Unlikely Connections, Affirmations, and the Power to Make a Difference

Dr. Laura talks with guest Sterling Hawkins, a keynote speaker and the author of “Hunting Discomfort”, about the possibilities inherent in working through our discomfort. Sterling shares a bit of his story, which started with amazing opportunities, and then plunged him into the depths of discomfort. He reveals how much he learned from that experience.

One of the things that spurred Sterling out of his ultimate low point was something his mother said, “the way out is through”. That piece of advice inspired him to move through the uncomfortable, the painful, and the embarrassment to get to the other side where things improve. Sterling took that advice, and all the experiences he pushed himself into after it, and channelled it into his book, “Hunting Discomfort”. He and Dr. Laura break down the five types of discomfort people experience and discuss how they can be used to one’s advantage. This episode is a look at how resilient we can be if we choose to embrace discomfort and push through it. It’s a key lesson with a success rate Sterling can personally attest to. 

“...sometimes people hear ‘hunting discomfort’ or conversations about discomfort and they're like, Sterling, look at my career, my relationships, my bank account. I don't need to hunt discomfort, I'm surrounded by it. But my answer is always the same, which is if you're surrounded by discomfort, you're not hunting it, you're living with it, you're placating it. You're rationalizing why you have to live with those things in your life. When I'm talking about hunting discomfort, I'm talking about getting to the source, the root of what's driving that discomfort, and freeing yourself from that place that leaves you forever and permanently free.” Sterling Hawkins

About Sterling Hawkins:

Sterling Hawkins is out to break the status quo. He believes that we can all unlock incredible potential within ourselves, and he’s on a mission to support people, businesses and communities to realize that potential regardless of the circumstances.

From a multi-billion dollar startup to collapse and coming back to launch, invest in and grow over 50 companies, Sterling takes that experience to work with C-level teams from some of the largest organizations on the planet and speaks on stages around the world. 

Today, Sterling serves as CEO and founder of the Sterling Hawkins Group, a research, training and development company focused on human and organizational growth. He has been seen in publications like Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, The New York Times and Forbes. 

Based in Colorado, Sterling is a proud uncle of four and a passionate adventurer who can often be found skydiving, climbing mountains, shark diving or even trekking the Sahara. Maybe you’ll even join him for the next adventure – and discover the breakthrough results you’re looking for. He’ll have your back, #NoMatterWhat.

Resources:

Website: SterlingHawkins.com

Book: “Hunting Discomfort: How to Get Breakthrough Results in Life and Business No Matter What” by Sterling Hawkins

Sterling Hawkins on LinkedIn

“The Presence Process” by Michael Brown

Huberman Lab Podcast

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

In a companion episode to Dr. Laura’s last episode on burnout (E73), she addresses what we need to know to identify and treat our burnout. Rather than talking to workplaces about how to prevent burnout in employees, this episode is all about us as individuals. What does burnout look like? What contributes to it? And what can we do about it? How do we help ourselves?

Dr. Laura first defines burnout as “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress” which means that personal and relationship stress, though impacting burnout, do not define the syndrome. She explains that mental health is on a continuum on which four main stages of depletion exist. We start off Healthy, move into Reacting, then if our needs are not addressed we enter into the Injured stage until, finally, we are deeply unwell in Illness. Each of these stages of burnout comes with increased mental and physical symptoms that must be recognized. Dr. Laura shares her insight on how we start to feel, the things we start to give up, and the ways in which we become ill. She explains how we need our work lives to foster our mental wellness so we can avoid burnout and mental illness in general.

“I want to leave you with the fact that there is a way to address burnout once it happens, once you reach that end stage of burnout and you just feel a lack of energy, cynical, like you're not good enough, there is a way to get well again. And that burnout is not your fault. Oftentimes it's the organizational conditions you're in. It's the overload. It's the brutal boss that you're working for. It's the unhealthy team dynamics that are grating and wearing away at you. So it's not your fault, but you have the power to get the help you need.” Dr. Laura

Note: If you wish to see the images Dr. Laura references, this episode can also be found on her YouTube channel here.

About Dr. Laura:

Bringing nearly 25 years of expertise as an Industrial/Organizational and Career Psychologist and pioneer in the future of work, Dr. Laura helps organizations evolve their cultures, and leaders and employees to thrive in their work and lives.

She shares her expertise through keynote speaking, the Where Work Meets LifeTM podcast, strategic career coaching, and writing articles and books.

