Some days, it flattens you. Other days, it hums in the background. But the ache of what’s happening in the world—violence, injustice, grief—doesn’t stay outside. It travels with you. Into meetings. Into deadlines. Into the quiet moments between messages.
And when your organization carries on like nothing’s happening, that ache can turn into numbness. Or self-doubt. Or quiet, aching detachment.
This episode is for the ones sitting in that space. The employees. The team members. The people trying to stay human in systems that often feel like they can’t hold what’s real.
Following on from Episode 23 (Leadership with Spine), which explored the leader’s role in staying emotionally present, this conversation turns the lens to those without the microphone.
What do you do when no one names what’s happening in the world—or in your chest?
You don’t need permission to feel.
You don’t need to disappear to belong.
You don’t need to fix the system to stay anchored in truth.
This is the quiet work. The invisible leadership of staying awake.
Even when everything around you asks you to pretend.
The Orange Twist is hosted by Giovanna D’Alessio, MCC — reflections on leadership, culture, and change for HR professionals and organizational leaders.
Connect with Giovanna on LinkedIn.
New episodes released regularly. Stay curious.
