The man who is swimming against
the stream knows the strength of it. —Woodrow Wilson

An important factor that influences the power required to make a change is the power required to overcome the resisting forces.

Here is a process for estimating the power of the resisting forces:
1. Identify resisting forces
2. Qualitatively assess the resisting forces (who, what, why, where, when, how)
3. Define scenarios for how the resistors might respond
4. Estimate the effort the resisting forces are willing and able to expend in each scenario
5. Determine the duration of the resistance

Calculate the resistance power in each scenario by multiplying the effort times the duration.

Once you have an assessment of the resistance power, you must decide how to handle the resistance. Three generic approaches are:
1. Through. Work through/within the constraints defined by the resisting forces.
2. Around. Work outside and around the boundaries the resistance cares about.
3. Over. Take the resistance front-on and go right over it.

Estimate the power of resistance keeping in mind that power can be thought of as:

Determine the best approach for handling the resistance: through, around, or over.
Remember the customer herself may have conflicting thoughts, such as anxieties or lack of familiarity, that provide resistance. You will need to deal systematically with each source of resistance.
Remain detached and stay off the playing field/battlefield in the organization. You may want the order, and you are the customer’s agent, but the change is not your war. It is the customer’s.

Identify all sources of resistance. Estimate the effort the resistance will expend. Do not become “involved” in the change.