Netflix Former Chief Talent Officer On Why We Can't Seem To Fix Burnout with Jessica Neal

Burnout isn’t just about working too hard, and stress isn’t always the enemy. In this episode, I talk with Jessica Neal, former Chief Talent Officer at Netflix and now venture capitalist, about why the biggest workplace problems refuse to improve. We talk about why high-performing cultures often forget to acknowledge what’s working, how fear quietly drives burnout, and why honesty and clear expectations might be the most underrated leadership skills we have. Get ready to know what it really takes to build a healthier, more human workplace. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why burnout and chronic stress keep rising despite endless conversations. 05:00 The hidden skills that make high-pressure leadership roles work. 08:15 The blockers to a healthy workplace. 13:00 How burnout becomes self-fulfilling when clarity is missing. 18:45 How panic attacks can come from internal pressure, not external crises. 21:45 What leaders miss when they only focus on what’s broken. 29:30 Why women are still leaving leadership roles at higher rates. 35:00 The impossible choice many women face between career momentum and caregiving. 43:30 How working outside your strengths (and with the wrong people) quietly fuels burnout. 47:30 Avoiding hard conversations is costing teams speed, trust, and clarity. Resources + Links Jessica Neal’s podcast TruthWorks HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Jessica: on LinkedIn @jeneal

Uncertainty isn’t something to fix, but something that actually makes you sharper, more resilient, and more innovative. In this episode, I sit down with Maggie Jackson, to talk about why our brains react the way they do to the unknown, and how leaders can transform uncertainty into focus, creativity, and better decision-making. We dive into why discomfort can be good stress, how curiosity boosts well-being, and practical shifts to help you stay present and grounded when outcomes feel unclear. Tune in for new ways to reframe uncertainty at home, at work, and inside your own mind. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why our brains interpret uncertainty as a threat. 03:30 What “good stress” looks like in your body. 09:45 How to reframe uncertainty as curiosity instead of dread. 14:15 Why trying new things reduces anxiety over time. 17:00 The science of pausing and “spaciousness” for better problem-solving. 20:30 How do you train yourself and your team to be open to not knowing? 26:30 Why language like “maybe” can strengthen trust and collaboration. 28:00 How exhaustion, pressure, and overload lower our tolerance for uncertainty. 33:00 The link between curiosity, well-being, and better performance. 36:00 How can leaders model uncertainty without appearing weak? Resources + Links Learn more about Maggie’s Uncertain book HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Maggie on LinkedIn: @maggiejackson

What if the things you feel most ashamed of at work are actually your superpowers? In this conversation, I sit down with bestselling author and Founder & CEO of Working Genius, Patrick Lencioni. We dive into his Working Genius framework to discover why certain kinds of work light you up while others reliably drain you. Using his six types of “genius” we explore why differently wired (aka “spiky”) brains can be massive assets in leadership when we stop trying to do everything. You’ll also hear Pat share candidly about his own anxious achieving, how working outside his genius led to grumpiness and burnout, and what changed when he finally designed his role (and team) around his true strengths. It’s time to reframe guilt and shame around your “weaknesses,” so you can lead from your zone of genius with more effectiveness, sustainability, and joy. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Working Genius. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 How to stop feeling ashamed of what you’re not good at. 04:00 How to become boldly bad at things as a neurodistinct leader. 10:45 The six types of Working Genius and how to discover yours. 16:00 How wounds and fear can push you to overachieve at work you dislike. 18:00 What is the difference between fear-based vs. joy-based achievement? 24:00 Why burnout is more about misalignment than workload. 31:00 How knowing your team’s geniuses transform trust and accountability. 33:30 Why your team will perform better when everyone admits what they are bad at. 40:30 What should I do if my job doesn’t fit my working genius? Resources + Links Take the Working Genius Assessment HERE Use promo code ACHIEVER for 20% off Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Patrick Lencioni: on LinkedIn @patricklencioniorghealth + Instagram @patricklencioniofficial

