The WorkWell Podcast™

Your Team Doesn't Need a Boss, They Need a Human with Selena RezvaniIn this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Selena Rezvani, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and Forbes-named premier expert on standing up for yourself at work. Selena returns to the podcast to discuss her latest book, "Quick Leadership: Build Trust, Navigate Change, and Cultivate Unstoppable Teams." Drawing from her personal experience losing her workaholic father at age 13 and years of coaching leaders behind closed doors, Selena shares practical, actionable strategies for becoming the kind of leader people want to follow—without sacrificing your humanity or health.Episode Highlights:The shocking statistic: Your manager influences your mental health on par with your spouse—more than your doctor or therapist (UKG research)Trust killers in leadership: Why over-promising on small things destroys credibility and what "being impeccable with your word" really meansThe "Shit Umbrella" concept: How great leaders shield their teams from chaos, unrealistic pressure, and distractions from aboveUrgency culture: How to recognize when anxiety is being passed like a baton and why marking emails as "urgent" is eroding workplace trustThe difference between boss and leader: Why giving away power creates unstoppable teams instead of diminishing your authority"Ask three before you answer": A practical technique to build autonomy and critical thinking in your team membersRe-engaging disengaged employees: Why viewing lost spark as temporary (not permanent) changes everythingQuotable Moments:"People don't want this stoic pillar of a leader—they want a human." - Selena Rezvani"Your questions are expected, not tolerated." - Selena RezvaniResources:Book: "Quick Leadership: Build Trust, Navigate Change, and Cultivate Unstoppable Teams" by Selena Rezvani

In this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Zach Mercurio, author of "The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance." Despite billions invested in engagement programs and wellbeing initiatives, employees are more disengaged than ever—and the problem isn't what most leaders think. This conversation reveals why mattering can't be addressed through programs and perks, and what leaders must do differently at the interaction level to help people feel truly seen, valued, and significant.Episode Highlights:Why engagement is at its lowest point in a decade despite $2 billion invested in programsThe difference between mattering, belonging, and inclusion—and why mattering is what's missingHow we've lost the skills to care for each other after 25 years of digital communicationThe "sprinkler issues" that silently kill motivation and create learned helplessnessWhy high performers and frontline workers are most at risk of feeling invisibleThe three practices that help people feel significant: noticing, affirming, and showing they're neededWhy you can't give effective feedback to someone who doesn't first feel that they matter to youHow showing others they matter actually regenerates your own sense of significanceQuotable Moment"You don't show people that they matter in spite of their low performance. You show people that they matter so that you can regenerate their energy and confidence to perform well." - Zach MercurioLyra Lens:Sarah Haggerty, Clinical Psychologist and Neuroscientist at Lyra Health, explores the practical skills managers need to notice when someone's struggling and how to check in appropriately. She also breaks down the concept of "10% more depth" in workplace relationships.Resources:This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.

In this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher and special co-host Dr. Joe Grasso from Lyra Health speak with Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Professor in the Child Study Center at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Brackett's bestselling book "Permission to Feel" has revolutionized how we think about emotions in schools and workplaces, and his new book "Dealing With Feeling" challenges us to stop running from our emotional lives and start actually living them.Episode Highlights:Why there's no such thing as a "bad emotion" and how all feelings are simply dataThe difference between being an "emotion scientist" versus an "emotion judge"How toxic masculinity teaches men to disconnect from their emotions, perpetuating cycles of loneliness and isolationWhy "being emotional" doesn't mean you're weak—it means you're humanThe Meta Moment: A four-step process for healthy emotion regulation in high-pressure situationsHow to have difficult conversations at work without avoiding or attackingWhy bringing your whole self to work includes bringing your emotionsPractical strategies for managers to create emotionally intelligent team culturesThe importance of checking in with your emotions before they leak into unrelated situationsQuotable Moments:"Emotional intelligence... is not emotional reactivity. Emotions are on a continuum. There's a little bit of anger, which is annoyance, and there's a lot of anger, which is enraged." - Dr. Marc Brackett"Just because you're feeling strong emotions doesn't mean you're not capable. Doesn't mean you're not strong. Life is about emotions." - Dr. Marc BrackettResources:Free app: "How We Feel" (available on iOS and Android) - A mood tracking tool developed by Dr. Brackett to help build emotional vocabularyThis episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.

