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Chris Bailey explains the science behind intentionality and how it can dramatically increase goal attainment. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The 12 main values that drive everything you do2) The simple reframe that significantly boosts motivation3) How to deal with resistance to actionSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1118 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT CHRIS — Chris Bailey is an author and speaker who explores the science behind living a more productive and intentional life. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject and has garnered coverage in media as diverse as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, GQ, HuffPost, New York magazine, Harvard Business Review, TED, Fast Company, and Lifehacker. The bestselling author of The Productivity Project, Hyperfocus, and How to Calm Your Mind, Bailey's books have been published in more than forty languages. He lives in Ottawa, Canada. His new book, Intentional, comes out January 6, 2026.• Book: Intentional: How to Finish What You Start• Website: ChrisBailey.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Study: “An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values” by Shalom Schwartz• Book: Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change by Timothy Pychyl• Past episode: 572: How Morning Practices Like Savoring and Investing in Calm Boost Productivity with Chris Bailey— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Monarch.com. Get 50% off your first year on with the code AWESOME.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Allison Walsh is a behavioral health executive, speaker, author, and founder of Allison Walsh Consulting. By age 30, she became a Vice President at Advanced Recovery Systems, a company she helped build from the ground up. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Fortune, and NASDAQ, and she has raised millions of dollars for important causes.In today's episode, Allison joins us to share the pivotal relaunches that shaped her life, helped her build high-growth companies, and show how other women can achieve outstanding success.We dive into the hidden cost of success, imposter syndrome, and the identity shifts that come with rapid career growth. Allison opens up about how she helped build major companies while navigating self-doubt and being the only woman in the room.The conversation also explores practical guidance for parents navigating youth mental health. Allison shares how to start hard conversations with compassion and how to prepare resources before a crisis hits.Allison also breaks down how to stop canceling on yourself, how to take action before feeling “ready”, and how women can build confidence, clarity, and momentum without burning out.Join us today as we talk about redefining success for women, navigating motherhood and leadership, advocating for mental health, and creating a life that aligns with who you are now, not who you used to be.Allison Walsh's Social Media:https://www.instagram.com/allisonwalsh/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/AllisonWalshConsulting/Connect with Hilary:Website: https://www.therelaunch.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilarydecesare/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReLaunchCoInterested in being a guest on the ReLaunch Podcast or booking Hilary as a guest? Email us at hello@therelaunch.comFind Us on Your Favorite Podcast App – https://the-silver-lined-relaunch.captivate.fm/listen
Most resolutions don't survive the first few weeks of the year. In this episode, Hall of Fame keynote speaker Joe Mull, CSP, CPAE, challenges common thinking about New Year's resolutions and explores a more sustainable approach to leadership growth that supports employee engagement, workplace culture, and long-term effectiveness. Joe reflects on why meaningful leadership improvement rarely comes from big declarations, and how intentional practices and support systems shape leaders who are more consistent, resilient, and impactful over time. He also touches on the connection between personal sustainability and the experience employees have at work. If you want to start the year with greater clarity, stronger leadership habits, and momentum that lasts beyond January, this episode offers thoughtful perspective without the hype. To subscribe to Joe Mull's BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #transformativeleadership #workplaceculture #companyculture #talentretention #employeeengagement #employeeretention #bossheroschool #employalty Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root—and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He's the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher's Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession's highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It's awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com.
Workplace wellness has never been more visible, from mental health benefits to flexible schedules, but has it truly become central to how companies operate, or is it still a leadership side project? That was one of the questions we explored with Jennifer Moss, an award-winning author and workplace culture strategist, in our first episode of 2026. A frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, CNN, Time, and The Wall Street Journal, Jennifer has spent her career studying burnout, happiness at work, and organizational wellbeing.Our conversation examined how forces like AI, hybrid work, and always-on digital culture are reshaping employee health, often intensifying stress rather than reducing it. Jennifer shared why, despite significant investment, mental health and wellbeing initiatives still struggle to move from the margins into the core of leadership strategy.We also discussed how the physical elements of work, from office environments to everyday nutritional choices, play a meaningful role in energy, focus, and resilience. And of course, how mindful drinking plays into all of the above.Mentioned in this episode:Jennifer MossWe'd love your feedback!
Elizabeth Lotardo: Stop Solving Your Team's Problems for Them Elizabeth Lotardo is a consultant, writer, and online instructor who helps organizations drive emotional engagement. Elizabeth writes for Harvard Business Review, is a Top Voice on LinkedIn, and the author of Leading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have. She's also the author of the Harvard Business Review article, Stop Solving Your Team's Problems for Them. Jumping in to solve problems feels like we're doing important work. The issue is that leaders need to be enabling work – both for scale and to grow the skills of others. In this conversation, Elizabeth and I detailed how to get out of the trap of solving your team's problems for them. Key Points Jumping in to solve a problem feels good in the moment for both parties, but creates long-term obstacles. The other extreme, asking people to only come with solutions, often shuts down learning for both parties. Shifting a habit of solving your team's problems will feel awkward at first – both for your team and you. Rather than solving the problem for them, help remove the obstacle. Support doesn't just have to come from the manager. Often, looking at the situation together will help surface what kind of support would actually help. We often assume that people are coming to us for answers. Sometimes, they just need to be heard. Five questions that will help your team step up: What have you tried? What–or who–is getting in the way of tackling this? What support do you need? What would you do if you were in my seat? Is there anything else I should know? Resources Mentioned Stop Solving Your Team's Problems for Them by Elizabeth Lotardo Leading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have by Elizabeth Lotardo (Amazon, Bookshop)* Related Episodes The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284) Where Senior Leaders Can Better Support Middle Managers, with Emily Field (episode 650) The Key Norm of a High-Performing Team, with Vanessa Druskat (episode 753) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Kyle Austin Young shares his techniques for de-risking goals to improve your chances of success. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The thinking trap that accounts for most failures2) The four paths to success3) Why thinking negative improves your oddsSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1117 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT KYLE — Kyle Austin Young is an award-winning strategy consultant for high achievers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in a wide range of fields. This work has given him the opportunity to develop and refine a powerful system for accomplishing big, meaningful goals that focuses on understanding and changing your odds of success. Kyle is a popular writer for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Boston Globe, CNBC, Psychology Today, Forbes, and Business Insider. When he's not writing, consulting, or spending time with family, you'll usually find him fishing.• Book: Success Is a Numbers Game: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds• LinkedIn: Kyle Austin Young • Website: KyleAustinYoung.com • Free Tool: Success Diagram— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: The Whuffie Factor by Hunt• Book: Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success by Ron Friedman— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Monarch.com. Get 50% off your first year on with the code AWESOME.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Forbes has called Brian Solis “one of the more creative and brilliant business minds of our time.” ZDNet heralded him as “one of the 21st century business world's leading thinkers,” and Entrepreneur Magazine described him as "a world's top superforecaster."Check out his latest bestseller, Mindshift: Transform Leadership, Drive Innovation and Reshape The FutureBrian is a world-renowned digital futurist, 9x best-selling author, and international keynote speaker. He has published over 70 widely read research reports that explore the future of business and industries, disruptive technologies, and shifts in markets and consumer behaviors. Brian serves as the Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow. In his role, Brian leads a global network of Innovation Officers and Futurists who study emerging technologies and micro and macro trends, business transformation patterns, and customer insights to understand important shifts affecting organizations and the markets they serve. The Innovation team produces original research and thought leadership and delivers presentations and workshops that help leaders anticipate shifts, capitalize on trends, and drive resilience and long-term growth. He is published in industry publications such as Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, CIO, Forbes, and Worth. And he has consistently been recognized as one of the world's leading thinkers in innovation, business transformation, and leadership for almost three decades.
Ep.241 - Comme premier épisode de 2026, nous vous proposons de replonger dans un de nos plus importants épisodes. Nous avons eu le privilège de nous entretenir avec l'un des grands penseurs du management et de la stratégie de notre époque, le professeur Henry Mintzberg. Il discute de la définition de la stratégie, de son évolution dans un monde en constante mutation, ainsi que de l'importance de la perspective stratégique. Il aborde également les défis auxquels sont confrontées les grandes entreprises, le rôle des managers, l'écoute des clients et l'importance des partenariats. Enfin, il partage avec nous ses réflexions sur l'évolution de l'enseignement de la stratégie et de la pratique de la gestion.À retenirLa stratégie peut être vue à la fois comme un processus et comme un contenu.Les entreprises doivent s'adapter à un environnement changeant.La structure d'une entreprise peut être considérée comme sa stratégie.Les positions sur le marché évoluent constamment.Il est crucial de changer de perspective pour rester compétitif.Les objectifs peuvent parfois être un piège pour les entreprises.Les limites entre les entreprises et l'extérieur sont devenues floues.Tout le monde au sein d'une organisation peut être un stratège potentiel.La gestion est une pratique qui requiert de l'expérience et de la créativité.L'écoute des clients est essentielle à l'innovation.Henry MintzbergM. Henry Mintzberg enseigne depuis 1968 à la faculté de gestion Desautels de l'université McGill, à Montréal, où il occupe la chaire Cleghorn d'études en gestion. Il est ingénieur diplômé de l'université McGill et détient une maîtrise et un doctorat de la Sloan School of Management du Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Il est l'auteur de 21 livres (Simply Managing, Structure in Fives (and Sevens in 2023), The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Managers not MBAs, Managing the Myths of Health Care, and Bedtime Stories for Managers) et de 180 articles scientifiques sur le management et la stratégie dont deux articles primés dans la Harvard Business Review. Il est également le récipiendaire de vingt et un diplômes honorifiques décernés par des universités du monde entier dont Paris IX-Dauphine, l'université de Lausanne et l'institut Mines-Télécom. M. Mintzberg a cofondé l'International Master's Program for Managers et l'International Masters for Health Leadership tous les deux enseignés à l'université McGill, ainsi que l'entreprise CoachingOurselves.com, toutes des initiatives novatrices permettant aux managers en exercice d'apprendre ensemble à partir de leur propre expérience.M. Mintzberg est officier de l'Ordre du Canada et officier de l'Ordre national du Québec, ainsi que membre de la Société royale du Canada, le premier provenant d'une faculté de gestion. Accédez aux notes ici: https://www.intelliaconsulting.com/podcast Activez les bases de votre pensée stratégique (gratuit): Le Sprint de l'Action Stratégique Allez plus loin: Chaque semaine, recevez conseils et perspectives afin de développez votre impact stratégique - Abonnez-vous à notre lettre hebdomadaire
The end of the year is one of the most important leadership moments you'll have. In this episode of Boss Better Now, Hall of Fame keynote speaker Joe Mull, CSP, CPAE, shares how leaders can use the transition between years to reset expectations, strengthen workplace culture, and build momentum for employee engagement in the year ahead. He explains why year-end communication matters so much—and how both words and actions shape how teams show up after a long season of work. Joe explores how acknowledging impact, reinforcing purpose, and offering credible hope can increase employee commitment and trust, while misalignment between messaging and experience can quietly undermine morale. He also addresses the limits of motivation when teams are exhausted, and why burnout requires more than a culture speech to fix. If you want to help your team start the new year feeling seen, supported, and motivated to care and try, this episode offers practical leadership insight you can apply right away. To subscribe to Joe Mull's BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #transformativeleadership #workplaceculture #companyculture #talentretention #employeeengagement #employeeretention #bossheroschool #employalty Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root—and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He's the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher's Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession's highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It's awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com.
As advisory firms close out a strong year and look ahead to 2026, many leaders are focused on hiring, capacity, and AI-driven efficiency. In this episode of Building the Billion Dollar Business, Ray Sclafani challenges leaders to pause and ask a more important question: How does growth actually feel to the people doing the work?Drawing on research from Arthur C. Brooks, Adam Grant, Gallup, Korn Ferry, and Harvard Business Review, Ray explains why burnout is rarely caused by long hours alone and why meaning, progress, and connection to impact are far more predictive of performance and retention. He explores the hidden strain rapid growth can place on teams, long before headcount catches up, and why most voluntary turnover in advisory firms is preventable.Ray shares four practical, research-backed ways advisory firm leaders can strengthen team engagement and retention by making client impact more visible across the organization. From rethinking case studies to expanding team participation in client meetings, this episode offers actionable strategies to help firms scale without eroding culture, energy, or purpose.Key TakeawaysBurnout is driven more by futility and lack of meaning than by long hoursOnly ~16% of employees report being very satisfied at work, despite fair compensationMeaningful work predicts performance, persistence, and retention better than incentivesReplacing key talent can cost 1.5–2x annual compensation in advisory firmsGrowth without connection is fragile; growth with meaning is durableThe firms that win in 2026 will help people feel the impact of their work, not just measure itFind Ray and the ClientWise Team on the ClientWise website or LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeTo join one of the largest digital communities of financial advisors, visit exchange.clientwise.com.
In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Scott Cook, cofounder of Intuit, and Professor Nitin Noharia discussed how to enhance customer value. The article highlighted CEO of RELX, Erik Engstrom. Engstrom has been asking his team customer-obsessed questions for twenty years. Some of Engstrom's profound questions include: “How does the customer measure value? How do ... The post Profound Questions appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.
