The tragic loss of EY’s Anna shakes us. We’ve all felt it.That quiet, creeping sense of not belonging. One day, you’re in the mix, contributing, feeling like you matter. The next, you’re left questioning your worth. It’s not just a job anymore.It’s your identity on the line, measured by the latest project, the latest review.
What’s truly heartbreaking isn’t the silence or the judgment. It’s the fact that we’ve been trained not to push back. We’ve tied our sense of self to our performance, so when the numbers slip, it’s not just your career at risk, it’s your very being. And over time, those small criticisms, the subtle dismissals, they chip away at you, until you’re left wondering where the person you used to be went.
We’ve built a culture where suffering is seen as the price of ambition. Anxiety, endless hours, and quiet fear have become badges of honor. But here’s the thing : It’s not normal. It’s a cycle of generational trauma, passed down from leaders who learned success through struggle and now, without realizing, impose the same on others.
But what if we let go of this destructive model? What if work could be a place of growth and contribution, rather than survival? It starts with leaders willing to unlearn, willing to create space for vulnerability.
Because here’s the truth: we’re not defined by our metrics or reviews. We’re defined by how we lift each other up. It’s in the smallest moments,showing up for one another, sharing the weight,that we remember what matters. No one should carry this alone. Let’s build something better. Together.