WednesdAMA: Reader-Submitted Questions
While it’s true we get to do a lot of cool work with various companies, it’s no secret that our individual coaching is considered the crown jewel of The Threadsmith Group. If we can make one person’s life better through the coaching we provide, the business is a success.
BUT, not everyone is able to make the investment to get 1:1 coaching, and we believe in giving back to the community. So welcome to WednesdAMA, in which we take a mix of reader submitted questions and LinkedIn questions and answer them.
I know one of my employees is struggling, but they won’t open up about it. How can I support them without overstepping?
Start by noticing—and naming—the shift.
You might say something like, "Hey, I’ve noticed you’ve been quieter than usual in meetings. Just wanted to check in—how are you doing?" Then pause. Let the silence do some work. You don’t need to fill it with reassurances or assumptions.
If they’re not ready to talk, respect that. They don’t owe you a response or deep personal details. Keep checking in and keep the door open, but don’t be pushy or annoying about it. Being a gentle, supportive presence is often enough.
Support isn’t about prying into someone’s business. It isn’t about forcing people to talk—it’s about making sure they know they can. It’s about building trust over time so that when they are ready, they know where to turn and they can feel safe coming to you.
Also, check your own behavior. Are you modeling vulnerability? Are you making it okay to not be okay? Because culture starts with you, and people mirror what they see.
LinkedIn: Your team member is overwhelmed with work-life balance and stress. How can you offer the support they need?
“When someone on your team is juggling too much, it's crucial to step in with support. Here's how to help:
Encourage open dialogue about workload and stress, creating a safe space for honest conversation.
Offer flexible scheduling or remote work days to alleviate pressure from personal commitments.
Suggest professional resources like counseling services or stress management workshops.
How do you support colleagues facing work-life imbalance?”
.....if I'm DROWNING in stress and someone offers me a WORKSHOP on stress management, I will scream and whip my laptop out the nearest window. What HORRIBLE advice. Do not do this, oh my goodness.
No. Here's what you're going to do as my manager: you're going to talk to me about what I'm going through, you're going to accept that I may not be comfortable telling you everything, and you're going to support me by TAKING STUFF OFF MY PLATE. That's it. I don't need a high five while I'm drowning, I need practical and useful help. Temporarily removing some of the work stress won't cause material harm to the business, but it'll do SO MUCH good for your employee.
You need to step back and seriously think about what would help you, then do that. I guarantee “take a workshop on stress management while I’m already miserable” is not going to make it to the list of things that would make you feel better. Woof.
LinkedIn: You're drowning in tasks at work. How do you convince your superiors to lighten the load?
First off, if you're having to "convince" your superiors that you don't deserve the level of stress you're under, I'm gonna need you to polish your resume and get out of there. That's ridiculous. I'm an adult, I know how to prioritize my work, and I know how to manage my own stress level. If I tell you it's too much, you need to trust that it's too much and you need to collaborate with me to figure out how to remove tasks.
I should be able to go to my manager and simply say, "The workload is untenable, I need x,y, and z removed from my plate". If I have to do any convincing past that, I'm going to look at leaving because we clearly don't have a solid, trusting relationship and I don’t belong there.
The Threadsmith Group Approach
At The Threadsmith Group, we don’t believe in cookie-cutter advice. We believe in real answers for real people, backed by experience, strategy, and a healthy dose of common sense.
Got a question of your own? Send it in. Let’s talk about the things that actually matter.