When Work Conversations Linger Longer Than We Expect
In this episode of Women on Wisdom, hosted by Sandra Boyd, we hear a thoughtful reflection on how a single work experience can stay with us long after everyone else has moved on.
Nearly a decade ago, before TalentWise Collective was founded, Kirsten Stanger supported a client engagement for one of Patricia Polischuk’s clients that did not go as planned. The client was unhappy, and for Kirsten, the experience felt deeply personal.
She reached out to Patricia with an apology. There was no response.
What felt significant to Kirsten barely registered for Patricia. Not out of disregard, but because life and work continued, as they often do.
Over time, the moment faded into the background, but it never fully disappeared for Kirsten. When she later began working more closely with Patricia, there was a subtle sense that something was unresolved between them, even if it was never named.
Eventually, the story was shared openly between them. What followed was not defensiveness or blame, but understanding. Patricia had no awareness that the experience had stayed with Kirsten, and there was no judgment once it was named.
That conversation created space to clear the air, rebuild trust, and move forward with a stronger foundation as co-founders and partners.
These are the kinds of leadership moments we do not always talk about. They are not dramatic or obvious. They are quiet, human, and shaped by assumptions we never check.
At TalentWise Collective, we see how important these conversations are. They remind us that trust grows through openness, empathy, and a willingness to talk about what might otherwise remain unspoken.
Listen to the full conversation on Women on Wisdom:
https://linktr.ee/womenonwisdom