CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel

In today's episode: A call from one of the largest HR organizations in the world sets off a partnership that's about to change what shows up in your inbox every two weeks. There's a specific gap between what research predicts, what companies attempt, and what actually happens, and that gap is exactly where the real signal lives. Why Culture Partners' new partnership with SHRM makes a lot more sense than it first appears. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica announces her new partnership with SHRM to launch The Work Signal, a biweekly newsletter analyzing the forces shaping work and translating them into action for leaders. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A number that moves markets every single month turns out to be built on a shakier foundation than most people realize, and it's wrong by design. There's a specific reason unemployment might actually be a full point higher than what's being reported. A clever alternative to the official jobs report is tracking a much better signal, but even that comes with a catch. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to explain why the monthly jobs report is essentially a rough draft prone to major revisions, and why CEOs might be reacting to numbers that aren't even close to accurate. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: The AI and talent pipeline panic sweeping the workplace world might be asking the wrong question entirely. A 23 year-old associate reveals the surprising, deeply human way she actually landed her job in a tough market. Learning to lead turns out to be a lifelong process that never really stops, no matter how senior someone becomes. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to debate whether AI eliminating entry-level work threatens the future talent pipeline, or whether the real story is a shrinking workforce overall. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A 25 year supply chain veteran reveals why the biggest risk to automation and AI rollouts has nothing to do with the technology itself. There's a specific reason brilliant, well-funded projects fail, and it happens long before implementation ever begins. A supply chain executive and a culture consultant discover they solve the exact same problem. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Todd Kolber, Partner at Reply Logistics North America, joins Jessica to discuss why trust and people, not technology, determine whether automation and AI initiatives in supply chain actually succeed. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A sales team facing shutdown turned things around not through a new dashboard or incentive plan, but through one weekly habit a leader started doing. There's a mindset shift separating leaders who use AI to cut costs from those who use it to fuel growth, and it changes everything downstream. A rule requiring zero existing role names in a new org design reveals a clever trick for breaking free of incremental thinking. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Rashmi Badwe, EVP and CEO of TIAA, joins Jessica to discuss how leaders can use AI-created capacity to drive growth rather than cuts, and why a leader's attention shapes behavior more than any incentive structure. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with Rashmi on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: New research shows companies are pulling back sharply on training budgets this year, and there are three specific reasons behind the drop. Why a personal AI assistant is replacing the two day workshop that companies used to pay thousands for. There's a hard question facing anyone with "Learning and Development" in their job title, and the answer determines whether that role survives or changes. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica breaks down new SHRM research on shrinking L&D budgets and argues that AI is replacing traditional training, forcing the entire function to evolve or disappear. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: One 17 year-old's one minute AI experiment left a top executive stunned enough to completely rethink his company's leadership strategy. There's a growing question about truth and reliability that AI raises, and Jesper believes society isn't nearly skeptical enough yet. A theory about multiplying critical thinking a hundredfold offers a surprising way to navigate a world with more information than ever. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica speaks with Jesper Brodin, CEO of IKEA, about why his AI strategy began with educating leaders rather than deploying tools, and the risks AI poses to how we understand truth. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Handing every employee a small monthly AI budget and calling it innovation turns out to be hiding a much bigger problem underneath. How companies adjust when employees secretly pay out of pocket for AI tools. A manufacturing site visit shows exactly what real AI-driven time savings looks like when it's pointed at the right kind of work. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss why handing employees a small AI budget isn't a real strategy, and what more thoughtful approaches to enterprise AI adoption look like. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: There's a wave of instability spreading across teams right now, and the source is often closer to home than leaders realize. A specific silence in the room reveals whether employees actually feel safe telling the truth, or just afraid of what happens if they do. Building real psychological safety takes far longer than most executives expect, and there's a good reason it can't be rushed. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Heather Younger, leadership keynote speaker and author of The Unshakable Team, joins Jessica to discuss why instability in leadership trickles down into teams, and what it really takes to build lasting psychological safety. Preorder The Unshakable Team by Heather R Younger J.D. