Flourishing Edge Podcast with Ashish Kothari

Most leadership problems cannot be solved. The harder you push, the more they slip away.Host Ashish Kothari talks with Carolyn Coughlin, co-author of Unleash Your Complexity Genius, about why people problems are complex rather than complicated. A complicated problem has an answer you find once and use again. A complex one shifts every time you touch it. Carolyn explains why your activated nervous system is the real obstacle, and how to regulate it in under a minute. You'll discover the physical warning sign that you are grasping at something you cannot hold, why 80% of good experiments should fail, and why harmony is quietly killing your team's best thinking. Ashish brings what he sees inside large transformations, where these moves either take hold or fall apart.What You Will Learn:1. Some problems have answers. People problems do not.If it involves getting people to change, no plan will solve it. Start experimenting instead.2. Your nervous system is the first lever.One long out breath. Shoulders down. Feet on the floor.3. Run small experiments and expect most to miss.Three cheap, fast probes teach you more than one big plan, because you find out what is actually true.4. Let yourself be known.Say "I don't know" when you don't. Say "I see this differently" when you do. Episode Chapters:00:00 Why people and organizations are inherently unpredictable, and why that makes leadership a complexity challenge.02:51 The practical distinction between complicated problems with repeatable solutions and complex problems with shifting, interconnected dynamics.07:17 How leaders can recognize complexity through the feeling of efforting hard without making progress.10:55 The importance of noticing: reading your own nervous system and widening your attention to what is happening around you.16:54 Using breath, movement, and time in nature to regulate an activated nervous system before trying to solve a difficult problem.24:42 Why leaders need an experimental mindset: small, low-risk tests that help teams learn rather than chase certainty.32:20 How wonder, laughter, and playfulness build trust and create the openness needed to navigate uncertainty.36:46 Why love and genuine positive regard at work can create the safety and connection complexity leadership requires.Resources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Carolyn CoughlinRecommended Reading: Unleash Your Complexity Genius Growing Your Inner Capacity to LeadConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Your most disengaged employees may not have a motivation problem. They have an identity problem. They were hired for a title, and the parts of them that don't fit the title stay switched off. After 25 years as a biotech finance and strategy executive, Tony Martignetti walked out of a boardroom to help leaders reawaken the brilliance their workplaces put to sleep.He joins Ashish Kothari to explain why so many high performers end up outwardly successful and inwardly numb, why some people are burned out while others are simply bored, and the three questions that reveal what someone is good at but never gets asked to do.If your team is performing but not alive, start here.What You Will Learn:1. Look for an identity problem before a motivation problem.When someone checks out, ask which part of them the job stopped asking for. People rarely lose their ability. They lose the chance to use it.2. Know the difference between burned out and bored.Burnout is too much work. Boredom is work that stopped mattering. One needs a lighter plate, the other needs a reason to care.3. Ask three questions that reveal what someone never gets asked to do.When did you last feel most alive? What do you do on autopilot? What's missing in your day.4. Don't just engage people. Enrich them.Leave people better than you found them. Tell someone what you see in them, and swap one status question for "What surprised you this week?"Episode Chapters:00:00 Reconnecting with your own light as the first step to helping others do the same.05:28 A personal turning point: leaving a successful career to rediscover what was missing.12:55 Why employee disengagement is often an identity issue, not simply a motivation problem.22:02 The human capabilities that matter most in an AI-driven workplace: integration, meaning-making, and better questions.28:33 The Illumination Framework for uncovering overlooked strengths and turning them into meaningful action.38:13 Three practical leadership exercises to empower others, recognize overlooked strengths, and ask better questions. Resources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Tony MartignettiRecommended Reading: Illuminating Hidden Brilliance: The Power of Multidimensional Leadership in a One-Dimensional WorldConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Fear and shame get short-term results. They also burn people out, destroy trust, and make flourishing impossible, which is why those results rarely last. Host Ashish Kothari sits down with Laura Berland and Evan Harrel, founders of the Center for Compassionate Leadership (1,200+ leaders trained across 75 countries), to unpack why compassionate leadership matters most in the age of AI, and why it is the opposite of being nice. It means setting boundaries, delivering hard feedback, and holding people accountable while protecting their dignity.You'll hear how a single interview question quietly reshaped an entire hospital network, and why the ripple reached the receptionist at the front door. You'll get three moves any leader can make this week without waiting for permission, starting with the boundary you've been avoiding. If you lead a team and suspect command-and-control is costing you more than it delivers, this conversation is your way out.What You Will Learn:1. Ask what AI can elevate, not what it can replace.Replacement thinking stagnates. Elevation thinking compounds. Before your next AI decision, ask what human capability this tool could amplify.2. Compassion is not niceness.Nice avoids the hard conversation because it wants to be liked. Compassion speaks truth with dignity: "It's not okay for you to do this, and I believe you can do better, and I will help you do better."3. Regulate before you deliver hard feedback.Feedback given from anger arrives with a closed heart and a verdict already reached. Ground yourself first, then lead with curiosity about what's missing.4. One small move in a role, routine, or network. Culture follows.A hospital shifted its entire culture with a single interview question. Steal the meeting prompt: "Tell me one way you can be supported or challenged this week."5. Go first. The ripple travels further than you think.Compassionate acts move at least three degrees of contact. Set one boundary this week with kindness, or reach out to one person for no reason other than connection.Episode Chapters: 00:00 Opening framing on AI, workplace humanity, and the risk of treating people as expendable.05:20 Why leaders need to recognize interdependence rather than rely on individualism and control.09:07 Compassion versus “being nice”: accountability, hard feedback, and dignity can coexist.18:19 A hospital leader’s small hiring change that helped shift a culture toward compassion.27:38 The story of a middle manager building grassroots support during organizational burnout and resistance.45:08 Three practical actions leaders can take immediately: invite support, set a kind boundary, and build a new human connection.Resources:Connect with the GuestsLinkedIn: Laura BerlandLinkedIn: Evan HarrelWebsite: Center For Compassionate LeadershipConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Most leaders treat fear as the thing blocking them. Amy Elizabeth Fox, CEO of Mobius Executive Leadership and Nicholas Janni, both co-authors of Leading in Chaos, argue the opposite: you block fear, and that blocking is quietly costing you presence, judgment, and your team's best thinking.Along with host Ashish Kothari, you'll discover why emotional intelligence in leadership starts in the body, the practices that ground you when everything is unpredictable, and why the times are urgent enough that we must slow down. For leaders and executives who are done white-knuckling through chaos and ready to lead from somewhere deeper.What You Will Learn:1. Fear isn't the block. You are. "Fear doesn't block me. The problem is I block fear." Let the wave move through you before the hard conversation. What's on the other side is presence, not paralysis.2. Get in your body before you decide. Soften the out-breath. Feel your feet, feel your chair. Thirty seconds changes your brainwave state, and you can do it mid-meeting. You can't steady a room you haven't steadied yourself in.3. Stop performing certainty. The picture is too big for one mind. Sit with your team in "we don't know," listen until other views actually land, and watch the periphery for early signals instead of rushing to fix.4. Slow down because the times are urgent. When you're moving fast in ten directions, you're busy but not effective. Block out time that's unplugged and unscheduled. One well-aimed move beats a dozen rushed ones.5. Don't shrink, don't inflate. Humility isn't making yourself small. It's owning what you're actually good at while letting go of the need to control how things turn out. Try saying: "I don't know, but together we can figure it out."Episode Chapters: 02:58 Healing inherited trauma is part of leadership.07:27 - Sense-making must go beyond intellect.12:19 - Practical ways to become more grounded.18:08 - Opening the heart strengthens teams.21:23 - Emotions are meant to be felt, not suppressed.31:51 - Spaciousness is a leadership discipline.39:01 - Humility means occupying the right space.43:29 - Intuition and “field intelligence” emerge through presence.49:17 - Collective healing needs both justice and inner development.Resources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Amy Elizabeth FoxLinkedIn: Nicholas JanniRecommended Reading: Leading in ChaosConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

700 CEOs have gone through McKinsey's Bower Forum, and the data points to one uncomfortable truth: the best leaders spend less time telling people what to do. Ramesh Srinivasan, McKinsey senior partner, dean of the Bower Forum, and co-author of The Journey of Leadership, joins Ashish Kothari to unpack how top CEOs practice vulnerability in leadership without losing authority and why one of them was told he should fire any leader who says "I have no clue" in a crisis.You'll discover the to-be list that reshapes how you show up in your biggest meetings, the 15-second reframe elite athletes use under pressure, and why feedback you ask for is 10 times more effective than feedback you're given. If you lead people through uncertainty and want psychological safety at work that actually produces results, this conversation is your playbook.What You Will Learn:How to write a daily "to-be list" that decides how you show up in your biggest meetings, not just what you accomplishWhy the best CEOs spend less time telling people what to do and what they do insteadHow to practice vulnerability with judgment: when "we don't know yet" builds trust, and when it should get a leader firedThe "five sources of meaning" that mobilize a whole workforce beyond shareholder valueHow to make feedback ~10x more effective by asking for it first and cascade that habit through your teamHow to metabolize stress with Ramesh's "fear in the backseat" model, so purpose drives and fear keeps only a voiceEpisode Chapters: 04:49 Why leadership begins from the inside out07:44 How leaders can reconnect with their values and purpose09:57 Shareholder value, stakeholders, and the business case for purpose13:16 Moving from constant doing to reflection and “to-be” leadership16:43 Creating the emotional conditions for difficult conversations18:55 What today’s uncertainty demands from leaders19:28 Humility, vulnerability, truth-telling, and fearless learning23:29 Building a culture where people can learn from failure27:18 What vulnerability really means for leaders32:38 Making stress an ally rather than a source of burnout37:44 What gives Ramesh hope about the future of leadershipResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Ramesh SrinivasanRecommended Reading: The Journey of Leadership How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside OutConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

What if the skill that makes a comedian great on an unscripted stage is the same skill that makes a leader great in an unpredictable economy?Layoffs and AI have left a lot of people feeling like a line item instead of a human being. Jordana Cole flips that on its head: you are not the resource, you are the source.Jordana is an applied improviser, Gallup Strengths Coach, and University of Pennsylvania positive psychology grad. In this episode she joins host Ashish Kothari to turn a decade on the improv stage into a practical playbook for leading through uncertainty.Together they dig into why AI has no source material without us, why uncertainty is the constant rather than the exception, why an 80/20 tilt toward strengths beats the grind of fixing what is broken, and why play is not a reward for hard work but the thing that makes hard work possible.Improvisation, not certainty, is the human edge in the age of AI. You will walk away with three things you can try this week and one brainstorming trick that changes how your team thinks.What You Will Learn:You are the source, not the resource. AI has nothing to learn from without us.Uncertainty is the constant, not the exception. Possibility, not threat.Play to the scene you're in. Accept reality first, then decide what's next.Lead with your strengths. Gallup: 3x higher quality of life, 6x more engagement.Co-create, including with AI. Treat AI as a partner, not a vending machine.Don't carry your mistakes. Park it and return to center.Episode Chapters:00:00 Why human creativity and connection matter even more in an AI-driven world.08:09 Jordana reframes uncertainty as a constant—and an opportunity.10:17 Use AI to amplify your strengths rather than simply replace tasks.17:17 How improv helps people adapt when plans change.24:25 Focus on the reality you’re in and what you can control.36:00 Co-creation: building better ideas by building on others’ input.45:30 Why play is a catalyst for creativity, energy, and better work.50:27 Three practical ways to navigate uncertainty with more confidence and play.Resources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Jordana ColeWebsite: Ignited by JordanaTEDx: What to do when you don't know what's next Connect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Cortney McDermott had the titles, the accolades, and the corporate jet and she was, in her own words, "miserably successful."In this episode, the two-time author joins Ashish Kothari to unpack why you can't win the game of externally sourced success, and how to trust your intuition when you're running on empty.You'll walk away with three deceptively simple practices - rest, movement, and yes, yawning - that change your state in minutes and turn the volume back up on your intuition.What You Will Learn:1. Source your success from the inside, not the outside.2. Responsibility is your ability to respond, not your share of the blame.3. When you're overwhelmed, don't add more. Lie down.4. Change your state before you try to change your story.5. Treat your intuition as a faculty to develop, not a fluke.Episode Chapters:1:31 - From corporate success to inner transformation5:49 - When “having it all” still feels empty11:49 — Why real change begins within23:39 — Three practical ways to reconnect with yourself33:02 — Cultivating intuition in a distracted worldResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Cortney McDermottRecommended Reading: Give Yourself Permission:Be Confident. Be Happy. Be You.Change Starts Within You:Unlock the Confidence to Lead with Intuition.Connect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

