the card:

🃏 “We’re not clear”

Suddenly the room tightens. The transformation or change team feels the sting of implied failure. Anxiety kicks in. Momentum slows. The instinct?

“Let’s fill in the gaps. Let’s fix it”

But hang on.

Yes, sometimes that confusion is real.

Maybe the change design went too fast. Maybe the comms missed the mark. Maybe assumptions were made.

But not always.

More often than we admit, this sudden lack of clarity is not about comprehension, it’s resistance wearing a professional mask.

Here’s how it shows up:

• Passive behaviors that defer ownership.
• Late-stage disengagement dressed as feedback.
• A subtle undermining of progress: “You didn’t include us,” “We didn’t know,” “This isn’t clear.”

Sound familiar?

What might you do instead

Experienced transformation leaders expect this move. And they don’t panic.

Instead, they respond with three high-impact shifts:

1. Anticipate the ‘We’re Not Clear’ moment

Don’t wait for it to derail your work mid-flight. Expect it. Plan for it. Design around it.

2. Co-define what clarity means

Clarity is one of the most dangerously assumed concepts in change. Don’t guess. Don’t hope. Align early. Ask:

• What does clarity look like to you?
• How will we know we have it?
• What do you need to contribute to help create it?

3. Define what progress means, together

Another blind spot. Transformation teams often carry 90% of the effort, while business stakeholders stay reactive. Flip that. Make progress a co-owned outcome. Draw a line between forward movement and active contribution.

You’re not just delivering change. You’re orchestrating meaning.

And meaning must be co-created, not rescued by the transformation or change team every time resistance shows up.

So next time someone says “we’re not clear,” pause before you jump.

Ask yourself: Is this a genuine gap or resistance in disguise?

Let’s stop over-functioning and start redefining what shared ownership truly looks like.

📍 In a world full of noise, here's a space that actually gets it.

Let’s be honest - right now, it’s a lot.

Everyone’s claiming to be a transformation expert. Every platform promises instant clarity. Every “community” feels like another thing to manage.

And amidst it all, you’re doing the real work.

You’re navigating change. Leading initiatives. Holding space for others while questioning what’s next for yourself.

You want to stay ahead. You want to keep growing. But on your terms. Without the overwhelm, the fluff, or the endless self-promotion that’s everywhere online.

That’s why I created Change Makers Corner (CMC).

Inside the Corner, you’ll find:

🎧 Private audio insights (from me to you) 🎓 Bite-sized, powerful mini-courses 📥 Tools you’ll actually use 🤝 A real community of people who get it

No filler. No performance. No egos. Just high-quality insights and connection for those doing the work of change.

The cost? Your passion. Your curiosity. Your readiness to grow.

➡️🌐Join here: 

www.TL-Institute.com

Till 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.