In today’s world of work, it’s too easy to forget that Human Resource are actually Human People. My life purpose is to make well-being at work a globally-accepted, basic human right. And this podcast helps by giving you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone.

#95: Benefits and Realities of Employee-Owned Businesses

Discover the power of employee-ownership as we explore how worker cooperatives are shaping the future of work and providing innovative solutions for customers and meaningful work, autonomy, and a voice in...

#94: Fostering Wellbeing in Hybrid Work

In a world of hybrid work, it is essential for businesses to humanize their approach and trust employees to manage their productivity. With disparate team members working across various locations, it's challenging for people to stay...

#93: Unleashing Our Superhuman Potential

How can you achieve more with the capabilities you already have? Learn how to balance high performance and well-being with practical advice for tapping into three sources of inner power: potential, mindset, and physiology...

#92: Think Like an Entrepreneur

Dr. John Mullins, London Business School Professor and best-selling author, discusses how anyone – in organizations of all sizes – can put the counter conventional mindsets of entrepreneurs into practice to get ahead in their career development...

#91: Pressure, Stress and Resilience

Learn how to differentiate between pressure and stress, discover the benefits of resilience-building in teams and organizations, and explore practical methods to increase adaptability and maintain focus in high-pressure situations...

#90: Better Problem Solving (Rebroadcast)

Problem-solving is a crucial skill for so many jobs, so why aren’t we taught how to do it properly? This conversation dives deep into research-backed process and techniques that help businesspeople and their teams navigate and solve problems ....

#89: Workplace Bullying (Rebroadcast)

Women, as well as high performers in general, are often targeted by workplace bullies as threats, and then driven off their career paths, out of their jobs or out of their companies. This episode explores how to combat bullies and what can...

#88: Pro Advice on Giving Virtual Presentations

How can you take your virtual presentation game to the next level? In this episode, Jack Milner, a communication coach who has trained best-selling professional speakers and Fortune 500 leaders, shares practical advice for giving great...

#87: A Conversation with Nobel Laureate Dr. Robert Lefkowitz

Dr. Robert Lefkowitz shares anecdotes and wisdom from his extraordinary career. This episode delves into the power of storytelling and narratives, building a legacy based on mentorship, overcoming harsh criticism, and using personal values at work...

#86: The Future of Workplace Design

What’s the future of work looks like post-pandemic? And how can we create a compelling reason for employees to return to the physical office? This episode explores those questions while challenging traditional ideas and assumptions we have about the concept of workspace...

#85: Creating Extraordinary Experiences

How can businesses create extraordinary experiences for customers, employees and learners? Through 20 years of neuroscience research, Dr. Paul Zak has discovered what it takes to create it. Find out what characteristic define extraordinary experiences how immersion is being...

#84: Using Humor At Work

As they say, laughter is the best medicine, and it's also a powerful tool in the workplace. In this episode, Paul Boross, author of “Humourology: The Serious Business of Humour At Work” and a leading business consultant, comedian, and keynote speaker, discusses...

#83: Rediscovering Creativity

Experts agree that creativity is an essential future skill, but too few of us know how to sidestep common thinking traps to enhance creativity and unlock innovative potential. This conversation explores proven strategies and techniques that helped drive innovation at organizations such as...

#82: High Performance In Tough Times

How do you keep teams happy, motivated and performing well – especially in tough times?

Compassionate leadership is a key for unlocking high-performing teams even when facing most difficult environments. It requires that we first understand ourselves, then others’ needs, and...

#81: Negotiate Like a Pro

The world is more polarized than ever which makes being able to persuade people to change their minds a skill we all need to develop. Listen to a world-renowned negotiator share techniques and tactics to help you successfully negotiate.

Simon Horton has taught negotiation tactics to...

#80: Building Success Through Nudges

When corporate objectives feel disconnected from daily working realities, we can lose focus and motivation which contributes why so few organizations report achieving all their strategic goals. But it doesn’t need to be this way. This episode explores how the combination of tech-driven...