AI now hands the average worker 2.5 hours back every week. Most of us pour it straight into more busywork, then wonder why we are busier than ever.That reclaimed time is the most valuable thing AI has given us, and we are giving it away without deciding to.Bonnie Davis, co-author of Still Human with AI alongside Bijal Choksi, joins Ashish Kothari to talk about how to stop wasting it. Not with another productivity system, but by getting deliberate about what those freed-up hours are actually for: your wellbeing, your relationships, and the people you lead.Bonnie gives us a practical framework, and a step-by-step way to use it, for building a workplace where people flourish even as AI turns up everywhere. Her argument is that culture doesn't survive this shift by accident. Somebody has to shape it on purpose.What you'll learn:Decide what your reclaimed 2.5 hours are actually for, then put them on your calendar.Name the moments AI will never own, and ask your AI which ones.Write a human value proposition, not just an employee value propositionGive purpose a line of sight: carry the stories of who your work serves.Make learning a team sport. Courses are outdated, become a micro university: capture learning in the moment.Episode Chapters: 00:00 - The essence of flourishing: energy and resilience06:37 - AI’s potential to help us flourish—or weaken connection17:43 - The seven factors of flourishing20:49 - Purpose and values as organizational building blocks38:00 - Generative leadership for sustainable performanceResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Bonnie DavisRecommended Reading: Still Human with AIHow to Build Organizations where Leaders and Teams Thrive with AI by Bonnie Davis andBijal Choksi.Connect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Only 39% of employees strongly agree that someone at work cares about them as a person, and that number has fallen faster than any other engagement measure since 2020.Zach Mercurio, organizational psychologist and author of The Power of Mattering, joins Ashish Kothari to explain why billions spent on recognition platforms and perks can't fix what only an interaction can, and shares the three research-backed practices leaders use to show people they're noticed, affirmed, and needed.You'll discover why people need to feel valued before they can add value, the "noticing notebook" that transformed a factory team, and the five words that instantly show someone they're relied on. If you lead people and want performance without burning them out, this conversation is for you.What You Will Learn:Value people before they perform, not after.Zach's research shows feeling seen and valued is what fuels performance, not a reward for it. Start with who someone is, not what they produce.Mattering is built through interactions, not programs.Belonging and inclusion respond to initiatives. Mattering, the sense that the group wouldn't be complete without you, is built one conversation at a time. Spend less on programs and more on your managers' daily interactions.Upgrade your thank-you with four parts.Name when and where it happened, the specific behavior, the person's unique gift, and the impact it made. "Good job" is appreciation. This is affirmation: it shows people exactly how they made a difference.Say the five words: "if it wasn't for you."Needing is the practice leaders score lowest on. Tell someone what wouldn't have happened without them. Tell people what you missed when they were gone. Being relied on, and knowing it, is one of our deepest needs at work.Episode Chapters: – 4-5 key stamps (Key moments YouTube)(00:29) Janitor study: a moment of mattering, a 30-year career(08:04) What mattering is(10:40) Why feeling valued comes before adding value(15:38) The three practices: noticing, affirming, and needing(17:47) The biggest gap: showing people they're relied on(36:45) Affirming: proof of impact and the four-part thank you(44:56) $50b in recognition can't replace one caring interaction(51:23) Three anti-mattering forces: distraction, busyness, and AIResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Zach MercurioRecommended Reading: The Power of MatteringHow Leaders Can Create a Culture of SignificanceConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Over half of us identify as generalists and most workplaces still aren't built for us.Siobhán O'Riordan, founder of Big Sea Strategies and author of Reframe, joins Ashish Kothari to make the case that in a world changing faster than any playbook, the "ubiquitous and yet unseen" generalist is exactly the talent leaders need.She shares the story behind her own pattern of "crushing it or crashing out," why fit beats effort every time, and three concrete moves any generalist can use to name their value and thrive in a system wired for specialists: know your value from the outside in, manage up to make it visible, and protect your range by saying no on purpose. A conversation for anyone who has ever felt like they didn't fit the org chart and for the leaders who keep losing their most adaptive people.What You Will Learn:Flourishing is a fit problem, not an effort problem.The same person, bringing the same energy, can thrive in one role and be shown the door in another. Before you push harder, examine the context: do you have the freedom, authority, and cover to do what you actually do well?Generalists are defined externally so define yourself first.Specialists come with built-in expectations; generalists don't. Ask five to ten colleagues what value you brought them, then learn to name how you think out loud: "I'm someone who sees patterns and gaps."Control your talents, or they will boss you around.A room full of ideas is a liability if you dump all 100. Know your strengths, bring the best three, and pair with people (and AI) who turn ideas into finished work. Generalists cannot work alone.In a fast-changing world, generalists lead adaptation.As "expert practitioners," they test, connect dots, and absorb the risk specialists can't. Think of the hospitalist who knows enough about every specialty to prioritize care for one whole patient.To thrive in a specialist world, get strategic.Know your value, stay connected to other generalists, and get smart about what you say no to. Don't fight gravity, build specialization where you must, and augment your gaps with technology and partnership.Episode Chapters: 00:00 Why fit matters more than effort01:08 Flourishing starts with self-knowledge03:40 What actually defines a generalist11:18 Expert practitioners and the hospitalist metaphor16:19 Crushing it or crashing out: Siobhán's story23:56 Context, freedom, and the right roles for generalists29:46 Turning curiosity into disciplined value34:36 How AI powers the one-person unicorn35:02 From seeing the pattern to naming it41:50 Thriving as a generalist in a specialist world44:44 Three moves you can make todayResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Siobhán O'RiordanRecommended Reading: ReframeHow Generalists Thrive in a Changing WorldConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessTEDx: How to make flourishing your competitive edgeYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Every year, 200,000 veterans leave the military and more than half can't get hired. But this isn't just a veteran story. It's a story about everyone whose talent the system was never built to see.AETHEON co-founders Marie Gill and Gina Jeneroux join Ashish Kothari to unpack one powerful idea: we don't have a talent problem, we have a problem translating real human experience into language employers can recognize. Across veterans, women returning to work, caregivers, and students, there is no shortage of capability. What's missing is the ability to see it, articulate it, and validate it.They explore why skills are the new currency of work, why the language women use on resumes quietly costs them interviews, how real-world skills validation beats keyword-screening, and the audacious idea that could change how every company makes workforce decisions: putting human capital on the balance sheet.What You Will Learn:People in transition don't need more talent. They need translation: a way to turn what they've lived into language the world can recognize and value.Veterans' skills are real. The hiring system just has no language for them.Skills without context are just labels. Proficiency level, recency, and complexity are what turn a skill into a signal employers can act on.Cutting people to fund AI often destroys more value than it saves. The 90% left behind only need to drop 1% in productivity to wipe out the gain.People appear on the income statement as a cost. Never on the balance sheet as an asset. Until that changes, they'll keep being the first thing cut.Students can now graduate with a skills transcript, not just a degree. Every experience, from babysitting to campus leadership, becomes a named, validated asset.Episode Chapters:0:00— Why military experience is often misunderstood in hiring0:22— Veterans transition out with real talent, but the market doesn’t see it0:54— The “jump master in the army” example1:09— Many people don’t have the language to explain their skills1:30— Translating experience into a form employers can understand2:05— Life experiences shouldn’t be left off resumes or LinkedIn3:04— Leaning into what people enjoy and celebrate about themselves13:33— Women often downplay their abilities on resumes and LinkedIn14:02— Culturally, women are expected to fit a certain mold, and when they don’t, people don’t know how to read their value49:12— Life experiences must be captured and promoted to tell the story of skills and proficiencyResources:Connect with the GuestsLinkedIn: Marie GillLinkedIn: Gina JenerouxRecommended viewing: Aetheon The skills operating system for the future of workConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Most companies treat employee retention as an HR problem.The data from hundreds of P&Ls says it's a leadership problem and the companies that figure that out first are the ones that consistently outperform.Rohit Bassi, McKinsey veteran, private equity operator, and author of People Priority, introduces a framework that is changing how business leaders think about their most valuable asset. Rohit calls it People Quotient, or PQ. Just as individuals have IQ and EQ, companies have PQ. The ones that measure it, invest in it, and build it deliberately are the ones that win.Rohit and, host, Ashish Kothari unpack why retention is not a metric to hand off to HR, why trust is the single most important element of any organizational design, and why the companies winning with small and medium sized businesses are the ones treating talent operations as a core business function not an afterthought.If you lead a team, run a business, or advise organizations on growth, this conversation will change how you think about your people strategy.What you will learn:How successful companies align leadership, structure, and talent systems to elevate their PQThe three leadership traits, drive, empowerment, and velocity, that fuel high performanceWhy most hiring processes are reactive and how to adopt a disciplined, systematic approachThe importance of trust and conflict management in fostering a high-trust cultureHow to use the “CAST” framework, clarity, accountability, structure, and trust for organizational designEpisode Chapters: 03:46 Rohit introduces the concept of People Quotient and how it was born from analyzing hundreds of P&Ls08:00 The three pillars of PQ: leadership capability, organizational design, and talent operations12:00 Why bad managers, not bad companies, are the primary reason people leave29:08 The real cost of attrition34:54 Retention as a leadership trait: what CEOs get wrong43:45 Talent operations: the three things companies consistently get wrong49:36 Why putting people first works from 3-person startups to 10,000 person organizations52:02 Closing reflections: people are not a support function, they are the strategyResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Rohit BassiRecommended Reading: People Priority The CEOs Blueprint for Winning Talent AcquisitionConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Most companies treat labor as a cost to be minimized. Zeynep Ton has spent two decades proving that's the most expensive mistake a business can make.Zeynep is a professor at MIT Sloan, founder of the Good Jobs Institute, and author of The Case for Good Jobs. Her research across retail, hospitality, and service industries has documented what companies like Costco, Trader Joe's, QuickTrip, and Mercadona figured out long before the rest — that investing in frontline workers is not a trade-off against profitability. It is the engine of it.In this conversation, Zeynep and Ashish Kothari break down the Good Jobs System in full — the four operational levers that create highly productive, motivating work, and the investment in people that makes it all sustainable. We talk about why the Toyota Production System fails when leaders skip its human foundation, why "lean and mean" isn't actually efficient, and what AI-driven companies are getting catastrophically wrong when they treat automation as a headcount reduction tool rather than a way to unlock human potential.This is not a conversation about being nice to employees. It is a conversation about building a system so competitive that others can't touch you.What You Will Learn:The real cost of high employee turnover on operational executionThe four elements of the Good Jobs System - and why you can't cherry-pickWhy operating with slack is the most counterintuitive and powerful operational choiceHow Costco's frontline workers outperform without performance-based bonusesWhy AI is either your greatest lever for human flourishing - or your fastest path to destroying trust.Episode Chapters:07:00 The vicious cycle: how "labor as cost" mindset creates operational collapse12:42 Improving customer value is the best way to grow profits15:03 The Good Jobs System explained: two pillars, four operational levers22:00 Focus and simplify: why fewer choices drive better frontline performance27:00 Standardize and empower: how clear standards create ownership, not compliance34:00 Cross-train: flexibility, motivation, and promoting from within43:00 Why operating with slack is strategic.49:33 How AI can either replace people or amplify human contributionResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Professor Zeynep TonRecommended Reading: The Good Jobs Strategy:How the Smartest Companies Invest in Employees to Lower Costs and Boost ProfitsConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

What if the quality that we’ve been told will weaken us - self-compassion - is actually the key to wellbeing, and higher performance?In this episode, Dr. Kristin Neff, the pioneering researcher who first defined and measured self-compassion, challenges one of the most persistent myths in high-performance culture: that being hard on yourself makes you better. It doesn't. Thirty years of research says otherwise.Kristin Neff unpacks how self-compassion isn’t self-pity or laziness, but a profound source of inner stability and flourishing, especially for leaders operating under relentless pressure. We explore why self-esteem is a fair-weather friend that deserts you the moment you fail and why unconditional self-worth is a far more stable foundation for growth and higher productivity. If you lead people, manage under pressure, or simply want to stop letting failure define you, this conversation will change how you think about what it means to thrive.What you will learn: Why self-compassion outperforms self-criticism for performance and growthThe three components of self-compassion and how to practice themHow just 20 seconds a day can measurably raise your self-compassion levelsWhy psychological safety must begin with the individual, not the organizationEpisode Chapters0:36 Introduction to Self-Compassion1:46: Common Myths About Self-Compassion5:32: The Shift from Self-Esteem to Self-Compassion17:28: Three components of Self Compassion17:54: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion39:22: Practical Self-Compassion Practices40:42: 20 Second Micro-Practice (UC Berkeley)RESOURCESConnect with the GuestLinkedIn: Dr. Kristin NeffRecommended Reading: Self Compassion: The power of being kind to yourselfFierce Self compassion: How to Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Your Power, and ThriveWebsite: selfcompassion.orgConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Feedback is something we often crave yet simultaneously fear. In this episode, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Dr. Brodie Riordan, an industrial-organizational psychologist and author of Feedback Fundamentals and Evidence-Based Practices. Brodie pulls back the curtain on the academic research surrounding feedback to provide a practical, "chewed up" version that anyone can use. They discuss why most people are unskilled at giving feedback, how to avoid the dreaded "feedback sandwich," and how to manage the emotional "gap" in our brains when we are on the receiving end. This conversation is essential for anyone looking to build a culture of high performance and psychological safety.Main Topics CoveredOverfunctioning in Feedback:Why providers should stop diagnosing intentions and start sharing observable data.The Victim Mindset in Receiving:How to move from feeling like feedback is "happening to you" to being an active participant.The "Mother Robin" Metaphor:Brodie’s mission to translate dense academic journals into accessible daily practices.The Four-Part Feedback Framework:Exploring the Provider, the Recipient, the Message, and the Context.Public vs. Private Self-Consciousness:Why giving feedback in front of others diverts cognitive resources away from learning.Process vs. Outcome Feedback:Why we value "negative" feedback during a task but "positive" feedback at the end.The Feedback Sandwich Critique:Why "sugarcoating" creates confusion and conditions people to wait for the other shoe to drop.Key TakeawaysStay on Your Side of the Net:You can only know what you observed (data) and how it impacted you. You cannot know the other person’s intention.Feedback is a Distance Measure:At its core, feedback is simply data measuring the distance between where you are and where you want to be.Emotions Move Faster than Cognition:When you receive feedback, your emotional brain reacts instantly. Rational thought takes hours or days to catch up—give yourself grace and time to process.The "Pre-Ask" Strategy:Ask for feedbackbeforean event (like a presentation) to lower the giver’s anxiety and ensure they capture specific, high-quality data.Check Your Intention:If your goal isn't to help the person improve their future behavior, but rather to make them feel small or exert power, do not give the feedback.Episode Chapters0:00 - 2:37Introduction: Feedback—The Gift We Fear2:38 - 5:44Common Mistakes: Overfunctioning and Diagnosing Intentions5:45 - 9:16The "Side of the Net" Concept and the Late-to-Meetings Story9:17 - 13:03Brodie’s Origin Story: Becoming a Feedback Convert13:04 - 15:55Defining Positive and Negative Feedback as Data15:56 - 18:43The Four-Part Framework: Provider, Recipient, Message, Context18:44 - 24:50Crafting the Message: SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact)24:51 - 33:01The Death of the Feedback Sandwich and the 3:1 Ratio33:02 - 35:28Process vs. Outcome Feedback: When Negative is Preferred35:29 - 39:58Context Matters: Timing, Medium, and Emotional Charge39:59 - 44:58The Seven-Step Process for Receiving Feedback44:59 - 49:03Feedback as a Dialogue: Aligning on Expectations49:04 - 53:53Three Actionable To-Dos and the Feedback PlaylistConnect with the GuestLinkedIn:Brodie RiordanThe Book:Feedback Fundamentals and Evidence-Based PracticesPlaylist:Brodie's Feedback Favorites{Insert link to playlist}Connect with the HostWebsite:Happiness SquadLinkedIn:Ashish KothariBook:Hardwired for HappinessCall to Action: Ready to close the gap between your intentions and your impact? Follow The Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with a colleague you want to grow with.Would you like me to help you draft your first "Pre-Ask" for feedback based on an upcoming project or presentation?

