Paul Osterman is Professor Emeritus of Human Resources and Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and one of the most important scholars examining how the structure of work is profoundly changing in organizations today. His research focuses on a growing and often overlooked shift in employment: the rise of “disposable workers.” Osterman estimates that roughly 35% of today’s workforce now falls into this category in some form. While public attention often centers on gig work — Uber drivers, DoorDash couriers, and freelance labor — his work shows that this is only a small part of the s
In an era marked by rising depression, loneliness, distractibility, burnout and overall declining well-being, many leaders are searching for more effective ways to support their own flourishing and that of their teams. In this compelling conversation, Cortland Dahl, PhD, shares truly transformative insights from his new book, Born to Flourish: How New Science and Ancient Wisdom Reveal a Simple Path to Thriving, co-authored with renowned neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson. Dahl serves as a Contemplative Scientist at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. With a uni
What if one of the greatest threats to employee well-being isn’t workload, stress or even burnout— but the growing feeling that people simply do not matter where they work? That is the premise behind The Power of Mattering by Zach Mercurio, and the foundation of this compelling conversation about leadership, human significance, and the emotional realities of modern work. At a time when nearly 60% of employees say their job is negatively affecting their mental health, Zach argues that organizations are overlooking one of the most fundamental human needs: feeling valued by others and knowing we
What if the way most companies are run today—chasing short-term profits, cutting corners, exploiting customers, and ignoring employee well-being—is actually the opposite of what creates lasting organizational success? Eric Ries, author of the bestselling The Lean Startup and in his new book, Incorruptible, has spent decades studying how organizations can thrive over the long term while genuinely improving the lives of employees, customers, and communities. In Incorruptible, he argues that the most enduring, high-performing companies are guided by a mission that advances human flourishing and a
Beliefs are one of the most powerful—and least examined—forces shaping human life. They determine what we notice, what we ignore, what we attempt, what we avoid, and ultimately what we believe is possible for ourselves and for others. Long before we act, long before we speak, long before we even consciously choose, our beliefs are already organizing our perception of reality. In this conversation, Shawn Achor brings us into the deeper architecture behind that idea. Shawn is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of positive psychology and human performance. He is widely known for
In an era marked by remote work, digital convenience, and a documented 24% decline in everyday social interactions, many leaders are noticing a subtle but significant erosion of human connection — both in their personal lives and across their organizations. Our guest is Dr. Gillian Sandstrom, associate professor of psychology at the University of Sussex and author of the new book Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How Small Talk Can Add Up To a Big Life. Sandstrom has spent 16 years researching the often-overlooked power of brief conversations with strangers — what she calls “micro-social in
Leaders who care about employee well-being are facing a hidden challenge that most aren’t talking about enough: widespread disconnection. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Brigham Young University and Director of the Social Connection & Health Lab, has spent more than two decades showing how human connection — or the lack of it — directly shapes our physical and mental health. Her groundbreaking research helped shape the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on loneliness and isolation, and she is currently leading the landmark Social Connection in America survey, a
A photographic portrait of Julie Claeys When a global professional services firm decides that employee well-being deserves C-suite ownership — complete with metrics, guardrails, and consequences — it signals a major leap from perks to strategy. To that end, Frank Giampietro serves as the Americas Chief Well-Being Officer at Ernst Young (EY), leading well-being strategy across dozens of countries and tens of thousands of employees. His role reflects a deliberate decision by EY to treat well-being as a business imperative — not an HR initiative, not a benefits package, and most certainly not a f
Jen Fisher is a pioneering leader in workplace well-being and human-centered leadership. She became the first Chief Well–being Officer at Deloitte US, creating a role that, as far as we know, no other major company in the world had ever established. In that role, she helped reshape how one of the largest professional services firms approaches employee wellbeing, connection, and sustainable performance, demonstrating that supporting people isn’t optional — it’s essential to leadership and organizational success. Her new book, Hope IS The Strategy, builds on these experiences, reframing hope not
How can leaders use emotional intelligence to create workplaces where employees flourish? We explore the science and practice of emotional wisdom, examining how leaders can harness the interplay between emotion and reason to foster well-being, connection, and high performance in their teams. Josh Freedman, named one of the top 50 management and leadership experts by Inc. Magazine, is a global authority on emotions and emotional intelligence. He has spent decades helping leaders develop the skills to better understand themselves and connect with their teams. In our wonderful conversation, Josh
One of our all-time favorite guests, Daniel Coyle returns for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on human flourishing, belonging, and what leaders often misunderstand about employee well-being. Coyle is widely known for his ability to translate rigorous research into clear, actionable insights for leaders, and seven years ago, he joined us to discuss The Culture Code – an episode that has gone on to be one of the most downloaded conversations in our show’s history. Daniel is back with a new book, Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment, which challenges conventiona
Some organizations have no heart at all. The best have three! That’s the thesis of the new book, The Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation, co-authored by our guests, Phil Le Brun and Jana Werner. Both work with leaders operating at global scale—Phil as an Executive in Residence at Amazon Web Services, and Jana as a Global Executive Advisor at AWS—helping organizations navigate complexity, change, and continuous transformation. In their book, Phil and Jana introduce a clear contrast between what they call Tin Man organizations and Octopus organizatio