Resources:

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura welcomes Soren Kaplan, bestselling author, founder of Praxie.com, and Columnist for Inc. Magazine, to talk about his latest book, “Experiential Intelligence”. Soren talks about the impetus behind writing his book and defines Experiential Intelligence, or XQ, as a key factor in the road to success, alongside Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

Soren shares examples of experiences from his childhood that have shaped into skills he uses today to explain XQ. Experiential Intelligence, or XQ, draws on experiential elements that give us understanding and abilities beyond what simple intelligence and resumés can explain. How we have lived matters to who we are. Dr. Laura and Soren Kaplan dive into elements of his book, explore how people learn and grow, and detail how leaders and managers can learn to assess XQ when hiring. Soren’s insights offer a way to look at the whole of a person and what they bring to the table, as well as opening each of us up to discover skills and attributes developed from our experience to aid us moving forward.

“Usually we're talking about different assets other than emotions and IQ. We're talking about different attributes that we develop, usually based on our experience. And you and I were just talking about those experiences that we had in our home life that gave us practice doing certain things that give us these higher order abilities to navigate uncertainty or be resilient or understand group norms that exist underneath the surface of teams, whatever those things might be. And that's what I mean by experiential intelligence. It's your mindsets, your abilities, and really the know-how and skills that you develop over time through experience.” Soren Kaplan

About Soren Kaplan:

Soren Kaplan is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author, a Columnist for Inc. Magazine, a leading keynote speaker, the founder of Praxie.com, and an affiliate at the Center for Effective Organizations at USC’s Marshall School of Business. Business Insider and the Thinkers50 have recognized him as one of the world’s top management thought leaders and consultants.

His latest book, Experiential Intelligence, reveals how life experience contributes to real intelligence on par with IQ (intellect) and EQ (emotional intelligence) and can be leveraged for breakthrough in leadership and innovation. Concepts from the book have been profiled in Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, Forbes, National Public Radio, and other media.

Soren has advised and led professional development programs for thousands of executives around the world, including Disney, NBCUniversal, Kimberly-Clark, Colgate-Palmolive, Hershey, Red Bull, Medtronic, Roche, Philips, Cisco, Visa, Ascension Health, Kaiser Permanente, CSAA Insurance Group, American Nurses Association, and many others. He has lectured at the Harvard Business School, Copenhagen Business School, Melbourne Business School, Breda University in the Netherlands, and with other MBA and executive education programs globally. Soren’s debut book, Leapfrogging, was named “Best Leadership Book” and The Invisible Advantage received the “Best General Business Book” distinction by the International Book Awards. He has been quoted, published, and interviewed by Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Forbes, CNBC, National Public Radio, the American Management Association, USA Today, Strategy & Leadership, and The International Handbook on Innovation, among many others. He holds Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Organizational Psychology.

Resources:

Website: SorenKaplan.com

“Experiential Intelligence” by Soren Kaplan

“Leapfrogging” by Soren Kaplan

Soren Kaplan on LinkedIn

Praxie.com

Tech Nation Radio Podcast

The Drive podcast

The Ezra Klein Show podcast

Making Sense podcast

Psychology Today

Inc. Magazine

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura welcomes Dr. Malissa Clark, an associate professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Georgia, about workaholism and her upcoming book, “Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture is Bad for Business - and How to Fix It”. Dr. Clark defines modern day workaholism, and explains why it’s so detrimental to both individuals and businesses.

There is an aspect of workaholism that’s “like water to a fish”, according to Malissa Clark, which is that we are so immersed in work that we simply don’t notice it. She works to define workaholism and breaks it down into four main components: behavioral, motivational, emotional, and cognitive. Dr. Clark unpacks each of the components, which are detailed in her book, and talks about the research, interviews, and thoughts that she drew upon when writing “Never Not Working”. This episode dovetails nicely with the focus on remote and hybrid work that Dr. Laura focuses on, bringing work wellness and health into the forefront of discussion.

“...we synthesized all of the research on the relationship between level of workaholism and performance ratings. And we basically find no relationship. And that is including if they were rating themselves or the bosses were rating their performance… my research and other people's research continually shows over and over again that not only do we not find that relationship… but we find that workaholism is related to a whole host of other detrimental outcomes, such as workaholics tend to be sometimes not the best coworkers and bosses for a variety of reasons.” Dr. Malissa Clark

About Dr. Malissa Clark:

Malissa Clark is an associate professor of industrial/organizational (I-O) psychology at the University of Georgia, where she has been on faculty since 2013. Currently, Clark serves as associate head of the department of psychology and director of the Healthy Work Lab. She is a recognized expert on the topics of workaholism, overwork, burnout, and employee well-being.