In this enlightening episode, host Ashish Kothari welcomes Pauline Leung, a former senior leader at L'Oreal turned high-performance coach and holistic health practitioner. Pauline shares her dramatic "wake-up call"—a motorbike accident in Vietnam—that shifted her from an overachieving, "victim-mindset" executive to a mindful leader. They demystify mindfulness, moving it away from "just meditation" to a moment-to-moment consciousness that is essential for high-stakes decision-making. Whether you are a corporate executive or an aspiring leader, this conversation provides a practical roadmap to leading with presence, clarity, and sustainable impact.Main Topics CoveredMindfulness vs. Meditation:Why mindfulness is a moment-to-moment choice of awareness, while meditation is a scheduled practice.The Consciousness Gap:How a leader's level of consciousness is the primary controllable factor in organizational suffering.Pauline’s Turning Point:A visceral story of burnout and a life-changing accident that led her to the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.The FLOW Framework:A deep dive into Pauline’s four pillars:Focus,Learning,Ownership, andWell-being.The "Empty Cup" Philosophy:Why leaders must unlearn what they think they know to upskill effectively.Ownership vs. Control:Redefining responsibility as setting the right conditions rather than micromanaging outcomes.Healing Childhood Wounds:Why owning your triggers and personal traumas is a prerequisite for leading others well.Key TakeawaysPresence is a Prerequisite:You cannot lead effectively if you are not present. Self-awareness allows you to respond to challenges instead of reacting to triggers.Learning is Teaching:Deepen your learning by sharing "aha moments" at the end of every meeting. If you haven't adapted or adopted something new, the meeting was a failure.Agency Over Victimhood:Shift from asking "Why is this happeningtome?" to "Why is this happeningforme?" This reframe builds resilience and reveals opportunities for growth.Own the Process, Not the Outcome:When leaders own the decision-makingprocessand invite team input, engagement and execution quality skyrocket.Flourishing is Performance:High performance is not a sprint; it is built on a foundation of holistic health—physical, emotional, and spiritual.Episode Chapters0:00 - 3:00Introduction and Mindfulness as a Leadership Skill3:01 - 6:29Consciousness: The controllable cause of Leadership Pain6:30 - 10:55Mindfulness is Moment-to-Moment Awareness10:56 - 16:53Pauline’s Journey: From L'Oreal GM to Saigon Intersection16:54 - 20:34Introduction to the FLOW Framework20:35 - 27:13Leadership as an "Olympic" Sport: The Support System Gap27:14 - 31:20Deep Dive on Learning: The "Forever Student" Intention31:21 - 35:50Overcoming the Victim Mindset: Situations Happening "For" You35:51 - 43:15Redefining Ownership: Responsibility without Micromanagement43:16 - 47:30Owning the Decision-Making Process to Drive Engagement47:31 - 54:20Rapid Fire Questions: Healing Traumas and The Leader With No TitleConnect with the GuestLinkedIn:Pauline LeungWebsite:PaulineLeung.comRecommended Reading:Peace Is Every Stepby Thich Nhat Hanh;The Leader Who Had No Titleby Robin Sharma.Connect with the HostWebsite:Happiness SquadLinkedIn:Ashish KothariBook:Hardwired for HappinessCall to Action: Are you ready to trade your "human doing" habits for a mindful way of being? Follow The Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with a leader who needs to refill their cup today.

In this inspiring episode, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Meghan French Dunbar, a "business anthropologist," entrepreneur, and author of This Isn't Working. Meghan shares her powerful "metamorphosis" journey—from a high-achieving CEO burnt out by age 34 to a leader who centers flourishing as the primary driver of success. They explore why the current model of leadership is fundamentally broken and how shifting the focus from productivity to the "quality of being" can transform organizational performance. This episode is a roadmap for leaders and high achievers who want to achieve high impact without destroying their well-being in the process.Main Topics CoveredThe Flourishing Transformation: Why replacing traditional markers of success with "flourishing" improves quality of work and life.The "Messy Middle": Meghan’s personal story of losing her identity during the pandemic and finding a new version of herself beyond achievement.The Opportunity Company Model: A deep dive into Torani, a company achieving 20% annual growth for 34 years by prioritizing people over profits.The Immorality of "Market Rate": Why paying a living wage is a baseline requirement for a high-performance, ethical culture.Autonomy and Dignity: How treating employees like "valuable adults" rather than toddlers unlocks massive discretionary effort and joy.Quality of Life as a Metric: Lessons from Sharon Rowe and Erin Wade on building businesses that support an "ideal life."Mainstreaming Conscious Business: How even giant firms like KKR are moving toward employee ownership models.Key TakeawaysLeading Indicators vs. Lagging Indicators: Financial performance is a lagging indicator; the growth, resilience, and well-being of your people are the true leading indicators.The Financial Cost of Insecurity: Distraction from financial stress reduces productivity by an average of seven hours per week.Schedule Joy: Joy isn't a byproduct of success; it’s a prerequisite. If joy isn't on your calendar (like surfing or dancing), it likely won't happen.Define "Enough": Breaking the internalized narrative of "more for the sake of more" allows you to maximize time for what truly matters.The Ideal Life Statement: Draft a clear vision of your priorities to act as a shield against ego-driven overachievement.Episode Chapters0:00 - 3:50 Introduction and the Conscious Capitalism Movement in Boulder3:51 - 6:20 Flourishing: Replacing "Quantity of Doing" with "Quality of Being"6:21 - 10:11 The Bob Chapman Philosophy: Measuring Success in Lives Touched10:12 - 15:20 Meghan’s Story: From High-Achiever Burnout to the "Messy Middle"15:21 - 18:55 The Framework: Purpose, Expansion, and Quality of Life18:56 - 23:03 Why Meaning at Work is Essential for Flourishing in Life23:04 - 27:40 Case Study: How Torani Achieved Billion-Dollar Growth27:41 - 31:26 Autonomy: The Antidote to Disenfranchisement31:27 - 37:45 Financial Resilience: Redoing Compensation Structures37:46 - 43:11 Quality of Life: Choosing Greatness Over Size43:12 - 48:36 The Evergreen Model: Moving Beyond Corrupted Venture Capital48:37 - 52:45 Micro-Action 1: Identifying and Scheduling Joy52:46 - 55:36 Micro-Action 2: Defining Your "Enough" Number55:37 - 58:19 Micro-Action 3: Drafting Your Ideal Life StatementConnect with the GuestConnect with Meghan French DunbarBook: This Isn't Workinghttps://bookshop.org/a/2344/9781541704862Substack: What's Workinghttps://meghanfrenchdunbar.substack.com/Podcast: Better Than Thishttps://www.meghanfrenchdunbar.com/podcastPersonal Website:https://www.meghanfrenchdunbar.comConnect with the HostHappiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquadCall to Action: Is your current leadership model working? Follow The Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with a fellow overachiever who is ready to step off the hamster wheel and start flourishing.

The most powerful leader in the room isn't always the smartest—often, it’s the one who is most present. In this episode, Ashish Kothari is joined by Sophie MacLaren, a leadership consultant and mindfulness expert at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. They dive deep into why mindfulness is far more than just meditation, exploring how a calm, present mind is a biological necessity for long-term strategic thinking and high performance. Whether you are navigating the complexities of AI or leading a global team, this conversation will help you move from a state of "overstimulation" to one of "relaxed power."Inside the Episode:* [00:00] – The unique journey of being raised in a mindfulness tradition from age nine.* [09:30] – Why an overstimulated mind weakens your ability to think long-term and lead effectively.* [18:45] – Mindfulness vs. Meditation: Understanding the "State" vs. the "Trait."* [27:15] – The Neuroscience of Presence: How the prefrontal cortex shuts down under stress.* [35:50] – Why the most effective leaders are often the most relaxed people in the room.* [44:10] – Wisdom and AI: Navigating the future of technology with a human-centric mind.* [55:20] – Re-humanizing leadership through retreats and deep-work practices.* [1:05:00] – A special invitation to the upcoming Flourishing Retreat.Key Takeaways:* Presence is Power: High-stakes leadership requires the ability to stay relaxed and present, allowing for clearer decision-making and authentic connection.* The "Micro-Habit" of Awareness: Mindfulness isn't about clearing your head; it’s about noticing when you’ve drifted and coming back to the current moment.* Protecting the Prefrontal Cortex: Chronic stress and overstimulation force us into "reptilian brain" thinking, which kills creativity and empathy.* Leading the AI Revolution: As technology advances, the "uniquely human" traits of compassion, wisdom, and presence become a leader's most valuable assets.Connect with The Happiness Squad:- Website: Happiness Squadhttps://happinesssquad.com/- Ashish Kothari on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/- LinkedIn: Happiness Squad Pagehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/happiness-squad- Instagram: @myhappinesssquadhttps://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad- Facebook: Happiness Squad https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/If you enjoyed this episode, please Follow, Rate, and Share it with someone who is ready to lead with more clarity and joy. Join us as we hardwire happiness and mindful leadership into the world.

Are you a leader who drains energy or one who generates it? In this episode, Ashish Kothari sits down with Dr. Katina Sawyer, co-author of Leading for Wellness, to redefine what it means to be a "Generator" leader. They explore how to bridge the gap between high performance and human-centric wellness by shedding the "robotic mask" and showing up as a whole person. Whether you lead a small team or a global organization, this conversation offers a practical masterclass in hardwiring flourishing into the modern workplace.Inside the Episode:* [00:00] – The definition of a "Generator" leader and why it matters.* [08:45] – Moving beyond perks: Why wellness is about culture, not gym memberships.* [15:20] – The Trillion-Dollar Cost: The business case for human-centric leadership.* [22:10] – "Firing Your Work Self": Why authenticity is your greatest leadership superpower.* [31:05] – Emotional Contagion: How your state of mind ripples through your team and their families.* [40:15] – Creating "Pockets of Flourishing" even in toxic corporate environments.* [48:30] – The Legacy of Leadership: Choosing how you want to be remembered.Key Takeaways:* Wellness is an Outcome: High-performance cultures are "baked" through psychological safety and supportive relationships, not just added as "icing" through benefits.* The Power of Vulnerability: When leaders show up as "whole humans," they give their team permission to do the same, unlocking deeper engagement.* Your Sphere of Influence: You don’t need a CEO’s mandate to change how you show up for your immediate team today.* Sustainable Success: Protecting your own energy is the essential first step toward becoming a generator for others.Connect with Dr. Katina Sawyer:- Order the Book: Leading for Wellnesshttps://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.workrbeeing.com/book- LinkedIn: Katina Sawyer, Ph.D.https://www.linkedin.com/in/katina-sawyer-ph-d/- Instagram: @workrbeeinghttps://www.instagram.com/workrbeeing/Connect with Ashish & The Happiness Squad:- Website: Happiness Squadhttps://happinesssquad.com/- Ashish Kothari on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/- Instagram: @myhappinesssquadhttps://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/If you found value in this conversation, please Follow, Rate, and Share this episode. Join us in our mission to hardwire happiness and mindful leadership into the world. Together, let’s make flourishing the new standard for success.#Leadership #Wellness #HappinessSquad #HighPerformance #MindfulLeadership #FlourishingEdge

