• 9 to 5 Dilemma: When Doing It All Isn’t Working Anymore.

• If Your 1:1s Feel Like Status Reports, Read This.

• Brand Power Hour Sign-Ups Open.

• 1 Quick Tweak to Make This Week.

The Reality No One Talks About

We talk a lot about layoffs, unemployment, and the dehumanization that is the modern day job search, but we don’t really talk about those that are left behind in the company.

Those left behind are “survivors” and what you’re describing is survivor strain, the invisible tax on the people who stay after a layoff.

You’re left carrying the workload of a team that no longer exists, with the same deadlines, expectations, and fear running the show. You’re grateful to still have a paycheck, but it feels like you’re paying for it with your sanity.

And because the culture around you is tense and quiet, you convince yourself that asking for help would make you look weak, uncommitted, or next in line.

Hear me out… staying silent doesn’t protect you, it just guarantees the burnout will win sooner rather than later.

What’s Actually Happening

When organizations contract, three predictable dynamics show up:

1. The Scope Trap – Your role expanded, but your authority didn’t.

2. The Fear Loop – Every conversation feels like a test of loyalty.

3. The Performance Illusion – You’re praised for surviving the chaos, but the expectations never reset.

These patterns make good people doubt themselves and they’re what keep companies quietly losing their best talent.

How to Start Reclaiming Control

1️⃣ Audit the Workload and Name the Reality

You can’t fix what’s invisible.

List out everything currently on your plate and categorize it into three buckets:

• Essential: What’s mission-critical to the business or clients?

• Sustaining: What keeps systems and people functioning day-to-day?

• Optional or Deferred: What used to matter, but isn’t moving the needle right now.

This gives you language and evidence when you go to your leader.

2️⃣ Lead the Alignment Conversation

The goal isn’t to say, “I can’t handle this.” 

It’s to say, “Let’s make sure we’re investing my time where it matters most.”

Try this script:

Then pause.

Don’t apologize or explain it.

Often, they’ll see what you already know… that the math doesn’t work.

If your leader still pushes back, ask:

You’re not being defiant or difficult.

You’re managing expectations with data so you can balance your energy, effort, and workload.

3️⃣ Renegotiate Your Definition of Performance

When things get messy, companies often unconsciously reward martyrdom, the person who “just makes it happen.” They praise the ones who just always say yes, even if they aren’t doing the work well.

Real performance is about impact, not endurance.

• It’s choosing the 3 things that move the needle instead of doing 30 that don’t.

• It’s building systems that last beyond you, not heroics that require you.

• It’s being strategic enough to protect your energy because you can’t lead from depletion.

4️⃣ Communicate Boundaries Without Guilt

You can’t wait for someone else to give you permission to rest. You model it.
A few examples of neutral language that sets expectations:

You’re not saying no. You’re saying not now.

5️⃣ Rebuild Trust Through Visibility, Not Overwork

When fear runs high, people overcompensate by overproducing.
Instead, build trust by sharing concise, structured updates.

Example:

It shows ownership, transparency, and leadership without you needing to sacrifice your health, wellbeing, family, or priorities to prove it.

Try This

Before you open your laptop tomorrow, ask yourself:

• What’s actually mine to carry?

• What can wait?

• Who needs to know what’s true about my capacity?

That’s where gumption starts, not in doing it all, but in daring to do what matters most.

💌 Sign-Off

If this hit close to home, you’re not alone.

Quiet strain is one of the most common (and least talked about) symptoms of this market, especially for the ones who stay after the storm.

Take a beat. Breathe.

Then, go have that conversation, not as a plea for help, but as a professional aligning priorities for impact.

Re-Inventing the (Dreaded) 1:1

Most people use 1:1s like a to-do list readout: “Here’s what I did. Here’s how I did it. Here are the problems that came up while I tried to do it.”

That format makes you sound tactical, not strategic, even when you’re doing incredible work.

The goal of a 1:1 isn’t to prove you’re busy.

It’s to show your impact and shape the conversation toward what matters next.

The Gumption Guide to 1:1s That Actually Matter

1️⃣ Shift the Goal: From Reporting to Realignment

You’re there to drive alignment, advocate for priorities, and share the story of your impact.