The most powerful leadership tool you have isn’t authority or expertise, but attention. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ravi Kudesia, Associate Professor of Management at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, to break down the science and practice of mindful leadership. We talk about how leaders can regulate their attention, reset your energy between meetings, disrupt habitual scripts, and guide teams through ambiguity without creating panic. Ravi shares how mindfulness helps leaders read the room, experiment more effectively during change, and model emotional grounding for their teams. Get ready to rethink how you show up and discover why mindful leaders make change feel less like chaos and more like possibility. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 How do you prepare to teach, lead, and be present? 07:00 How to reset between meetings and clear “attentional residue.” 09:45 A breathing reset you can use anywhere to calm your system. 14:30 Why leaders must shift from individualistic to relational leadership mindsets. 21:15 How a leader’s internal state shapes the emotional health of the entire team. 27:15 How do you lead through change? 33:00 Why middle leaders must become adapters and experiment in ambiguity. 39:45 How leaders can ask better questions in the middle of uncertainty.  43:00 How attuning to energy in the room changes the way leaders lead. 46:30 What leaders do to cultivate mindfulness? Resources + Links Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Ravi on LinkedIn: @rskudesia

The shame you feel at work isn’t a personal flaw, but a kind of violence acting on your story, your body, and your worth. In this episode, I sit down with psychologist David Bedrick, whose pioneering work on unshaming helps us understand how shame interprets the world for us and how you can reclaim your own internal witness. We talk about why shame is not just a feeling but a lens, how childhood interpretations stick with us for decades, and why so many of us carry invisible pain through our careers, relationships, and leadership roles. David shares how the body speaks when our lives become too heavy to carry, and how that “symptom” is often a messenger of our deeper story, not a problem to be erased. Tune in to start unshaming yourself from the inside out. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand, and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 What is shame and why is it not a feeling? 04:15 How childhood witnessing becomes your lifelong lens. 08:00 The link between chronic illness, over-responsibility, and hidden shame. 14:00 How a simple temper tantrum can reveal a protest your body is begging you to hear. 19:30 Why pain and exhaustion are often your body’s way of saying “this is too much.” 21:30 How layoffs, business failure, and money anxiety get wrapped in shame at work. 26:00 The one question that begins unshaming others and yourself. 29:00 How to ask about someone’s experience without piling on more shame. 37:00 Why we never tell anyone about our chronic pain. 41:30 How to start walking the “unshaming way” in your own life, relationships, and work. Resources + Links Learn more about David Bedrick HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow David: @david.bedrick

What if your AI anxiety isn’t a flaw, but a signal to evolve how you work? In this episode, I sit down with Lee Gonzales, engineering leader and creator of BetterUp’s AI Flight School, to talk about why AI feels existential, why it threatens your craft and identity, and how you can move from fear to agency. We dive into how psychological safety, values, and collective sensemaking help people shift from “AI will replace me” to “AI can expand me.” Tune in if you’re ready to move from avoidance to informed action and become the pilot of your AI future, not the passenger. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why AI anxiety pushed Lee to reinvent his entire career. 04:45 How AI differs from every prior technological leap. 08:00 What distinguishes an “AI passenger” from an “AI pilot”? 10:00 Is the agency real or a helpful illusion? 14:45 Why psychological safety is the first requirement for AI learning. 18:03 How to reframe anxiety into possibility using values and task design. 22:15 Why AI can weaken your cognitive muscles if you’re not careful. 25:15 The values-based exercise that helps you understand your resistance. 28:45 Why engineers struggle with AI’s impact on the craft they love.30:30 What AlphaGo teaches us about self-learning systems and exponential change.  32:00 How prompting helps people reflect on values and reclaim agency. 34:15 Lee’s “aha” moment from Flight School participants. 36:00 Why AI can feel like an “infinite agency machine” when used well. Resources + Links Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Lee on LinkedIn: @leegonzales

What if the problem in America isn’t just political? What if our collective nervous system is overloaded? In this episode, I sit down with Kate Woodsome, journalist turned civic resilience researcher and trainer, to talk about how personal trauma, chronic stress, and media-driven threat responses scale up into polarization, civic dysfunction, and even openings for authoritarianism. Tune in for tools leaders and citizens can use to get grounded before you engage. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 What is civic resilience? 07:15 What nervous system literacy actually trains you to notice. 12:00 Why body scans and relaxed muscles matter for sustained leadership. 16:15 Systemic drivers of chronic stress. 19:30 Why tech + speed amplify perceived danger and make regulation insufficient alone. 25:45 How trauma, polarization, and authoritarianism play out at work and in nations. 33:15 Nonverbal signals that communicate compassion. 38:45 Why Kate believes nervous system literacy can strengthen democracy. Resources + Links Subscribe to Kate Woodsome’s Substack and Newsletter for updates on her civic-resilience work Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Kate: on LinkedIn @katewoodsome + Instagram @kwoodsome

