Executive coach Tracy Meyer joins me for a conversation most leadership shows avoid: what happens when life doesn’t politely wait for your business calendar.
After losing her father shortly before our originally scheduled recording, Tracy and I talk openly about grief, disruption, and how leaders navigate loss without retreating into performance, denial, or toxic professionalism. This episode isn’t about Instagram resilience or “powering through.” It’s about what loss actually does to people—and how it reshapes priorities, identity, presence, and leadership capacity.
We explore why disruption often exposes the false stability we cling to, how entrepreneurs confuse emotional suppression with maturity, and why being “authentic” doesn’t mean being unfiltered—or dishonest. From end-of-life care to creative practice, from business pressure to personal presence, this is a raw conversation about perspective, responsibility, and what matters when the noise drops away.
The takeaway isn’t grief as productivity fuel.
It’s learning how to hold responsibility without abandoning humanity.
TL;DR
Loss dismantles false stability—and reveals what was imaginary all along
Grief and leadership aren’t opposites; avoidance is the real risk
Authenticity means integration, not emotional dumping or repression
Business can pause without collapsing—identity doesn’t have to
Presence during transitions creates meaning that outlasts outcomes
Maturity lives between brutal honesty and emotional containment
Perspective, not optimization, is the real leadership upgrade
Memorable Lines
“A lot of the stability we cling to was never real—it just lived in our heads.”
“There doesn’t have to be an objective ROI for something to matter.”
“Being authentic doesn’t mean being unregulated.”
“Loss doesn’t end leadership—it clarifies it.”
“Perspective isn’t found in performance; it’s found in presence.”
Guest
Tracy Meyer — Executive coach, keynote speaker, author
Credentialed through UC Berkeley and ICF, Tracy brings over 40 years of leadership experience across coaching, speaking, and organizational development. Her work focuses on authenticity, perspective, and navigating leadership through life transitions.
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https://beuleadership.com
Why This Matters
Most leadership content assumes emotional stability as a prerequisite.
Real life doesn’t.
People lose parents. Partners. Health. Identity. Certainty.
And still have teams, businesses, responsibilities, and expectations.
This episode reframes leadership not as emotional suppression, but as integration—learning how to carry responsibility without abandoning humanity. For founders, operators, and executives navigating grief, burnout, or major life transitions, this conversation offers permission to stop performing resilience—and start practicing it.
Not everything needs fixing.
Some things need honoring before you can move forward.
