Lead the People #160: Stop Fighting Resistance and Start Learning From It (feat. Dr. Jeffrey Yip)
Dr. Jeffrey Yip is a business school professor at Simon Fraser University and a leadership scholar known for his Listen and Build approach to leading change. Through his work with executive leaders and organizations, Jeffrey helps people rethink resistance, not as something to push through, but as a signal that something meaningful is happening beneath the surface. In this episode, he explores how resistance shows up in the nervous system when change feels threatening, and why anxiety and exhaustion are at the heart of so much organizational pushback. Drawing on real-world leadership examples, he introduces the concept of “pain storming” and shows how listening first creates clarity, trust, and momentum. With a grounded and human-centered perspective, Jeffrey offers leaders a practical way to navigate change by understanding people before trying to move them.
Key Takeaways:
-
Resistance is a signal, not a flaw, it shows where something feels unsafe or unresolved.
-
Change feels hardest when it threatens security, competence, or control.
-
Listening first helps leaders move faster with less friction.
-
Real progress starts by understanding the problem before jumping to solutions.
-
Effective change comes from leading people, not just managing process.
From Our Sponsor:
The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI, including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels, across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com.
Additional Resources:
Jeffrey Yip, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yipjeffrey/ Check out Listening Works: https://www.listeningworks.ca/ Take a look at Jeffrey’s blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/blog/listen-and-build
Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/
Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube! https://youtube.com/@thepredictiveindex?si=zyj8aS18Z_1HMrVp
Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all
Learn more about PeopleForward Network: http://www.peopleforwardnetwork.com/