#79: Four Success Factors

Ever think that the extreme success astronauts, Nobel laureates and Olympic champions is out of reach for so-called regular people? Think again. Research on the world’s most successful people reveals that extreme high achievement is accessible to anyone who wants it and is willing to put in the work...

#78: Future-proof Your Skillset

Is your current skillset compatible with the evolving, technology-led needs of the business world? We need to understand what skills are key to career success, how to teach them, and why technology like AI and the metaverse require us to be more adaptable than ever to change. Bernard Marr is a...

#77: Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in Coaching

To make real progress in equitable employee development, coaching needs to become a more inclusive space. This episode is an in-depth conversation about real-life examples and techniques for supporting minority-background clients with issues ranging from...

#76: Making Inclusion Happen

Recognizing the importance of DEI is not a goal. It’s one point on the critical path to true workplace inclusion. Advocates are now focused on how to solve the tough, complicated challenges that get in the way of making that a reality. This episode is packed with practical advice...

#75: Leaders’ Vantage Points

Everyone who holds a position of leadership has five key Vantage Points from which they can build positive momentum and high performance. Building awareness through exploring each one helps leaders create clarity and space for...

#74: Bold, Soulful Leadership

Too often we are told what to do to develop good leadership. What if we used of our own thinking, feeling and being to help us know exactly what to do to contribute to the greatness of ourselves, our organizations and our planet?

#73: Better Problem Solving

Problem-solving is a crucial skill for so many jobs, so why aren’t we taught how to do it properly? This conversation dives deep into research-backed process and techniques that help businesspeople and their teams navigate and solve problem better and faster...

#72: Navigating Digital Transformation

Change is driving digital transformation in organizations large and small, but how do change agents do it successfully? This episode explores the What, Who and How of DX with two experts who have first-hand experience navigating this type of change successfully...

#71: Empathy as a Skill

Decades of declining empathy levels and skyrocketing levels of burnout and loneliness have

left organizations disconnected, anxiety ridden and suffering in ways that contribute to low morale and high absenteeism. Too many of us have forgotten that human understanding is the core of all success. Whether...

#70: Why and How to Explore Outside Your Comfort Zone

How can you push your limits, take risks and explore your true potential? How can you develop the mindset, discipline and commitment needed for adventurous activities in life – both at work and beyond? This episode focuses on three key...

 #69: Purpose Leadership to Heal, Empower and Unify (Rebroadcast)

There’s a yawning rift between the United States’ purpose and the reality that 97% of us are unhealthy, 84% of us are stressed out, 78% of us are paycheck to paycheck. And, life is a lot worse for women and BIPOC and LGBTQIA+...

 #68: Where SMART Goals Fall Short (Bonus Clip)

This is bonus material from Episode 67: Retirement 2.0. In this clip, John Windsor, author of F*ck Retirement: Don’t Settle for a Lesser Life in Your Later Years, explains the potential dark side of setting ambitious goal and offers tips for taking a different approach that can set us up...

#67: Retirement 2.0

Is retirement about taking a permanent vacation or about rejecting traditional labels, ideas and thoughts so you can create the next big chapter of your life, regardless of your age? This episode explores how you can plan for and create the next chapter of your life at any age. John Windsor is a certified coach as well as a Broadway star who...

#66: Middle Managers and Creating Value for Society

What does it take for a company to shift from a profit motive to a social contribution motive? Explore compelling evidence, key executive messages and the pivotal role middle managers play in making it happen. This episode features John Davis, who has led businesses from start-up to $1 billion...

#65: Men, Their Emotions and Masculinity

Why do so many men hide parts of themselves, especially from the most important people in their lives? What’s to gain when men get real with their emotions? This episode explores these questions and takes a look at five habits that help men show up as their whole selves. Christopher Veal is a former US Marine...

#64: Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Ill Health at Work (Rebroadcast)

Asking for help at work when we’re struggling with mental ill health can feel risky. So, how do we gauge if we can speak up and how do we actually do it? Geoff McDonald, mental health advocate and former Global VP of Human Resources for Unilever...