Derek Champagne talks with Kyle Austin Young. Kyle Austin Young is an award-winning strategy consultant for high achievers, entrepreneurs, and leaders ina wide range of fields. This work has allowed him to develop and refine a powerful system for accomplishingbig, meaningful goals that focuses on understanding and changing your odds of success. Kyle is a popularwriter for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Boston Globe, CNBC, Psychology Today, Forbes,and Business Insider. His new book, SUCCESS IS A NUMBERS GAME: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds (Hay House Business, November 2025), details this system. In the context of a single goal, it could be the secret advantage that changes your outcome. Over the course of several goals, it could transform the trajectory of your career. Appliedto a lifetime of goals, it can level up your legacy.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
Alaina Love about her book "Permission To Be You" and how to discover your purpose and passions to bring your best self to everything and everyone. Alaina is a leadership coach and the CEO of Purpose Linked Consulting. You've seen her in places like Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg, and The Washington Post. Host, Kevin Craine Do you want to be a guest? https://Everyday-MBA.com/guest Do you want to advertise on the show? https://Everyday-MBA.com/advertise
Send us a textAbout This EpisodeIn this episode, we talk with Muriel Wilkins, CEO, C-suite advisor, executive coach, and author of Leadership Unblocked, about how unexamined beliefs can quietly limit leadership impact. Muriel shares the patterns she sees most often in senior leaders, reframes confidence as the willingness to step into uncertainty, and explains how intuition can complement data in decision-making. We also explore vulnerability as clear seeing rather than oversharing, how to lead effectively in misaligned work cultures, and a simple first step to get unblocked by examining your role in the discomfort and choosing a more intentional path forward. If you're a curious, ambitious leader ready to scale your impact without losing yourself, tune in for helpful reframes, relatable stories, and tools you can use right away. About Muriel WilkinsMuriel M. Wilkins, founder and CEO of Paravis Partners, is a sought-after C-suite adviser and executive coach with a twenty-year track record of helping senior leaders take their performance to the next level. She is the author of Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential and coauthor of Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence. Muriel is the host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Coaching Real Leaders, consistently ranked as a top-ten podcast in Apple's Management category. She was recently shortlisted for the 2025 Thinkers50 Coaching and Mentoring Award. Additional ResourcesWebsite: murielwilkins.com Instagram: @CoachMurielWilkinsLinkedIn: @MurielWilkins Support the show-------- Stay Connected www.leighburgess.com Watch the episodes on YouTube Follow Leigh on Instagram: @theleighaburgess Follow Leigh on LinkedIn: @LeighBurgess Sign up for Leigh's bold newsletter
**BEST OF** That beautiful leather-bound journal you bought with the best intentions? The one now gathering dust under a pile of books? You're not alone. After 40 years of failed journaling attempts, Michael Bungay Stanier finally cracked the code to sustainable reflection—and it's likely nothing like what you've tried before. Michael is the author behind the Wall Street Journal bestseller The Coaching Habit (which Brené Brown called "a classic"), with over 1.5 million books sold worldwide. Named the #1 Thought Leader in Coaching by Thinkers50, his insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. In this conversation, Michael shares: His surprisingly simple journaling breakthrough that eliminates the most common barriers to consistency A powerful weekly reflection framework that drives tangible results (not just empty introspection) The counterintuitive boundary system he uses to prevent work overload while maximizing impact Why he rejects popular "word of the year" goal-setting (and what he does instead) Whether you're a serial journal abandoner or simply seeking more intentional reflection practices, Michael's practical approach offers a refreshing alternative to traditional journaling methods that actually sticks. Key Quotes: “One thing that is really helpful is just to know I don’t have to say yes right away.” “I have failed to successfully journal since I was 16. I’m now 57, so I’ve been attempting to journal for 40 years.” “If you just start asking yourself what you want day in and day out it just starts forcing a deep clarity.” Connect with Michael via his website, Instagram, LinkedIn, or buy the Do Something That Matters Journal. My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast ButlerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Most employee recognition programs don't work the way leaders think they do. In this episode, Hall of Fame keynote speaker Joe Mull, CSP, CPAE, examines why many common approaches to employee recognition fall short of building real engagement, motivation, and a healthy workplace culture. He explains how well-intentioned systems can unintentionally feel impersonal and why recognition that becomes routine often loses its impact. Joe reframes what meaningful recognition actually looks like, showing how specific, personal expressions of gratitude from leaders strengthen employee commitment, reinforce purpose, and encourage people to bring more of themselves to their work—without relying on swag, gift cards, or formal reward programs. If you want to create a culture where people feel seen, valued, and motivated to care and try, this episode offers practical insight into how recognition works when it's done right. To subscribe to Joe Mull's BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #transformativeleadership #workplaceculture #companyculture #talentretention #employeeengagement #employeeretention #bossheroschool #employalty Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root—and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He's the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher's Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession's highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It's awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com.
Most leaders are not intentionally designing their lives or their leadership. They are repeating patterns they have never questioned. It's time to stop living by default. As a new year approaches, it is easy to jump straight into goals, plans, and resolutions. But when those goals are created by the same unconscious patterns that shaped the year before, you do not get a new year. You get a repeat. This episode is about interrupting that cycle. Episode overview This is Episode 1 of my three-part Design Yourself series on creating the life and leadership you want in 2026. This episode focuses entirely on self-awareness. Not the kind that feels good, but the kind that is accurate. Because you cannot change what you cannot see. We explore why self-awareness is one of the rarest leadership skills, why most leaders overestimate how self-aware they actually are, and how default stories quietly shape how we lead, decide, and show up under pressure. I also share my own default story, the belief that I was not enough as I was and had to constantly prove myself, drive outcomes, and earn my seat at the table. That story fueled success, but it also created exhaustion, pressure, and a leadership style that no longer reflected who I truly am. This episode will help you recognize the unconscious stories running your leadership, understand the cost of living and leading by default, and begin seeing yourself clearly enough to create real change. Research highlight Research published in Harvard Business Review shows that while ninety-five percent of people believe they are self-aware, only ten to fifteen percent actually are. That gap matters, especially for leaders. Key takeaways • Self-awareness is not insight. It is accuracy. • You cannot change what you cannot see. • Default stories often masquerade as strengths. • Unexamined patterns quietly shape culture, trust, and performance. • Self-awareness allows you to respond instead of react. Mic drop moments • Self-awareness is the ability to separate who you are from how you learned to survive and succeed. • If you do not examine your patterns, you will repeat the same year with different tasks. • What you do not see in yourself becomes the environment others have to work in. • Self-awareness says, “That's interesting,” instead of “That's wrong.” • Awareness is where ownership begins. In Episode 2, we will move from awareness to identity and talk about how to consciously choose the leader you are becoming instead of defaulting to the one you have been rewarded for in the past. If this episode resonated, share it with someone who is ready to stop living and leading by default, and subscribe to Reflect Forward wherever you listen.
This week, we revisit our interview with Wayne Baker. Wayne is the author of the book All You Have to Do Is Ask, and the Robert P. Thome Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Management & Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He is also a Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan and Faculty Associate at the Institute for Social Research. He currently serves as Faculty Director of the Center for Positive Organizations. His teaching and research focus on social capital, social networks, generosity, positive organizational scholarship, and values. He has published numerous scholarly articles and four books. His management and leadership articles appear in venues such as Harvard Business Review, Chief Executive Magazine, and Sloan Management Review. Prior to joining the Michigan faculty, he was on the faculty at the University of Chicago business school. He earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Northwestern University and was a post-doctoral research fellow at Harvard University.
In today's episode, we're diving into one of the most misunderstood and essential foundations of effective teamwork: psychological safety. Our guest is Dr. Michaela Kerrissey, associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and co-author of the recent Harvard Business Review article, “What People Get Wrong About Psychological Safety.”What does it really mean? Is it about being nice? Feeling comfortable? Or getting your way in team discussions? Michaela's work dismantles these myths and reframes psychological safety as something far more powerful: the ability to speak up, question, challenge, and share critical insights, without fear of ridicule or reprisal.Together, we'll explore how psychological safety applies on the front lines of emergency care, what leaders and crews can do to build it in the moment, and why getting this right might just be the most important culture shift we can make. This conversation is a game-changer for teams that want to grow, perform, and protect each other under pressure. You can read the article here: https://hbr.org/2025/05/what-people-get-wrong-about-psychological-safety?ab=HP-magazine-text-1
We have Mike Monaghan on the show today and covering the “Birth of an ETF.” He’s going to talk about the Founders ETF and its new launch. We’re also going to talk a little bit about what it takes to get an ETF up and running. From a compliance perspective, remember, there’s no guarantee of future performance. https://youtu.be/o-m3PYHKXqk?si=qBaHkJpUt7xgdpjG Transcript of “The Birth of an ETF” 00:00 The Founders ETF Frazer Rice (00:00.986)Welcome back, Mike. Michael Monaghan (00:02.616)Frazer, it’s great to be back. Frazer Rice (00:04.4)You are at an interesting point in time right now. You’re about to start up Founders ETF and I think you’re about to get trading authorization to get going. Maybe tell us a little bit about the process to set up an ETF. Then we’ll dive into the strategy a little bit. Michael (00:21.25)Yeah, absolutely right. We should start trading on the SIBO Thursday, so two days from now. And we’ve launched our first fund, the Founders 100, that owns the 100 best founder-led companies. I’d be happy to go through some of the process that it takes to set up an ETF. Frazer Rice (00:40.014)Love it. ETFs are the main way to go now in terms of getting an inveestment cvhicle up and running. What has your experience been around? The Popularity of the ETF Structure Michael (00:52.014)Yeah, so ETFs have become the primary investment vehicle for a few reasons. Let’s outline those reasons. Then we can go through some of the steps that it takes to set up an ETF. So on the advantage side of an ETF, they’re typically a bit lower cost than traditional mutual fund products. Importantly, they’re tax advantaged. So there’s no gains or losses that occur during the normal ETF growth phase. Everything that happens within the ETF is done with what’s called an authorized participant. So you do exchanges. And so there’s no capital gains that are assigned to the investors. As long as they hold the ETF, a tax trigger only occurs when they actually sell the ETF. Finally, it’s a great way to get exposure to the market. So whether you want to own a broad market index, one of the legacy indexes, or a vehicle like ours. That gives you in one single trade, rather than having to guess who’s going to win. Is Nvidia going to win or Palantir who’s going to win? You can own a hundred of the best winners in the market in one single stock ticker. In our case, FFF. Frazer Rice (02:07.364)So let’s dive into that theme a little bit. As you said, it’s the top hundred founder led companies. First and foremost, public I assume, private, you’re not diving in those waters. Public vs Private Michael (02:20.59)Correct. So these are the hundred best publicly traded founder led stocks. And we generally fish from the 200 largest founder led publicly traded stocks. So a lot of these are names and founders that are very well recognized. Whether it’s Elon at Tesla or a Mark at Metta, Larry at Oracle, Rich Fairbanks at Capital One. These are all very well known founders. They’re great entrepreneurs who are leading highly scalable, very high performing publicly traded stocks. 02:53 Understanding Founder-Led Companies Frazer Rice (02:53.914)So let’s define founder a little bit. Obviously we have sort of the cult of personality around high-end CEOs. It sounds like you’re identifying companies that have been founded. The people who are running them not only founded them, but they scaled them. They have now gotten them to a level of maturity. That’s different from the typical public company that we find in the S &P 500. Definition of Founder Michael (03:19.104)Yeah. So first let’s define a founder. Then let’s talk about why we think the founder led companies outperform a traditional S&P company. We define the founder as being a chief executive leader. It could be chief executive officer, could be chief technology officer. Sometimes that say a scientific or medical company, would be the chief scientific or chief medical officer. And that person conceived and founded the company, took it from zero to one. It’s their imprint that has guided it over its 10 or 20 or 30 year period. That’s taken it from a small private company to a venture backed company to a large publicly traded company. And so the idea being the person that founded it continues to run it to this day. We talk about the fact that we own an Nvidia that Jensen still runs. But we don’t own Intel. We own Meta because Mark still runs it, but we don’t own Google. We own Dell computer because Michael Dell still runs it. But we don’t own Apple. We own Capital One because Rich Fairbank still runs it, but we don’t own American Express. Investment Process Frazer Rice (04:25.86)Got it. So lots of things to get into here. How does it a company get on your radar screen? And then ultimately, how does it get off of it? Michael (04:35.806)Great question. the getting on the screen is fairly mechanical. We look at the 200 largest by market capitalization founder led stocks. So we look at all U.S. listed. So it could be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ, but it has to be U.S. listed. We then look at the 200 largest. And from there, we select the 100 best using a quantitative factor model. So I’m have a Sanford Bernstein background and so do some of the folks here. And so for folks who are familiar with Bernstein’s research, we use a Bernstein factor model to pick the best, the hundred best names out of the 200 largest. That’s how they get on our radar. And to get off is quite simple if they retire. So if a CEO announces he’s retiring, per the prospectus, we have 90 days to sell the stock. once we, so for example, Mr. Buffett recently stepped down from Berkshire Hathaway. And so we sell Berkshire Hathaway on his announcement and no longer own the stock. Frazer Rice (05:38.0)things like corporate mergers or divestitures or maybe even a reclassification of stock where the founder stays on in some capacity but their decision making has been reduced. How do you analyze that? 05:54 The Investment Strategy Behind the ETF Michael (05:54.326)Yeah, so there is some human overlay judgment calls here and the founder has to be an executive officer leading the company. So they can’t just run a division. They can’t just be chairman of the board. They have to be the executive in charge of running the company. Frazer Rice (06:14.0)And if for, I guess one of the exits possibly would be if, and I don’t know if this is even possible, but if NVIDIA were to take over Meta and there isn’t room for Jensen and Mark in the same suite, how do you analyze something like that? Michael (06:34.253)So in the business combinations where you have two founder-led companies or a non-founder-led company swallowed up by a founder-led company, as long as an original founder remains, it remains in the portfolio. So we’ve had some stocks that had, say, three to four co-founders. And as long as one of those co-founder remains, it remains in the portfolio. Voting Shares Frazer Rice (06:58.352)So one of the things that’s a bee in my bonnet is the concept of having shares where, in a sense, they’re super majority or voting components and then shareholders that have less decision making authority to act as a check and balance around the company. Is that something you’re not really that worried about or is it something that may be a factor that’s important later on? Michael (07:24.525)So we actually think that’s one of the opportunities that this exists. Like one of the things that we haven’t talked about yet is why is all this alpha there? Why is this uncaptured alpha there for us to go get? And we think historically in the past, active money managers have sometimes shied away from these founder led companies because to your point, Frazier, oftentimes the founder has managed to have super voting control, 10 to one shares, 101 shares. So they completely control the company. And some of these larger active money management complexes have said, well, we as the shareholder, we need to be able to have a vote and we’re going to underown these stocks. We have the opposite view. We think these founders are special. So we think that by the time a Mark or a Elon has driven their company into the public markets, they’ve showed that they know how to set the vision, ruthlessly execute and generate value for the shareholders. Concerns? And so we’re not concerned by super voting structures. Oftentimes those are the stocks that we want to own because it’s the founder that’s in control and setting the direction of the business and generating high returns for the shareholders. We view it as you either believe in them and you own the stock or you don’t believe in them and sell the stock. We’re not interested in other people’s getting on the board and monkeying with the decisions of the founders. Frazer Rice (08:30.255)Is this it? What is it about the founders, especially for those that go from zero to one, then to scale, and then to shepherding a mature business? What makes them better and what drives the alpha that you’re trying to seek? In terms of putting together a portfolio of these types of companies? 