How to have boundaries at work
How to do good work without selling your soul
I’m celebrating hitting a major birthday (50!!!!) next week. In honour of living for half a century, I’m offering a major discount on subscriptions for one week only.
I’ve also created something special for those of you navigating the emotional complexity of institutional life whether you're in it, adjacent to it, or recovering from it. Inside: a downloadable guide to surviving institutional life without losing your your soul.
I’ve just finished observing Passover, a Jewish holiday that marks the journey of the Israelites from bondage to freedom physically, psychologically, and spiritually. In the modern workplace, the Passover story resonates with the experience of exiting systems that rely on extraction and domination, even when they’ve become familiar.
It’s coincided with my job search efforts after leaving a permanent part-time role over a month ago in search of a new challenge. As I scroll through job listings for workplace consultants, facilitators, and people development roles, I notice something beyond the stated responsibilities. While many of these positions speak to culture change, capacity building, and employee experience, there’s often an unspoken second job description that quietly shapes the actual role.
It’s become clear to me that some organisations are explicitly seeking someone to lead or support reform while managing dysfunction without naming it and to hold the emotional and relational mess that leadership and HR cannot resolve, let alone transform. These roles often involve navigating unacknowledged power struggles, smoothing over trust deficits, and acting as a buffer between distressed teams, toxic leadership, and systems resistant to change.