OpenSourceOD
Overview
Rick Maurer’s Three Levels of Resistance and Change Model provides a practical framework for understanding why people resist change and how leaders can address these challenges effectively. Originally introduced in his book Beyond the Wall of Resistance (1996), this model helps organizations identify the root causes of resistance and take action to build trust, engagement, and support for change initiatives.
The Three Levels of Resistance
Maurer’s model breaks resistance down into three core categories:
“I Don’t GET It” (Cognitive Resistance) – People resist change when they lack clear information, facts, or rationale about why it’s necessary. They may feel that the change is unclear or does not make logical sense.
Solution: Improve communication by explaining the why before the how, using data, visuals, and multiple forms of communication to ensure clarity.
“I Don’t LIKE It” (Emotional Resistance) – This resistance stems from an emotional reaction to the change. People may fear uncertainty, feel overwhelmed, or believe that the change threatens their current ways of working.
Solution: Build psychological safety by reducing fear, offering reassurance, and engaging people fully in the change process. Providing choice, control, and participation helps alleviate negative emotions.
“I Don’t TRUST It” (Relational Resistance) – People resist change when they don’t trust the person or organization leading it. Even if the change itself is logical, past leadership behaviors or organizational history may create skepticism.
Solution: Strengthen trust through transparency, reliability, and meaningful relationships. Leaders should listen to concerns, keep commitments, and acknowledge mistakes when necessary.
Why Maurer’s Model Matters Today
Resistance is one of the leading reasons why change initiatives fail. Many organizations assume that people resist change simply because they fear something new. However, Maurer’s model highlights that resistance is often a logical response based on past experiences, unclear communication, or emotional concerns.
Modern workplaces face rapid transformations, from digital adoption to cultural shifts and restructuring. The success of these initiatives depends on how well organizations navigate resistance. This model is particularly relevant in today’s environment because:
Employees expect transparency and involvement in change efforts.
Psychological safety has become a critical factor in workplace engagement and retention.
Trust in leadership is essential for long-term cultural transformation.
Maurer challenges the “push harder” approach to change—instead of forcing compliance, his model suggests that leaders should diagnose resistance and tailor their approach accordingly.
Uses & Benefits
Organizational Uses
Maurer’s Three Levels of Resistance and Change Model is widely used in leadership, organizational change, and culture transformation. It helps leaders and change agents diagnose resistance, adjust communication strategies, and build trust to ensure successful change adoption. Below are key organizational challenges where this model is especially effective.
1. Overcoming Employee Resistance to New Technology
Challenge: A company is implementing a new digital system, but employees are hesitant to adopt it. Some don’t understand why it’s necessary (“I don’t GET it”), others feel frustrated and anxious about learning new technology (“I don’t LIKE it”), and some don’t trust leadership’s reasons for the change (“I don’t TRUST it”).
How Maurer’s Model Helps:
Cognitive Resistance: Provide clear, simple explanations about why the new system is needed, using real-world examples and success stories.
Emotional Resistance: Address fears through peer training, one-on-one support, and gradual rollouts instead of immediate full-scale implementation.
Trust Resistance: Show commitment to employees’ success, avoid forcing adoption, and use pilot groups to gain credibility before expanding.
Impact: By addressing all three levels of resistance, the company increases user adoption, reduces frustration, and builds confidence in the new system.
2. Leading a Cultural Transformation in an Organization
Challenge: A company wants to shift from a hierarchical, command-and-control culture to a more collaborative and agile environment. However, leaders fear losing control, employees are uncertain about their roles, and past failed initiatives make people doubt leadership’s commitment.
How Maurer’s Model Helps:
Cognitive Resistance (“I Don’t GET It”):
Define clear expectations about how agility will improve collaboration and decision-making.
Use case studies from similar organizations to show proven benefits.
Emotional Resistance (“I Don’t LIKE It”):
Give employees a voice in shaping the transition, holding workshops to address concerns.
Create psychological safety by allowing small, low-risk experiments before full adoption.
Trust Resistance (“I Don’t TRUST It”):
If previous change efforts failed, acknowledge past mistakes and outline how this approach will be different.
