Change doesn’t fail because of bad ideas. It fails because the team can’t carry it.
Great leaders understand that transformation isn’t just about strategy—it’s about people. To create real, lasting change, you have to recognize the roles your team members are playing in the process and help them evolve.
Let’s look at how.
The Hidden Cost of the Cynic
Sometimes the loudest resistance doesn’t sound like shouting. It looks like stalling.
We saw it firsthand during a transformation at a struggling manufacturing site. Revenue was stuck at $3 million a month. Despite leadership support and investment, things weren’t improving. One key operations leader—a highly experienced, well-liked individual—kept saying, “You don’t understand how deep the problems go.”
But then he went on vacation.
In two weeks, everything changed. Training happened. Machines came online. Teams started hitting new revenue records. When he returned, he was stunned by the progress. And eventually, he chose to leave.
He wasn’t a Critic. He was a Cynic. And he was holding the team back.
Cynics often have deep knowledge and strong reputations—but they resist real change. They nod in meetings, then quietly derail things when no one’s watching. They create the illusion of support while acting as anchors. And if you don’t spot them early, they can quietly kill momentum.
The 1-to-5 Change Agent Scale
In transformation work, we often use a simple 1-to-5 scale to evaluate a team’s ability to carry change.
It helps leaders quickly identify the people who are going to drive progress—and those who are going to fight it. Here’s the breakdown:
Type 1 Change Agent: The Cynic in Disguise
These individuals are often highly trusted and deeply knowledgeable. When a new GM arrives, they quickly become indispensable. They say the right things. They offer support. But when the pressure’s off, they revert.
This is the “rubber band effect”—they stretch in the moment, then snap right back. They don’t move the team forward. They quietly pull it back.
Type 2 Change Agent: The Critic
Like the Type 1, the Type 2 Change Agent knows the business and has the team’s trust. But there’s one key difference: they don’t sabotage change.
They’ll try something new, and if it works, they’ll hold the line. They won’t innovate or push forward, but they won’t let things slide back either. This is your classic constructive Critic—steady, skeptical, and ultimately supportive.
Type 3 Change Agent: The Executor
Type 3 Change Agents can take the playbook and run with it. They don’t need much coaching. They execute well, adapt when needed, and deliver results.
Solid contributors. Dependable implementers.
Type 4 Change Agent: The Improver
These leaders don’t just follow the playbook—they make it better. They draw on past experience to simplify processes, anticipate risks, and build mitigation plans.
They’re strategic thinkers with the discipline to move quickly and the foresight to make change sustainable.
Type 5 Change Agent:: The Innovator
Type 5 Change Agents have the playbook written before they walk in the door. They accelerate transformation by bringing clarity, curiosity, and deep alignment to every step.
They engage others, recognize potential in their teams, and adapt fluidly. They don’t just lead change—they unleash it.
What’s Your Role?
As a leader, your job is to know who’s who—and help each Change Agent grow.
- Move the 2s to 3s.
- Support the 3s to become 4s.
- Learn from the 4s—and don’t stand in the 5s’ way.
- And most importantly, don’t mistake a Type 1 Cynic for a team player.
They might look aligned. But they’ll snap the team backward the moment you stop watching.
Turning Critics Into Catalysts
Not all resistance is Cynicism. Some people just need to be heard.
Critics can become powerful contributors—if you engage them the right way. Ask them what could go wrong. Then use their insights. When people feel heard and valued, resistance becomes foresight.
That’s the difference between slowing down a change initiative—and strengthening it.
In the next post, we’ll explore how strategic clarity, a defined mission, and goal alignment turn all of this into real momentum.