In this transformative episode, host Ashish Kothari welcomes Jack Swift—a West Point graduate, former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger, and tech CEO—to discuss his groundbreaking new book, Level 7 Leadership: The Blueprint for the Human-Machine Era. Jack argues that in an age of exponential AI growth, the most critical leadership skill isn't "doing" more; it’s "being" more. We explore why traditional linear leadership models are "blue-screening" in the modern world and how cultivating internal coherence is the only way to lead teams that move with the speed and fluid trust of a murmuration of birds.Main Topics CoveredBeing vs. Doing: Why our "human doing" habits are causing us to suboptimize performance and burn out.Internal Coherence: Aligning the gut, heart, and brain to create a stable internal state that cascades through an organization.The "Ammonia" of Stress: A visceral look at how extreme stress physically manifests in high-pressure boardrooms and battlefields.Relational Alignment: Why trust is the "speed of light" for any organization and how to build it through radical honesty.The "I Don't Know" Advantage: How admitting ignorance and mistakes builds an upward spiral of psychological safety and learning.Systemic Learning: Moving away from "PowerPoint Theater" toward raw, real-time data loops and "edge listening."L7 (Level Seven): The Agentic Coach: An introduction to Jack’s AI agent designed to help leaders move from knowing to doing.Key TakeawaysYour State is Your Reality: The internal condition of the leader determines the creative capacity of the team. A fear-based state limits innovation; a coherent state unlocks it.The "Do-Be-Do" Rhythm: Effective leadership isn't about constant meditation; it’s about taking intentional "being" pauses (like box breathing) to inform high-impact "doing."Trust is Mandatory for Speed: You cannot outwork a machine, but you can out-trust a competitor. High-trust teams operate in a "murmuration" state, sensing and reacting as one unit.Listen to the Edges: The most valuable insights often come from the most junior members or those on the periphery who see the world without the "film" of past experience.Intuition is LiDAR: In a world moving too fast for historical data (the rearview mirror) to be relevant, training your intuition is essential for navigating uncertainty.Episode Chapters0:00 - 3:10 Introduction: The Survival Struggle of Modern Leaders3:11 - 8:44 The Big Idea: Being as the Primary Driver of Doing8:45 - 14:30 Coherence Defined: Heart Math and the Battle for Clarity14:31 - 21:05 The TIFIN Story: When Old Frameworks "Blue-Screen"21:06 - 28:47 Shifting States: Learning from Elite Athletes and Special Ops28:48 - 34:36 The One-Minute Mindset: Rhythmic Entrainment in the Boardroom34:37 - 40:41 Relational Alignment: Why Servant Leadership is Evolving40:42 - 45:35 The Power of "I Don't Know" and "I Made a Mistake"45:36 - 50:21 Aspirational Teams: Moving Like a Murmuration50:22 - 57:18 Systemic Learning: Dropping the "Theater" for Raw Data57:19 - 1:03:03 LiDAR vs. Rearview Mirrors: The Future of Intuition1:03:04 - 1:08:19 Rapid Fire: L7 AI Agent and Closing Micro-ActionsConnect with the GuestLinkedIn: Jack SwiftThe Book: Level 7 Leadership: The Blueprint for the Human + Machine EraCommunity: Sangha Conscious LeadershipStop "blue-screening" and start leading. Follow The Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with one leader who is ready to upgrade their internal operating system.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

In this eye-opening episode of Flourishing Edge, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Kweilin Ellingrud, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and co-author of The Broken Rung. While much attention is paid to the "glass ceiling" at the top of organizations, Kweilin’s research reveals that the most significant barrier to women’s advancement—and specifically women of color—happens at the very first step to manager. We unpack why educational achievements aren't translating into promotions, the hidden value of "experience capital," and how the disparity in sponsorship versus mentorship quietly stalls promising careers. This episode provides a data-backed blueprint for individuals looking to take agency over their advancement and for leaders committed to building truly equitable talent pipelines.Main Topics CoveredThe Broken Rung Defined: Why the first promotion to manager is the biggest point of inequality in the talent pipeline.The Education Paradox: Why women out-earn men in college degrees but stall at the entry level.Picking the Right Company: Why the organization you choose matters more for lifetime earnings than your specific job or boss.Experience Capital: Understanding the skills, knowledge, and wisdom learned on the job that account for half of lifetime income.The Sponsorship Gap: Why women are often over-mentored but under-sponsored, and how to fix it.Network Structures: The difference between open and closed networks and why mixing personal and professional circles is a career accelerator.Skill Signaling: How to quantify and communicate social and emotional skills for better career rewards.Key TakeawaysFix the Rung to Fix the Top: You cannot equalize the C-suite without first fixing the first promotion to manager; the "talent funnel" math simply won't work otherwise.Sponsorship is the Game-Changer: Mentors provide advice, but sponsors create opportunities. Aim for 2–3 active sponsors who will advocate for you when you aren't in the room.Beware the "Narrow" Network: Women are statistically more likely to have junior, gender-homogenous networks. Diversify your network across levels, functions, and genders to increase your "reach."Make "Big Bold Moves": To maximize experience capital, aim for roles where 25% or more of the required skills are new to you.Stay Near the "Cash Register": Spending time in the "Power Alley"—the functions that drive a company's revenue and profit—builds unrivaled credibility and career acceleration.Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Kweilin EllingrudThe Book: The Broken RungMcKinsey Research: Women in the Workplace ReportDon't let your career stall at the entry level. Follow Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with a colleague or mentor to start building the sponsorship bridge today.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

In this vital episode, host Ashish Kothari kicks off the new year by tackling a topic that affects half the global population but remains shrouded in "perimenopause blindness." Guest Kacy Fleming, a healthcare veteran and founder of The Fuchsia Tent, shares her harrowing personal journey through a transition she wasn't prepared for. Together, they break down why menopause isn't just a private "bothersome" health issue, but a critical business priority impacting productivity, retention, and $26.6 billion in annual U.S. healthcare costs. This is an essential conversation for leaders of all genders to understand the "midlife collision" and how to support their most experienced workforce.Main Topics CoveredThe "Blindness" Epidemic: Why both men and women often fail to recognize perimenopause symptoms, attributing them instead to stress or life crises.The Business Case for Care: Analyzing the billions lost to absenteeism, turnover, and "presenteeism" due to unsupported hormonal transitions.The Midlife Collision: Navigating the "barge" of a booming career and demanding home life while riding a hormonal roller coaster.Fragmented Symptoms: Moving beyond hot flashes to understand the cognitive fatigue, anxiety, and "anhedonia" (loss of joy) that impact work performance.The 3H Framework for Leaders: A strategic approach involving Healthcare (policies), Help (leadership skills), and HRT/Therapy access.Clinical Advocacy: The importance of seeking menopause-trained clinicians and moving past dismissive medical advice.Key Takeaways Menopause is a Biomarker: Symptoms like night sweats aren't just uncomfortable; they are biomarkers for future cardio-metabolic and neurodegenerative health.Clarity Follows Physiology: Before blowing up a career or relationship during a midlife crisis, check if your "lens" is clouded by hormonal fluctuations.Universal Leadership Skills: Supporting menopause doesn't require "special treatment"—it requires the universal skill of having compassionate, difficult conversations.Audit, Don't Just Add: Before buying new "wellness apps," audit your current health plans for $0 co-pays on HRT and remove "step edits" that delay proper care.Pay Now or Pay Later: Organizations can invest in proactive care now or pay much higher costs later in the form of healthcare claims and lost talent.Connect with the Guest Website: The Fuchsia TentLinkedIn: Kacy FlemingFree Resource: The Greene Scale (Symptom Tracker)Don't let your top talent suffer in silence. Follow The Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with a colleague or leader to start the conversation that grows the pie for everyone. __________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

In this profound episode, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Jessica Grossmeier, a leading authority in workplace well-being with nearly 30 years of experience. Jessica bridges the gap between hard science and the "soft" concepts of purpose, connection, and transcendence. They discuss the current crisis of burnout and loneliness, but more importantly, the actionable "individual playbook" found in Jessica’s new book, Well at Work. This conversation is a call to move from merely knowing the research to embodying practices that foster spiritual groundedness and peak performance.Main Topics CoveredThe State of Work: Why employee engagement and loneliness are at critical levels despite a corporate focus on efficiency.The "Science to Action" Gap: How to move beyond head nods from executives to genuine organizational transformation.Workplace Spirituality: Redefining spirituality as a connection to something bigger and its impact on the "inner void."Self-Transcendent Mental States: Understanding the physiological and psychological benefits of awe, flow, and joy.The Power of Presence: Why high-end physical workspaces are a waste without the practice of mindful attention.Fostering Flow: The "monotasking" revolution and how to protect deep work in a world of 42 disruptions per hour.Replenishing Routines: Practical "Micro-Recoveries" to charge your inner battery throughout the workday.Key TakeawaysSpirituality as Resilience: Science (including neuroimaging) shows that a spiritual life—a quest for meaning and connection—builds a more resilient brain and protects against cognitive decline.Awe at Work: You don't need a trip to the Grand Canyon to experience awe; focused attention on nature (even via a window or VR) can trigger a sense of connection that reduces stress.Monotasking is a Superpower: Multitasking results in a 10–20% productive loss. Protecting "deep work" containers is essential for creative and error-free output.The "Micro-Recovery" Strategy: Much like high-performance athletes, workers must integrate recovery (Vitamin M/Movement, journaling, awe walks) into their day to sustain high performance.Intention over Policy: Culture changes when individuals set an intention for how to show up and hold each other accountable to those values.Episode Chapters0:00 - 4:16 Loneliness, Burnout, and the Current State of Work4:17 - 10:25 Bridging the Gap: Moving from Research to Genuine Action10:26 - 15:25 Jessica’s Breaking Point: Breaking a Jaw and Finding Spirituality15:26 - 19:15 The Awakened Brain: The Neuroscience of Spirituality19:16 - 22:50 The Lever of Transcendence: Awe, Joy, and Flow22:51 - 26:33 Fostering Presence in the Mundane Tasks of Work26:34 - 32:39 Case Study: OCB Holdings and the Culture of Care32:40 - 38:00 Social Connection: Transforming Small Talk into Heart Work38:01 - 41:42 The Flow Deficit: Protecting Deep Work in Disrupted Environments41:43 - 46:19 Replenishing Routines: Moving from Doing to Being46:20 - 51:42 Vitamin M, Awe Walks, and Charging Your Inner BatteryConnect with the GuestWebsite: JessicaGrossmeier.comBooks: Well at Work and Reimagining Workplace Well-beingFree Resource: Workplace Spirituality Practice GuideDon't wait for your organization to change. Follow The Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with a colleague who needs a "Micro-Recovery" boost today.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

In this vibrant episode, host Ashish Kothari welcomes "reinventability queen" Nataly Kogan. Nataly's journey is a masterclass in metamorphosis—from arriving in the US as a refugee to a career at McKinsey, venture capital, and tech entrepreneurship, and now her ultimate evolution as a professional artist and speaker. They dive deep into Nataly’s Reinventability Framework, a structured yet creative approach to becoming more of who you are meant to be. This episode is for anyone feeling stuck in a career that looks good on paper but feels soul-crushing, and for leaders looking to foster a culture of growth and innovation.Main Topics CoveredDefining Reinventability:Why reinvention isn't about becoming someone new, but about uncovering the dimensions of yourself that have been waiting to emerge.Step 1: The Zone of Greatness:How to find the intersection of what you love, what you're great at, and where you want to have an impact.Step 2: Possibility-Driven Thinking:Moving from a "map of obstacles" to a "map of possibilities" by quieting the brain’s negativity bias.Step 3: Challenging Limiting Beliefs:Using the story of a world-record hot dog eater to prove that psychological barriers are just stories we tell ourselves.Step 4: Act to Learn:Why clarity and confidence only emergeafteraction, and how to use 14-day "activation sprints."Step 5: Evolve and Experiment:Lessons from James Dyson’s 5,126 "failures" and the importance of measuring progress backwards.The Alchemist & Personal Legends:The spiritual and psychological cost of rejecting your true calling.Key TakeawaysAuthentic Impact:Just because your work is impactful for others doesn't mean it’s meaningful for you. True flourishing requires the bridge to be built on both sides.Greatness is Effortless:Your "Zone of Greatness" often involves things that come so easily to you that you might discount them as "not real work."Action Creates Clarity:Stop trying to plan your way into a new life. Take small, "pivotal experiments" to generate the data you need to move forward.Measure the Gain, Not the Gap:Looking at how far you have to go kills motivation. Looking back at the actions you've taken this week builds the "blocks" of confidence.The Cost of Inaction:Staying disconnected from your personal legend is a primary source of mental and physical suffering.Connect with the GuestWebsite:NatalyKogan.comLinkedIn:Nataly KoganBook:It's Okay to Be Awesome / Happier Now

In this insightful episode, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Eleanor Allen—a powerhouse leader who has navigated the peaks of the engineering world, led global social impact as the CEO of Water for People, and served as CEO of B Lab. Eleanor shares her "accidental" discovery of inner development and how moving from a rigid, "controlled" masculine leadership style to one of vulnerability and radical self-awareness transformed not just her life, but her global organization. This conversation is a must-listen for leaders who feel they must carry the world on their shoulders and are looking for a more sustainable, joyful, and high-performance way to lead.Main Topics CoveredThe Leader’s Mirror:Why an organization’s state of being is a direct reflection of its leader’s personal flourishing.The Engineer's Armor:Eleanor’s journey from a "got all the answers" professional upbringing to embracing vulnerability.Leading Through Crisis:How the lack of a "COVID playbook" forced a shift toward asking for help and experimenting.Head, Heart, and Plate:A simple, powerful meeting ritual to build connective tissue and psychological safety in teams.The Drama Triangle & Responsibility:Understanding your share of responsibility in workplace conflict.For-Profit vs. Non-Profit Flourishing:Common drivers and unique stressors (like the "philanthropy myth") in different sectors.The Flourishing Leader Summit:A preview of the upcoming Denver/Boulder intensive on April 29th.Key TakeawaysSelf-Care is Organizational Care:Leaders stuck in "survival mode" cannot create thriving ecosystems; your personal well-being is a strategic priority, not an indulgence.Vulnerability is a Catalyst:Admitting you don't have the answers during uncertain times invites the team to step up, innovate, and co-create solutions.Mattering and Appreciation:The universal need to feel valued is often the simplest and most effective lever for increasing engagement in any sector.Measure What Matters:Move beyond superficial "wellness perks" and start measuring root causes like absenteeism, financial stress, and psychological safety.The Power of Slower:Being "calmer" and more intentional in decision-making leads to better outcomes and more trusting team dynamics.

