Addiction doesn't stay at home when someone comes to work.
Behind performance issues, absenteeism, changes in behavior, and struggling families can be a problem many organizations still don't know how to talk about. Substance use affects employees at every level, yet stigma and fear often keep the people who need help silent and leave leaders unsure of what to do.
I know both sides of that story. I spent more than two decades in leadership while privately battling severe alcoholism, ultimately reaching end-stage liver failure and nearly losing my life. I also know what became possible when recovery, accountability, support, and a second chance came together.
In The Hidden Cost of Addiction, I bring that lived experience into an honest conversation about addiction in the workplace—without shame, scare tactics, or pretending leaders should become counselors.
Through storytelling, humor, vulnerability, and practical insight, I help leaders understand what addiction can look like inside an organization, why people often hide it, how stigma can make the problem worse, and what a healthier culture of accountability and support can look like.
Audiences leave with a better understanding of:
• How substance use can affect people, families, teams, and organizational culture
• Why addiction often remains hidden until a crisis occurs
• How stigma and language can prevent people from asking for help
• The difference between supporting someone and excusing harmful behavior
• How leaders can help create cultures where accountability and compassion coexist
This isn't a keynote about addiction happening to other people. It's a conversation about the people already inside our workplaces, our families, and our communities—and what becomes possible when we are willing to see them differently.
