Grief is part of life.

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When it hits, we carry it with us into every part of our life – our conversations, our meetings, our decisions.

It’s present, whether we’re the ones grieving or whether it’s a friend, colleague or employee who’s grieving and it’s important to be aware of that.

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And a conversation about grief is often one of those difficult conversations we prefer not to have.

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We tell people to be strong.

To move on.

To find closure.

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But grief doesn’t follow neat rules.

It’s messy.

It comes in waves.

It’s laughter and tears in the same breath.

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This week on UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Grief and the Loss of Loved Ones, Amy and I talk about how grief changes us, how we show up, and why silence can hurt more than tears.

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We explore what to say (and what not to say), how to hold space for others without trying to fix them and how to navigate your own grief as a leader when the world expects you to keep going.

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Leadership doesn’t pause for grief but we must lead with humanity.

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Here are some hard truths we unpacked:

• When you ask someone how they’re doing after a loss, you won’t ‘remind’ them that they’ve lost a loved one. They already live with that reality every day.
• It’s far more painful to say nothing than to say the wrong thing.
• “At least…” is never comforting. It diminishes pain instead of being there with them as they experience it.
• There’s nothing to fix. Grief isn’t a problem. It’s a process.
• Acknowledging what’s in the room is leadership. Avoidance isn’t kindness, it’s distance.

For leaders everywhere, if you’re grieving, you don’t have to be strong, you have to be real.

Tell people what support looks like for you. Ask for what you need.

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If someone around you is grieving, say something.

Acknowledge the loss.

You can’t make it better, but you can make it less lonely.

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Check in.

Offer space.

Be courageous enough to care out loud.

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Reflection for the week:

Where might grief – yours or someone else’s – be present but unspoken?

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Grief changes you.

It strips away what’s unnecessary and reminds you what matters most.

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Maybe that’s the gift inside the loss.

The deeper love, sharper perspective and the courage to say the things that need to be said while we still can.

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Tell the people you love that you love them.

Don’t wait for the right moment.

There’s no such thing.

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Here’s to the conversations that set us free.

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Listen to the full episode of UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Grief and the Loss of Loved Ones

Share it with a colleague, friend, or leader who might need a reminder that being human is never a weakness.

PS: If you or your team are ready to create a workplace that leads with both courage and compassion, let’s talk.