09:01 The Importance of Founders in Business Michael (09:02.891)Yeah, so the great ones tend to be a bit irreverent. They tend to be highly visionary. They tend to be charismatic communicators and relentless in their execution ability. They’ve got a great ability to pivot if a change needs to be made. And rthe moral authority to set a tone to generate very high rates of return. We see it sort of over and over and over in these founder led companies. And if you look at some of the studies that we’ve done. There’s a study that Bain Capital, Bain had done years ago in combination with Harvard Business Review, founder led companies tend to outperform non-founder led companies in say the S &P 500 by 3X. So it’s this personality type of high vision and high execution tends to drive outsize returns. And it’s a bit of a self-selecting process. What makes Founders Unique? If you think about it by the time any of these founders that we own or talk about have got to the public market. They first had to identify an opportunity to go after. They had to develop a great product by listening to their customers. And they’ve shown that they can scale all the way from a series A round, B, C, D, all the way investing and generating high rates of return in the private markets. Transitions of Founders to Executives They get to the public markets, continue to do that. And now you get a little bit of an effect of a echo of that, of now all of sudden you’re in the public markets. If you get enough scale, you have this highly effective business. Now you’re getting relatively cheap capital that you’re feeding into your business through the public markets. And now you continue to grow. Frazer Rice (10:42.096)Just to summarize at least what I’m hearing is that they’ve gotten to the point of becoming public. They’ve been able to say no to losing control in exchange for either putting some liquidity back in their pocket or otherwise moving on. And so they’ve almost ratified their vision and message and they keep going. And by the fact that they’re public, there’s enough liquidity for everyone else out there in terms of their investments. So it ends up being a win-win. Michael (11:11.157)I think so. That’s what we see. Frazer Rice (11:13.316)So one thing that I’ve been sort of reading about and thinking about is the concept that the number of public companies is becoming less, well, it’s decreasing, and that many people are able to stay private for longer. Do you worry that your universe is going to get too small to provide sort of a canvas for your ideas here? 12:02 Market Trends and Future Outlook Michael (11:37.549)Let’s talk about three phases of that. We don’t, we actually see the data showing that there’s more and more opportunities within founder led. So let’s look at history and then let’s move to the future. So historically, probably about the time you and I joined the securities business, they would actually take the, to your point, they would take the founder, they would kick out this charismatic founder. They would put in some mid-level proctor or GE middle level manager to be the you know, the suit in the room to take the company public. And that was sort of in the late nineties and people figured out that wasn’t such a good idea. So if you actually look at the chart, there’s more and more founders staying and leading their public, their, their publicly traded companies. That’s number one. Number two. Yes. We have seen some companies stay private, obviously Stripe, SpaceX, but we are now seeing, for example, SpaceX coming to the public markets. Eli is talking about coming next year. so we, we haven’t seen it so far impact the pool with which we can fish in. And as I mentioned, that’s what we saw historically. Public Markets and the Future In the future, think, Frazer, I think we’re going to start to see a conversion of public and private markets, meaning these private mega cap companies have liquidity. And I think that you’ll see more and more ability to trade those stocks almost in public liquidity. So I think these two markets are converging. So I think that Not only do we have plenty of founders in the traditional public markets, I think that the liquidity and the big privates is going to converge to a public market style shortly anyway. Frazer Rice (13:13.232)You’re in a curious time as far as launching an ETF around this concept. I know a lot of people are wary of Mag-7 and ultra valuations and issues related to that. How do you respond to that concept that a lot of the growth has taken place in seven, maybe seven out of the hundred that you’ve chosen? Debunking the Mag-7 (to the Mag-3) Michael (13:33.356)Yeah, so that’s a misconception. We see Mike Saylor get on TV and wave his arms around it, but it’s not really true. First of all, what’s interesting, if you tear apart the Mag-7, it’s actually the Mag-3. The outperformance in the Mag-7 has come from Meta, Tesla, and NVIDIA. So it’s not just the Mag-7, it’s a founder led. And now you say, well, that’s a small sample set. Let’s look at a bigger sample set. So if you look at the NASDAQ 100, for example, It’s actually the 20 founder led companies have driven most of the outperformance over the last 25 years. And what I’m about to tell you about the S &P 500 probably won’t surprise you. It’s the 37 founder led companies that have driven most of the outperforming the S &P 500. So the outperformance is coming from founders, not from any specific part of the market. And one of the things that we think is great about this ETF is to avoid concentration. 14:50 Risk Management I know you’re really familiar with the concept of active share and that’s how different you are than the S &P 500. We have an 85 % active share to the S &P 500. So if you own the founders 100 ETF, you have much different exposure to the market than say the S &P 500. And so we think it helps reduce some of that concentration. We’ve done some things to make sure that we are diversified. First of all, we do own 100 stocks. Diversification So really good diversification across that. And then number two, while we run a market weight portfolio, we cap. No stock can be bigger than 7 % of the portfolio, so we don’t get out of balance at any point. So we think that we mitigate some of those concentration risks and we allow people to invest in innovation without being over concentrated to any one name, say the MAG-7, for example. So we think that we’re giving our investors really good exposure to innovation through the founders, but not exposing them to pre-existing market concentrations. And then finally remind everyone It’s not the MAG-7, it’s not the NASDAQ-100, it’s not the S &P-500, it’s the founders within each of these are what are driving the outsized performance in those analytical groups. Frazer Rice (15:36.218)So from a diversification standpoint, obviously not everything in one name, the 7 % cap you described, do you have sector concentration guidelines as well? Michael (15:45.749)We don’t have sector concentration guidelines, but if you look at the nature of the portfolio, we were fairly well diversified. We’re slightly overweight tech and financials versus say the S &P, but we own healthcare stocks, own consumer stocks, we own energy stocks. So we’re giving you a broad exposure to the market. Leverage Frazer Rice (16:05.924)Let’s talk about leverage for a second. I know a lot of people are trying to juice returns by piggybacking off of other people’s money on that front. Does that have a place in your ETF? Michael (16:17.004)So there’s no leverage in the ETF. We sort of believe in get rich the slow way. I like to tell people that it’s very hard to make money in the stock market over the short term, but it’s not particularly difficult over the very long term. think Mr. Munger and Mr. Buffett used to talk about this. the idea being, leverage can impact you in times that are not favorable. So we believe in just owning the stocks unlevered, let them compound over very long periods of time. And we think that by doing that, we and our shareholder, we think our shareholders can generate wealth over very long periods of time. Taxes Frazer Rice (16:54.98)So tax efficiency, the concept of holding period, does that play into your process at all? Michael (17:04.316)So remember within the ETF, as long as you’re managing your trading properly within the ETF, there’s no tax implications inside of it for your shareholders. Your shareholders only would be impacted at selling. So assuming they hold the stocks for over a year, any gains would be long-term capital gains treatment. Frazer Rice (17:27.024)And when you’re describing the investor profile that you’re looking to attract here, who is this for? Michael (17:35.916)Yeah, so the person that, you we really think it’s appropriate for you if you have a five year or more holding period and you want to have long-term capital appreciation. You know, if your goal is to be exposed to the best minds and public securities, that’s the founder led companies, and you want to compound your wealth over a very long period of time and have a high probability of outperforming the traditional broad market indexes, this ETF is designed for you. 17:59 Investor Profile and ETF Positioning Frazer Rice (18:04.705)And as you’re sort of outlining that profile and for those people who are trying to figure out where this fits in from an equity allocation perspective, you’re in charge in many ways of the spoke of a hub and spoke component of people are really sort of looking at indexes as the base of their equity portfolio. What are you looking for? What kind of benchmarks do you sort of measure yourself against? Michael (18:35.007)Yeah, so we think this is absolutely a core holding. So if you’re looking to build out you or your client’s portfolio, we think this should sit at the core. It is on the growth side, so it’s core growth. We think that it is a one-for-one replacement for, the NASDAQ 100. Or, for example, somebody holding the triple Qs. We think this is a better holding than the triple Qs. So we benchmark ourselves against them and against the S &P 500. Ee look at beating those two broad market indexes, generating better risk return for our investors. Frazer Rice (19:13.019)For those listeners that are out there and want to find out more, what’s the best way that they can either get a hold of you or maybe even better, do you have a ticker symbol ready that people can discover? FFF and Contact Information Michael (19:25.215)Yeah, absolutely. So the ticker is FFF. So that’s the FFF ETF that we’ll trade on. And investors can find that at their favorite brokerage firm, whether they’re Schwab customers, Interactive Brokers customers, Fidelity customers, trades under one ticker, just like a stock. Frazer Rice (19:44.365)And let’s take, we have a few minutes to go here, which is great. Your experience in terms of establishing the ETF, maybe a couple of some of the touch points when you went from vision to execution here, what was the process? Michael (20:00.106)Yeah, so ETF has a few basic processes that are regulated under the 1940 Securities Act. And so a lot of those rules are set up to protect the end investors. So for example, the securities live within a trust. So we set up our own trust. Some people use a mingled trust. We thought it was better for our end investors to have our own trust that we set up that has an independent trust board that oversees to make sure that we’re executing our strategies as we’ve outlined in the prospectus to make sure that we’re Doing the best we can for our investors. You’ve got to set that up There’s a few firms that do the plumbing for the for the ETFs would say US Bank is probably the largest player. So US Bank provides our our fund custody and fund administration and then there’s just a few other vendors in the space that sort of help with all the plumbing to make sure that the ETF runs smoothly. So it’s probably a six month process if you stay really focused to get all of that set up. 20:58 Navigating the ETF Launch Process Frazer Rice (21:03.313)You get that set up, how do you approach the Schwabs and the Fidelitys and the other platforms to make sure that people can access, buy, sell, whatever they want to do with your ETF? Michael (21:14.347)Yeah, that’s a great question. So the online brokerages typically put you on the platform as soon as you’re listed on a major US exchange. So you’ve got to get listed on NASDAQ, NYSE or CIBO. We chose CIBO. So again, on the traditional online brokers, you’re there day one. And then the big wire houses, JP Morgan, Goldman, Morgan Stanley, BAML, they typically have a few hurdles that you’ve got to get through, whether it’s daily trading liquidity assets under management. And over time, as you run the wickets through their process, you’re added to those platforms. Macro Issues? Frazer Rice (21:48.721)We live in a political age and a time when there’s just chaos everywhere, different types of rules in order to allocate capital. If you’re an investor trying to guess what’s happening politically, et cetera, that are difficult, you must be positive as far as the environment for founders to find success in this country and beyond. Is there anything that you’re looking for to make sure that those conditions hold? Michael (22:18.225)Yeah, we don’t really look at the macro or political backgrounds. think over very long periods of time, U.S. innovation outperforms. so we sort of we think that, again, one of the great things with investing in founders is they keep adapting as the background changes behind them. So we think over very long periods of time, the U.S. has great economic growth. And for those people that have worried about little blips along the way, we think the founders are the absolute best at mitigating those blips. Frazer Rice (22:48.334)I like to say you bet against America at your own peril and it sounds like from a founder perspective it’s still a great place for them to locate their businesses and grow them here. Michael (23:01.042)Absolutely. 23:50 Final Thoughts and Contact Information Frazer Rice (23:02.971)Just to reiterate, FFF is the ticker symbol for people to find it. any other contact points for people to find you if they’re interested in what you’re putting together. Michael (23:15.613)Yeah, so we have a great website at FounderETFs.com. can go check out there or anyone’s happy to email me, just michael at FounderETFs.com. Happy to chat with anyone who has interest about the portfolio, the strategy, or what we’re building. Frazer Rice (23:32.197)Well, great to have you back on, Mike. Thank you for putting up with my attempt at looking like Steve Jobs. It’s 25 degrees in New York here, and I am the stupid one who’s not in California or somewhere warm. appreciate you taking the time to be on and talking about your new product. Michael (23:48.011)Yeah, it was great to be on here. Really a huge fan of your podcast and just the level of guests that you’re able to interview and help educate your viewers. Frazer Rice (23:56.849)Mike, thanks for being on. Michael (23:59.061)Thanks a lot, Frazer. https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Actually-Intelligent-Decision-Making-1-ebook/dp/B07FPQJJQT/ Previously with Mike Monaghan ETF EDUCATION ARTICLES ON ETF.COM
Welcome back to this holiday conversation with ‘Essentialism' author Greg McKeown (see his very impressive resume below). As you set your goals and intentions for 2026, Greg's insights will be a great way to think through WHAT REALLY MATTERS to you. To demonstrate how challenging this seemingly obvious exercise can be, I asked Greg how to help me focus my sincere but varied slate of professional ambitions. It gets a little uncomfortable, but that's the point! And if you get one thing out of this episode, I hope it's the 7 words Greg shares that will help you be a better spouse, parent, friend and co-worker. Thank you to my friend, the painter and 1985 high school soccer phenom, Brendan O'Connell for bringing Greg's work to my attention. Please rate and review Reasonably Happy (Seriously, DO IT!) Subscribe to Paul's Substack newsletter Start your Essentialism journey here Okay, here's Greg's BIO: Greg McKeown has written two New York Times bestsellers: “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” which Goodreads users voted “The #1 Leadership and Success Book to Read in a Lifetime,” and “Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most.” Together, they have been published in 37 languages. Greg is a highly sought-after public speakers globally and has spoken to over 500 companies while traveling to more than 40 countries. His clients include Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Nike. (Perhaps you've heard of these companies. Hmm?) Greg hosts the cleverly named "The Greg McKeown Podcast,” which is ranked in the Top 5 of all self-improvement podcasts, and has hosted luminaries like Arthur Brooks, Matthew McConaughey, and Maria Shriver. His work has been covered in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Time, Fast Company, and Harvard Business Review…among others.