Ensure leadership models the new behaviors before expecting employees to follow.
Impact: The shift to an agile culture becomes smoother, as employees feel informed, emotionally secure, and confident in leadership’s vision.
3. Managing Resistance During Mergers & Acquisitions
Challenge: Two companies are merging, and employees fear job loss, cultural clashes, and loss of leadership credibility.
How Maurer’s Model Helps:
Cognitive Resistance:
Provide consistent, transparent updates about what will change and what won’t.
Address rumors with fact-based communication.
Emotional Resistance:
Hold open forums where employees can express concerns without fear of judgment.
Offer career coaching and training for employees worried about role changes.
Trust Resistance:
Ensure leaders from both organizations collaborate visibly to demonstrate unity.
Follow through on promises—if leadership says no layoffs, they must commit to it.
Impact: Employees feel less anxious and more engaged, reducing turnover and improving post-merger integration.
4. Improving Employee Buy-In for Strategic Changes
Challenge: A company is launching a major restructuring, but employees resist new workflows and reporting structures.
How Maurer’s Model Helps:
Cognitive Resistance: Use visual maps and storytelling to explain how the new structure aligns with company goals.
Emotional Resistance: Let employees test the new structure in phases, giving them a sense of control.
Trust Resistance: Make senior leaders accessible for open discussions, ensuring employees feel heard and valued.
Impact: Employees engage in the restructuring process proactively, reducing confusion and frustration.
5. Enhancing Leadership Credibility & Trust
Challenge: A new CEO takes over a company with a history of broken promises and failed initiatives. Employees mistrust leadership, making it difficult to drive change.
How Maurer’s Model Helps:
Cognitive Resistance: Clearly explain why previous changes failed and outline a new approach.
Emotional Resistance: Show empathy for past frustrations and acknowledge employees’ concerns.
Trust Resistance: Build trust gradually by delivering small, meaningful wins before launching large-scale changes.
Impact: Trust in leadership improves, making future strategic initiatives more successful.
Benefits of Using Maurer’s Three Levels of Resistance Model
1. Provides a Clear Diagnostic Framework for Resistance
Instead of guessing why employees resist change, this model identifies the real barriers, allowing leaders to address the root causes effectively.
2. Prevents Change Fatigue and Burnout
By focusing on emotional safety and trust, organizations reduce stress, resistance, and burnout associated with continuous change.
3. Improves Communication & Transparency
Teams that use Maurer’s framework communicate change more clearly, reducing misinformation and confusion.
4. Increases Employee Engagement and Commitment
When leaders acknowledge concerns and involve employees in change efforts, people feel more invested in outcomes.
5. Reduces Resistance in Large-Scale Transformations
By addressing cognitive, emotional, and trust-based resistance, organizations make change more manageable and accepted.
6. Strengthens Leadership Trust and Credibility
Leaders who apply this model demonstrate empathy, consistency, and transparency, improving their long-term credibility.
7. Helps HR and Change Agents Build More Effective Strategies
Instead of forcing top-down change, HR teams can tailor interventions based on specific resistance levels.
8. Prevents Disengagement and Loss of Productivity
By proactively addressing concerns, organizations avoid the silent resistance that leads to underperformance.
9. Makes Change Management More Predictable and Measurable
With a structured approach to identifying resistance, organizations can track progress and make data-driven adjustments.
10. Works Across Industries and Organizational Cultures
Whether in corporate, healthcare, government, or nonprofits, Maurer’s model helps any organization navigate change resistance effectively.
OD Application
Case Study 1: Overcoming Resistance to Digital Transformation in a Healthcare Organization
Scenario: A large hospital system is introducing an electronic medical records (EMR) system to replace outdated paper records. However, doctors, nurses, and administrative staff resist the change due to concerns about workflow disruption, fear of technology, and past failed IT projects.
Applying Maurer’s Three Levels of Resistance Model:
Cognitive Resistance (“I Don’t GET It”)
Many staff members don’t fully understand why the hospital is switching to EMRs.
Solution: Leadership holds town halls, training sessions, and demonstrations showing how EMRs reduce errors, improve efficiency, and enhance patient care.
