What Friction Can Teach Us with Maggie Sass & Ross Blankenship

What if the goal of great leadership isn't to eliminate friction, but to learn from it? In this episode of LeaderChat, Maggie Sass, PhD, and Ross Blankenship, PhD, authors of Friction: How Tension, Emotion, and Change Reveal Better Leaders, join us to discuss what tension can reveal about leaders, teams, and the systems in which they work. You'll hear about: The three places friction shows up: within ourselves, between people, and within systems How leaders can help teams navigate tension without simply smoothing it over Why emotions can provide useful information during uncertainty The difference between unhealthy conflict and productive tension What can happen when a team becomes too frictionless How to recognize when the system, not the individual, is creating the problem Practical ways to respond more intentionally the next time friction shows up If you're navigating change, uncertainty, or tension on your team, this episode offers a different way to look at those difficult moments—and what they might be trying to tell you.