Stop wasting 50% of your time in unproductive meetings and start leveraging the "Flourishing Edge." In this episode, Ashish Kothari sits down with John Betancourt, CEO of Humantelligence, to discuss how a 10-minute behavioral assessment can transform corporate culture from the bottom up. This episode is for leaders, HR innovators, and team members who are tired of miscommunication and want to unlock higher performance through science-based radical self-awareness. Discover why the future of work isn't just about AI replacing tasks, but about AI making us more human.Main Topics CoveredThe "Transformational" Meeting:How behavioral insights can redesign agendas, optimize group discussions, and ensure every voice is heard.John’s Leadership Journey:Lessons fromProctor & Gamble, Wharton, and interviewing over 5,000 C-suite executives.The Three Pillars of Success:Why good judgment, managing by influence, and deep self-awareness are the ultimate markers of a great leader.The Science of "Ask Aura":A look at how Humantelligence measures behaviors, motivators, and work energizers in just 10 minutes.Culture as a Dynamic Force:Why a "one-size-fits-all" corporate culture is a myth and how sub-cultures vary by function and geography.Operationalizing Insight:How to move beyond "personality tests in a drawer" by integrating AI coaching into Slack, Teams, and Outlook.The "Mood Meter":A simple, non-tech ritual to foster compassion and psychological safety within teams.Key TakeawaysAgile Leadership:True leadership isn't about telling people what to do; it’s about becoming "five different people" to meet each direct report where they are.Duality is an Asset:High-performing teams embrace the tension between opposites—being both deliberate and decisive, or conceptual and detail-oriented.The Power of Misperception:The highest level of self-awareness is understanding how you aremisperceivedby others and having the tools to course-correct.AI as a "Human" Enabler:AI should be used as a "vitamin" to enhance soft skills and empathy, rather than just a "painkiller" for administrative tasks.Connect with John BetancourtWebsite:HumantelligenceLinkedIn:John Betancourt(Note: Profile URL uses legal name)Tool:Explore Ask Aura

In this eye-opening episode, host Ashish Kothari sits down with positive psychology expert Llewellyn van Zyl to confront the double-edged sword of Artificial Intelligence. As AI shifts from a productivity tool to a source of "psychological support," we explore the thin line between technology that empowers us and technology that erodes our core human faculties. Whether you are a business leader, a mental health professional, or a curious tech user, this conversation matters because it defines the exact moment we must choose to remain the architects of our own flourishing before the algorithms do it for us. Main Topics Covered Hyperpersonalization vs. Scaling: How AI can provide granular, 1:1 care at a global scale.The "Friendship" Trap: A look at the ethical fallout when users become emotionally addicted to empathic AI models.Substitution vs. Support: The critical distinction between tools that help us grow and those that make our cognitive "muscles" atrophy.The Erosion of Agency: Why outsourcing our reasoning to AI might lead to a loss of autonomy and critical thinking.The AI-IARA Framework: An introduction to Llewellyn’s model for psychologically safe AI design (Awareness, Interpretation, Intention, Action, Relational Agency, and Autonomy).The Future of the Psychology Profession: Why practitioners must learn the language of engineers to remain relevant.The AI and Future of Well-being Summit: A preview of the upcoming global gathering of experts. Key Takeaways Skills are Muscles: When we outsource basic tasks like writing, spelling, or reasoning to AI, we don't just save time—we physically lose the cognitive capacity to perform those skills through "frictionless" living.Guard Against Engagement-Only Models: Much like social media, AI systems optimized for "eyeballs" rather than "impact" risk creating dependency and addiction rather than genuine flourishing.Demand Technological Humility: It is vital for professionals to admit what they don't know about AI to prevent harm and ensure that human-centric values are built into the "behavioral architecture" of new tools.Prioritize Agency: True well-being is the ability to write your own life story. We must ensure AI remains a partner in that process, not the author. Episode Chapters 00:00 - 00:52 Introduction to Flourishing Edge 00:53 - 02:04 Hyperpersonalization: The Future of Well-being 02:05 - 06:02 The Ethics of AI Friendship and Emotional Dependency 06:03 - 09:05 Moving Beyond the "Engagement" Business Model 09:06 - 15:06 The Continuum: Substitution vs. Support 15:07 - 18:03 Cognitive Atrophy and Technological Humility 18:04 - 24:14 Llewellyn’s Journey: From Clinical Burnout to Precision Well-being 24:15 - 31:42 Why Tech Needs Psychologists (and Vice-Versa) 31:43 - 40:20 Preview: AI and the Future of Well-being Summit 40:21 - 46:22 Deep Dive into the AIR Framework 46:23 - 50:25 Three Actionable Tips for Using AI Mindfully 50:26 - 54:19 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Remarks Connect with the Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/llewellynvanzyl/ IPPA’s Virtual Summit on AI and the Future of Wellbeing (Late March): http://aisummit.ippanetwork.org/ (Use code for 10% discount) Connect with the Host Website: https://happinesssquad.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/ Book: https://happinesssquad.com/book/ If this episode challenged the way you look at your smartphone, don't keep it to yourself! Follow The Flourishing Edge, like this episode, and share it with a friend who is navigating the world of AI. Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/ Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/happiness-squad Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with Beck Sydow, Founder of HumanKind Business Leaders, former CEO of StickerGiant, and executive with a rich background in operations and mental health.Together, they explore why so many leaders want flourishing workplaces but struggle to create them—and reveal the missing ingredient:Shared human dignity.Beck introduces her transformative model of People-Hearted + Business-Minded leadership, showing how fear, core wounds, and over-indexing on one side of leadership keep organizations stuck in survival mode. She shares a roadmap for leaders to reconnect with their intrinsic worth, regulate their nervous systems, and lead in ways that create sustainable organizational health and performance.This is not a conversation about theory—it’s about lived experience, emotional truth, and the real work leaders must do to cultivate conditions where people and businesses thrive.🎯 Key Topics Covered1. What Flourishing Really Means at WorkWhy flourishing requires both performance and well-beingThe five essential elements: meaning, energy, growth, abundance mindset, and belongingWhy businesses flourish when their people flourish2. The Missing Foundation: Human DignityHow disconnection from our own worth derails leadershipUnderstanding dignity as birthright—for ourselves and for every person we leadWhy programs fail when leaders haven’t done the inner work3. Fear as the Real Barrier to FlourishingHow fear creates armor, perfectionism, overachieving, people-pleasing, or disconnectionThe way fear masquerades as productivity or “high standards”Founders’ core wounds and how they shape leadership behavior4. The People-Hearted + Business-Minded ModelBalancing targets with operating conditionsThe danger of over-indexing on either business needs or people needsHow to hold two truths at once to access wisdom, creativity, and possibility5. Building Cultures of Shared Human DignityWhy leaders must go first—before rolling out programs to their teamsWhy belonging, trust, and psychological safety emerge from leadership embodimentHow to navigate tension, conflict, and accountability humanely6. Letting People Go with DignityWhy leaders wait too long—and how avoidance is rooted in fearPractices that help leaders handle heartbreak without shutting downHow honesty, compassion, and clarity shorten recovery for everyone involved7. Moving from Fear → Possibility → WonderRegulating the nervous system to move out of survival modeInquiry-based practices leaders can use in difficult momentsWhat a regulated, dignified leadership presence looks and feels like8. Three Actionable Steps for LeadersReturn to Yourself – Ask “Where am I right now?” to soften fear and re-enter awareness.Identify What’s Happening – Recognize whether you’re in fear, possibility, or grounded presence.Make One Active Choice – Even a tiny aligned action builds agency and breaks fear cycles.👤 Connect with Beck Sydow:Founder, HumanKind Business LeadersFormer CEO, StickerGiant | Operations Leader | Mental Health + Well-Being PractitionerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becksydow/Beck brings a rare blend of operational excellence, leadership experience, and deep training in contemplative psychotherapy—making her uniquely qualified to guide leaders through meaningful, transformative change.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if rising healthcare costs, burnout, and disengagement weren’t people problems—but system problems? In this episode, Ashish Kothari speaks with actuary and health strategist Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella to explore flourishing as a business strategy, anti-inflammatory workplaces, and how culture, leadership, and benefits design directly impact health, performance, and cost.Key Topics CoveredWhy flourishing is a strategic lever for CEOs and CFOsCulture as a hidden driver of health risk and performanceAnti-inflammatory vs. inflammatory workplacesThe limits of traditional employee benefits and cost-shiftingDesigning equitable, accessible, and preventive health benefitsManager trust, psychological safety, and engagement declineEmotional intelligence as a performance differentiatorThe SAFE framework for individual clarity, reflection, and better decisionsConnect with Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaquelineoc/__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if leadership, performance, and fulfillment all began with inner growth? In this deep and expansive conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with former Coca-Cola executive Ahmet to explore Soulgery —a powerful, practical framework for lifelong growth, meaning, impact, and resilience. This episode bridges leadership, psychology, spirituality, and performance into a lived, actionable model for flourishing.Key Topics Covered:Why every business is ultimately a people businessSoulgery: a holistic model for personal growth and self-leadershipThe inner vs. outer self and the role of awarenessThe four acts of growth: direction, impact, excellence, and resilienceHow meaning, love, and wisdom shape leadership and fulfillmentPerforming with excellence through rhythm, not perfectionResponding vs. reacting to life’s challengesGrowth as a lifelong, interconnected journeyConnect with Ahmet Bozer:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmetbozer/__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if building a great business mattered more than building a big one? In this episode, Jean Moncrieff shares hard-won lessons from entrepreneurship, Small Giants, and purpose-driven leadership—revealing how values, people, and intentional growth create long-term success without burnout.🔑 Key Topics CoveredWhy chasing revenue alone leads to burnout and stalled growthPurpose-driven leadership vs. survival-mode entrepreneurshipSmall Giants principles: values, people-first culture, intentional growthHow leadership growth must match business growthEarly warning signs founders are stuck in fear, firefighting, or plateauRedefining success beyond profit, scale, and vanity metricsIf you’re a founder, executive, or leader feeling stuck, exhausted, or disconnected from your original mission—this conversation offers a powerful reframe: profit is the outcome, not the purpose. Flourishing starts with people, values, and leadership from the inside out.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if guilt—not ambition—is the real burnout driver for working mothers? In this powerful conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with Mary Sheehan to unpack why high-performing women feel stuck in a no-win game—and how leaders and individuals can redesign work to truly flourish.This episode blends lived experience, leadership insight, and science-backed practices to help working parents move from exhaustion and self-blame to clarity, boundaries, and sustainable performance.Key Topics CoveredWhy guilt is the #1 struggle for working mothers—and how societal expectations amplify itValues-based decision making as a practical antidote to burnoutThe hidden cost of broken corporate systems: RTO mandates, inflexibility, childcare, and unpaid parental leaveLeadership’s role in inclusion: why flexibility and outcomes-based work benefit everyoneMary’s powerful concept of the “Minimum Viable Person (MVP)”—small daily practices that restore energy and identityMicro-practices for self-compassion, nervous system regulation, and resilienceHow leaders at every level can redesign teams to support parents without sacrificing performanceOnly ~20% of people are thriving at work—and working mothers are disproportionately paying the price. This conversation reframes flourishing not as a perk, but as a strategic leadership responsibility and a deeply human necessity.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if putting people first wasn’t just the right thing to do—but the smartest business strategy? In this episode of the Flourishing Edge Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with David Hughes of BCR Engineering to explore how trust, relationships, and human-centered leadership create thriving teams, resilient cultures, and long-term performance.Key Topics CoveredWhy people-first leadership drives sustainable profit and performanceHow true and honest relationships build trust with employees and clientsMoving from annual performance reviews to developmental check-insCreating psychological safety and distributed leadershipSupporting employee growth, well-being, and individual “genius”Navigating crises with strong culture and deep relationshipsPractical examples of human-centered workplace practices that workDavid Hughes is a leader at BCR Engineering, a company known for prioritizing employee well-being, trust, and long-term relationships as the foundation of success.🔗 Connect with David Hughes & BCR EngineeringWebsite: https://www.bcreng.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bcr-engineering🎧 Subscribe to Flourishing Edge Podcast for weekly conversations on leadership, culture, and unlocking human potential through flourishing.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

