How Many Social Workers Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?

"How many social workers does it take to change a light bulb? One, but the light bulb has to want to change." When leaders ask how to motivate resistant staff, they're asking the wrong question—focusing on fixing stubborn people instead of examining traumatizing conditions. This article uses Aesop's fable: The Wind tried forcing the traveler's coat off through gales; the Sun simply shone warmly until he removed it himself. Most leaders accidentally use Wind strategies—urgency blasts, mandates, accountability threats—triggering survival responses that make people grip tighter. Sun leadership creates five conditions where change feels natural: warmth (making change safe), visibility (showing not telling), permission (removing barriers), modeling (going first), and consistency (shining steadily). Resistance isn't a character flaw; it's feedback about threatening conditions. Stop trying to overcome resistance. Create environments where people want to change.