Working Differently, Together
by Amelia Davis | Peak Intuitive Coaching
I was at work when I got the call. A loved one had died of cancer, quickly and unexpectedly. One moment I was moving through the day as usual, and the next I was sitting on the floor, overwhelmed, crying, not sure how to take another step forward. What I remember most from that moment isn’t the sting of heartbreak, but what happened next. A member of my team stopped what they were doing and sat with me. They didn’t try to fix it or rush me through it. They listened. They stayed. Later, a physician I work with pulled me into a quiet room and asked how I was doing. No agenda, no expectations, just genuine care for me during a human moment.
In those moments, I wasn’t seen as a leader or a problem-solver, though that’s my formal responsibility. I was seen as a human. And I realized how deeply that mattered—how the space for vulnerability our team had built had quietly shaped our collective ability to be resilient together.
Earlier in my career, I didn’t believe vulnerability belonged in the workplace. As a young leader, I felt I needed to be strong for my team. I think this belief came both from societal expectations of leadership and from what was modeled for me in professional environments. I understood the importance of recognizing and acknowledging emotions among the people I was leading, but I rarely allowed my own to show. I felt a responsibility to have a tough, guarded exterior. To absorb, to manage, to keep moving forward.
At home, I was different. With the people I loved and trusted, I talked openly about emotions, anxieties, and how I was feeling. I acknowledged uncertainty. I allowed myself to be human. I didn’t realize at the time how much that divide between my work life and my personal expression was limiting my ability to connect meaningfully with my team.
Over time, that disconnect began to create resentment. I felt misunderstood and underappreciated at work, openly criticized for my lack of availability. Behind the scenes, I was advocating, juggling operations, and supporting more than seventy individuals across three locations, and in person, I would often work alongside teammates as a clinic assistant if they were short of staff. I answered emails and kept up with administrative duties over weekends—time not spent with my family—so no one was waiting on me during business hours. Along the way, I facilitated the addition of new providers and a new service line amid the crush of existing operations.
Despite my effort, staff reported that they “never saw me” and that they “needed someone who could support them consistently.” Eventually, my team requested a different manager—and I reached the point where I was ready to walk away. I believed the culture couldn’t be fixed, or, worse, that I wasn’t the right person for the job.
Then I was given new leadership.
In one conversation, this new leader asked me something that changed everything: Had I ever shared with my team how I was feeling, and how that impacted the way I showed up for them as a leader? It genuinely hadn’t occurred to me that this was an option. No way could it be that simple. I remember thinking, “Am I allowed to do that?”
I had nothing to lose. I gathered the team and opened by saying how demoralizing it felt to keep showing up, when I felt I wasn't the right leader. I told them I often left our workplace feeling hurt, inadequate, and disconnected, when I really wanted to build connection and belonging. "Even though you may not feel my physical presence, I am always working to support you behind the scenes and advocating on our team's behalf," I explained. Then I told them I am always open to feedback and direct, respectful challenge when issues come up.
The conversation lasted about fifteen minutes, and it completely changed the trajectory of our relationship.
From that point forward, we worked differently, together. Trust grew. Communication deepened. We created a culture that allowed room for vulnerability, for real connection, and for care that extended beyond job titles. As a result, we became more effective, more engaged, and more resilient—not because we worked harder, but because we understood one another more fully.
Looking back, that shift shaped my leadership in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. Now, when I experience tough moments, I don’t face them alone. The relationships built through honesty and emotional awareness have become the foundation that allows the team, and me, to navigate deeply difficult experiences with steadiness and compassion.
Resilience, I’ve learned, isn’t built through stoicism. It’s built through connection. When leaders recognize and acknowledge emotion, rather than pushing past it, they create environments where people feel seen, valued, and supported. And it’s within those environments that individuals and teams are able to withstand change, loss, and uncertainty.
Recognizing vulnerability in the workplace isn’t about sharing everything or abandoning professionalism. It’s simply noticing the human moments that already exist and choosing not to ignore them. When we value people holistically, we don’t just strengthen culture, we strengthen one another.
AMELIA DAVIS is an administrator at St. John’s Health and founder of Peak Intuitive Coaching. Her work sits at the intersection of people, performance, and purpose, supporting both individuals and organizations as they navigate growth, complexity, and meaningful change. Outside of coaching, you’ll find her fishing, hiking, and camping with her family and dogs (and occasionally binging a good TV series).