<![CDATA[The Kestryl Edge]]>Most leaders weren't trained to lead. They were promoted because they were good at the technical work, then handed a team and told to figure it out.

The Kestryl Edge is a conversation series about what actually builds trust, accountability, and retention on high-performing teams, especially in industries where the stakes are real. Host Dan Korus talks with practitioners, researchers, and operators who've done the work, not theorized about it from a distance.

Expect grounded research, real experiences, little corporate jargon, and conversations that respect your time. If you're a leader trying to build a team people actually trust, this is for you.

New episodes regularly.

]]>https://www.kestryledge.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Mon, 02 Nov 2026 16:18:16 GMTSat, 18 Apr 2026 04:34:12 GMT60Daniel Korus<p>Most leaders weren't trained to lead. They were promoted because they were good at the technical work, then handed a team and told to figure it out.</p><p></p><p>The Kestryl Edge is a conversation series about what actually builds trust, accountability, and retention on high-performing teams, especially in industries where the stakes are real. Host Dan Korus talks with practitioners, researchers, and operators who've done the work, not theorized about it from a distance.</p><p></p><p>Expect grounded research, real experiences, little corporate jargon, and conversations that respect your time. If you're a leader trying to build a team people actually trust, this is for you.</p><p></p><p>New episodes regularly.</p>episodicDaniel Korusadmin@kestryledge.comno<![CDATA[It’s Full Contact Leadership: Rising From the Ashes w/ Jen Benford | E20]]>I met Jen Benford in the comments section of Substack. We've recorded together twice now, and both times it was belly laughs and digging into the hard stuff in work, life, and what it means to grow.

We recorded this one dressed as cops. Deputy Dan and Lieutenant Jen. (If you're a first responder, know that I appreciate what you do.) We police our own emotions all the time: what's right, what's proper, what's decent. Take a page out of Jen's book. Show up as you. Reach for your badge not to police the emotions but to investigate, dig a little deeper, and follow the clues.

Jen spent 15 years in HR and talent acquisition before betting on herself. Now she runs Benford Talent Alchemy, writes Divergent Talent Alchemist on Substack, and hosts The Rewriters Room. We get into the fawn response (the fourth one after fight, flight, and freeze) and what people pleasing looks like at work: saying yes to everything until "you have nothing left for yourself." Jen reads her list of leadership pet peeves on air: false urgency, "charming in public, but cruel in private," moving the goalposts, hoarding information, praising overwork, and handing someone a project with no direction just to see what happens. Her philosophy is the opposite: "give people the tools and then get out of the way. Hire people smarter than you." Plus why her logo is a phoenix, rising from the ashes, and why careers are ecosystems, not ladders.

Shout out to all my fawn responders. Jen's take: "We will police that. 'Cause no more fawning."

FIND JEN
Substack: @benfordtalentalchemy, Divergent Talent Alchemist (benfordtalentalchemy.substack.com)
Website: benfordtalentalchemy.com
Community: The Rewriters Room on Skool (skool.com/the-rewriters-room)

FIND DAN
The Updraft, free weekly leadership essays and interviews: dankorus.com/join
Kestryl Edge, leadership and emotional intelligence training for leaders who want to grow: kestryledge.com

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING (as shown on screen)
BYU vs. New Mexico, Mountain West women's soccer tournament semifinal, November 5, 2009
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
Shadow work, based on Carl Jung's concept of the shadow
Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410-422.
Walker, P. (2003). Codependency, Trauma and the Fawn Response.
Walker, P. (2013). Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving.
Robbins, M., with Robbins, S. (2024). The Let Them Theory.
The Rewriters Room's Inner Compass calls, led by leadership coach Stefanie Hingley

]]>https://kestryledge.com/podcastbf9fcfb2-12f2-4e10-a1b8-79b5bce0262bSat, 31 Oct 2026 13:29:41 GMT<p>I met Jen Benford in the comments section of Substack. We've recorded together twice now, and both times it was belly laughs and digging into the hard stuff in work, life, and what it means to grow.</p><p>We recorded this one dressed as cops. Deputy Dan and Lieutenant Jen. (If you're a first responder, know that I appreciate what you do.) We police our own emotions all the time: what's right, what's proper, what's decent. Take a page out of Jen's book. Show up as you. Reach for your badge not to police the emotions but to investigate, dig a little deeper, and follow the clues.</p><p>Jen spent 15 years in HR and talent acquisition before betting on herself. Now she runs Benford Talent Alchemy, writes Divergent Talent Alchemist on Substack, and hosts The Rewriters Room. We get into the fawn response (the fourth one after fight, flight, and freeze) and what people pleasing looks like at work: saying yes to everything until "you have nothing left for yourself." Jen reads her list of leadership pet peeves on air: false urgency, "charming in public, but cruel in private," moving the goalposts, hoarding information, praising overwork, and handing someone a project with no direction just to see what happens. Her philosophy is the opposite: "give people the tools and then get out of the way. Hire people smarter than you." Plus why her logo is a phoenix, rising from the ashes, and why careers are ecosystems, not ladders.</p><p>Shout out to all my fawn responders. Jen's take: "We will police that. 'Cause no more fawning."</p><p><strong>FIND JEN</strong><br />Substack: @benfordtalentalchemy, Divergent Talent Alchemist (benfordtalentalchemy.substack.com)<br />Website: benfordtalentalchemy.com<br />Community: The Rewriters Room on Skool (skool.com/the-rewriters-room)</p><p><strong>FIND DAN</strong><br />The Updraft, free weekly leadership essays and interviews: dankorus.com/join<br />Kestryl Edge, leadership and emotional intelligence training for leaders who want to grow: kestryledge.com</p><p><strong>SOURCES AND FURTHER READING (as shown on screen)</strong><br />BYU vs. New Mexico, Mountain West women's soccer tournament semifinal, November 5, 2009<br />Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972<br />Shadow work, based on Carl Jung's concept of the shadow<br />Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410-422.<br />Walker, P. (2003). Codependency, Trauma and the Fawn Response.<br />Walker, P. (2013). Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving.<br />Robbins, M., with Robbins, S. (2024). The Let Them Theory.<br />The Rewriters Room's Inner Compass calls, led by leadership coach Stefanie Hingley</p>yes02:15:0420It’s Full Contact Leadership: Rising From the Ashes w/ Jen Benford | E20full<![CDATA[Find A Court Jester w/ Sven Brodmerkel | E19]]>Sven Brodmerkel got a PhD in political science, fell into a German ad agency by accident, worked his way from account management to copywriting, and has spent almost twenty years teaching advertising in Australia. This was his first podcast ever.

We get into why ads get older people wrong, whether you can actually teach (or grade) creativity, what AI means for a school system that AI is built to ace, beginner's mind versus empathy, the one creative habit worth training, how to run a brainstorm that works, and why every leader needs someone who can tell them the truth without getting punished for it.

His advice to CEOs: find a court jester.

]]>https://kestryledge.com/podcaste17706c5-11c8-4a24-9417-2d2d32ff51e6Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT<p>Sven Brodmerkel got a PhD in political science, fell into a German ad agency by accident, worked his way from account management to copywriting, and has spent almost twenty years teaching advertising in Australia. This was his first podcast ever.</p><p>We get into why ads get older people wrong, whether you can actually teach (or grade) creativity, what AI means for a school system that AI is built to ace, beginner's mind versus empathy, the one creative habit worth training, how to run a brainstorm that works, and why every leader needs someone who can tell them the truth without getting punished for it.</p><p>His advice to CEOs: find a court jester.</p>yes01:40:4119Find A Court Jester w/ Sven Brodmerkel | E19full<![CDATA[Do What Others Aren't: Career Reinvention with Paul Austin-Menear | E18]]>Most career advice assumes a straight line. Paul Austin-Menear has never had one. He started a consulting business at 23, sold it, watched his next startup fail for being years too early, got laid off twice, and landed a decade-long job by mailing 200 letters.

Paul Austin-Menear, founder of Six Catalysts, joins Dan Korus on The Kestryl Edge Podcast. After a decade in marketing, commerce and operations at a Toronto consumer tech startup, Paul now helps growing businesses ($5M to $100M) fix operations, marketing, HR and finance before they hit the potholes. He also co-hosts Roast the Post with Jennifer Houle.

