You know that strange heaviness that lingers after a tough meeting.

Originally posted on LinkedIn on 24 Nov 2025

You know that strange heaviness that lingers after a tough meeting.
The silence. The slight distance.
The feeling that something small has shifted.

For leaders, these moments are the real test.
Not the conflict itself, but what happens right after.

In every team I have supported, the strongest ones share one quiet superpower.
The ability to repair.

Relationship researcher John Gottman describes these micro gestures as repair attempts.
The small ways people reach out after tension to say without words,
“We are still okay.”

Teams do this too.
After a heated debate, someone asks about the weekend.
A colleague lingers for a moment on the way out.
A soft check in that smooths the edges.

These small moves matter more than we realise.
They keep tension from settling into distance.

And this is where remote work makes things harder.
A video call ends and everyone disappears instantly.
No hallway moments.
No small repairs.

Tension stays in the system with nowhere to go.

Here is a simple frame I share with leaders:

How to repair well
Notice the tension
Reach out quickly
Reset the working relationship with a small human gesture

Nothing big. Nothing formal.
Just consistent repair.

Relationships thrive because they keep repairing.
Not once. Not perfectly. Just consistently.

If tension shows up today, repair it before it settles.