Resilience is one of those workplace words that sounds unquestionably positive. It gets used in leadership conversations, wellness initiatives, conference sessions and organizational messaging. We talk about building resilient teams, supporting employee resilience and helping people become more resilient in the face of change. On the surface, that all sounds reasonable. After all, most of us would agree that the ability to adapt, recover and keep going through difficult sea

Somewhere along the way, we started confusing burnout with dedication. Long hours became a badge of honour. Being “always on” became a sign of commitment. Exhaustion? That just meant you cared. We’ve built workplaces where being busy is celebrated, slowing down feels like failure and saying “I’m overwhelmed” can feel like a risk. But here’s the problem: Hustle culture isn’t a performance strategy. It’s a liability. What We Really Mean by “Hustle Culture” Let’s be c

We’ve all been there. You get a piece of feedback in a meeting or a one-on-one… and suddenly your brain goes into overdrive. Did I mess up? Are they upset with me? Is this a bigger issue than they’re saying? Are they questioning my abilities? Your body tightens. Your thoughts start racing. You replay the conversation over and over. And in that moment, it can feel uncomfortable… sometimes even threatening. But in reality, feeling defensive when you receive feedback doesn’t aut

No one sets out to create a toxic workplace. But sometimes, culture erodes not because of major scandals or dramatic failures… it erodes quietly. One overlooked, morale-crushing culprit? Favouritism. Not the obvious, outrageous kind. The subtle kind. The kind that slowly chips away at trust. What Favouritism Actually Looks Like at Work Favouritism doesn’t always look like promotions handed to unqualified friends. More often, it shows up as: The same person alw

If your best people are tired, this is why. We love the employees who go above and beyond. Of course we do. The ones who step in without being asked, help teammates who are drowning, stay late when something needs to get done and genuinely care about the organization’s success. And so, before long it becomes an expectation. When discretionary effort quietly turns into an unspoken job requirement, the very people leaders rely on most begin to burn out. Organizational cit

Psychological safety has become one of the most important and widely referenced concepts in today’s workplaces. And rightly so. When done well, it creates environments where people feel safe to speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes and contribute without fear of humiliation or retaliation. But lately, I’ve been noticing a troubling trend. I had an intriguing conversation with a colleague earlier this week and learned that she’d been seeing and hearing some of the same.

Leadership has a way of quietly creeping into every corner of your life. You stay late to finish one more thing. You answer emails at night so nothing falls through the cracks. You step in to fix problems that technically aren’t yours because it feels easier than letting them linger. Before long, your calendar is full, your head is busy and your own wellbeing has slipped to the bottom of the list. Many leaders burn out because they care deeply about their work and the people

Some workplaces lift people up. Others slowly wear them down. In toxic cultures, even the most dedicated employees struggle to stay motivated because the environment itself becomes the barrier. While a healthy culture brings out the best in people, a toxic one slowly drains motivation, creativity and trust. You can usually feel a toxic culture more easily than you can describe it. A toxic workplace feels like walking into a storm that never fully clears. It’s the tension du

When most people hear the term “fit for duty” they think of impairment related to drugs and alcohol. Maybe fatigue. Maybe physical limitations. But the reality of today’s workplaces is far more complex. Impairment isn’t just chemical, and it isn’t always visible. Stress, grief, burnout, anxiety, trauma, conflict and personal crises can leave someone just as distracted, exhausted and mentally checked out as any substance. And from a safety standpoint, impairment is impairment.