Notes on Resilience

Manya Chylinski
  • 5.0 (1)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Notes on Resilience explores how human experience, including adversity, shapes leadership, innovation, and culture. Host Manya Chylinski talks with people whose work, research, or lived experience reveal how we adapt, care, and create after challenge—what these stories show about the systems we build, and what must evolve.    These conversations are rooted in a simple idea: the goal isn’t resilience for its own sake, the goal is well-being. Resilience is what makes recovery and growth possible.  The show serves as field research on how people and systems recover, rebuild, and move forward.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    170: The Servant Leader Mindset, with Daniel Tataje

    Send us Fan Mail The strongest leaders change what people believe about themselves.  That’s the thread running through my conversation with Dr. Daniel Tataje, founder and CEO of Mercy Dental Group and author of The Leader Humanity Needs, a leader who’s built an award-winning workplace culture by treating compassion as a responsibility, not a strategy. For Daniel, leadership means putting your talents, your authority, and your organization in service of others, and using mission and core values to create leaders at every level, not only in formal management roles. We also get practical about scale: how you keep values from becoming wallpaper, how integrity creates trust and psychological safety, and how to handle conflict without losing the human at the center of the problem.  Daniel breaks down what positivity looks like when it’s honest and why the words "I believe in you” might be the most powerful message a leader can deliver, especially when someone is struggling and support is inconvenient. If you care about compassionate leadership, employee engagement, and building a values-driven workplace culture that actually holds up under pressure, this one will give you a clear path forward.  Dr. Daniel Tataje is the founder, owner, and CEO of Mercy Dental Group and author of the book The Leader Humanity Needs.  Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    26 min

  2. 25 MAR

    169: The Recovery Gap

    Send us Fan Mail The finish line gets repainted, the cameras come back, and the speeches sound certain: we’re stronger, we’ve recovered, we’ve moved forward.  But what happens when a community’s timeline keeps marching and a person’s nervous system does not?  We take a close look at the recovery gap that shows up after public tragedies and large disruptions, using the Boston Marathon bombing anniversary as a lens for a much broader pattern. We unpack why institutions and workplaces run on clean schedules like fiscal years, semesters, and news cycles, while trauma recovery follows a nonlinear path shaped by exposure, loss, prior stress, and the ongoing pressures of real life.  We talk through the less visible markers of healing like restored safety, rebuilt trust, and the ability to feel calm in predictable routines.  We also name the assumptions that quietly widen the gap: Believing that time equals healing for everyone,Treating silence as proof that people are okay, and Equating attendance and productivity with inner stability.If this resonates, subscribe, share with someone who leads people through change, and leave a review with your answer to one question: whose recovery timeline are we using? Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    22 min

  3. 18 MAR

    168: Ready Already, with Allister Frost

    Send us Fan Mail Your boss doesn’t know what’s coming next. Neither do you.  That’s not a crisis; it’s the new starting point for modern leadership, where real agency can finally show up. We sit down with Allister Frost, former Microsoft leader, speaker, and author of Ready Already, to talk about what to do when you have an idea, and you’re not sure it’s ready. He shares what changed when he moved from traditional manufacturing into fast-moving tech, and why the old model of do the job, keep your head down, earn security breaks in a world shaped by AI, constant reinvention, and relentless pace.  We explore a future-ready mindset built on human superpowers: curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. We also get specific about the people-first culture leaders say they want but often accidentally block. Allister explains the HIPPO problem (the highest paid person’s opinion) and how one comment from a leader can flatten experimentation. You’ll hear concrete ways to protect early-stage thinking, pilot ideas safely, and use yes-and collaboration so ideas get better rather than die in a rushed meeting. If you’re worried about AI replacing work, this conversation brings it back to what humans do best and how to lead with humility and honesty. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisterspeaks/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@allisterfrostSubstack: https://substack.com/@allisterspeaksAllister Frost is a business transformation and growth expert, former Microsoft leader, author of ReadyAlready, and an award-winning speaker and marketer. His mission is to save ONE MILLION WORKING LIVES by rescuing busy people from the deadly complacency of their comfort zone. He does this by sharing the new skills and positive mindset needed to stay future-ready for life. Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    28 min

  4. 11 MAR

    167: When Clear Messaging Still Misses

    Send us Fan Mail Good intentions can still break trust. After a crisis, many leaders speak with calm certainty, hoping to steady the room, only to discover it doesn't work the way they thought. We unpack why offering reassurance can backfire, how timing and tone shape meaning, and what it takes to communicate in a way that doesn't unintentionally push people away.  Guided by the lived realities of survivors and the collective memory of COVID’s early messaging, we examine: The moment a polished statement can be perceived as dismissal. How promises create expectations--and how to meet them.The difference between being reassuring and being present.Why managing an audience often sounds like pressure to be okay when people are anything but.We share a practical, humane playbook for post-crisis communication: trade certainty for clarity, and polish for presence. Name what’s known and unknown, set expectations with ranges not absolutes, and outline when and how updates will arrive. Acknowledge the varied layers of impact—from those at the center to the broader community—so no one’s experience feels flattened for the sake of order. Most important, invite two-way conversation and mean it; listening at least as much as you speak is how you rebuild credibility when facts are still moving. If you lead teams or communities through disruption, this conversation offers language you can use today. Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    15 min