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: New research on thousands of knowledge workers found AI is saving them time, but that individual efficiency isn't translating into organizational gains. A general counsel went from reviewing one contract a day to seven, and it reveals exactly where AI speed hits a wall that technology can't fix. A cult classic manufacturing book from the 1990s turns out to be the perfect playbook for understanding where AI actually creates value. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to unpack why individual AI efficiency doesn't automatically translate into enterprise value, and what it actually takes to unlock that value at scale. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A leader finally earned a seat at an exclusive strategy group, only to be removed just two meetings later for a reason that caught her completely off guard. A cultural instinct to listen and defer to experience turned out to be the exact opposite of what the room actually expected. There's a lesson about having a point of view that shaped one executive's entire career, and it started with a moment of humiliation. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica shares a clip from her conversation with Rashmi Badwe, EVP and Chief Operating Officer of TIAA Wealth Management, about an early career failure that taught her the importance of speaking up at the table. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with Rashmi on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: There's a difference between telling someone they're not good enough and telling them the job simply doesn't exist anymore. A leader's rule for organizational redesign forces every job title to be brand new, and it reveals just how much old thinking can hold a company back. What real thought leadership should look like in a world where anyone can generate an opinion with AI. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss whether AI should reshape not just how work gets done, but who gets hired to do it. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A leader's role in modeling culture change turns out to matter more than any facility's size or security level. There's a surprising connection between staff turnover and openness to change that flips the usual assumption about tenure and buy in. A simple reminder to "go above the line" reveals what real accountability sounds like in the middle of a hard conversation. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Sabrina Henry, Success Coach Program Manager with the Georgia Department of Corrections, returns to discuss how culture champions, leadership modeling, and focused recognition are driving lasting change across facilities. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A corrections agency went from working in silos to a graduation rate jump most training programs would envy, and it started with three simple cultural beliefs. A support program built for cadets uncovered personal struggles staff never expected to encounter. How transforming into a Change Agent powered incredible improvements at the GDC. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Sabrina Henry, Success Coach Program Manager with the Georgia Department of Corrections, joins Jessica to discuss the agency's culture transformation and the innovative support program driving major gains in retention and training outcomes. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A powerful metaphor about sailing reveals exactly why so many change initiatives stall out even after every employee understands the plan. The subtle difference between making someone responsible and getting them to actually take ownership. A story about a legendary Antarctic explorer shows how a small group of committed people can spark change that spreads on its own. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica breaks down the difference between change management and change activation, using a sailing metaphor to explain why clarity and training alone aren't enough to get people to actually own a transformation. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A Linux maintainer made headlines by deleting a massive chunk of old code, and the reason behind it has everything to do with how AI is changing work everywhere. AI can now generate so much information that it's created an entirely new kind of labor: deciding what's actually worth keeping. There's a question every leader should be asking about their own organization's outdated decks, frameworks, and processes. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica connects a story about an overwhelmed Linux code maintainer to a bigger question facing leaders: when AI produces more content than anyone can filter, what needs to be deleted to make room for better judgment? Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Regulatory rollbacks around worker safety are stirring debate, but the more interesting question is who's actually asking for them and why. A company saving money on wages might be losing far more somewhere else. A story about a Chinese auto manufacturer's European rollout reveals why the people closest to a decision often make the best call. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss shifting labor protections, below market wages, and why trust in local decision making often beats control from the top. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Research reveals a surprising reason narcissistic CEOs are more likely to pursue acquisitions. Why there is a gendered assumption baked into how most people picture a narcissist. The word that gets thrown around so loosely in business circles that it's become a lazy substitute for actually understanding someone. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to dig into research on narcissistic CEOs and push back on how quickly the label gets applied to successful leaders. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A CEO gave a response to burnout that felt harsh at first but ended up changing everything. How using an untouchable morning block releases the tension you might be feeling at work. The hidden connection between burnout and resistance to the present. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica shares a personal story about burnout at Culture Partners and argues that taking accountability, setting boundaries, and accepting reality rather than resisting it are the real keys to overcoming it. