In this episode, Bert and Julianna unpack the emotional rollercoaster of tech adoption—especially AI—in the workplace. Triggered by a headline claiming AI is “already taking jobs,” they dive into the real issue: how different types of people react to technological change. From early adopters to skeptics, they break down the "change archetypes" you’ll meet in any organization and how to work with each.
Whether you’re leading a tech initiative, worried about automation, or just trying to convince your team to stop printing things, this episode gives you a practical lens to understand resistance—and momentum.
The Pioneer: All in, excited, tinkering immediately.
The Analyst: Needs data, KPIs, and ROI before acting.
The Warrior: Afraid tech will take their job—needs reassurance and upskilling.
The Guardian: Concerned about ethics, risk, and safety—must be looped in early.
The Opportunist: Sees dollar signs—moves fast, sometimes recklessly.
The Humanitarian: Focused on fairness and impact—wants equitable outcomes.
The Resister: Just wants things to stay the same—change feels like a threat.
Identify which archetypes exist in your org.
Tailor your messaging and involvement strategies.
Empower pioneers and analysts to lead the charge.
Involve guardians and warriors early to reduce friction.
“People haven’t changed. The tools have.”
“Change is risk—but it’s also the way forward.”
“Your pioneers are your prophets—find them early.”
Julianna compares AI resistance to paper-to-digital onboarding pushback.
Bert reminds us: “If legal doesn’t know about your rollout, you’re gonna get shut down.”
00:00 – The AI job-loss headline that sparked the convo
01:30 – Introducing the change archetypes
04:00 – Why AI fear is really just old-school resistance
09:00 – Deep dive on the Pioneer and Analyst
12:00 – How to handle the Warrior archetype
14:00 – Why Guardians are secretly your best allies
18:00 – Pilots, autopilot, and what AI can (and can’t) replace
20:00 – Implementation advice: involve early, iterate often
What archetype are you? What about your team? Share this episode with someone who needs help navigating the messy middle of change.
Take the quiz here
We'd love to here from you. You can contact us at hello@acceleratinghumans.com
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