The Simplifiers Podcast

Just checking in… How are you doing? No like, really. On a scale of 1-10 (10 = on the brink), are you feeling a bit frazzled, stressed, or overworked? Answer honestly, friend. How are you feeling these days? My all-star special guest today is Michelle Hartley and she's simplifying how to squash burnout at work. You see, this insidious little thing called burnout can sneak up on you while you're not looking. And if you've been pounding away the triple iced coffees and burning the candle at both ends, you might not have noticed how it's wearing down your body, mind, and spirit. But the good news is… you can do something about it. *NOTE: This episode originally aired on June 18, 2024. Here's how. My all-star special guest today is Michelle Hartley and she's simplifying how to squash burnout at work. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What the tell-tale signs are that you're about to hit burnout soon. The biggest misconception people have about burnout recovery and how to squash it in a different, more simpler way. What the three phases to burnout recovery are and how to take good care of yourself in each phase.  How to ask your manager and/or HR team for support before/during/after you experience burnout and how to overcome the fear of speaking up. Also, if you're a people leader who notices someone is struggling on your team, she shares what you can do to proactively support them through it and help them get back to thriving. …and ultimately, the truth is that many people who suffer from burnout do it again and again… Michelle shares how you can begin to see the warning signs sooner in order to stop the cycle, or at least slow it down. Q: Are you ready to learn how to squash burnout at work? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/424-how-to-squash-burnout-at-work---with-michelle-hartley-all-star

Let's be honest. Work can bring out parts of us we don't always love. The sharp email. The tense meeting. The moment you feel your face get hot and your patience leave the building. The instant when one more request, one more change, one more "quick question" feels like the thing that might finally push you over the edge. And in those moments, it can feel like your brain has gone offline. You're not thinking clearly. You're reacting. You're defending. You're spiraling. You're trying not to say the thing you'll regret later. In other words… you're trying not to lose your ish at work. My special guest today is Hiba Tanvir and she's simplifying how to not crash out at work. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What emotional dysregulation can look like at work, and why it doesn't always show up as a big dramatic blow-up. The early signs we might notice in ourselves or others before we reach that breaking point.  What to do in the moment to regulate your nervous system before you react. When someone does crash out at work, what belongs to the manager, what belongs to the individual, and how both can respond with more care and accountability. What it means to "lend your calm and your cortex" when someone else is dysregulated. How her "Play & Pause" methodology can help us create just enough space to choose a better response. And in her chapter on emotional intelligence in the AI era, Hiba connects emotionally intelligent leadership to hope. So we talk about how leaders can use:  Self awareness - being aware of your needs, strengths and weaknesses Self management - what do I need in order to regulate? Social awareness - empathy and compassion for others, and reading the room - "empathy in action" Relationship-building - working together with others …to help people feel steadier, safer, and more hopeful at work. And why that is something AI simply cannot replace. Q: Are you wanting to not crash out at work? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/423-how-to-not-crash-out-at-work---with-hiba-tanvir

Time for a guided visualization exercise: How to reset your energy. Because maybe you are halfway through the year and already feeling tired. Maybe the first half of the year asked a lot of you. The meetings. The decisions. The constant change. The budget pressure. The AI conversations. The team needs. The invisible emotional labor. The things you handled that no one else even saw. Maybe you have been holding it all together for everyone else. Your team. Your family. Your clients. Your organization. Your people. And somewhere along the way, your own energy got pushed to the bottom of the list. So this episode is an invitation to pause. Not to perform wellness. Not to force positivity. Not to pretend everything is fine. Just to pause. To breathe. To notice what your body knows. To ask yourself what needs to be restored before you keep going. Because here's the truth, dear friend: You are not a machine. You are not your calendar. And you are (certainly) not your inbox. You are a human being. And human beings need rest. They need space. They need sunlight. They need breath. They need permission to begin again. And so… to kick off the month, today is another guided visualization episode, which we release on the first Tuesday of every month this season. So, how does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers. Listen and participate in this guided visualization exercise: How to reset your energy. You can do this, I believe in you. It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b170-how-to-reset-your-energy-guided-visualization  

