Grief is a human experience. Across cultures, it takes different forms,
but at its heart, it’s something we all share.
And grief doesn’t only mean the passing of someone we love. It can be the loss of a relationship, a job, a home, or anything that mattered to us.
Despite how universal it is, grief is rarely addressed in the workplace. If I said, “grief affects work performance,” most people would agree. We instinctively know it.
But we don’t always recognize how it shows up in specific challenges at work.
Imagine a situation many leaders face: An executive at a Fortune 500 company starts to lose confidence. He doesn’t know why, but he can tell it's affecting his leadership in meetings. He’s less bold, more distracted, not quite himself.
A year earlier, he lost a close colleague. He grieved, but went back to work quickly and pushed those emotions aside. He doesn't realize his current struggles might be rooted in that loss.
From the outside, the connection is clear. But when you're the one experiencing it, it’s much harder to see.
Many people try to power through grief at work. That makes sense; life moves on, and responsibilities remain. The trouble comes when we try to “move on” by hiding grief, or worse, when we stop acknowledging it.
That’s when we experience seemingly unrelated issues: dissatisfaction, lower confidence, or slipping performance.
But something powerful happens when people name it. Just acknowledging grief can begin to release the stuckness. You don’t have to dwell in it, but recognizing it needs attention is a vital first step.
Here are a few reminders I’ve found helpful in my work:
- Grief has no timeline. It can hit in waves, sometimes when you least expect it.
- Everyone grieves differently. There are no rules.
- Be gentle with yourself and with others. Time and space matter.
- If you're a coach or counselor, try asking: “I wonder if grief is playing a role here? What do you notice?”
Grief is part of life. It’s part of what makes us human. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. As the saying goes, what you resist persists.
If you’re working through grief, or leading someone who is, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be honored to help.