Performance Matters Podcast

Resistance to Readiness: How Gibson Guitars Tuned Tradition into Transformation

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In this special episode, host Michael Thiel explores a story of navigating change at one of the world’s most iconic brands, tracing the path from resistance to readiness. We discover how organizations and individuals move through the discomfort of change to achieve transformation.

Joining us are Dr. Cheryl Jackson, Director of the Organizational Design and Change Management Practice at GP Strategies, and Rob Ulrich, Senior Manager of Training and Engagement at Gibson Guitars.

Dr. Jackson defines resistance in an organizational context as any pushback or opposition to a change in the environment. It can appear as skepticism, avoidance, or even outward defiance. Resistance is rarely just stubbornness; it usually stems from a fear of the unknown, uncertainty from a lack of trust, a sense of loss, or simply a desire to maintain the status quo. Change is uncomfortable, and people generally avoid discomfort.

Crucially, resistance shouldn’t be seen as purely negative. It’s a natural response to a perceived threat. If no resistance is heard during a change, it suggests a broken feedback loop, or that people don’t feel safe to raise concerns. Listening to concerns can actually be very informative and lead to better solutions, ultimately creating stronger advocates for the change once the resistance is addressed.

Navigating Change at an Iconic Brand

Rob Ulrich shares Gibson Guitars’ journey to implement “the Gibson way of building guitars,” a project focused on standardizing all ways of working. For 130 years, the company operated with a lot of tribal knowledge and social learning, which was hard to maintain when experienced employees moved on. The goal was to shift the mindset from finding new ways to get through the work to refocusing creativity on improving the standard way of doing it.

What Resistance Looked Like

Resistance at Gibson, though expected, manifested as:

  • Crossed arms and lack of engagement.
  • The belief that the change was a temporary “exercise” that would pass.

    • However, as the team shared more information, employees began raising concerns and questions, which showed they were listening and starting to get involved.

    Key concerns raised by team members included:

    • Fear the process would be too restrictive and they wouldn’t be able to make necessary, on-the-fly adjustments (especially when working with wood, which has natural variability).
    • Concern about how to capture the wide variety of Gibson models.
    • Long-tenured members resisted change because they played a major role in building the Gibson legacy.
    • A feeling that the change threatened their identity or ownership over their work.
      • Listening and Inclusion
      Change has to feel like it’s happening with people, not to them.
      Rob Ulrich

      Gibson used these questions and concerns to improve the development process and build better, sustainable tools. Rob states the most important thing they did was listening.

      Actions taken to address resistance and move to readiness included:

      • Inclusion in Development: They intentionally included more team members—both long-tenured and newer employees—in the process of developing the documentation to get their input and buy-in.
      • Sustainability Measures: Implemented processes to ensure long-term adoption, such as team-led training, certification systems, and continuous improvement loops.
      • The Voice Box: Created an internal suggestion box for team members to send suggestions for changes or improvements directly, keeping the employee voice at the heart of the process.
      • Leadership Visibility and Communication: Leaders from the front lines to the C-suite were highly visible, engaged, and involved. They followed the guidance to “communicate early and often” and discussed the changes at town halls, sent encouraging emails, and walked the processes to hear directly from team members.
        • Results and Takeaways

        These techniques worked because they provided each person with what they needed to feel heard, valued, and respected. The leadership’s visibility and reinforced, authentic communication was powerful. The approach was designed to move people through the change curve from awareness to full adoption.

        Evidence the change was effective:

        • Team members who were initially hesitant became some of the greatest supporters.
        • Leaders and team members shared excitement about the Standard Ways of Working (SWPs).
        • They experienced reduced training time and better ramp-up to production speed.
        • A team lead noted the standard now allows him to better advocate for his people.
        • A marked increase in feedback and suggestions through the voice box.

          • Rob’s biggest lesson learned was that change has to feel like it’s happening with people, not to them. This was achieved through a combination of change management and internal marketing to invite participation.

          Organizational Takeaways for Success

          Dr. Jackson offers three key takeaways for any organization to achieve similar results:

          1. Seek out feedback and uncover resistance early: Get feedback during the design of the solution, not just after implementation. If you can change the design, you start with a better solution. Don’t ignore or fear resistance.
          2. Intentionally create space for honest, open conversations: Listen with curiosity and empathy, not frustration. Encourage champions and leaders to put themselves in others’ shoes and consider what employees might perceive they are losing.
          3. Teach leaders to spot and respond to resistance the right way: Develop their emotional intelligence by building trust, active listening skills, and empathy. This gives leaders the tools they need to support their teams.

            4. Ultimately, a strong change management practice helps reduce stress on teams, making life better for employees not only at work but also at home.

            Remember: Resistance isn’t a wall, it’s a signal. And it might just be your greatest ally in the journey to success.

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            Performance Matters PodcastBy GP Strategies Corporation
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