Facing pushback at work isn't easy. We've all been there.
Maybe your boss shuts down your ideas before you’ve had the chance to explain them. Or a key stakeholder resists your proposal, despite clear evidence it's a winning approach. Or you keep running into “that won’t work here” rebuttals without any real discussion.
When met with resistance, it's easy to either retreat, fearing conflict, or push harder, creating unnecessary tension. But neither response leads to real influence.
Overcoming pushback isn’t about overpowering the other person. It’s about shifting their perspective, finding alignment, and earning their support.
It’s also a skill that separates those who struggle to get buy-in from those who consistently move their ideas forward, especially with the support of their leadership team.
Let’s break down together how to turn resistance into winning buy-in. Here's how.
Key mistakes when facing pushback
Even the best ideas get pushback. The way you handle resistance determines whether you gain momentum or lose credibility.
Avoid these 5 pitfalls that make overcoming pushback harder than it needs to be:
→ Getting defensive: When someone challenges your idea, it’s easy to feel like you need to fight back. But reacting defensively only fuels their resistance further, creating more friction and making it harder to gain their alignment.
→ Pushing too hard, too fast: If you try to bulldoze past objections without addressing concerns, you trigger resistance while assuming things of the other person. People need to feel heard before they’re willing to consider your perspective.
→ Lack of preparation: Walking into a high-stakes conversations without anticipating objections is a recipe for failure. If you can’t address concerns confidently, others may question your know-how and credibility.
→ Ignoring their priorities: If your argument focuses only on what’s important to you without considering what matters to them (i.e. relevant KPIs they're focused on), you’ll struggle to gain traction. Alignment comes from connecting your ideas to their needs.
→ Waiting for permission: You may hesitate to re-engage after initial pushback, assuming that "no" is final. But winning support often requires persistence, finding the right compromise and coming to a win-win solution the right way.
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[Check out my free LinkedIn Learning nano-course Nano Tips for Handling Difficult Work Situations]
3 ways to transform pushback into winning support
1/ Reframe objections as opportunities
Pushback does not mean rejection. It’s often an invitation to refine your argument. When someone resists an idea, they’re simply signalling a concern that, if addressed properly, could turn them into your advocate.
Here's a few easy, action steps to reframe objections:
→ Stay curious: Instead of reacting to pushback, ask open-ended questions like, “Can you share what concerns you most about this approach?” or “What would need to change for this to work for you?”. This approach shows empathy and demonstrates your effort to understand their viewpoint better.
→ Acknowledge their perspective: People are more open to listening when they feel heard. Follow up with statements like, “I see where you’re coming from. If I were in your position, I might have the same concern.”
→ Turn the concern into a conversation: Instead of dismissing their concern or hesitation with statements like, “That’s not an issue", use statements like, “That’s a fair point. Let’s explore how we can adjust this to make it work.” You may also need to provide additional context as to why your approach or recommendation is viable despite their concern. This could require new data points or substantiation to gain their full support.
Now, let's role play a situation together.​
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Let's say your manager resists your recommendation saying, “I don’t think we have the resources for this.”
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❌ Wrong response: “We just have to find a way.”
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✅ Better response: “I appreciate you sharing that and have closely reviewed the resource allocation for this already. Which resources do you feel are the biggest constraint here? If I'm able to propose a solution for that, would I have your full support on this initiative?"
2/ Align your message with what matters to them
People support ideas that serve their interests. If you can connect your proposal to their goals, you make it easier for them to say yes. Follow these 3 steps.
→ Identify their top priorities: What are they measured on? What pressures are they facing? What hot topics are most top of mind for them right now? Tailor your arguments to show how your idea helps them win. This is how you build collaborative objectives where there's a clear benefit for both sides.
→ Use “because” statements: Many studies show that people are more likely to agree when you justify your request instead of simply stating it. So instead of, “We should implement this strategy”, adjust it to something like, “We should implement this because it will save us 4 hours per week and improve team efficiency.” See the difference?
→ Tie your idea to shared goals: Instead of “I think we should test this approach”, use statements like, “Since our common goal is to improve customer retention, this approach could help us achieve that.”
Let's role play another situation together.
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This time, you propose a new process, but your leadership team pushes back saying, “We don’t have time to change this now.”
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Your response could be, “I completely understand the timing concern. In fact, this was a primary criteria I used in coming to this recommendation. Since efficiency is a key priority, I’d love to explore how this approach will actually save us time in the long run.”
[Check out my newsletter on How to communicate through conflict]
3/ Use strategic persistence
One “no” isn’t always final. Many ideas face initial resistance before gaining traction, especially if this is being discussed with your senior leaders. Remember, it's their job to challenge back and ensure you're making the most informed decisions together. The key is to persist thoughtfully without being pushy.
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→ Space out your follow-ups: Don’t repeat the same argument immediately. Let time and context shift the conversation.
→ Bring new information: Revisit the discussion with data, examples, or fresh insights that reinforce your business case. This is also a good opportunity to show you practiced active listening by addressing the right concerns.
→ Loop in key allies: If others support your idea, leverage their perspectives to strengthen your argument. This is particularly helpful if your recommendations require involvement from other departments.
For example, if you pitched a new initiative, and leadership wasn’t convinced, you can:
âś… Gather success stories from other teams who implemented similar initiatives.
âś… Highlight a new challenge that makes your idea more relevant now.
âś… Find an executive sponsor who shares your perspective.
Then, when you bring it up again, you can frame it as follows:
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​"I know we discussed this in our last meeting. Since then, we’ve seen our operations department implement this successfully with our B2B marketing teams. Given our current challenges, I believe this would be worth revisiting again."
By approaching pushback as part of the process, and not the end of the conversation, you increase your chances of winning support.
How will you handle pushback from now on?
Resistance is part of influencing change. The key isn’t to avoid it, but to navigate it strategically. By reframing objections, aligning your message with others' priorities, and persisting thoughtfully, you transform pushback from a roadblock into a stepping stone.
You've got this!
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This week’s mission is designed to help you overcome pushback with confidence. Set aside time to reflect and apply these steps so you can refine how you navigate objections and gain support for your ideas, without frustration or hesitation.
1/ Reframe pushback as an opportunity
- Before your next conversation, write down 1 objection you anticipate and reframe it as a chance to clarify and strengthen your message.
- Instead of reacting defensively, ask, “What’s is your biggest concern here?” and follow up with, “What would need to change for this to work for you?”
2/ Align your message
- Before pitching an idea, connect it to a goal or priority that matters to your audience using: “Since we’re focused on X, this approach will help by doing Y.”
- Eliminate vague justifications and replace statements like, “I think this could help” with something like, “This will improve X by Y%.”
3/ Respond to resistance with confidence:
- Write down 3 common objections you face and craft responses that (1) acknowledge the concern, (2) provide context, and (3) reinforce alignment with shared goals.
- In your next tough conversation, pause before responding. Instead of immediately defending your point, say “I see where you’re coming from so let’s explore how we can make this work.”
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