riders&elephants · Emotional Evidence · October 2026
Before the numbers

Read this first.

325people have told us how the work landed.
+56 since July (269 then)
43 of them joined in September alone.
A share, not a score. Every number is the share of people who said it got better. High on burnout or loneliness is good news.
Not a benchmark. Everyone starts from a different place. Please do not hold your own results against these.
Leaning, not proof. 56 new voices is a small group. Read every movement as a hint.
riders&elephantsBehind every data point is a human beingData story · 01 / 03
riders&elephants · Emotional Evidence · October 2026
“Remember, data is just the beginning. Data must always tell a story, and that story must be about people.”
Brian Solis
riders&elephantsBehind every data point is a human beingData story · 02 / 03
riders&elephants · Emotional Evidence · October 2026
What the newest responses say

What moved, both ways.

Reported improvement rose

Loneliness64% to 77%
Talking with my team about their emotions85% to 91%
Managing my own difficult emotions81% to 88%
Understanding my own emotions88% to 93%

Reported improvement dipped

Raising tough issues86% to 79%
Speaking up about problems82% to 77%
Connection with the team83% to 79%
Psychological safety82% to 79%
Held steady: sharing my difficult emotions, understanding other people's emotions, trust, relationship quality, empathy, enthusiasm for work, burnout.
Earlier responses (269) to the newest (56), January to September 2026. Share reporting any improvement. Clearest shift: loneliness (up), and even that is borderline at this sample size.
riders&elephantsBehind every data point is a human beingData story · 03 / 03