This is the first part of a three-part series on the “six layers of resistance.” It’s based on the work of Eliyahu Goldratt, who has now passed away. Goldratt was the originator of a body of work known as the “theory of constraints.” His bestselling novel, The Goal (North River Press, 2014 reprint), should be essential reading for anyone in business, not just manufacturing.

The technical aspects of change within an organization are often rather simple. The complicating factors and the drivers behind failures usually can be traced back to a failure to adequately work with people to overcome in each of them the six layers of resistance. Whenever we’re faced with a change, we all work through these six layers, starting at layer 0 and—if the change is to be succeed—moving up to layer 5. When people remain at a middle level of this process, they resist the change that is being developed and can cause the program or project to flounder.

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