Clark earned her Ph.D. in I-O psychology from Wayne State University, and her B.A. in organizational studies from the University of Michigan. She has received awards for her writing and mentoring, and her work has been funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). In 2023, Clark was named a Fellow of SIOP, a status that recognizes unusual and outstanding contributions that have an important impact on I-O psychology. 

Her first book, Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It, launches in February 2024. Clark’s work has been published in premier outlets such as Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, and Journal of Organizational Behavior. She serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Applied Psychology and Personnel Psychology and as action editor for Journal of Business and Psychology and Occupational Health Science. Clark is passionate about bridging the scientist-practitioner gap and advocating for healthier workplaces and worker well-being through her speaking and consulting. Her work has been featured on various podcasts and in outlets such as Time, US News and World Report, New York Times, and The Atlantic. She currently serves as a member of the NIOSH Healthy Work Design and Well-Being Council. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and travelling.

Resources:

Pre-order “Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture is Bad for Business - and How to Fix It” by Malissa Clark (release date February 6, 2024)

Dr. Malissa Clark on LinkedIn

Healthy Work Lab; Department of Psychology at the University of Georgia 

Workaholics Anonymous

“The 4 Day Week” by Andrew Barnes, Stephanie Jones

“Overwhelmed” by Brigid Schulte

Thriving at Work with Dr. Patricia Grabarek and Dr. Katina Sawyer podcast

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura talks with Dr. Bal Pawa about her book, “The Mind-Body Cure”, and her journey through the health field into her focus on integrative medicine. Dr. Pawa shares her story of being a physician and a patient on the same day after a car accident, and how that opened her eyes to an entirely new experience and perspective on medicine. 

Dr. Pawa discusses the science and medical background that informs her book but stresses that she made it very digestible to anyone without that background. She talks about personal healing and learning to regulate our own nervous systems, a preventative model of medicine that she says is missing from our current healthcare system. Dr. Pawa teaches Dr. Laura a breathing exercise from her book, one that helps improve oxygen saturation in the lungs and calm the nervous system. Dr. Pawa’s knowledge and experience inform her message about the impacts of chronic stress and the importance of the mind-body connection. She shares her insight with as many people as possible in order to change lives.

“If 75% of our physical symptoms are attributed to chronic stress and anxiety - because of the hormones I talked about, cortisol and adrenaline - and if that's the case and the other 25% are viral, infectious, injury, well, then it behooves us to make sure we pay attention to what causes stress hormones.” Dr. Bal Pawa

About Bal Pawa:

Dr. Pawa has 30-plus years in the health field as a physician with a focus on Integrative Medicine and Women's Health. She obtained certification in Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She is also a Certified Menopause Clinician and has completed additional studies on Functional Medicine: Neuroplasticity, Gut, Brain, and Autoimmune disease. 

Bal is a passionate advocate for bringing evidence-based medicine to the masses and empowering them with knowledge. She has been an invited speaker on radio, television, community events, and presented health lectures to corporations across Canada, the USA, and the UK. Her TEDx talk about the role of stress and anxiety on your health has nearly 1 million views. Dr. Pawa's, international best-selling book The Mind-Body Cure provides tools for self-care, as people struggle to reclaim their health. A Clinical Instructor at UBC Faculty of Medicine, Bal continues to inspire and mentor younger physicians.

Resources:

Website: DrBalPawa.com

Dr. Bal Pawa on LinkedIn

“The Mind-Body Cure: Heal Your Pain, Anxiety, and Fatigue by Controlling Chronic Stress” by Bal Pawa

“Chronic Stress, Anxiety? You Are Your Best Doctor!” | Dr. Bal Pawa | TEDxSFU

Brené Brown

Dr. Gabor Maté

Deepak Chopra

Rumi 

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura addresses the topic of burnout in this episode, defining exactly what it is and describing the workplace symptoms that can contribute to it. Burnout is not a category of mental disorder or a formal medical diagnosis but instead a stress response to toxic and suboptimal working conditions. How can it be prevented? Dr. Laura shares her insight. 

The quick fixes that organizations implement to combat burnout don’t proactively solve the problem.  As good as a wellness program and yoga class can be, it won’t fix the root cause of employee burnout. Dr. Laura breaks down all the signs of a toxic workplace: the types of dysfunctional dynamics that directly contribute to burnout. She also explains how organizations can find out about those toxic symptoms in order to address them at the root. There is a responsibility on companies and leaders to eliminate the systemic issues leading to burnout so healthier and more productive workforces can be cultivated. Dr. Laura’s expertise in organizational psychology shines a light on how this might be accomplished. 

