Upwilling and the magic of we in uncertain times
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A leader’s guide to igniting drive, readiness, resilience and connection in times of stress, uncertainty and disengagement
When all seems too uncertain, too demanding and too imperfect, upwilling is the inner strength to remain open, curious and available. It comes before process, intention and skill. It’s about responding not reacting – staying human, emotionally aware and connected across differences.
When we’re under pressure, our nervous systems are programmed to close, pull back and revert to the familiar. It’s these primal signals that lead unwittingly to the disconnection, frustration, stress, quiet quitting and burn-out that we see all around us.
Upwilling is the simple but overlooked capacity to remain internally available for engagement, effort and choice when it matters most. It’s not about whether we can act, but whether we are ready to engage.
It’s what allows us to stay present instead of disappearing, responsive instead of reactive, willing instead of withdrawn. At its core, upwilling is what makes the creation of we possible
The problem Many people today are capable, skilled and informed, yet exhausted, disengaged or stuck. They know what matters but struggle to sustain effort. They want to change but feel internally unavailable. Motivation fades. Skills fail under pressure. Relationships thin from frustration.
The same pattern appears in organisations. Leadership training multiplies, tools improve and yet trust, adaptability and engagement continue to decline. Teams function, but do not feel alive. Collaboration might exist, but we don’t. It’s a pattern of unavailability that AI tends to amplify, because relational safety and shared agency are missing.
The book
In Upwilling, Iva Biondic combines mind, body and meaning through five forms of intelligence: emotional, cultural, positive, conversational and collaborative. Together, they describe the conditions that allow willingness to emerge, where there is space for disagreement without rupture, learning without humiliation, engagement without exhaustion and collaboration with AI without fear or domination.
As a state that is lived not managed, upwilling is inherently fragile and easily disrupted by fear, overload or unresolved pressure. Drawing on her work across leadership development, neuroscience and holistic practice, Iva shows how individuals and leaders can restore and protect this inner availability, so they can remain present and responsive without feeling trapped by past regret or driven by future anxiety.
This is not a book about being better, faster or more positive. It is about staying human, available, and in relationship with yourself and others.
• 'Upwilling: The magic of we in uncertain times' by Iva Biondic, Novaro Publishing, September 2026, ISBN: 978-1-0685644-8-2. See here for details.
