Working on Purpose

AI is no longer a future conversation—it’s here, and it’s forcing a reckoning. Will you use it to cut costs and commoditize talent, or to amplify human brilliance? In this episode, we unpack the real leadership challenge of AI: navigating disruption while unlocking empowerment. The winners won’t be those who automate the fastest, but those who invest wisely in elevating customers, energizing emplo...

The world feels louder, harsher, and more divided than ever. It’s easy to get pulled into the chaos—reacting, withdrawing, or simply feeling worn down by it all. But losing yourself in the noise comes at a cost. So how do you stay clear, centered, and strong? In this episode, Dr. Ciaramicoli brings 45 years of experience as a clinical psychologist sitting with people in their darkest moments while...

Only about 10% of the population are what psychologist Douglas Brackmann calls “The Driven.” They are the entrepreneurs, inventors, and elite performers who build companies, create new industries, and generate much of the world’s wealth. But their superpower comes with a shadow. Driven individuals are often chronically dissatisfied—always pushing for more, even after achieving what others would co...

For years, leadership conversations treated communication, empathy, and collaboration as “soft skills.” But in today’s complex workplaces, they’ve become hard core capabilities for team success. My guest Yadira Caro shares her Five C’s framework—a practical method she uses to help teams build the trust, clarity, and connection needed to work better together and perform at their best. Working on Pu...

What if the missing ingredient in your engagement strategy isn’t better rewards—but deeper appreciation? While recognition programs spotlight desired behaviors, authentic appreciation acknowledges the whole person behind the work. It carries both intention and heart. And unlike recognition, it isn’t confined to hierarchy—it can move across teams. Dr. Paul White explores how cultivating a culture o...

Henry David Thoreau is often remembered as a writer, environmentalist, thinker, surveyor and activist. A closer, more appreciative look also reveals his creative and eclectic thought leadership and contributions to business operations and leadership. What can we learn from the man who spent two years in a small cabin on Walden Pond in 1845 to live deliberately, seek simplicity, and explore self-re...

Burnout is on the rise, and traditional solutions fall short. Enter Dr. Tolia, a former medical doctor turned visual artist who now prescribes beauty and creativity for vitality. Her work shifts workplaces from tense and transactional to calm and inspiring. Together, we uncover how intentional art can nurture meaning, elevate well-being, and unlock leaders’ higher potential to create thriving cult...

Real leadership doesn’t emerge in moments of certainty—it’s forged in ambiguity, discomfort, and self-doubt. No matter where you are on your leadership journey, you will face moments where you don’t know the answers and can’t see the road ahead. In this thoughtful conversation with leadership expert Pete Behrens, we unpack how to lead authentically in the fog, embrace the messiness of real life, a...

Remote and hybrid work opened the door to greater autonomy, focus, and balance for millions of workers. Today, that door is closing as companies reinstate return-to-office mandates. What’s fueling this reversal, and what are leaders overlooking? In this episode, Monica Browning Mitchell unpacks the latest research on RTO decisions and offers guidance on how leaders can approach them with intention...

From the Great Depression to the Information Age, and countless times before, periods of upheaval have always reshaped how we live and lead. Today’s convergence of AI, cultural disruption, and evolving workforce expectations is no different—except the pace is faster and the stakes higher. In this episode, Dr. Stephen Post shares insights from Pure Unlimited Love on how leaders can cultivate inner...

If your leadership vision doesn’t feel a little audacious, it’s probably too small. In this episode, Gray McDowell and I explore why King Arthur’s Camelot remains a powerful leadership provocation in an age of disruption and distrust. Honor, quest, and excellence aren’t outdated—they’re precious and rare. Leave the dagger. Take the sword. Build something worth remembering. Working on Purpose is br...

Most leadership programs fail to deliver results because they focus on what leaders know and do. Vertical development is effective because it focuses on who leaders are becoming. Rather than downloading more skills, it elevates a leader’s mindset and ability to make sense of complexity with greater emotional and cognitive sophistication. Leaders can transform their organizations by evolving their...