Instead of:

Say:

🪄 See the difference? One tells what you did. The other shows the impact and opens the door for conversation on the value of your work.

2️⃣ Structure It Like a Story (Not a Spreadsheet)

Align your talking points one of these models:

• PAR (Problem – Action – Result)

• CAR (Challenge – Action – Result)

• SAR (Situation – Action – Result)

• BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) – start with the result first, then explain the why.

Example:

You’ve just positioned yourself as someone who leads with insight, not input.

3️⃣ Anchor Each Conversation to Your Brand Pillars

Your 1:1 is where you reinforce your professional brand every week.
Use it to highlight what you want to be known for.

If your brand pillars are, say, clarity, collaboration, and capability-building, then your updates should sound like:

4️⃣ Guide the Agenda — Don’t Just Fill It

Come to each 1:1 with a three-part structure:

1. Wins: What impact did you drive since the last check-in?

2. Challenges: What’s blocking progress?

3. Priorities: Where do you need alignment or resources?

Then, close with a proactive question:

5️⃣ Use Your 1:1 to Gather Data (Not Just Deliver It)

Most people treat 1:1s as a one-way street. Don’t.

Use them to ask:

• “What’s getting the most attention from leadership right now?”

• “Are there metrics or results that matter most this quarter?”

• “What’s one thing I could start doing that would make your job easier?”

That last question builds trust faster than any quarterly review ever could.

6️⃣ Capture Themes (Not Notes)

If you’re taking notes after your 1:1, don’t list every discussion point.
Write down themes on what keeps showing up.

Example:

• Theme: workload visibility — exec team still unclear on team capacity

• Theme: leadership opportunities — need more strategic exposure

These become your talking points in future performance reviews or promotion conversations.

What I’d Tell You If We Were Coaching 1:1

Your 1:1s are one of the few times each week where you can be seen, not just for what you do, but for how you think.

When you show up with clarity, structure, and stories of impact, you stop being “the person who gets things done” and start being the impact driver, the high potential employee, the succession plan to replace your boss.

Try This

Next time you prep for your 1:1, write your notes in this format:

• Bottom Line Up Front: The one takeaway you want them to leave with.

• Key Wins: 2–3 measurable outcomes or moments of influence.

• One Ask: What alignment, support, or resource you need.

• One Insight: Something you learned or observed that ties to company priorities.

That’s it. Four bullets.
You’ll sound clear, confident, and credible… because you are.

Brand Power Hour: November-Only Openings

Before 2026 hits full speed, I’m opening 15 Brand Power Hour sessions — short, focused, and built to help you finish strong.

If you’ve been meaning to update your resume, refresh your LinkedIn, or finally document your wins for that year-end review… this is your sign.

Each Power Hour is a 60-minute private session designed to give you clarity, momentum, and a polished deliverable you can actually use.

What You Can Use It For

Choose one focus area for your session:

✅ Resume Edit + Refresh
Get clear, keyword-aligned, and accomplishment-forward.

✅ LinkedIn Profile Rebuild
Rework your headline, summary, and experience to reflect who you are now, not who you were last role.

✅ Year-End Performance Review Support
Turn your year’s work into measurable impact stories that make leadership take notice.

✅ 2026 Goal Setting + Career Planning
Clarify what’s next, where you’re heading, and how to talk about it with confidence.

Details

• When: November only

• Length: 60 minutes of focused strategy

• Investment: $129 (regularly $589)

• Availability: Only 8 seats available

This is a one-time offer I open for people who want expert eyes, quick wins, and a clean reset before the new year.

How to Book

👉 Reserve Your Brand Power Hour

Quick Tweak of the Week:

Audit your resume bullets to make sure you’re not hiding your impact at the end of the sentence.

Too many people tuck their results behind long action statements which means the reader never sees them.

Example (buried impact):

By the time someone reads “30%,” they’re already skimming.

Try flipping it:

✅ The result comes first sometimes.
✅ The reader immediately understands your impact.
✅ You sound like a leader, not a task-doer.

Your challenge this week:
Audit 3–5 bullets and ask:

Don’t Be a Stranger!

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