In this episode:

  • Leaving small-town Ontario for opportunity
  • Why a history degree's soft skills matter more in the AI era
  • Engaging fairly with ideas you disagree with
  • Coaching a parliamentary candidate at 23
  • The QR code startup that was too early, and what failure does to a partnership
  • Building trust with business partners: expectations, reciprocity, and not screwing each other
  • Why "self-censor and get along" is outdated advice for leading younger teams
  • "Do what others aren't": the 200-letter job search
  • Burnout, and building a solo practice for small businesses
  • Advice for first-timers, new managers, and the C-suite

Resources mentioned

Mikhail Gorbachev, Perestroika: New Thinking for Our Country and the World (1987)

Connect with Paul

Six Catalysts: 6catalysts.ca
The Journey, Paul's Substack: 6catalysts.substack.com
Roast the Post: roastthepost.show and roastthepost.substack.com
Co-host Jennifer Houle, Uncompliant: uncompliant.substack.com

Connect with Dan and Kestryl Edge

Join The Updraft and the weekly live leadership Q&A: dankorus.com/p/join
Kestryl Edge leadership workshops: www.kestryledge.com/services
Book a 20-minute fit call: www.kestryledge.com/contact

Fact check
Conversations run on memory, so here's a quick Dan-Fact-Check so folks know we value honesty in our media. We totally underestimated our Canadian driving distances. It's more like two-thirds of Canadians live within 100 km of the US border, not 90%. An Ontario three-year BA is a full bachelor's degree. The ease-of-starting-a-business ranking was the World Bank's (Canada 3rd, 2020), not the OECD's. Google Docs and Sheets launched in 2006. The credit crisis broke in August 2007; Lehman failed in September 2008. The ad figures fit cost per click, not CPM. Full sources to all claims are in the episode post on The Updraft.

Music:
"That Corner In Harlem" and "Orange Cap," licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: FGA3KJINKZAAQVEV, E5DX6GR2OLQJXHKU

#leadership #careerchange #entrepreneurship #smallbusiness #hiring #management #kestryledge

]]>d8a1ab4c-4212-401c-bbfa-7c02bc91b130Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT<p><b><strong>Most career advice assumes a straight line. Paul Austin-Menear has never had one.</strong></b> He started a consulting business at 23, sold it, watched his next startup fail for being years too early, got laid off twice, and landed a decade-long job by mailing 200 letters.</p><p><b><strong>Paul Austin-Menear, founder of Six Catalysts</strong></b>, joins Dan Korus on The Kestryl Edge Podcast. After a decade in marketing, commerce and operations at a Toronto consumer tech startup, Paul now helps growing businesses ($5M to $100M) fix operations, marketing, HR and finance before they hit the potholes. He also co-hosts Roast the Post with Jennifer Houle.</p><p><b><strong>In this episode:</strong></b></p><ul><li>Leaving small-town Ontario for opportunity</li><li>Why a history degree's soft skills matter more in the AI era</li><li>Engaging fairly with ideas you disagree with</li><li>Coaching a parliamentary candidate at 23</li><li>The QR code startup that was too early, and what failure does to a partnership</li><li>Building trust with business partners: expectations, reciprocity, and not screwing each other</li><li>Why "self-censor and get along" is outdated advice for leading younger teams</li><li>"Do what others aren't": the 200-letter job search</li><li>Burnout, and building a solo practice for small businesses</li><li>Advice for first-timers, new managers, and the C-suite</li></ul><p><b><strong>Resources mentioned</strong></b></p><p>Mikhail Gorbachev, <i><em>Perestroika: New Thinking for Our Country and the World</em></i> (1987)</p><p><b><strong>Connect with Paul</strong></b></p><p>Six Catalysts: <a href="https://6catalysts.ca" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">6catalysts.ca</a><br />The Journey, Paul's Substack: <a href="https://6catalysts.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">6catalysts.substack.com</a><br />Roast the Post: <a href="https://roastthepost.show" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">roastthepost.show</a> and <a href="https://roastthepost.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">roastthepost.substack.com</a><br />Co-host Jennifer Houle, Uncompliant: <a href="https://uncompliant.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">uncompliant.substack.com</a></p><p><b><strong>Connect with Dan and Kestryl Edge</strong></b></p><p>Join The Updraft and the weekly live leadership Q&amp;A: <a href="https://dankorus.com/p/join" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">dankorus.com/p/join</a><br />Kestryl Edge leadership workshops: <a href="https://www.kestryledge.com/services" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.kestryledge.com/services</a><br />Book a 20-minute fit call: <a href="https://www.kestryledge.com/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.kestryledge.com/contact</a></p><p><b><strong>Fact check</strong></b><br />Conversations run on memory, so here's a quick Dan-Fact-Check so folks know we value honesty in our media. We totally underestimated our Canadian driving distances. It's more like two-thirds of Canadians live within 100 km of the US border, not 90%. An Ontario three-year BA is a full bachelor's degree. The ease-of-starting-a-business ranking was the World Bank's (Canada 3rd, 2020), not the OECD's. Google Docs and Sheets launched in 2006. The credit crisis broke in August 2007; Lehman failed in September 2008. The ad figures fit cost per click, not CPM. Full sources to all claims are in the episode post on The Updraft.</p><p><b><strong>Music:</strong></b><br />"That Corner In Harlem" and "Orange Cap," licensed through Soundstripe.<br />Code: FGA3KJINKZAAQVEV, E5DX6GR2OLQJXHKU</p><p>#leadership #careerchange #entrepreneurship #smallbusiness #hiring #management #kestryledge</p>yes02:05:0618Do What Others Aren't: Career Reinvention with Paul Austin-Menear | E18full<![CDATA[Scared People Can't Think: The Neuroscience of Psychological Safety with Patricio Cuesta | E17]]>When people are scared, they stop thinking. Their brains shift into survival mode, and the prefrontal cortex you hired them for goes quiet.

Patricio Cuesta, founder of Thinkquan2m, joins Dan Korus on The Kestryl Edge Podcast to break down the neuroscience of psychological safety and why fear is the most expensive thing a leader can bring to work. Patricio spent decades as a corporate executive across Latin America and the United States, often as the person sent in to turn things around. Today he coaches executives through a neuroscience lens and teaches post-graduate engineering students at the University of Central Florida.

In this episode:

  • "You're paying for their prefrontal cortex, not their body": why fear wastes the talent you pay for
  • Finding out he's neurodivergent at 50, and the engineering mindset that carried him
  • Leading a turnaround in Brazil by visiting every distributor in their own language
  • From windsurf instructor back to engineering school
  • Steering a global consumer brand through the pandemic
  • Killing initiatives that don't move the needle to protect your team's focus
  • Psychological safety as an ecosystem for success, and what Google's Project Aristotle found
  • Writing an instruction manual for your own brain
  • Learning from imperfect leaders
  • Advice for new hires, mid-career managers, and executives

Resources mentioned

Google re:Work, Project Aristotle and team effectiveness: https://rework.withgoogle.com/intl/en/guides/understand-team-effectiveness

Liz Wiseman, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter (2010)

John C. Maxwell, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Connect with Patricio

Thinkquan2m: https://thinkquan2m.com. Patricio also shares his work on LinkedIn and Substack.

Connect with Dan and Kestryl Edge

Join The Updraft and the weekly live leadership Q&A: https://dankorus.com/p/join

Kestryl Edge leadership workshops: https://www.kestryledge.com/services

Book a 20-minute fit call: https://www.kestryledge.com/contact

Music:
"That Corner In Harlem" and "Orange Cap," licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: S0EIFCTI0HGDQRFC, WKHQIH2WECJ0SP9D

#leadership #psychologicalsafety #neuroscience #neurodiversity #management #executiveleadership #teamperformance #kestryledge

]]>dc059e58-6855-47c3-afce-84a38e2da063Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT<p><b><strong>When people are scared, they stop thinking.</strong></b> Their brains shift into survival mode, and the prefrontal cortex you hired them for goes quiet.</p><p><b><strong>Patricio Cuesta, founder of Thinkquan2m</strong></b>, joins Dan Korus on The Kestryl Edge Podcast to break down the neuroscience of psychological safety and why fear is the most expensive thing a leader can bring to work. Patricio spent decades as a corporate executive across Latin America and the United States, often as the person sent in to turn things around. Today he coaches executives through a neuroscience lens and teaches post-graduate engineering students at the University of Central Florida.</p><p><b><strong>In this episode:</strong></b></p><ul><li>"You're paying for their prefrontal cortex, not their body": why fear wastes the talent you pay for</li><li>Finding out he's neurodivergent at 50, and the engineering mindset that carried him</li><li>Leading a turnaround in Brazil by visiting every distributor in their own language</li><li>From windsurf instructor back to engineering school</li><li>Steering a global consumer brand through the pandemic</li><li>Killing initiatives that don't move the needle to protect your team's focus</li><li>Psychological safety as an ecosystem for success, and what Google's Project Aristotle found</li><li>Writing an instruction manual for your own brain</li><li>Learning from imperfect leaders</li><li>Advice for new hires, mid-career managers, and executives</li></ul><p><b><strong>Resources mentioned</strong></b></p><p>Google re:Work, Project Aristotle and team effectiveness: <a href="https://rework.withgoogle.com/intl/en/guides/understand-team-effectiveness" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://rework.withgoogle.com/intl/en/guides/understand-team-effectiveness</a></p><p>Liz Wiseman, <i><em>Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter</em></i> (2010)</p><p>John C. Maxwell, <i><em>The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership</em></i></p><p><b><strong>Connect with Patricio</strong></b></p><p>Thinkquan2m: <a href="https://thinkquan2m.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://thinkquan2m.com</a>. Patricio also shares his work on LinkedIn and Substack.</p><p><b><strong>Connect with Dan and Kestryl Edge</strong></b></p><p>Join The Updraft and the weekly live leadership Q&amp;A: <a href="https://dankorus.com/p/join" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://dankorus.com/p/join</a></p><p>Kestryl Edge leadership workshops: <a href="https://www.kestryledge.com/services" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.kestryledge.com/services</a></p><p>Book a 20-minute fit call: <a href="https://www.kestryledge.com/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.kestryledge.com/contact</a></p><p><b><strong>Music:</strong></b><br />"That Corner In Harlem" and "Orange Cap," licensed through Soundstripe.<br />Code: S0EIFCTI0HGDQRFC, WKHQIH2WECJ0SP9D</p><p>#leadership #psychologicalsafety #neuroscience #neurodiversity #management #executiveleadership #teamperformance #kestryledge</p>no01:55:0117Scared People Can't Think: The Neuroscience of Psychological Safety with Patricio Cuesta | E17full<![CDATA[Be A Sponge, Communicate Like A MOFO, & Don't Be a Dick (To Yourself) w/ Lindsey Kay | E16]]>How do you go from starting a nonprofit with no house, no office, and a meeting at Applebee's to leading an organization that has backed New Mexico small businesses for nearly four decades?

