When most people think of the flight trauma response, they picture running away from danger. In the workplace, however, flight doesn’t look like sprinting out of the office—it shows up in more subtle, but equally disruptive, ways.
How Flight Shows Up at Work
- Avoidance of conflict: Constantly sidestepping difficult conversations.
- Overworking/“busyness”: Filling your calendar to escape feelings of inadequacy.
- Disengagement: Withdrawing from projects, relationships, or leadership opportunities.
- Perfectionism through delay: Putting things off not out of laziness, but fear of failing.
For women leaders of color, this response can be intensified by systemic bias, microaggressions, and environments that reinforce the feeling that it’s safer to stay quiet or invisible. Flight can masquerade as “professionalism” or “being a team player”—when in reality, it’s a nervous system trying to protect itself from perceived harm.
An Example
I once had the honor of being asked to represent my team by presenting one of our biggest accomplishments in front of the entire organization. It was a proud moment—on paper. But as the day drew closer, my nervous system kicked into flight mode.
Instead of preparing to step fully into the spotlight, I caught myself trying to make my presentation shorter and less detailed. I convinced myself it would be better to “just hit the highlights” and quickly hand the microphone back. What looked like humility on the outside was really avoidance on the inside.
That was the flight response: I wasn’t running out of the room, but I was running from the opportunity to shine and give my team the visibility they deserved.
Looking back, what I needed most in that moment was trust—trust in my preparation, trust that my colleagues wanted to celebrate with me, and trust that my voice belonged in that space.
Using the Resilience Tree to Ground Yourself
The Resilience Tree Model offers a framework for moving beyond flight and reclaiming agency:
Roots – Refuel and rest.
Take time to step away not in avoidance, but for intentional restoration. Reconnect with affirming communities where you don’t need to shrink.
Branches – Seek out support and connection.
Surround yourself with people who encourage you to step into visibility. A trusted colleague, mentor, or affinity group can help you process situations rather than flee from them.
Fruit – Reframe productivity.
Flight often leads to busywork. Instead, choose intentional outputs—saying “no” where needed, creating boundaries, and celebrating progress even in small steps.
Environment – Assess the climate around you.
Ask: does this space foster courage or avoidance? If it consistently triggers a flight response, consider what structural changes—or courageous conversations—are necessary for you to thrive.
The Role of Trust
Gallup’s research identifies trust as one of the four universal needs of followers. Trust is the anchor that keeps people grounded when their natural response is to flee.
When trust is present—trust in your leader, in your team, and in yourself—you’re less likely to feel the need to run. Instead of withdrawing, you can lean into vulnerability, address conflict with clarity, and stay engaged.
When trust is absent, however, the workplace can feel unsafe, leading directly to flight behaviors: avoidance, disengagement, or overworking as a mask for insecurity.
Trust builds resilience. It’s the connective tissue between your branches and your environment—between the people who support you and the climate in which you work.
Reflection for Leaders
- How have you seen the flight response show up in yourself or your team? What practices help you stay grounded?
- Which root, branch, fruit, or environmental shift would help me step back into courage?
- How can I lean into trust (trusting others and being trustworthy myself) to create space for courage?
- Which root, branch, fruit, or environmental shift would help me stay grounded?
Remember: resilience isn’t about never feeling the urge to flee, it’s about learning how to pause, breathe, and re-root yourself so you can lead from a place of clarity and strength.
If this resonated, share this newsletter with someone who may be navigating their own “flight” moment at work.
Until next time, keep living the Resilience Tree. 🌳
~Dr. Shauna T. Sobers
Author of Resilience Tree: A Model for Women Leaders of Color and Those Who Support Them
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