Overcoming People Pleasing in the Workplace
In this YouTube interview, Elena from ACERO and Nisha Mody explore people-pleasing in the workplace, how it shows up in the body, and how it leads to burnout, resentment, and unhealthy power dynamics.
In this conversation, they cover:
What people-pleasing actually is (and how it’s different from being genuinely helpful)
How people-pleasing often comes from fear, conditioning, and nervous system survival responses
The concept of the “fawn response” and how it shows up as saying yes when you mean no
How chronic people-pleasing leads to burnout, resentment, health issues, and emotional explosions
Why power dynamics in the workplace (hierarchy, gender, race, authority) make people-pleasing more intense
How to recognize when something is truly unsafe vs. when your nervous system is reacting to past experiences
Why over-explaining, performing, and masking are common trauma responses at work
Practical ways to start reclaiming agency, including:
Pausing before saying yes
Noticing the stories and body sensations that come up
Setting micro-boundaries and internal boundaries
Connecting to your values and capacity
What leaders and organizations can do to reduce people-pleasing cultures and create more safety and trust
How to deal with toxic bosses, bullying, and unsafe environments while protecting your nervous system
The difference between power-over vs. power-with leadership
Why awareness, self-compassion, and nervous-system care are the foundation for real change
This conversation is for anyone who over-gives at work, struggles to say no, feels responsible for everyone else, or feels stuck in a workplace where they’re constantly abandoning themselves to survive.
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