“When nothing’s wrong, but something doesn’t quite feel right” describes that feeling of outwardly coping and functioning, while internally recognising that something has shifted.

In this episode, Esi is joined by Sarah Stephenson, founder of Seeing Things Differently, to explore what that feeling can tell us about adaptation, resilience, belonging and the environments we inhabit.

Drawing on her lived experience as a disabled trans woman and her career as a senior equality, diversity and inclusion leader, Sarah introduces the idea of adaptation fatigue: when coping, adjusting and being resilient become so familiar that we stop noticing the toll they are taking.

Esi and Sarah discuss the additional cost of navigating spaces as someone from a marginalised community, why resilience isn’t always the positive we assume it to be, and why organisations need to stop expecting individuals to overcome barriers that could be removed in the first place.

They also explore intersectionality, hypervigilance, inclusive design and the importance of recognising the humanity behind EDI data, policies and processes.

At the heart of the conversation is a shift in responsibility: instead of continually asking people to adapt to fit their environment, organisations can look at how their environments, systems and ways of working need to change.

Sarah Stephenson is the founder of Seeing Things Differently, where she supports professionals navigating significant shifts in work, identity and direction. A coach, public speaker and former senior EDI leader, her work explores adaptation, voice, dignity and change.

FIND SARAH

Seeing Things Differently: https://www.seeingthingsdifferently.co.uk

LinkedIn: Search for Sarah Stephenson and Seeing Things Differently.

Send us Fan Mail

Enjoyed this episode?
Subscribe, leave a rating and share it with someone who's ready to start finding out.