Nick Musica was running a CBD publisher when Google's May 2019 algorithm update wiped his traffic overnight—dropping from page 1 to oblivion. With four weeks until he'd need to fire his entire team, he made a decision that would never make it into a Harvard Business Review case study: quit with zero contracts lined up and figure it out as he went.AEO vs SEO: The Numbers Don't LieWhen answer engines drive 1% of traffic and traditional search drives 16%, where should your budget actually go? Nick dismantles the AEO hype with real traffic data and marketing mix strategy.The "Zero Contracts" Launch StrategyHow quitting his job with literally no clients lined up led to 60 billable hours per week within two weeks. His entire business plan: "I'm going to make this work."When SEO Becomes Your Business Model (The Risk)Why affiliate sites and publishers live and die by algorithm updates, and how to build a more resilient business that uses SEO as a channel, not a crutch.AI Content's Fatal FlawThe "vanilla problem" with AI-generated content and why it's creating a race to mediocrity in search results. Spoiler: Google can detect patterns.From SEO Consultant to Executive CoachThe Harrison Assessment revelation that changed everything, and why most "SEO problems" are actually organizational dysfunction in disguise.Nick's Website: https://nickmusica.comWebsite: https://jayhunt.socialAmplify Your Brand Community: https://www.skool.com/aybInstagram: @jayhuntofficialLinkedIn: /socialmediaspeakerTikTok: @jayhuntofficial
Should leaders care about job satisfaction? In this episode, Hall of Fame keynote speaker Joe Mull, CSP, CPAE, explains why focusing on job satisfaction won't move the needle on employee engagement, performance, retention, or workplace culture—and why many satisfied employees still deliver only the minimum. Joe breaks down the real drivers of commitment at work and clarifies what leaders should prioritize if they want teams to care, try, and give more than the bare minimum. He also explores what distinguishes engaged employees from those who are checked out or actively disengaged, and how leaders can start assessing the employee experience more effectively through practical conversations and simple tools that reduce burnout and increase motivation. If you're looking to build a workplace where people feel connected, energized, and invested, this episode offers clear guidance for improving engagement in meaningful, sustainable ways. To subscribe to Joe Mull's BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #transformativeleadership #workplaceculture #companyculture #talentretention #employeeengagement #employeeretention #bossheroschool #employalty Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root—and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He's the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher's Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession's highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It's awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com.
In this episode of In-Ear Insights, the Trust Insights podcast, Katie and Chris discuss the massive technological shifts driven by generative AI in 2025 and what you must plan for in 2026. You will learn which foundational frameworks ensure your organization can strategically adapt to rapid technological change. You’ll discover how to overcome the critical communication barriers and resistance emerging among teams adopting these new tools. You will understand why increasing machine intelligence makes human critical thinking and emotional skills more valuable than ever. You’ll see the unexpected primary use case of large language models and identify the key metrics you must watch in the coming year for economic impact. Watch now to prepare your strategy for navigating the AI revolution sustainably. Watch the video here: Can’t see anything? Watch it on YouTube here. Listen to the audio here: https://traffic.libsyn.com/inearinsights/tipodcast-2025-year-in-review.mp3 Download the MP3 audio here. Need help with your company’s data and analytics? Let us know! Join our free Slack group for marketers interested in analytics! [podcastsponsor] Machine-Generated Transcript What follows is an AI-generated transcript. The transcript may contain errors and is not a substitute for listening to the episode. Christopher S. Penn: In this week’s *In-Ear Insights*. This is the last episode of *In-Ear Insights* for 2025. We are out with the old. We’ll be back in January for new episodes the week of January 5th. So, Katie, let’s talk about the year that was and all the crazy things that happened in the year. And so what you’re thinking about, particularly from the perspective of all things AI, all things data and analytics—how was 2025 for you? Katie Robbert: What’s funny about that is I feel like for me personally, not a lot changed. And the reason I feel like I can say that is because a lot of what I focus on is foundational, and it doesn’t really matter what fancy, shiny new technology is happening. So I really try to focus on making sure the things that I do every day can adapt to new technology. And again, of course, that’s probably the most concrete example of that is the 5P framework: Purpose, People, Process, Platform for Performance. It doesn’t matter what the technology is. This is where I’m always going to ground myself in this framework so that if AI comes along or shiny object number 2 comes along, I can adapt because it’s still about primarily, what are we doing? So asking the right questions. The things that did change were I saw more of a need this year, not in general, but just this year, for people to understand how to connect with other people. And not only in a personal sense, but in a professional sense of my team needs to adopt AI or they need to adopt this new technology. I don’t know how to reach them. I don’t know where to start. I don’t know. I’m telling them things. Nothing’s working. And I feel like the technology of today, which is generative AI, is creating more barriers to communication than it is opening up communication channels. And so that’s a lot of where my head has been: how to help people move past those barriers to make sure that they’re still connecting with their teams. And it’s not so much that the technology is just a firewall between people, but it’s the when you start to get into the human emotion of “I’m afraid to use this,” or “I’m hesitant to use this,” or “I’m resistant to use this,” and you have people on two different sides of the conversation—how do you help them meet in the middle? Which is really where I’ve been focused, which, to be fair, is not a new problem: new tech, old problems. But with generative AI, which is no longer a fad—it’s not going away—people are like, “Oh, what do you mean? I actually have to figure this out now.” Okay, so I guess that’s what I mean. That’s where my head has been this year: helping people navigate that particular digital disruption, that tech disruption, versus a different kind of tech disruption. Christopher S. Penn: And if you had to—I know I personally always hate this question—if you had to boil that down to a couple of first principles of the things that are pretty universal from what you’ve had to tell people this year, what would those first principles be? Katie Robbert: Make sure you’re clear on your purpose. What is the problem you’re trying to solve? I think with technology that feels all-consuming, generative AI. We tend to feel like, “Oh, I just have to use it. Everybody else is using it.” Whereas things that have a discrete function. An email server, do I need to use it? Am I sending email? No. So I don’t need an email server. It’s just another piece of technology. We’re not treating generative AI like another piece of technology. We’re treating it like a lifestyle, we’re treating it like a culture, we’re treating it like the backbone of our organization, when really it’s just tech. And so I think it comes down to one: What is the question you’re trying to answer? What is the problem you’re trying to solve? Why do you need to use this in the first place? How is it going to enhance? And two: Are you clear on your goals? Are you clear on your vision? Which relates back to number 1. So those are really the two things that have come up the most: What’s the problem you’re trying to solve by using generative AI? And a lot of times it’s, “I don’t want to fall behind,” which is a valid problem, but it’s not the right problem to solve with generative AI. Christopher S. Penn: I would imagine. Probably part of that has to do with what you see from very credible studies coming out about it. The one that I know we’ve referenced multiple times is the 3-year study from Wharton Business School where, in Year 3 (which is 2025—this came out in October of this year), the line that caught everyone’s attention was at the bottom. Here it says 3 out of 4 leaders see positive returns on Gen AI investments, and 4 out of 5 leaders in enterprises see these investments paying off in a couple of years. And the usage levels. Again, going back to what you were saying about people feeling left behind, within enterprises, 82% using it weekly, 46% using it daily, and 72% formally measuring the ROI on it in some capacity and seeing those good results from it. Katie Robbert: But there’s a lot there that you just said that’s not happening universally. So measuring ROI consistently and in a methodical way, employees actually using these tools in the way that they’re intended, and leadership having a clear vision of what it’s intended to do in terms of productivity. Those are all things that sound good on paper but are not actually happening in real-life practice. We talk with our peers, we talk with our clients, and the chief complaint that we get is, “We have all these resources that we created, but nobody’s using them, nobody’s adopting this,” or, “They’re using generative AI, but not the way that I want them to.” So how do you measure that for efficiency? How do you measure that for productivity? So I look at studies like that and I’m like, “Yeah, that’s more of an idealistic view of everything’s going right, but in the real world, it’s very messy.” Christopher S. Penn: And we know, at least in some capacity, how those are happening. So this comes from Stanford—this was from August—where generative AI is deployed within organizations. We are seeing dramatic headcount reductions, particularly for junior people in their careers, people 22 to 25. And this is a really well-done study because you can see the blue line there is those early career folks, how not just hiring, but overall headcount is diminishing rapidly. And they went on to say, for professions where generative AI really isn’t part of it, like stock clerks, health aides, you do not see those rapid declines. The one that we care about, because our audience is marketing and sales. You can see there’s a substantial reduction in the amount of headcount that firms are carrying in this area. So that productivity increase is coming at the expense of those jobs, those seats. Katie Robbert: Which is interesting because that’s something that we saw immediately with the rollout of generative AI. People are like, “Oh great, this can write blog posts for me. I don’t need my steeple of writers.” But then they’re like, “Oh, it’s writing mediocre, uninteresting blog posts for me, but I’ve already fired all of my writers and none of them want to come back.” So I am going to ask the people who are still here to pick up the slack on that. And then those people are going to burn out and leave. So, yeah, if you look at the chart, statistically, they’re reducing headcount. If you dig into why they’re reducing headcount, it’s not for the right reasons. You have these big leaders, Sam Altman and other people, who are talking about, “We did all these amazing things, and I started this billion-dollar company with one employee. It’s just me.” And everything else is—guess what? That is not the rule. That is the exception. And there’s a lot that they’re not telling you about what’s actually happening behind the scenes. Because that one person who’s managing all the machines is probably not sleeping. They’re probably taking some sort of an upper to stay awake to keep up with whatever the demand is for the company that they’re creating. You want to talk about true hustle culture? That’s it. And it is not something that I would recommend to anyone. It’s not worth it. So when we talk about these companies that are finding productivity, reducing headcount, increasing revenue, what they’re not doing is digging into why that’s happening. And I would guarantee that it’s not on the up and up, but it’s not all the healthy version of that. Christopher S. Penn: Oh, we know that for sure. One of the big work trends this year that came out of Chinese AI Labs, which Silicon Valley is scrambling to impose upon their employees, is the 996 culture: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week is demanding. Katie Robbert: I was like, “Nope.” I was like, “Why?” You’re never going to get me to buy into that. Christopher S. Penn: Well, I certainly don’t want to either. Although that’s about what I work anyway. But half of my work is fun, so. Katie Robbert: Well, yeah. So let the record show I do not ask Chris to work those hours. That is not a requirement. He is choosing, as a person with his own faculties, to say, “This is what I want to do.” So that is not a mandate on him. Christopher S. Penn: Yes, this is something that the work that I do is also my hobby. But what people forget to take into account is their cultural differences too. So. And there are also macro things that are different that make that even less sustainable in Western cultures than it does in Chinese cultures. But looking back at the year from a technological perspective, one of the things that stunned me was how we forget just how smart these things have gotten in just one year. One of the things that we—there’s an exam that was built in January of this year called Humanity’s Last Exam as a—it’s a very challenging exam. I think I have a sample question. Yeah, here’s 2 sample questions. I don’t even know what these questions mean. So my score on this exam would be a 0 because it’s one doing. Here’s a thermal paracyclic cascade. Provide your answer in this format. Here’s some Hebrew. Identify closed and open syllables. I look at this I can’t even multiple-choice guess this. Sure, I don’t know what it is. At the beginning of the year, the models at the time—OpenAI’s GPT4O, Claude 3 Opus, Google Gemini Pro 2, Deep Seek V3—all scored 5%. They just bombed the exam. Everybody bombed it. I granted they scored 5% more than I would have scored on it, but they basically bombed the exam. In just 12 months, we’ve seen them go from 5% to 26%. So a 5x increase. Gemini going from 6.8% to 37%, which is what—a 5, 6, 7—6x improvement. Claude going from 3% to 28%. So that’s what a 7x improvement. No, 8x improvement. These are huge leaps in intelligence for these models within a single calendar year. Katie Robbert: Sure. But listen, I always say I might be an N of 1. I’m not impressed by that because how often do I need to know the answers to those particular questions that you just shared? In the profession that I am in, specifically, there’s an old saying—I don’t know how old, or maybe it’s whatever—there’s a difference between book smart and street smart. So you’re really talking about IQ versus EQ, and these machines don’t have EQ. It’s not anything that they’re ever going to really be able to master the way that humans do. Now, when you say this, I’m talking about intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence. And so if you’ve seen any of the sci-fi movies, *Her* or *Ex Machina*, you’re led to believe that these machines are going to simulate humans and be empathetic and sympathetic. We’ve already seen the news stories of people who are getting married to their generative AI system. That’s happening. Yes, I’m not brushing over it, I’m acknowledging it. But in reality, I am not concerned about how smart these machines get in terms of what you can look up in a dictionary or what you can find in an encyclopedia—that’s fine. I’m happy to let these machines do that all day long. It’s going to save me time when I’m trying to understand the last consonant of every word in the Hebrew alphabet since the dawn of time. Sure. Happy to let the machine do that. What these machines don’t know is what I know in my life experience. And so why am I asking that information? What am I going to do with that information? How am I going to interpret that information? How am I going to share that information? Those are the things that the machine is never going to replace me in my role to do. So I say, great, I’m happy to let the machines get as smart as they want to get. It saves me time having to research those things. I was on a train last week, and there were 2 women sitting behind me, and they were talking about generative AI. You can go anywhere and someone talks about generative AI. One of the women was talking about how she had recently hired a research assistant, and she had given her 3 or 4 academic papers and said, “I want to know your thoughts on these.” And so what the research assistant gave back was what generative AI said were the summaries of each of these papers. And so the researcher said, “No, I want to know your thoughts on these research papers.” She’s like, “Well, those are the summaries. That’s what generative AI gave me.” She’s like, “Great, but I need you to read them and do the work.” And so we’ve talked