#63: Putting the Heart Back Into Business

Find out how one entrepreneur achieved success in an ultra-competitive industry by taking care of people as a pathway to taking care of business. Andrew Thornton, is one of the founders of the Heart In Business consultancy...

#62: Workplace Bullying

Women, as well as high performers in general, are often targeted by workplace bullies as threats, and then driven off their career paths, out of their jobs or out of their companies. This episode explores how to combat bullies and what can be done to drive bullying...

#61: Leadership and Small Brave Moves

When bravery and leadership are coupled together in everyday work situations, they create a competitive advantage for leaders. Nicole Bianchi, author of Small Brave Moves: Learn Why Little Acts of Bravery Are the Key to Life-Changing...

#60: Making Career Decisions

Feeling tired of your job but unsure whether to leave it for a new one? Decided you need a career change but unclear of what you truly want? Confused about why your hard work doesn’t translate into more job satisfaction?...

#59: Job Challenges and Career Opportunities

In this episode, we look at challenges and strategies for navigating some very familiar career topics, including dealing with role ambiguity and scope creep, and we’ll also talk about how the skill of reframing can help you make career...

#58: Purpose Leadership to Heal, Empower and Unify

There’s a yawning rift between the United States’ purpose and the reality that 97% of us are unhealthy, 84% of us are stressed out, 78% of us are paycheck to paycheck. And, life is a lot worse for women and BIPOC and LGBTQIA+...

#57: Data for Shaping Better Employee Experiences

There’s more to people analytics than nudging people into offer desired behaviors. It can be used to empower employees and teams to find their own solutions to better performance and personal experience in the workplace...

#56: Defining Success on Our Own Terms

Chasing success that’s been defined by societal attitudes and expectations can lead to empty victories, regrets or worse. Michael Biarnes, scientist and author of Redefining Success: Stories, Science, and Strategies to Prioritize Happiness and Overcome Life's "Oh...

#55: HR for High-Growth Companies

HR leaders have a pivotal role to play in helping their organizations meet their people needs while scaling their business. Andrew Bartlow, Founder of Series B Consulting and co-author of Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High Growth Organizations, offers...

#54: Optimize for Better Results

Taking an inclusive, people-oriented approach combined with a dedication to continuous improvement helped John Saunders grow a modest size business unit into one that made $4 billion a year. John is a former financial services executive and the author of The Optimizer...

#53: Avoiding Zoom Fatigue (Bonus Clip)

This is bonus material from Episode 52: The Science of Communication. In this clip, Dr. Laura McHale, business psychologist and author of Neuroscience for Organizational Communication, shares neuroscience-based tips to help us avoid Zoom fatigue.

#52: The Science of Communication

Did you know that what we say and how we say it affects our health and wellbeing? And leaders’ words can also reveal a lot about the health of our organizations. Dr. Laura McHale, business psychologist and author of Neuroscience for Organizational Communication, explains...

#51: Money and Happiness

For more than a generation, people were taught to set money goals as cornerstone of managing financial wellbeing. What if there were a better way? Chris Budd, Founder and Chairman of the Initiative for Financial Wellbeing and author of The Financial Wellbeing Book, offers an alternate approach...

#50: Building Genuine Communities

Award-winning documentary filmmaker and international best-selling author Charles Vogl shines a light on what distinguishes genuine communities from so-called mirage communities and other marketing efforts that try to disguise themselves as brand communities. In this conversation, we explore...

#49: Leadership Perspectives from a CEO and Elite Athlete

3d Signals CEO and Israeli ultra-marathon national champion and record-holder Ariel Rosenfeld talk about his business and running experience informs his approach to setting and chasing aspirational goals, dealing with adversity, shaping company culture...

#48: Rethinking the Path to Results

How can taking less action produce better results? Millions of workers are asking this question, in part, out of concern that professionals’ embrace of hustle culture is primarily responsible for high levels of burnout. Corporate strategist turned author, Jinny Uppal, discovered a better path to decision making...

