DPI Practice Question: Communication And Organizational Change Management
During a major organizational restructuring, a change manager identifies a pocket of active, influential middle managers who are quietly undermining the new operating model. What is the most effective advanced resistance management technique to employ?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Engage them in one-on-one sessions to uncover their specific concerns, validate their experiences, and involve them in co-designing local solutions.
Active resistance from influential leaders must be addressed directly by engaging them in dialogue, understanding their motivations, and converting them into active coalition members if possible.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Engage them in one-on-one sessions to uncover their specific concerns, validate their experiences, and involve them in co-designing local solutions.
Why this is correct
Engaging influential resisters one-on-one turns them into change agents by addressing their concerns and giving them ownership.
- ✗
Publicly reprimand the managers during an all-hands meeting to deter others from following their example.
Why it's wrong here
Public reprimands cause defensiveness, increase covert resistance, and destroy psychological safety.
- ✗
Ignore their behavior on the assumption that peer pressure from compliant colleagues will eventually correct them.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring influential resisters allows negative cultural norms to spread unchecked.
- ✗
Reassign the managers to non-critical administrative roles with no team responsibilities.
Why it's wrong here
Reassignment avoids the root cause of the resistance and wastes valuable organizational leadership talent.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official AXELOS / PeopleCert exam blueprint
This DPI practice question is part of Courseiva's free AXELOS / PeopleCert certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DPI exam.