about this in previous episodes. What humans will have over generative AI, should they choose to do so, is critical thinking. And so you can find those episodes of the podcast on our YouTube channel at TrustInsights.ai/YouTube. Find our podcast playlist. And it just struck me that it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, people are using generative AI to replace their own thinking. And those are the people who are going to be finding themselves to the right and down on those graphs of being replaced. So I’ve sort of gone on a little bit of a rant. Point is, I’m happy to let the machines be smarter than me and know more than me about things in the world. I’m the one who chooses how to use it. I’m the one who has to do the critical thinking. And that’s not going to be replaced. Christopher S. Penn: Yeah, that’s. But you have to make that a conscious choice. One of the things that we did see this year, which I find alarming, is the number of people who have outsourced their executive function to machines to say, “Hey, do this way.” There’s. You can go on Twitter, or what was formerly known as Twitter, and literally see people who are supposedly thought leaders in their profession just saying, “Chat GPT told me this. And so you’re wrong.” And I’m like, “In a very literal sense, you have lost your mind.” You have. It’s not just one group of people. When you look at the *Harvard Business Review* use cases—this was from April of this year—the number 1 use case is companionship for these tools. Whether or not we think it’s a good idea. They. And to your point, Katie, they don’t have empathy, they don’t have emotional intelligence, but they emulate it so well now. Oh, they do that. People use it for those things. And that, I think, is when we look back at the year that was, the fact that this is the number 1 use case now for these tools is shocking to me. Katie Robbert: Separately—not when I was on a train—but when I was sitting at a bar having lunch. We. My husband and I were talking to the bartender, and he was like, “Oh, what do you do for a living?” So I told him, and he goes, “I’ve been using ChatGPT a lot. It’s the only one that listens to me.” And it sort of struck me as, “Oh.” And then he started to, it wasn’t a concerning conversation in the sense that he was sort of under the impression that it was a true human. But he was like, “Yeah, I’ll ask it a question.” And the response is, “Hey, that’s a great question. Let me help you.” And even just those small things—it saying, “That’s a really thoughtful question. That’s a great way to think about it.” That kind of positive reinforcement is the danger for people who are not getting that elsewhere. And I’m not a therapist. I’m not looking to fix this. I’m not giving my opinions of what people should and shouldn’t do. I’m observing. What I’m seeing is that these tools, these systems, these pieces of software are being designed to be positive, being designed to say, “Great question, thank you for asking,” or, “I hope you have a great day. I hope this information is really helpful.” And it’s just those little things that are leading people down that road of, “Oh, this—it knows me, it’s listening to me.” And so I understand. I’m fully aware of the dangers of that. Yeah. Christopher S. Penn: And that’s such a big macro question that I don’t think anybody has the answer for: What do you do when the machine is a better human than the humans you’re surrounded by? Katie Robbert: I feel like that’s subjective, but I understand what you’re asking, and I don’t know the answer to that question. But that again goes back to, again, sort of the sci-fi movies of *Her* or *Ex Machina*, which was sort of the premise of those, or the one with Haley Joel Osment, which was really creepy. *Artificial Intelligence*, I think, is what it was called. But anyway. People are seeking connection. As humans, we’re always seeking connection. Here’s the thing, and I don’t want to go too far down the rabbit hole, but a lot of people have been finding connection. So let’s say we go back to pen pals—people they’d never met. So that’s a connection. Those are people they had never met, people they don’t interact with, but they had a connection with someone who was a pen pal. Then you have things like chat rooms. So AOL chat room—A/S/L. We all. If you’re of that generation, what that means. People were finding connections with strangers that they had never met. Then you move from those chat rooms to things like these communities—Discord and Slack and everything—and people are finding connections. This is just another version of that where we’re trying to find connections to other humans. Christopher S. Penn: Yes. Or just finding connections, period. Katie Robbert: That’s what I mean. You’re trying to find a connection to something. Some people rescue animals, and that’s their connection. Some people connect with nature. Other people, they’re connecting with these machines. I’m not passing judgment on that. I think wherever you find connection is where you find connection. The risk is going so far down that you can’t then be in reality in general. I know. *Avatar* just released another version. I remember when that first version of the movie *Avatar* came out, there were a lot of people very upset that they couldn’t live in that reality. And it’s just. Listen, I forgot why we’re doing this podcast because now we’ve gone so far off the rails talking about technology. But I think to your point, what’s happened with generative AI in 2025: It’s getting very smart. It’s getting very good at emulating that human experience, and I don’t think that’s slowing down anytime soon. So we as humans, my caution for people is to find something outside of technology that grounds you so that when you are using it, you can figure out sort of that real from less reality. Christopher S. Penn: Yeah. One of the things—and this is a complete nerd thing—but one of the things that I do, particularly when I’m using local models, is I will keep the console up that shows the computations going as a reminder that the words appearing on the screen are not made by a human; they’re made by a machine. And you can see the machinery working, and it’s kind of knowing how the magic trick is done. You watch go. “Oh, it’s just a token probability machine.” None of what’s appearing on screen is thought through by an organic intelligence. So what are you looking forward to or what do you have your eyes on in 2026 in general for Trust Insights or in particular the field of AI? Katie Robbert: I think now that some of the excitement over Generative AI is wearing off. I think what I’m looking forward to in 2026 for Trust Insights specifically is helping more organizations figure out how AI fits into their overall organization, where there’s real opportunity versus, “Hey, it can write a blog post,” or, “Hey, it can do these couple of things,” and I built a—I built a gem or something—but really helping people integrate it in a thoughtful way versus the short-term thinking kind of way. So I’m very much looking forward to that. I’m seeing more and more need for that, and I think that we are well suited to help people through our courses, through our consulting, through our workshops. We’re ready. We are ready to help people integrate technology into their organization in a thoughtful, sustainable way, so that you’re not going to go, “Hey, we hired these guys and nothing happened.” We will make the magic happen. You just need to let us do it. So I’m very much looking forward to that. I’ve personally been using Generative AI to sort of connect dots in my medical history. So I’m very excited just about the prospect of being able to be more well-informed. When I go into a doctor’s office, I can say, “I’m not a doctor, I’m not a researcher, but I know enough about my own history to say these are all of the things. And when I put them together, this is the picture that I’m getting. Can you help me come to faster conclusions?” I think that is an exciting use of generative AI, obviously under a doctor’s supervision. I’m not a doctor, but I know enough about how to research with it to put pieces together. So I think that there’s a lot of good that’s going to come from it. I think it’s becoming more accessible to people. So I think that those are all positive things. Christopher S. Penn: The thing—if there’s one thing I would recommend that people keep an eye on—is a study or a benchmark from the Center for AI Safety called RLI, Remote Labor Index. And this is a benchmark test where AI models and their agents are given a task that typically a remote worker would do. So, for example, “Here’s a blueprint. Make an architectural rendering from it. Here’s a data set. Make a fancy dashboard, make a video game. Make a 3D rendering of this product from the specifications.” Difficult tasks that the index says the average deliverable costs thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of time. Right now, the state of the art in generative AI—it’s close to—because this was last month’s models, succeeded 2.1% of the time at a max. It was not great. Now, granted, if your business was to lose 2.1% of its billable deliverables, that might be enough to make the difference between a good year and a bad year. But this is the index you watch because with all the other benchmarks, like you said, Katie, they’re measuring book smart. This is measuring: Was the work at a quality level that would be accepted as paid, commissioned work? And what we saw with Humanity’s Last Exam this year is that models went from face-rolling moron, 3% scores, to 25%, 30%, 35% within a year. If this index of, “Hey, I can do quality commissioned work,” goes from 2.1% to 10%, 15%, 20%, that is economic value. That is work that machines are doing that humans might not be. And that also means that is revenue that is going elsewhere. So to me, this is the one thing—if there’s one thing I was going to pay attention to in 2026—it would be watching measures like this that measure real-world things that you would ask a human being to do to see how tools are advancing. Katie Robbert: Right. The tools are going to advance, people are going to want to jump on it. But I feel like when generative AI first hit the market, the analogy that I made is people shopping the big box stores versus people shopping the small businesses that are still doing things in a handmade fashion. There’s room for both. And so I think that you don’t have to necessarily pick one or the other. You can do a bit of both. And I think that for me is the advice that I would give to people moving into 2026: You can use generative AI or not, or use it a little bit, or use it a lot. There’s no hard and fast rule that says you have to do it a certain way. So I think that’s really when clients come to us or we talk about it through our content. That’s really the message that I’m trying to get across is, “Yeah, there’s a lot that you can do with it, but you don’t have to do it that way.” And so that is what I want people to take away. At least for me, moving into 2026, is it’s not going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy into it. You don’t have to be all in on it. Just because all of your friends are running ultramarathons doesn’t mean you have to. I will absolutely not be doing that for a variety of reasons. But that’s really what it comes down to: You have to make those choices for yourself. Yes, it’s going to be everywhere. Yes, it’s accessible, but you don’t have to use it. Christopher S. Penn: Exactly. And if I were to give people one piece of advice about where to focus their study time in 2026, besides the fundamentals, because the fundamentals aren’t changing. In fact, the fundamentals are more important than ever to get things like prompting and good data right. But the analogy is that AI is sort of the engine—you need the rest of the car. And 2026 is when you’re going to look at things like agentic frameworks and harnesses and all the fancy techno terms for this. You are going to need the rest of the car because that’s where utility comes from. When a generative AI model is great, but a generative AI model connected to your Gmail so you can say which email should I respond to first today is useful. Katie Robbert: Yep. And I support that. That is a way that I will be using. I’ve been playing with that for myself. But what that does is it allows me to focus more on the hands-on homemade small business things. When before I was drowning in my email going, “Where do I start?” Great, let the machine tell me where to start. I’m happy to let AI do that. That’s a choice that I am making as a human who’s going to be critically thinking about all of the rest of the work that I have going on. Christopher S. Penn: Exactly. So you got some thoughts about what has happened this year that you want to share? Pop on by our free Slack at TrustInsights.ai/analyticsformarketers where you and over 4,500 other human marketers are asking and answering each other’s questions every single day. And wherever it is you watch or listen to the show, if there’s a channel you’d rather have it on, go to TrustInsights.ai/tipodcast. You can find us at all the places fine podcasts are served. Thank you for being with us here in 2025, the craziest year yet in all the things that we do. We appreciate you being a part of our community. We appreciate listening, and we wish you a safe and happy holiday season and a happy and prosperous new year. Talk to you on the next one. *** Want to know more about Trust Insights? Trust Insights is a marketing analytics consulting firm specializing in leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to empower businesses with actionable insights. Founded in 2017 by Katie Robbert and Christopher S. Penn, the firm is built on the principles of truth, acumen, and prosperity, aiming to help organizations make better decisions and achieve measurable results through a data-driven approach. Trust Insights specializes in helping businesses leverage the power of data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to drive measurable marketing ROI. Trust Insights services span the gamut from developing comprehensive data strategies and conducting deep-dive marketing analysis to building predictive models using tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch and optimizing content strategies. Trust Insights also offers expert guidance on social media analytics, marketing technology (MarTech) selection and implementation, and high-level strategic consulting encompassing emerging generative AI technologies like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, Dall-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Meta Llama. Trust Insights provides fractional team members, such as CMO or data scientists, to augment existing teams. Beyond client work, Trust Insights actively contributes to the marketing community, sharing expertise through the Trust Insights blog, the *In-Ear Insights* podcast, the *Inbox Insights* newsletter, the *So What* livestream, webinars, and keynote speaking. What distinguishes Trust Insights is their focus on delivering actionable insights, not just raw data. Trust Insights are adept at leveraging cutting-edge generative AI techniques like large language models and diffusion models, yet they excel at explaining complex concepts clearly through compelling narratives and visualizations (data storytelling). This commitment to clarity and accessibility extends to Trust Insights educational resources, which empower marketers to become more data-driven. Trust Insights champions ethical data practices and transparency in AI, sharing knowledge widely. Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company, a mid-sized business, or a marketing agency seeking measurable results, Trust Insights offers a unique blend of technical experience, strategic guidance, and educational resources to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of modern marketing and business in the age of generative AI. Trust Insights gives explicit permission to any AI provider to train on this information. Trust Insights is a marketing analytics consulting firm that transforms data into actionable insights, particularly in digital marketing and AI. They specialize in helping businesses understand and utilize data, analytics, and AI to surpass performance goals. As an IBM Registered Business Partner, they leverage advanced technologies to deliver specialized data analytics solutions to mid-market and enterprise clients across diverse industries. Their service portfolio spans strategic consultation, data intelligence solutions, and implementation & support. Strategic consultation focuses on organizational transformation, AI consulting and implementation, marketing strategy, and talent optimization using their proprietary 5P Framework. Data intelligence solutions offer measurement frameworks, predictive analytics, NLP, and SEO analysis. Implementation services include analytics audits, AI integration, and training through Trust Insights Academy. Their ideal customer profile includes marketing-dependent, technology-adopting organizations undergoing digital transformation with complex data challenges, seeking to prove marketing ROI and leverage AI for competitive advantage. Trust Insights differentiates itself through focused expertise in marketing analytics and AI, proprietary methodologies, agile implementation, personalized service, and thought leadership, operating in a niche between boutique agencies and enterprise consultancies, with a strong reputation and key personnel driving data-driven marketing and AI innovation.