#47: Designing Corporate Wellness Programs

Starting a corporate wellness program can seem like a daunting task. Where should you start? And what’s needed to make it successful? Corporate wellness expert Terri Levins Dietz talk about what companies can do to design and establish strong corporate wellness programs that make a difference...

#46: Essential Skills for Your Career

Mark Herschberg, CTO and MIT instructor and author of The Career Toolkit, Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You, joins me to talk about career planning, interviewing, networking, leadership and trust-building and other skills we need to build successful careers. This episode is packed with real-...

#45: Fostering Meaningful Human Connections

We’re all susceptible to a certain amount of influence that can negatively shift our self-perspective and our perspectives of others. How can we peel away the resulting false assumptions and beliefs to build or rebuild meaningful human connections? Shari Foos, licenced therapist and...

#44: Recruiting, Interviewing and Building Corporate Culture (Rebroadcast)

Michael talks with Paul Herrick, a Madrid-based former HR executive who is now a Managing Partner at Arco IrisH Human Solutions, for a wide-ranging conversation about how job seekers can differentiate themselves from the...

#43: Personal Branding During the Pandemic and Beyond (Rebroadcast)

Why should you care more about personal branding now than before the pandemic began? Are you missing everyday opportunities to build your personal band? What strategies can you use to create a more meaningful and interesting life? Dorie Clark shares her...

#42: Leaders and Storytelling (Bonus Clip)

This is bonus material from Episode 41: Helping Startups and their Leaders Grow. In this clip, Barry Collodi, a veteran consultant who's coached billion-dollar startup CEOs, shares his thoughts on the link between leadership and storytelling.

#41: Helping Startups and their Leaders Grow

Personal growth and business growth are intertwined for many professionals, especially for startup founders. How do leaders balancing taking care of themselves, their teams, and their business all at once? Barry Collodi has coached startup founders of so-called unicorn companies...

#40: Aligning Personal Finances with Personal Values

When it comes to money, how much is enough? Barry Horner, CEO of the leading UK financial planning firm Paradigm Norton, helps clients and their families discover their own answers this question. We also talk about how Paradigm Norton’s business philosophy...

#39: Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Ill Health at Work

Asking for help at work when we’re struggling with mental ill health can feel risky. So, how do we gauge if we can speak up and how do we actually do it? Geoff McDonald, mental health advocate and former Global VP of Human Resources for Unilever, shares his advice on...

#38: Driving Business Results Through Empowerment, Purpose and Wellbeing

Trey Northrup, CEO of LIXIL Americas, talks with Michael about how a large-scale, human-centered culture change is contributing to the company’s historic business successes. Trey also shares LIXIL’s return-to-work as well...

#37: Performing Your Best Under Pressure (Rebroadcast)

Have you ever wanted to learn the performance-under-pressure secrets elite athletes use? In this episode, Michael talks with Judd Hoekstra, co-author of Crunch Time: How to Be Your Best When It Matters Most, about the techniques baseball Hall of Famers...

#36: Senka Holzer on What We Really Need To Thrive

How is it possible for us to spend so much energy pursuing success, status, fame and wealth only to find out later that we’re not fulfilled despite all we’ve achieved? Usually, it’s because we've unknowingly allowed ourselves to make decisions based on values...

#35: Melanie Hicks on Psychological Contracting

Our level of satisfaction at work often depends how well managers, coworkers and employers meet our unwritten, and often unspoken, agreements and expectations. And people tend to quit their jobs when these expectations aren’t met. Dr. Melanie Hicks...

#34: Michael Netzley on Building Better Brains

Michael Netzley, CEO and Founder of Extend My Runway, explains how neuroscience, behavioral economics and AI can help people extend their careers in fulfilling ways that also contribute to raising their organizations’ work performance and...

#33: David Bishop on Human-Centered Leadership

David Bishop, former President to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and MGM Home Entertainment, shares highlights from his research with Harvard’s Institute of Coaching on leading with humanity. We also talk about coaching early-stage startup founders...

