A former CEO I worked with used to joke that business would be so much easier if it weren't for humans.
LOL.
But, I think, ya know, there's more truth in that joke than many leaders would care to admit.
We invest enormous amounts of time and money in business strategy, organizational restructuring, technology, process improvement and change management. We develop implementation plans, set KPIs, communicate new expectations and establish timelines. But there's one component of organizational change that's notoriously difficult to plan for:
The humans who have to experience it.
People don't arrive at work as blank slates. We - each of us, all of us - bring our histories, beliefs, relationships, expectations, stress responses and, yes, our trauma. It doesn't conveniently stay at home.
It shows up in how we communicate, respond to authority, give and receive feedback, navigate conflict, make decisions and relate to one another.
It's particularly visible when things get difficult: when roles shift, leadership changes, expectations increase, organizations restructure or people experience uncertainty, disruption and a loss of control or belonging.
Our responses are shaped by more than what's happening in the moment. They're influenced by what we've experienced before and the ways we've learned to anticipate and protect ourselves.
Educational philosopher John Dewey explored this through his concept of the continuity of experience.
"Every experience both takes up something from those which have gone before and modifies in some way the quality of those which come after."— John Dewey, Experience and Education (1938)
Our experiences don't exist in isolation.
They shape how we interpret, navigate and participate in subsequent experiences.
That doesn't stop when we walk into the workplace.
Sometimes defensiveness is protection. Withdrawal is overwhelm. What organizations identify as resistance to change may be a response to uncertainty, perceived threat or a loss of psychological safety.
This isn't about excusing harmful behaviour or removing personal accountability. It's about understanding the human experiences that influence behaviour.
So, Why Should Organizations Care?
Because these responses influence workplace relationships, communication, trust, collaboration, decision-making and ultimately, organizational performance.
When we overlook the human experience of work, we risk disengagement, fractured relationships, reduced productivity, loss of institutional knowledge and the departure of high-performing employees.
And these aren't just cultural concerns. They have financial consequences.
Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report estimates that low employee engagement cost the global economy US$10 trillion in lost productivity in 2025 - approximately 9% of global GDP.
Okay, okay, we can’t attribute that loss to trauma alone. But it does raise an important question:
How much organizational potential, productivity and profitability are we leaving on the table when we fail to understand the human experience of work?
This is particularly relevant for the people carrying significant responsibility within organizations.
The executives, senior leaders, entrepreneurs and high-performing professionals expected to navigate complexity, make difficult decisions, manage competing priorities and lead others through uncertainty and change.
We invest in their leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, technical expertise and professional development.
But how much attention do we give to the human being behind the job title?
How well do they recognise their own stress responses? What happens when they're challenged, criticized or under pressure? Can they remain curious when things don't go to plan? Do they recognize when their own protective patterns are influencing how they lead and relate to others?
We spend considerable time developing people to lead organizations.
I say we ought to spend more time supporting them to understand themselves
And if you or your organization is interested in exploring down-toembodiment as part of leadership development, employee wellbeing or workplace culture, let's connect.