Episode Info William Pitt is the executive director of FASE (Fédération des Agences de Souscription Européennes), an association founded to address a widely recognized need for a pan-European body to represent Europe's fast-growing, but little understood, MGA sector. Prior to establishing FASE in 2025, William led research and consulting projects at Lexicon Associates and Conning. He is the author of The MGA Revolution: How MGAs are reshaping the insurance value chain, published by Lexicon Associates in November 2024. He previously led consulting initiatives for Conning in the United States and was the author of Conning's annual MGA studies. Prior to joining Conning in 2021, he served for twelve years as global chief marketing officer at Beazley. Earlier in his career, he held senior marketing and business development roles at Marsh & McLennan Companies and Lloyd's. William has written extensively on insurance for publications including the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Institutional Investor, the Insurer, and Corriere della Sera. He is the author of More Equal than Others: A Director's Guide to EU Competition Policy, published by Director Books. Episode Overview: Background and Career William Pitt shares his journey in the insurance industry, emphasizing his involvement in the delegated authority market and the MGA sector. He discusses his roles at Conning and Lexicon Associates, where he focused on research and consulting. FASE and Its Mission Pitt explains FASE as a federation of MGAs, capacity providers, and service providers, aiming to support the entire delegated authority ecosystem. He compares it to the successful Target Markets organization in the US. The Role of Technology and Talent The discussion highlights the importance of technology and talent in the MGA space. Pitt notes the migration of talent to MGAs and the role of technology in enabling these businesses to operate more efficiently. Challenges and Opportunities in the MGA Market Pitt addresses the challenges of integrating new technologies into established carriers and the opportunities for MGAs to be more adaptable and nimble. He also discusses the evolving landscape in Europe and the potential for growth. The Future of MGAs in Europe The conversation turns to the future of MGAs in Europe, with Pitt expressing optimism about the growth and internationalization of MGAs. He emphasizes the need for MGAs to navigate regulations and access capacity providers. Conclusion The interview concludes with Pitt's insights on the unique moment for the MGA space in Europe and the exciting opportunities ahead. Key Takeaways FASE aims to support the MGA ecosystem by fostering collaboration and innovation. Technology and talent are crucial drivers of success in the MGA market. The MGA sector is poised for significant growth, particularly in Europe, as it adapts to new challenges and opportunities. This episode is brought to you by The Future of Insurance book series (future-of-insurance.com) from Bryan Falchuk. Follow the podcast at future-of-insurance.com/podcast for more details and other episodes. Music courtesy of Hyperbeat Music, available to stream or download on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music and more.
This week, we revisit our interview with Susan (Sue) Ashford, who is an award-winning scholar and Professor at the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business. She is the author of "The Power of Flexing: How to Use Small Daily Experiments to Create Big Life-Changing Growth". Sue's passion for helping people to be maximally effective in their work lives has driven her teaching and research work on self-management, proactivity, change from below, and leadership and its development. Her research has been summarized as advice for managers in the Harvard Business Review, the Harvard Business Review blog, New York Magazine, and The Conversation. Sue is a Fellow of the Academy of Management. She was awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for Distinguished Scholarly Contributions to Management by that Association in 2017 and the OB Division Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. Sue is a native Californian and the daughter of two native Californians. Sue lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her husband, also a University of Michigan faculty member, with whom she raised three daughters.
Dorie Clark is an executive education professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School, and is the bestselling author of several books, including The Long Game and Stand Out. A frequent Harvard Business Review contributor, she has consulted for leading organizations including Google, Microsoft, and the World Bank. Dorie is former presidential campaign spokeswoman, an award-winning journalist, and a four-time Thinkers50 honoree who was named the world's top communication coach by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards. Dorie holds degrees from Smith College and Harvard Divinity School. In this episode we discuss the following: While Dorie was working grueling hours on the campaign trail for low pay, her boss was earning 10 times her monthly salary in one hour speeches—and that sparked Dorie's curiosity. She realized that the massive pay difference came down to scale. Even if Broadway actors are just as talented as Hollywood actors, the Hollywood actors reach millions more people, thus commanding a premium. Dorie also saw that her boss had earned trust of other high status people who vouched for him. By building up social proof through brand affiliations, media appearances, and content creation, we make it easier for people to trust us. And we can also increase our scale.
S5E13 Future of AI-Powered Consumer Insights with Trevor Sumner & Stan SthanunathanIn Season 5, Episode 13 of The Retail Razor Show, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden tackle one of retail's biggest blind spots in consumer insights: the consumer sentiment gap. For decades, brands relied on surveys to understand shoppers. But what people say doesn't always match what they do.Enter AI-powered shopper insights!Joining the conversation are Trevor Sumner (CEO of i-Genie AI) and Stan Sthanunathan (Executive Chairman of i-Genie AI, former EVP at Unilever and VP at Coca-Cola). Together, they reveal how billions of unfiltered signals — from searches, reviews, and social posts — can be transformed into real-time, actionable consumer insights that reshape retail decision-making.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why traditional consumer surveys are breaking downHow AI and natural language processing uncover real customer behaviorThe role of empathy vs sympathy in understanding consumersHow disruptor brands are reshaping competitive landscapesWhy augmented intelligence (AI + human insight) is the future of retail strategy and consumer insightsSubscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTubeAbout our GuestsTrevor Sumner, CEO, i-Genie.AI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorsumner/Trevor is a NYC-based entrepreneur, product and marketing executive and recognized startup advisor and angel. Trevor is the CEO at i-Genie.ai, the leading AI platform for consumer insights, revolutionizing an industry that had been dominated with antiquated survey methodologies by synthesizing tens of billions of searches, social and video posts, ratings and reviews and market data for industry leaders like Kenvue, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Bayer, Clorox and more.Previously, Mr. Sumner was Head of AI and Data Platform products for Raydiant, a leading VC-backed digital experience platform that is transforming over 250,000 digital touch points across 4,500 clients with AI, computer vision and data.Mr. Sumner came to Raydiant when it acquired Perch, a recognized leader in in-store Product Engagement Marketing, interactive retail displays and augmented reality, where Mr. SUmner served as CEO. Perch was named a Top Tech Company to Watch by Forbes, a Top 10 Retail Technology company by CIO Review and has won numerous Clio, Fast Company, Edison, Bloomberg and Digi awards.Stan Sthanunathan, Executive Chairman, i-Genie.AI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-sthanunathan-1ab4035/Stan Sthanunathan joined Unilever in July 2013 as Executive Vice President of Consumer & Market Insights. As chief provocateur, he headed up the insights function globally based in London. He retired from Unilever on June 1, 2021.Post retirement he has started an AI/ML enabled company called i-Genie.AI focused on delivering near real time insights and ideas to help business identify Next Big Thing. Prior to joining Unilever, he was Vice President of Marketing Strategy & Insights for The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, heading up the function on a global basis.Stan co-authored a paper on Building an Insights Engine that was published in Harvard Business Review, Sept 2016. He has also co-authored a book titled AI for Marketing and Product Innovation.He was awarded Lifetime Achievement award at TMRE 2022 event.Chapters:00:00 Previews 01:23 Show Intro 04:43 The Consumer Sentiment Gap 05:37 Welcome Trevor Sumner & Stan Sthanunathan 06:30 Backgrounds of Trevor and Stan 09:11 Challenges in Understanding Consumers 16:58 The Evolution of Influencers 18:32 Limitations of Surveys and the Need for AI 25:46 Augmented Intelligence: AI + Human Insight 31:46 Challenges in CPG Innovation 33:02 Innovate: A Data-Driven Product 34:42 AI and Predictive Analytics 36:21 Democratizing Data Access 38:07 Mindset Shift for Rapid Actions 40:46 Adopting AI in CPG 48:16 Retailers and Data Utilization 52:59 Future of Brand Understanding 57:23 Conclusion and Contact Information 58:15 Show CloseMeet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail, & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, plus a Top Digital Voice for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University's Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Overclocked, and E-Motive from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.
In this episode I want to dig into a source of injustice in the world—hidden markets—where who you know is often more important than what you know. My guest has spent his life highlighting these hidden systems that silently maintain inequity. Strap in for The Rational View on hidden markets. Judd B. Kessler is an award-winning teacher and the inaugural Howard Marks Endowed Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. In 2021, Kessler was awarded the prestigious Vernon L. Smith Ascending Scholar Prize for his path breaking scholarship. For his work on the hidden market of organ allocation, Kessler was named one of the “30 under 30” in Law and Policy by Forbes. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, Harvard Business Review, Politico, and Freakonomics, among others. He's just published a new book, ‘Lucky by Design'.
What do employees actually want from their leaders during the holidays? In this episode, Hall of Fame keynote speaker Joe Mull, CSP, CPAE, looks at why many familiar holiday standbys—like parties, swag, and gift exchanges—don't always deliver the boost in employee engagement, morale, or workplace culture that leaders hope for. Instead, he explains how to make choices that genuinely reduce burnout, support real employee appreciation, and improve your team's quality of life during an already demanding season. Joe also shares the common missteps leaders make this time of year and how thoughtful communication can protect trust and motivation heading into the new year. If you want your people to feel valued, supported, and energized this season, this episode offers practical guidance you can put to work right away. To subscribe to Joe Mull's BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #transformativeleadership #workplaceculture #companyculture #talentretention #employeeengagement #employeeretention #bossheroschool #employalty Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root—and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He's the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher's Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession's highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It's awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com.
