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Last updated on Mar 11, 2025
  1. All
  2. Healthcare
  3. Motivational Interviewing

Your team member is resisting change in meetings. Can motivational interviewing turn the tide?

Resistance to change in meetings can be tough, but motivational interviewing might just be the key to turning things around.

When a team member resists change in meetings, motivational interviewing (MI) can be an effective way to encourage openness. MI is a collaborative conversation style aimed at strengthening a person’s motivation and commitment to change. Here's how to use MI to address resistance:

  • Ask open-ended questions: Encourage your team member to share their thoughts and feelings about the change.

  • Reflective listening: Show you understand their perspective by paraphrasing their concerns.

  • Affirm their feelings: Validate their emotions to build trust and rapport.

What strategies have you found effective for managing resistance to change?

Motivational Interviewing Motivational Interviewing

Motivational Interviewing

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Last updated on Mar 11, 2025
  1. All
  2. Healthcare
  3. Motivational Interviewing

Your team member is resisting change in meetings. Can motivational interviewing turn the tide?

Resistance to change in meetings can be tough, but motivational interviewing might just be the key to turning things around.

When a team member resists change in meetings, motivational interviewing (MI) can be an effective way to encourage openness. MI is a collaborative conversation style aimed at strengthening a person’s motivation and commitment to change. Here's how to use MI to address resistance:

  • Ask open-ended questions: Encourage your team member to share their thoughts and feelings about the change.

  • Reflective listening: Show you understand their perspective by paraphrasing their concerns.

  • Affirm their feelings: Validate their emotions to build trust and rapport.

What strategies have you found effective for managing resistance to change?

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5 answers
  • Contributor profile photo
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    Dr Prasanta Kumar Padhi

    Principal @ Higher Education Govt of Odisha | PhD, HR, Writing, Author of 8 books, Academic Mentor and Writer, Creative writer, Journalism, Linkedin Top Voice Translator

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    Resistance to change in meetings can be challenging, but Motivational Interviewing (MI) helps foster openness. Asking open-ended questions allows team members to express concerns and feel heard. Reflective listening demonstrates understanding by paraphrasing their worries, making them feel valued. Affirming their feelings builds trust, showing that their emotions and perspectives matter. By creating a supportive space for dialogue, MI can turn resistance into constructive engagement. What strategies have you used to manage resistance to change? Share your experiences in the comments.

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    Said Al Jabri 🏆

    🔶 Career Coach | CV & LinkedIn Optimization | Contract, Logistics and Supply Chain Trainer | Digital Promotions via LinkedIn | +40K Network | Helping Professionals Stand Out

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    Resistance to change in meetings can feel like a roadblock, but Motivational Interviewing (MI) transforms it into an opportunity for growth. Instead of pushing against resistance, MI invites dialogue, builds trust, and fosters collaboration. 🔹 Open-ended questions create a space for team members to voice concerns, making them feel heard and respected. 🔹 Reflective listening reinforces understanding by mirroring their thoughts, showing that their perspectives truly matter. 🔹 Affirming emotions builds trust, acknowledging that every feeling and concern is valid. By shifting the conversation from conflict to connection, MI turns resistance into engagement, empowering teams to embrace change from within.

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    Shaienna Quinn

    Clinical Administrator and Therapist

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    Motivational interviewing can certainly help with those who are resistant to change. For example, if your company is making some changes that your team members may be uncomfortable with; the meeting could start with giving full details of what the changes will be, why the changes are happening, and what the desired result will be. From there, the employer could open the floor to a round table discussion to take into consideration the opinions of their team members. This will make the team members feel included in the decision and presents the opportunity for the employer to reassure their team regarding any resistance to change.

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    Danesh Garach

    Business Development Manager / recruitment /Digital Advertizeing / SEO & web Development / B2B Lead Generation /RE5 /NQF 5 in Marketing / Financial Advisor / Sales Coach / Mentor

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    In my personal and professional opinion ,being in the industry , thrown in at the age of 18. There is only one consistent factor in this industry and that's its always changing . from laws to conversational challenges. using MI to head up an immediate break trough is brilliant . this assists and personally motivates . Lets also be mindful of the new generation and persist for understanding to develop them as i noticed its not that simple to do in the beginning . keep motivating and stay humble .

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