You’re Not “Too Sensitive”—You’re Just Not in the Right Room
If you’ve ever been told you’re “too sensitive,” “too emotional,” or “too much,” I want you to pause and ask yourself one question:
Too sensitive for what, exactly?
Too sensitive to sit through a meeting where people casually mock a department they don’t understand? Too sensitive to question a process that’s clearly not working? Too sensitive to call out behavior that’s rude, dismissive, or flat-out inappropriate?
That’s not sensitivity. That’s awareness. That’s discernment. That’s courage.
But here’s the thing: when awareness and discernment make other people uncomfortable, they try to reframe them as flaws. And that’s especially true for women, and especially true in environments where men hold all the power.
I once worked with a CEO who referred to a team—an incredibly competent, hard-working team entirely staffed by women—as "immature." No specifics. No feedback. Just a blanket judgment meant to diminish and dismiss.
It was a horrible thing to say. And unfortunately, it wasn’t surprising.
Sensitivity Isn’t Weakness. It’s a Signal.
Being attuned to tone, tension, or dynamics that don’t sit right with you isn’t a liability. It’s a strength. Sensitive people pick up on unspoken cues. They notice inconsistencies. They ask the hard questions when something feels off.
And when you’re in a healthy room? Those qualities are assets.
But in the wrong room, where power is unchecked and misogyny goes unchallenged, sensitivity becomes the excuse people use to avoid accountability.
Pay Attention to the Pattern
If it happens once, maybe it’s a misunderstanding. If it happens repeatedly? That’s culture.
If you’re constantly walking on eggshells because you’re afraid of being labeled as “too much,” the problem isn’t your volume—it’s the room you’re in.
If speaking plainly gets you called aggressive, while the guy next to you gets praised for being assertive? That’s not about tone. That’s about bias.
If you’re told to have thicker skin instead of being met with respect? That’s not feedback. That’s deflection.
You Deserve Better Rooms
You deserve to be in a space where people want you to speak up. Where noticing a problem isn’t punished—it’s appreciated. Where your emotional intelligence is seen as leadership, not liability.
And yes, those rooms exist.
They exist in companies where psychological safety is a real value, not a slide in a deck. They exist in teams where men know how to share power and listen without defensiveness. They exist in spaces that understand that emotional intelligence, empathy, and nuance are critical to good work—and good leadership.
Don’t Shrink. Shift Rooms.
You are not too sensitive. You are not too much. You are not the problem.
You’re just not in the right room.
At The Threadsmith Group, we help high-empathy leaders navigate toxic dynamics, rebuild their confidence, and find or create environments where they can thrive. If you’ve been told you’re too much, we’re here to remind you that you’re exactly enough.
Let’s get you to a place that’s going to value you for everything you bring to the table.