Lindsey Kay, CEO of WESST, joins Dan Korus on The Kestryl Edge Podcast to talk nonprofit leadership, small business support, and what it really takes to lead with your team instead of in front of it.

Lindsey spent 14 years building Paws and Stripes, a program pairing rescue dogs with veterans living with PTSD and brain injuries, before stepping in to lead WESST, a women's business center and community lender serving small businesses across New Mexico. She brings a social worker's lens to business advising, ethics, and leadership.

In this episode:

  • How a rescue dog named Sarge sparked a 14-year service dog program for veterans
  • Why you should always ask the question: QPR and suicide prevention
  • Veterans are people first: there's always an "and"
  • Building a nonprofit is building a business, and why your mistakes pave the way
  • Small business advice: start focused, test your idea, then stay agile
  • Ethics in business advising and why good advisors work with clients, not for them
  • Why women's business centers and small business support matter to New Mexico's economy
  • Psychological safety: a team where you can't tell who the CEO is
  • Advice for your first day at work, for middle managers, and for senior leaders

If you or someone you know is struggling In the US, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org

Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, then press 1): https://www.veteranscrisisline.net

The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ young people: https://www.thetrevorproject.org


Resources mentioned

QPR Institute (Question, Persuade, Refer suicide prevention training): https://qprinstitute.com

Assistance Dogs International, find an accredited member: https://assistancedogsinternational.org/main/looking-for-an-assistance-dog/

Paws and Stripes (service dogs for veterans in New Mexico): https://www.pawsandstripes.org

SBA Women's Business Centers: https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/womens-business-centers

Connect with Lindsey and WESST WESST: https://www.wesst.org


Connect with Dan and Kestryl Edge

Join The Updraft and the weekly live leadership Q&A: https://dankorus.com/p/join

Kestryl Edge leadership workshops: https://www.kestryledge.com/services

Book a 20-minute fit call: https://www.kestryledge.com/contact

#leadership #smallbusiness #nonprofitleadership #newmexico #womeninbusiness #veterans #suicideprevention #psychologicalsafety #kestrylsessions


]]>485caeed-a0e8-4c91-b483-36a09d29cc98Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT<p>How do you go from starting a nonprofit with no house, no office, and a meeting at Applebee's to leading an organization that has backed New Mexico small businesses for nearly four decades? </p><p><b><strong>Lindsey Kay, CEO of WESST</strong></b>, joins Dan Korus on The Kestryl Edge Podcast to talk nonprofit leadership, small business support, and what it really takes to lead with your team instead of in front of it.</p><p>Lindsey spent 14 years building Paws and Stripes, a program pairing rescue dogs with veterans living with PTSD and brain injuries, before stepping in to lead WESST, a women's business center and community lender serving small businesses across New Mexico. She brings a social worker's lens to business advising, ethics, and leadership.</p><p><b><strong>In this episode:</strong></b></p><ul><li>How a rescue dog named Sarge sparked a 14-year service dog program for veterans</li><li>Why you should always ask the question: QPR and suicide prevention</li><li>Veterans are people first: there's always an "and"</li><li>Building a nonprofit is building a business, and why your mistakes pave the way</li><li>Small business advice: start focused, test your idea, then stay agile</li><li>Ethics in business advising and why good advisors work with clients, not for them</li><li>Why women's business centers and small business support matter to New Mexico's economy</li><li>Psychological safety: a team where you can't tell who the CEO is</li><li>Advice for your first day at work, for middle managers, and for senior leaders</li></ul><p><b><strong>If you or someone you know is struggling</strong></b> In the US, call or text 988 for the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline: <a href="https://988lifeline.org" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://988lifeline.org</a> </p><p>Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, then press 1): <a href="https://www.veteranscrisisline.net" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.veteranscrisisline.net</a> </p><p>The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ young people: <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.thetrevorproject.org</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b><strong>Resources mentioned</strong></b> </p><p>QPR Institute (Question, Persuade, Refer suicide prevention training): <a href="https://qprinstitute.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://qprinstitute.com</a> </p><p>Assistance Dogs International, find an accredited member: <a href="https://assistancedogsinternational.org/main/looking-for-an-assistance-dog/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://assistancedogsinternational.org/main/looking-for-an-assistance-dog/</a> </p><p>Paws and Stripes (service dogs for veterans in New Mexico): <a href="https://www.pawsandstripes.org" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.pawsandstripes.org</a> </p><p>SBA Women's Business Centers: <a href="https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/womens-business-centers" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/womens-business-centers</a></p><p><b><strong>Connect with Lindsey and WESST</strong></b> WESST: <a href="https://www.wesst.org" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.wesst.org</a> </p><p><br /></p><p><b><strong>Connect with Dan and Kestryl Edge</strong></b> </p><p>Join The Updraft and the weekly live leadership Q&amp;A: <a href="https://dankorus.com/p/join" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://dankorus.com/p/join</a> </p><p>Kestryl Edge leadership workshops: <a href="https://www.kestryledge.com/services" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.kestryledge.com/services</a> </p><p>Book a 20-minute fit call: <a href="https://www.kestryledge.com/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.kestryledge.com/contact</a> </p><p>#leadership #smallbusiness #nonprofitleadership #newmexico #womeninbusiness #veterans #suicideprevention #psychologicalsafety #kestrylsessions</p><p><br /></p>no01:49:4516Be A Sponge, Communicate Like A MOFO, & Don't Be a Dick (To Yourself) w/ Lindsey Kay | E16full<![CDATA[Leadership In College Admissions w/ Brent Bode: The Cost-Benefit From Behind The Decision Desk | E15]]>Brent Bode has spent thirteen years in college admissions, now Senior Assistant Director at Western Washington University, and yes, he used to be my boss. We get into what actually happens on the other side of an application (a majority of four-year colleges admit most of who applies, despite what admissions-panic content tells you), where AI essay detectors get it wrong, and the winding path from a marine biology major to running a piece of a university admissions office.

Find Brent: LinkedIn | WWU admissions page

More conversations like this: dankorus.com/p/join

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: F84LGMWLWZ1ME70K, QAZLCXG5OSKURPEX

]]>7105c302-3a81-46ce-a354-c12f0a0a36eaMon, 28 Sep 2026 10:30:00 GMT<p>Brent Bode has spent thirteen years in college admissions, now Senior Assistant Director at Western Washington University, and yes, he used to be my boss. We get into what actually happens on the other side of an application (a majority of four-year colleges admit most of who applies, despite what admissions-panic content tells you), where AI essay detectors get it wrong, and the winding path from a marine biology major to running a piece of a university admissions office.</p><p>Find Brent: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bodeb/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> | <a href="https://admissions.wwu.edu/counselors/brent-bode" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">WWU admissions page</a></p><p>More conversations like this: dankorus.com/p/join</p><p>Music licensed through Soundstripe.<br />Code: F84LGMWLWZ1ME70K, QAZLCXG5OSKURPEX</p>no01:43:5615Leadership In College Admissions w/ Brent Bode: The Cost-Benefit From Behind The Decision Desk | E15full<![CDATA[The Canary in the Coal Mine: Dr. Michael Leiter on the Real Cause of Burnout | E14]]>Burnout is a relationship breaking down between a person and their job.

Michael Leiter, Professor Emeritus at Acadia University and co-author (with Christina Maslach) of The Burnout Challenge, joins Dan to unpack the three-part definition researchers actually use to diagnose burnout, why the World Health Organization stops short of calling it a disease, and what separates burnout from simple disengagement. Michael shares the story of cold-calling Maslach in the 1980s after reading her first burnout paper, why surveying your team and doing nothing with the results makes things worse, and the "canary in the coal mine" framework he uses with executives. Along the way: gurneys parked in hospital hallways, the hidden "favor economy" holding broken processes together, and concrete advice for anyone from a first-day hire to a sitting CEO.

