WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE STOP TRYING TO FIX EACH OTHER

A simple act of leadership from our last Generational Roundtable

What We Practiced Together

I’ve been thinking about last Thursday’s Roundtable.

We did for each other what I hope we can now do for the people we work with.

In the midst of very full workdays, each of us made a simple but meaningful choice—to block off 60 minutes and gather as a virtual community with a shared purpose. Not to solve anyone’s problems. Not to fix generational tension. But to show up, speak honestly, and listen with care.

An Act of Self-Care (and Leadership)

That choice—to pause and be present—was an act of self-care.

It was also an act of leadership.

What struck me most was how much relief came not from advice, but from recognition. As people shared what they were experiencing - moments of frustration and uncertainty - something subtle but important happened.

The sense of isolation softened. We were reminded that we are not alone.

Naming the Real Tension

What many of us are grappling with is not a personal failure or a lack of competence. It’s an honest tension in today’s workplace.

Often, that tension has less to do with any one individual and more to do with unspoken differences in expectations, communication, and experience.

Generational difference is not a problem to be solved. It’s a strength to be understood and harnessed.

The Paradox We’re Living In

When pressure builds, we tell ourselves we’re too busy to slow down—and that what we really need is a quick fix.

One participant named this perfectly: “If I could just get some tools to deal with this…”

And yet, what we were doing together was already the first tool.

The First Tool

We stopped. We named that differences are real. And we allowed people to share how they are experiencing those differences—without labeling, blaming, or rushing to resolution.

That act alone creates the crack that lets the light in.

Once the light gets in, silos begin to fracture. Paths to connection become visible. Trust has somewhere to land.

Before the Tools Come the Conditions

Yes, tools to move from a multigenerational workplace to an intergenerational one do exist. And they can be learned.

But they don’t work without this beginning. Without the willingness to pause, listen, and make space for lived experience.

Thank you to everyone who showed up with generosity and honesty. The quality of the room mattered—and you felt it.

Join Us: February 19

Monthly Generational Roundtable

Building on the depth and care of our last conversation, I’ll be hosting our next monthly Generational Roundtable on February 19.

These Roundtables are a space for people who are leading, managing, mentoring, or collaborating across difference to surface tensions that often go unspoken and to listen without rushing to solutions.

There’s no requirement to come with a “generational issue.” If you’re carrying something that feels complicated, ambiguous, or unfinished in your work right now, you’re in the right place.

As before, the value comes from the quality of the room—thoughtful people, real stories, and a shared commitment to doing work that’s more human and more sustainable.

I’d love to have you join us. subscribepage.io/February2026

With gratitude and presence,

Mary