Dealing with Resistance

How often do we hear the familiar cries of frustration?

• If only I had executive support...
• If only I could get my Product Owner to...
• If only my team would...
• If only we had a true Agile culture...

But resistance is always present. And wishful thinking has a terrible track record of making it disappear. Instead of hoping for change, we must develop effective strategies to address and navigate resistance.

This session explores the roots of resistance, drawing on Daniel Kahneman’s insights into System 1 (emotional, instinctive) and System 2 (rational, analytical) thinking. Often, what appears to be logical resistance is actually emotional at its core. Understanding this distinction is key to overcoming roadblocks and fostering real change.

Beyond direct confrontation, we’ll also discuss an alternative approach—what we call "going around the rocks." Inspired by Bruce Lee’s philosophy of "being like water," this technique teaches Agile practitioners how to adapt, flow around resistance, and create momentum in transformation efforts without unnecessary friction.

Join us to learn how to turn resistance from an obstacle into an opportunity. Walk away with practical tools to engage teams, leaders, and stakeholders in meaningful Agile change.

Learning Objectives

• Understand Kahneman’s Theory of System 1 (emotional, instinctive) and System 2 (rational, analytical) thinking and how it relates to logical or emotional resistance.
• Learn techniques for navigating through resistance including the concept of going around the rocks based on Bruce Lee’s philosophy of be like water.
• Discover the evolutionary change formula: Change can happen when there is a Stressor in the system exposed through Reflection and followed up with an Act of Leadership. In short: Change = Stressor + Reflection Mechanism + Act of Leadership.
• Experience going from problem to experiment design. How to identify the pain, look for potential causes, identify actions and solutions and then weigh those against difficulty, resistance, and influence. Filter that down and start taking action.