In this deeply human and science-backed conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with Crystal Fernando to explore why today’s burnout, overwhelm, and underperformance signal a human capacity crisis—not a performance problem. Together, they unpack how leaders can reclaim stability, agency, and humanity to thrive in a fast-changing, AI-driven world.Key Topics Covered:The human capacity crisis vs. traditional performance challengesWhy stability must come before agility in leadership and organizationsThe neuroscience of safety, mindset, and intentional focusCrystal’s SIMPLE framework for sustainable leadership and flourishingMoving from busyness to intention and from reaction to clarityHow empathy fuels innovation, trust, and long-term performanceLetting go of control to unlock flow, creativity, and resiliencePractical micro-practices to restore agency and calm in daily workThis episode is a powerful invitation to slow down, reconnect with what makes us human, and redesign work so people—and performance—can truly flourish.Connect with Crystal:Founding Partner and CEO, Whatbox Innovation Partnershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/crys-fernando/__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if your company’s greatest competitive edge wasn’t technology or strategy — but culture?In this inspiring episode of The Flourishing Edge Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Jeffrey Schmitz, CEO of Zebra Technologies, to explore how the global tech leader is redefining success through its brand philosophy: Better Every Day.From engineering to marketing to becoming Chief People Officer and now CEO, Jeff’s career journey embodies a human-centered approach to leadership — one that proves people and purpose are at the heart of innovation and performance. Together, they dive deep into how flourishing cultures, inclusive leadership, and continuous learning create long-term business success in a rapidly changing, AI-driven world.Key Insights & Takeaways:🧭The heart of leadership:Why people, not products or profits, define the true strength of a company.🌱The power of purpose:How Zebra Technologies built its “Better Every Day” brand around continuous improvement and collective growth.🤝Culture as a competitive edge:How Zebra successfully merged two massive companies (Zebra + Motorola Enterprise) through shared experiences, not slogans.Why culture must bedefined, invested in,andlived— not left to chance.💬Belonging as survival:How inclusion and belonging fuel creativity, innovation, and retention across 54 countries and 9,900+ employees.🚀Ownership and growth:Why the key to flourishing careers is never outsourcing your development — and how Zebra empowers employees to own their Individual Development Plans (IDPs).🧠Happiness & resilience:Jeff’s personal“5-3-2” practice— five gratitudes, three acts of kindness, and two minutes to reset before reentering family life — and why positivity, hard work, and curiosity are his “three foundations for success.”🤖Leading in the age of AI:How Zebra is creating safe AI sandboxes for experimentation and play.Why curiosity is now a hiring requirement and the key to thriving in a fast-changing tech landscape.🌍The future of flourishing leadership:Practical advice for executives who want to build purpose-driven, adaptive, and joyful organizations — even under shareholder pressure🧘 Guest Spotlight: Jeffrey SchmitzCEO, Zebra Technologies🔗 Connect with Jeffrey on LinkedInJeffrey Schmitz is a visionary leader who believes culture is the ultimate driver of business success. His career spans engineering, marketing, and HR — culminating in his leadership of Zebra Technologies, a global powerhouse known for its people-first, innovation-driven approach.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if mastering your emotions was the key to unlocking your peak performance and inner peace?In this fascinating conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with Dr. Ethan Kross, acclaimed psychologist and author of Chatter and Shift, to explore the science of emotional mastery — and how simple, research-backed tools can help you transform anxiety, anger, and stress into clarity, focus, and resilience.Dr. Kross unpacks the six core “emotional shifters” — from sensory awareness to perspective-taking — that anyone can use to quiet mental chatter, navigate life’s chaos, and thrive in both work and life.💡 What You’ll Learn:🧠 What emotions really are — and why they’re not the enemy.⚡ The purpose of “negative” emotions like anger and anxiety (and how they can fuel growth and innovation).🎧 The six emotional shifters you can use to regulate your emotions:1. Sensory Shifters: Use music, touch, or nature to calm the nervous system.2. Attention Shifters: Learn when to focus and when to take mental breaks.3. Perspective Shifters: Reframe your challenges by changing the lens you view them through.4. Relationship Shifters: Choose the right “emotional advisors” — people who listen and help you move forward.5. Environmental Shifters: Design physical spaces that restore focus, calm, and creativity.6. Cultural Shifters: Build and participate in cultures that support emotional well-being.🌬️ How to manage anxiety in real time using a “1-2-3” combination of tools.💬 The science behind why venting alone doesn’t help — and what actually does.🌱 How leaders can create emotionally intelligent, high-performing cultures at work.Guest Spotlight: Dr. Ethan Kross📚 Author of Chatter and Shift🎓 Professor of Psychology and Management, University of Michigan🔗 Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekross/Ethan Kross is one of the world’s leading experts on controlling the conscious mind. His work bridges neuroscience and practical tools, helping people regulate their inner voice, harness emotions, and turn stress into strength.🪞 Key Insight:Mastering your emotions isn’t about eliminating them — it’s about learning to work with them.#FlourishingEdgePodcast #HappinessSquad #EthanKross #AshishKothari #EmotionalIntelligence #FlourishingAtWork #MentalFitness #NeuroscienceOfEmotions #MindfulLeadership #PositivePsychology #ChatterBook #ShiftBook #StressManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #shorts__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if you could make every job deeply meaningful — no matter the industry, title, or task?In this episode of The Flourishing Edge Podcast, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Tamara Myles, author, researcher, and founder of Keynote Speaker, to explore the science of meaningful work. Together, they reveal how leaders can turn workplaces into thriving communities where employees feel valued, challenged, and connected.From her groundbreaking research, Tamara shares the Three C’s of Meaning — Community, Contribution, and Challenge — and how these elements can unlock performance, loyalty, and fulfillment across organizations.💡 What You’ll Learn:🌱What makes work meaningful:Why it’s notwhatyou do buthowyou experience what you do.🧩The 3 C’s Framework:Community— Creating belonging through care and authentic connection.Contribution— Recognizing impact and helping people see how their work matters.Challenge— Stretching potential with support to inspire growth and pride.💬Leadership’s impact on meaning:Research shows leaders shape 48% of how meaningful work feels.🪞The power of positive feedback:How one simple “thank you” per week can halve burnout and disengagement.🔁Gratitude as culture:A story of how one leader’s “five Friday thank-you emails” transformed an entire team.🧠The ROI of meaning:How fostering meaningful work drives productivity, retention, engagement — and even financial performance.🤖Meaning in the age of AI:Why human connection, purpose, and mattering are more vital than ever in a technology-driven world.🧘 Guest Spotlight: Tamara MylesFounder, Keynote Speaker & Researcher on Meaningful Work🔗 Connect with Tamara on LinkedInTamara Myles is a leading expert in organizational psychology and meaningful work. Her research, consulting, and talks help companies cultivate workplaces where people don’t just perform — they flourish.🪞 Key Insight: “Meaningful work isn’t about what you do — it’s about how you experience what you do.”__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if the secret to flourishing wasn’t about doing more—but about realizing you already are enough?In this inspiring episode of the Flourishing Edge Podcast, host Ashish Kothari is joined by Jennifer Cohen, Founder and Director of Seven Stones Leadership Group, to explore how shifting from scarcity to sustainable abundance can transform your leadership, your relationships, and your life.Together, they uncover the seven timeless laws that help us move beyond fear, scarcity, and separation—toward joy, connection, and sufficiency.💡 In This Episode: Key Takeaways🌎The root of scarcity:Why our modern systems of economics and culture condition us to feel “not enough.”💫The 7 Laws of Enough:Stories Matter– Recognize that the context you live in shapes your reality.I Am Enough– Shift from striving to sufficiency.I Belong– Remember your inherent connection to everything.No One Is Exempt– Accept both life’s joys and sorrows as part of being human.Resting Is Required– True peace begins when we stop resisting what is.Joy Is Available– Learn to access the inner joy that isn’t dependent on outcomes.Love Is the Answer– The universal truth that heals and unites us all.🌱The origin of the Seven Stones philosophy:How Jennifer’s own healing from trauma and systems thinking shaped her life’s work.💬From scarcity to sufficiency:How to live and lead from the truth that there is enough for all, for all time.🔁Daily practices for flourishing:Create intentional connections, reflect on “What is happening now?” and “How is that enough?”, and anchor your day in gratitude.❤️Love as leadership:Why authentic care and connection are the most powerful forces in business and beyond.🧘 Featured GuestJennifer CohenFounder & Director, Seven Stones Leadership GroupCo-author of The Seven Laws of EnoughJennifer helps individuals, teams, and organizations redefine success through sufficiency, sustainable abundance, and conscious leadership.🔗 Connect with Jennifer CohenLinkedIn🧭 Connect with the HostAshish KothariFounder of Happiness SquadHost of Flourishing Edge PodcastHelping leaders unlock breakthrough performance through science-based practices of flourishing.🪞 Quote-Worthy Insight“Enough isn’t an amount — it’s a place to come from. It’s a stand.”__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

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.💫 Key Topics & InsightsWhat “Sovereign” Really Means:Reclaiming inner mastery in an age of distraction, self-criticism, and external noise.Why self-awareness—not self-judgment—is the foundation for resilience and performance.The Science of Self-Compassion:How harsh self-talk lowers creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence—and how awareness and kindness to self reverse it.Technology, AI & the Age of Uncertainty:Why constant stimulation erodes intuition, and how stillness, silence, and mindful discernment safeguard our humanity.→ “AI can inform us, but only intuition can guide us.”The Power of Intuition & Alpha States:Neuroscience behind gut wisdom and creativity: relaxed minds in alpha-wave mode generate breakthrough ideas.How to train intuition through rest, presence, and trust in your inner knowing.Sovereign Relationships:Why the most loyal teams and cultures are built on care, not control.The two simple leadership moves:1️⃣ Make people feel seen, heard, valued, appreciated.2️⃣ Model calm self-awareness through your own meditation or reflective practice.Sovereign Emotions & Healing Trauma:Adults suppress; children feel and release. Emma explains how emotional endurance and courage transform leadership presence.→ “Feeling is not weakness—it’s wisdom.”The SKY Breath Meditation Breakthrough:Emma’s landmark research at Yale and Stanford showing that the SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) breathing practice:Rapidly reduces PTSD symptoms in veteransNormalizes anxiety responses for up to a yearOutperforms standard therapy for emotion regulationPrevents burnout in college studentsProven pathways to emotional sovereignty and nervous-system healing.Daily Practices for Sovereignty:🌞 Morning: Yoga + SKY Breath + Meditation (≈ 1 hr)🌅 Evening: 30 min silent meditation🌳 Nature immersion & walking daily🙏 Gratitude for life’s simple privileges💻 Strict boundaries with technology & news💞 Service mindset—leave everyone feeling better than before they met you💬 Memorable Quotes:“Self-awareness, not self-criticism, is the key to unlocking your potential.” — Emma Seppala“We can’t stop the waves of change, but we can learn to master the inner ocean.” — Ashish Kothari“Feeling is not weakness—it’s wisdom. Sovereignty begins when you allow yourself to feel.” — Emma Seppala🪷 About the Guest:Emma Seppala is a psychologist, researcher, and faculty member at Yale School of Management. She is the author of Sovereign and The Happiness Track, and Science Director of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, and TIME. Emma’s research bridges neuroscience, psychology, and ancient contemplative practices to help individuals and organizations thrive.🔗 Connect with Emma on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaseppala/🌻 About the Host:Ashish Kothari is the founder of Happiness Squad, author of Hardwired for Happiness, and creator of the Flourishing Edge Podcast, where science-based practices meet soulful leadership to help people live, work, and lead with joy, health, love, and meaning.If this conversation sparked your curiosity about reclaiming your own sovereignty, share the episode with a friend or teammate who’s ready to flourish too.Subscribe to The Flourishing Edge Podcast and leave a review to keep spreading science-backed tools for living and leading with purpose.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

