Resistance is a natural reaction to change.  Being able to identify the signs will help you as a leader navigate your staff toward your end goal.

 
More than 50% of all changes in organizations fail.
That's a pretty bold but true statement.  The primary reason for these failures is employee (and sometimes ownership’s) resistance to change. How owners and managers handle resistance (employees and theirs) can create the difference between success and failure.
 
The first step to dealing with resistance is being able to recognize it.  Here are eight signs to keep an eye out for:
 
Confusion
This is a way of keeping unpleasant news from disturbing the status quo. "If I don't understand it, it can't hurt me."
 
Immediate criticism.
Groucho Marx once sang, "Whatever it is -- I'm against it."
 
Even before people know the details, they object. It is almost as if they have created a shield to protect themselves. In their view, the best defense is a quick offense.
 
Denial
This is another way for people to protect themselves from things they don't want to see or hear. "I don't see a problem; therefore, it doesn't exist."
 
Malicious compliance
People smile and appear to go along with the decision (without actually doing so). It is a way for employees to keep on doing what they believe is important, while placating their supervisors.
 
Sabotage
Employee's not-so-subtle way of stopping change.
 
Easy agreement
Meaning that employees go along without much criticism. In this form of resistance, the employees truly do like the idea -- it's just that they simply haven't taken time to digest the implications.
 
Silence
It is always difficult to interpret silence, but sometimes it may be the only response people feel safe to use.
 
In-your-face criticism
This is what we think of when we think about resistance.
 
As you can see, there many other, far more subtle forms of resistance than simple in-your-face yammering. But one thing is clear: People seldom resist just to make your life miserable.  It is important to remember that people resist new ideas to protect themselves. They may be overwhelmed or fear the consequences or risk associated with the change.  Spotting resistance early gives you time to consider options that could transform opposition to change into outright support for it.