In emergencies, people often freeze. This is particularly the case when something happens in public. Individuals are less likely to act if others are present. When people look around and see no one moving they don’t want to be the first to act.
The Bystander Effect
Psychologists call this the bystander effect. One reason for this effect is the diffusion of responsibility. This is the assumption that someone else will take action, so no one individual steps up.
A second reason that is more relevant to organizational change is pluralistic ignorance. This is when bystanders check the reactions of others to interpret the situation. If no-one is acting, individuals assume that nothing is wrong, leading to collective inaction.
Subjective Norms
When a new transformation initiative is announced, many people may privately think, “This strategy makes sense.” What happens in the first few meetings after the announcement matters.
If no influential person publicly commits to joining the initiative, everyone will wait. Not because they disagree. But because they are reading the room.
This is the role of subjective norms in organizational change. Research by Icek Ajzen shows that behavior is shaped not just by personal belief, but by perceived social approval. We act when something feels legitimate and socially safe.
If no respected peer leans into the transformation initiative, participation feels risky. Supporting the initiative too early might look naïve. So people become bystanders.
They are not resisting the change. They are waiting for the right social signals.
Your Move
Most transformations stall not because of opposition. But because too many people are standing around, waiting for someone else to go first. To create momentum, leaders need to enable someone credible to move first and then visibly reward them for doing so. Once participation feels safe, others will follow.