Why we need to talk about grief at work | Montrella Cowan | TEDxClarkstown
This talk explores the critical need for human connection in the workplace, especially in a society overwhelmed by “weapons of mass distraction” like technology and productivity pressure. Through the deeply personal story of losing her 25-year-old daughter to lupus, the speaker highlights the profound emotional toll of presenteeism; being physically at work while mentally and emotionally absent. Despite being a therapist supporting corporate employees, she found herself unsupported in her own grief, exposing how companies often address pain with impersonal policies or pamphlets rather than empathy. She introduces a powerful “3-in-3” strategy for leaders to foster grief-sensitive workplaces: Admit the loss, Omit judgment, and Emit empathy. Citing economic data and examples like Steve Jobs and Dr. King, the talk argues that addressing grief head-on leads to stronger, more connected teams and more resilient organizations. The speaker urges leaders to stop outsourcing emotional care and instead embed empathy into workplace culture, because true leadership emerges not in comfort, but in how we respond to loss and human suffering.Montrella Cowan is the CEO of Affinity Health Affairs, LLC, a licensed therapist, entrepreneur, business coach, and USA Today bestselling author with over 20 years of experience. She provides training, keynote speaking, and coaching in wellness, wealth, and leadership.Host of The Montrella Cowan Show, she has worked with Fortune 500 companies like Marriott and Fannie Mae. A nine-time bestselling author, she co-wrote Game On: Leaders Who Last.Recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Joy Awards Finalist, Montrella’s expertise has been featured in Essence, The Washington Post, Fox, NPR, NBC, and ABC. She holds degrees from Howard University and Catholic University and enjoys dancing and traveling. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 24:37Leading with Purpose:Transforming Education for a Changing India | Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal | TEDxBBAUIn this visionary TEDx talk, Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal, Vice Chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), addresses the urgent need to transform India's educational framework in a time of rapid social, economic, and technological change.With decades of academic leadership, Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal highlights how purpose-driven education must go beyond degrees — empowering youth to become ethical, innovative, and resilient contributors to national growth. He calls for a system that nurtures curiosity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence — equipping students not just for jobs, but for leadership in a dynamic world.This talk is a must-watch for educators, students, policymakers, and all those who believe in the power of purposeful learning to build a better India.TEDxBBAU is organised by Lakhan Varshney (Organiser) , Aditya Kumar Bharti (Co-Organiser) and Divyanshi Vishwakarma (Production), the core team members behind TEDxBBAU 2025.Lakhan's Profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/lakhanvarshneyAditya's Profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/adityakumarbharti Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal is the Vice Chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, with over 35 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. He holds a Ph.D., M.Phil., M.A. (Economics), MBA, and B.Com., and has previously served as Vice Chancellor at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, and Maharishi Valmiki Sanskrit University.He has held senior academic roles at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, including Professor, Dean, and Director-Development. Prof. Mittal has published 120+ research papers, supervised 21 Ph.D. scholars, and guided 150+ MBA students.Awarded the IEEE Lifetime Achievement Award and Best Teacher Award, his interests include entrepreneurship, NEP-2020, and promoting Indian knowledge systems in education. He has completed five major research projects and participated in academic visits to the USA, Japan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 17:30Planea con estrategia, actúa con propósito, inspira con pasión | Marco Pérez | TEDxAnahuacUniversityMarco Antonio Pérez toma el escenario de las TEDx Anáhuac University organizadas por Vértice, el Programa de Excelencia Anáhuac y nos invita a ver la vida como una historia significativa, en la que cada caída puede ser parte de un renacer. Al aceptar nuestras sombras, formar a otros y actuar con propósito, podemos construir un legado auténtico y convertirnos en héroes de nuestra propia historia. Asesor de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo. Él nos dice "Planea con estrategia, actúa con propósito, inspira con pasión". This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
