February 2025

Leading Through Resistance: Five Strategies to Navigate Change

Wow. 2025 is bringing a huge amount of change! Major policy shifts at the national level, economic uncertainly, organizational structure changes… the list goes on! While change is inevitable in any organization and a natural part of life, how we acknowledge and address change in our organizations can define who we are as leaders.

Whether it’s policy-driven or budget-driven program cuts, a shift in remote work policies, organizational restructuring, or hiring freezes, leaders often face workforce resistance when major changes disrupt the status quo. Employees experiencing these shifts may feel a loss of control, fear of the unknown, or even a disruption to their professional identity.

However, resistance to change isn’t necessarily a sign of insubordination or negativity, it’s a natural human reaction. The role of a leader is not to force compliance but to understand, acknowledge, and address the concerns of their workforce in a way that reframes change as an opportunity for growth and alignment with shared values.

Your Coach,

Tim

President & CEO, Turknett Leadership Group

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FEATURED MEDIA

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TLG CONSULTANT, Barb Reilly, PhD

Human beings naturally resist change. When I used to teach graduate students, I would tell them, "Take out your syllabus. There's going to be a change." Then, I would just watch their reactions. They would respond with frustration, worry, or even anger. They would say, "I'm afraid the change won't be good for me. The syllabus is a contract. It has set dates. I don’t want you to change any of these dates." Simply mentioning a change triggered an immediate emotional response.

After a moment, I would stop and say, "We're not going to talk about the change right now. We're going to talk about how that made you feel."

Ten Reasons People Resist Change

Rosabeth Moss Kanter | HBR

Leadership is about change, but what is a leader to do when faced with ubiquitous resistance? Resistance to change manifests itself in many ways, from foot-dragging and inertia to petty sabotage to outright rebellions. The best tool for leaders of change is to understand the predictable, universal sources of resistance in each situation and then strategize around them. Here are the ten I’ve found to be the most common.

Women in Leadership

We are thrilled to announce our next live in person event!

Our panel features three well-known experts in the field of health equity, each bringing unique perspectives and insights on addressing disparities in America’s healthcare system, and what is being done to improve health outcomes in underserved populations. Together, they bring a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of health equity and illustrate the challenges and pathways forward for achieving equitable health for all.

Listen in as our speakers share their unique experiences and insights.

Facilitated by Anne Quiello, M.S., PCC

Senior Consultant & Host of Women in Leadership

FEBRUARY WIL RECAP

Want to find out more? Here are some resources from our speakerss:

OnBoard Annual Study
PARITY IS HERE: Five years ago, gender-balanced corporate boards were a lofty ideal. Today, trailblazing companies show parity is attainable. The 2024 report of women's representation on public company boards in Georgia.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
A shimmering evocation of a bygone India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the difficulties undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. It is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.

Catch Up with TLG

Tim Huff Recognized as a 2025 Georgia TITAN 100!

We are thrilled to announce that Tim has been recognized as a 2025 Georgia TITAN 100 honoree! This prestigious award celebrates Georgia's top 100 CEOs and C-level executives who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and passion in their industries.

Great leadership drives meaningful impact, and Tim exemplifies that every day. His dedication to excellence and unwavering commitment to our mission have been instrumental in driving our success.

Please join us in congratulating Tim on this well-deserved honor!

NAVIGATING 2025 SHRM Chapter Meeting

Last month, we had the opportunity to attend Navigating 2025: Economic Projections and Workforce Shifts, featuring Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The session provided valuable insights into Georgia’s economic outlook, upcoming policy changes, and key labor market trends shaping the future of work.

As we navigate workforce challenges and opportunities in 2025, staying informed on these shifts is critical. Thank you to SHRM-Atlanta for continuing to provide such impactful programming that helps organizations plan for the road ahead!

Tim at the Georgia Center for Non-Profit

A huge thank you to the Georgia Center for Nonprofits for hosting Tim Huff for an insightful session on Collaborative Leadership: Fostering High-Performance Collaborative Cultures.

Tim shared key strategies for navigating differences in values, perspectives, and operating norms to unlock the full potential of collaboration. From harnessing influence over authority to fostering connections across teams and organizations, the conversation highlighted the importance of leading with purpose and adaptability.

We loved the opportunity to support local nonprofits and connect with leaders who are making a difference in our communities. Nonprofit leaders play a vital role in driving change, and we’re honored to be part of these important conversations.

Connect With Us At SOAHR 2025!

Calling all HR leaders, talent strategists, and Swifties! Join us this March at SOAHR SHRM 2025 for an exciting panel and booth experience focused on leadership lessons from Taylor Swift.

From fearless reinvention to building an engaged and loyal following, Taylor Swift’s career offers powerful takeaways for leadership, talent development, and workplace culture. Let’s explore how HR and business leaders can apply these strategies to inspire and empower their teams!

Come to #SOAHR March 25-26 to check out what we’re doing to build solutions for Atlanta’s HR professionals. Register here: soahr.net

Stop by our booth, join the conversation, and get ready to lead like Taylor!

What We're Reading

Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People

I know my own mind.

I am able to assess others in a fair and accurate way.

These self-perceptions are challenged by leading psychologists Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald as they explore the hidden biases we all carry from a lifetime of exposure to cultural attitudes about age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status, and nationality.

“Blindspot” is the authors’ metaphor for the portion of the mind that houses hidden biases. Writing with simplicity and verve, Banaji and Greenwald question the extent to which our perceptions of social groups—without our awareness or conscious control—shape our likes and dislikes and our judgments about people’s character, abilities, and potential.

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The Covenant of Water

Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.

A shimmering evocation of a bygone India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the difficulties undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. It is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.

Get the Book