The 4 Biases Holding You Back From Embracing Change

By Sarah Buckholtz, EO Global writer

How does change make you feel? Does it ignite excitement or send a wave of anxiety crashing over you?

For many, the prospect of change feels daunting, like standing at the edge of dark water. But for Daphne Leger, change is not just a challenge but also an opportunity for growth and innovation.

As a change addict turned adaptability expert, Daphne Leger, a Harvard Business School alum and keynote speaker, has dedicated her career to helping entrepreneurs and executives master adaptability.

At a recent global staff meeting for EO’s international team, I had the privilege of hearing her share her journey. Her enthusiastic delivery, testimony, and profound insights captivated the audience as she revealed how she transformed her relationship with change, learning to embrace it rather than fear it.

Leger’s evolution from a shy child to a thought leader in adaptability shows her unique ability to thrive amid uncertainty. While there were many valuable insights from her talk, one truly stood out: the key skill for future-proofing ourselves is what she calls “changeability.”

Changeability — the capacity to drive and embrace change as a path to a better future.

In a world that demands flexibility and resilience, embracing change is no longer optional; it is essential for entrepreneurial success and growth. Your ability to pivot and evolve will define whether your business survives—or thrives—in the future.

The Era of Exponential Change

Building on this foundation, Leger argues that we are living in an era defined by exponential change. For example, AI automates processes reshaping customer interactions, remote work is redefining team management and collaboration, and e-commerce is pushing businesses to rethink sales and customer engagement strategies.

The speed of these changes means that entrepreneurs must stay flexible and ready to evolve because the only constant is change itself. Or as Leger wisely put it, “The waves of change are coming harder, bigger, and faster than ever before.”

Entrepreneurs are no strangers to stepping outside of comfort zones and rethinking strategies; it is how they stay ahead. But leading teams through this process is a different challenge. Navigating change can feel disruptive or even harmful to employee morale.

This raises an important question: If change is the key to growth and evolution, why do we struggle to embrace it? And more importantly, how can we, as leaders, help our teams adapt smoothly?

The Brain’s Resistance to Change

The answer, according to Leger, lies in our biology. Our brains are hardwired to seek predictability and routine, often interpreting change as a potential threat.

This natural resistance is like an emotional immune system, designed to protect us from uncertainty by keeping us anchored in familiar territory. However, in a world where adaptability is the key to thriving, this instinct can hold us back.

Recognizing this challenge, Leger emphasizes that recognizing and understanding this resistance is crucial for entrepreneurs. Our biases—the mental shortcuts our brains take—can often sabotage our ability to adapt, keeping us tied to outdated beliefs and practices.

Therefore, to harness the power of changeability, we must first acknowledge what she describes as the four most common biases that can hinder our ability to embrace change:

1. Anchoring Bias

Our perception of a situation is often shaped by the first piece of information we receive.

This mental anchor can limit our ability to see new possibilities. For instance, if you hear that a competitor’s new product is not selling well, you might overlook a potentially lucrative opportunity simply because you are anchored to that initial negative information.

Actionable Insight: Challenge first impressions. Recognize that initial information can skew your perspective and keep you from seeing valuable opportunities.

2. Availability Bias

We tend to rely on recent or easily accessible information—often negative—to make decisions.

This can skew our perception of risks associated with change. When faced with change, this reliance can severely impact our risk assessment, causing us to avoid new opportunities based on fear rather than fact.

Actionable Insight: Seek diverse information. Avoid relying solely on recent or easily accessible data. Broaden your perspective to make more informed decisions about change.

3. Confirmation Bias

Our tendency to seek out information that supports our existing beliefs can limit our ability to see the positive potential in change.

This creates a narrow focus that prevents us from recognizing alternative strategies. If we believe our current strategy is the best, we may ignore evidence suggesting otherwise, stunting growth and innovation.

Actionable Insight: Stay open-minded.  Seek differing viewpoints and evidence that contradicts your beliefs to foster growth and innovation.

4. Loss Aversion Bias

The fear of losing something often outweighs the desire to gain something of equal or greater value.

This makes us hesitant to embrace change. Loss aversion bias can make us overestimate potential losses while underestimating potential gains, particularly during periods of change. In the eyes of an entrepreneur, this bias can keep them from pursuing new ventures that could lead to significant rewards.

Actionable Insight: Focus on potential gains. Instead of dwelling on what you might lose, shift your mindset to consider the opportunities and rewards that change can bring.

Counteracting the Biases

To overcome these biases, Leger offers a refreshing approach: Recalibrate your mental equation of losses versus gains. By focusing on fact versus interpretation, entrepreneurs can better navigate the tumultuous waters of change.

When, as leaders, we are driving change with our teams, active listening and empathy play crucial roles in understanding their initial reactions to change so that we can then shift them.

Encouraging a culture of open dialogue can help dismantle these biases. When team members feel safe sharing their concerns and insights, it creates a more adaptable and resilient organization.

Recognizing our biases is not about eliminating them but learning how they shape our decisions as leaders. By addressing the biases that hold us back, we open the door to new opportunities—to grow, innovate, and help our teams thrive.