There are moments when leadership feels less strategic – and more human.
Moments when headlines hit closer to home. When the news cycle feels relentless.
When events happening miles away land directly in the hearts of the people sitting beside us at work.
Over time, we learn how to lead change, manage complexity, and navigate conflict with curiosity. But some moments call on all of those skills at once. And as leaders, we don’t get to opt out of the emotional weight these moments carry.
Many of you have shared that heaviness with me. I feel it too.
For years, I searched for language to describe what these moments mean for our teams, and how they quietly show up in our work environments. Then I encountered a concept that helped me make sense of what so many leaders feel but struggle to name.
It’s a framework worth revisiting together.
💡 MEGA-THREATS
A few years ago, I introduced ODLC membership to the concept of “Mega-Threats,” a term coined by Duke Fuqua School of Business Professor Angelica Leigh. I am saddened (gross understatement) that we are steadily experiencing episodes of targeted actions on local and national scales that can certainly be categorized as “Mega-Threats.”
Researchers coined the term Mega-Threats to describe incidents that:
- are negative or violent
- receive intense media attention
- are closely tied to the identities of those affected
Think of the events that dominate headlines and social feeds. The ones that feel personal, even if they didn’t happen in your city. For people who share similar lived experiences, these moments don’t feel abstract. They feel immediate. Vulnerable. Close.
And that emotional load doesn’t stay at home – it walks into the workplace and care environments.
⚠️ Warning Signs
Mega-Threats don’t just affect morale. They affect capacity.
You may notice (or experience ):
- difficulty concentrating
- withdrawal or silence
- increased stress or fatigue
- lower engagement
- avoidance of tasks or meetings
Not because people aren’t committed, but because they’re carrying the invisible questions:
“Am I safe?”
“Am I next?”
That cognitive and emotional burden is real. And it impacts trust, connection, and performance across entire teams
🧭This Impacts All of Us
This isn’t about “certain groups.” This is about humanity.
When even one part of our community feels threatened or unseen, the ripple touches everyone – culture, communication, and care delivery included.
As leaders, we may not control the events themselves. But we do control how we respond.
We can:
- acknowledge what people may be feeling
- create space for conversation
- communicate with empathy
- offer flexibility when needed
- model steadiness rather than silence
🌍 Moving Forward Together
If this concept is new to you, I encourage you to review the summary article below. It offers practical ways supervisors and leaders can navigate these moments with intention and care.
The more language we have for what our teams experience, the better we can support them – and articulate to others what we may be experiencing ourselves.
Consider how you can contribute to healing and the discovery of a path forward. We are in this together.
Dr. Erica Taylor
ODLC Founder
Supporting Employees After Violence Against Their Community
“Mega-threats” – defined as incidents that are negative, receive intense media attention, and are intrinsically linked to the victim(s) identities’ (their race, gender, sexuality, immigrant status, etc.) – not only make employees with similar identities feel threatened. They can also impact their ability to work, resulting in a high avoidance of tasks and colleagues.
