Hey Leader,
Layoffs don’t just hit the people who leave.
The ones trying to hold it together while everyone’s wondering what’s next.
I still remember sitting in meetings early in my career, hearing whispers about “budget cuts.”
No one had real answers, just careful, PR-sounding phrases that left everyone more anxious.
And later, when I was leading a team and someone was let go, it sent a wave of worry through everyone else.
People filled in the blanks.
The stories in their heads were worse than the truth.
That’s the most challenging part of instability, it’s not just the extra work, it’s also the silence and unanswered questions.
If you’re the one still standing & leading through the uncertainty, your team doesn’t need you to have every answer.
They need to know you’re steady enough to name what’s real.
Lead boldly, live fully, & don’t forget to breathe.
In your corner,
Scroll-Stoppers
This week’s most valuable scroll-worthy stuff, from tools to truth bombs!
The people who stay after layoffs aren’t lucky. They’re the ones carrying the weight.
Layoffs, Self‑Esteem & Survivor Guilt: A deeper academic dive into the emotional effects on those who remain after downsizing.
Why Employees Work While Sick and How Leaders Can Stop It: This recent HBR research digs into how invisible norms force people to work through illness and what leaders can change.
This Week’s Big Move
Because progress is made one bold choice at a time.
Change is the new constant, layoffs, reorgs, shifting teams, and everything in between.
That’s why I’m planning to build a new masterclass for women leaders who want to lead powerfully through instability without burning out or carrying everyone else’s emotions.
If that’s the season you’re in, join the waitlist below to get first access when it goes live.
The Thrive Feature
Something big we’re building behind the scenes.
I’m leading a free masterclass on 10/28!
Inspired by the conversations I’ve been having with women leaders lately.
It’s called How Women Directors & VPs Reclaim 10 Hours a Week (and Their Sanity) Without Letting Their Career or Team Slip, and it’s for every woman who’s ever looked at her calendar and thought, “There’s got to be a better way.”
Spoiler: there is.
Join me live on October 28 at 12 PM PT.
Try This Today
Quick experiments for calmer inboxes, lighter loads, and more human leadership.
Name the tension.
Don’t pretend everything’s fine, your team can feel it. A simple, “I know things feel uncertain right now” goes a long way.Focus on your process.
When outcomes feel out of reach, double down on integrity in how you lead.Share the signal, not the noise.
Keep your team focused on what is known and what matters most this week. It’s how you rebuild stability when everything’s shaking.
Your Power Reframe
Because what you believe shapes how you live & lead.
Yes, you’ve still got a paycheck and benefits.
But you’ve also got a team that’s anxious, a workload that just doubled, and a leadership team still finding its footing.
True leadership in instability isn’t pretending everything’s fine, it’s naming what’s real, setting new priorities, and showing people what steadiness looks like.
This Sparked Something
Little joys, leadership sparks, & random things we’re loving this week!
Joy move of the week: I got to speak to 100 leaders at Qorvo this week, and their energy reminded me that the next generation of leaders is coming in strong. ~Alli
Moment that made me smile: One of my mentees just got handed a new team after a messy restructure. It is chaotic, but her exec team trusted her to right the ship because she’s that good. 💯~Alli
Unexpected joy: I started rewatching an old favorite show (The Big Bang Theory) “just for background noise”... now I’m fully invested again. No regrets. 😀 ~Pau