Neolé

When the applause came, I suddenly got nervous. The slide clicker slipped right out of my hand, it cracked open as it hit the floor, and the battery went flying across the room. For real!

It was the end of my workshop, and I knew (without a doubt) that the applause was genuine. So why did I get nervous?

At least half the participants went out of their way to thank me for a well-executed session (I don’t mean to brag, but that’s a sure sign they truly enjoyed it). I had kept all 30 participants engaged from the very first minute—they laughed, they worked hard on each challenge, they reflected deeply, and every single person walked away with at least one new insight about themselves and more trust in their team. They left with a clear roadmap for tackling challenges and a deeper understanding of the value of balancing creative and critical thinking for optimal results.

This workshop was part of a two-day offsite for a small but highly successful team with staff in the USA, Canada, and England. They had chosen to meet in beautiful Prince Edward County. The photos below give you a snapshot of the day.

So why did I get nervous at the very end? Well… they don’t know this, but I ran out of time and wasn’t able to close the way I had planned. I worried that the closing I ended up doing was too blah—so when the applause came, it didn’t feel 100% deserved.

I always end my sessions on time, even if it means adjusting the design. As a facilitator, I often have to make those kinds of decisions on the fly. In this case, I decided to give them extra time for the previous reflection exercise because the room was buzzing with excitement from people’s insights. I didn’t want to cut that short. But it meant I had to close “from the stage” rather than inviting participants to share their own closing reflections. This is not my preference. I like to have the final spotlight on the team, not on me.

Luckily, no one seemed to notice that my clicker battery went flying across the room. I kept my cool and silently told myself that all was good.

By the way, if you are planning a team offsite or a leadership retreat, and you want to tackle a real challenge, or you want it to have a real impact on how the team thinks and feels long after the offsite, PM me, I’d love to chat.

Artificial Intelligence is advancing faster than most of us imagined.

For leaders, this moment isn’t just about keeping up with technology — it’s about evolving our human intelligence.
On November 13, I’ll be joining Tim Morton for a live conversation about how our biology—sleep, nutrition, and nervous system regulation—directly fuels focus, creativity, and collaboration.

We’ll explore:
🌙 Why your brain’s performance depends on your biology
🔥 How history shows biology has always driven human evolution
💪 What it takes to stay sharp, calm, and creative in the AI era

If you want to lead with clarity, energy, and compassion while harnessing AI’s potential, this session is for you.
Register here: https://loom.ly/Xu-ZDVQ

In an email exchange with a leader in a fast-growing company, I was disappointed to hear that the strategies that once helped him sustain high performance were no longer working.

He shared:

"I've been finding my self-care routine challenged lately, and I immediately notice the negative impact on my performance."

That’s the reality of being what he called a “Corporate Athlete.” Just like elite athletes can’t perform without a good balance of good stress, rest, and recovery, leaders in high-pressure roles can’t thrive without the right habits, routines, and—most importantly—a supportive workplace culture.

From my experience and research, a Corporate Athlete needs four essentials to succeed in high-stress environments:
🔷Emotional well-being → resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to handle stress without burning out.
🔷Physical well-being → nutrition, sleep, and movement to keep energy and focus sharp.
🔷Intellectual well-being → meaningful, engaging work with opportunities for growth.
🔷Social well-being → trust, belonging, and a culture where people can be their authentic selves.

It’s impossible to sustain optimal performance when any of these are neglected. That’s why creating cultures that value self-care is not just “nice to have”—it’s essential for long-term success.

👉 What do you think a Corporate Athlete needs most to succeed in a high-stress, high-pressure environment? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The leaders I interviewed weren’t just worried about themselves. They were worried about their teams:
Dedicated people who keep showing up, but aren’t getting enough true rest and recovery between workdays.

The result?
🔷Exhaustion
🔷Irritability
🔷Poor decision-making
🔷Even the occasional “nasty” email sent in frustration

And let’s not forget the personal stresses people carry with them into work: sick kids, adult children struggling with mental health, aging parents, relationship breakdowns, close friends fighting cancer.

These pressures don’t stay at the office door. They affect performance, collaboration, and team morale.

That’s why I created High Performance Habits: a 90-minute workshop designed to give leaders practical tools to sustain energy and protect performance—even under pressure.

👉 Check out the workshop here https://www.neole.ca/high-performance-habits
(Special pricing for the first five organizations who book a call.)

In one of my recent interviews, a leader said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“Every Sunday is like going into a coma. The week is all about keeping the ball in the air. It’s exhausting.”

This wasn’t someone disengaged or unmotivated. This was a highly dedicated leader—someone who cared deeply about their team and company’s success…all while running out of steam.

When I spoke with over 40 leaders, I heard variations of this story again and again.

That’s why I designed something to help: High Performance Habits: a 90-minute workshop that equips leaders with the habits they need to thrive under pressure—without burning out.

👉 Check out the workshop here https://www.neole.ca/high-performance-habits
(Special pricing available for the first five organizations who book a call with me!)

High Performance Habits | 90 Minute Workshop - Neolé Inc. High Performance Habits workshop and give your leaders the science-backed, highly practical strategies they need to sustain their own high expectations.

💬 “We’re asking people to perform at a high level without giving them the space to recharge. That’s a leadership issue.”

Neolé founder Ginny Santos shares the key takeaways from our new white paper—backed by stories from 42 Canadian business and HR leaders.

From boundary-setting to brain training, we explore how stress and sleep are shaping your team's performance—and what you can do about it.

Tune in to hear:

• What’s working inside progressive organizations
• Why nervous system regulation is the next big leadership skill
• How small changes lead to real results

🎧 Listen now: https://loom.ly/s9e22qU
📘 Prefer to read? Download the white paper: www.neole.ca/employee-stress-sleep-and-productivity

“It’s not just about being tired—it’s about being depleted. We can’t expect high performance from people running on fumes.”
— Interviewee, featured in "Employee Stress, Sleep & Productivity"

This quote came from one of 42 Canadian leaders we spoke to—and it captures what so many are feeling but few are saying out loud.

Stress and sleep deprivation are silently impacting productivity, decision-making, and morale across industries. The good news? Some organizations are turning things around—and in this white paper, we highlight what they’re doing differently.

📘 Download the white paper: www.neole.ca/employee-stress-sleep-and-productivity