
The Anxious Achiever
333 episodes — Page 3 of 7
The Real Cost of Masking at Work: Neurodiversity Expert Ludmila Praslova
It’s absolutely crucial in today’s work for leaders and the organizations they run to understand the unique strengths and challenges of neurodivergent workers. In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele dives into the complexities around the word “superpower” and the ways workplaces can improve with Ludmila Praslova, a professor at Vanguard University of Southern California and author of the book The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work. They speak about the kinds of accommodations companies can be taking, the latest data around neurodiversity and work, and personal stories about being neurodivergent leaders.
S10 Ep 39The Unseen Links Between Mental Health, IBS and Your Gut
Among the most important links between our physical and mental health might just lie in our digestive tract. Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is a gastroenterologist, gut health expert, and the founder of 38TERA. In this episode, he explains his own journey to eating better, how that impacted him mentally, and the most cutting edge research about how anxiety and IBS are linked, why it is especially important for anxious achievers, and more. Learn more about Dr. B: https://theplantfedgut.com/
S10 Ep 38What We Still Don’t Understand about Adult ADHD
Dr. James Kustow is a London-based expert in adult ADHD. He shares the latest research around the disorder - which he hesitates to even call a disorder - including how ADHD is linked to emotions and our physical body. Kustow has a truly whole-body understanding of ADHD. We’ll hear some of the science behind ADHD-related behaviors and how they can impact our careers and leadership abilities.
Shows We Love: We Too Are One
bonusWant to learn more about neurodivergence and navigating career success? Check out Morra’s recent appearance on the We Too Are One podcast, where host Martin Gale aims to celebrate the power of individuals with ADHD and autism - and what it looks like in their work and lives. Check out more about the show here: https://www.wetooareonepodcast.com/about
S10 Ep 37What’s the Root of Your Perfectionism?
Author and former Fortune 500 CHRO Susan Schmitt Winchester returns to the show, this time to talk about past toxic bosses, perfectionism, and coming to terms with why we do what we do at work. She talks about uncovering the reasons we are drawn to perfectionism, what it looks like, and actionable ways we can change our behavior to improve our mental health and our careers.
S10 Ep 36Managing Leadership Anxiety
Leadership comes in many forms, and good leadership can be found at all kinds of organizations, from startups to faith communities. In this episode, Morra searches to learn more about how leaders perform and manage their own anxieties, as well as the anxieties of others. We also explore how leaders can most effectively communicate during anxious times. She speaks with Steve Cuss, an author and pastor, as well as Present Voices founder Lee Bonvissuto. Learn more about Steve: https://www.stevecusswords.com/about Learn more about Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahbonvissuto/
S10 Ep 35Mental Well-Being Can Supercharge Your Organization’s Success - Here’s How
Vlad Gheorghiu is on a mission to make workers happier, healthier, and at the same time, more productive. The ex-McKinsey consultant took his own experience of panic attacks to change his work to something more meaningful. After leading the global mental health and well-being program at the storied consulting firm, he went on to found Kyan Heath, which focuses on a preventive approach to mental health in organizations. He explains why he thinks it can help not just workers, but also the bottom line. Learn more about Kyan Health here: https://www.kyanhealth.com/
S10 Ep 34What Can Radical Transparency Do For Leadership?
Disclosing your mental health struggles to colleagues or a boss (or even friends and family) can be really hard. In this conversation, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with leadership development expert Elle Clark about the upside of creating a culture of transparency. Clark shares her experience being open about anxiety in the corporate world, how it has changed her leadership, and about her relationship with body image.
S10 Ep 33The Toll of Shame on Mind and Body
Many of us carry shame around every day without even realizing it. It can stop us from developing great relationships, chasing our dreams, or even making the most of the day. David Bedrick is an author, psychological activist, and founder of the Santa Fe Institute for Shame-Based Studies, and he’s spent his life helping people recognize shame and detach from those feelings both physically and mentally. He explains practical ways we can all deal with past trauma and the feelings it creates within us.
