Skepticism Toward Change Is a Signal for “Reversible Management”
When pushing forward with organizational change, you almost always hear voices of “skepticism” and “hesitation.” “Is this really necessary?” “Isn’t the current way fine?” As a business leader, you may have felt frustrated by such reactions.
However, this “skepticism and hesitation” is actually a crucial signal for achieving “reversible management.” In a case of organizational change reported in Vietnamese news, initial skepticism and hesitation reportedly transformed over time into “consensus and support.”
This transformation process holds hints for increasing the reversibility of management decisions. Rather than dismissing resistance to change as an “obstacle,” it’s important to reframe it as a starting point for “reversible design.”
What Skepticism Reveals: The Danger of Rigidity
Skepticism and hesitation toward change often stem from the following reasons:
First, anxiety about the “rigidity” of current work processes and relationships. The fear that “if we change things, we might not be able to go back” is an instinctive alert from organizational members about the loss of reversibility.
Second, when the purpose or method of change is unclear, people feel strong stress from “not being able to reverse their judgment.” The more ambiguous the purpose of a change, the harder it becomes to backtrack, and the greater the damage if it fails.
Third, cases where the potential losses from change are not clearly evaluated. If you jump into a new system while keeping work processes and relationships that depend on “the current way” rigid, irreversible decisions pile up.
These skeptical reactions are by no means a declaration of “opposition to change.” Rather, they are a sign that the organization is seeking a “reversible design.”
Designing Reversibility to Gain “Consensus and Support”
What process lay behind the shift from skepticism and hesitation to consensus and support in the Vietnam case? I believe the following three points are key.
Set a Clear Evaluation Period
Instead of viewing change as something “you can’t go back on once decided,” it’s effective to treat it as a “temporary placement” with a set timeframe. By establishing an evaluation period in advance—such as “let’s try it for three months” or “review it after six months”—organizational members can participate in the change with the reassurance that “we can go back.”
In one small-to-medium enterprise I supported, when introducing a new sales process, we explicitly stated it would be a “three-month trial run.” As a result, even the sales staff who had initially opposed it became positive, saying “let’s give it a try,” and the process was fully adopted after seeing actual results.
Decide What to Observe in Advance
It’s important to clearly define “observation points” for judging the success or failure of change beforehand. Rather than just “whether sales go up,” set multiple indicators such as “customer satisfaction,” “employee burden,” and “changes in work hours.”
This allows for early decisions to withdraw or adjust if you realize “this might be a failure” midway through the change. Without predetermined observation points, you’ll be forced to decide whether to “continue” or “stop” based on emotions, making it easier to choose an irreversible path.
Agree on Exit Conditions in Advance
Most importantly, decide on “exit conditions” before starting the change. Agree with all stakeholders on specific conditions, such as “stop if sales decline for three consecutive months” or “review if employee dissatisfaction exceeds a certain threshold.”
With these conditions in place, skepticism about change transforms from mere “resistance” into constructive discussion about “whether the exit conditions are met.” As a result, the entire organization can share a “reversible decision.”
Management That Doesn’t Make Skepticism an Enemy
Many business leaders view skepticism and hesitation toward change as “resistance forces” and try to eliminate them. But this is a major mistake. Skepticism is evidence that the organization is seeking a “reversible design” and a valuable source of information for increasing the reversibility of management decisions.
When I myself experienced a business pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic, many skeptical voices arose within the company. “Is this direction really okay?” “Isn’t there a better way?” Honestly, I was frustrated at the time, but looking back, it was precisely that skepticism that prevented me from making reckless decisions.
Don’t make skepticism an enemy; use it as a signal for “reversible decisions.” This is the key to sustainable organizational change.
Summary: Hesitation Is an Ally of “Reversible Management”
Skepticism and hesitation toward organizational change are by no means negative. They are a sign that the organization is seeking a “reversible design” and a valuable signal for increasing the reversibility of management decisions.
When driving change, don’t forget these three points:
1. Set a clear evaluation period
2. Decide what to observe in advance
3. Agree on exit conditions beforehand
By embedding these mechanisms into your organization, skepticism and hesitation will transform into “consensus and support.” And this very process will lead your company toward “reversible management.”
To all business leaders in the midst of change: listen to the skeptical voices within your company. Hidden within them are valuable hints for protecting your company.
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