Emotional Resistance (“I Don’t LIKE It”)
Nurses and doctors feel overwhelmed by the steep learning curve and worry the system will slow them down.
Solution: The hospital implements a gradual rollout with peer mentors and “super users” who provide hands-on support.
Trust Resistance (“I Don’t TRUST It”)
Employees remember a previous failed IT project that caused major disruptions.
Solution: Leadership acknowledges past mistakes, ensures this rollout is different, and invites frontline staff to give feedback before final implementation.
Outcome:
80% of staff adopted the EMR system within six months.
Reported errors in patient records dropped by 30%.
The hospital avoided widespread backlash by addressing resistance at all three levels.
Case Study 2: Leading a Cultural Shift in a Technology Company
Scenario: A fast-growing software company wants to transition from a hierarchical structure to an agile, team-based model. However, middle managers resist the change, fearing it will diminish their authority and lead to job uncertainty.
Applying Maurer’s Model:
Cognitive Resistance (“I Don’t GET It”)
Managers are unclear about their role in the new agile framework.
Solution: The company provides agile coaching, showing how managers will transition to facilitators rather than decision-makers.
Emotional Resistance (“I Don’t LIKE It”)
Managers fear losing influence and feel anxious about shifting responsibilities.
Solution: Leadership allows managers to co-design the new structure, giving them input and a sense of control.
Trust Resistance (“I Don’t TRUST It”)
Some employees doubt that executives genuinely support agile practices and fear this is a short-term trend.
Solution: The leadership team demonstrates agility by working in cross-functional teams themselves, proving their commitment through actions, not just words.
Outcome:
90% of managers adopted agile principles after six months.
Employee engagement rose by 25%, as teams had more autonomy and collaboration.
Leadership trust scores increased, showing managers felt more valued in their evolving roles.
Case Study 3: Improving Change Adoption in a Non-Profit Organization
Scenario: A non-profit focused on environmental advocacy wants to expand its volunteer-driven programs but struggles with resistance from long-time volunteers who are hesitant about new digital outreach strategies.
Applying Maurer’s Model:
Cognitive Resistance (“I Don’t GET It”)
Volunteers don’t see why social media and digital tools are essential for advocacy.
Solution: The organization provides success stories of how other non-profits have used digital outreach to increase impact and donations.
Emotional Resistance (“I Don’t LIKE It”)
Long-time volunteers feel disconnected from digital tools and worry they won’t be useful in the new system.
Solution: Pair tech-savvy younger volunteers with experienced members to create a mentorship model, reducing anxiety.
Trust Resistance (“I Don’t TRUST It”)
Some volunteers think this change will reduce personal interactions, which have been central to the organization’s history.
Solution: Leadership clarifies that digital strategies will complement—not replace—face-to-face community engagement.
Outcome:
Digital outreach tripled the organization’s online engagement, helping reach 10,000+ new supporters.
Older volunteers embraced digital tools after seeing that their knowledge was still valuable.
Fundraising increased by 40% due to new online campaigns.
These case studies highlight how Maurer’s model provides a structured approach to addressing resistance, helping organizations successfully implement change without alienating employees or volunteers.
Facilitation
Step-by-Step Facilitation of Maurer’s Three Levels of Resistance Model
Facilitating change requires identifying resistance, addressing concerns, and building trust. Below is a structured facilitation guide to help leaders, consultants, and HR professionals use Maurer’s model effectively.
Step 1: Diagnosing Resistance in the Organization
Introduce the Model
Explain: “Resistance to change isn’t just about fear of something new. Maurer’s model shows that resistance comes from three main sources: lack of understanding, emotional pushback, or lack of trust.”
Provide real-world examples of each level of resistance.
Facilitated Discussion:
“Think of a recent change in your organization. What types of resistance did you notice?”
“How did employees react—were they confused, frustrated, or skeptical?”
Activity: Mapping Resistance
Give participants sticky notes or an online board.
Have them categorize resistance under:
Cognitive (“I don’t GET it”)
Emotional (“I don’t LIKE it”)
Trust-based (“I don’t TRUST it”)
Step 2: Addressing Each Type of Resistance
For Cognitive Resistance (“I Don’t GET It”):
Key Strategy: Improve communication and clarity.