S10 Ep 32Bringing Vulnerability to Work: A Non Profit Leader and a Police Officer
We all bring our trauma with us to work every day. But if we build the right culture and relationships, we can also bring vulnerability and healing. If you’ve felt like you have to hide a huge part of yourself at work, this episode is for you. First, Morra speaks with Schroeder Stribling, President and CEO of Mental Health America, about how her trauma from her youth impact the way she works and leads today; and her expertise around addiction and the workplace. Then, we hear from Bobby Hoffman, chief deputy at the Hampden Massachusetts County Sheriff’s Office, who is part of a program bringing therapy dogs to the often macho and not-so-mental health friendly work of policing.
Revisiting Accent Bias in a World Pushing Against DEI Initiatives
bonusThe bias against accents and the perception of how well someone speaks English has huge impacts for individual contributors, leaders, and the business world at large - but it is often ignored. In the wake of a number of DEI related initiatives being cancelled in the federal government, we revisit this conversation with Heather Hansen on what accent bias is, why it matters, and what we can do about it. We also discuss effective business communication in English, a key skill in this global world. Learn more about Heather’s work: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hansenheather_trumps-war-on-dei-freezes-diversity-work-activity-7288020003105226753-Ymir?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
S10 Ep 31Is Your Leadership Style Inspiring or Infuriating?
Have you ever had a boss who just infuriated you? Bosses and leaders often have the ability to make or break our experience at work. In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky about the attributes that differentiate great leaders from terrible ones, and how leaders can have a outsized effect on others. His research also looks at attention and shows that anxiety and anger have the ability to narrow our viewpoints and hold us back; plus how talking ourselves up when we are insecure can actually backfire. Galinsky’s new book is Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others. Check out Galinksy’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Inspire-Universal-Leading-Yourself-Others-ebook/dp/B0D3CCHW45?ref_=ast_author_mpb
S10 Ep 30When The Company You Build Almost Fails
From afar, Luvvie Ajayi Jones seems to have it all together; to be thriving as an entrepreneur and author, complete with New York Times best-selling books and a viral Ted Talk. But all careers face downturns, and Jones has shared how one of the hardest years of her life affected her company, her finances, and her mental health. In this conversation with Morra Aarons-Mele, she talks about entrepreneurship, transparency, and making hard choices. Listen to Luvvie’s podcast here: https://luvvie.org/podcast/
How to convince others you’re still relevant — Hint: start with yourself (from Fixable)
bonusExperience is not always seen as an asset in a world that equates innovation and youth – particularly in fast-moving industries like tech and art. How do you convince others that your work still matters…now more than ever? This week, Anne and Frances help digital artist and TED Fellow Julie Freeman break free from her own story about aging and relevance. Together, two of the top leadership coaches in the world, Anne Morriss and Frances Frei, move fast and fix stuff by talking to guest callers about their workplace issues and solving their problems in 30 minutes or less. Both listeners and guests will receive actionable insights to create meaningful change in the workplace — regardless of their position on the company ladder. And they can solve YOUR biggest work problem too! Text or call 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show next season.
S10 Ep 29The Couple Making the Most of ADHD for Their Creative Business
When you are neurodivergent, it can feel like you are always behind, don’t fit in, or even worse - wreak havoc on the lives of those who love you. But Penn and Kim Holderness faced ADHD as a couple and a family head on. Through five years of research, they figured out ways to harness Penn’s superpower of ADHD and even built a business around it. The former Amazing Race winners share their perspective and tools on how to have a successful family life -- and business--when your brain works differently. Check out their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@holdernessfamilylaughs Read their book: https://www.amazon.com/ADHD-Awesome-Guide-Mostly-Thriving/dp/1400338611
S10 Ep 28How to Ride the Wave of Anxiety and Overthinking
In the high stakes world of technology companies, a lot of lip service is paid to well-being and mental health. But Meredith Arthur has been researching practical ways to manage anxiety and overthinking since before it was cool. In this episode, Morra speaks with the author and Beautiful Voyager creator about everything from polyvagal theory, clinical somatics, self-regulation and internal safety. They share their favorite routines for managing anxiety and stress. Learn more about Meredith here: https://bevoya.com/about Listen to Meredith’s previous Anxious Achiever episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5B88kIsQfcvPRR3Ut8wynX?si=6jCXb7mLRvKZAIbAcYPRKQ
S10 Ep 27When Your Body Dials 911
Ongoing stress can affect not just your emotional and mental health, but also your physical health. The connection between mind and body is often overlooked in the work world, but leadership development expert Jason Miller has spent his career trying to change that. In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele hears more about Miller’s experience that landed him in the ER. Plus, Dr. David Barlow, Professor Emeritus at Boston University, shares tips on how to right-size your phobias and better cope.
