What Nobody Told You
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026
Time: 12pm-1pm ET
Format: Live on Zoom
Cost: $29 per person
Limited space available.
Does this Sound Familiar?
You're either everyone's friend or everyone's boss, and switching is so complicated.
Trying to be liked all the time while still being respected is like driving with one foot on the gas and one on the brake. Something's going to burn out.
You've given the same feedback speech to three completely different problems.
Feedback, conflict, and change all get the same script from you, because nobody ever showed you anything different. So you wing it and cross your fingers.
Silence makes you sweat, so you fill it with an answer.
Someone asks a question, there's a beat of quiet, and you jump in before you actually know what's going on. Filling the air feels like leading. It's not.
You hand off the task, but still stay involved.
You delegate it, sure. But you keep one hand on the wheel, check in three times before lunch, and quietly redo it yourself at 6pm. That's not delegating. That's just doing the work twice and calling it teamwork.
If even one of these makes you wince, good. That’s the point where this workshop picks up.
You Didn’t Get a Manual.
You got a team and a directive.
Nobody sat you down and explained the job. One day you're doing the work, the next day you're managing the people who do the work, and suddenly you're expected to just know things.
This isn't another leadership pep talk. It's the stuff that should've come with the promotion.
There are four lessons almost every manager learns the hard way, usually after a few bruises. This workshop hands them to you early, before you have to earn them the expensive way.
What you will learn:
In this interactive one-hour live virtual workshop, you will:
Learn to hand off work as support, not abandonment, and stop being the bottleneck on your own team
Practice the pause. It's one sentence, it feels unnatural the first ten times, and it will change how your team talks to you
Walk away with a real script for the conversations you've been avoiding for months
Get permission to stop optimizing for "everyone likes me" and start optimizing for "everyone trusts me"
“How did you know what I was struggling with? You hit the nail on the head. This is what I needed to know.”
Why this Actually Matters
Most managers don't fail because they're bad at their jobs. They fail because nobody ever told them the four things that make the job make sense. So they keep doing what got them promoted in the first place, which, plot twist, is usually not the same skill set that makes someone good at leading people.
Who Should Show Up?
THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU IF:
You just got promoted and nobody explained what changed. You're still doing the work in your head, except now there are other people's paychecks attached to it.
You've been managing for a while and something still feels off. You can't quite name it. That's usually a sign it's one of these four things.
You fill every silence with an answer, even when you don't have one. Old habit. Bad one. We're going to break it.
You're tired of leadership content that sounds like a motivational poster. No trust falls. No "find your why." Just the stuff that actually helps you sleep at night.
“This was so practical. I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out on my own.”
Learning something that becomes so second nature you forget you're even doing it. That's the goal. These are the lessons that feel obvious the second someone finally says them out loud.
The Session Emphasizes:
This is not a Lecture.
You’ll participate in:
Interactive exercises
A live chat exchange (people bring real experiences and they listen to yours)
A video moment or two, because sometimes Hollywood can say it best
One practical tool per pillar you can use the second you log off
Live polls, breakout rooms, and discussion
You’ll leave with a Participant Workbook so the lessons don’t evaporate within the week.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
“This one was my first workshop and it was engaging and very educational. ”
“Your presentations are the most digestible and interesting I have ever seen and are invaluable to my staff.”
Work Wise Labs is Different.
This is not a lecture.
You’ll participate in:
• interactive exercises (polls and chats)
• small group discussions (breakout rooms)
• practical tools you can apply immediately
You’ll leave feeling more confident running, and sitting in, meetings.
“I loved all the practical tips!”
Meet Elissa.
Hi, I’m Elissa, and I help managers in non-profits, government agencies, and small businesses lead in ways that makes everyone feel appreciated.
How do I do that? l come into your workplace and either work 1:1 with managers, or lead group workshops that strengthen leadership and connection. If that sounds dry, it’s not! My specialty is to focus on the fun, healthy, and productive side of things.
My approach is two-fold:
In a best-case world, I work with groups and use fun team building exercises in workshops and on retreats to strengthen bonds and improve workplace culture. Think of it as a proactive approach, like eating leafy, green vegetables or going for a run to keep your heart healthy and functioning properly.
I also work directly with managers to help improve the workplace environment when it’s clear that something is just a bit out of whack. Like when you just need a new carburetor to make the car hum again. In these reactive situations where the problems already exist; I work with leaders on everything from trust issues to growth struggles to FIX what’s wrong so employees feel supported and connected and happy to show up for work.
I have a Master’s Degree in Multicultural Education and a certification in Positive Psychology, but it’s the practical experience I received working for over 20 years with people in mission-driven organizations that allows me to help managers create more inclusive environments that are able to tap into their employees strengths.
Because no one wants to work in a place that doesn’t support them. Doesn’t get them. With Work Wise Labs resources, you can help your managers create an environment that is fun and supportive, without ever losing sight of your workplace’s mission.
Work Wise Labs grew organically out of the lessons I learned along the way. Bottom line: everyone should be happy to go to work, and I can provide the tools to make that happen.
To see my full professional bio, see my LinkedIn profile.
this thoughtful, virtual workshop is interactive and designed to get you learning quickly and affordably.
The value in this session is that it is interactive and participant-driven. Because it is individualized, sessions are not recorded.
FAQs
These are the most commonly asked questions.
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The workshop is a one-hour, live, virtual workshop.
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Yes. Participants will reflect, discuss, and apply tools in real time.
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No. This workshop is designed for all levels, including:
professionals at any level
emerging leaders
anyone who wants to be a leader
seasoned leaders who still struggle to manage their teams
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Yes. The session is designed to give participants clear, realistic strategies they can apply immediately in the workplace.
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No. The workshop will NOT be recorded. This is to ensure participants feel safe sharing honestly and openly.
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Participation is flexible in the larger room. However, there will be breakout rooms where you will be expected to engage in small groups.
What People
Are Saying
“Great session. Easy to follow.”
“Very insightful training.”
Employees are people.
How you Lead Them can change everything.
Confidence isn’t something
leaders are born with.
It’s a skill they build.
Take the first step today.