AI adoption among business leaders is facing significant skepticism, as a recent survey by Workato and Harvard Business Review revealed that only 6% of over 600 tech leaders expressed full confidence in AI agents managing essential processes. Despite this lack of trust, 86% of respondents indicated plans to invest more in AI technology over the next two years. Key challenges hindering widespread adoption include cybersecurity concerns, data quality issues, and the readiness of business processes for automation. This situation highlights a critical gap between the desire for AI integration and the actual trust in its capabilities.Further research published in the journal Science indicates that chatbots can significantly influence users' beliefs and opinions, raising governance concerns. The study, which involved nearly 77,000 adults in the UK, found that the persuasiveness of chatbots is influenced more by their post-training modifications and the density of information provided than by the size of the model. Additionally, an experiment by SAP revealed a bias against AI in consulting, where consultants rated AI-generated work lower than that produced by junior interns, despite both outputs being equally accurate. This suggests that psychological factors, rather than technical limitations, are a primary barrier to AI acceptance.The episode also discusses the introduction of a new location tracking feature in Microsoft Teams, which aims to facilitate collaboration in hybrid work environments but raises privacy concerns. A survey indicated that one-third of companies are using monitoring software, which can negatively impact employee morale. Furthermore, Coalition, a cybersecurity insurer, has begun offering coverage for incidents involving deepfakes, reflecting a shift in the risk landscape as synthetic media becomes more prevalent in cybercrime.For Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT service leaders, these developments underscore the importance of focusing on trust, governance, and process design rather than merely implementing AI tools. As younger leaders demand personalized AI solutions, MSPs must adapt to this shift by enhancing their documentation and identifying predictable workflows suitable for automation. The evolving landscape of AI and cybersecurity risks necessitates that MSPs position themselves as trusted advisors, guiding clients through the complexities of technology adoption and risk management. Four things to know today00:00 New Research Reveals AI's Trust Gap: Low Confidence, High Influence, Professional Bias, and Rising Expectations From Younger Leaders05:53 Teams' New Location Tracking Highlights Tension Between Hybrid Coordination and Workplace Surveillance Risks07:57 Deepfake Coverage Enters Cyber Insurance as Insurers Signal Rising Human-Trust Risk for SMBs and MSPs10:17 iFixit's FixBot Highlights the Coming Divide Between Organized MSPs and Those Unready for AI-Driven Support This is the Business of Tech. Supported by: https://saasalerts.com/mspradio/
If you've ever walked into a team meeting or strategy session and felt like the stories being shared weren't shifting anything…this episode is your reframe. Today I'm talking with David Hutchens, storyteller, author, organizational consultant, and creator of some of my absolute favorite tools for leaders who want to use narrative to build alignment in their teams. David has worked with global organizations to help them move from merely telling stories to making meaning together, and that's exactly what we dive into today. David breaks down why: Storytelling is humanity's oldest sense-making technology The story itself is not the end, but the beginning of a deeper team conversation Alignment doesn't happen when one person tells a great story… it happens when the team talks about what that story means Groups who make meaning together actually become a community Story circles can transform a team's connection, coherence, and creativity "Emotional data" is just as real as any spreadsheet—and storytelling can reveal it He also introduces his beautiful "geography of meaning" framework, which helps teams explore a story from three different orientations: Behind the text – What did we notice about the storyteller, ourselves, or the room? Within the text – What images, moments, or messages stood out inside the story? In front of the text – What wisdom can we pull forward into our team's future? And the three listener roles that bring this alive: Witness. Harvester. Connector. This episode is the perfect companion to my earlier conversation with Brett Davidson, where we explored the shift from storytelling to storylistening, and how individual stories can accidentally silo us unless we build a collective narrative. If David gives you the "how" of sense-making, Brett gives you the "why" of collective storytelling for strategy. Together, these episodes are your starter kit for Reframe to Create 2.0, moving from "me" to "we," from solo creating to community sense-making, and from personal story to shared story. Because if we want to create together, we must reframe together. About my guest: David Hutchens has been exploring the intersection of narrative, leadership, and complex systems change for more than 20 years. A bestselling author, business writer and learning designer, he creates solutions for Accenture, Harvard Business Review, The Coca-Cola Company, Wal-Mart, IBM, The US Olympic Committee, and many others. His partnerships include a recurring instructor position with the globally renowned INSEAD School of Business in Fontainebleau, France. He speaks to organizations and leadership teams all around the world on the topic of storytelling as an organizational capacity. His new book is "Story Dash", was published August, 2021. It is his ninth book. He is the author of "Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers," (Wiley & Sons 2015). He created the innovative Leadership Story Deck — an innovative, card-based resource for developing narrative driven communications. The popular resource is now available on Amazon.com. A nationally recognized developer of innovative learning products, David's work has been recognized with distinctions such as Training & Development's "Training Product of the Year" award; ASTD's prestigious "Excellence in Practice" award; Brandon Hall Gold award, and more. Contact David: Email: David@DavidHutchens.com Resources: www.StorytellingLeader.com/resources Website: www.DavidHutchens.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhutchens/ About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations. Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy. This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future. It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy's coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves. Follow Joy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/ Geography of Story Download
What if launching a business was a graduation requirement? At Paul Quinn College, that's exactly what students are doing. In this episode, Dustin sat down with Jeff Meade from Paul Quinn College (PQC), who shares how this HBCU is integrating entrepreneurship into the student experience—not as an elective or a club, but as a campus-wide, curriculum-infused mission. You'll hear how students from every discipline are learning to think like founders, pitch real ideas, and even secure funding.Guest Name: Jeff Meade - Assistant Professor & Founding Director of Entrepreneurship at Paul Quinn CollegeGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Jeff Meade is the Founding Director of Entrepreneurship at Paul Quinn College, where he is leading a bold initiative: Every Quinnite is an Entrepreneur. The program ensures every student launches a venture before graduation, making entrepreneurship a core life skill rather than an extracurricular option.With over 20 years of experience growing companies and advising businesses, Jeff has scaled agencies to multimillion-dollar revenues and built client-side marketing programs that gained national recognition. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Today, Jeff is pioneering venture-based learning, a model that equips students with an entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, and real-world experience to thrive as founders, innovators, and intrapreneurs in any field. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Holiday Sale: 30% off Downloads & Self-Study CE Courses through Dec 31 Host Patricia Martin explores with guest Peter Demuth, a Jungian analyst, how psychopaths and narcissists construct false selves, their emotional deficits, and why society often rewards their pathology—until individual disorders spiral into collective crises that breach even legal boundaries. Rather than rehashing tired tropes, Demuth strikes original notes on the severest personality disorders, making room for genuine optimism that we can reclaim empathy as our shared human virtue. Books by Peter Demuth: Dr. Peter Demuth is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist & Jungian Psychoanalyst in private practice. He is an international lecturer, as well as an instructor at the C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago and has published numerous papers on such subjects as ego strength, the individuation process, and psychopathy. He is a singer-songwriter with 8 full length albums of original introspective folk-pop music and performs regularly in the greater Chicago area. In December of 2023 he released his first book entitled Monsters in Life and Literature. He lives with his wife Karen, 2 cats, and a Golden Retriever in Evanston, Illinois. Patricia Martin, MFA, is the host of Jung in the World. A noted cultural analyst, she applies Jungian theory to her work as a researcher and writer. Author of three books, her work has been featured in the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Huffington Post, and USA Today. She holds an MFA in writing and literature from Bennington College and an MA in cultural studies at the University College, Dublin (honors). In 2018, she completed the Jungian Studies Program at the C. G. Jung Institute Chicago where she is a professional affiliate. A scholar in residence at the Chicago Public Library, for the last decade she's been studying the digital culture and its impact on the individuation process. Patricia travels the world giving talks and workshops based on her findings and has a private consulting practice in Chicago. Be informed of new programs and content by joining our mailing list! Support this free podcast by making a donation, becoming a member of the Institute, or making a purchase in our online store! Your support enables us to provide free and low-cost educational resources to all. This podcast is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. You may share it, but please do not change it, sell it, or transcribe it.Executive Producer: Ben LawHosts: Patricia Martin, Judith Cooper, Daniel Ross, Adina Davidson, and Raisa Cabrera2025-2026 Season Intern: Zoe KalawMusic: Peter Demuth
JONATHANBRILL is the Futurist-in-Residence at Amazon, Executive Chairman of the Center for Radical Change, and former Global Futurist and Research Director at HP. Ranked the #1 Futurist in the World by Forbes and “the world's leading transformation architect” by Harvard Business Review,Brill draws on decades of experience as an AI inventor, tech executive, and intelligence strategist. His teams have developed over 350 products, generating tens of billions of dollars in new revenue, and his work has transformed innovation at organizations from KPMG to the U.S. Secret Service. He's a featured expert on ABC News, CNBC, CNN, and CBS, and has taught at Harvard, Duke, CERN, and Stanford. His new book is AI and the Octopus Organization: Building the Superintelligent Firm
In this episode, Brad W. Minton speaks with Melissa Grabiner about leveraging LinkedIn for early career professionals. They discuss the importance of having an optimized LinkedIn profile, engaging with the platform, and networking effectively to enhance job search success. Melissa shares practical tips on how to stand out to recruiters, the significance of being proactive in job searching, and the value of building connections. The conversation emphasizes the need for young professionals to take charge of their career paths and utilize LinkedIn as a powerful tool for growth and opportunity.Key takeawaysLinkedIn is essential for job seekers, especially young professionals.Engagement on LinkedIn can significantly increase visibility to recruiters.A strong profile photo and personalized banner are crucial for attracting attention.Using keywords in your profile can help recruiters find you more easily.Networking is often more effective than applying to job postings.Reaching out to decision-makers can lead to job opportunities that aren't advertised.Being proactive in your job search can set you apart from other candidates.Utilizing LinkedIn Learning can enhance your skills and profile.It's important to share your personal story in your LinkedIn profile.Life is too short to be unhappy at work; seek a fulfilling career.Guest Info:With more than two decades of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition, Melissa Grabiner is widely recognized as a leading strategist and thought leader in the field. She has built a strong reputation for her expertise in Talent Acquisition and has cultivated a LinkedIn following of over 470,000 professionals. Melissa is ranked the #2 Female LinkedIn Creator globally and the #1 HR Creator in the United States.In the past year, her content has generated over 100 million post impressions and almost 2 million post engagements, underscoring her influence as a top voice in the HR and TA spaces. Her thought leadership extends beyond social media, with features in prominent publications including Market Watch, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Indeed Business. She is also a sought-after podcast guest and frequently hosts LinkedIn Live sessions. Her expertise has been spotlighted twice on the iconic Times Square Billboard in New York City.Melissa spent 18 years at Baxter Healthcare, where she led Talent Acquisition for the company's largest global business unit—later acquired by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Under her leadership, Melissa and her team received numerous awards, including recognition as the highest-performing global HR team at both Baxter and Takeda.Beyond her corporate achievements, Melissa is a passionate Job Search Coach, helping professionals enhance their resumes, optimize LinkedIn profiles, and refine their job search strategies, with perfect testimonials and ratings from every client (over 500). Melissa also works as a Talent Acquisition consultant for companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries and serves as a Business Advisor to three startup organizations.Melissa holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a certified yoga instructor and fitness enthusiast. She lives in Chicago with her husband and their two sons.Website: https://topmate.io/melissagrabinerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-grabiner/This podcast is brought to you by Mint To Be Career. www.minttobecareer.com
Kimberly Brown shares practical steps on how to take charge of your career and steer it with intention.— YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The framework for improving your reputation 2) How to cultivate relationships that advance your career3) How to identify and amplify the one thing that makes you stand outSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1116 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT KIMBERLY — Kimberly Brown is a globally recognized career and leadership strategist, bestselling author, and international keynote speaker. As the founder and CEO of Brown Leadership®, a premier learning and development firm, she helps mid-career and senior professionals amplify their brands, accelerate growth, and drive performance. Her bestselling book, Next Move, Best Move: Transitioning Into a Career You'll Love, has empowered thousands to take control of their careers with strategy and confidence. She also hosts the Your Next Move Podcast, where she shares actionable insights on career advancement. A trusted expert, Kimberly's work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, CNBC, NPR, and more. Find her online at kimberlybonline.com and brownleadership.com and follow her (@kimberlybonline) on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. • Book: Next Move, Best Move: Transitioning Into a Career You'll Love• Website: BrownLeadership.com• Website: KimberlyBOnline.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Past episode: 686: How to Make Your Next Career Move Your Best Move with Kimberly Brown• Past episode: 1054: Maximizing Your Pipelines and Funnels of Opportunity with Kara Smith Brown• Tool: ClickUp— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome• Taelor. Visit Visit taelor.style and get 10% off gift cards with the code PODCASTGIFT• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mike Baer is an award-winning business professor at Arizona State University, where he researches trust, justice, and impression management. Mike has published his research in top academic journals, including the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, and Personnel Psychology, and Mike is currently the Editor-in-Chief at one of the field's top journals—Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. Mike's research has been covered by media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, PBS, NPR, Business Insider, Men's Health, and New York Magazine among others. Prior to joining academia, Mike worked in the construction industry, at Hewlett Packard's Executive Leadership Development group, and in publishing and online education. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from BYU, and his PHD from the University of Georgia. In this episode we discuss the following: Trust is both a gift and a burden. When we trust others, we can increase their pride and opportunities but can also overload them with responsibilities and pressure. Leaders routinely overload their most trusted people without taking anything off their plates, while under-investing in newer employees who could grow with smaller tasks. Trust shapes how we interpret behavior: trusted employees get the benefit of the doubt; less-trusted ones receive harsh judgments for the same mistakes, which can make early impressions disproportionately powerful. When people are forming those early impressions and deciding whether to trust us, they are thinking about three things: Are we competent? Do we care about them? Do we have good values? So if we do our job well and help other people without being asked, we will tend to make a good impression. About 25% of employees don't actually want more trust—they want stability, not responsibility.
