Groops

Sometimes tension shows up when people care enough to not stay surface level. Growth creates tension. Honesty creates tension. Change creates tension. Real collaboration creates tension. This week’s newsletter is about the kinds of tension leaders try to avoid and why avoiding them often creates bigger problems later. As Jonathan Smith says when reflecting on his work with professional teams like Formula 1, high performance isn't the absence of pressure. It’s the ability to stay connected and coordinated inside of it. Read on here: https://lnkd.in/edueqfAR

On June 2nd from 7-9pm at Democracy Brewing in Boston, our founder Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D. is joining 'Binge Thinking' for a conversation on the hidden dynamics shaping groups, leadership, and connection. If you’re curious about psychology, communication, and human behavior in real time, come join us! Tickets for these events usually sell out quickly, so grab yours now: https://lnkd.in/e9qaSjRv

A lot of leadership advice teaches people how to perform leadership. Far less teaches people how to stay connected to themselves while leading. In the latest episode of the Groops Podcast, Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D. sits down with Katya Libin, co-founder of HeyMama and Chief Visionary Officer of JADEVA for a conversation on leadership, entrepreneurship, conflict, spirituality, and the relational work that sustainable success actually requires. Together they explore: → what feminine leadership looks like beyond performance → how conflict and repair strengthen teams and communities → the hidden cost of scaling while disconnected from yourself → why intuition, rest, and attunement matter in leadership → how ambition and spirituality can coexist This conversation is honest, nuanced, and deeply relevant for anyone rethinking the way we lead in modern workplaces. If leadership is relational, then connection isn’t separate from the work. It is the work. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/ewEvUhdi & on Spotify + Apple Podcasts!

One of the most powerful shifts in leadership is learning how to interpret people differently. When we assume someone is lazy, difficult, checked out, or resistant, we lead from protection. When we assume someone is trying, even imperfectly, we lead from curiosity. That doesn’t mean lowering standards or avoiding accountability. It means understanding that people make more sense when we slow down enough to understand the conditions they’re operating inside of. We loved seeing Danielle Farage reflect on “unconditional positive regard” from our Applied Leadership cohort this week. Meaningful leadership development often starts with becoming more aware of the stories we tell ourselves about other people. The Applied Leadership Cohorts are built for leaders who want space to: → reflect on real dynamics at work → build stronger relational awareness → practice leadership, not just learn about it Great to see these ideas reinforced by Jonathan Mines, Devin Collins, Kellie Macpherson, Stephanie Lemek, SPHR, MBA, CTSS, TIWP, and Stephen Shedletzky in the comments 👏 😊 If something like this feels interesting to you, comment “cohort” below and we’ll send more info 💡

What if the person frustrating you most at work is actually doing their best? I've been thinking about this a lot lately 🤔 I'm currently in a 6-week leadership program with Groops (psychologist-led, super practical) and in week 1, we explored a concept called "unconditional positive regard" In simple terms: you extend belief in someone before they prove they deserve it. This hit different for me because my work is all about asking people to think differently, especially across generations. And here's what I've noticed: So much intergenerational tension comes from assuming the other side 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 trying. → "They're entitled." → "They're out of touch." → "They don't know how to do anything." But what would happen if we assumed best intent first, and let that shape how we show up? I'm still learning how to practice this consistently. But even just naming it has shifted how I approach tough conversations. Leading with belief opens doors that suspicion keeps closed 🚪 Excited to be part of this Groops experience, I'm already feeling renewed amidst all this time for reflection 🪞✨ shoutout to Bobbi Wegner, Rosie McLaughlin, Elizabeth McHugh for having me! Where in your work and life could you practice more unconditional positive regard? Funny answers welcomed 👇

nobody wants to sit in another room where people are just fighting to be right. In this clip from our podcast, Amanda Austin & Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D. talk about the improv principle of “yes, and” not as a performance trick, but as a way of working with other people. → Dropping the ego → Actually listening → Building on ideas instead of soley defending your own The teams that move forward are the ones that can hear each other long enough to create something together.

One of the fastest ways teams lose trust is when people stop feeling like they are solving problems together. Next leadership meeting, ask yourself: → Are we trying to understand each other or win the interaction? → Do hard conversations feel collaborative? → Are people bringing concerns forward early or once frustration has already built? → When tension shows up, does the room become more honest or more careful? The highest performing teams are not tension-free. They just maintain the feeling that even during disagreement, everyone is still sitting on the same side of the table. Once people begin protecting themselves from each other instead of working with each other, performance, trust, and cohesion all start to erode underneath the surface. We explore this dynamic more deeply in a recent newsletter, including the “Same Side Audit” leaders can use with their teams. Read on here: https://lnkd.in/ejcKqJ9E

Ever felt like your nervous system couldn’t differentiate between a major dilemma and spilling your coffee on the way to work? You might be less regulated than you think. And over time, that dysregulation can create team dysfunction that becomes harder to repair the longer it goes unnamed. In this week’s newsletter, Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D. explores how leaders shape team performance through the signals they send every day, often without realizing it. Because teams are constantly reading: → How safe it feels to speak up → Whether challenge is welcomed or avoided → If trust is actually present beneath alignment → What behaviors get reinforced in moments of pressure → Whether people feel connected to each other or simply coordinated One thing we keep seeing across teams: Performance is rarely just about capability. It’s about the psychological conditions people are operating inside of. The strongest teams are shaped through repeated relational signals over time. Read the full newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/e5v_PAdi

Pressure effects everyone. And high performers don’t just “handle” pressure better. They train for it differently. In the newest episode of The Groops Podcast, performance psychologist Jonathan Smith sits down with Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D. to share what he’s learned working with Olympic/Paralympic athletes, Formula 1 teams, and executive leaders about thriving under pressure without sacrificing wellbeing. They explore: → Why self-awareness is the foundation of growth → The paradoxes that define great leadership → How trust and compassionate honesty shape high-performing teams → Why pressure tolerance can actually be trained → The balance between performance, development, and wellbeing One insight that stuck with us: The best teams don’t choose between support and challenge. They learn how to create both at the same time. If you lead people, coach teams, or care about sustainable high performance, this conversation is worth your time. Listen on here: https://lnkd.in/eNdt4xfQ or on Spotify + Apple podcasts!

Groops built Cohesion Signals to surface what's happening on your team before it costs you a key person, a launch, or a quarter. → Team Cohesion Signal For team leaders, HR partners, and executives. A quick read on your team across psychological safety, trust, alignment, communication, and belonging. https://lnkd.in/ebsz8Jjk → Leadership Cohesion Signal For leaders who want to understand how their own behavior is shaping cohesion in the people they lead. https://lnkd.in/ehub7yg7 Both free. Both quick. Both come back with a clear read on where you stand, and what to do next. Designed by organizational psychologists. Grounded in how cohesion actually breaks down (and more importantly, gets rebuilt).