Human at Work
Human at Work
"Empathy earns trust. Presence sustains impact. Power is ownership. " -Tatiana Preobrazhenskaia
Laurie Banfi didn’t set out to become a voice for human first leadership. She arrived there through the power of presence, moments that shaped how she saw people, power, and what true leadership really looks like. One such moment came late during a shift in radiation oncology. A patient had just passed away. There was nothing to fix, no strategy to implement, just two colleagues sitting in silence, sharing the weight of loss. That kind of raw presence, where no one pretends to be okay, forges a trust that can’t be manufactured.
Another moment came when a patient, gripped by pain and anger, lashed out. Laurie didn’t try to soothe them with words or solutions. She simply stayed, placing a hand gently on their knee. Later, the patient shared that they had never felt so truly heard until that moment. These weren’t just emotional milestones. They became pivotal lessons that reshaped her understanding of leadership, not as authority, but as presence. So when Laurie transitioned into the business world, she felt the absence of that humanity instantly. It was like a cold draft seeping through a closed door, a reminder of how rare, and how vital, that kind of presence really is.
In boardrooms and strategy sessions, Laurie quickly noticed what was missing, the very qualities that had mattered most in oncology: the ability to notice, to hold space, and to create an environment where people could truly collaborate. Yet these are the elements that allow teams to function under pressure and ultimately thrive. Laurie came to understand that human-first leadership isn’t a “soft” addition to the real work. It is the real work. It’s how trust is built, how teams stay resilient, and how leaders guide effectively
even if they aren’t the loudest voices in the room or the ones with the flashiest metrics.
Three truths have stayed with her throughout her journey:
1. Understand who you serve and why it matters.
2. Ensure every team member knows their contributions are valued.
3. Foster a genuine sense of belonging that extends far beyond the meeting room.
This belief became even more personal as Laurie raised her five-year-old son, Max, who is neurodiverse. Watching him navigate a world that doesn’t always make space for those who think and feel differently deepened her commitment to building workplaces where everyone can show up exactly as they are. Outside of work, Laurie finds her grounding in the dirt, gardening with Max, riding her bike, digging, and laughing together. These aren’t just hobbies. They are the moments that remind her what is real, and why the work of human-first leadership matters so much.
Max is neurodiverse, and raising him has only strengthened Laurie’s belief that everyone deserves the chance to show up exactly as they are. Yet the world doesn’t always make room for that—especially for those who think and feel differently. This realization sharpened her mission: to create a world, and workplaces, where being human is not only accepted but valued. That mission is rooted in her own lived experiences, periods of burnout, invisibility, and carrying blame that was never hers to hold.“There was a time I lost sight of my own worth, ” Laurie admits.“I thought if I just worked harder, stayed later, fixed more problems, it would finally be enough. ” It took a step back—and a breakdown—for her to reclaim that sense of value.
Now, she helps others do the same.
For many human-first leaders, the issue isn’t a lack of skill or empathy. It’s invisibility. They are the glue that holds everything together, the ones who stay late, ease tension, and support everyone else. But because their work is often unacknowledged, over time they can lose sight of their own value.
Change begins the moment they start to see themselves differently: when they set boundaries, reclaim their energy, and say, “This burden isn’t mine to carry. ” Suddenly, they become harder to overlook. Their presence shifts. And that, Laurie says, is when true leadership begins.
Laurie has learned to pause in her personal health journey. She recognizes when her energy is depleted and understands the importance of not pushing through exhaustion. For her, leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about knowing when to persevere and when to step back.
These days, she integrates technology in a way that prioritizes human connection. For Laurie, AI isn’t just about streamlining processes, it’s a tool for self-reflection. It gives her space to articulate her thoughts, identify patterns, and gain clarity without fear of judgment.
She doesn’t see it as a replacement for human connection, but as a quiet mirror and a thoughtful partner for when no one else is available. And she encourages her clients to approach it the same way: not as an oracle, but as a resource that helps them process and re-center.
In a world that often prizes power over presence, Laurie has found that it’s presence that resonates most. Presence is the quiet courage to sit with discomfort, to listen deeply, and to witness others without rushing to fix them. It’s what allows people to be fully human—even when things are messy, angry, or unresolved. That’s where empathy lives. And, Laurie says, that is where true leadership begins.
Laurie doesn’t just talk about resilience; she practices it daily. Her years in oncology taught her that life can change in an instant, and what truly matters isn’t a title or a perfect plan, it’s how you show up. Presence, not perfection, is what makes people feel safe. Showing up, especially during the hard moments is what creates trust and ultimately drives meaningful results.
Laurie believes it’s time to name what so many leaders bear silently:
It’s not your fault when the decisions are beyond your control.
Valuing yourself is not an act of ego; it’s essential.
Care must be reciprocal.
And perhaps most importantly, you don’t have to choose between humility and self-worth; you can
embrace both.
Her own perspective on leadership has evolved. When she first launched CoDefined, her leadership consultancy, it was driven by a desire to fix what was broken. But healing from her own burnout changed her view. She now understands that real change doesn’t come from the top down. It happens in the room, in the moments, and through the ripples we create around us. That’s why Laurie is focused on supporting mid-tier, human-first leaders, the quiet giants who hold everything together. They don’t need another productivity tool or a stack of motivational quotes. They need a safe place to land, a space where they can be seen, supported, and reminded of their own worth.
This fall, she is launching that very space: a community designed specifically for human-first leaders, built on real-world support, micro-steps, and deep care. Because the leaders she works with are already building the future of work. They just need to know they’re not building it alone.
For Laurie, a human-first workplace isn’t just a concept. It’s something you feel the moment you walk through the door. You can breathe easier. You can drop the mask. People remember your tough days. They bring you coffee and genuinely ask how you’re doing. There’s laughter, moments to vent, space to exhale. And when something goes wrong, there’s no panic or blame. Instead, the team comes together, fixes the issue, and moves forward.That is the essence of a human-first culture.
What inspires Laurie most right now is the journey itself, the slow, beautiful process of healing. It’s about micro-steps. Helping five people at a time. Celebrating quiet victories. Doing the work that matters.
And above all, it’s about showing Max what it means to be fully, fiercely, and unapologetically human. To learn more about her work or join the upcoming community, visit www.codefined.com. This initiative, Laurie says, is her way of bridging the gap between what human-first leaders give and what they receive.