Client Case Study on Staying Steady: How one leader navigates others’ negativity
A year after participating in Resilient Teams, Mindy was still applying the tools in her day-to-day work and seeing the impact.
The company she worked for had undergone a major transition: two departments merged, leadership roles were in flux, and colleagues were frustrated. Some were openly talking about leaving, while others were resentful or disengaged. The energy in her meetings was tense. Generally, she felt focused on making the best of the situation, but she was struggling with how to navigate the negative contagion.
One day, a colleague approached her with brutal honesty: “I’m leaving. Fuck this place, am I right?”
While a fair reaction given the impact of recent organizational changes, it wasn’t a true and accurate feeling for Mindy. Previously, she would have felt pulled into others’ feelings or the need to agree to get along.
Instead, she responded: “Well, no, I don't think that, because I am here, and I plan on staying here for a long time. So no, I don't share that sentiment. But I understand that you're frustrated, and this didn't go as smoothly as it should’ve. You have every right to feel frustrated.”
Mindy applied lessons from Resilient Teams:
Observed without absorbing – She noticed the frustration in the other person’s body language and tone, but didn’t adopt it herself. Her first response wasn’t to react emotionally.
Held clear boundaries – She validated the colleague’s feelings without agreeing with the sentiment, allowing her to stay true to her integrity and values.
Pausing before acting – She reflected on how she wanted to respond, and avoided adding more “swirl” to an already messy situation.
Mindy reflected afterward: “I was proud of myself for not taking the bait. I can do this more often - acknowledge frustration, but stay grounded in my own perspective.”
That’s the essence of embodied resilience. When leaders hold their ground, even a few steady individuals can shift a group’s emotional tone. Instead of reacting to negativity, Mindy was able to remain centered, respond intentionally, and model a constructive approach for others.
Mindy’s story shows that you don’t need to control everyone else’s behavior, but you need to regulate your own so you can stay steady in integrity.
Resilient Teams is about building the skills to respond rather than absorb, to set boundaries without shutting down, and to maintain clarity and momentum even in messy, high-stakes environments.
If you want to explore what this looks like in your own team, or how to integrate these practices into daily leadership, Resilient Teams can show you how.