Trapped in Cycles of Resistance: Diagnosing and Treating Dysfunctional Change with a Systemic and Psychodynamic Lens
Introduction
In a world where organizations are bombarded by technological change, intense competition, and unexpected crises, we often hear that “creating change” or “flexible leadership” is the key to survival. Yet, even the most capable leaders and innovative organizations sometimes deploy every tool, model, and cognitive resource available, only to find that real, lasting change remains elusive. Why?
The Hidden Map of Forces: Beyond Tools and Linear Models
Mainstream research tends to attribute failed change to execution problems, lack of technology, or rigid procedures. The truth, however, goes deeper:
Beneath the surface, a network of condensed energies and structural resistances exists within the organization, acting as an invisible wall that absorbs or repels every innovative impulse or directive for change. These energies are not just produced by managerial decisions; they are the result of collective history, previous failures, and unconscious defense mechanisms.
Case Example:
A tech company, aiming to keep up with younger startups, shifts from traditional project management to Agile. Despite staff training and investment in new tools, veiled criticisms, subtle withdrawals, and unproductive meetings persist. The root cause lies in the organization’s deeply hierarchical culture, which blocks the energy flow of autonomy and learning even before the message of change reaches employees.
Suspended Cycles and False Equilibrium: Where Change Remains Sterile
Organizations, after several rounds of superficial change and repeated resets, often enter a state of “existential suspension.” A web of suppressed feedback and unresolved energies prevents true learning and collective identity renewal. Every attempt at transformation merely shuffles the puzzle pieces—changing the facade rather than solving the underlying conflicts or giving them real meaning.
Case Example:
A major bank, facing increased credit risk, repeatedly reforms its branch structure—merging or relocating branches. Yet each time, after a short while, the old traditional relationships and inefficient practices resurface. Staff merely modify appearances to return to a “false equilibrium,” avoiding real confrontation.
The Notion of “Dead Feedback” and Blocked Integration
In such systems, warning signals, even when received, fail to become integrated into the organization’s fabric: feedback becomes ineffective and “dead.” Defensive strategies take over—relying on denial and rejection rather than learning and reconstruction. When organizational leaders repeatedly encounter failures and immovability, it is a sign of “absence of reparative capacity” within the system’s collective core.
Case Example:
A manufacturing company implements a reporting system for faults and product issues. Workers submit problems, but management files reports away, or responds with generic statements without action. As a result, the same problems recur, morale declines, and eventually no one takes feedback seriously; the system is dominated by “dead,” ineffective feedback loops.
Metaphoric and Energetic Perspectives: Tools for Diagnosing the Invisible
Here, metaphoric and systemic language—such as “convergent knots,” “temporary equilibrium,” “energy interference,” and “organizational suspension”—helps render seemingly ambiguous and dysfunctional phenomena understandable and addressable. This model heightens awareness of organizational blind spots, particularly where formal structures and policies fail to guide real transformation.
A New Strategy for Leaders: Focus on Identity Renewal and Integrative Capacity
Leaders must go beyond prescriptive, surface-level solutions and courageously explore hidden layers, identifying cycles of resistance and dead feedback. Opening channels for genuine feedback energy and prioritizing collective identity integration are the keys to breaking cycles of suspension and moving toward real transformation. This requires a shift in mindset—from linear, tool-based management to a dynamic, energetic approach.
Case Example:
After several failed product launches, a startup holds open, honest group reviews. Feedback is shared through personal and emotional stories. The team identifies their fear of mistakes and the suppression of new ideas and agrees to reshape their team identity around “learning and feedback integration,” not just short-term outcomes. Over time, innovation and satisfaction indices rise.
Conclusion
An organization that chases transformation merely through management tools and models, yet remains stuck in closed cycles of resistance, dead feedback, and suspension, will never achieve true and sustainable growth. Creating open space, embracing deep feedback, and moving toward collective identity renewal are the most crucial routes for breaking the crisis and cycles of suspension.