“... basically burnout is a result of suboptimal working conditions. Too often we'll put the blame on the individual and we'll say, well, that individual, that person, they're just not coping very well with the workload. Or maybe they have a lot going on in their personal lives, and that's why they're burnt out. That's not actually the case. When we look at burnout, we have to put a lot of weight into the workplace situation that the person is finding themselves in ... ” Dr. Laura

Note: If you wish to see the images Dr. Laura references, this episode can also be found on her YouTube channel here.

About Dr. Laura:

Bringing nearly 25 years of expertise as an Industrial/Organizational and Career Psychologist and pioneer in the future of work, Dr. Laura helps organizations evolve their cultures, and leaders and employees to thrive in their work and lives.

She shares her expertise through keynote speaking, the Where Work Meets LifeTM podcast, strategic career coaching, and writing articles and books.

Resources:

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura welcomes guest Carolyn Stern, President and CEO of EI Experience and author of The Emotionally Strong Leader, to the show for a conversation about emotional intelligence in leaders. Carolyn is an emotional intelligence and leadership development expert who discusses her belief that everyone needs an education in how to communicate and resolve conflict when emotional, especially those in leadership roles.   

Carolyn relates personal examples of how she learned to control her emotions to find the strength to communicate clearly and get her job done under stress. She explains how having emotions and being emotional is different, why emotions and feelings are not bad experiences if we can manage our responses to them, and how to identify our triggers so we can be on top of them. Dr. Laura explores how Carolyn’s book offers an emotional intelligence learning process for readers to take part in and what those key steps look like. Emotional intelligence is not taught in schools but it’s a vital skill for everyone to develop in life, something that will assist not only leaders but anyone in managing healthy communication and relationships.

“... I think that the bottom line is our emotions are incredibly powerful. I think we overvalue positive emotions and undervalue negative emotions, but you and I both know they both provide gifts. Every emotion tells you something.”  Carolyn Stern

About Carolyn Stern: 

Carolyn Stern is the President and CEO of EI Experience—an executive leadership development and emotional intelligence training firm. She is a certified Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Development Expert, professional speaker, award-winning author, and university professor.

Since launching her book, The Emotionally Strong Leader: An Inside-Out Journey to Transformational Leadership, Carolyn has quickly gained acclaim following her appearances on The Social, CTV Your Morning, Daytime Chicago, and Global TV. Her book was awarded the Axiom Book Award for Best Business Book in 2023 in the leadership category and the 2022 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award in the career category.

She has also been featured in various media outlets across the globe, including Forbes, Fast Company, The European Business Review, The Globe and Mail, and Inc.com.

Carolyn’s emotional intelligence courses and modules have been adopted by top universities, and she has trained over 35,000 business leaders across the continent in highly regarded corporations.

Resources:

Website: CarolynStern.com

“The Emotionally Strong Leader: An Inside-Out Journey to Transformational Leadership” by Carolyn Stern

“Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown

Dare to Lead with Brené Brown podcast

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura welcomes guest Kaleem Clarkson, CEO of Blend Me, Inc., to the show to talk about the importance of remote work. Blend Me, Inc. is a consultancy that helps small businesses transform into remote or hybrid-remote workplaces. Kaleen is a passionate advocate for remote work and his conversation with Dr. Laura reveals why.

Kaleem reminds us that at the start of the pandemic much of the working world went remote in just a month. He points to that as being one of the best examples of business leaders’ ability to transform and be agile. But now, with a push to return to the office like before, he says leaders are falling into what he calls “leadership nostalgia”. Kaleem and Dr. Laura discuss how leaders are afraid of what the future holds and back away from remote-hybrid work because what they know is comforting. Kaleem explains how he became passionate about remote work, why office buildings are still vacant, and his desire for vacant buildings to become residential assets. The discussion sheds light on why we shouldn’t move backwards away from the remote work ground we’ve gained.

“… leaders love the way things used to be. That's what they knew, and I've been trying to gain a lot more empathy. I think that's one thing, humility, a little more humility. A little more empathy for some of these leaders because they don't know any other way. You know, that's how they moved up the ranks. They went to the golf course, they played golf. They were the chummy person in the office a lot of times, like that's how they were able to get ahead and that's all they know.”  Kaleem Clarkson

About Kaleem Clarkson:

Kaleem is a husband, father, remote work advocate, and speaker. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Blend Me, Inc, a fractional people operations consultancy that helps startups and small businesses transform into high-functioning remote or hybrid-remote workplaces by improving the remote employee experience.