Every generation is accused of lowering the bar. History proves the opposite. Gen Z is raising expectations around emotional intelligence, earned authority, and meaningful work—and leaders are feeling the pressure. In this episode featuring Gen Z expert Tim Elmore, we explore why resisting Gen Z misses the point, and how leaders who rise to their standards can build destination workplaces no gener...

Discover how learning to share unforgettable stories can turn you into a fearless, visionary leader. Emmy-winning reporter and broadcaster Monica Pierre takes the stage in a powerful theatrical performance, putting fear, change, and diminishment “on trial.” Learn how to confront what holds you back, embrace transformation, and avoid unknowingly shrinking those you lead. Join us to elevate your sto...

Most of us are sprinting through life without a dashboard—mistaking motion for progress. In this episode, Bill Zujewski shares how to design a fulfilling life using ZenScore, a self-assessment tool from his book What’s Your Life Score? You’ll learn how to measure satisfaction across 8 life domains -- from Growth to Purpose —and turn vague feelings into actionable insight. Discover how clarity lead...

Excellence today is not achieved through one-off transformations, but through the ongoing discipline of honing. Leaders who champion this mindset foster a culture of precision, resilience, and elevated performance. By continuously refining their approach and making constant micro-adjustments, they not only meet challenges head-on but also inspire their organizations to perform at the highest level...

Every great movement begins with a single brave step inward. This episode invites you to discover your unique mission and align your leadership with your deepest truth. By embracing your values, amplifying your strengths, and reconnecting with your emotional depth, you can spark a revolution of authenticity and impact — starting with you. Guest: Dana Williams Working on Purpose is broadcast live T...

Machines can calculate and crunch mega loads of information in lightning speed, but they can’t yet navigate heartbreak, disappointment, or the grit it takes to stand back up when life throws a its punches. Resilience is a deeply human force—a mix of emotion, intuition, and lived wisdom. With AI growing more present in our lives, nurturing this inner strength may become our most important different...

Cecily Mak joins us to reveal how dimming behaviors—like overworking, numbing, or self-soothing—quiet our inner truth. As she unpacks her own journey, she shows how facing what we avoid grants clarity, emotional depth, and renewed choice. This is your invitation to learn about reclaiming presence, agency, and the vibrant edges of being fully alive. Working on Purpose is broadcast live Tuesdays at...

In today’s hustle-obsessed culture, overwork is often glorified as loyalty. For Roderick Jefferson, that mindset nearly cost him everything. After a devastating health collapse, he was forced to face the consequences of relentless drive. Now, he shares how faith, family, friends, and fun helped him recover—and why real success begins when you stop running yourself into the ground. His journey remi...

Every leader carries a story that shapes how they relate, influence, and inspire. Whether you lead from security, anxiety, or avoidance, you can rewrite that story. Learn to reexamine your personal narrative, extract its wisdom, heal old scripts, and consciously reauthor your path toward grounded, secure, and vibrant leadership. Working on Purpose is broadcast live Tuesdays at 6PM ET and Music on...

Why do so many employees feel drained, unseen, or stuck at work? Often, it’s because leaders unknowingly still architect work as if everyone is driven by the same rewards. The truth? People come six distinct motivations, rooted in personal history, values, and nature itself. When organizations cater to only one, disengagement and frustration flourish. Join us as we explore James Root’s research an...

Leading for high performance in today’s complex, ever-changing world takes seeking out and drawing on a wealth of guidance from experts who can help you “see around corners” you didn’t even know existed. A leader in eleven successful mergers, transformations, and reinventions himself, Ken Banta has tapped into the wisdom and experience of a dazzling array of C-Suite leaders who provide perspective...

Toxicity spreads silently, eroding morale, health, and performance. Marilyn Vetter, who transitioned from executive leadership in big pharma to leading a nonprofit, brings her wisdom on what it takes to identify toxicity and cure it. We’ll dive into what leaders must unlearn, why the C-suite often neglects its own growth, and how self-actualization and shared ownership of culture can turn workplac...

In a time of unprecedented change at work—remote teams, burnout, shifting values—one timeless force continues to drive engagement and performance: meaning. In this episode, we explore how leaders can activate meaning as the powerful engine behind both fulfillment and results. Discover three key aspects of meaning: building community, spotlighting contributions, and inspiring continuous challenge a...