Jeff's Daily Dose: Resisters unwelcome at the Olympics

When the opening ceremonies for the 2026 Winter Olympics take place this Friday in Milan-Cortina, the flame will burn bright for athletes who earned their spot. 🔥

But here's the harder truth the cameras won't show: the tryouts that ended in heartbreak. The skaters who practiced for years but couldn't land the triple axel when it mattered. The hockey players who gave everything but still got cut. 💔

They weren't bad people. They just weren't Olympic-ready.

Sadly, you have the same people on your team right now.

I call them "The Resisters" ... and they're threatening to freeze your AI transformation before it even begins.

These aren't necessarily your longest-tenured employees. Tenure has nothing to do with it.

I've seen 20-year veterans embrace AI like it's the best thing since direct deposit. And I've watched people hired 20 months ago dig in their heels like they're defending a castle.

The Resisters share something deeper than a start-date.

Here's what they have in common:

1️⃣ They've built their identity around how they do the work, not what they accomplish. The process is the point. Challenge the process, and you've challenged their very worth.

2️⃣ They see AI as a referendum on their career. If a machine can do it, what does that say about the last decade?

3️⃣ They're skilled at sounding reasonable. "I just want to make sure we're being thoughtful" is Resister code for "I'll slow-walk this until everyone forgets."

Here's how to spot The Resisters in the wild:

👀 They ask for "more research" on tools that millions are already using successfully. They volunteer for the AI committee ... then miss every meeting. They find 1 edge case where AI got something wrong & treat it like they've discovered plutonium.

👀 Watch for the person who says "I'm not against AI" and then follows with "but" and 17 reasons to wait. Their favorite season? An eternal winter of delay.

Now, here's the part no one wants to talk about:

You have to manage them out. Soon. 🚪

Not because they're bad people. Not because they haven't contributed. But because your transformation will die if you don't. And that's no longer an option.

One vocal Resister gives permission to every quiet skeptic to stay on the sidelines. They're not just slowing their work ... they're poisoning the well for everyone watching.

And everyone is watching.

So, do it graciously.

Give them a fair shot to change. Be crystal clear about expectations. Document the conversations.

But set a deadline. A real one.

If they can't get on the ice & skate the new routine by that date, it's time to part ways. Generous severance. Genuine gratitude for past contributions. A warm handshake and a door that's clearly marked "EXIT" 🚪

Olympic teams don't carry athletes who refuse to train the new techniques. They can't afford to.

Neither can you.

Your AI transformation isn't a "nice to have" initiative. It's a qualifying event. Some of your people won't make the team. That's not cruelty ... it's clarity.

So, your action for today:

✅ Write down the names of anyone who's actively or passively blocking your AI progress. Be honest with yourself ... you already know who they are.

✅ Now ask: Have I been crystal clear with them about expectations? Have I given them a real chance to change? And have I set a deadline?

✅ If the answer to all 3 is Yes and they're still resisting, you know what comes next.

You don't have to name names here, but post how many people are on your list.

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