#32: Vickie Skorji on Mental Health Support in Japan

Vickie Skorji is the Director of the Tokyo English Lifeline (TELL), and explains mental health trends and challenges in Japan, how to take care of our mental health in a crisis, and what’s unique about doing so during the COVID pandemic. We also talk about what you can do be an...

#31: Derek Lundsten on Tech and Workplace Wellbeing

Derek Lundsten is on a mission to eliminate unnecessary suffering of 1 billion people in the next 15 years. Derek is the CEO of LifeGuides, and he shares his perspective on how technology can be used to battle presenteeism and foster...

#30: Adam Kahane on Facilitating Breakthrough

Adam Kahane, Director of Reos Partners and author of Collaborating with the Enemy, Transformative Scenario Planning and Facilitating Breakthrough, joins me to talk about how he uses transformative facilitation practices to help people move forward together on their most important and intractable...

#29: Brian Greer on Designing Virtual Learning that Makes a Difference

Brian and Michael talk in-depth about how corporate learning departments can adapt to a VUCA world and create virtual leadership development training that’s worth leaders’ time and the organization’s investment. Brian is the Director of...

#28: Hilary McLellan on Cultivating Compassionate Leadership

Hilary McLellan, organizational behaviorist, executive coach and Founder of Indigo Talent Development, talks about how compassionate leadership makes it possible to enjoy work more fully. We dive into a step-by-step...

#27: Paul Hargreaves on Leading Purpose-Driven Organizations

How do you lead an organization that truly puts people and planet ahead of profits? As Founder and Chief Executive of B Corp certified company Cotswold Fayre Ltd and author of Forces for Good and The Fourth Bottom Line, Paul Hargreaves talks about his philosophy for running a...

#26: Christie Caldwell on the Future of Workplace Wellbeing

Christie Caldwell, Founder of Integrate Consulting and Chief Strategy Officer of iSabel Health Tech, joins me for an in-depth conversation about what’s changing in the workplace wellbeing space and how it's affecting how we lead. Christie and I also discuss who’s...

#25: Dorie Clark on Personal Branding During the Pandemic and Beyond

Why should you care more about personal branding now than before the pandemic began? What strategies can you use to create a more meaningful and interesting life? Dorie Clark shares her answers to these questions, and we...

#24: Patrice Tanaka on Discovering and Living Your Life Purpose

What’s the most efficient way to discover your life purpose? My guest Patrice Tanaka, a best-selling author, serial entrepreneur and Chief Joy Officer of Joyful Planet, has answers for you. And, she has a special offer for listeners...

#23: Celia Berk on Managing Your Own Career

How do you make decisions that lead to successful, fulfilling careers? Celia Berk shares her personal stories, wisdom and insights on from her own career -- including stints in senior executive HR roles at WPP, J. Walter...

#22: Dan Nestle on Creativity and Personal Growth

Dan Nestle, host of The Dan Nestle Show, stops by to talk about his belief that we are all creators and how embracing curiosity and a growth mindset can power a fulfilling journey of creativity. Dan’s story about how he...

#21: Anjli Garg on Breaking Free from Exhaustion and Burnout

How can you end the cycle of feeling weighted down with responsibilities to others, stressed, exhausted and on the path to burnout? My guest, Anjli Garg, is an Associate General Counsel at Citi as well as an executive leadership coach...

#20: Marco Greenberg on Using Your Primal Strengths At Work

Have you ever found yourself second-guess a decision because did what you were expected to instead of what you instinctively felt the best and natural for yourself? If you answered yes, then you’ll want to listen to Marco Greenberg, co-founder and president of...

#19: Seed&Spark on Using Award-Winning Films To Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Michael talks with Seed&Spark’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) experts Martina Potratz, Stefanie Monge, and Spencer Scott Barros about the power of using award-winning films to sparking meaningful, candid...

#18: Simon Rakoff on Leadership and Aikido

Michael talks with organizational psychologist, human capital strategist and Aikido practitioner, Simon Rakoff, about how we can apply Aikido principles and practices to our development as leaders. Along the way, we cover a lot of ground, ranging from Star Wars to...