For decades, Wall Street has rewarded short-term thinking: layoffs, cost-cutting, and squeezing employees. Let’s be honest, investors have never been concerned about workers or their well-being. But that era is ending. David Van Adelsberg, CEO and co-founder of Irrational Capital (alongside renowned behavioral economist Dan Ariely), has helped produce some of the most rigorous research on the connection between employee well-being and long-term business performance. The work draws on data from thousands of publicly traded companies over more than a decade—and the results are hard to ignore. Ir
Due to a technical problem with Apple Podcasts, we had to reissue this episode to ensure all subscribers received it. Sorry if it’s a duplicate for some. For only the second time since launching the Lead From The Heart podcast eight years ago, Mark is opening a new season by speaking directly to you—without a guest. In 2018, Mark used the very first episode to introduce himself and his mission for the show. As this new season begins, he felt it was important to pause again, reflect, and—once more—clearly frame the context for what lies ahead. Over the past seven years, the podcast has featured
For only the second time since launching the Lead From The Heart podcast in 2018, Mark is opening a new season by speaking directly to you—without a guest. Eight years ago, Mark used the very first episode to introduce himself and his mission for the show. As this new season begins, he felt it was important to pause again, reflect, and—once more—clearly frame the context for what lies ahead. Over the past seven years, the podcast has featured 170 remarkable guests—CEOs, researchers, academics, and thinkers whose work helped shape and advance a leadership philosophy that was once considered unc
The first chapter of my new book, The Power of Employee Well-Being is titled Know Thyself—and for good reason. I’ve long believed that the most important work a leader can do begins inward, with deeply understanding who you are, how you show up, and the patterns that shape your behavior. That’s exactly what Margaret Andrews explores in Manage Yourself to Lead Others. Leadership, she argues, isn’t about talent, technical skill, or even hard work alone. Those things matter, but they aren’t enough. Sustainable, effective leadership starts with self-awareness—the willingness to examine the experie
Mark Thompson is widely recognized as the world’s #1 CEO coach, bringing more than 30 years of experience preparing top executives and boards — from global corporations to fast-growing startups — to step confidently into their next leadership roles. As founding Chairman of the Chief Executive Alliance and former Chief Experience Officer at Charles Schwab Corporation, he has guided leaders through high-stakes challenges, career transitions, and moments that define organizational success. Few guests bring the depth of operating experience, boardroom insight, and leadership wisdom that Mark does,
Have you ever noticed how many people — even highly successful leaders — live in constant overdrive? They’re productive, disciplined, and always “on,” but inside, they’re exhausted. That’s survival mode — and according to Jon Rosemberg, author of A Guide to Thriving: The Science Behind Breaking Old Patterns, Reclaiming Your Agency, and Finding Meaning, it’s where far too many of us spend our days. In our conversation with Jon, he shows that survival mode isn’t just about burnout — it’s about a deeper disconnection from calm, choice, and purpose. We get stuck reacting to life instead of truly l
Why Do Smart, Capable Leaders So Often Get In Their Own Way? Muriel M. Wilkins — executive coach, host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Coaching Real Leaders, and author of the brilliant new book Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential — has spent her career helping senior leaders uncover the invisible beliefs that quietly sabotage their effectiveness. In this episode, Muriel joins me to explore what she calls hidden blockers — seven deeply ingrained mindsets that cause leaders to overcontrol, overwork, or second-guess themselves. These blockers sound de
The core message of Colin M. Fisher’s new book, The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups, is simple but profound: we dramatically overestimate the role of individuals in success and underestimate the extraordinary power of groups. History celebrates “great men” like Edison, Jobs, and Musk, but the truth is that real breakthroughs nearly always come from teams—groups that learn how to cooperate effectively, stick together, and build upon one another’s strengths. Too often, workplace managers mirror this cultural bias becoming infatuated with star performers. They lavish praise
Klaus Kleinfeld has lived one of the most extraordinary leadership journeys of our time. He’s the only executive ever to serve as CEO of two Fortune 500 giants on different continents—Siemens in Germany and Alcoa in the U.S.—and he’s advised presidents and global leaders around the world. What struck me most in speaking with Klaus isn’t just the scope of his career—it’s what he believes makes leadership truly sustainable. His new book, Leading to Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life, places enormous emphasis on what he calls the “Inner Game.” Unlike most le
Laurie Santos is one of the world’s leading voices on the science of happiness and well-being. She’s a psychology professor at Yale University, where her course Psychology and the Good Life became the most popular class in Yale’s 300-year history. So many students enrolled that the university had to move it to a concert hall to accommodate the crowds. Building on that success, Laurie created the online version—The Science of Well-Being—which has now been taken by millions worldwide, making her one of the most influential teachers on happiness anywhere. But Laurie’s work reaches far beyond the
For the second half of this podcast season, we’ve been focused on employee well-being—why it matters, how to foster it, and what happens when leaders fail to take it seriously. Our new guest, Amy Gilliland, shows what it looks like when a CEO makes well-being a true priority, not a mere slogan. Amy is president of General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a $9 billion global technology enterprise with 28,000 employees. Under her leadership, GDIT has achieved four straight years of revenue growth, a 27% increase in operating earnings, and a record $15.4 billion in contract awards in 2024.
That’s the groundbreaking case made by Dr. Angela Jackson, Harvard University professor and New York Times bestselling author of The Win-Win Workplace: How Thriving Employees Drive Bottom-Line Success. Angela’s journey is remarkable. After losing her mother at age four, she was raised by grandparents who grew up in the Jim Crow South and never advanced beyond sixth grade. Nonetheless, their resilience and determination gave Angela the foundation to earn a PhD, teach at Harvard, and become a leading voice for creating workplaces where people truly flourish. Drawing on research from over 1,200 o
Nick Foster, former head of design at Google X — the “moonshot factory” — and author of Could, Should, Might, Don’t: How We Think About the Future, joins us to discuss his stunning conclusion that human beings are terrible at predicting the future, calling most forecasts “mostly nonsense.” For leaders, this insight is absolutely essential: we’re constantly asked to make or evaluate predictions that shape strategies, investments, and organizational futures. Foster’s book provides a vital framework to assess these pitches, helping leaders navigate the uncertainty of forecasts (whether making the
