Sabotage and self-sabotage in business are topics that every consultant encounters sooner or later in their practice. In small and medium-sized businesses, with which I usually work, sabotage manifests more subtly. It’s not overt resistance to changes but rather small actions that slow down the implementation of new solutions or sometimes even derail them.

One of the most frequent sources of sabotage comes from a company’s employees. People, whether they are staff or middle managers, often resist change, even when they acknowledge its necessity. Why does this happen? The answer lies partly in psychology: people strive for stability, especially in uncertain conditions. Change is associated with risk, and risk triggers fear. This fear may not always be conscious. People often don’t fully understand what the changes will bring, what benefits they will receive, and they are prepared to sabotage the changes ahead of time. This passive resistance can take the form of delaying deadlines, underperformance, or refusal to adopt new methods and technologies.

But the most interesting issue here is self-sabotage. This is where business owners or founders come into play. I encounter this in almost every project. On one hand, they understand that change is necessary for the company to grow or adapt to new conditions. But on the other hand, they fear responsibility for potential mistakes. Change, for them, is not just about innovations in company operations—it’s a risk to their reputation, client relationships, and even the business itself. Therefore, they start slowing down the process of implementing changes. This manifests as indecisiveness, delaying important decisions, and sometimes even unjustified criticism of the proposed changes.

Interestingly, this self-sabotage is often unconscious. Founders may sincerely want changes and believe in their necessity, but deep down, they doubt and fear failure. At times like these, it’s crucial to have open and honest conversations with them. I often discuss with founders their fears, trying to bring to the surface those deep-seated beliefs that prevent them from fully trusting the process and the consultant.

An example from my practice: in one project, the business owner was fully on board with the need to implement a new CRM system to increase sales. We conducted an analysis, selected the right platform, and trained the staff. But every time it came to signing the contract with the provider, he would start finding flaws in the system, asking new questions, and postponing the decision. This was a classic example of self-sabotage. Eventually, after several meetings, we discussed his fears—it turned out he was worried that the new system would alienate his long-term clients. We developed a plan for a gradual implementation, and the changes were successfully carried out.

Similar examples can be found in almost any project. According to studies, about 70% of business changes fail primarily due to human resistance. People don’t like change, especially in areas like sales, where significant amounts of money are at stake. This is confirmed by a McKinsey report stating that the main reason for failure in transformational projects is not technology or strategy but the human factor—fear of change and uncertainty about the future.So, what can be done? It’s important to understand that any effective change requires trust—trust in oneself, one’s employees, and, of course, the consultants who help the business grow. Change is always accompanied by risk, but without risk, there can be no progress. Any successful business decision, whether it’s process optimization or the implementation of a new sales strategy, requires belief in the future and confidence that changes will bring long-term benefits.

So, let’s trust our experience, trust our consultants, and move forward through change. Only by doing this can we achieve real results and build a successful business in an ever-changing reality.