In this solo episode of The Gen Mess with Tess, Tess Brigham explores a surprising social experiment that connected strangers across political divides and why it offers a powerful lesson for today’s leaders in the workplace.

Drawing from her background as a therapist and her coaching work with organizations, Tess unpacks what HR leaders and managers are experiencing in 2026: burnout that isn’t driven by workload or flexibility, but by chronic psychological strain, emotional role overload, and an increasing inability to tolerate discomfort.

Using the “Party Line” experiment as a metaphor, Tess examines how algorithm-driven culture has reshaped our nervous systems, intensified polarization, and made everyday workplace conversations feel high-stakes and unsafe. She breaks down how different generations experience discomfort at work, why psychological safety is often misunderstood, and how avoiding discomfort quietly erodes trust, collaboration, and culture.

This episode reframes discomfort not as a failure of leadership, but as a critical skill organizations must relearn if they want healthy teams, resilient managers, and sustainable workplace cultures.

00:01 — Welcome to The Gen Mess with Tess

Introducing the episode and the theme of learning to live in the mess.

00:58 — The “Party Line” Social Experiment Explained

Two payphones, two cities, and a radical idea: conversation without algorithms.

02:21 — Why Human Connection Changes the Nervous System

Dopamine, cortisol, and why constant conflict keeps us dysregulated.

03:42 — It’s Hard to Demonize a Human Voice

What happens when stereotypes are replaced with real conversation.

04:42 — What We’ve Lost Culturally

Discomfort avoidance, algorithm-driven identity, and polarization.

06:05 — When Beliefs Become Identity

Why disagreement now feels like danger instead of difference.

06:56 — Connection Requires Discomfort

Why real connection—socially and at work—has always been uncomfortable.

08:19 — Why Shaming Hardens People

The psychological cost of humiliation, judgment, and moral certainty.

08:49 — The Workplace Parallel

Why the “Party Line” is a metaphor for modern workplace culture.

09:16 — Generational Relationships to Discomfort

Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, and how each navigates stress and challenge.

11:36 — Discomfort vs. Harm

Why discomfort is often misinterpreted as trauma or boundary violation.

12:34 — Nervous Systems, Not Moral Failures

Reframing generational conflict at work.

12:34 — The Leadership Skill We Avoid

Curiosity, repair, and staying in the conversation.

14:18 — Discomfort as Leadership Work

Why these “soft skills” are actually advanced leadership competencies.

14:48 — Final Reflection

Discomfort as the doorway to healthier workplaces and human connection.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this solo episode of The Gen Mess with Tess, host Tess Brigham addresses a question she hears from HR leaders, managers, and employees alike: Why does work feel so heavy right now, even when things look better on paper?

Drawing from her background as a therapist and her work with organizations, Tess explains the challenges HR leaders are facing in 2026: burnout is no longer just about workload or flexibility, but about chronic psychological strain shaped by generational experiences, unclear expectations, and emotional role overload.

She breaks down how burnout shows up differently for Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen X, how remote and hybrid work have changed trust, communication, and boundaries, and why managers and HR leaders are often carrying emotional responsibilities they were never trained for.

This episode reframes burnout as a human, nervous-system issue - not a performance failure - and offers business leaders a clearer way to think about empathy, accountability, psychological safety, and sustainable workplace culture.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this solo episode of The Gen Mess with Tess, Tess Brigham unpacks one of the most emotionally charged conversations happening right now: adult children going no contact with a parent.

Drawing from her work as a therapist and her own lived experience, Tess challenges the oversimplified narratives dominating social media and reframes "no contact" not as a trend, punishment, or failure, but as a response to long-standing emotional disconnection and a lack of acknowledgement.

This episode explores the generational divide shaping these conversations, why intent does not erase impact, and why emotional safety, accountability, and repair matter more than endurance or tradition. Tess also shares a deeply personal story about her relationship with her father, illustrating how acknowledgement - not perfection - creates the possibility for healing.

For leaders, HR professionals, and parents alike, this episode offers a powerful reminder: relationships break down not because people are “too emotional,” but because discomfort is avoided instead of addressed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.