What my knee injury taught me about organizational change
How treating resistance as information helps you achieve more than you thought possible
Last month, I accomplished something once thought impossible: my first half-marathon (21.1km). For years, a knee injury had held me back, but a simple shift in mindset made all the difference. All it took was a physiotherapist to tell me, “I believe you can already do it.”
What follows is a story about the remarkable power of mindset and its connection to dealing with resistance to organizational change.
For years, my knee injury had prevented me from running further than 5km without intense pain. Despite physiotherapy and exercises to strengthen my muscles, the issue persisted. I eventually stopped therapy and continued running, sticking to 5km to avoid aggravating the injury.
In early 2024, the desire to push beyond that limit led to one more consultation, this time with a physiotherapist specializing in working with athletes.
After some tests, she said, “I see no reason why you wouldn’t be able to run 10km.”
For years, my knee injury had prevented me from running further than 5km without intense pain. Despite physiotherapy and exercises to strengthen my muscles, the issue persisted. I eventually stopped therapy and continued running, sticking to 5km to avoid aggravating the injury.
In early 2024, the desire to push beyond that limit led to one more consultation, this time with a physiotherapist specializing in working with athletes.
After some tests, she said:
“I see no reason why you wouldn’t be able to run 10km.”
At first, I thought the physiotherapist was crazy. “But the pain at the 5km mark is real!” I argued. She calmly responded, “I know, but sometimes the mind tricks you. I suggest you run without your Apple Watch and try a new route. Do this a few times and let me know what happens.”
When I got home, I felt disappointed and disillusioned. That’s it? No special treatment? I had hoped she’d check my joints and muscles and maybe come up with some breakthrough therapy. Instead, she told me to run without a watch. How could that possibly help?!
Why it worked
The next day, I gave it a try. I left my watch at home and ran a new route. To my surprise, when I finished, I felt no pain. Assuming the distance was short, I traced the route and realized I’d run 7.5km without any discomfort. A few days later, I repeated the run — and again, no pain.
How was this possible? The physiotherapist explained what was going on.
My brain had conditioned me to expect pain whenever I neared the 5km mark. It had learned to scrutinize my knee: “Is there any pain yet?” Even the slightest discomfort was translated into, “There it is! We should stop!”
The pain system exists to protect us from injury. But sometimes, it overreacts, sending pain signals long after we’ve healed. My brain had gotten stuck in “high alert” mode, amplifying even minor signs of fatigue. However, by running without my watch and on a new route, my brain no longer had a clear marker of when I was approaching that 5km limit. It didn’t trigger the alarm bells.
This reminded me of a training session before taking an ice bath. The trainer had us place our hands in ice water and notice what happens after a minute. Almost immediately, the pain sets in, as if our body is screaming, “This could cause serious harm!” But rationally, we know that nothing harmful will happen in a short time. If we stay calm and breathe through it, the pain eventually disappears.
Pain signals are valuable — they alert us to potential danger. But the key is to treat pain as information, not an absolute truth. When it strikes, instead of reacting immediately, ask yourself, “What is my body trying to tell me? Is it really dangerous if I continue?”
So, what does this have to do with organizational change?
At Unblock, we work with leaders who are ready to make change. Change is often necessary when an organization becomes stuck in a pattern that hinders progress and threatens its long-term success. The desire to change is driven by a need to escape the vinyl record’s groove — or, in other words, reach the planet’s escape velocity to explore the next frontier.
When boundaries are pushed, it’s common to hear reactions like:
“That will never work here.”
“We’ve always done it this way.”
“We tried that before, and it didn’t work.”
”We can’t do that because of x (regulatory, budget, technology, etc.).”
These reactions are not so different from my knee pain. They are the organization’s defense system, urging you to stop because it fears harm.
As a change leader, though, you know you cannot be discouraged by these signals of “resistance.” If you are, the system won’t evolve and adapt. This is why some leaders react by pushing these ‘annoying’ signals aside.
Some may respond by explaining more forcefully, convincing people, and ensuring they “get it.” Others might rely on power, forcing compliance through job reapplications or by adjusting incentives.
Treat resistance as information
While these tactics can sometimes be necessary as a last resort, they should not be your first approach if you want to create meaningful, lasting change. Instead, I encourage you to treat resistance as valuable information. See it as data that reveals what the system is trying to communicate. Here’s how to do that:
Shift your mindset to ask: “What might we be missing? Is something unclear? Have we overlooked a concern? Did we fail to bring someone along on this journey?”
Engage in a conversation as equal adults, rather than adopting a “parent” role demanding compliance. Understand what’s behind the reaction. Invite people to share their perspectives. Ask questions and truly listen.
Acknowledge their concerns, but gently challenge the idea that the danger they perceive is real. Reassure them that you care, and they don’t need to be afraid.
Ask: “What would make it feel safe to try? What do you need to get on board?”
You can do it
While I still occasionally feel knee pain when running, especially as I near home, I no longer let these warning signals stop me.
If you’re pushing boundaries, don’t let discomfort hold you back in old patterns. But also, don’t ignore it or dismiss it. Instead, acknowledge it, give it attention, and allow it to dissolve over time.
Tell those around you: “I believe you can do this. Others have done it before. The danger isn’t real. Yes, there’s risk, but we can mitigate that. Take the first step. And then the next. Breathe through the discomfort. The world won’t end — at least not today. You’ll be fine.”
By doing this, you may achieve far more than you thought possible.
In other news
My latest book Unblock: Clear the Way for Results and Develop a Thriving Organization is now also available on Audible and Spotify.
Also, will you join me on February 20th at the Agile Strategy Meetup?
That’s it for now!
Love the point of treating resistance as information. I mirror that point in my (just started) series on Navigating Organizational Change as well.