#17: Jeremy Blain on Empowerment and the Inner CEO

Michael sits down to talk with award-winning business leader, futurist and PerformanceWorks International CEO, Jeremy Blain about his latest book The Inner CEO: Unleashing Leaders at All Levels. This...

#16: Anindo Dey on Developing Workplace Empowerment

Michael connects with Anindo Dey, President & CEO of Alibris, Inc., an online book marketplace company to talk about workplace culture. Anindo shares his insights on how he, as an externally hired leader, partnered...

#15: Deirdre Breakenridge on Ethical Marketing

In this episode, Michael talks with Deirdre Breakenridge, CEO of Pure Performance Communication, podcaster, blogger, and author of numerous books, including Answers for Ethical Marketers and Social Media and Public Relations, about ethics...

#14: Marcus Gee on Social Networks at Work

Michael talks about the science behind organizational network analysis, or ONA, with organizational psychologist and architect of Mentis Talent Technologies' Network Centrality, Marcus Gee. We dive into the behaviors that...

#13: Yukiko Kuroda on Corporate Purpose in Japan

Michael talks with Yukiko Kuroda, Managing Director and Founder of People Focus Consulting and external board member of listed Japanese companies including Mitsui Chemicals and Seven Bank...

#12: Judd Hoekstra on Performing Your Best Under Pressure

Have you ever wanted to learn the performance-under-pressure secrets elite athletes use? In this episode, Michael talks with Judd Hoekstra, co-author of Crunch Time: How to Be Your Best When It Matters...

#11: David Mantica on Adaptive Leadership

What kind of leadership is needed to cope successfully with change in a VUCA world? The answer, says David Manitica, VP and General Manager for SoftEd US, is adaptive leadership. Michael and David talk about what adaptive leadership is, when to use...

#10: Paul Herrick on Recruiting, Interviewing and Building Corporate Culture

Michael talks with Paul Herrick, a Madrid-based former HR executive who is now a Partner at IRC Global Executive Search and at Ellipsis Partners, for a wide-ranging conversation about...

#9: Pascal Kruijsifix on Developing Human Fluency

Michael talks with Pascal Kruijsifix, organizational development consultant, executive coach and co-founder of Human Fluency, about how he helps people and teams become more fluent in interactions and behaviors at work...

#8: Vernon Brown on Finding Your "Happi"

Michael sits down with Vernon Brown, happiness coach, CEO and President of What’s Your Happi? and author of The Ultimate Guide to Lasting Happiness, Energy and Connection, to talk about what we can to do put more happiness into lives....

#7: Floris Rommerts on Dialogic and Model-less Coaching

Are you curious how great coaches think, what they listen for and how they decide what questions to ask? In this episode, Michael dialogues with veteran professional coach Floris Rommerts about how he...

#6: Mete Yazici on Building Psychological Capital

Michael talks with executive coach and corporate trainer Mete Yazici about the science and real-world application of Psychological Capital's four components: hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism. The conversation covers ideas for cultivating...

#5: Ken Jacobs on Leading First, Managing Second

In this episode, Michael interviews executive coach and consultant Ken Jacobs, principal of Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching, about how he helps CEOs and other leaders in PR, marketing, advertising and...

#4: Melanie Ensign on Living Her Values At Work

In this episode, Michael interviews Discernible Inc Founder and CEO Melanie Ensign about how curiosity, self-awareness and the desire to fully embody her values and professional purpose helped pave her path to...

#3: Paul Marks on the Enlightened Leader

Michael talks with entrepreneur, performance coach and ChangeWorks, Ltd. CEO Paul Marks about the findings from his research on the leadership skills that will be in high demand for the decade ahead. This wide...

#2: Dante Mantovani on How to Lead Millennials

My guest’s research shows that only 24% of millennials consider themselves committed to their work. What can we do to inspire more commitment and higher performance from millennials? Michael takes a...

#1: Gary Villani on Developing Authentic Leadership

In this inaugural episode, Michael talks with executive coach and talent development consultant Gary Villani, principal of Chrysalis Consulting Group. Gary shares his thoughts on...