Here's the thing about workforce training… Most companies are not short on content. They are not short on slide decks.  They are not short on smart people teaching smart ideas. But the real question is this: Does the training actually stick? Because we've all been in those sessions where everyone nods along in the room… maybe even feels inspired for a minute… and then Monday happens. The inbox fills back up. The meetings stack up. The old habits come roaring back. And suddenly, that great training moment becomes just that. A moment. So how do we help busy adults learn in a way they can actually remember, apply, and turn into real behavior change at work? My special guest today is Ryan McCrea, and he's simplifying how to make workforce training stick. Here's how. My special guest today is Ryan McCrea and he's simplifying how to make workforce training stick. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What micro-sized learning is, and why it works so well for busy adults at work. What helps people actually retain new information, including the power of relevance, repetition, and real-world application. How AI can support learning without weakening critical thinking, human skills, or good judgment, including the AHAH Method: A = Ask the right question H = Human first A = AI second H = Human last What it takes to turn training into real behavior change on the job, not just a great learning moment in the room. And the role managers play after training, including how they can reinforce learning, coach in 1:1s, and recognize positive behavior change when they see it. Q: Are you wanting to help make your workforce training stick? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/422-how-to-make-workforce-training-stick---with-ryan-mccrea

Sometimes, the thing we call "career stress" is actually something deeper. It is not just one hard week. Or one bad boss. Or one season of burnout. Sometimes, work leaves a mark. A layoff that shook your confidence. A toxic leader who made you question your voice. A job that trained you to people-please, over perform, stay quiet, or constantly prove your worth. And even after you leave that role… the wound can come with you. My special guest today is Mandy Tang, and she's simplifying how to heal your career wounds. Here's how. My special guest today is Mandy Tang and she's simplifying how to heal your career wounds. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What a career wound actually is, and how it's different from everyday job stress. Why patterns like perfectionism, burnout, imposter syndrome, apathy, and comparison show up so often, especially for high achievers. What it means to reclaim your voice and reclaim your peace after a toxic boss, painful layoff, or season of people-pleasing. How her "dark night of the soul" framework can help you understand where you are in the healing process. Disruption - the event where there's no turning back Dismemberment - coming back to create space with limited direction Liminal Space - the void, the in-between time Rememberment - coming back together with intention And where to begin if you feel stuck, exhausted, disconnected, or unsure how to find your way back to yourself at work. Q: Are you wanting to heal your career wounds? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/421-how-to-heal-your-career-wounds---with-mandy-tang

We are living through a fascinating moment at work. Technology keeps getting faster. AI keeps getting smarter. And digital tools keep changing how we communicate, collaborate, and lead. But here's the thing: The more digital our world becomes, the more human our leadership has to be. Because people still need clarity. They still need trust. They still need connection. They still need leaders who know how to communicate with care, intention, and presence. My special guest today is Jacqueline Langlois, and she's simplifying how to leverage Human Intelligence in a digital world. Here's how. My special guest today is Jacqueline Langlois and she's simplifying how to leverage Human Intelligence in a digital world. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What "Human Intelligence" really means, and why these skills matter even more in a world that is becoming more digital, automated, and AI-enabled. What she means by "Gen D," the digital generation, and how this shift is changing the way leaders need to communicate, connect, and build trust. How to think about the "leadership thermostat," and why leaders set the tone for their teams instead of simply reacting to the temperature around them. How to communicate through screens in a more human way, stop making assumptions, and bring greater intention to digital conversations. And how leaders can rebuild clarity, confidence, and communication when they feel stuck, shaken by change, or caught in imposter syndrome. Q: Are you wanting to leverage Human Intelligence in a digital world? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/420-how-to-leverage-human-intelligence-in-a-digital-world---with-jacqueline-langlois

Time for a guided visualization exercise: How to squash the Sunday Scaries. Because maybe it's Sunday night for you right now. Maybe tomorrow morning is already starting to creep into your mind. The inbox. The meetings. The decisions. The people. The deadlines. The things you know are waiting for you. Or maybe it's not Sunday at all. Maybe it's the middle of the workweek and you feel that same tightness in your chest. That same mental swirl. That same feeling of, "I don't know if I have what it takes for everything ahead." So this episode is an invitation to pause. To come back to center. To remember that you do not have to solve the entire week tonight. You do not have to carry Monday before Monday arrives. You do not have to be everything to everyone. You simply get to breathe. Choose what matters. And take the next right step. So, how does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers. Listen and participate in this guided visualization exercise: How to #dothething. You can do this, I believe in you. It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b169-how-to-squash-the-sunday-scaries-guided-visualization