S10 Ep 26Resilience Isn’t Enough: We Need To Be Anti-Fragile
To succeed in sports and in the corporate world, you might need more than just resilience. Enter the concept of anti-fragility, which focuses on the idea that meaningful resistance and meaningful difficult situations can be approached in a way where you actually come out better on the other side. Dr. Nick Holton is a performance coach for professional athletes and Fortune 500 Executives. Adam Wright is the Director of Mental Performance at the Washington Nationals MLB team. Together they founded The Anti Fragile Academy, and they speak with host Morra Aarons-Mele about how they train corporate leaders to withstand pressure, and improve as a result.
S10 Ep 25What if Impostor Syndrome Isn’t All Bad?
It turns out, a lot of our beliefs about how we are performing at work - and how we choose to label that performance - can negatively impact our jobs and our mental health. Basima Tewfik is an Assistant Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management, who looks deeply at our social behaviors and psychology at work. And she’s found that labels like anxious, neurotic, and imposter syndrome can actually be really detrimental to our success. Even impostor feelings, in her research, can lead to positive outcomes at work. Tewfik thinks of each like a double edged sword and explains how her research focuses on the positive side of phenomena like these.
S10 Ep 24Connecting Mind, Body, and Work Performance in a Stressful Season
Why do we feel anxious even when threats are only imagined, and why have we evolved to feel anxiety? The connection between mental and physical health is well documented and talked about, but very easy to forget in times of stress. In this episode, we revisit a conversation with Dr. Christine Runyan, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and co-founder of Tend Health about the roots of this complex emotion, and learn self care techniques that actually work, and why. Dr. Christine Runyan on On Being: https://onbeing.org/programs/christine-runyan-on-healing-our-distressed-nervous-systems/ More about Tend Health: https://tend.health/meet-tend/meet-founders/
S10 Ep 23Say Goodbye to Negative Self-Talk and Hello to Your Superpowers
Sanyin Siang is an advisor, coach, and adjunct professor at Duke University where she leads the Fuqua/Coach K Leadership and Ethics Center or COLE. She’s also someone who believes in being your own best friend, and that starts with the self-talk we have going on in our heads all day long. In this episode, she walks host Morra Aarons-Mele through her superpowers framework, her own quest to find her strengths, and how high-achievers can zero in on our gifts instead of what we need to improve. The Superpowers with Sanyin Substack: https://leadershipplaybook.substack.com/
S10 Ep 22Tim Shriver on Emotional Intelligence, Family Healing, and Difficult Conversations
Tim Shriver is a filmmaker, chairman of the Special Olympics, and host of the podcast Need a Lift. He’s also a member of the Kennedy clan, and has spent much of his life’s work helping to increase emotional awareness and improve the discourse around things like mental health, faith, disabilities, and more. He speaks with host Morra Aarons-Mele about the most important conversations we need to be having now, how children and adults alike can improve their mental health and emotional flexibility, and what drives him in his work. Listen to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/need-a-lift-with-tim-shriver/id1765227660 The Dignity Index: https://www.dignity.us/
S10 Ep 21Finding Healing After Layoffs
Yowei Shaw was the host of the NPR podcast Invisibilia before layoffs hit the organization. In the aftermath, she struggled with how her identity and sense of self shifted in unexpected ways. Now, she hosts the podcast Proxy with Yowei Shaw. We’ll talk about the process she went through following her layoff, how she’s recovered, and advice she’d share with others in the same situation. Listen to her podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0VkDE8LAXf5COW4tqhhy1B Learn more about Yowei’s layoff story: https://the.ink/p/yowei-shaw-proxy-layoffs-emotions
Introducing: Let's Talk Offline
bonusCheck out a new show we love: LinkedIn's Let's Talk Offline. Co-hosted by Gianna Prudente, LinkedIn's early career development editor, and Jamé Jackson, a LinkedIn community manager, this show seeks to answer unfiltered questions about work life, covering topics like: Setting workplace boundaries, building your personal brand, scoring your dream job, and navigating office friendships. The show aims to help Gen Z and young millennial professionals advocate for themselves, stand out, and make positive changes in their work lives - all without sacrificing their values, sanity, or sleep. In this episode, they dive deep into social anxiety.
