How to Win Over Cynical Employees with Hywel Berry

The Leadership Habit

Change is inevitable, but leading through it isn’t always easy. In the latest episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, Hywel Berry, CEO and founder of Alicorn Learning, joined host Jenn DeWall to discuss how leaders can effectively manage resistance to change and lead through cynicism without losing their sanity!

Meet Hywel Berry, CEO and Founder of Alicorn Learning

Hywel Berry is the CEO and founder of Alicorn Learning, which supports leaders and their teams in being as successful at work as possible. Hywel has delivered over 300 keynotes to more than 50,000 people and has worked with Fortune 500 companies as diverse as Nike, Deloitte, Salesforce and Microsoft.

Hywel has also written for theater, film and television in the UK and the US. However, he spent most of his career in sales for the Financial Times and FT.com. During his years with the newspaper, he developed, grew and managed multiple million-dollar client relationships. His experience recruiting, training and managing teams has provided a wealth of insights into effective leadership.

Understanding Resistance to Change

As the episode opens, Jenn DeWall asks Hywel why leading through change is so hard and why employees are often so resistant.

“Nobody wakes up in the morning thinking, ‘I want to make someone’s life difficult,'” Hywel explains. Instead, resistance often stems from fear of the unknown and a natural preference for the status quo. According to Hywel, humans run 95% of their daily lives on habits, and any disruption to those routines can lead to pushback.

Hywel highlights a key insight: “People are more comfortable with unhappiness than they are with uncertainty.” This means even positive changes can provoke resistance as individuals face the challenge of adapting to new realities.

The Five Personas in Change Management

Hywel identifies five types of team members leaders encounter during times of change:

1. Champions – These individuals are fully committed to the change and often serve as vocal advocates within the organization. They see the benefits of the new direction and actively work to promote it among their peers. Champions can be instrumental in building momentum and encouraging buy-in from others.
2. Cooperators – While not as vocal as champions, cooperators are quietly supportive and willing to adapt to the new direction. They follow instructions without much pushback and maintain a steady, reliable presence during the transition. Cooperators are often the backbone of a successful change initiative, as their consistent actions help stabilize the team.
3. Fence Sitters – These team members remain undecided about the change and tend to observe how others react before making their own decisions. They are neither actively supportive nor openly resistant, but their behavior can shift based on the prevailing attitudes of the group. Fence sitters often look to champions or other influential peers for cues on how to respond.
4. Quiet Cynics – This group is defined by low buy-in and low energy. Quiet cynics are skeptical of the change but do not openly voice their concerns. Instead, they may subtly undermine progress by resisting behind the scenes. “They may smile to your face but resist behind the scenes, making them harder to manage,” Hywel notes. Leaders must proactively engage quiet cynics to uncover and address their concerns before they can negatively impact the team’s progress.
5. Saboteurs – These individuals exhibit low buy-in but high energy, making their opposition to change loud and clear. Saboteurs actively seek to derail the initiative by rallying others against it or highlighting its flaws. While their resistance is overt, it also presents an opportunity for leaders to address their concerns directly and potentially win them over.

While saboteurs may seem more challenging due to their overt actions, Hywel cautions against underestimating quiet cynics. “Their resistance is more covert, making it harder to detect and address,” he explains. Leaders must remain vigilant and seek to create an environment where all team members feel comfortable voicing their concerns openly.

Be Your Own Cynic

One of Hywel’s key strategies is to “be your own cynic.” This involves anticipating the challenges your team might raise and addressing them upfront. For example, if raising targets by 60% seems daunting, Hywel suggests saying: “You’re probably thinking raising our targets is madness given how this year has gone. Let’s explore why this decision was made and how we can approach it.”

By acknowledging potential concerns, leaders can diffuse negativity and create a space for constructive dialogue.

Practice Realistic Optimism

Hywel advocates for a balanced approach, which he calls realistic optimism. Leaders should acknowledge the difficulties of change while presenting opportunities for growth. “Your role as a leader is to be realistic about challenges but bring healthy optimism to your team,” he says.

Practical Tips for Managing Resistance

To conclude the episode, Hywel shares actionable advice for leaders:

• Create opportunities for disagreement: Encourage team members to voice their concerns. As Hywel puts it, “The first thing out of your mouth when someone disagrees should be, ‘Thank you for bringing that up.'”
• Involve key dissenters early: Engage those who naturally challenge ideas to identify potential pitfalls and refine your strategy.
• Prepare thoroughly: Anticipate counterpoints and tailor your communication to address them.

Where to Find More from Hywel Berry

For more insights from Hywel Berry, check out:

• Hywel’s LinkedIn Profile
• Hywel’s website
• Alicorn Learning
• Visit Hywel’s IMDB profile for a glimpse into his days as an actor!

Take the Next Step with Crestcom

Navigating change requires strong leadership skills. Crestcom offers a complimentary leadership skills workshop to help teams work better together. In just two hours, your team can gain practical tools to improve decision-making, build trust, and increase accountability.

Request your free workshop today at crestcom.com/freeworkshop.

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