TODS FEATURED SPEAKER
BEYOND BURNOUT: NAVIGATING STRESS, TEAM DYNAMICS, AND WORKPLACE PRESSURE
Presenter: Ms. Avery Thatcher
Session Date: Saturday October 24, 2026
Session Time: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Presenter Name: Ms. Avery Thatcher
Outline:
Burnout isn’t just about stress management. It’s shaped by team dynamics, workplace systems, communication patterns, and the way stress shows up differently across individuals.
What You’ll Learn
Participants will leave with the ability to:
- Recognize early and advanced signs of burnout in themselves and others
- Understand how different people experience and respond to stress
- Identify workplace patterns that contribute to ongoing burnout
- Navigate difficult team dynamics like gossip, miscommunication, and generational differences
- Set clearer boundaries and expectations without escalating tension
- Make practical adjustments to reduce strain at both the individual and team level
Workshop Breakdown
1. Understanding Burnout (Foundations)
- What burnout actually is (and what it isn’t)
- Why common solutions don’t work long-term
- The difference between individual burnout and systemic burnout
2. Energy, Capacity, and Stress Responses
- Different energy types and how people sustain or lose capacity
- How stress responses show up in the workplace
- Why some team members “push through” while others shut down
3. Team Dynamics That Drive Burnout
- Gossip, tension, and indirect communication
- Generational differences in expectations and communication
- How unspoken norms create pressure across teams
4. Seeing Burnout in Others
- Behavioural indicators across different personalities
- How burnout presents differently across roles and identities
- What leaders often miss (and why)
5. Organizational Stressors
- Identifying structural and workflow-based pressure points
- The role of intersectionality in workplace stress
- Where leadership has influence and where it doesn’t
6. Boundaries, Communication, and Course Correction
- Practicing how to say no clearly and effectively
- Adjusting expectations without losing accountability
- Making small, practical shifts that reduce long-term strain
About The Speaker
Avery Thatcher is the creator of the Optimized Chaos Method, a practical framework for navigating high-pressure environments without burning out. A former ICU nurse, Avery brings firsthand experience of working in intense, fast-paced systems where stress, decision-making, and team dynamics directly impact outcomes. Her work focuses on helping leaders identify the patterns and pressures driving burnout and implement grounded, actionable strategies that improve team function, capacity, and performance.
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