S10 Ep 20How Envy Impacts Work and Leadership
Envy can drive us - but it can also drive us into a wall. It can motivate us at work, but it can make us - and the teams around us - miserable. And sometimes, envy is trying to tell us we might want a change in our own life. In this episode, we revisit a conversation with executive coach and president of PartnerExec, Nihar Chhaya, about how to recognize and reframe envy before it gets the best of us at work. The Upside of Career Envy: https://hbr.org/2020/06/the-upside-of-career-envy
S10 Ep 19Is Work Fundamentally Broken?
Laurie Ruettimann is a former human resources leader and current author and speaker on work place culture. She looks at how the overall system of capitalism is hurting us, what is broken about work, and what can be done. She shares her own journey through corporate America, despite her anti-establishment roots; how living a corporate lifestyle led to unhealthy habits and an impulsive and risky weight loss surgery. Plus, what she’s learned in the years since and her advice for workers and leaders of companies going forward. Learn more about Laurie: https://laurieruettimann.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/laurieruettimann_fixwork-selfleadership-wellbeing-activity-7051595498406768640-ieCi/
S10 Ep 18Hacks for Managing Yourself and Others: Understanding Attachment Styles
A lot of us have a basic understanding of how attachment styles - secure, anxious and avoidant - affect human beings in their relationships. But we don’t often think about what they mean for work. In this episode Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with Jack Hinman, who expands the definition and understanding of attachment styles and explains how they can be a superpower. Hinman is Founder and Executive Director of Engage Transitions. Learn more about attachment and Hinman’s work: https://engagelifenow.com/attachment/
S10 Ep 17What Companies Should Do For Workers in an AI Age
When it comes to managing our mental health as AI takes over the workplace, there’s a lot on our plate. But in a world that is also driven by systems, it’s important to think about what organizations can be, should be, and are doing to remember worker mental health in the coming years. To wrap up our month long series on AI, mental health, and work, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with Susan Quain, an expert in digital employee experience, about the best ways that leaders and companies can help workers adapt and thrive as AI becomes a more frequent collaborator. Learn more: Seven ways digital workplace teams support the rollout of generative AI
S10 Ep 16Disruptive Change and Shifting Mindsets Around GenAI
When it comes to anxiety, the best thing we can do is figure out what is in our control and shift our energy away from the what ifs and the negative thinking. This applies when it comes to anxiety around GenAI taking our jobs as well. In this episode, Morra Aarons-Mele speaks to two people sharing real tools to navigate today’s work landscape. We hear from author and disruptive leadership expert Charlene Li, who shares the real ways she’s currently using AI, how it can actually make us better workers and leaders, and how to think proactively about this new technology. Then, Morra speaks with Scott Barry Kaufman, psychology professor at Columbia University, about how we can use AI as an opportunity to self-actualize.
S10 Ep 15Does Discomfort Reflect What We Value Most?
Sometimes, you have to look scary change in the eye and approach it with flexibility instead of fear. Dr. Diana Hill is a clinical psychologist and leadership coach who specializes in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and we speak to her this week as part of our month-long series on artificial intelligence and work. GenAI and how it is impacting your job might be stirring up all kinds of emotions for you - including anger - and Hill explains techniques you can use to change your frame of mind and improve your relationship with all this change. We discuss the importance of values when navigating uncertainty and anxiety. More about Diana Hill: https://drdianahill.com/about Our episode on AI and work with Nilay Patel: https://morraam.com/blog/9ojwos1lawqrhhgmcxl87f2343km01
Morra Joins The Next Big Idea To Talk Anxiety As a Trait of Great Leaders
bonusHost Morra Aarons-Mele recently spoke with Rufus Griscom on LinkedIn’s The Next Big Idea to talk about leadership. She speaks about how anxiety is an asset, resource and motivator - if you can learn to harness it the right way. And she offers up practical advice - with help from a pen, a banana, and science-baked research - on how exactly you can do that and take your leadership to the next level. The Next Big Idea is a weekly series of in-depth interviews with the world’s leading thinkers. Listen to more of The Next Big Idea here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anxious-achiever-how-you-can-turn-anxiety-into-a-superpower/id1482067226?i=1000666224026
S10 Ep 14AI, Work and Mental Health: Nilay Patel on Tech and the Future
Like anxiety or depression, AI is now a constant companion for millions of people around the world. We might be benefitting from the use of AI at work, but also truly worried about what it means for our future. For the next few weeks, host Morra Aarons-Mele is exploring what AI means for our work and our mental health, from what tech giants are planning to tactics for managing uncertainty to how the best companies are mentally preparing their work force for a new age. In this episode, she speaks with Editor-in-Chief of The Verge, Nilay Patel, who also hosts The Decoder podcast. Nilay talks about what it is like to run an organization in this time of uncertainty, how the media is or isn’t helping the narrative around AI, what’s going on behind the scenes at tech companies, and what about human creativity truly is at risk in the next few years.