He has been featured in Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Fortune Magazine, named to LinkedIn’s Top 10 Voices in Remote Work, listed as one of the top 15 Remote Work Advocates by the All-American Speakers Bureau and named as a 2023 Top Remote Work Influencer by Remote.com. Kaleem has presented at South by Southwest, Transform HR, Make-A-Wish Foundation and has shared the stage alongside leadership from companies such as Google, United Airlines, Facebook, Visa, and HP. Kaleem is passionate about work-life integration and the remote employee experience.

Resources:

Website: BlendMeInc.com

Website: RemotelylOne.com 

Kaleem Clarkson on LinkedIn

How I Built This with Guy Raz podcast

Harvard Business Review

Smartless with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett podcast

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura welcomes guest Michelle K Johnston, executive coach and author of “The Seismic Shift in Leadership”, to the show to talk about how leadership has changed. The old way of leading with an iron fist, using command and control, is no longer how great leaders operate. Leaders today need to embrace connection, which is the focus of Michelle’s book.

Sharing personal stories in “The Seismic Shift in Leadership” connects Michelle with readers in much the same way as she urges leaders to connect with their teams. In order to reach people, we first have to know who we truly are and be comfortable in our own skins. Once we have that insight, we can connect authentically with others. Michelle shares her growth stories with Dr. Laura and speaks about why leaders need to listen more than talk and how coaches can foster healthy workplaces. Leadership should inspire trust and build connection, and Michelle’s advice on how to achieve that is truly valuable for both work and life wellness. 

“… I realized that connection was key and I wanted to explore more about connecting. And that's what the seismic shift in leadership is about … the new leader today who is truly effective has an ability to meaningfully connect with their teams and to inspire them and to motivate. But first you have to step back and make sure you're connected with yourself.”  Michelle Johnston

About Michelle K. Johnston:

Dr. Michelle K. Johnston is a management professor, executive coach, and leadership expert who is the Clifton A. Morvant Distinguished Professor in Business at Loyola University New Orleans. 

Her first book, The Seismic Shift in Leadership, The Seismic Shift in Leadership: How to Thrive in a New Era of Connection, is now an Amazon bestseller. 

She was recently named A Woman of the Year by CityBusiness and one of the most influential New Orleanians.

Michelle is a celebrated keynote speaker presenting at conferences and events nationwide. She received her Ph.D. in Communication from Louisiana State University and was named to the prestigious 100 Coaches Group, which consists of the top executive coaches worldwide.

For speaking engagements, media, and more, visit michellekjohnston.com.

Resources:

Website: MichelleKJohnston.com

Michelle on LinkedIn

“The Seismic Shift in Leadership: How to Thrive in a New Era of Connection” by Michelle K. Johnston

“The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene Brown

“What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” by Marshall Goldsmith

Dr. Ruth Gotian weekly show “Optimizing Success”

“The Success Factor” by Ruth Gotian

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Dr. Laura’s 25 years of experience in career psychology informs this episode’s discussion about career development trends and how you can take charge of your career.  Dr. Laura shares how she chose to specialize in career development when she obtained her Master’s in Counseling Psychology and how that led her to found Canada Career Counseling.

In referencing the Psychological Contract: A Paradigm Shift, Dr. Laura breaks down how the old contract for obtaining and maintaining a career has given way to an entirely new contract and what that means. Defining how we individually see success is now as important as evaluating exactly what we want to do with our time. A great deal of our career satisfaction comes from understanding who we are: what our skills and strengths are, what values we hold, and our interests and passions. Dr. Laura explains how these things shape us and why they are vital to our personal and professional fulfillment and growth.

“Covid brought on a lot of people reconsidering: what do I want to do? … And do I want a job that feels meaningless and doesn't give me purpose? Or do I want to have a job that I feel makes some sort of difference to humanity? A difference in the world, whether that's helping others, helping the environment, whether it's innovating to make our lives easier, whether it's exciting technology development. Different strokes for different folks. But it's important to understand this great re-evaluation is still happening and the quiet quitting movement is where people are feeling less attached to work. They're feeling [that] maybe what they're doing is no longer meaningful and they're figuring out a higher purpose.” Dr. Laura

Note: If you wish to see the images Dr. Laura references, this episode can also be found on her YouTube channel here.

About Dr. Laura:

Bringing nearly 25 years of expertise as an Industrial/Organizational and Career Psychologist and pioneer on the future of work, Dr. Laura helps organizations evolve their cultures, and leaders and employees to thrive in their work and lives.

She shares her expertise through keynote speaking, the Where Work Meets LifeTM podcast, strategic career coaching, and writing articles and books.

Resources:

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology