Recently I had the honor of leadingfour workshops — two in-person, two virtual — for innovative companies across fintech, wealth management, adtech, and Google. Each team was unique, but the challenges weren’t. The workshops were titled:

• Push Pause: Managing Stress in High-Pressure Jobs

• Five Keys to Pause and Reset in Challenging Times

• Three Keys to Finding Your Inner Calm

• Resilience Lab: Tools to Leverage as a Team

From seed-stage startups to global orgs, one thing was clear: leaders and teams are under pressure — and they’re looking for real tools to help them rise.

Here are the three themes that stood out most:

1. The pressure is real — everywhere.

Whether you're a team of two or 200,000, times are uncertain. Stress is high, resources are stretched, and many employees are quietly struggling. Uncertainty is no longer a phase; it’s the backdrop we’re operating in.

2. Resilience isn’t optional — it’s a critical need and differentiator.

Everyone’s asking: how do we keep going when what used to work… doesn’t anymore? These sessions made it clear that resilience — real, embodied resilience — is what teams need now. Not just as a buzzword, but as a lived practice. That’s what my workshops deliver.

3. People want to connect — more than ever.

Across every session, people leaned in. Whether through 1:1 shares, breakout chats, or group reflection, the desire to feel seen and supported is stronger than ever. Teams are craving psychological safety, trust, and real connection — and it starts with giving them space to speak.

Bonus: Update on my almost 3-month frozen shoulder saga and how it is helping and informing my own resilience - physcially, emotionally and mentally.