S10 Ep 13Is Passion Driving Burnout?
There’s often a direct connection between how much you achieve at work, and how high you climb, and how much passion you have for your work. It’s a huge motivator, but it has a downside for those especially geared towards overachievement: burnout. Jon Jachimowicz is an assistant professor at Harvard Business School and he shares what he’s learned from his study of passion, work, career longevity, and more. More on Jon’s work: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=1175257
S10 Ep 12Hope as an Essential Ingredient of Life and Work
We humans need hope! A lack of hope contributes to much to mental health struggles across the board, and that’s why it’s important to learn more about the science behind hope and how it impacts us. Hope is a skill we can all learn. In this episode, Kathryn Goetzke, founder and chairman at The Shine Hope Company, explains what she’s learned about negative thought patterns, control, depression and more. She also shares her own story of anxiety, PTSD, and addiction and how better understanding hope helps her impact workplaces today. Check out Snyder’s Hope scale: https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2023-11/hopescale_hys.pdf
S10 Ep 11You Can’t Change the World If You’re Unhappy At Work
We’ve come a long way in the last five years, but there’s so much still to be done when it comes to our working lives and our mental health. In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele revisits our very first episode, where she speaks with Scott Stossel. He’s a National Editor of the Atlantic magazine and author of the New York Times Best seller “My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind.” He shares his story of anxiety, and why it’s more important now than ever for leaders to recognize and work around the mental health challenges of their teams. Read Scott’s book: https://www.amazon.com/My-Age-Anxiety-Dread-Search/dp/0307269876
S10 Ep 10Adapting Your Career to Your Neurodivergent Needs
What if all your assumptions about people with neurodivergent conditions… were all wrong? In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks to two people living very different lives, but who have a Tourette Syndrome diagnosis in common. First, TV presenter Aidy Smith shares how he became the only person to host a show in the UK who has Tourette Syndrome, and how he overcame obstacles to get there. Then, we’ll hear from Tara Lerman, a listener who reached out to share her own journey in media and advocacy. Learn more about Aidy Smith: https://www.aidysmith.com/ Why We Need to Change the Conversation Around Tourette’s Syndrome: https://www.madeofmillions.com/articles/why-we-need-to-change-the-conversation-around-tourette-s-syndrome
S10 Ep 9When Your Job Revolves Around The Tumultuous U.S. Election
The news is overwhelming, and thinking about the upcoming election makes many of us anxious. Political veterans know how to get things done in a never-ending 24 hour news cycle, and somehow stay on course when the world is spinning too fast - but it isn’t always easy. In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with Shaniqua McClendon, Vice President of Politics for the media company Crooked. She talks about her previous roles and experiences, toxic bosses and work environments, and how she tries to maintain some balance in a hectic election cycle. Check out more of Crooked Media’s podcasts: https://crooked.com/podcasts/ Vote Save America: https://www.votesaveamerica.com/
S10 Ep 8A Former Olympic Rower on Grit, Heartache and Success
In 2012, Michael DiSanto graduated from a prestigious university. But instead of following the path of his peers, he set out to achieve a lofty goal: make the 2016 Olympic rowing team. It was a tough decision and even tougher training process; at times he was bored, at times he wanted to give up. di Santo used anxiety and anger as powerful motivators to drive his performance as an Olympic rower. Host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks to DiSanto about his journey to the games, how he ended his career, how he manages his mental health, and what lessons he’s taken into his career in finance today. More on mental health and Olympic athletes: https://apnews.com/article/paris-olympics-2024-mental-health-biles-osaka-891c2dc08b59a3ccb0b15ffeca239089
S10 Ep 7ADHD Expert (and Diagnosee) Dr. Ned Hallowell on Unwrapping Our Gifts and Changing Labels
