Leading Through Loss: Navigating Grief and Leadership During the Holiday Season

This webinar will be presented live via Zoom and will not be recorded. Registration is required to receive log-in details.

Seminar Overview:
The holiday season, which is often filled with celebration and connection, can also heighten personal grief, emotional fatigue, and social dissonance, particularly for those who have experienced recent or unresolved loss (bereavement, divorce, estrangement, etc.). This 1-hour workshop supports mid-to-senior managers who are tasked with leading others through performance demands and year-end pressures, while also managing their own emotional complexity or the quiet grief within their teams. Rooted in leadership psychology, bereavement research, and organizational compassion frameworks, this session provides a safe, reflective space to explore:

•    How grief shows up at work, even when unspoken
•    What compassionate leadership looks like in high-functioning environments
•    How to model emotional awareness while maintaining team trust and performance
•    Practical best practices for showing care, setting boundaries, and staying resilient, especially when managing other leaders who may also be “holding it all together”

About the Presenter: 

Veronica S. Appleton, Ph.D. is a scholar, media executive, and children’s author. Currently, Dr. Appleton serves as a scholar-practitioner holding professional roles within the corporate sector and in academia. She's the Senior Vice President for Impact, Equity, & Corporate Social Responsibility for Publicis Groupe. Dr. Appleton is also a member of the faculty team for DePaul University College of Communication and School of Continuing Professional Studies. As a renowned speaker, Appleton has served as keynote and curriculum designer for some of the world's largest Fortune 500 organizations and believes educating the future is an essential strategy for building equity in communities and systems at-large. Dr. Appleton's work has been recognized by Crain’s Business, AdWeek, FOX News, Advertising Age, WGN, and Diversity Journal’s Top Professionals in Higher Education.

Before the webinar, DePaul will make a brief presentation about degree opportunities available to employees of its corporate education partners.