By Rebecca Wiessmann

This article is based on a Foresight TV episode with Yancy Wright. If you want the full context (and some great riffs on Puerto Rico, nature, and leadership), watch the livestream here.

A Burnout Wake-Up Call Becomes A Leadership Mission

In this episode of Foresight TV, Steve sits down with Yancy Wright, author of the upcoming book “Amplify Your Leadership,” for a conversation that starts with a personal gut punch: Yancy’s career burnout lands him in the hospital with a heart issue at age 37.

He’s not burned out because he hates his job. He’s burned out because he cares a lot, pushes hard, and doesn’t realize how much pressure he’s generating internally — and then projecting outward. He describes the wake-up call as a reset: he begins challenging how he works, how he communicates, and how much of leadership is simply unconscious “default mode” based on what leaders have seen modeled.

That wake-up call eventually takes him to Puerto Rico, where he builds a high-touch retreat center designed for leaders and teams — a place to slow down, reconnect to self and nature, and practice conscious communication in a full-body way rather than a PowerPoint way.

The Ripple Effect

Steve presses on something that’s been bothering him: a lot of leadership content is big-idea fluff. “Be a servant leader.” “Lead with your heart.” “Listen more.” Sure — but what does a leader do on Monday morning?

Yancy frames leadership as a series of ripple effects that start with self-leadership: thoughts, behaviors, and actions create outcomes — whether leaders notice it or not. Most don’t. They’re reacting, blaming, running an internal “WTF” loop, and wondering why nothing changes.

His argument is that these ripples are often invisible but still very real in their impact. He leans into the concept of influence as something leaders generate constantly — not just through words, but through presence, attention, and what they bring into a room.

Slowing Down To Notice What Leaders Miss

A core practice at Yancy’s retreat center is simple but uncomfortable for many leaders: slow down enough to notice.

He describes taking leaders into the rainforest and guiding them to stop moving like checklist machines. Close eyes. Breathe. Listen for layers. Hear the birds, rain, river, and the tiny coquí frogs. Notice smells, textures, details — the things a leader normally blows past while asking, “Are we there yet?”

The point isn’t nature tourism. The point is training awareness.

As awareness increases, leaders come back to work more sensitive to what they’ve been missing: the subtle stress signals, the relational ruptures, the places where their inner critic turns into outward criticism, and the moments where appreciation could change the temperature of a team.

The Senior Living CEO Scenario: 50% Turnover And A Constant Headache

Steve throws Yancy into a real-world situation: a senior living CEO with 50% turnover, solid occupancy, and a life that feels like “one headache at a time.” The team seems uncommitted, people don’t show up, and stress is constant.

Yancy starts where many leaders don’t want to start: the leader.

If the leader is stressed out, the stress spreads. Team members burn out faster. Turnover becomes the symptom, not the cause. His approach begins with curiosity: why is the leader stressed, what’s driving it, and how does the leader reset enough to see choices and possibilities again?

From there, he talks about gathering employee input (a survey to understand what’s really happening), then creating opportunities for bonding and “gelling” — not forced fun, but meaningful connection and growth that builds loyalty.

He shares a personal shift from his own operation in Puerto Rico: he initially sees people talking as not working — then realizes they’re connecting, and connection is what makes teams have each other’s backs.

Authority Vs. Influence — And “Trade Winds” Leaders Can Harness

Steve raises an idea he’s been thinking about: leaders can have authority without influence, or influence without authority. Yancy’s response expands into “trade winds” — the forces that shape waves.

He uses metaphors leaders can feel: sound waves, music, movement. People synchronize unconsciously to rhythm. Teams can do the same with the leader’s emotional tone and energy. Not in a woo-woo way — in a “humans are wired for mirroring” way.

One practical example lands hard: start a team meeting with music. Shift breathing. Change the vibe before the agenda starts chewing on everyone. Steve immediately imagines doing this with his Friday team meeting (and jokingly anticipates Jada rolling her eyes).

Can Senior Living Become The Nvidia Of Employers?

Steve asks the billion-dollar question: Nvidia is a dream employer because the market sees it as the place to be. Most workplaces are “fine.” Is it possible for a senior living operator to become the place everyone wants to work?

Yancy says yes — and points to what he’s seen in his own environment: team members who say they feel like they should be paying him to work there.

He outlines a few drivers:

  • Physical space matters — not flashy, but connected to nature, daylight, views, ventilation, and materials that change how people feel in the building.
  • Intentional team development — he does team retreats every three months and says it pays dividends.
  • Real appreciation as a cultural operating system — starting with how leaders treat themselves, then how managers reinforce what’s going right.
  • Meaningful connection — especially relevant in senior living, where residents hold a deep well of wisdom that can inspire staff if leaders build bridges instead of silos.

The Frontline Retreat Problem — And Reframing “Lowly Work”

Steve names a reality: leadership retreats happen for executives. Frontline team members rarely get anything comparable, and leaders say they can’t afford it or staff it.

Yancy suggests doing “retreats at work” — and getting creative about what frontline teams actually need. He mentions finances and confidence as common struggles. He also points out a missed asset: the residents themselves may have wisdom that could mentor and strengthen staff.

Then he shares a deceptively powerful reframing: at his retreat center, housekeepers aren’t “house cleaning.” They do house beautification. The work becomes about creating beauty, safety, and an environment that supports transformation. Even the language shifts status, meaning, and pride.

Failure, The Inner Critic, And The First Small Step

When Steve asks for a failure story, Yancy circles back to his original burnout: he’s trapped in blame and victim thinking because he doesn’t know how to communicate what’s true for him.

He also names a more current leadership failure: saying yes when his body is already telling him no. His practice now is catching the wobble early, then using conscious communication in the moment rather than stewing in frustration.

For “low-hanging fruit,” after reading the book, Yancy doesn’t offer a trendy hack. He points leaders to the inner critic.

Write down the dialogue. Catch the unconscious narrative. Reframe it. Then notice how fast leaders slide into blame — and practice shifting “below the line” reactions into “above the line” curiosity and choice.

Where To Find Yancy And The Book

Yancy says “Amplify Your Leadership” is available for pre-order on his website, and he expects the Amazon pre-order to follow soon, with a launch goal in the next couple of months. He also invites people to connect with him on LinkedIn.

And if you want the full conversation, including the practical examples and senior living-specific riffs, the livestream is here.