10 Strategies to Lead New Hires Toward Insight - Not Away From You
You may not be finding the workforce you want - but with the right approach, you can build it.
Resistance and Receptivity: 10 Tips to Shift Perspectives in New Recruits
Skip the company shirt.
Q. Like many others, I’m having a hard time attracting and retaining new talent. It’s not just about skills, it’s the mindset. I’ve noticed that some Gen Z recruits show up with a strong resistance to being taught. There’s an automatic pushback, even when it comes to basic company culture or policies. Of course, a little skepticism can be healthy - but sometimes it feels like they’re more interested in challenging authority than in learning the ropes.
So here’s my real question: What’s the most effective way to bring someone along, especially when they arrive with firm beliefs that may be unrealistic or just plain wrong? How do you guide someone toward a more open, collaborative mindset without triggering defensiveness?
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| Illustration generated using DALL-E 2 |
A. Great question. It's one that science has actually explored in-depth across psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics. The answer is one we can apply here. If someone holds a mistaken belief that feels both logical and emotionally important to them, here’s what the research suggests is the most effective, science-based strategy to open the door to, well, openness.
1. Always Affirm Their Identity First
People are more open to new ideas if they don’t feel their core identity is under threat. Research from social psychology (especially self-affirmation theory) shows that if you affirm someone's self-worth or values before presenting conflicting information, they’re less likely to become defensive.
How: Say something like, “I know you care deeply about doing the right thing / being thoughtful / using logic.” This creates safety and reduces resistance.
2. Give Them Agency (Autonomy-Supportive Framing)
People with firm beliefs often respond positively to choice and negatively to control. Make them feel like the decision is theirs. This lowers their psychological reactance - the instinct to say “no” just because someone said “yes.”
How: Say, “It’s totally your call, but can I offer another way of looking at it?” or “You probably already thought of this, but I was curious what you'd think about…”, or “You might already know this, so ignore it if it's not helpful…”
3. Appeal to Identity as an Independent Thinker
Join them in their skepticism. Face it, once upon a time, you had it too. Studies have shown that Generation Z prides themselves on being discerning. Leverage that.
How: Frame it this way; “Most people just accept [the false idea], but people who think independently usually notice something off about it.”, or “I respect how you don’t just follow the crowd - so you might actually be one of the few who’d be open to this angle.”
4. Ask Questions Instead of Stating Facts
Instead of dumping facts (which often leads to what's called the backfire effect), ask curious, open-ended questions that help them discover inconsistencies on their own.
How: Ask, “How do you think this fits with [contradictory fact]?” or “What made you feel most certain about that part?”
This triggers cognitive dissonance internally but in a way that feels self-directed and non-confrontational.
5. Make the Conflict External, Not Personal
Frame the resistance as a natural reaction to being told what to think - not as a character flaw. This allows them to either be on your side, or not, and gives them space to shift without feeling controlled.
How: Share beliefs you might have in common that reflect this, like, “Honestly, I hate being told what to think too. But when I looked into this, I was surprised by what I found.”, or “I think the way this is usually explained comes off pushy - and I wouldn’t buy it either. But there’s another layer that might interest you.”
6. Use Humor or Irony to Disarm Defensiveness
Humor (especially dry or self-aware humor) is disarming and bypasses knee-jerk resistance. It also lightens the air.
How: Be honest and relatable. “This might be one of those ‘dammit, they have a point’ moments. I hate those.”, or “I was fully ready to dismiss this as garbage… turns out I had to awkwardly adjust my view instead.”
7. Use 'Motivational Interviewing' Techniques
Originally used in addiction counseling, motivational interviewing works because it helps people talk themselves through scenarios, so they'll naturally arrive at the most logical conclusion. You reflect their thoughts and gently guide them to explore any doubts they may have.
How: Use reflective listening: “It sounds like you're saying X because you value Y. Is that right?” Then gently explore tensions: “Have you ever felt like part of this view didn’t totally sit right with you?”
8. Frame New Ideas Their Way
Research in moral reframing and narrative psychology shows that people are more likely to shift if the new information aligns with their existing moral or emotional framework.
How: If someone values logic, present new information as a more logically consistent update. If they value compassion, frame it as the more humane view.
9. Avoid Overcorrecting - Leave Room for “Maybe”
The brain is wired to reject absolutes when they conflict with existing beliefs. If you give someone permission to hold uncertainty, their brain stays more open. When someone has a rebellious streak or oppositional defiance traits, traditional logic or authority-based persuasion tends to backfire. Their core drive is often autonomy—they resist because it feels like someone is trying to control or limit them. So the strategy needs to work with that psychology, not against it.
How: “This may or may not change how you see it, but I found this idea really interesting…” or “I’m still wrestling with it myself, but...”
10. Assume They're The Exception to the Rule
Give them the benefit of the doubt. Imply that they might rise above the norm, which can be motivating for someone who defines themselves as a rebel. Let's face it, they were hired because someone saw something special in them. Reminding them of that can open doors.
How: Try, “Honestly, most people just stick with what they believe even if there’s better evidence. I don’t know if that’s true for you.”, or “It’s rare that someone actually wants to consider an alternative, especially if they care about the topic.”
Let them own the shift - don't take credit for it.
Stay conversational, not preachy. And remember, it was a process for you too, once upon a time.
If you still get the sense that the individual wants to do a good job, that alone is often enough to work with.
And skip the company shirt. Blending in while being thoughtful, clear, and respectful earns more trust with resistant groups than any polished corporate identity ever could. In other words, match the room, not the org chart. For Gen Z, credibility comes not from flashing credentials or logos, but from demonstrating understanding of younger workers’ lived reality. When the audience sees someone trying to meet them where they are - literally and symbolically - it builds connection.