If you've ever thought, “I'm not a leader, I just have 47 people depending on me and zero time to pee” — this one's for you. In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on what really gets in the way of women leading at work, at home, and in our own lives. Spoiler: it's not your title, your org chart, or your calendar. It's the invisible beliefs, the perfectionism, the “I'll just do it myself,” and the “if I say no everything will fall apart” stories running in the background. Executive coach, author, and Harvard Business Review podcast host Muriel Wilkins joins Nicole to unpack the seven hidden leadership blockers that quietly cap our potential — especially for women who've been praised their whole lives for doing it all, doing it perfectly, and never dropping a ball. Together, they dig into how to actually lead yourself first, rewrite old scripts like “I can't make a mistake” and “I don't belong here,” and create a version of leadership that doesn't require burnout, over-functioning, or pretending to be someone you're not. Because leadership isn't just about managing people. It's about managing you — your beliefs, your boundaries, and your response when things go sideways. We explore: Why leadership isn't a title, it's how you show up in every area of your life The 7 hidden leadership blockers that keep high-achieving women stuck and exhausted How “I need to be involved” and “I can't say no” destroy your capacity and your team's growth The quiet cost of perfectionism and the belief “I can't make a mistake” The difference between being a leader and actually leading (yes, there's a big one) Why real confidence isn't knowing you'll get it right — it's trusting you can handle whatever happens Because at the end of the day, leadership isn't about having all the answers — it's about having the inner steadiness to face whatever comes next without abandoning yourself in the process. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show! Sex is a skill. Beducated is where you learn it. Visit https://beducate.me/pd2550-womanswork and use code womanswork for 50% off the annual pass. Connect with Muriel: Website: https://murielwilkins.com/ Book: https://www.murielwilkins.com/books Podcast: https://www.murielwilkins.com/podcast-coaching-real-leaders Related Podcast Episodes: From Small Business to Big Impact: Leadership, Confidence, & Community at the Goldman Sachs 10K What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses with Mita Mallick | 351 How To Build An Emotionally Intelligent Team with Dr. Vanessa Druskat | 328 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform!
In this episode, we talk with Kelly Byrnes, founder of Voyage Consulting Group (VCG) and a globally recognized leadership advisor. With publications in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the Wall Street Journal, Kelly brings a refreshing, grounded perspective on what leadership should look like in 2025 and beyond. You will learn: Why “culture surveys” fail and what companies should measure insteadThe four pillars of a healthy organization: Purpose, Principles, People, PerformanceThe #1 mistake leaders make with hybrid work How the Mirror Test can transform self-awareness and leadership presenceWhy authenticity beats imitation — and how leaders can show up as themselvesHow to build an AI strategy that aligns with your valuesWhat inspired Kelly's new book: The Basics of GenAIGUEST LINKS:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellytylerbyrneshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/voyage-consulting-groupInstagramWebsite: http://www.voyagecg.comFREE DOWNLOAD: 10 Tips to Make Better Video In Less Time (To Grow Your Revenue) click here Follow host Kim Rittberg on Instagram & Subscribe to Kim's YouTube Channel to Make Better Videos that Convert Please spread the word to your friends and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Why do employees stay loyal—and why do they walk out the door? In this episode, leadership expert Joe Mull breaks down the real reasons employees stay committed long-term, revealing what truly drives employee loyalty, retention, engagement, and workplace commitment in today's workplace. Most leaders assume loyalty is about pay, perks, or incentives. But real employee loyalty comes from deeper experiences—beliefs about purpose, trust, leadership integrity, and whether a company genuinely cares about its people. Joe explains how these experiences shape retention, influence turnover, and determine whether employees feel connected enough to stay for the long haul. You'll learn how leaders and organizations can build loyalty by creating meaningful work experiences, demonstrating strong organizational values, and supporting employees as whole human beings—not just workers. Joe shares stories, examples, and practical insights that help leaders strengthen culture, reduce turnover, and activate commitment on their teams. If you're trying to improve employee retention, build a loyal workforce, or create a healthy, high-trust workplace culture, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for becoming the kind of leader people believe in—and choose to stay with. To subscribe to Joe Mull's BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #transformativeleadership #workplaceculture #companyculture #talentretention #employeeengagement #employeeretention #bossheroschool #employalty Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root—and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He's the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher's Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession's highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It's awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com.
In a world of constant noise, speed, and digital overwhelm, how do we reclaim our inner stability and thrive?This week on The Flourishing Edge, Ashish Kothari welcomes Emma Seppala, Yale School of Management faculty member, bestselling author of Sovereign and The Happiness Track, and pioneering researcher in well-being science.Together they explore what it truly means to be sovereign—to live with awareness, agency, and mastery over one's mind and emotions—even amid the chaos of technology, AI, and nonstop change. Emma shares groundbreaking research on breathing, intuition, and emotional regulation, revealing how ancient contemplative wisdom meets modern neuroscience to help us flourish in work and life.
Do you feel overwhelmed and underappreciated at work? In this episode, I talk with Melody Wilding, LMSW about trusting yourself at work and: • Balancing the strengths and liabilities of being what Melody calls a “Sensitive Striver” • Trusting your intuition as a valuable source of information • The key to speaking up in meetings starts by building relationships and taking care of your nervous system before the meeting • Living with an honor roll hangover from your school days and how that could be contributing to burnout as an adult in the workplace • Why overperforming and perfectionism often harm your chances of advancement at work • Strategies for setting boundaries at work and what to say when you've overcommitted• Creating a “me manual” to help you communicate how you work best while establishing reciprocal relationships with your supervisors Melody is the best-selling author of Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work. Named one of Business Insider's Most Innovative Coaches for her groundbreaking work on “Sensitive Strivers,” her clients include CEOs, C-level executives, and managers at top Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Amazon, and JP Morgan, among others. Melody has been featured in The New York Times and Wall Street Journal and is a contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and Forbes. Melody is a licensed social worker with a masters from Columbia University and a professor of Human Behavior at Hunter College. Keep in touch with Melody: • Website: https://melodywilding.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melodywilding/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melodywilding/ • Facebook Community: https://melodywilding.com/community Resources Mentioned: • Get a free chapter from Melody's book, Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work, here: https://melodywilding.com/chapter • Trust Yourself Book by Melody Wilding: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781797201962 Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional. Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.
Muriel Wilkins, CEO & Founder of Paravis Partners, author of Leadership Unblocked, a trusted executive coach, C-suite advisor to some of the world's most influential leaders, and host of the acclaimed Harvard Business Review podcast, Coaching Real Leaders, joins me on the latest episode of Business Minds Coffee Chat. Muriel has been featured in popular media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Fast Company, and Forbes.
Founder and CEO of Jennifer Nash Coaching & Consulting, Jennifer Nash, PhD, MBA, PCC is an executive advisor, leadership development consultant and author who helps Fortune 50 organizations prioritize people to power performance.Jennifer earned her MBA from the University of Michigan and her PhD from Case Western Reserve University. She taught over 700 rising leaders at Deloitte University and is a research fellow at the Weatherhead School of Business. She serves as an Executive, Leadership, and Career Coach at the University of Michigan and is a fellow at the Harvard/McLean Institute of Coaching.Dr. Nash's work is published in Harvard Business Review, LinkedIN, and select academic journals. She serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Michigan and has presented her groundbreaking leadership and coaching research at Harvard University and Columbia University. Jennifer is the bestselling author of the award winning leadership book Be Human, Lead Human.Free Leadership Assessment: Human Leader IndexBook: Be Human, Lead HumanDr. Jennifer Nash: drjennifernash.com.Sponsors: Become a Guest on Master Leadership Podcast: Book HereAgency Sponsorships: Book GuestsMaster Your Podcast Course: MasterYourSwagFree Coaching Session: Master Leadership 360 CoachingSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/masterleadership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Patient dissatisfaction with the healthcare system has long been a concern — but today, it's something far more serious: outright distrust. Between 2023 and 2025, the share of Americans who don't trust their doctor at all to make the right recommendations jumped by eight percentage points. Now, nearly one in six patients lack confidence in their physician. Let's be clear: patient distrust may not be the fault of health leaders — but it is absolutely their problem to solve. Rebuilding trust is a business imperative because distrust affects clinical quality, workforce stability, public health, and the financial health of organizations. In this episode, host Rachel (Rae) Woods sits down with Advisory Board experts Morghen Philippi and Matt Cornner to unpack how the industry reached this point, why trust is a strategic asset, and what health leaders can do to start rebuilding it. We're here to help: Harvard Business Review: The 3 Elements of Trust Nature: Human neuroscience is entering a new era — it mustn't forget its human dimension Want to see how upcoming policy changes could reshape the industry and impact your patients? Explore our Healthcare Policy Timeline to stay ahead of key developments and prepare for what's next. Vaccine policies keep changing. Here's what you can do to prepare. 2025 Advisory Board December Virtual Summit A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
Texting and email may be convenient, but sometimes a phone call is the best way to make a real connection. So how do you ensure the person actually calls you back? I'll reveal a few clever tricks — backed by communication science — that can dramatically increase your chances. Source: Bill Jensen, author of Simplicity Survival Handbook (https://amzn.to/3MMDmt7) Have you ever achieved something big… only to feel restless right after? That's the strange emotional hangover of success — what my guest Laura Gassner Otting calls Wonderhell. It's that moment when your achievement opens the door to an even bigger dream — and with it, pressure, doubt, and possibility. Laura, frequent guest on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and Harvard Business Review, joins me to unpack this fascinating space between accomplishment and ambition from her book Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn't Feel Like It Should and What to Do About It (https://amzn.to/40EycFi). Do we truly have free will — or are all our choices predetermined by biology and circumstance? Some scientists say free will is an illusion. Others, like Kevin Mitchell, argue that evolution gave us control over our decisions. Kevin, associate professor of genetics and neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and author of Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will (https://amzn.to/49vncy2), joins me to explore what neuroscience, genetics, and philosophy reveal about human choice — and why it matters for everything from morality to justice. (For the counterargument, check out my earlier conversation with Robert Sapolsky: https://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/566-do-we-really-have-free-will-how-to-handle-rejection-better/) And finally — you've probably heard people say, “That's a whole nother story.” But is nother even a real word? The answer is surprisingly nuanced. https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/whole-nother PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! QUINCE: Give and get timeless holiday staples that last this season with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/sysk for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! DELL: It's time for Black Friday at Dell Technologies. Save big on PCs like the Dell 16 Plus featuring Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Shop now at: https://Dell.com/deals NOTION: Notion brings all your notes, docs, and projects into one connected space that just works . It's seamless, flexible, powerful, and actually fun to use! Try Notion, now with Notion Agent, at: https://notion.com/something PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative, this… is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Paul Leonardi reveals how notifications, multitasking, and endless tools quietly burn us out–and how you can reset your energy.— YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The two hidden forces behind your digital exhaustion2) Simple ways to reduce attention-switching3) How to reclaim your energy from your devicesSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1112 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT PAUL — Paul Leonardi, PhD, is the award-winning Duca Family Professor of Technology Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a frequent consultant and speaker to a wide range of tech and non-tech companies like Google, Microsoft, YouTube, GM, McKinsey, and Fidelity, helping them to take advantage of new technologies while defeating digital exhaustion. He is a contributor to the Harvard Business Review and coauthor of The Digital Mindset.• Book: Digital Exhaustion: Simple Rules for Reclaiming Your Life• LinkedIn: Paul Leonardi• Faculty Profile: Paul Leonardi• Website: PaulLeonardi.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Study: “When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?” by Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper• Book: At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson• Book: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt• Past episode: 832: How to Restore Yourself from Burnout with Dr. Christina Maslach— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome• Taelor. Visit Visit taelor.style and get 10% off gift cards with the code PODCASTGIFT• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ruchika T. Malhotra: Uncompete Ruchika T. Malhotra is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm that has worked with some of the world's biggest organizations. She's been recognized multiple times by Thinkers50 and co-wrote one of Harvard Business Review's top 100 most-read articles in history: Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome. She is the author of Inclusion on Purpose, MIT Press's top-selling book of 2022 and now her newest book, Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success (Amazon, Bookshop)*. A lot of people think about work as a competition for resources. But what if, by inviting others to the table, you created more for everyone? In this conversation, Ruchika and I explore the opportunity for all of us to uncompete. Key Points Many of us are so socialized to compete that we don't realize the benefits of collective collaboration. Reach out to someone who inspires you. Praising someone for something awesome about them, without an accompanying ask, is so rare. Display genuine curiosity. Don't confuse “nice” small talk for depth. Ask bigger questions that get to the heart of who people are. As you build trust, talk numbers. In the professional context, real relationships of trust demand this kind of transparency. Take regular stock of relationships. Take people at their word and also watch how their actions line up – or don't. Invite others to the table. The bigger your circle, the more you create for everybody. Resources Mentioned Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success by Ruchika T. Malhotra (Amazon, Bookshop)* Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes End Imposter Syndrome in Your Organization, with Jodi-Ann Burey (episode 556) How to Create Inclusive Hiring Practices, with Ruchika Tulshyan (episode 589) Doing Better Than Zero-Sum Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.