How Anxiety Can Drive Leadership, Retention, and Performance (Full 30-Min Keynote @ SHRM)

Anxiety is often treated as a problem in the workplace. Something to reduce, manage, or avoid. But what if that approach is part of the problem? In this 30-minute talk, Harvard Medical School psychologist Dr. David H. Rosmarin shares a different framework. Drawing on clinical research and real-world work with leaders and organizations, he explains how anxiety can be understood as a signal that, when used correctly, drives awareness, strengthens leadership, and improves performance. This session was delivered at SHRM Talent to a standing-room-only audience of over 165 attendees and received exceptionally strong feedback from participants. Topics include: Why anxiety shows up as burnout, disengagement, and turnover How leaders can work with anxiety instead of against it A practical four-step approach to harness anxiety for growth How to build stronger, more resilient teams If you are a leader, HR executive, or organization navigating performance and mental health challenges, this talk offers a new way forward.