The Wounded Leader -- How Unresolved Trauma Impacts Executive Performance: Interview with Corey Jones | Ep 8

The Wounded Leader -- How Unresolved Trauma Impacts Executive Performance: Interview with Corey Jones | Ep 8

Behind the masks of many of our most impactful leaders there is often a story

– a story of childhood trauma.

While the psychological insights of resilient childhood trauma survivors give them deep emotional intelligence into what makes other people do the things they do, many of these leaders do not talk about their trauma experiences.

What we know about unresolved childhood trauma is that it often has long-term lingering effects. As trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk says, “The Body Keeps the Score.” In other words, the terror and isolation that exists for many children at the core of their trauma significantly impacts the brain in a way that the effects show up later in life as intense anxiety, numbing, and rage.

One of the most important challenges for leaders who are healing from trauma is gaining the skills to regulate the emotions often hijack a traumatized brain. In this podcast, I interview the inspiring leader and trauma survivor Corey Jones. He shares these important actionable take-aways.

3 Happiness Hacks for Executives and Founders: Interview with Kristin Darga | Ep 7

3 Happiness Hacks for Executives and Founders: Interview with Kristin Darga | Ep 7

In 2015, researchers from the University of California Berkeley, the University of California San Francisco, and The Entrepreneurship Center at UCSF conducted a study on the mental health of entrepreneurs and found that self-reported mental health challenges existed across 72% of the entrepreneurs in their sample. Across their lifetime:

  • 30% had experienced depression

  • 27% had anxiety

  • 29% had ADHD

  • 12% had substance use conditions

  • 11% had a bipolar diagnosis

In this episode I interview Kristin Darga, serial entrepreneur, executive coach and author of “Impact Founder.” Kristin finds that at a minimum having and maintaining a structure and strict boundaries around well being is crucial. She has found through the years of coaching and interviewing executives and business owners that they often neglect their own basic wellbeing needs in order to (…fill in the blank). How are you supposed to lead a team, encourage success, a positive attitude and meet goals if you can't meet your own goals and needs? To this end, Kristin shares these three happiness hacks:

1. The movement-mood connection

2. One-sided self-care support

3. Take back your time

The 6 "A"s of Advancing a Caring Culture at Work: Interview with Julius Rhodes | Ep 6

The 6 "A"s of Advancing a Caring Culture at Work: Interview with Julius Rhodes | Ep 6

A when leaders are their authentic selves, they allow others to see more clearly their own self-identity. Isolating and concealing your true identity is exhausting – and wears on your well-being. When leaders are authentic and model their vulnerability through humility, they become more trustworthy. By building trust, they create psychologically safe teams.

In this podcast I speak with HR professional Julius Rhodes and how we can help drive a caring work culture.

Reclaim Your Moxie -- Workplace Supported Recovery for People Living with Addictive Behaviors: Interview with Dana Piscopo | Ep 5

Reclaim Your Moxie -- Workplace Supported Recovery for People Living with Addictive Behaviors: Interview with Dana Piscopo | Ep 5

Unaddressed or under-addressed substance use disorders and addictive behaviors result in costly and risky outcomes at work. Most people living with substance use challenges are able to “function” at work, but according to an article published by Harvard Medical School[1], workplaces experiences $81 billion in lost profits due to addictive behaviors. These losses are connected to increases in absenteeism, sick time and turnover and decreases in productivity and quality of work. Furthermore, alcohol and drug use contribute to work-related injuries and fatalities increase both by impairment while working and also the short-term cognitive problems that linger after a heavy night of drinking.

In this episode, I speak with Dana Piscopo of Oracle, a woman in long-term recovery who is advocating for workplace-based peer support for people living with substance use disorders.

Employee Engagement & Workplace Mental Health: Interview with Joaquin Diaz | Ep 4

Employee Engagement & Workplace Mental Health: Interview with Joaquin Diaz | Ep 4

Recruiting and retaining emerging talent is one of the biggest challenges facing employers today. Many try to sweeten the deal with higher salaries and impressive benefits, but one place that cannot be overlooked is the quality of mental health in a workplace. In this podcast, I interview Joaquin Diaz, the EHS Director for Skanska USA Building Inc. He shares their holistic approach to worker health and safety and the impact it has had on retention.

His top three tips for reducing resignation rates and cultivating workplace wellbeing:

  1. Change the conversation in your organization.

  2. Manage the flexibility needed to maintain a healthy workforce.

  3. Increase engagement about external and internal risk factors of mental health.

Listen Bravely -- How to Help Friends and Co-workers Living with Suicidal Intensity at Work: Interview with Dr. Stacey Freedenthal | Ep 3

Listen Bravely -- How to Help Friends and Co-workers Living with Suicidal Intensity at Work: Interview with Dr. Stacey Freedenthal | Ep 3

I have been surveying workplaces about their confidence and competence in supporting coworkers who are going through hard times. What I have found is that most people care deeply about the people they work with and have a strong willingness to help. I have discovered that many workplaces successfully show up for their employees when they have experienced a medical crisis for themselves or a family member or when there is a natural disaster, but when it comes to suicide, they get the “deer in the headlights” response.

Dr. Stacey Freedenthal is an associate professor of social work and a leader in the national conversation on suicide prevention. She knows what she’s talking about because she has lived through her own experiences with suicidal intensity. On this podcast she gives us tools on what to do if you are worried about a coworker who may be thinking of taking their life.

"The H Factor" -- How Leaders Foster Deeper Connections at Work: Interview with Wally Adamchik | Ep 2

"The H Factor" -- How Leaders Foster Deeper Connections at Work: Interview with Wally Adamchik | Ep 2

The “H” factor is the secret sauce in becoming an effective leader, according to Wally Adamchik.

HUMANITY.

Be a human first, boss second — these are not mutually exclusive experiences. What does this mean? It means take “empathy” beyond the buzzword and make it real. Leaders who understand empathy know whats important in the “disclosure exchange” and how to build authentic bonds with others.

In this podcast he shares his journey from being a commander in a tank battalion and then as the pilot of AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters for the Marines to becoming the President of FireStarter Speaking where he ignites leaders in Fortune 500 firms to aspire to become their best selves. Wally understands organizational excellence and his solutions are practical, profitable, and powerful.

Headspace for the Workplace -- Greetings from Dr. Sally | Ep 1

Headspace for the Workplace -- Greetings from Dr. Sally | Ep 1

In our brain-based economy, we depend on fully engaged, mentally healthy teams. Organizations that have figured this out not only have a competitive advantage, they are awesome places to work. If you want to be able to recruit and retain emerging talent, this podcast will give you the tools that let them know their workplace cares about them.

Psychological safety goes beyond just a fear of making mistakes or suggesting new ideas — it’s really a deep feeling of trust. Psychologically safe environments are where people believe “you have my back” in all areas: when I am learning, when I feel different than others, and when I am having a very difficult time.

Psychologically safe and healthy workplaces actively seek to promote workers’ emotional health and prevent psychosocial hazards due to workplace factors.

Most people who die by suicide or overdose are of working age, making the workplace arguably the most cross cutting system for suicide prevention, addiction recovery and mental health promotion. And yet, workplaces are often underprepared and react rather than respond when faced with mental health emergencies.

Take a listen to the lessons learned and actionable take-aways to promote mental health and wellbeing and support people through tough times – at work.