  5. 4 MAR

    166: Resilience Is Motion, Not Stillness, with Kenyada Meadows

    Send us Fan Mail Balance isn’t the finish line. It's the pendulum that’s almost never centered, the butterfly that needs resistance to fly, and the swimmer who learns to win with water in his goggles. We sat down with coach, author, and financial services executive Kenyada Meadows to rethink resilience through values, emotional integrity, and the power of community. From a career on Wall Street to the Harvard Advanced Management Program, Kenyada traces a shift from “go it alone” leadership to a world where being world-class means belonging to a circle that challenges you, backs you, and understands the real costs of change. We dig into truths about identity at work—why your title can’t hold your worth—and how a strong sense of justice and family roots can steady you when corporate culture pushes conformity. We talk about trading camouflage for vulnerability, asking direct questions about how you’re showing up, and choosing which battles are worth your time when you zoom out five or fifty years.  Kenyada also shares what’s next for him: coaching at Executive Parent Company, his book The New Alpha, the Executive Dad podcast, and a forthcoming exploration of followership that flips the usual leadership script. Connect with Kenyada on LinkedIn. If you’re ready to lead with your whole self—and stop confusing motion with progress—this conversation offers clear language, practical steps, and a humane path forward. Listen and share it with someone who needs it. Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    27 min

  6. 25 FEB

    165: The Quiet Phase After Crisis

    Send us Fan Mail When the headlines fade and the urgent meetings stop, most leaders exhale—and miss the most important phase of recovery.  We unpack the quiet phase, that deceptive calm where people finally feel the impact and disengagement takes root long before anyone speaks up or turns in a resignation letter.  Drawing on the Boston Marathon bombing as a case study, we examine why acute response looks strong while long-tail mental health support often becomes fragmented, time-limited, and hard to navigate. Adrenaline and purpose carry teams through the peak, then the delayed processing begins. In that space, silence is data. You’ll learn the subtle signs of drift—fewer ideas, cautious or reckless swings in risk-taking, quiet compliance, and loosening social ties—and why dashboards rarely catch them.  We also share a practical playbook for leaders: schedule follow-ups weeks and months out, normalize delayed reactions, keep resources easy to find, and stay visible without forcing disclosure. Presence beats performative support; continuity, not intensity, rebuilds confidence. This conversation offers concrete tools for managers, executives, and community leaders who want to retain talent and restore trust after disruption. If you lead people through crisis—organizational change, public incidents, or community shocks—use these cues to convert quiet from a risk into a bridge back to engagement. Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    15 min

  7. 18 FEB

    164: Leading Through Unrest, with Ayme Zemke

    Send us Fan Mail When a crisis engulfs your community, the urge to go quiet can be powerful—and costly.  We sit down with Ayme Zemke, Chief Client Officer and Certified Crisis Communication Leader at Beehive Strategic Communication, to break down how leaders can speak with clarity, protect trust, and support employees without getting pulled into partisan crossfire. From the current turbulence in Minnesota’s Twin Cities to the universal dynamics of fear, fatigue, and confusion, Ayme shares a calm, values-first approach that keeps people grounded. We unpack the moments that shape a steady crisis communicator and why optimism, not spin, can be a strategic asset when emotions run hot. You’ll hear how to turn organizational values into decision rules, so they guide what you say and what you do. We explore why repetition is reassuring during stress, how to set a dependable update cadence, and the power of saying the same thing in different ways for different learners. The conversation also looks beyond the initial response to the often-missed phases of recovery and renewal. We discuss how to debrief thoughtfully, capture lessons while they’re fresh, and update playbooks so the next response is faster and more human. Along the way, Amy shares what it looks like when a community crisis tests your culture. If you lead people through uncertainty, this is a field guide to acting with care, speaking with purpose, and staying aligned when the noise gets loud. LinkedIn: Ayme Zemke Beehive Strategic Communications Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    25 min

  8. 11 FEB

    163: Resilience Is The Real Infrastructure, with Tony Crescenzo

    Send us Fan Mail Pressure tests every organization, and Tony Crescenzo believes resilience isn’t a perk—it’s the infrastructure that keeps the mission alive.  We sit down with the Marine veteran turned CEO of Intelligent Waves and founder of Peak Neuro to unpack a practical, values‑driven approach to leadership that holds up under pressure. Tony draws a clear line between management and leadership, showing how minimizing deviation from the plan differs from inspiring people to make a vision real and their own.  Across the conversation, we get specific about what it takes to build resilient teams: start with “What do you need?”, focus on outcomes over style, and make values usable in daily decisions.  Tony frames values as the attributes of the perfect colleague, then ties them to performance, rewards, and behavior. His integrity metric is simple and memorable: the distance between what you say and what you do. By publishing his leadership philosophy and filtering choices through two lenses—what serves the customer and what serves the employee—he reduces fear, speeds decision‑making, and scales trust. Tony also opens up about his own PTSD and the science that changed his life. He explains how chronic stress impairs the prefrontal cortex and why resilience should be treated like cybersecurity or logistics: if it fails, the mission is compromised.  If you care about leadership, psychological safety, and building teams that bend rather than break, you’ll find clear principles and tactics you can use today.  Tony Crescenzo is the founder of Peak Neuro, LLC, a pioneering, AI-powered, neuroscience-based platform focused on enhancing cognitive resilience and performance, and the CEO of Intelligent Waves (IW), a leading IT integrator for the U.S. government. Peak Neuro Go to BetterHelp.com/resilience to get a discount. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor

    31 min
See All (170)

About

Notes on Resilience explores how human experience, including adversity, shapes leadership, innovation, and culture. Host Manya Chylinski talks with people whose work, research, or lived experience reveal how we adapt, care, and create after challenge—what these stories show about the systems we build, and what must evolve.    These conversations are rooted in a simple idea: the goal isn’t resilience for its own sake, the goal is well-being. Resilience is what makes recovery and growth possible.  The show serves as field research on how people and systems recover, rebuild, and move forward.

Information

  • Creator
    Manya Chylinski
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    170
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Notes on Resilience
  • Show Website
    Notes on Resilience