Most of us don't realize how much our thoughts are shaping the way we move through the workday. How we respond in stressful moments. How we talk to ourselves after a hard meeting. How we make decisions. Set boundaries. Or spiral when things feel off. And when work feels heavy, fast, or overwhelming, it's easy to believe every thought that passes through our mind is true. But what if it's not? What if the way we think can be noticed, shifted, and strengthened with practice? And what if doing that could change not just how we work, but how we lead? My special guest today is Katherine Fry, and she's simplifying how to cultivate Thought Intelligence at work. Here's how. My special guest today is Katherine Fry and she's simplifying how to cultivate Thought Intelligence at work. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What in her own story led her to create Thought Intelligence and why this work became so personal. What burnout taught her about the power our thoughts have over our health, choices, and experience at work. What Thought Intelligence means, simplified, and how it connects to emotional intelligence. How to use her CUP framework — Catch, Upgrade, Practice — when your thoughts start working against you. And how connection conversations and more empowered thinking can help you set better boundaries at work. Q: Are you wanting to learn how to cultivate Thought Intelligence at work? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/419-how-to-cultivate-thought-intelligence-at-work---with-katherine-fry

Why do two people experience the exact same moment at work and walk away with completely different stories about what just happened? That's often where tension begins. Misread signals. Frustration. Defensiveness. Disconnection. But here's the challenge. It's easy to assume someone else is the problem. When really, a lot of what's happening comes down to the lens each person is bringing into the moment. And when you understand that, you can communicate more clearly, work through tension faster, and create stronger team synergy. My special guest today is Vicki Landers, and she's simplifying how to gain synergy with your team's energy. Here's how. My special guest today is Vicki Landers and she's simplifying how to gain synergy with your team's energy. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What the Energy Leadership Index is and how it helps us better understand communication patterns, stress responses, and the default ways people show up at work. What she means by the "lens" we choose at work, and how that lens shapes the way we interpret other people's behavior. A simple breakdown of the different levels or lenses people move through, and what each one can sound like in real-life team communication, including: Level 1 - Victim Level 2 - Conflict Level 3 - Tolerance Level 4 - Compassion Level 5 - Curiosity & Opportunity Level 6 - Flow Level 7 - Enlightenment How this framework can help you stop taking things personally when a coworker seems defensive, distracted, frustrated, or hard to connect with. And two or three small shifts you can make this week to listen better, communicate more clearly, and create more synergy with your team's energy. Q: Are you wanting to learn how to gain synergy with your team's energy? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/418-how-to-gain-synergy-with-your-teams-energy---with-vicki-landers

Right now, HR leaders are being asked to do more than ever. They're expected to solve complex people problems. Guide change. Improve culture. Support the business. And increasingly, they're being asked to prove it all with data. But here's the challenge. Having the data is one thing. Knowing how to use it is another. Because if you can't turn people data into a clear story that matters to executives, even the best ideas can get stuck. Not because they're wrong. But because the business case wasn't strong enough. My special guest today is Kelly Timpane, and she's simplifying how to use people data to win executive buy-in. Here's how. My special guest today is Kelly Timpane and she's simplifying how to use people data to win executive buy-in. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: How to define "people data" in a simple, practical way, especially for those new to HR analytics. Why people data is only useful if it's accurate, trustworthy, and strong enough to support decision-making, especially when AI is involved. How to structure a presentation to your executive leadership team so it's concise, compelling, and more likely to earn a yes: Problem Impact Solution ROI The biggest mistake HR leaders make when trying to get executive buy-in for a new idea or initiative. And which metrics matter most when making the case for new HR technology versus a people, culture, or employee experience initiative, and how to tie it all back to business impact. Q: Are you wanting to learn how to use your people data to win executive buy-in? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/417-how-to-use-people-data-to-win-executive-buy-in---with-kelly-timpane

