When it comes to change management in an ERP implementation, resistance is often misunderstood.
Company owners or business leaders most likely picture vocal pushback. They think of that employee who challenges a decision in a meeting. Or the team that refuses to adopt a new tool. Maybe even the stakeholder who digs in their heels over a process shift.
In reality, most resistance isn’t loud, and it doesn’t show up in direct conflict. It shows up in hesitant pauses during meetings, the ideas that never make it past the draft stage, and the solution bias that keeps people clinging to what they already know. Ignoring these signals during times of organisational change, like a big ERP implementation, can be costly.
As business owners and leaders, we like to think our odds of success are higher than they really are. Half of new businesses fold within five years. Leaders often overestimate their chances because they only see the visible winners (like Amazon & Apple) and forget the 90% that never made it.
Change initiatives have similarly high failure rates. In any ERP implementation, it’s tempting to assume adoption will follow naturally once the system is in place. The reality is that resistance, especially the quiet kind, can put timelines, budgets and ROI at risk.
Three ways to listen beyond words in ERP projects
1. Actively surface the silent evidence
Instead of focusing only on successes, ask different questions: What didn’t we try? What didn’t work? What are we not talking about? In ERP transformations, this can uncover hidden concerns about processes, integrations or workloads that might otherwise be ignored.
2. Pay attention to unspoken signals
Hesitations, changes in tone, or a shift in body language can reveal doubts that employees don’t feel safe voicing directly. During ERP training sessions or workshops, watch for these cues, as they’re often the first signs of resistance that could slow down adoption.
3. Create safe spaces for honest voices
Employees will only share concerns if they believe it’s safe to do so. Change management works best when psychological safety is built into the process. Encourage honesty, reward constructive feedback and make it clear that raising issues is part of improving the ERP project, and not a risk to someone’s role.
Change management is as much about listening as leading
ERP implementations are every bit people projects as they are technology projects. If you only pay attention to the people who speak the loudest, you’ll miss the signals that matter most.
Successful change leaders know that silence is information. And the sooner you start listening to it, the stronger your chances of navigating change with your people on your side.