How to Turn Skeptics into Champions and Ensure Seamless Digital Transformation

Overcoming Staff Resistance to New Systems in Cultural Institutions

Why Staff Push Back, And Why Leaders Should Care

Cultural institutions, museums, zoos, aquariums, and attractions are at a crossroads. Visitors expect seamless digital interactions, but the people running these institutions often resist new systems. If you’ve ever been in a staff meeting where a new tech system rollout was met with eye-rolls and sighs, you know exactly what I mean.

Here’s why this matters to senior leaders: digital transformation isn’t just about upgrading technology. It’s about shifting mindsets. A brilliant CRM, ticketing system, or online donation platform means nothing if staff don’t use it properly (or, worse, sabotage it through passive resistance).

So, let’s break down why this happens and how to fix it.

Decoding Staff Resistance to New Systems

If your team is resisting digital transformation, the problem isn’t the technology; it’s psychology. The four biggest barriers I see time and time again:

1. Fear of Change and Job Security

Let’s be honest: automation makes people nervous. If a new system streamlines donations, ticket sales, or visitor engagement, staff naturally wonder, What happens to my job?

And if leadership doesn’t proactively address this concern? You’re fueling resentment. Employees aren’t going to embrace a system they think is designed to phase them out.

2. Skepticism from Past Failures

Raise your hand if your institution has ever launched a new system that was supposed to “change everything”... only for it to fizzle out in a confusing, underutilized mess.

Yeah. That trauma sticks.

Teams remember bad rollouts, glitchy platforms, and training that felt like drinking from a firehose. If a past tech failure burned them, they’ll be wary of round two (or three).

3. Training That Feels Like Another Full-Time Job

Most cultural institutions run lean. Staff are already stretched, juggling visitor experience, fundraising, or operations. Now add a new system on top of that workload, and suddenly, training feels like just another task to survive, not something to master.

Without dedicated time and support, even the best-intentioned employees will fall back on old habits.

4. Poor Communication from Leadership

Here’s an uncomfortable truth: many digital transformations fail because leadership assumes enthusiasm will trickle down. Spoiler: it doesn’t.

If the “why” behind new tech isn’t crystal clear, both institutionally (this will help us engage audiences better!) and individually (this will make your job easier!), staff won’t buy in. And if they feel blindsided without input? You’re guaranteeing resistance.

How to Turn Skeptics Into Champions

Alright, enough pointing out the problems. Let’s talk about solutions.

Turning skeptics into champions isn’t about forcing compliance, it’s about creating genuine belief in the new system. Here’s how.

1. Involve Staff Before the Decision-Making

If employees feel like a new system is being done to them rather than done with them, resistance is guaranteed. Instead:

• Hold listening sessions before choosing new tech.

• Invite team members from cross-functional teams to be a part of the evaluation process.

• Ask for honest feedback (like, really honest, not just what you want to hear).

When employees help shape decisions, they take ownership. And people support what they help create.

2. Translate the "Why", Not Just the "What"

If the only explanation for new tech is "We need to modernize," expect yawns. Instead, connect it to mission and personal benefits:

• “This new CRM will eliminate manual data entry so you can focus more on donor relationships.”

• “With this digital ticketing system, you’ll spend less time troubleshooting transactions and more time engaging visitors.”

Make the personal impact evident, and you’ll find fewer skeptics in the room.

3. Prioritize Hands-On, Practical Training

Dumping a user manual and calling it training? Nope.

Instead:

• Hold live, small-group workshops.

• Assign peer mentors, staff who “get it” to support colleagues.

• Schedule staggered rollouts so people aren’t overwhelmed.

And most importantly, build in actual time for training. Asking overworked staff to learn new tech “when they have a minute” ensures they’ll never learn it at all.

4. Appoint Internal Champions

The best advocates for change aren’t executives, they’re respected peers. Find employees who are naturally curious, trusted, and enthusiastic. These don’t need to be the “tech-iest” staff members, just people who:

• Have strong relationships across teams.

• Are open to problem-solving and experimentation.

• Can translate leadership’s vision into day-to-day benefits.

Give these champions extra training and visibility, and watch adoption soar.

5. Create a Culture Where Mistakes Are Okay

One of the biggest reasons employees resist new tech? They’re afraid of messing up. Fix this by normalizing the learning curve. Acknowledge upfront: “Hey, the first few weeks will be bumpy. That’s okay. Here’s how we’ll support you…”

When people know missteps won’t lead to blame, they experiment more freely, and get comfortable faster.

Leading Sustained Change: The Long Game

Alright, let’s say you roll out a new system successfully. People are trained. Adoption is decent. Now what?

If you stop here, I guarantee old habits will creep back in. Sustained change requires ongoing reinforcement:

1. Highlight Wins, Big and Small

Track adoption and publicly celebrate success:

• Share data on reduced manual work.

• Spotlight staff who’ve made great improvements.

• Tell real stories about how digital tools are helping (not just numbers).

2. Keep Feedback Loops Open

Ongoing town halls, anonymous surveys, casual check-ins, whatever works best in your culture. If staff feel like their concerns are heard and addressed, you prevent resentment down the road.

3. Avoid the "Set It and Forget It" Trap

Technology evolves. So should your training and support. Making digital adaptation an ongoing conversation, rather than a one-time event, ensures staff stay engaged long-term.

Final Thought: Digital Transformation Isn’t a System Problem, It’s a People Problem

I’ll leave you with this: resistance to new systems isn’t about the technology itself. It’s about trust, workload, and communication. Leaders who understand this will navigate transformation smoothly. Those who ignore it? Well… enjoy your underutilized, expensive tech investments.

The choice is yours.