Links:

Music:
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]]>8a667e18-0631-4848-90d8-23bc51d119b1Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:30:00 GMT<p><b>Burnout is a relationship breaking down between a person and their job. </b></p><p></p><p>Michael Leiter, Professor Emeritus at Acadia University and co-author (with Christina Maslach) of <i>The Burnout Challenge</i>, joins Dan to unpack the three-part definition researchers actually use to diagnose burnout, why the World Health Organization stops short of calling it a disease, and what separates burnout from simple disengagement. Michael shares the story of cold-calling Maslach in the 1980s after reading her first burnout paper, why surveying your team and doing nothing with the results makes things worse, and the "canary in the coal mine" framework he uses with executives. Along the way: gurneys parked in hospital hallways, the hidden "favor economy" holding broken processes together, and concrete advice for anyone from a first-day hire to a sitting CEO.</p><p></p><p><b>Links:</b></p><ul><li>Michael's website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://mpleiter.wordpress.com" target="_blank">mpleiter.wordpress.com</a></li><li>Michael on LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://linkedin.com/in/leiter" target="_blank">linkedin.com/in/leiter</a></li><li><i>The Burnout Challenge: Managing People's Relationships with Their Jobs</i> (Maslach &amp; Leiter, Harvard University Press, 2022): <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/book/9780674251014" target="_blank">https://mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/book/9780674251014</a></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Music:</b><br />Music licensed through Soundstripe.<br />Code: L2V44WNB52QO3LME, ZW1OIBCWL5A3GK9D</p>no01:13:4014The Canary in the Coal Mine: Dr. Michael Leiter on the Real Cause of Burnout | E14full<![CDATA[The Negative Space Is The Work w/ Kathi Dalguntas | E13]]>Kathi Dalguntas spent a year as a fractional chief of staff, got offered too little for work nobody could measure, and quit in a way that was not at all planned. Now she runs Not Rising, a decentralized journalism magazine built to avoid the single biggest trap in media: capture.

We go deep on the negative space of leadership, the work that keeps an organization alive without ever showing up as a line item. She explains why companies become living systems, not org charts, and why the C-suite's biggest job is getting over itself. Along the way: the principal who warned her parents journalism was dangerous, her Walter Mitty moment, the case for role modeling your own mistakes, and exactly where to find a Garrett.

You can find Kathi on Substack as Chief Absurdist Officer, and the magazine at Not Rising.

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]]>56a480f7-6326-43c6-a23d-2f6ad8c5c2e5Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT<p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathiericdalguntas/" target="_blank">Kathi Dalguntas </a>spent a year as a fractional chief of staff, got offered too little for work nobody could measure, and quit in a way that was not at all planned. Now she runs Not Rising, a decentralized journalism magazine built to avoid the single biggest trap in media: capture.</p><p></p><p>We go deep on the negative space of leadership, the work that keeps an organization alive without ever showing up as a line item. She explains why companies become living systems, not org charts, and why the C-suite's biggest job is getting over itself. Along the way: the principal who warned her parents journalism was dangerous, her Walter Mitty moment, the case for role modeling your own mistakes, and exactly where to find a Garrett.</p><p></p><p>You can find Kathi on Substack as <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@chiefabsurdistofficer" target="_blank">Chief Absurdist Officer</a>, and the magazine at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thisisnotrising.org/" target="_blank">Not Rising</a>.</p><p></p><p>Music licensed through Soundstripe. License code: 2VMU9UUTJZQYMPII and XDUDLKBQBNSXYIMR.</p>no01:43:4313The Negative Space Is The Work w/ Kathi Dalguntas | E13full<![CDATA[Ditch The Frameworks. Ask: "Who Am I Talking to To?" w/ Jennifer Houle | E12]]>Jennifer Houle Crosswinds Interview

Jen's Substack Uncompliant

Read and listen to more at www.dankorus.com

Most emotional intelligence training hands out a framework and calls it done.

Jennifer Houle, HR leader and Substack writer, argues the opposite: there's no script, no personality quiz, no four-box model that works until you actually know who's in front of you.

In this episode, Dan Korus and Jennifer dig into what real emotional intelligence looks like inside a company: how middle managers get systemically set up to fail, why terminations need aftercare the same way any hard conversation does, and why the DISC/Enneagram-style personality frameworks so many workplaces lean on often do more harm than good. Jennifer draws on her path from Wendy's at 14, to running her own yoga studio, to two decades in HR, to make the case that leadership effectiveness isn't a template you apply, it's a practice of paying attention.

Along the way: imposter syndrome and whether leaders actually want to know if people like them, the cult-like patterns inside toxic startups, how to give feedback without hollowing it out into nothing, and why "just be data-driven" doesn't fix a broken culture.

If you lead people, manage people, or fire people for a living, this one's for you.

#EmotionalIntelligence #EQ #Leadership #HR #WorkplaceCulture #MiddleManagement #ImposterSyndrome #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleManagement #HRLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #KestrylSessions #EmployeeExperience #ToxicWorkplace

References and resources available upon request :)

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]]>bdfa437f-7a61-440a-a770-0f4abbc4137fMon, 07 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT<p>Jennifer Houle <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.dankorus.com/p/crosswinds-jennifer-houle" target="_blank">Crosswinds Interview </a></p><p>Jen's Substack <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://uncompliant.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search" target="_blank">Uncompliant</a></p><p>Read and listen to more at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.dankorus.com" target="_blank">www.dankorus.com</a> </p><p></p><p>Most emotional intelligence training hands out a framework and calls it done. </p><p></p><p>Jennifer Houle, HR leader and Substack writer, argues the opposite: there's no script, no personality quiz, no four-box model that works until you actually know who's in front of you.</p><p></p><p>In this episode, Dan Korus and Jennifer dig into what real emotional intelligence looks like inside a company: how middle managers get systemically set up to fail, why terminations need aftercare the same way any hard conversation does, and why the DISC/Enneagram-style personality frameworks so many workplaces lean on often do more harm than good. Jennifer draws on her path from Wendy's at 14, to running her own yoga studio, to two decades in HR, to make the case that leadership effectiveness isn't a template you apply, it's a practice of paying attention.</p><p></p><p>Along the way: imposter syndrome and whether leaders actually want to know if people like them, the cult-like patterns inside toxic startups, how to give feedback without hollowing it out into nothing, and why "just be data-driven" doesn't fix a broken culture.</p><p></p><p>If you lead people, manage people, or fire people for a living, this one's for you.</p><p></p><p><b>#EmotionalIntelligence #EQ #Leadership #HR #WorkplaceCulture #MiddleManagement #ImposterSyndrome #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleManagement #HRLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #KestrylSessions #EmployeeExperience #ToxicWorkplace</b></p><p></p><p><b>References and resources available upon request :) </b></p><p></p><p>Music licensed through Soundstripe.</p><p>Codes: GVOMCKA9E1M5HQPZ, 9RWMGDPWVTQGBODM</p>yes02:59:4412Ditch The Frameworks. Ask: "Who Am I Talking to To?" w/ Jennifer Houle | E12full<![CDATA[Why Your Next CEO Should Come From HR w/ Mark Putrus | E11]]>Masks at work and the Case for Chief People Officers in the Corner Office (with Mark Putrus)

Mark Putrus has spent his career moving through the full HR arc, from pharma sales rep to sales trainer to Chief People Officer, and he's not shy about calling out what he calls "1980s HR" along the way. In this conversation, Mark opens up about something rarely discussed on leadership podcasts: the exhausting work of wearing a mask at work, drawn from his own experience navigating the workplace as part of the LGBTQ+ community and as one half of a two-dad family. From there, the conversation moves into what it actually takes to build a workplace where people can show up without armor.

We also dig into why HR should be treated like any other revenue-driving function instead of a cost center, Mark's build-buy-borrow framework for talent strategy, his case for why Chief People Officers are increasingly strong candidates for the CEO seat, and his sharp, contrarian take on the "AI is going to collapse the workforce" narrative dominating headlines right now. Mark closes with his philosophy on leading with clarity, the platinum rule versus the golden rule, and concrete advice for new hires, middle managers, and the C-suite alike.