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: The gap between how employees define their job and how the leaders who hired them actually see it. How a simple question about your own role can expose whether you're focused on tasks or the outcome those tasks are supposed to produce. One small exercise, done in a room with a team, can shift how people think about accountability. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica unpacks a common disconnect between employees and leaders over what a job actually is, and shares an exercise for getting teams to think in terms of results instead of tasks. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A phrase like "soft skills" hides something leaders desperately need. Why taking lunch with someone who seemingly can't ‘do anything for you’ might be one of the smartest business moves you’ll make all year. What boardroom crisis decision looks brilliant on the surface while something invisible is really driving the outcome. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to debate what invisible value really means, from long-term relationship building to the hidden factors behind fast decisions. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A startup CEO built a board out of people she's never met, and now she consults them before every major decision. There's a specific way to ask AI for advice that turns it from a search engine into something closer to a conversation with a mentor. A story about Bob Iger and Steve Jobs reveals why the most powerful business meetings sometimes have no PowerPoint at all. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Megan Miller, CEO of Unleashed, joins Jessica to share how she built a fictional advisory board using AI, drawing on the decision making styles of leaders like Bob Iger and Sarah Blakely to guide her choices. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A company kept trying to cut overtime as a cost problem, but the data told a completely different story about why employees loved it. How a pattern in the payroll revealed which supervisors stopped paying attention. What leaders should REALLY be dialing in on to drive active change within their companies. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss how companies are sitting on labor data that could transform their decisions, and why so few leaders are actually using it. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A retreat in the Bahamas turned tense when someone in the audience named the conflict everyone in the room was avoiding. One question that flips a team from blaming each other to actually solving the problem. How a fintech company's sales and marketing teams built two tactical fixes once they finally understood what the other side actually needed. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica shares a story from a keynote in the Bahamas about breaking down departmental silos between sales and marketing teams by shifting from a mindset of taking to one of serving. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: The five step framework that comes before any culture work can actually happen. One simple question that reveals what you should have ‘faith’ in, and why that’s important. A thought experiment about removing fear that can uncover options a leader never considered. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica breaks down the SHIFT model from her book Surrendered to Lead, a five step process for leaders to reset their mindset before driving real culture change. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A survey of over 200 people found the majority believe they're capable of more, and four specific things are holding them back. The person you're overlooking for a promotion might not lack ambition at all. A grief counselor's ocean metaphor offers a way to think about emotions that isn't about making them disappear. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Chris Sund, President and COO of Unity Med and GQR Healthcare, and author of You Are Capable of More, joins Jessica to discuss his research on hidden potential and what actually helps people move past self-doubt. Check out Chris’ book Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Breaking a lifelong gossip habit came with an unexpected cost before it made relationships stronger. The test that reveals whether a workplace conversation is genuine culture work or gossip wearing a disguise. A CEO has a bold move for handling complaints about coworkers, and it's stopped people from bringing him problems in the first place. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica unpacks the blurry line between gossip and legitimate culture work, and shares a test for telling the difference before conversations turn toxic. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A senior leader admits some of the youngest people on his team are already outperforming him, and it's forcing him to rethink his own biases. The surprising connection between emotional intelligence and what a generation has been through. Why earning a theater degree might be one of the smartest career moves you can make. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to challenge assumptions about young workers and discuss why talent at any age deserves a second look. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A stranger walked into a formal church service dressed nothing like anyone else in the room, and what happened next silenced everyone watching. The most powerful thing a leader can do to shift culture often has nothing to do with what they say. How one person’s actions said more about ‘welcome’ than any words ever could. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica shares a story from a church service that reveals how actions, not words, create the experiences that shape belief and drive culture. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: What someone values is actually sitting right in their calendar app. How introverts and extroverts prepare for the spotlight in completely different ways. The simple exercise that reveals what leaders claim matters to them and where their actual hours go. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to explore the idea that a calendar reveals a person's true priorities, and how they each handle the pressure of public speaking. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: How ‘missing’ a meeting without noticing reveals what flexibility actually looks like. The research linking return-to-office mandates to a specific personality, and why it has nothing to do with collaboration or culture. If your best performer finishes an eight hour job in three… who owns those other five hours? CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica explores the debate over flexible work hours, from return to office motivations to who really owns the time employees save through efficiency. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Two tech giants both bet big on AI this earnings season, but investors rewarded one and punished the other, and the reason has nothing to do with belief in the technology. Every major transformation follows the same arc: vision, investment, then a moment when people stop asking what you're building and start asking what it's actually doing. How a CEO found a clever way to prove progress before there were real numbers to point to. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica breaks down what Microsoft and Meta's earnings reveal about the shifting AI conversation, and what leaders can learn about giving employees proof that a transformation is working. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Years of research into what different generations want at work led to a surprising conclusion. Why labeling employees by birth year does something to workplace culture that most leaders never intend. What to measure and change about workplace culture that actually works. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica shares findings from her doctoral research and first book, Unfairly Labeled, on why generational stereotypes at work say more about culture than they do about age. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Buy Jessica’s book, Unfairly Labeled Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Candidates want speed AND personalization. There's a way to give them both without slowing the process down. How a "day in the life" approach lets applicants test drive a job while a company learns everything it needs to know. How a social network built entirely around verified skills could change how people carry their careers with them. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Mike Hudy, Chief Science Officer of Hirevue, returns to discuss how companies can balance hiring efficiency with candidate experience, and why the future of hiring may hinge on their verified skills. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Visit Hirevue Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Every back and forth email trying to schedule a meeting adds up to far more wasted time than the meeting itself. A simple habit that feels awkward at first could save you an hour of scheduling ceremony. Why the norm of "asking for time" might be a culture problem worth changing. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica makes the case for skipping the scheduling dance altogether: picking up the phone, calling directly, and letting conversations run exactly as long as they need to. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: AI is flooding recruiter inboxes with thousands of applications for a single job, and the old way of sorting candidates can't keep up anymore. Resumes and cover letters are starting to look identical thanks to AI polish, which means companies need a completely different signal to find the right person. There's a new step happening before a recruiter ever looks at a resume, and it changes who gets noticed first. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Mike Hudy, Chief Science Officer of Highervue, joins Jessica to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping hiring for both companies and candidates, and why measuring actual skills is replacing resume screening. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Visit Hirevue Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: How executives should treat their peer group, and why it flips the instinct to protect your own team first. Budget cuts reveal who's really aligned at the top, and the wrong response can create cracks employees notice before anyone says a word. When three executives each offered something remarkable to protect their company. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss what leaders should do when they disagree with their peers, and why alignment at the executive level matters more than most people realize. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: The one reason you hold info back from your team, and it has nothing to do with protecting feelings! When leaders stay quiet, something else fills that silence, and it's rarely good. How employees have a built in radar for dishonesty, and why ignoring it can cost you. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss where the line sits between healthy transparency and oversharing, and why keeping people in the dark often backfires. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Success can rewire how leaders make decisions. Why trusting past wins might be a big mistake. Not all intuition is created equal. Discover the difference between grounded instinct and ego dressed up as confidence. The simple rule for moments of uncertainty that runs against everything corporate culture teaches about speed and decisiveness.  CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to unpack whether success makes leaders more confident or more complacent, and how to tell the difference between intuition worth trusting and intuition that's just ego in disguise. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

