Session Two began with less polish.
That was progress.
When Aaliyah entered the boardroom, the seating arrangement had already shifted from the previous week. No one had returned to strict hierarchy. The head of the table remained unclaimed.
A subtle signal.
They were testing elasticity.
Across the city, Marcus noticed the same early signs in his engagement. The team he was working with had begun questioning assumptions before he prompted them.
Change had started internally.
Back in the boardroom, Aaliyah opened without small talk.
"Last week, we identified where conflict travels," she said calmly. "Today we identify who carries it."
The phrasing landed differently.
Who carries it.
The question was no longer abstract.
She handed out a simple exercise, anonymous but structured. Each person listed the types of tension they absorbed regularly and whether it was part of their formal role.
The results were revealing.
