Most business leaders believe they are solving strategy problems, process inefficiencies, or execution gaps. But according to David Hermann, CEO and author of the upcoming book The Change Agent Code, the real culprit is usually something much more human: unaddressed fear.
In his new book, co-authored with Jarred J. Talmadge, Hermann argues that silence is a “biological and cultural response” that kills innovation before it starts. By reframing resistance not as defiance but as a signal of loss, he offers a practical blueprint for leaders ready to turn stuck rooms into forward motion. We sat down with David to discuss why psychological safety is an execution-critical skill and how anyone, at any level, can become a change agent.
Q: Your book opens with the concept of the “invisible line in the room”—that moment when an idea dies because the cost of speaking up feels too high. Why do you believe this silence is a biological issue rather than just a character flaw?
David Hermann:
That’s because silence isn’t a personality trait. It’s a survival instinct.
People love to pretend they’re rational operators, but the brutal truth is that the moment uncertainty, power distance, or risk shows up, the amygdala takes the wheel.
That’s biology.
For example, I once facilitated a strategy offsite where every leader in the room nodded along with the CEO while their body language screamed, “Please don’t make me say this out loud.” It wasn’t incompetence. It wasn’t a lack of ideas. Their nervous systems simply didn’t feel safe.
When the brain senses threat, it prioritizes protection over contribution. That’s why I keep saying: fear kills more innovation than bad strategy ever will. Until leaders understand that silence is a biological response to perceived danger and not a character flaw, they’ll keep fixing the wrong problem.
Q: You make a compelling argument that people don’t resist change itself, but rather the “loss” associated with it—loss of control, competence, or identity. How does understanding this distinction change the way a leader should approach a skeptical team?
David Hermann:
When people fight a change initiative, they’re not fighting the idea; they’re fighting the loss attached to it. Loss of control. Loss of competence. Loss of identity. I’ve watched highly skilled and motivated contributors shut down completely when a new automation system was introduced. On paper, the upgrade was brilliant. But no one had considered what the change felt like to the people whose craft defined them.
The moment we reframed the initiative…not as replacing their expertise but preserving it…resistance melted. They didn’t need another slide deck. They needed to hear, “Your experience matters, and this new system is built on the wisdom you’ve earned.”
Leaders get this wrong all the time. They try to persuade with logic when the real battle is emotional. The fastest way to earn buy-in is to acknowledge what people think they’re losing.
Q: The book introduces the “catalyst mindset,” flipping the traditional leadership sequence to put confidence before clarity and resources. Why is waiting for a “perfect plan” often the riskiest move a leader can make?
David Hermann:
Because perfection is just procrastination wearing a nice suit.
Every breakthrough I’ve seen, and every one I’ve been part of, happened because someone acted before they had the full picture. When that pricing model sat in a drawer for a year, it wasn’t because the data wasn’t good. It was because no one felt confident enough to challenge the boss. Once we created the rule, “If you’re 80% sure the boss is wrong, speak up. If you’re 100%, bring data,” everything changed. Eighteen months later, that buried idea added $1.2M in EBITDA.
Confidence creates motion. Motion creates clarity. Clarity attracts resources.
Leaders who wait for every variable to line up are always outpaced by the ones who take the first step and learn fast. Momentum doesn’t come from perfect plans. It comes from courageous starts.
Q: You identify specific archetypes of resistance, such as “The Skeptic,” “The Belligerent,” and even “The Eager.” How can leaders use these profiles to better read the room and respond to fear without taking it personally?
David Hermann:
The moment you stop taking resistance personally, you start leading.
Those archetypes are not about labeling people. They’re about recognizing patterns of fear. The Skeptic isn’t attacking you; they’re searching for solid ground. The Belligerent isn’t trying to dominate you; they’re testing whether you can hold your presence under pressure. And “The Eager”? That’s the sneakiest of all. A quick “yes” that has no intention behind it is just fear dressed up in polite clothing.
During one engagement, a stakeholder pulled me aside after hearing the archetypes. He said, “I’m The Eager, aren’t I?” At that moment, his recognition shifted him from passive agreement to actual commitment. And he became a key part of the success of that project.
When leaders learn to decode these signals, they stop reacting to the mask and start responding to the fear underneath it. That’s where influence lives: in the space where empathy meets strength.
Q: The Change Agent Code positions emotional intelligence not as a “soft skill” but as a hard, execution-critical tool. Can you give an example of a micro-habit or tool from the book that helps a leader steady themselves in a high-stakes moment?
David Hermann:
One of the simplest…and most powerful…tools I teach is the pre-shot routine. Every elite athlete has one. Leaders need one too.
Before a high-stakes conversation, I have leaders do three things:
- Breathe once, slow and deep. Signal safety to your nervous system.
- Name the fear in the room, including your own. “I’m about to challenge a senior leader and that feels risky.”
- Decide who you’re going to be before you walk in. Calm? Direct? Curious? Anchored?
This 10-second ritual changes everything. It keeps your brain online when pressure spikes. Instead of reacting from fear, you respond from presence.
Another favorite: answer twice, then stop. Leaders over-explain when they’re nervous. But confidence is felt in restraint. Say it clearly, say it cleanly, then let the silence do the heavy lifting.
Because in high-stakes moments, stillness isn’t weakness.
Stillness is self-control.
The Change Agent Code is more than a business book; it is a field guide for building cultures where truth beats silence and resilience is guided rather than crushed. For leaders ready to stop waiting for permission, this book offers the tools to lead from where you are.
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