The Hidden Price of Workplace Tension

Workplace conflict isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a massive drain on productivity, morale, and even revenue. The real problem? It’s not the disagreements themselves, but how they’re handled.

I once worked with a company where two senior leaders were locked in silent warfare. Their unresolved tension didn’t just affect them—it trickled down to their teams, creating division, miscommunication, and stalled progress. But when they engaged in a structured, science-backed conversation designed to foster trust and connection, everything shifted.

The truth is, workplace relationships don’t improve with more emails or another status meeting. They improve when people feel seen, heard, and valued.

If tension is holding your team back, it’s time to address it head-on. Let’s talk.

Pro Speaker Tip: How to Be Trusted & Unforgettable

Most presentations fail because they’re forgettable. If your audience isn’t engaged, they won’t act. And if they don’t act, your message was wasted.

The key to a great presentation? Neuroscience.

Two powerful chemicals drive audience engagement and action:

·      Dopamine – the "motivation molecule" that sparks curiosity and excitement.

·      Oxytocin – the "trust chemical" that creates connection and emotional buy-in.

If you can trigger both, your audience will be engaged, emotionally invested, and ready to take action.

Melissa’s most recent book, Help Them Thrive, discusses an experience in which she labeled herself a hater! Are you surprised by her transparency? I was! But as she explains in the book, it’s okay to admit feelings of envy.

Did you know your leadership impact alone accounts for 70% of the variance in team engagement? Gulp. 😳

Only 31% of workers are engaged in the US. As leaders, we unintentionally toxify the workplace and subject our teams to environments where they cannot thrive.

Need to defend your diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives? Please allow me to provide some talking points and language you can repurpose to justify your work with stakeholders-clients, board, employees, and the court of public opinion. Use this script as you see fit and best wishes for sustaining your investment in this worthy work. I want you to thrive. If my team can be of service, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Humans have always disagreed. It's in our nature and will remain as such; if we're lucky. Freedom doesn't exist without balanced differences of opinion; that's the beauty of democracy; we are free to disagree…