Ep. 87 ICYMI: Stop Hiding Stress—Why It’s Killing Trust on Your Team

Turns out, shielding your team from stress doesn’t protect them—it breaks trust.

And if you’ve ever found yourself trying to carry it all alone? You’re not the only one.

There’s a swirl every modern leader experiences. So we’re going there.

Keynote speaker for joy at work Jenn Whitmer and podcast and livestream producer Shelby Merryweather are digging into what actually builds trust, especially when the pressure’s on and you’re figuring out how to lead through change. We’re talking team culture and honest leadership, helping you communicate with clarity and redefining what “professional” even means. Listen in on our transparent convo about what makes modern leadership work — and where we all still get stuck.

Oh! At 12:45, Shelby names the moment every leader’s lived but few say out loud.

If you're Googling “how to lead with being exhausted” at your desk right now? Start here.

Key Takeaways for Leaders:

03:07 How to be professional. Can you be professional and human? Professionalism shouldn't mean fake, stuffy, or perfect.

08:03 Change is scary, but not changing is worse.Trying (and potentially failing) is often better than staying stuck in fear.

11:08 Transparency builds trust. Trying to “protect” your team by hiding your stress usually backfires. 15:58 Villagers make the village. Stop buying into the myth of the solo hero. We need each other to be healthy for the long term.

21:00 What tech can’t do. When you get distracted by the Shiny Object Syndrome that is AI and tech tools, you make it worse

24:29 Why your internal people matter the most.Clients and customers will stay if you take care of your people. And a great story about a mop.

Send this to your village, and especially the ones who want to be more human at work.

And if you haven’t already, subscribe to the Joyosity Podcast and leave us a quick review. It’s like being the cream in the coffee of someone’s day.

Got thoughts about change, leadership, or fronds? Leave your comment or shoot us a message on LinkedIn: Jenn Whitmer https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennwhitmer/  We’re here for the richness. 

Featuring:

Host: Jenn Whitmer – Joy-bringer, keynote speaker, and leadership consultant helping leaders create positive culture with complex people.

Producer: Shelby Merryweather – Podcast producer, business owner, and fellow human navigating the push-pull of professionalism and play.

Resources & Links: - Join the Joyosity™ Works VIP: Joyosity: Cultivating Joy at Work – jennwhitmer.com/books http://jennwhitmer.com/books  - Grab Ron Tite’s upcoming book: The Purpose of Purpose – Amazon link https://amzn.to/4cFqMYw  - Need help figuring it out? Grab a Spark Session for 15 minutes — https://jennwhitmer.com/spark-call