What if the hardest part of leadership isn’t empowering the eager, but reaching the trapped?

Every time I walk into a corporate workshop, I secretly scan the crowd to map out three invisible factions:

First, we have the Learners, who arrive hungry to grow. Second, we have the Vacationers, who are just happy for a paid break from the daily grind. And the final third, we have the Prisoners—forced to be there, with their eyes locked on the nearest exit.

I see this exact same breakdown inside the day-to-day culture of almost every company. 

We have the builders who want to soar, the coasting paycheck-collectors who just wait until the end of the month, and the organizational prisoners who feel completely trapped by circumstance.

I’m sharing this because I want to be honest about something I haven't figured out yet.

While vacationers usually join the dance once they see the value, the prisoners remain a heavy, humbling challenge. It is incredibly tough to stand in front of adults who do not want your gifts. I’ve tried ignoring them, inviting them to walk out, and engaging them during breaks. Yet, a bulletproof key to unlock that cage still eludes me.

My hope remains the same: that every human leaves with a spark to better their life. 

I am deeply grateful to the tough participants who challenge me to be a better guide, because they keep my curiosity alive.

And I am curious what methods have worked for you to turn a prisoner into a learner?

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