System for Unfollowed Systems (SFUS)

I know what you’re thinking … This is all well and great, Dave, but you still haven’t addressed the elephant in the room! What do we do with existing team members who just won’t get on board?

You’ve created the right environment and given team members every opportunity to jump on board but they’re still resisting change. You know the ones I’m talking about. They’ve seen the systems. They’ve had the training. They understand the expectations. Yet they still insist on doing things “their way”.

The challenge here is this resistance rarely announces itself openly. You won’t hear someone declare, “I don’t want to do this.” Instead, it manifests in a thousand small acts of non-compliance, each with its own justification:

• “I’ve been doing this job for 15 years – I know what works best.”
• “This new way takes longer.”
• “I don’t have the time.”
• “I’ll get around to it when things slow down.”
• “The old way works just fine.”
• “I tried it once and it didn’t work for me.”

But make no mistake, while these excuses might sound different, they all amount to the same thing. “I don’t want to do this, I’m not going to make it a priority, and I’ll keep doing things my way.”

It’s normal to encounter scepticism in the early days. But if months down the line some people are still stubbornly resistant, or make efforts to derail the program, they’re engaging in a posture I call “persistent resistance”. This is where many businesses get stuck. They keep accepting excuses, having “one more conversation”, hoping something will finally click. Meanwhile, other team members notice. They see there are no real consequences for ignoring systems, and gradually, your systems culture starts to erode.

When you’ve worked with someone for years, when they’re good at other aspects of their role, it’s natural to keep hoping they’ll come around. But here’s what I’ve learned from working with hundreds of businesses. “Hope” isn’t a strategy. You need a system.

Taking responsibility¶

Before we get into the system, I first want to establish that tackling these individuals is not your personal responsibility. This duty lies primarily with the person’s manager. You can liaise with a manager and put systems in place around this area, but when it comes to directly addressing problematic behaviour and disciplinary action, this is outside of your authority. And this holds true even if a manager turns out to be a system’s roadblock — in such a case, it’s senior management or the business owner who needs to address the problem. Remember, you’re the systems architect, not the systems police.

The 4 C’s of resistance evaluation¶

Once you’ve eliminated the “I didn’t know how” and “I didn’t know it was my job” excuses, you’re left with the big one: “I don’t want to.” To help navigate these waters, I’ve developed a framework that takes the emotion out of the equation. Work through each of these systematically.

• Conduct: How is the resistance showing up? There’s a world of difference between someone who occasionally slips back into old habits and someone who’s actively undermining your initiative. When one person’s resistance starts infecting others, that’s a red flag that needs immediate attention.
• Coaching: Have you done enough? Take an honest look at the support provided. Has the “why” been properly explained? Have you offered adequate training? Has there been a clear performance management conversation? Sometimes what looks like resistance is actually a cry for better coaching.
• Commitment: Are they willing to change? Look for signs of effort, even small ones. Is the person asking questions? Making attempts to adapt? Or are they inflexibly dismissive of all systems initiatives? Their level of commitment is often the best predictor of future success.
• Cost: What’s the impact on the business? Are there measurable losses from their resistance? Is it causing double work, mistakes or lower productivity? Is your systems culture being undermined? The cost isn’t just about dollars — it’s about the toll on team morale and your overall transformation.

The four-step SFUS¶

Once you’ve worked through the 4 C’s and determined there’s a genuine case of persistent resistance, here’s my four-step system that takes the emotion out of these situations and ensures fair, consistent handling.

Step 1: The coaching phase¶

Start by sitting down with the team member one-on-one. Your goal isn’t to reprimand but to understand and collaborate. Have an open discussion about why they’re finding it challenging to follow the systems. Sometimes, resistance turns into valuable feedback about processes that could be improved. Create opportunities for them to be part of the solution. Document these conversations and any agreements made. Unless there’s active damage being done, give this phase adequate time to work.

Step 2: The performance improvement plan¶

If coaching isn’t creating the change, it’s time to formalise the process — not to escalate to punishment, but to provide crystal-clear structure. The manager should create a detailed performance improvement plan outlining exactly which systems need to be followed, how adherence will be measured and what success looks like. Be specific: instead of “better system compliance”, say “following the customer onboarding checklist 100 percent of the time”. Set a reasonable timeframe (I usually recommend 30 days) with regular check-ins. Document everything.

Step 3: The formal warning¶

When a performance improvement plan hasn’t achieved the needed results, work with HR or senior management to issue a formal written warning. This document needs to spell out three things with crystal clarity: the specific systems not being followed, the impact this is having on the business and the concrete consequences of continued non-compliance. I’ve found that some team members have their “wake-up call” moment here.

Step 4: The final decision¶

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you’ll reach the point where a final decision must be made. This isn’t a failure but a necessary step in protecting the culture you’re building. Think of it like pruning a garden: sometimes removing one resistant element allows everything else to thrive. Before making this decision, conduct a thorough review of all documentation, verify you’ve provided every opportunity for improvement and met all legal and HR requirements. Sometimes, keeping someone who consistently undermines your systems can do more damage to morale than making the tough decision to part ways.