Time for a guided visualization exercise: How to #dothething. (It's a hashtag because it's an action statement!) Especially when you don't feel fully ready yet. Especially when fear is whispering in your ear. Especially when doubt, hesitation, or perfectionism starts creeping in. Because doing the thing is not about having it all figured out first. It's about choosing courage. It's about trusting the next step. It's about taking action anyway. Maybe the thing for you is going for a walk. Making the call. Pitching the idea at work. Having the hard conversation. Laying down the boundary. Saying hell yes. Or no thank you. Whatever your thing is… today's episode is for you. So, how does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers. Listen and participate in this guided visualization exercise: How to #dothething. You can do this, I believe in you.It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b168-how-to-dothething-guided-visualization

Right now, a lot of people are feeling overwhelmed. At work. At home. In the world around them. Things feel heavy. Uncertain. Bigger than any one person can fix. And when everything feels this hard, it's easy to wonder… is this just the reality now? Is it hopeless? Or is it still possible to create positive change? My special guest today is Catherine Alonzo, and she's simplifying how to be a positive changemaker. Here's how. My special guest today is Catherine Alonzo and she's simplifying how to be a positive changemaker.  We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: Why this moment feels so overwhelming right now, both personally and professionally, and how her trifecta of change helps explain what we're experiencing. Where her own drive to make change comes from, and how that shaped the changemaker and leader she has become. The four tools every changemaker needs: vision, action, core values, and conviction. What "your five yards" means, and how to figure out the part you are meant to carry forward right now. And how to keep going when change feels hard, especially when you're facing burnout, imposter syndrome, setbacks, or the fear that your efforts are too small to matter. Q: Are you wanting to learn how to be a positive changemaker? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/416-how-to-be-a-positive-changemaker---with-catherine-alonzo

When people hear the word culture, they often think of something big. Something set at the top. Something shaped by company values, leadership retreats, or a mission statement on the wall. But culture doesn't only live at the organizational level. It gets built much closer to the ground. In the day-to-day interactions between a manager and their team. In the habits of a small group. In the trust, clarity, and behavior patterns people experience every single day. Because whether leaders realize it or not, they are constantly shaping small team environments that directly affect performance. My special guest today is Bruce Mayhew, and he's simplifying how to build micro-cultures that boost performance. Here's how. My special guest today is Bruce Mayhew and he's simplifying how to build micro-cultures that boost performance.  We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What a micro-culture is, and why most organizations underestimate its impact. The difference between culture by design and culture by default. Why culture is built locally through everyday relationships between two people or small teams. Why trust matters more than chemistry when building strong teams, and what leaders should focus on instead of personality fit. Why becoming a people leader should be an intentional choice, not just the default next step in someone's career. And how leaders can support healthy micro-cultures, build loyalty, and lead with integrity without over-controlling the team. Q: Are you needing to learn how to build micro-cultures that boost performance? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/415-how-to-build-micro-cultures-that-boost-performance---with-bruce-mayhew

A toxic workplace rarely reveals itself all at once. It builds slowly. In the tension people avoid. In the fear of saying the wrong thing. In the stress that follows you home and starts to change how you show up. And over time, even good people can begin reacting in ways that don't feel like themselves. Because when you're stuck in survival mode, your clarity gets cloudy. Your confidence starts to slip. And it becomes harder to tell what's really happening… and how to move forward. My special guest today is Theresa Chilcoat, and she's simplifying how to survive a toxic workplace. Here's how. My special guest today is Theresa Chilcoat and she's simplifying how to survive a toxic workplace.  We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What actually defines a toxic workplace, and how to tell when you're in one. What her personal breaking point was, and what made her decide this story needed to become a book. What's happening internally when people go into survival or reactive mode and start acting out of character. How her four-step response works in real life:  Self-awareness Self-control Self-care Self-empowerment. And the single most important pause or reset someone can use right before they react, to regain clarity and agency. Q: Are you needing to learn how to survive a toxic workplace? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/414-how-to-survive-a-toxic-workplace---with-theresa-chilcoat