How to step around a wall of indifference

When you hit a wall of indifference, where people aren't interested in making things better, don’t push harder — make it matter more.

In a recent workshop I was asked this question:

"How do you overcome the 'brick wall' of proactively finding a problem with a solution / options, and communicating that to the relevant parties when they have no interest in developing / making things better?"

A great question.

My response:

The key is to shift from pushing solutions to building relevance and curiosity.

1. Start with their priorities, not yours. Connect your insight to something they already care about, time, cost, reputation, customer experience, safety, etc. People resist being forced to change when they don’t see why it matters.

2. Frame it as a shared problem, not a personal crusade. Use language like “I’ve noticed something that could make our job easier” instead of “We need to fix this.” Shared ownership opens doors.

3. Show, don’t sell. Create a small proof of concept, data point, or example that shows the benefit. Results soften resistance faster than arguments.

4. Find allies, not approvals. If leadership isn’t interested, look sideways, peers or teams who might benefit first. Momentum creates attention.

5. Stay curious and patient. The goal isn’t to win the debate, it’s to keep the problem visible long enough for others to see its importance.

Bottom line: Don’t push harder — make it matter more.

This steps around indifference and builds engagement and motivation to pursue better.