In this episode:

  • What it costs to wear a mask at work, and how to build a workplace that needs less of it
  • Why HR should be run like marketing or sales, not treated as a cost center
  • Build, buy, or borrow: a practical framework for closing talent gaps
  • The case for Chief People Officers as future CEOs
  • Why Mark is skeptical of "doom and gloom" predictions about AI and the workforce
  • Leading with clarity, and why uncertainty is one of the worst ways to run a team
  • Advice for first-day employees, middle managers, and senior executives

Connect with Mark: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markputrus/ Substack (The Unspoken): https://substack.com/@markputrus

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]]>b785d13b-9da6-444d-b4b8-edb9089a9f82Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT<p><b>Masks at work and the Case for Chief People Officers in the Corner Office (with Mark Putrus)</b></p><p></p><p>Mark Putrus has spent his career moving through the full HR arc, from pharma sales rep to sales trainer to Chief People Officer, and he's not shy about calling out what he calls "1980s HR" along the way. In this conversation, Mark opens up about something rarely discussed on leadership podcasts: the exhausting work of wearing a mask at work, drawn from his own experience navigating the workplace as part of the LGBTQ+ community and as one half of a two-dad family. From there, the conversation moves into what it actually takes to build a workplace where people can show up without armor.</p><p></p><p>We also dig into why HR should be treated like any other revenue-driving function instead of a cost center, Mark's build-buy-borrow framework for talent strategy, his case for why Chief People Officers are increasingly strong candidates for the CEO seat, and his sharp, contrarian take on the "AI is going to collapse the workforce" narrative dominating headlines right now. Mark closes with his philosophy on leading with clarity, the platinum rule versus the golden rule, and concrete advice for new hires, middle managers, and the C-suite alike.</p><p></p><p><b>In this episode:</b></p><ul><li>What it costs to wear a mask at work, and how to build a workplace that needs less of it</li><li>Why HR should be run like marketing or sales, not treated as a cost center</li><li>Build, buy, or borrow: a practical framework for closing talent gaps</li><li>The case for Chief People Officers as future CEOs</li><li>Why Mark is skeptical of "doom and gloom" predictions about AI and the workforce</li><li>Leading with clarity, and why uncertainty is one of the worst ways to run a team</li><li>Advice for first-day employees, middle managers, and senior executives</li></ul><p></p><p>Connect with Mark: LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markputrus/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/markputrus/</a> Substack (The Unspoken): <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@markputrus" target="_blank">https://substack.com/@markputrus</a></p><p></p><p>Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: PG2X0R93HSCP2RAD, 3BPA9ZH19X92BQXY</p>no01:15:5111Why Your Next CEO Should Come From HR w/ Mark Putrus | E11full<![CDATA[Living Human Documents w/ Matt Heyn: A Chaplain on Presence, Compassion, and Marketing | E10]]>Matt Heyn spent over two decades as a hospital chaplain and in ministry before he ever touched a marketing campaign. On this episode of The Kestryl Edge, he explains why the two jobs are more alike than anyone expects.

Host Dan Korus talks with Matt Heyn (Strategy Signal, VyB Marketing) about what a century of chaplaincy training can teach leaders and marketers about emotional intelligence. Matt breaks down the "verbatim," a clinical pastoral education tool chaplains use to reflect on high-stakes conversations, and the layered model of presence (geographical, psychological, affective) that separates leaders people follow from leaders people merely obey. The conversation covers the real difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion in a management context, why "living human documents" is a better mental model for reading people than trying to extract information from them, and concrete advice for building trust in a new role, team, or leadership seat.

In this episode:

  • What a hospital chaplaincy verbatim is and how to run one on yourself
  • The three (or five) layers of presence, and why most leadership advice only covers the first one
  • Sympathy vs. empathy vs. compassion: picking the right tool for the moment
  • Why the jump from individual contributor to manager is a relational shift, not a skills shift
  • Practical advice for people starting, mid-career, and at the top of their leadership path

Find Matt Heyn on Substack at Strategy Signal.

Lead with the best at www.kestryledge.com.

]]>31507a6b-9859-43b9-b651-4f8aa41145e3Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:15:00 GMT<p><b>Matt Heyn spent over two decades as a hospital chaplain and in ministry before he ever touched a marketing campaign. On this episode of The Kestryl Edge, he explains why the two jobs are more alike than anyone expects.</b></p><p></p><p>Host Dan Korus talks with Matt Heyn (<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thestrategysignal.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips" target="_blank"><b>Strategy Signal</b></a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-heyn/" target="_blank"><b>VyB Marketing</b></a>) about what a century of chaplaincy training can teach leaders and marketers about emotional intelligence. Matt breaks down the "verbatim," a clinical pastoral education tool chaplains use to reflect on high-stakes conversations, and the layered model of presence (geographical, psychological, affective) that separates leaders people follow from leaders people merely obey. The conversation covers the real difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion in a management context, why "living human documents" is a better mental model for reading people than trying to extract information from them, and concrete advice for building trust in a new role, team, or leadership seat.</p><p></p><p><b>In this episode:</b></p><ul><li>What a hospital chaplaincy verbatim is and how to run one on yourself</li><li>The three (or five) layers of presence, and why most leadership advice only covers the first one</li><li>Sympathy vs. empathy vs. compassion: picking the right tool for the moment</li><li>Why the jump from individual contributor to manager is a relational shift, not a skills shift</li><li>Practical advice for people starting, mid-career, and at the top of their leadership path</li></ul><p>Find Matt Heyn on Substack at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thestrategysignal.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips" target="_blank"><b>Strategy Signal</b></a>.</p><p></p><p>Lead with the best at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.kestryledge.com" target="_blank"><b>www.kestryledge.com</b></a>.</p>no01:02:2210Living Human Documents w/ Matt Heyn: A Chaplain on Presence, Compassion, and Marketing | E10full<![CDATA[Leaders: Are You A Shit Umbrella or a Shit Funnel? Tanu Tiwari | E9]]>Tanu Tiwari: Why Your Team's Disengagement Is a Leadership Design Problem

Global employee engagement just hit its lowest point since 2020, the first two consecutive years of decline ever recorded. Manager engagement collapsed from 31% to 22% since 2022. Ten trillion dollars in lost productivity. No region on earth saw an increase.

Tanu Tiwari spent 18 years inside global tech and Fortune 500 companies in marketing, data analytics, and leadership. She's now an ICF certified leadership coach, founder of The Conscious Leader Company, and author of the forthcoming book Disengaged: Turning Passive Teams into Proactive Microcultures.

In this conversation, Tanu breaks down:

  • Why every leader is building a "microculture" whether they realize it or not, and the nine conditions in her PROACTIVE framework that determine whether it's healthy
  • The difference between a "shit umbrella" leader and a "shit funnel" leader, with real examples of what each looks like in a Tuesday afternoon meeting
  • Why she thinks most "AI layoffs" are companies using AI as cover for business models that were already failing
  • The three things people need from a leader to stay engaged: to feel seen, significant, and safe
  • Her own story of working through labor and flying to a trade show five months postpartum, and what it taught her about identity and burnout

Tanu also built a free AI tool that scores your team's culture stack against her nine conditions.

Connect with Tanu:
Substack, Invisible Lessons: https://invisiblelessons.substack.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bytanutiwari/
Instagram/TikTok: @theconsciousleaderco
Website: theconsciousleaderco.com

Referenced in this episode: Simon Sinek's conversation with Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, on A Bit of Optimism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6766oydXpw

]]>4500b899-069e-4fa9-bfe8-fb5c4edab53dTue, 18 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT<p><b>Tanu Tiwari: Why Your Team's Disengagement Is a Leadership Design Problem</b></p><p>Global employee engagement just hit its lowest point since 2020, the first two consecutive years of decline ever recorded. Manager engagement collapsed from 31% to 22% since 2022. Ten trillion dollars in lost productivity. No region on earth saw an increase.</p><p>Tanu Tiwari spent 18 years inside global tech and Fortune 500 companies in marketing, data analytics, and leadership. She's now an ICF certified leadership coach, founder of The Conscious Leader Company, and author of the forthcoming book <i>Disengaged: Turning Passive Teams into Proactive Microcultures</i>.</p><p>In this conversation, Tanu breaks down:</p><ul><li>Why every leader is building a "microculture" whether they realize it or not, and the nine conditions in her PROACTIVE framework that determine whether it's healthy</li><li>The difference between a "shit umbrella" leader and a "shit funnel" leader, with real examples of what each looks like in a Tuesday afternoon meeting</li><li>Why she thinks most "AI layoffs" are companies using AI as cover for business models that were already failing</li><li>The three things people need from a leader to stay engaged: to feel seen, significant, and safe</li><li>Her own story of working through labor and flying to a trade show five months postpartum, and what it taught her about identity and burnout</li></ul><p>Tanu also built a free AI tool that scores your team's culture stack against her nine conditions.</p><p><b>Connect with Tanu:</b><br />Substack, Invisible Lessons: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://invisiblelessons.substack.com" target="_blank">https://invisiblelessons.substack.com</a><br />LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bytanutiwari/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/bytanutiwari/</a><br />Instagram/TikTok: @theconsciousleaderco<br />Website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://theconsciousleaderco.com" target="_blank">theconsciousleaderco.com</a></p><p><b>Referenced in this episode:</b> Simon Sinek's conversation with Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, on <i>A Bit of Optimism</i>: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6766oydXpw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6766oydXpw</a></p>no00:54:489Leaders: Are You A Shit Umbrella or a Shit Funnel? Tanu Tiwari | E9full<![CDATA[Anger is a Beautiful Emotion, What a Therapist Taught Me About Leadership : Richard Reynolds | E8]]>Rich Reynolds is a licensed marriage and family therapist turned leadership coach, and he opens with a claim that reframes the whole episode: the reason a leader struggles in a boardroom is the same reason a husband struggles in a marriage or an addict struggles to quit. Same emotional wiring, different room.