Check out this exclusive clip of Jessica with co-owner of The Jacquelyn, Mary Daffin, speaking about the meaning of culture and what taking real accountability looks like in our modern workplace. For the full conversation, watch Activating Change on The Jacquelyn’s YouTube channel. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Mary Daffin is co-owner of the Jacquelyn, a private social club in Sacramento. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn The Jacquelyn’s Homepage Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Why some relationships, habits, and beliefs need the same break as a bad marriage. How a little "preventative divorce" at work can free up energy for the things that actually move you forward. The 'George Costanza' trap that keeps people chasing approval from coworkers who will never give it. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to talk about applying the idea of divorce – not from marriage – but from toxic habits, relationships, and beliefs, as a tool for personal and workplace growth. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: How you REALLY measure alignment and know if your team is on the same page. The results pyramid trick that tells you if a goal is truly on track. The public "reply all" celebration habit that does more for the sender's ego than for the person being praised. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to unpack how to tell real alignment from polite agreement, why small wins and honest celebration keep teams moving toward big goals, and why authentic, personal recognition often lands better than a company-wide shout out. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: IBM just posted its steepest single-day stock drop since 1968, and the story behind the sell-off says more about corporate tech spending than about IBM itself. Where companies’ IT budgets are actually headed. How a research report that predicted AI’s reshaping of software sales is starting to come true. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to unpack IBM's historic stock drop and what it signals about how companies are rethinking technology investment in the age of AI. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: How a hostile comment on LinkedIn sparked the use of “The Mirror Exercise.” Two very different ways of handling conflict at work and why only one actually leads to lasting peace. How a six-month standoff with a boss ended, not with an apology, but through a single, deliberate choice. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. In this episode, Jessica explores what happens when people fight – whether in the workplace or online – and how to approach these situations in the right way. It might make the difference between healing a work relationship or leaving your job! Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Mary introduces her private social club in Sacramento built around one core belief: that who is in the room matters more than ever. AI has made resumes look flawless on paper. The one thing it can't fake, and why face-to-face connection has become the real differentiator. Curating community on purpose, not by accident, and why diversity of voices at the table changes the conversation entirely. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Mary Daffin, co-owner of the Jacquelyn, a private social club in Sacramento, joins Jessica to discuss why physical community matters more in an AI-driven world, and how thoughtfully curated spaces bring people together in ways remote work and algorithms cannot replicate. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn The Jacquelyn’s Homepage Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today’s episode: Why working long hours may no longer be the mark of a top performer. John’s story of how one data scientist turned six hours of client notes into two slides that nailed the message in minutes. How you use AI will determine who multiplies their output and who gets left behind. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica this week to discuss how AI is breaking the long-standing link between hours worked and productivity, and what leaders should do with the time they get back. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A six month contract, no days off, and a shared cabin: what one crew member's story reveals about pay and value on a cruise ship. How being stuck on a boat strips away the polish that hides workplace inequity. Dealing with DJ rules and regulations at a private party. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to unpack what a week at sea taught her about compensation, fairness, and the assumptions we make about the people serving us. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: A simple mental model that separates leaders who drive results from those stuck making excuses. Which side of the line are you on? The most common workplace coping mechanisms that can kill careers. Just how much of your corporate meeting time is spent on blame, denial, and avoidance? CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. Jessica breaks down the accountability model and the excuses, from "wait and see" to finger pointing, that keep people and teams stuck below the line. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: New research reveals a strange contradiction with employees who believe AI could take over much of what they do, while still feeling personally safe. The line between preparing for change and ignoring it. Falling birth rates and rising AI capability are colliding in ways that could reshape the labor market. Is that collision good news or bad news? CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica weekly to discuss new SHRM research on AI, job security, and why almost everyone believes they are the exception to the rule. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with John Frehse on LinkedIn Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn

In today's episode: Ask three executives at the same company what the core values are, and you'll likely get three different answers. Why that gap matters and how to fix it! How JM lives his core values in his home and how that affects his corporate work. Why building a new habit always feels awkward and the mindset shift that makes that discomfort worth it. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom. In this selection from a longer conversation, JM Reyerson, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Let's Go Win, joins Jessica to talk about authenticity, leadership, and culture, and why none of it works unless you actually live it. Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn Connect with JM Reyerson Learn More about JM’s book “Let’s Go Win”  Other Ways to Connect: Jessica Kriegel Website Jessica Kriegel Instagram Jessica Kriegel Newsletter Culture Partners Website Culture Partners LinkedIn