When We Lose Our Humanity in Business: Let Grace Lead When Life Interrupts Your Grind
It’s so easy to be that CEO, that entrepreneur who is focused, driven, goal-oriented, and excelling—firing on all cylinders. Then life happens. You feel the tug—the challenge of prioritization, the questioning of where you should be. The shift in your priorities becomes a jumbled blur, and the clarity that once lit your path becomes murky.
The road that once seemed so certain now has a bend—and you can’t see around the curve.
Have you ever been there?
The Unexpected Curve
I recently found myself in that very place. I was managing care for an aging parent, and with support and a strong medical team, I could still balance business and life. But what I didn’t see—what none of us can rehearse—is the curve: when that parent is no more. When life is forever changed. When death happens.
You see, I could plan all I wanted. I could research every corner of Google University. I could try to manage and navigate this new journey with a sense of control, because even in its unfamiliarity, I could structure my day. I could keep the business afloat, keep the main thing the main thing.
But when that curve came, and I could no longer see beyond it, the certainty vanished. The confidence I once walked in as a business owner was shaken. My surefootedness felt like I was a child again—learning to walk, trying to find balance. I was navigating emotional landmines, trying to keep composure and continue running the business without disrupting the flow for those depending on me.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the grief—the deepest I’d ever known.
Humanity in the Business Space
In business—and I speak from 30+ years of experience as a serial entrepreneur—life happens. There are hiccups, landmines. Whether it’s divorce, shifting markets, financial struggles, children, or your own health—things happen. That’s life.
But we’re rarely taught how to navigate our humanity in business. We’re told to separate the two, as if they’re not deeply intertwined. Yet everything we bring into the workplace—our emotions, spirit, mind, and physical being—is part of who we are.
Suddenly, I woke up each day feeling out of sync. The routine had shifted. I knew what needed to be done, and part of me wanted to do it. But another part of me was asking, “Who am I in this new state of transition?”
We talk so much about business scaling and evolving, but what about the evolution of the business owner? Especially for women in business, this truth is critical.
When we don’t recognize or lean into our personal growth—especially through pain, suffering, and loss—we do a disservice to both ourselves and our business. Because it’s through these experiences that we develop deeper empathy, broader awareness, and a more compassionate approach to our clients, our team, our stakeholders, and even ourselves.
The Grace to Rise Again
After the loss of my father—my coach, mentor, confidant, and best friend—I realized I was meeting a new version of myself. You can’t go through great tragedy and remain the same. Just like a rubber band, once stretched, we don’t snap back into the same shape.
Some changes, like the pandemic, permanently closed businesses through no fault of their own. But unlike a business, we as individuals possess creative genius, resilience, and the power to rise. That rise doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process. A sometimes long and painful one.
For me, I had to lean in to get through it. I had to be transparent with my partners and say, “I’m still committed to excellence, but I need help.” I had to delegate. I had to give myself grace.
– Grace to heal.
– Grace to pull back.
– Grace to reflect.
– Grace to renew.
– So I could return better. Stronger.
Leading with Wholeness
Too often we don’t extend that grace to ourselves. Maybe it’s the grind culture of American business, where constant motion is glorified. But we are not machines—we are human beings.
What I found is that in embracing my humanity, in embracing my adolescence-in-grief within the business realm, I became more aligned with who I truly am. And when I communicate that, authentically, it allows my team to better understand the mission and vision. It helps the people I’m trying to serve to listen and engage more deeply.
This moment—this intersection of loss and leadership—is powerful. Because losses will come. In life, in business. And they will impact how we show up.
We often hear, “Leave personal stuff at the door.” But what are we really saying? That we should walk into the workplace as robots? Mindless, emotionless, spiritualess beings that clock in and out?
When we do that, we diminish ourselves and our business.
Because real business—impactful business—requires us to bring our whole selves. That includes our pain, our joy, our grief, and our healing. That includes the very things that shape our humanity and ignite our capacity to connect, innovate, and lead.
When we honor our full selves in business, we stop operating on autopilot and begin breathing life into our companies. That’s how we reclaim purpose. That’s how we inspire the next generation of women in business.
So yes, grief changed me. But it also deepened me. It uncovered my strength. And it reminded me that the soul of business is found in the humanity of its people.
If you’d like to learn more about me and the work that I’m doing, visit LaWannaBradford.com. You can also follow me on E360TV.com, where I host three amazing shows: Power of the Pen, Business & Financial Raw Talk, and Choose to Challenge. If you’re an author, expert, or business leader who wants to be featured on a platform that elevates voices, call me at 678-428-5589.
Additional Links
https://nyweekly.com/business/lawanna-bradford-architect-of-resilience-vision-and-change/
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About the Author
Name: Lawanna Bradford
Professional Title: Entrepreneur And Global Strategist
Bio: Lawanna Bradford Is An Award-winning Serial Entrepreneur And Global Strategist. As Coo Of The Bradford Group And Principal Of Its Consulting Arm, She Helps Federal, Private, And Small Businesses Stay Competitive And Thrive In Changing Markets.
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