We get into his "stage one, stage two" model of development (the adaptive strategies that get you through childhood eventually become the ceiling on your leadership), what real versus performative empathy actually feels like in the body, and why most boundary-setting advice fails because it's all script and no nervous system.

Then I bring him a live case: less than 24 hours after teaching a workshop module on performative empathy, my own 360 review came back with a comment saying I do exactly that. Rich coaches me through it in real time, including a moment where I get visibly heated talking about a peer manager who lied to my face. We use it to walk through what healthy anger actually looks like at work, as opposed to the two failure modes most of us default to: blowing up or going silent.

Also covered: managing up, advice for first-day employees vs. middle managers vs. C-suite, and why Kaladin from The Stormlight Archive is a near-perfect case study in leadership burnout.

Find Rich at his newsletter, The Self Reflective Leader, on Substack.

]]>de0c5bea-ada2-4e66-bad1-16010dca0f34Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:49:01 GMT<p>Rich Reynolds is a licensed marriage and family therapist turned leadership coach, and he opens with a claim that reframes the whole episode: the reason a leader struggles in a boardroom is the same reason a husband struggles in a marriage or an addict struggles to quit. Same emotional wiring, different room.</p><p></p><p>We get into his "stage one, stage two" model of development (the adaptive strategies that get you through childhood eventually become the ceiling on your leadership), what real versus performative empathy actually feels like in the body, and why most boundary-setting advice fails because it's all script and no nervous system.</p><p></p><p>Then I bring him a live case: less than 24 hours after teaching a workshop module on performative empathy, my own 360 review came back with a comment saying I do exactly that. Rich coaches me through it in real time, including a moment where I get visibly heated talking about a peer manager who lied to my face. We use it to walk through what healthy anger actually looks like at work, as opposed to the two failure modes most of us default to: blowing up or going silent.</p><p>Also covered: managing up, advice for first-day employees vs. middle managers vs. C-suite, and why Kaladin from The Stormlight Archive is a near-perfect case study in leadership burnout.</p><p></p><p>Find Rich at his newsletter, <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@richreynoldslmft" target="_blank">The Self Reflective Leader</a>, on Substack.</p>no01:29:408Anger is a Beautiful Emotion, What a Therapist Taught Me About Leadership : Richard Reynolds | E8full<![CDATA[The People Who Care the Most Burn Out the Fastest: Ashley Gibson | E7]]>Ashley Gibson spent over a decade running marketing for touring Broadway shows (Hamilton included, back before anyone knew what they had) while quietly burning out the whole time. Then she went back to school, became a trauma therapist, and realized she was diagnosing the exact same thing in her clients that she'd already lived through at the VP level. Now she's building a framework for treating burnout as a relational systems problem instead of a personal one.

We get into a lot: co-regulation and why your nervous system reads a room before your brain catches up, why "authenticity" has become a hall pass for people to just be assholes at work, what a 94-year-old existential psychiatrist has to do with leadership training, and where AI is actually useful for pattern recognition versus where it just feeds the loop you're already stuck in.

Also covered: why you should skip every meeting without an agenda, what to actually do on your first day at a new job, and the time a bathroom flooded directly onto Ashley's desk mid-career. It's a real story. It comes up.

Find Ashley's free Intent-Impact Diagnostic and her upcoming white paper at meaninginpractice.com, and follow her on Substack.

https://ashleycgibson.substack.com/

#Burnout #EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealthAtWork #EQ #TraumaInformed #OrganizationalPsychology #LeadershipDevelopment #Coregulation

]]>0a9bdfd9-9990-4c1e-aa3b-df4706bb227cMon, 03 Aug 2026 09:45:00 GMT<p>Ashley Gibson spent over a decade running marketing for touring Broadway shows (Hamilton included, back before anyone knew what they had) while quietly burning out the whole time. Then she went back to school, became a trauma therapist, and realized she was diagnosing the exact same thing in her clients that she'd already lived through at the VP level. Now she's building a framework for treating burnout as a relational systems problem instead of a personal one.</p><p></p><p>We get into a lot: co-regulation and why your nervous system reads a room before your brain catches up, why "authenticity" has become a hall pass for people to just be assholes at work, what a 94-year-old existential psychiatrist has to do with leadership training, and where AI is actually useful for pattern recognition versus where it just feeds the loop you're already stuck in.</p><p></p><p>Also covered: why you should skip every meeting without an agenda, what to actually do on your first day at a new job, and the time a bathroom flooded directly onto Ashley's desk mid-career. It's a real story. It comes up.</p><p></p><p>Find Ashley's free Intent-Impact Diagnostic and her upcoming white paper at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://meaninginpractice.com" target="_blank">meaninginpractice.com</a>, and follow her on Substack.</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ashleycgibson.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://ashleycgibson.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p>#Burnout #EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealthAtWork #EQ #TraumaInformed #OrganizationalPsychology #LeadershipDevelopment #Coregulation</p>no01:24:357The People Who Care the Most Burn Out the Fastest: Ashley Gibson | E7full<![CDATA[You Can't Help Anyone If Your Cup Is Empty: Annabelle Botea | E6]]>Annabelle's Substack - https://annabellebotea.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips

She was advising Parliament and working UN global health policy. Then burnout made her stop and rebuild from scratch.

Annabelle Botea studied political science and law at Sciences Po, advised in the Romanian Parliament, and worked global health policy for an NGO at the UN level. On paper, it looked perfect. Underneath it, she was running on four coffees a day and popping medicine like candy just to keep going. Then burnout forced the stop she couldn’t give herself.

In this conversation, Dan and Annabelle get into:

  • The exact moment burnout stopped being abstract and became physical
  • Why she treats intuition and emotional intelligence as a competitive advantage, not a soft skill
  • “Brenda”: the name she gave her inner critic, and how she sends her for a walk
  • Why she doesn’t allow “party poopers” in her Substack comments, and the boundary behind that rule
  • Building Pitaya and rejecting the “10k a month in three months” myth of online business
  • What she wants to give future employees that she never had: emotional safety

Annabelle now writes Outside the System on Substack and is building Pitaya, helping first-time founders simplify selling digital products and services online.

Outside the System - https://annabellebotea.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips

If you’ve ever mistaken burnout for a personality trait, this one’s for you.

]]>b4e29cd2-e3ba-44fd-add5-09207693edaeTue, 28 Jul 2026 09:30:00 GMT<p>Annabelle's Substack - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://annabellebotea.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips" target="_blank">https://annabellebotea.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips</a></p><p></p><p><b>She was advising Parliament and working UN global health policy. Then burnout made her stop and rebuild from scratch.</b></p><p>Annabelle Botea studied political science and law at Sciences Po, advised in the Romanian Parliament, and worked global health policy for an NGO at the UN level. On paper, it looked perfect. Underneath it, she was running on four coffees a day and popping medicine like candy just to keep going. Then burnout forced the stop she couldn’t give herself.</p><p>In this conversation, Dan and Annabelle get into:</p><ul><li>The exact moment burnout stopped being abstract and became physical</li><li>Why she treats intuition and emotional intelligence as a competitive advantage, not a soft skill</li><li>“Brenda”: the name she gave her inner critic, and how she sends her for a walk</li><li>Why she doesn’t allow “party poopers” in her Substack comments, and the boundary behind that rule</li><li>Building Pitaya and rejecting the “10k a month in three months” myth of online business</li><li>What she wants to give future employees that she never had: emotional safety<p></p></li></ul><p>Annabelle now writes <i>Outside the System</i> on Substack and is building Pitaya, helping first-time founders simplify selling digital products and services online.</p><p></p><p>Outside the System - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://annabellebotea.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips" target="_blank">https://annabellebotea.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips</a></p><p></p><p>If you’ve ever mistaken burnout for a personality trait, this one’s for you.</p>no00:56:34You Can't Help Anyone If Your Cup Is Empty: Annabelle Botea | E6full<![CDATA[AI, Self-Awareness, and the Centroid Problem: Jennifer Hong on Leading in the Age of Machines | E5]]>Is AI actually intelligent, or just a very good mirror of us?

Jennifer Hong, fractional CMO and writer behind the Substack Natural Intelligence, joins Dan Korus for a conversation that moves fast: why image generators keep failing to render real human faces (she calls it "the centroid problem"), why she switched from OpenAI to Anthropic and compares the two to Tesla and Volvo, and why she picked a public fight with Substack's leadership over its handling of death threats and deepfakes on the platform.

They also get into:

  • Why "AI fluent" describes less than 1% of users, and what that number actually means
  • The 95/10 to 15 self-awareness gap and what it means for leaders specifically
  • The difference between a jerk and an asshole at work, and why only one is a dealbreaker
  • How two life crises rebuilt Jennifer's relationship with control, trust, and delegation
  • Why personal branding is a prenup you're already signing whether you write it down or not
  • The plan to buy back Letterboxd for its community instead of selling to private equity

A conversation about self-awareness, trust, and what's left for humans once machines get good at mimicking the average.

Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:38 Does "intelligence is no longer ours alone" still hold a year later
2:53 If not intelligence, what would you call it: the "centroid" problem
9:47 Why she switched from OpenAI to Anthropic: Tesla vs. Volvo
13:57 Growing up in Los Altos, getting kicked out of Berkeley
20:37 The rules she breaks: buying back Letterboxd from private equity
25:12 Substack's Nazi problem, the open letter, and getting threatened for it
29:38 "Low-key Buddhism" and letting go of control
35:05 Trust and delegation as a leader
36:09 The health crisis that became her line of demarcation
48:31 Personal branding is a prenup you're already signing
58:12 The 95/10-15 self-awareness gap and EQ diagnostics
1:03:39 Lightning round: good leadership, first-day advice, advice for execs
1:15:09 Where to find Jennifer Hong

Follow Jennifer Hong
Substack (Natural Intelligence): https://hongjennifer.substack.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-hong-100/

More from Kestryl Edge
Website: www.kestryledge.com
The Updraft (Substack): https://dankorus.substack.com/

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: 8LLXF3LII43RNMGR, PHHDXWMN1BLMJ5NP

Hashtags
#EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #SelfAwareness #Substack #PsychologicalSafety #PersonalBranding #AIEthics #Podcast #KestrylEdge

]]>c21ba93f-61b0-4ba4-a49a-be4892d94069Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:56:01 GMT<p>Is AI actually intelligent, or just a very good mirror of us? </p><p></p><p>Jennifer Hong, fractional CMO and writer behind the Substack Natural Intelligence, joins Dan Korus for a conversation that moves fast: why image generators keep failing to render real human faces (she calls it "the centroid problem"), why she switched from OpenAI to Anthropic and compares the two to Tesla and Volvo, and why she picked a public fight with Substack's leadership over its handling of death threats and deepfakes on the platform.</p><p></p><p>They also get into:</p><ul><li>Why "AI fluent" describes less than 1% of users, and what that number actually means</li><li>The 95/10 to 15 self-awareness gap and what it means for leaders specifically</li><li>The difference between a jerk and an asshole at work, and why only one is a dealbreaker</li><li>How two life crises rebuilt Jennifer's relationship with control, trust, and delegation</li><li>Why personal branding is a prenup you're already signing whether you write it down or not</li><li>The plan to buy back Letterboxd for its community instead of selling to private equity<p></p></li></ul><p>A conversation about self-awareness, trust, and what's left for humans once machines get good at mimicking the average.</p><p></p><p></p><p><b>Timestamps</b><br />0:00 Intro<br />0:38 Does "intelligence is no longer ours alone" still hold a year later<br />2:53 If not intelligence, what would you call it: the "centroid" problem<br />9:47 Why she switched from OpenAI to Anthropic: Tesla vs. Volvo<br />13:57 Growing up in Los Altos, getting kicked out of Berkeley<br />20:37 The rules she breaks: buying back Letterboxd from private equity<br />25:12 Substack's Nazi problem, the open letter, and getting threatened for it<br />29:38 "Low-key Buddhism" and letting go of control<br />35:05 Trust and delegation as a leader<br />36:09 The health crisis that became her line of demarcation<br />48:31 Personal branding is a prenup you're already signing<br />58:12 The 95/10-15 self-awareness gap and EQ diagnostics<br />1:03:39 Lightning round: good leadership, first-day advice, advice for execs<br />1:15:09 Where to find Jennifer Hong</p><p></p><p><b>Follow Jennifer Hong</b><br />Substack (Natural Intelligence): <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://hongjennifer.substack.com" target="_blank">https://hongjennifer.substack.com</a><br />LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-hong-100/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-hong-100/</a></p><p></p><p><b>More from Kestryl Edge</b><br />Website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.kestryledge.com" target="_blank">www.kestryledge.com</a> <br />The Updraft (Substack): <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://dankorus.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://dankorus.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p><b>Music licensed through Soundstripe.</b><br />Code: 8LLXF3LII43RNMGR, PHHDXWMN1BLMJ5NP</p><p></p><p><b>Hashtags</b><br />#EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #SelfAwareness #Substack #PsychologicalSafety #PersonalBranding #AIEthics #Podcast #KestrylEdge</p><p></p>no01:16:16AI, Self-Awareness, and the Centroid Problem: Jennifer Hong on Leading in the Age of Machines | E5full<![CDATA[From Chef to C-Suite: Andrew Walbridge on 32 Years of Leadership Lessons | E4]]>Andrew's Book - https://www.amazon.com/dp/191930942X?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Andrew's Website - https://awallbridge.com/

Andrew's Courses - https://maven.com/leader-s-labyrinth/the-labyrinth-experience

On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-wallbridge-64b94/

On Substack - https://substack.com/@andrewwallbridge?utm_source=global-search

What separates a good manager from a truly felt leader? In this episode of the Kestryl Edge Podcast, Dan Korus sits down with Andrew Walbridge (leadership consultant, executive coach, and author of Leader's Labyrinth) for a candid conversation spanning 32 years in leadership development, from running a UK pub and leading cultural change at Warner Bros. to becoming a globally recognized voice on emotional intelligence and self-awareness at work.

Andrew shares the story of his mentor Terry Pierce (author of Leading Out Loud), the toxic leadership culture that taught him what not to do, and why he calls himself "the world's worst manager but a pretty good leader."

Together, Dan and Andrew unpack the real difference between management and leadership, why the goal of great leadership is to make yourself unnecessary, how to build psychological safety and trust on a team, and why "finding your voice" is one of the hardest, and most important, shifts a leader can make.

Topics covered: leadership vs. management, emotional intelligence (EQ), self-awareness, servant leadership, building high-trust teams, coaching through questions instead of answers, cultural change management, and the mentorship that shaped a career.

Whether you're a first-time manager or a seasoned executive, this episode offers practical, story-driven wisdom on leading people, not just managing tasks.

Learn more about Andrew Walbridge's books, Leader's Labyrinth and The Anatomy of Felt Leadership, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Subscribe to the Kestryl Edge Podcast for more conversations on emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and human-centered leadership.

]]>50413ecb-d7d6-44ef-bc35-8818a98b655bMon, 13 Jul 2026 19:38:21 GMT<p>Andrew's Book - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/191930942X?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/dp/191930942X?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback</a></p><p>Andrew's Website - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://awallbridge.com/" target="_blank">https://awallbridge.com/</a></p><p>Andrew's Courses - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://maven.com/leader-s-labyrinth/the-labyrinth-experience" target="_blank">https://maven.com/leader-s-labyrinth/the-labyrinth-experience</a></p><p>On LinkedIn - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-wallbridge-64b94/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-wallbridge-64b94/</a></p><p>On Substack - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@andrewwallbridge?utm_source=global-search" target="_blank">https://substack.com/@andrewwallbridge?utm_source=global-search</a></p><p></p><p>What separates a good manager from a truly felt leader? In this episode of the Kestryl Edge Podcast, Dan Korus sits down with Andrew Walbridge (leadership consultant, executive coach, and author of <i>Leader's Labyrinth</i>) for a candid conversation spanning 32 years in leadership development, from running a UK pub and leading cultural change at Warner Bros. to becoming a globally recognized voice on emotional intelligence and self-awareness at work.</p><p></p><p>Andrew shares the story of his mentor Terry Pierce (author of <i>Leading Out Loud</i>), the toxic leadership culture that taught him what not to do, and why he calls himself "the world's worst manager but a pretty good leader." </p><p></p><p>Together, Dan and Andrew unpack the real difference between management and leadership, why the goal of great leadership is to make yourself unnecessary, how to build psychological safety and trust on a team, and why "finding your voice" is one of the hardest, and most important, shifts a leader can make.</p><p></p><p>Topics covered: leadership vs. management, emotional intelligence (EQ), self-awareness, servant leadership, building high-trust teams, coaching through questions instead of answers, cultural change management, and the mentorship that shaped a career.</p><p>Whether you're a first-time manager or a seasoned executive, this episode offers practical, story-driven wisdom on leading people, not just managing tasks.</p><p></p><p>Learn more about Andrew Walbridge's books, <i>Leader's Labyrinth</i> and <i>The Anatomy of Felt Leadership</i>, available on Amazon and Barnes &amp; Noble.</p><p></p><p>Subscribe to the Kestryl Edge Podcast for more conversations on emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and human-centered leadership.</p><p></p>no00:41:14From Chef to C-Suite: Andrew Walbridge on 32 Years of Leadership Lessons | E4full<![CDATA[Work Culture Starts in the Basement with Giulia Scalaberni | E3]]>Guest - Giulia Scalaberni - https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulia-scalaberni-665175124/

Her Substack - https://giuliascalaberni.substack.com/

Humanship: Leading Across Cultures with Giulia Scalaberni

Giulia Scalaberni started as a coder and became the product manager and team leader of the software she used to build. Today she leads a team of nearly 20 people across Europe and India, building medtech software that puts tools in doctors' hands. She landed in leadership the way most technical people do, with no path and no toolkit, and she learned the rest by watching.

In this episode she breaks down "humanship," her term for the mix of leadership and humanity. It rejects the idea that empathy and high standards cancel each other out. She explains why trust with Eastern-country teammates is built on relationships before tasks, how she used Erin Meyer's Culture Map to fix a team that went silent after every meeting, and why she runs a monthly "fun time" ritual that has nothing to do with work and everything to do with output.

We also get into giving yourself time before you react, treating failure as an enabler instead of a verdict, and finding your Ikigai without forcing your whole life through a diagram. She closes with first-day, mid-career, and senior-leader advice, including the line that culture starts in the basement.

#Leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #Humanship #RemoteLeadership #TeamManagement #CrossCulturalLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #PeopleFirst #TechLeadership #Empathy #PsychologicalSafety #Ikigai #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment

]]>097454b3-d0ca-4964-8333-6d9fd9ad9922Mon, 06 Jul 2026 11:16:01 GMT<p>Guest - Giulia Scalaberni - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulia-scalaberni-665175124/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulia-scalaberni-665175124/</a></p><p>Her Substack - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://giuliascalaberni.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips" target="_blank">https://giuliascalaberni.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p><b>Humanship: Leading Across Cultures with Giulia Scalaberni</b></p><p>Giulia Scalaberni started as a coder and became the product manager and team leader of the software she used to build. Today she leads a team of nearly 20 people across Europe and India, building medtech software that puts tools in doctors' hands. She landed in leadership the way most technical people do, with no path and no toolkit, and she learned the rest by watching.</p><p>In this episode she breaks down "humanship," her term for the mix of leadership and humanity. It rejects the idea that empathy and high standards cancel each other out. She explains why trust with Eastern-country teammates is built on relationships before tasks, how she used Erin Meyer's Culture Map to fix a team that went silent after every meeting, and why she runs a monthly "fun time" ritual that has nothing to do with work and everything to do with output.</p><p>We also get into giving yourself time before you react, treating failure as an enabler instead of a verdict, and finding your Ikigai without forcing your whole life through a diagram. She closes with first-day, mid-career, and senior-leader advice, including the line that culture starts in the basement.</p><p></p><p>#Leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #Humanship #RemoteLeadership #TeamManagement #CrossCulturalLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #PeopleFirst #TechLeadership #Empathy #PsychologicalSafety #Ikigai #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment</p>no01:04:523Work Culture Starts in the Basement with Giulia Scalaberni | E3full<![CDATA[Brandi Copeland on Employee Experience, the Engagement Crisis, and the 2026 Talent Shift | E2]]>Brandi Substack --> https://substack.com/@employeeexperienceedit

Brandi Copeland calls herself an accidental HR professional. She built her career end to end at Disney and NBCUniversal before founding The Employee Experience Edit, and she's spent the last decade proving that employee experience isn't the welcome gift or the splashy onboarding event. It's whether someone knows who to ask when they're stuck.

In this episode we get into:

  • Why direct report loads are up roughly 50% over the last decade while L&D investment keeps shrinking
  • Disney's four-part framework (safety, efficiency, courtesy, show) and what it teaches about prioritizing fundamentals over flash
  • The four generations now sharing the workforce, why "generation" is about formative experience and not age, and why Gen Z might be the mouthpiece for everything millennials never felt safe saying out loud
  • A simple language fix for feedback conversations: replace "I feel like" with "I observed," and watch what opens up
  • Why engagement surveys often ask leading questions, and what to do instead
  • Career advice for three different career stages: day one, the messy middle, and the C-suite

Brandi's read on where this is heading: companies that keep treating talking to their people as expensive or optional are going to lose. The ones that figure out empathy is free are going to win.

]]>ff8a2e80-bde2-4095-ba0b-8f8101d0a17dMon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT<p>Brandi Substack --&gt; <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@employeeexperienceedit" target="_blank">https://substack.com/@employeeexperienceedit</a></p><p></p><p>Brandi Copeland calls herself an accidental HR professional. She built her career end to end at Disney and NBCUniversal before founding The Employee Experience Edit, and she's spent the last decade proving that employee experience isn't the welcome gift or the splashy onboarding event. It's whether someone knows who to ask when they're stuck.</p><p></p><p>In this episode we get into:</p><ul><li>Why direct report loads are up roughly 50% over the last decade while L&amp;D investment keeps shrinking</li><li>Disney's four-part framework (safety, efficiency, courtesy, show) and what it teaches about prioritizing fundamentals over flash</li><li>The four generations now sharing the workforce, why "generation" is about formative experience and not age, and why Gen Z might be the mouthpiece for everything millennials never felt safe saying out loud</li><li>A simple language fix for feedback conversations: replace "I feel like" with "I observed," and watch what opens up</li><li>Why engagement surveys often ask leading questions, and what to do instead</li><li>Career advice for three different career stages: day one, the messy middle, and the C-suite</li></ul><p></p><p>Brandi's read on where this is heading: companies that keep treating talking to their people as expensive or optional are going to lose. The ones that figure out empathy is free are going to win.</p>no00:50:532Brandi Copeland on Employee Experience, the Engagement Crisis, and the 2026 Talent Shift | E2full<![CDATA[Emotional Intelligence in HR Tech: AI, Adaptability, and Leading with EQ Claire Walsh | E1]]>Claire LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-walsh-msc-680591121/

Being a workplace chameleon isn't fake. It's one of the clearest signs of high emotional intelligence.

HR tech leader Claire joins Dan Korus to unpack what actually separates people with real EQ from everyone else: not "reading the room," but knowing yourself well enough to change how you show up without losing who you are. Claire's spent five years across recruiting, employee relations, and onboarding before landing in HR automation, and she brings the rare perspective of someone who's automated the busywork and still had to sit across the table from burned-out teams.

In this episode:

  • Why adapting your communication style for sales vs. engineering isn't disingenuous: "it's still you, just a chameleon"
  • The real definition of burnout: not caring too much, but losing control over your ability to recover
  • Claire's framework for finding your "So What," the personal philosophy that turns a job into meaningful work
  • Why AI is raising the bar for mediocre output instead of replacing human judgment
  • Career advice for first-day hires, messy-middle managers, and CEOs at 10,000 feet: "the folks closest to the issue have the best potential solutions"

If you've ever been told you're "too intense," or wondered whether adapting to different people makes you a fraud, this one's for you.

#EmotionalIntelligence #HRTech #Leadership #Burnout #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #PeopleFirst #CareerAdvice #SelfAwareness #AIatWork #KestrylEdge #HRLeadership #WorkplaceWellbeing

HR tech leader Claire Walsh joins Dan to talk emotional intelligence, the line between authenticity and adaptability, and why AI is raising the bar on what counts as good work. Plus: practical career advice for every stage, from first-day hires to CEOs.


Learn more about Kestryl Edge: kestryledge.com

]]>22cf2ef8-4131-4111-9245-d1ed6012e0ebSun, 21 Jun 2026 18:30:30 GMT<p>Claire LinkedIn - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-walsh-msc-680591121/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-walsh-msc-680591121/</a></p><p></p><p>Being a workplace chameleon isn't fake. It's one of the clearest signs of high emotional intelligence.</p><p></p><p>HR tech leader Claire joins Dan Korus to unpack what actually separates people with real EQ from everyone else: not "reading the room," but knowing yourself well enough to change how you show up without losing who you are. Claire's spent five years across recruiting, employee relations, and onboarding before landing in HR automation, and she brings the rare perspective of someone who's automated the busywork and still had to sit across the table from burned-out teams.</p><p></p><p>In this episode:</p><ul><li>Why adapting your communication style for sales vs. engineering isn't disingenuous: "it's still you, just a chameleon"</li><li>The real definition of burnout: not caring too much, but losing control over your ability to recover</li><li>Claire's framework for finding your "So What," the personal philosophy that turns a job into meaningful work</li><li>Why AI is raising the bar for mediocre output instead of replacing human judgment</li><li>Career advice for first-day hires, messy-middle managers, and CEOs at 10,000 feet: "the folks closest to the issue have the best potential solutions"</li><li></li></ul><p>If you've ever been told you're "too intense," or wondered whether adapting to different people makes you a fraud, this one's for you.</p><p></p><p>#EmotionalIntelligence #HRTech #Leadership #Burnout #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #PeopleFirst #CareerAdvice #SelfAwareness #AIatWork #KestrylEdge #HRLeadership #WorkplaceWellbeing</p><p></p><p>HR tech leader Claire Walsh joins Dan to talk emotional intelligence, the line between authenticity and adaptability, and why AI is raising the bar on what counts as good work. Plus: practical career advice for every stage, from first-day hires to CEOs.</p><p><br />Learn more about Kestryl Edge: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://kestryledge.com" target="_blank">kestryledge.com</a></p>no00:44:561Emotional Intelligence in HR Tech: AI, Adaptability, and Leading with EQ Claire Walsh | E1full