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Before You Call Them Negative… Listen to This

Ever worked with someone who seems to always spot the risks before you do?

Maybe you've even labeled them negative, paranoid, or too intense—but what if they were actually the Guardian of your team?

In this episode, Amy breaks down the Guardian Archetype—the ones who scan the horizon for danger, ask the hard questions, and protect people and systems from harm before the rest of us know it's coming.

🛡You'll hear:

  • A real-world story of a Guardian in action (and how they saved the day)
  • What makes this archetype indispensable in fast-moving teams
  • How to distinguish fear-based reactions from strategic foresight
  • Why most people misunderstand Guardians—and how to support them better

⚡️ And if you're a Guardian yourself? This episode will feel like a deep exhale. You're not negative. You're necessary.

🎧 Tune in to learn how to work with (not against) the energy of Guardians—whether you lead one, love one, or are one.

— This is art of the Archetypes of Change™ Summer Series on Create Magic At Work®.📬 Want to bring the Archetypes of Change™ into your organization? We'd love to work with you. Visit createmagicatwork.net or email Amy at amy@createmagicatwork.net.

Additional Resources:

Discover Your Spiritual Intelligence at Work

Connect with Amy Lynn Durham

Learn More About Create Magic at Work

More on PeopleForward Network

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Key Takeaways:
  • The Guardian archetype sees potential risks and protects organizational integrity during change.
  • Guardians can be misunderstood as resistant, but their concerns are often rooted in deep care and foresight.
  • Teams that ignore Guardians risk repeating past mistakes or missing hidden landmines.
  • Guardians need to be seen and engaged constructively—not just tolerated.

About the Podcast

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Create Magic At Work®

About your host

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Amy Lynn Durham

Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.


She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.