Meet Your Mind’s Dysfunctional Family (And How to Make peace with Them) with Britt FrankIn this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Britt Frank, licensed neuropsychotherapist, keynote speaker, and author of "The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward" and "Align Your Mind: Tame Your Inner Critic and Make Peace with Your Shadow Using the Power of Parts Work." Britt's research-based approach combines neuroscience, trauma therapy, and humor to help people understand why they do what they do—and more importantly, how to change it.Episode Highlights:The difference between "gas pedal stuckness" (workaholism/burnout) and "brake pedal stuckness" (procrastination)How anxiety functions as your mind's "check engine light" signaling underlying problemsWhy there's no such thing as self-sabotage—and what's really happening insteadUnderstanding "parts work" and how your mind contains multiple inner voices and charactersHow to transform your inner critic from enemy to ally through dialogue, not silenceWhy asking "why" keeps you stuck while asking "how" and "what" creates momentumPractical strategies for leaders to recognize which "parts" of their team members are activatedThe difference between professional success and professional fulfillmentHow to shift from reactive parts brain to your "inner CEO" in workplace situations Quotable Moment:"All behaviors, even suboptimal ones, even bad ones, are doing a job and they're serving a function." - Britt FrankLyra Lens:In this segment, Dr. Joe Grasso, VP of Workforce Transformation at Lyra Health, explores how high achievers with their "foot always on the gas" can create (and reveal) systemic organizational problems. He discusses values-based working, moving from blame to curiosity when addressing performance issues, and how managers can shift from treating individual behavior problems to addressing systemic workplace challenges. Resources:This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.

The TikTok-ification of Self-Care (And How to Fix It) with Dr. Pooja LakshminIn this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, psychiatrist, mental health advocate, and author of "Real Self Care." Together they unpack the commercialization of wellness and explore why so many women feel caught between achieving everything and finding time for authentic self-care. They navigate the complexities of caregiving, adult friendships, and finding hope in challenging times.Episode Highlights:The four principles of real self-care: boundaries, compassion, values, and powerWhy the "pause" is the true boundary - not simply saying noThe invisible burden of elder caregiving and why it's so difficult to discuss at workHow to maintain meaningful adult friendships when life gets overwhelmingUnderstanding hope as an active practice rather than wishful thinkingThe importance of finding small moments of joy and connection in daily lifeQuotable Moment:"Real self-care is an internal process. Boundaries, compassion, values, and power - those four internal principles, that's the work of real self-care. And then once you've done that, then you go to yoga, then you do your meditation. But if you're not using those internal principles and not doing that internal work first, then the external tools will be empty." - Dr. Pooja LakshminLyra Lens:In this edition, Dr. Kendall Browne, Clinical Psychologist and Director at Lyra Health, unpacks the concept of "the pause" that Dr. Lakshmin identified as crucial for boundary-setting. She explains that while pausing seems simple, implementing it proves challenging—especially for women who feel pressure to respond instantly. Dr. Browne offers practical strategies for habitualizing this pause and distinguishes between different boundary types: porous (saying yes too often), inflexible (saying no reflexively), and purposefully permeable (thoughtful decisions about when to engage).Resources:This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.

Stop Saying 'Hope Is Not a Strategy' (Science Proves You Wrong) with Kathryn GoetzkeContent Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide and suicidal thoughts that may be triggering for some listeners. If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide, please know you're not alone - you can reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 24/7 by calling or texting 988.In this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher opens with a powerful personal reflection on her own journey with hope, challenging the dismissive phrase "hope is not a strategy" and reframing hope as both a comfort and a challenge—not just something we feel, but something we do. She then speaks with Kathryn Goetzke, CEO and Chief Hope Officer of The Shine Hope Company, whose evidence-based work proves that hope is a measurable, teachable skill with profound implications for workplace wellbeing, productivity, and retention. Episode Highlights:How Kathryn's personal experiences with loss and recovery led to her mission of teaching hope as a skillThe SHINE Hope Framework: Stress skills, Happiness habits, Inspired actions, Nourishing networks, and Eliminating challengesWhy hopelessness is the single consistent predictor of suicide and a primary symptom of depressionEvidence that as hope increases, anxiety and depressive symptoms decreaseHow hope scores directly correlate with workplace engagement, productivity, and retentionThe business case for hope: 53% of parents miss a day of work each month due to their children's mental healthPractical ways leaders can model and foster hope in workplace settingsThe distinction between hope as a wish versus hope as an evidence-based strategyQuotable Moment:"Hope is a strategy. We've done the research to prove that the higher in hope your workforce is, the more likely they are to show up to work, be engaged, achieve goals, and overcome obstacles." - Kathryn Goetzke