Layoffs do more than drain your bank account, they shake your sense of worth, belonging, and identity. In this episode, Yowei Shaw, an emotional investigative journalist shares what it felt like to get laid off from NPR, why the experience upends identity and dignity, and how the social systems around unemployment actually make healing harder. We talk about the strange behaviors that show up before and after a layoff, how companies actually decide who goes (spoiler: it’s often opaque), and ways to recover. Get ready to rethink what safety, identity, and recovery look like after a layoff. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand, and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Meet Yowei Shaw, an emotional investigative journalist. 05:15 What it felt like inside NPR during the layoff month. 11:00 What changed at work during the layoffs? 19:45 Is HR your enemy? 22:30 Why intense shame is a common experience after being laid off. 25:00 Stigma and hiring discrimination against laid-off workers. 30:00 How losing the illusion can be liberating. 32:45 How identity changes after leaving a big brand and why that can be a creative opportunity. Resources + Links Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Yowei: @yoweishaw

Is your anxiety about AI actually trying to help you? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tracy Dennis Tiwary to talk about AI anxiety, overdiagnosis, ADHD, and why we’ve medicalized so much of our emotional life that we’ve lost sight of what it means to be human. Tracy shares why we were unprepared for the mental health fallout of social media, why we’re just as unprepared for AI, and how leaders can support teams through technological uncertainty without collapsing into fear or false certainty. Tune in to learn how to engage with AI without losing your humanity and how to work with your anxiety instead of treating it like an enemy. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why AI anxiety is showing up differently for each of us. 06:45 Is AI an intelligence or just a (very powerful) tool? 10:45 How calling AI “smart” and human-like hides what it actually does. 14:00 Why we weren’t prepared for social media’s mental health impact. 15:15 Ways to use chatbots and therapeutic AI without getting lost in them. 21:00 ADHD, dichotomies, and how medicalizing mental health distorts what diagnoses can do. 26:00 Why treating symptoms isn’t the same as healing. 29:00 If mental illness isn’t just a broken brain, what is it? 30:30 Why there is no single biomarker for conditions like bipolar disorder or ADHD. 38:45 Why anxiety is tied to uncertainty, hope, and creativity.  43:30 Where does stress fit alongside anxiety and fear? 48:15 Advice to someone who has AI anxiety. Resources + Links Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Tracy: @tracydennistiwary

Stigma loses its power when leaders tell the truth. In this episode, venture investor and Techstars co-founder Brad Feld shares why he went public about depression and OCD, how a 2013 crash led to a decade of deep therapy, and why aligning what you feel, say, and do is a leadership advantage. We talk about the “inappropriate anxiety spikes,” the trap of calling mental health a “superpower,” and the difference between passive and active avoidance. Brad also breaks down a simple dashboard for monitoring burnout, practical somatic cues to watch for, and clear guidance on when to hire a coach versus a therapist. Get ready to rethink performance, protect your team from collateral damage, and lead with courage, clarity, and real agency. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why did you choose to speak openly about mental health? 09:00 How stigma and shame create a negative feedback loop for founders. 14:30 The irrational links between thoughts and actions that drive compulsion. 18:00 How reframing failure helps you find grace in what doesn’t work out. 20:00 The concept of “passive avoidance” and how it quietly erodes relationships. 26:00 What are the two ways anxiety shows up in leadership? 30:15 How absurdism brings comfort amid uncertainty. 33:30 Why performative passion often hides real insecurity. 37:45 The “anxiety spikes” that jump from 2 to 11 in seconds. 43:00 How ACT therapy helps you feel, accept, and act instead of suppressing emotion. 46:00 The dashboard of green–yellow–red lights to watch your energy in real time. 50:00 Advice to leaders who want to understand how their behavior impacts others. Resources + Links Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Brad: @bfeld