Facilitator Actions:
Use simple, direct explanations instead of jargon.
Provide visuals and case studies to clarify why the change matters.
Ask: “What questions still remain?”
For Emotional Resistance (“I Don’t LIKE It”):
Key Strategy: Reduce fear and increase participation.
Facilitator Actions:
Acknowledge that change triggers emotional responses.
Involve employees in co-creating solutions.
Ask: “What do you need to feel more comfortable with this change?”
For Trust Resistance (“I Don’t TRUST It”):
Key Strategy: Build credibility through transparency and small wins.
Facilitator Actions:
Have leaders address past missteps to rebuild trust.
Demonstrate commitment by taking visible actions before asking employees to change.
Ask: “What past experiences make you skeptical? How can we rebuild trust?”
Step 3: Co-Creating Solutions with Employees
Activity: Resistance-to-Action Mapping
Break participants into groups.
Assign each group a specific resistance scenario.
Ask them to brainstorm practical strategies for addressing the resistance.
Have groups present their ideas and refine based on feedback.
Example:
Scenario: Employees resist a new hybrid work model.
Group solutions:
Cognitive: Share productivity data on hybrid success.
Emotional: Allow pilot testing before full rollout.
Trust: Leaders work remotely first to model the change.
Step 4: Action Planning & Accountability
Facilitated Commitment Discussion:
Ask: “What is one action you can take this week to reduce resistance in your organization?”
Have participants write down a concrete step and share in small groups.
Assign accountability partners to check in after a set time frame.
How to Introduce Maurer’s Model to a Client
Sample Email Introduction to a Client
Subject: Preparing for Change – Understanding Resistance and Solutions
Dear [Client’s Name],
In our upcoming session, we’ll explore why people resist change and how to overcome those challenges. Using Maurer’s Three Levels of Resistance, we’ll identify real barriers in your organization and develop practical strategies to increase engagement and buy-in.
Before our session, consider:
What past changes have been met with resistance?
What behaviors did employees exhibit—confusion, frustration, or skepticism?
What leadership actions helped (or hurt) the change process?
This will help us make the session highly relevant to your needs. Looking forward to the discussion!
Best, [Your Name]
Facilitator’s Talking Points for an Introductory Session
“Resistance is not the enemy of change—it’s a signal that people need better support, clarity, or trust.”
“Change efforts fail when leaders push harder instead of diagnosing the real reasons for resistance.”
“People are more likely to accept change when they understand it, feel safe, and trust leadership.”
Ten Deep-Dive Questions to Drive Meaningful Conversations
What type of resistance is most common in your organization—cognitive, emotional, or trust-based?
How does leadership currently respond to resistance? Does it reduce or increase pushback?
Can you recall a time when a change effort failed? What level(s) of resistance were present?
How do past failed initiatives shape current attitudes toward change?
What role does psychological safety play in whether employees accept or reject change?
How can organizations communicate change without overwhelming employees?
What are the biggest fears employees express when facing change?
How can leaders proactively build trust before launching a major change?
When employees resist change, what signals show whether it’s about understanding, emotions, or trust?
How can small, early wins reduce long-term resistance?
Addressing Common Concerns About Maurer’s Model
1. “What if resistance is just stubbornness?”
Resistance is not about defiance—it’s a response to uncertainty, fear, or past experiences. Identify the root cause before labeling it as “stubbornness.”
2. “Can’t we just push through resistance?”
Forcing change without addressing concerns leads to hidden resistance, decreased morale, and potential failure.
3. “Is this model only for large-scale change?”
No. It applies to any type of change—from shifting team structures to implementing new policies.
4. “What if leadership doesn’t trust employees enough to involve them?”
Change is more successful when employees are engaged. If leadership distrusts employees, resistance is likely to grow.
5. “Can resistance ever be positive?”
Yes. Resistance often signals blind spots in leadership’s approach. Engaging with it leads to better decisions and stronger buy-in.
Maurer’s model provides a structured yet flexible approach to managing resistance, ensuring that change efforts are more successful, sustainable, and engaging.