Yah, Itamar, here’s a paraphrase I’ve been working on:

… Resistance to change does not reflect opposition, nor is it merely a result of inertia.

Instead, even as people hold a sincere commitment to change, many employees unwittingly apply productive energy toward a hidden competing commitment. The resulting dynamic equilibrium stalls change efforts.

From the outside, this looks like resistance. Yet, the employee does not intend to resist you personally. The employee’s unconscious intends to defend, to create a personal immunity to change.

When you, as a manager, uncover an employee’s competing commitment, behavior which seemed irrational and ineffective suddenly becomes stunningly sensible and masterful — from the employee’s point of view. Unfortunately, their internal success is at odds, in conflict, with the changes you — and perhaps even the employee — wish to achieve.

This may sound straightforward; it’s easier said than done. Uncovering the employee’s competing goal challenges psychological foundations upon which people function. It asks people to call into question beliefs they’ve long held close, perhaps since childhood.

The process of uncovering competing commitments [and value systems], requires people to admit to painful, even embarrassing, feelings they would not ordinarily disclose to others or even to themselves.

Indeed, some people opt not to disrupt their immunity to change, choosing instead to continue their fruitless struggle against their competing commitments. …