Come As You Are' at Work (Terms & Conditions Apply) with Farah HarrisIn this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Farah Harris, licensed psychotherapist, workplace wellbeing expert, and CEO of Working Well Daily. Her book "The Color of Emotional Intelligence" challenges us to rethink what authenticity and emotional intelligence really mean across different cultures and identities in the workplace. Episode Highlights: The hidden costs of "bringing your whole self to work" Why emotional intelligence looks different across cultures and backgrounds How our family dynamics shape our workplace emotional expressionThe real price of fitting into "professional" cultureWhat looks like "high EQ" might actually be a survival strategyWhy declaring "safe spaces" doesn't make them safeThe problem with one-size-fits-all approaches to emotional intelligenceHow power dynamics affect workplace authenticityThe importance of having "safe people" to process workplace experiences Quotable Moment: "If you can't take what you're learning outside of the four walls of the workplace, then is it truly applicable? Is it truly authentic?" - Farah Harris Lyra Lens: We're excited to introduce Lyra Lens, a new segment with our friends from Lyra Health. "The beauty of inclusion and diversity at work is shifting from 'why do you do it like that?' to 'what can I learn from someone who does it differently?'" Andrea Holman shares this and other insights in today's Lyra Lens segment, where she joins Jen Fisher to discuss cultural humility in the workplace. Resources: This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.

Your Brain On Goals: The Surprising Science of Motivation with Dr. Ayelet FishbachIn this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher and special co-host Keren Wasserman from Lyra Health speak with Dr. Ayelet Fishbach, professor of behavioral science and marketing at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and author of "Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation."Episode Highlights:Common motivation strategies that can backfire, including rigid goal-setting and misaligned incentivesHow to overcome the "middle problem" in long-term goals by breaking them into shorter segmentsThe connection between emotions and motivation as a feedback systemWhen to focus on progress made vs. progress needed based on where you are in your journeyWhy experts tend to look ahead while novices benefit from looking back at progressThe importance of social support and working with others to maintain motivationHow failure can provide valuable information and novel insights for learningLeadership strategies for maintaining team trust and motivation during challenging timesQuotable Moment:"Motivation is about knowledge, it's about being wise... I don't believe in relying on some inner strength that you might feel you have or not. I believe in learning and being wise and doing the things that keep you motivated." - Dr. Ayelet FishbachResources:This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.

In this WorkWell podcast by Deloitte, Jen Fisher, editor-at-large for Thrive and Deloitte’s Human Sustainability Hub, sits down with speaker, workplace mental health consultant, and executive Morra Aarons-Mele, author of The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears into Your Leadership Superpower to discuss how to manage the anxiety that comes with succeeding and leading.

In this WorkWell podcast by Deloitte, Jen Fisher, editor-at-large for Thrive and Deloitte’s Human Sustainability Hub, sits down with user researcher, writer, illustrator, and consultant Ximena Vengoechea, author of Rest Easy: Discover Calm and Abundance through the Radical Power of Rest. In a wide-ranging conversation, Jen and Ximena talk about the importance of resting and recharging in order to lead a fulfilling and productive life. Ximena offers guidance on how to get the deep rest we need for our well-being, and explains how rest helps us reconnect with ourselves and improves every aspect of our lives, from work to relationships.

In this WorkWell podcast by Deloitte, Jen Fisher, editor-at-large for Thrive and Deloitte’s Human Sustainability Hub, sits down with Dr. Vanessa Patrick , Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean of Research at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, and the author of The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No that Puts You in Charge of Your Life. In a wide-ranging conversation, Jen and Vanessa discuss why it can be so hard to say no, and Vanessa shares techniques for saying no that lead to clearer decision making, stronger boundaries, and better time management.

In this WorkWell podcast by Deloitte, Jen Fisher, editor-at-large for Thrive and Deloitte’s Human Sustainability Hub, sits down with Dr. Kelly Monahan, Managing Director of the Upwork Research Institute. In a wide-ranging conversation, Jen and Kelly explore strategies to create flexible working environments that power the growth of organizations and the people who work for them — and that redefine productivity and success for a new era.

In this WorkWell podcast by Deloitte, Jen Fisher, editor-at-large for Thrive and Deloitte’s Human Sustainability Hub, sits down with Tia Graham, founder of Arrive at Happy and author of Be A Happy Leader. In a wide-ranging conversation, Jen and Tia discuss the meaning of happiness and share how happy leaders can create workplaces where everyone feels valued.