podcast 031: practicing human flourishing when life disrupts
In today’s episode, Deb sits down with her longtime friend, mentor, and executive coach Lisa Slayton for a grounding conversation about what leadership looks like when life won’t hold still.
“Leadership begins with who you are, not what you do.” – Lisa Slayton
Lisa shares the story behind co-authoring Life in Flux and why the book isn’t just for leaders, but for humans living through constant transition. Together, Deb and Lisa explore the instinct to white-knuckle our way through disruption, why “who you are” matters more than “what you do,” and the countercultural skills that help you stay steady when everything feels uncertain.
You’ll leave with a new metaphor you won’t forget, plus a fresh way to think about resilience: not as toughness, but as presence, pacing, and the willingness to live inside what can’t be solved yet.
This one is for anyone who feels like the world is moving too fast, the fog is too thick, and you’re expected to “figure it out” anyway.
Key Highlights:
Why life transitions show up every 12–18 months and what it changes when you stop expecting stability as the default
The fogboat metaphor: cutting the engine, listening for what’s true, and taking incremental steps instead of panicking forward
The difference between reacting and responding and the simple practices that restore clarity when you’re hijacked by urgency
What it means to embrace the “unfigureoutable” (and why not knowing is becoming a leadership superpower)
“Stay in your headlights”: how self-knowledge creates constraint, better boundaries, and a calmer presence for everyone around you
About Our Guest:
Lisa Slayton is an executive coach, advisor, and founder of Tamim Partners, where she supports leaders and organizations navigating disruption, growth, and change. With a background in leadership development, systems thinking, and relational dynamics, Lisa helps people build grounded self-awareness so they can lead with clarity, courage, and a non-anxious presence in uncertain times. She is also the co-author of Life in Flux, a practical guide for navigating seasons of transition with wisdom and resilience.
About The HX Collective:
The HX Collective is a movement to elevate the human experience—at work, in relationships, and with ourselves. Through honest conversations and strategic insight, we explore how connection, context, and compassion can create a more flourishing world, starting right where we are.