Founders are praised for their grit — but what about their grace?In this powerful episode of The Flourishing Edge, Ashish Kothari sits down with Lisa Mikkelsen, Partner at Flourish Ventures, to explore the hidden mental and emotional costs of entrepreneurship — and how founders can thrive without sacrificing their well-being.Lisa shares hard-won insights from 25 years in startups and venture capital, where she’s seen firsthand how “image management,” stigma, and burnout quietly derail brilliant founders. Together, they unpack how the VC world can evolve from “get rich or die trying” to “grow well and thrive together.”This is a must-listen for founders, funders, and anyone passionate about building sustainable success — from the inside out.💡 Key Topics & Takeaways:1️⃣ The Hidden Barriers to Founder Well-beingImage management: Founders feel pressured to project confidence even when struggling.Fear and stigma: Many hide their stress to avoid losing investor trust.Reality check: Nearly 70–90% of founders experience mental health challenges — they’re not alone.2️⃣ The Survival Trap of StartupsHow founders slip into “I’ll rest when…” thinking.Reframing survival mode with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — recognizing safety and rest as non-negotiable for creativity and performance.Why postponing self-care leads to operating at 30–50% capacity when founders need 100%.3️⃣ Lisa’s Journey: From Startups to Mental Health Advocacy25 years across startups and VC revealed one truth: behind every business problem lies a human one.Personal inspiration: raising a neurodiverse child changed how Lisa views inclusion, empathy, and awareness in leadership.How Flourish Ventures shifted its mission to center founder mental health.4️⃣ The Flourish Ventures Model: Investing in Human FlourishingBeyond capital: providing coaching, therapy access, and community circles for founders.Hosting monthly CEO and CXO gatherings designed for real conversations, not “chest-pounding.”Funded and validated the first 7-question mental health diagnostic tool designed specifically for entrepreneurs.Taking the movement global — reshaping the VC–founder relationship through empathy, trust, and transparency.5️⃣ Rethinking the VC–Founder RelationshipOnly 10% of founders tell investors when something’s going wrong.Flourish Ventures combats that by training investors in:6️⃣ The Organizational Ripple EffectFounder well-being sets the tone for company culture.Flourish Ventures runs CXO retreats and leadership coaching to spread healthy habits beyond the C-suite.Spotlight on the “frozen middle” — how empowering middle managers transforms entire organizations.7️⃣ Flourishing at Work and in LifeAshish and Lisa reflect on the Happiness Squad model and McKinsey research:97% of burnout factors come from job, team, and organizational systems — not individuals.To flourish at work = to flourish in life. You can’t “survive work” and hope to thrive elsewhere.“Work is where we spend most of our waking hours — it should be a source of joy, not depletion.”8️⃣ Lisa’s Daily Practices for Flourishing🌿 Time in nature — even 5 minutes daily📝 Journaling to process emotions and build self-awareness💤 Sleep as a non-negotiable🧘‍♀️ Quarterly rest breaks to reset energy and clarity💨 Breathwork & mindfulness to stay anchored in the present9️⃣ Advice for Founders“Find a way to disconnect from work every single day — even for five minutes. Build that muscle.”And for investors:“The next time you talk to your founder, ask how they are doing — not how the business is doing. Then ask again: how are you really?”👩‍💼 About the GuestLisa Mikkelsen is a Partner at Flourish Ventures, a global venture firm redefining what responsible investing looks like. She leads initiatives that support founder mental health and organizational well-being, integrating empathy, psychology, and business performance.🔗 Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamikkelsen1/🧘‍♂️ About the HostAshish Kothari is the founder of Happiness Squad, author of Hardwired for Happiness, and host of The Flourishing Edge Podcast.He helps leaders unlock joy, resilience, and performance through science-based habits of flourishing.If this episode resonated with you, share it with a founder or leader who needs permission to rest and reconnect.Subscribe to The Flourishing Edge Podcast for weekly insights on living, leading, and working with greater joy, health, love, and meaning.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if working less could help us live more — with greater energy, purpose, and joy?In this eye-opening conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with Karen Lowe, South Africa’s lead advocate for the 4-Day Workweek movement and founder of 4 Day Week South Africa, to explore how shorter work weeks are transforming productivity, culture, and well-being across the globe.Karen shares how a passion project in Cape Town became the world’s fourth major pilot of the 4-Day Workweek — and the results are nothing short of revolutionary: higher revenue, lower burnout, better sleep, deeper engagement, and teams that flourish together.This episode challenges the modern obsession with “more” and makes a powerful case for the 4-day week as both a science-backed productivity strategy and a human sustainability movement.💡 Key Takeaways & Topics Covered:Karen’s Origin Story:How a curiosity about human well-being and burnout in South Africa led to running a national pilot for the 4-Day Workweek — now one of the most successful global case studies.The 180-100 Model Explained:100% pay, 80% time, 100% productivity — a simple but transformative framework for redesigning work around efficiency, not excess.Flourishing Defined:Flourishing isn’t just about happiness — it’s a felt sense of capacity, energy, connection, and purpose.Time is our new currency, and how we spend it determines how much we truly thrive.Workplaces Are Broken — Here’s How to Fix Them:With only 20% of people thriving at work, Ashish and Karen discuss why most workplaces are “fundamentally broken” and how human-centered redesign can heal them.Trust, Autonomy, and Agency:Successful 4-day week cultures are built on permission — trusting employees to co-create boundaries, prioritize deep work, and use time wisely.The South African Case Study:Over 82% of organizations kept the 4-day workweek two years after the pilot.Science Meets Flourishing:German trials even measured lower cortisol in hair samples, proving physiological stress reduction.From Burnout to Breakthrough:A powerful story from Stellenbosch University shows how cutting hours from 5 days to 4 dropped absenteeism from 51 days to 4 — while improving service delivery and saving millions in costs.Leadership Lessons for the Future of Work:→ Productivity starts with permission→ Recovery is doing→ Trust and meaning drive output→ Rest fuels creativity and innovationAshish’s Personal Reflection:From his own experience at McKinsey working 70% time while increasing client impact, Ashish reflects on how less can truly be more — when done with purpose and trust.🧭 Notable Quotes:“Flourishing is a felt state — a sense of capacity, connection, and purpose that comes from using time deliberately.” – Karen Lowe“We don’t need to fix work; we need to redesign it for humans.” – Ashish Kothari“The 4-day week isn’t about working less — it’s about working better.” – Karen Lowe🪴 About the Guest:Karen Lowe is the Founder and Director of 4 Day Week South Africa, a nonprofit initiative driving the movement toward shorter, smarter, and more humane work weeks across the African continent. Her work bridges neuroscience, productivity research, and organizational psychology to help businesses thrive through human flourishing.🔗 Connect:Host: Ashish Kothari | Founder of Happiness Squad and author of Hardwired for HappinessIf today’s conversation inspired you to rethink how you work, share this episode with your team or leader.Subscribe to the Flourishing Edge Podcast for weekly insights on how to lead, live, and flourish at the edge of what’s possible.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if your next “competitive edge” as a company wasn’t innovation or efficiency—but compassion?In this eye-opening episode of The Flourishing Edge, Ashish Kothari sits down with David Shapiro to unpack how recovery-friendly workplaces are redefining what it means to truly support employees.From mental health to substance use recovery, David reveals why inclusion, belonging, and psychological safety aren’t “nice-to-haves”—they’re the foundation of human flourishing at work. Together, they explore how stigma, stress, and hidden workplace norms silently fuel substance misuse—and how small cultural shifts can create massive change.💡 Key Topics & Takeaways:1️⃣ The Human Side of Workplace Health:David’s journey from anthropology and family-friendly policies to leading the Colorado Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative.How his personal story of recovery informs his mission to make work environments more empathetic, inclusive, and safe.“My work matches my life”—the power of aligning personal purpose with professional service.2️⃣ Understanding Substance Use & Recovery:What substance use disorder really means—and why it’s a medical condition, not a moral failing.The spectrum from low-risk social use to addiction, and how 30 million Americans live with diagnosed substance use disorders.The ripple effect: for every person impacted, two to three others are affected at home or at work.Why workplace culture and chronic stress can drive coping behaviors—and what employers can do differently.3️⃣ Redefining “Recovery”:SAMHSA’s inclusive definition: “a self-directed process of change.”→ Recovery can mean abstinence, harm reduction, or simply the courage to seek help.Why judgment—not lack of resources—is the biggest barrier to recovery.“We rally around cancer, but we isolate addiction.” How empathy transforms stigma into connection.4️⃣ Culture Shift: From Judgment to Curiosity:Don’t label—listen. Describe what you see objectively before assuming impairment.Replace words like “addict” with “a person experiencing substance use disorder.”“Connection is the opposite of addiction.” – Johan HariLanguage matters: empathy and curiosity are the foundation for healing cultures.5️⃣ Building a Recovery-Friendly Workplace:David outlines the three pillars (the 3 P’s) of Total Worker Health®:Policies: Shift from “zero tolerance” to “we care about you and want to help.”Practices: Encourage leaders to model openness, empathy, and awareness.Programs: Offer real support—Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), mental health resources, Narcan/Naloxone training, and flexible benefits.💡 “If your policy doesn’t reflect how you actually care for people—it’s time to rewrite it.”6️⃣ The “Frozen Middle” Problem:Leaders may support recovery, but real culture change happens in the middle—among supervisors and managers.Middle managers often feel overworked, under-supported, and hesitant to engage in sensitive issues.Why equipping the “frozen middle” with empathy and training unlocks lasting change.7️⃣ Practical, Low-Cost Shifts That Make a Big Difference:Offer mocktails and non-alcoholic options at company events.Avoid centering celebrations around alcohol—make inclusion visible.Provide healthy alternatives in breakrooms (fruit alongside candy).Reconsider payday timing (e.g., Tuesday instead of Friday) to support budgeting and reduce relapse triggers.Equip first-aid kits with Narcan/Naloxone for overdose preparedness.Encourage leaders to test their own EAP before recommending it—know what the employee experience is like.8️⃣ Stories of Impact:ODB’s Sandwich Shop (Denver): 60–70% of staff are in recovery. Alcohol still served—but the culture is care-first, not cocktail-first.JHL Contractors: Supported an employee through opioid treatment and welcomed him back; he’s now a top performer.Absolute Caulking & Waterproofing: Frequent conversations about recovery helped normalize help-seeking behavior.State of Colorado: Now exploring recovery-friendly policies across public agencies.9️⃣ The Bigger Picture: Flourishing Through CompassionFrom fear to curiosity, from stigma to support—these are the building blocks of a flourishing workplace.When businesses choose empathy over judgment, they not only retain talent—they redefine leadership.If this conversation inspired you, share it with your HR team or leadership circle—because every workplace can become a recovery-friendly one.Visit recoveryfriendlyworkplace.com to take the pledge, or explore how Happiness Squad can help your team build a culture of flourishing.Subscribe to The Flourishing Edge Podcast for weekly insights on leading and living with more joy, health, love, and meaning.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if the most painful moments in life could become the greatest catalysts for growth?In this deeply moving episode of The Flourishing Edge, Ashish Kothari sits down with Ian Ziskin, President of EXec EXcel Group LLC, author, and leadership thought leader, to explore the powerful connection between loss, learning, and leadership.Ian shares the personal story that shaped his life from age 13 — losing his father to multiple sclerosis — and how that early experience of grief forged his lifelong commitment to intentional living, compassion, and resilience. Together, Ashish and Ian unpack what it truly means to flourish through adversity, why intentionality (not time) heals wounds, and how leaders can create workplaces where people feel trusted, valued, and alive.This episode is a masterclass in transforming suffering into strength — and leading with both heart and purpose.💡 Key Topics & Insights:The Early Loss That Defined a Leader:At 13, Ian lost his father to multiple sclerosis — a moment that sparked his lifelong choice to turn lemons into lemonade and lead with empathy and purpose.The Fork in the Road: Grief or GrowthHow an 11-year-old learned to focus on helping others, mastering his emotions, and finding meaning — three timeless principles for navigating hardship.Intentionality Over Time:“Time doesn’t heal all wounds — intentionality does.”Ian shares how conscious reflection, not waiting, transforms loss into wisdom.Flourishing Beyond Balance:Ian’s modern definition: “Do what I want, when I want, where I want, with whom I want.”True flourishing is about reconciling passions, relationships, and purpose — not chasing work-life balance.Lessons from Sweden: Systems That Support LifeThrough time spent with family in Sweden, Ian discovered how public policy and culture can align to prioritize humanity — a stark contrast to the U.S. work model.The Trust Crisis at Work:Why only 20% of people are thriving — and how rebuilding trust between leaders and teams is the missing link to organizational flourishing.→ “Do what you say you’ll do, and treat others with dignity and respect — that’s real trust.”Rethinking HR and Engagement:Ian challenges outdated corporate norms:Stop overcomplicating engagement surveysMeasure fewer things, more oftenHold leaders accountable for culture and well-being, not just performance metricsLives Lost and Leadership Found: The BookInspired by the loss of his brother and mother within six months, Ian’s latest book compiles stories from leaders who found meaning, courage, and compassion through grief.The Smoothie Effect 🥤:A brilliant metaphor for blending life’s contrasting emotions into something nourishing and whole.Ingredients = People and experiences you chooseBlending = Processing chaos into growthIntention = The key to turning pain into purposeA Call to Write Your Own StoryThe book includes writing prompts to help readers process their own loss — of a loved one, relationship, or career — and find wisdom through reflection.💬 Memorable Quotes:“Time doesn’t heal all wounds — intentionality heals all wounds.” — Ian Ziskin“We can hold grief, but we don’t have to let grief hold us.” — Ashish Kothari“Flourishing isn’t balance. It’s reconciliation — between passion, purpose, and the people we love.” — Ian Ziskin“Trust isn’t doing what makes others happy. It’s doing what you said you would, with honesty and respect.” — Ian Ziskin👤 About the Guest:Ian Ziskin is the President of EXec EXcel Group LLC, leadership advisor, and author of Lives Lost and Leadership Found: Life and Leadership Lessons Learned from Lost Loved Ones. With over 40 years of experience as a CHRO, coach, and consultant, Ian’s work bridges strategy, culture, and human potential to help leaders flourish through authenticity and purpose.🔗 Connect with Ian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-ziskin-bb1504/If this conversation moved you, share it with someone navigating loss or leading through challenge.Get your copy of Lives Lost and Leadership Found and try the reflective writing exercise Ian includes at the end of the book.Then, subscribe to The Flourishing Edge Podcast for weekly inspiration on leading and living with purpose.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

