 Brenda (not her real name) was sent to me for coaching by her supervisor Joey. They both worked for a company that supplied precision parts for most major airlines. I was familiar with the company as I had run offsites for their senior team. Brenda supervised a six-person group who was responsible for quality control, a critical step before the parts were sent to customers. Joey told me that lately he noticed that Brenda seemed distracted which had resulted in some of her teammates missing critical defects, even after they had installed AI agents especially designed to help catch flaws.
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 Jenna (not her real name) was referred to me by a CEO of a global cyber security firm. She had been with the company from its startup days and now managed a global team in charge of customer service. When we met on Zoom, I could see that Jenna was stressed, yet happy to have her boss’s support to have coaching.
 I was recently talking with Joyce (not her real name), a managing partner of a growing law firm which had an office in LA and Orange County. They specialized in intellectual property, entertainment law, and technology companies. Joyce said her team of 40 lawyers plus support staff were struggling with the changes that were occurring to the firm’s culture, processes, and procedures due to their growth. She asked me for help.
 I was asked to coach new manager Stephanie (not her real name). After a successful career as a salesperson, she had been promoted to manage one of many global sales teams selling AI enhanced CRM systems to Fortune 100 companies.
 Henry (not his real name), a product manager in a software company, was sent to me by his boss for some coaching. Henry had just received a performance review from his manager who had requested input from Henry’s subordinates which is typical today.
 Rita (not her real name) is a project manager in a software development company who asked for coaching because she was extremely stressed at work, not sleeping well, and reported that her husband and two teenaged boys were concerned about her health. I was able to meet with Rita in person, and she did indeed look stressed. Her eyes were bloodshot and it was hard for her to sit still.
 I believe stress kills productivity faster than any market downturn. Creating psychological safety isn’t soft—it’s strategic. Here’s the exact framework I use to drive results while keeping teams energized:
 Automating everything does not boost productivity. Yes, automate repetitive tasks. But preserve:
- Human intuition in decision-making - Creative problem solving - Adaptive customer interactions  In today’s fast paced business climate, it’s possible to ignore some important communication practices like interpersonal openness. This is a willingness to engage others in a respectful and curious manner. It involves being receptive to different perspectives, ideas, and experiences, plus genuinely valuing the contributions of others. Let me tell you a story to illustrate its importance.
 We’ve all had the experience of a sudden upset. Something unexpectedly goes wrong, and our brains are hard-wired to react. Our minds and bodies can quickly shift from a neutral or positive state to a negative one. We can become frustrated, angry, and anxious. We can experience our hearts racing and feel a knot in our stomach. Our thoughts and perceptions can become distorted making it difficult to think clearly and make rational decisions. Our self-talk turns negative, and we can become defensive and withdrawn.
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