The art of naming office elephants

We’ve all been there. A weird vibe in a meeting. A team member who’s clearly not themselves. A tension that hums under the surface. And still—silence. 

In this mini episode, I share a simple but powerful story about what happened when someone called out my mood (in the best way). It reminded me how transformative it can be to name the obvious—and how rarely we do it at work. 

We’ll explore: 

• Why unspoken tension is more damaging than we think 

• How naming the “elephant” clears the air—without making things weird 

• A practical way to build trust and psychological safety in your team 

• What to say when something feels off but you’re not sure how to address it 

If you’ve ever wished you had the right words to handle an awkward dynamic or tense moment at work, this one’s for you. It’s about choosing courage over comfort—and making space for real connection. 

Key Quotes: 

“The beautiful thing about naming what’s happening is that it’s like popping a balloon of awkwardness.” 

“You don’t need a perfect script. You just need to say the thing.” 

 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  

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If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  

Get in touch at [email protected]  

  

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber 

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