5 Things / Lead with Humanity


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It’s been five years since COVID changed everything. The whiplash in our workplaces was unprecedented. For a minute, our walls came down. We saw our colleagues’ beautiful, complicated humanity: Zoom interruptions from kids and pets, real emotions spilling out. The possibility for more meaningful connections was right there. I bet you made some.

This week I met with a client to plan an upcoming talk and, at least at that company, the walls are back up. Way back up. Sharing one’s beautiful, complicated humanity now feels risky at work. But what if we did it anyway, but made it unmessy?

This is where my ARC Method® comes in:

  • Ask – What changed? What are we afraid of? What do we actually need to feel safe sharing again?

  • Respect – Listen to what’s really being said. If people are holding back, there’s a reason. Acknowledge it.

  • Connect – Validate what’s heard, and connect the reality of today’s workplace culture to solutions that foster trust, inclusion, and psychological safety.

In these wild times, authentic connection isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the foundation of strong teams and cultures. If we want a workplace where people feel safe showing up as themselves, we have to create it.

So, what if we didn’t wait? What if we led?

This Week's Good Vibes:

  1. Hijab, Hoops, and Hustle

  2. MSNBC’s Weekend Gets a Historic Makeover

  3. Sri Lanka’s All-Women Resort Redefines Hospitality

  4. China Cracks Down on Hiring Discrimination

  5. Pittsburgh Airport's On-Site Child Care Takes Off

Good Vibes to Go:

In the spirit of intersectionality, learn about LGBTQ+ people who shaped history through this compelling video series from Anna DeShawn (E3 Radio) and Amanda W. Timpson (Yesterqueers). They bring history to life with powerful stories of queer resilience, activism, and artistry.

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5 Things / Experimentation

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5 Things / Let’s Go