Is Your Team Struggling with Change, or Just Low on Capacity?

Change is inevitable, prepare everyone for a smooth transition.

Leveraging Change to Improve Productivity

Most leaders assume resistance to change is a mindset issue. But in reality, it’s often a capacity issue.

When your team seems slow to adapt, hesitant to move forward, or stuck in analysis mode, it doesn’t always mean they’re unwilling. It might mean they’re operating near their limits, with little capacity left to take on something new.

Change Looks Different at Different Capacity Levels

You’ve likely seen this play out:

• Some team members lean in when change is introduced, they ask smart questions, stay engaged, and offer solutions.

• Others appear to stall, they get quiet, resist updates, or focus on why it won’t work.

Neither reaction is wrong, but both are clues.

What you’re seeing is each person’s current capacity for change. And if you misread it as attitude, you might miss your chance to lead it well.

A Leadership Lens That Helps You Lead Through Change

One of the best things you can do as a leader is to observe without judgment and ask:

• Does this person have room to absorb and act on new expectations?

• Are they showing signs of overload, not opposition?

• How can I meet them where they are, and help them step forward?

Understanding this distinction makes you a better communicator, a more effective strategist, and a trusted leader during transitions.

It’s important to note: Change management is not the same as change capacity. Change management is the process for implementing change. Change capacity is your team’s ability to absorb, adapt, and perform as that change unfolds.

In Chapter 6 of my book, Capacity: The New Advantage, I break down how to identify and strengthen change capacity, so you can lead your team more effectively through disruption, growth, and innovation. Grab Capacity: The New Advantage to support you shift efforts.