What if our obsession with being “happy all the time” is actually what’s keeping us from true wellbeing? We’ve been chasing happiness as a fixed state, a finish line we’re supposed to reach and stay at. But that’s not how life works. Real flourishing isn’t about constant positivity, but learning to move with life’s rhythm through the highs and the lows. Because when the world gets hard, the question isn’t how to stay happy — it’s how to keep flourishing anyway.In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Dr. Michelle McQuaid, to explore why flourishing isn’t about being happy all the time — it’s about learning how to rise with confidence, compassion, and courage when life knocks us down.Dr. Michelle McQuaid, Ph.D. is an award-winning researcher, best-selling author, and workplace wellbeing teacher who translates positive psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies for leaders and teams. She is an honorary fellow at Melbourne University’s Centre for Wellbeing Science, hosts the Making Positive Psychology Work podcast, and has helped organizations globally to build psychological safety, strengths-based cultures, and more resilient workplaces. This episode teaches how leaders and individuals can cultivate true flourishing not by avoiding discomfort, but by embracing it as a path to deeper growth, purpose, and human connection.Things you will learn in this episode:• Why happiness alone isn’t the true measure of flourishing• The power of confidence in navigating life’s highs and lows• How embracing imperfection fuels learning and growth• Why self-compassion is a leadership advantage• The neuroscience behind psychological safety at work• How to shift from chasing happiness to building inner strengthListen to the full episode now and discover practical tools you can use to redefine what it means to flourish.✅Resources:• How to make flourishing your competitive edge by Ashish Kothari on TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRV-2C-fkNg&t=146s • michellemcquaid.com  (Company)• thewellbeinglab.com  (Company)• permahsurvey.com  (Free Wellbeing Survey)• Dr. Michelle McQuaid on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/chellemcquaid • Seligman’s PERMA+ model: https://positivepsychology.com/perma-model/ • Oxytocin shot tool: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6949379/ • Carole Dweck’s The Power of Yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-swZaKN2Ic ✅Books:• Your Wellbeing Blueprint by Dr. Michelle McQuaid: https://a.co/d/8mLoSHr • Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://a.co/d/ftKT8SZ

Technology promised us progress, and it delivered. But it also left us disconnected, distracted, and disheartened at the same time. With AI advancing faster than human adaptation or regulation, will it erode our humanity, or can it become the very tool that helps us flourish?In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Tamara Lechner to explore how AI can bridge the gap between what we know and what we practice in the pursuit of human flourishing.Tamara Lechner is a happiness expert, author, and global speaker. As Chair of the AI & Human Flourishing Working Group at Harvard, she helps leaders and organizations apply the science of flourishing to create meaningful, human-centered futures.In the conversation, Ashish and Tamara unpack how AI can either harm or uplift us, and what it will take for leaders, organizations, and individuals to put humans at the heart of this powerful technology.Things you will learn in this episode:• Why AI is both friend and foe depending on how we use it.• The three ethical AI pillars: productivity, protection from harm, and fairness.• The overlooked dimensions of flourishing AI must support• Why organizations—not just individuals—must own responsibility for burnout and culture.• How to shift from audience to activist in shaping the future of technologyJoin us in building a future where technology enhances humanity rather than diminishes it. Tune in now to hear how we can harness AI to truly help humans flourish.✅Resources:• How to make flourishing your competitive edge | Ashish Kothari | TEDxGreenhouse Road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRV-2C-fkNg • AI for Human Flourishing: https://www.aiforhumanflourishing.com/• The Human Flourishing Program: https://hfh.fas.harvard.edu/ai-human-flourishing • Reframing employee health: Moving beyond burnout to holistic health by McKinsey Health Institute: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/reframing-employee-health-moving-beyond-burnout-to-holistic-health• Conscious Capitalism Movement: https://www.consciouscapitalism.org/ • IEEE 7010: A New Standard for Assessing the Well-being Implications of Artificial Intelligence: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2005.06620 ✅Books:• The Happiness Reset: What to do When Nothing Makes You Happy by Tamara Lechner: https://a.co/d/gZY7eXu • Hardwired for Happiness: 9 Proven Practices to Overcome Stress and Live Your Best Life by Ashish Kothari: https://a.co/d/9LWxYmV

What would it look like if organizations were intentionally designed for human flourishing instead of mere survival? Most workplaces today are leaking energy—burnout is rising, workers are underpaid, and leaders are still chasing profits at the expense of people.We’ve never had more knowledge about wellbeing, yet we remain starved for practice, with millions stuck in jobs that deny them dignity, security, and purpose. But today, that changes.In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Andrew Soren to explore how to design organizations where people can flourish using the ancient Greek concept of Eudaimonia—living a life of purpose, growth, and virtue.Andrew Soren is the founder and CEO of Eudaimonic By Design, a global network of facilitators, coaches, and advisors who partner with organizations to design systems that enable people to flourish. For more than 20 years, he has worked at the intersection of positive psychology, organizational design, and leadership development, helping companies around the world embed purpose, meaning, and wellbeing into the heart of work. Andrew also teaches in the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, sharing the science and practice of human flourishing with the next generation of leaders.Things you will also learn in this episode:• The meaning of Eudaimonia and how it differs from Hedonia.• Why modern society is disconnected from nature and what it means to “suffer well.”• The role of decent work (freedom, equity, security, dignity) as the foundation for flourishing.• The business, competitive, and moral cases for designing organizations where people thrive.• Practical ways leaders can create cultures of care, growth, and purpose at work.Tune in now and learn how ancient wisdom and modern science can help us bring virtue and flourishing back into our workplaces.✅Resources:• Eudaimonic by Design: https://www.eudaimonicbydesign.com/andrewsoren • Eudaimonic by Design: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eubd/ • Confuscian and Aristotelian Philosophy: https://bigthink.com/thinking/confucius-aristotle/ • Changemaker Wellbeing Index: https://wellbeingindex.ca/ • Column: U.S. Surgeon General: Loneliness Is at Heart of Growing Mental Health Crisis: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/publication/column-us-surgeon-general-loneliness-heart-growing-mental ✅Books:• The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone's Work by Zeynep Ton: https://a.co/d/f8OmSfT • Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://a.co/d/8qWGfEU 

Great leaders pour themselves into serving others, sometimes until they burn out. But if you want lasting impact, understand that it requires balance. When service comes without self-care, burnout follows. And when self-care comes without service, your leadership’s meaning fades. That’s why the key is learning to hold both, so you can thrive while helping others flourish.In this episode, Ashish Kothari and Dr. Tenzin Dadul explore how leaders can build a flourishing life by aligning service with self-care, gratitude, and continuous growth.Dr. Tenzin Dadul is a Clinical Associate Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology and Director of Educational Research at the University of Detroit Mercy. He is also the founder of "Wild Flower," a mission-driven organization that, since around 2009, has provided free medical, dental, and cancer care and educational support to underprivileged children and Himalayan refugee communities. In 2022, he was awarded the Agere ex Missione Award by Detroit Mercy for his outstanding service and other honors from institutions in the U.S. and abroad.His story is a powerful reminder that true leadership and flourishing begin when we care for ourselves as deeply as we care for others.Things you will also learn in this episode:• Why service without self-care leads to burnout• How Dr. Tenzin transformed failure and hardship into a flourishing life of purpose• The importance of mentorship and education as a “golden ticket” for generational impact• Insights on preventing burnout in healthcare and leadership• How Eastern and Western philosophies can be integrated for resilience and wellbeingTune in now to hear how you can lead a flourishing life with both service and self-care at the center.✅Resources:• Michigan Ross: michiganross.umich.edu• Dr. Tenzin Dadul's website: tenzindadul.org/ • Cancer Medical Dental Organization founded by Dr. Tenzin Dadul: https://www.tenzindadul.org/mission • His Holiness The Dalai Lama: https://www.dalailama.com/• Sadhguru: https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/sadhguru • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: https://www.unc.edu/ • University of Detroit Mercy: https://www.udmercy.edu/• Saveetha Medical College: https://www.smc.saveetha.com/ • Andrews University: https://www.andrews.edu/index.html • University of Michigan Center for Positive Organizations: https://michiganross.umich.edu/terms/center-positive-organizations ✅Books:• Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://happinesssquad.com/hardwired-for-happiness/

Small and medium businesses make up nearly half of all employment and GDP, yet they often struggle to compete against the scale, brand power, and resources of large corporations. Too often, the advice given to them is to “play bigger”—but that’s a losing battle. What if the real advantage lies in embracing their underdog status?In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Sri Kaza, Advisory Board at Markaaz and author of the upcoming book UNCONVENTION: A Small Business Strategy Guide, to explore how SMBs can thrive by leaning into what makes them different: positioning, proximity, and purpose. They discuss why small doesn’t mean weak, and how founders can unlock resilience, loyalty, and growth by playing their own game.Sri Kaza is an entrepreneur, investor, and former McKinsey consultant with a career spanning engineering, consulting, finance, and startups. He has helped scale visionary companies like Viking Cruises, co-founded ForwardLine to provide innovative financing for small businesses, and worked closely with entrepreneurs across industries to unlock growth. Ashish and Sri unpack inspiring stories, actionable insights, and practical strategies that will change the way you think about leading and growing a small to medium business. Tune in to discover how to turn your size into your greatest strength.Things you will learn in this episode:• The three Underdog Principles—Positioning, Proximity, and Purpose—and how to apply them• Why focusing on your core customers builds resilience during crises• How closeness to employees and community becomes a competitive edge• How AI can serve as a growth engine for SMBs rather than just a cost-cutting tool• Practical ways to stay grounded as a founder and align every decision with purposeIf you want to discover how small and medium businesses can outcompete giants and make flourishing their competitive edge, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.✅Resources:• How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit by Alex Edmans: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2020/10/01/how-great-companies-deliver-both-purpose-and-profit/ ✅Books:• Unconvention: A Small Business Strategy Guide by Sri Kaza: https://a.co/d/aYYfD8w • The Experimentation Machine by Jeff Bussgang: https://experimentationmachine.com/• Hardwired for happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://happinesssquad.com/hardwired-for-happiness/ 

What truly drives people to thrive at work isn’t perks or programs, but the culture leaders create every single day. But when the day-to-day culture at work is marked by fear, unclear roles, and pressure from the top, people disengage no matter how many benefits you offer. Leaders often miss this because they’re chasing quarterly targets or process checklists, leaving human potential untapped. Grace Zuncic’s journey from small-town roots to Chobani, Cotopaxi, and now Manna Tree Partners shows a different path.In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Grace Zuncic explore how flourishing comes when work itself is designed around courage and kindness.Grace Zuncic is a seasoned executive and board member with deep experience in scaling purpose-driven companies. She has held leadership roles at Chobani, Cotopaxi, and now serves as Partner at Manna Tree, a private equity firm focused on improving human health through investment in food and wellness businesses.In the conversation, Ashish and Grace highlight why the answer isn’t to bolt wellbeing programs onto broken systems but to build workplaces where flourishing is the operating model—unlocking both human potential and business performance.Things you will also learn in this episode:• Why fear is the biggest barrier to flourishing at work• How Chobani became a model of human-centered leadership during COVID• The role of courage and kindness in effective leadership• Why private equity has more influence on culture than it realizes• How board service shapes perspective on building enduring, purpose-driven companiesDon’t miss this episode—an urgent call for leaders to lead with courage, act with kindness, and create workplaces where people can truly flourish.✅Resources:• How to Make Flourishing Your Competitive Edge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRV-2C-fkNg • What Does a Compassionate Workplace Look Like? With Jane Dutton and Monica Worline: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_does_compassionate_workplace_look_like • The Cotopaxi Foundation: https://www.cotopaxi.com/pages/our-impact?srsltid=AfmBOoqOcdspf6JmJREdKix62bge5cFMOpEioKkGK1xVMs76EY1mrIUg • Women on Boards: https://www.womenonboards.net/• Tugboat Institute: https://www.tugboatinstitute.com/ ✅Books:• Shift by Ethan Cross: https://a.co/d/8ioBnAM • Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: https://a.co/d/aj9Uubw • Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia: https://a.co/d/4AWqNws • Ray Dalio’s Principles: https://a.co/d/5wfMHzQ • Another Way by Dave Wharton: https://a.co/d/gPnSTGC • You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh: https://a.co/d/03S2CGn • Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://a.co/d/gqZ0SyV 

Work doesn’t have to be a grind. In fact, the smallest acts of care, recognition, and empowerment can spark extraordinary transformation in how people show up and thrive. Yet too many leaders still chase big programs and sweeping changes, overlooking the everyday moments that actually matter most. What if the secret to flourishing at work has been in front of us all along?In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Gretchen Spreitzer, Professor of Management and Organizations at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, to explore how leaders can empower teams to flourish through meaning, competence, autonomy, and impact. Together, they uncover the science of positive organizations and how leaders can create workplaces where people come alive.Gretchen Spreitzer is a pioneering scholar in the field of positive organizational scholarship. At the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, she has spent decades researching and teaching topics such as thriving at work, leadership development, and empowerment. Her work has shaped how leaders and organizations around the world design conditions for people to flourish and succeed. If you’ve ever wondered how to truly unleash your people’s full potential at work and create a positive organization, this conversation will change the way you approach leadership and people empowerment.Things you will also learn in this episode:• Why small acts of leadership can have a bigger impact than grand gestures• The four dimensions of empowerment and how to apply them in your team• How recognition and authentic feedback can transform workplace culture• Why managers—not just executives—hold the key to reducing burnout• The role of empowerment in the age of AI and organizational change• How to spot and spread the “bright spots” of flourishing inside your companyTune in now to discover how you can start building a workplace where people flourish—not someday, but today.✅Resources:• Center for Positive Organizations: https://positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu/ • Reflective Best Self Exercise• McKinsey: A holistic approach for employees: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/reframing-employee-health-moving-beyond-burnout-to-holistic-health • Conscious Capitalism: https://www.consciouscapitalism.org/✅Books:• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: https://a.co/d/0HDetDR• Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman: https://a.co/d/5niWg2c • Another Way by Dave Whorton: https://a.co/d/j6GUo1E • Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://a.co/d/1aWVYEx