Dr. Ned Hallowell has ADHD himself, and is a well-respected doctor who focuses on counseling people of all ages with similar disorders. But he’s quick to point out that the phrase deficit disorder isn’t quite right. Dr. Hallowell’s life’s work is freeing people from the stigma associated with these kinds of conditions. He explains how he thinks about this kind of neurodiversity differently (a Ferrari brain with bicycle brakes), how it has helped his work and career, and why he became a TikTok influencer in his 70s. Learn more about Dr. Hallowell’s work here: https://drhallowell.com/ Follow Dr. Hallowell on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drhallowell?lang=en
S10 Ep 6Dan Ariely on Resilience as the Antidote to Stress
Dan Ariely is a famed behavioral economist who looks at the irrational, upside-down ways that humans think and act. His recent interests include resilience - something he’s had to build up in his own life after a serious burn accident in his teens. Ariely is a professor at Duke University and the author of bestselling books like “The Upside of Irrationality.” Host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks to him about mental health, human behavior, and overcoming challenges. Watch Dan’s Ted Talks: https://www.ted.com/speakers/dan_ariely How a Terrible Accident Inspired Dan Ariely’s Career Path How an Injury Led Me to Irrationality
S10 Ep 5Is People Pleasing Hurting Your Career?
If you fall into certain people-pleasing behaviors at work, we have news: it’s not just an individual problem. Kathleen Smith, therapist and author of the new book True to You, explains how relationships, family ghosts, and systems inform our behavior in all kinds of ways, both inside and outside of the workplace. She explains how family systems theory is a helpful frame in this context, and how people can break out of their people-pleasing ways. Check out Kathleen’s book: https://www.amazon.com/True-You-Therapists-Pleasing-Yourself-ebook/dp/B0CGRYFPNL
S10 Ep 4More Than Breadwinners: The Mental Health of Working Fathers
Just as working mothers increasingly feel pressure from all sides to achieve and be the best family members possible, expectations for fathers have shifted in recent years. But professor Brad Harrington and former TV anchor Liam Martin argue that the ecosystem of support for working fathers hasn’t been formed in the same it has for women. Brad’s research shows that working fathers increasingly feel conflicted about where they should spend their time, and how to manage the expectations society puts on them while balancing their own mental health. Liam shares his own personal story of recently leaving his job to protect his mental health and family’s quality of life. Like many of us, Liam hid his struggles and avoided asking for help. Many people manage "role conflict" - the struggle between being present for family and the need to be successful professionally, which can impact mental health. Read Liam’s story of why he walked away from his job: https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2024/04/07/liam-martin-fatherhood/
S10 Ep 3Tools and Tricks for Neurodivergent Leaders
Clayton Lord breaks the mold of what you might expect someone’s career to look like if they are on the autism spectrum. He’s Director of Programs at the SHRM Foundation and channels his strengths to create insight and order out of complex and messy problems. He also balances that with the fact that he isn’t always first to notice interpersonal issues at work. But he’s developed a tool kit - which includes keeping Post-it notes by his desk with reminders - that helps him achieve success as a leader, a partner, and a father. Lord shares his story of how he moves through a neurotypical world. Learn more about SHRM: https://www.shrm.org/front-door
S10 Ep 2Burnout, Balance, and Why Work From Home Isn’t Working
Shirley Leung is a columnist at the Boston Globe and host of the podcast Say More, and in 2020, she hit “rock bottom.”Being stretched on all sides for years finally took its toll and she realized her work life balance needed a change. Four years later, Shirley went on a quest to better understand how to deal with and prevent burnout at work. In this episode, she talks with host Morra Aarons-Mele about how working from home no longer works for many people, the mental health challenges we still feel post pandemic, and being realistic about our priorities. Listen to Shirley’s burnout series on Say More: https://link.chtbl.com/saymore?sid=anxiousachiever The No Club Book: https://www.amazon.com/No-Club-Putting-Womens-Dead-End/dp/1982152338
S10 Ep 1Craig Robinson on Following Your Passion, Forgetting What Others Think, and Bringing out the Best in People
Craig Robinson, brother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, is a basketball legend, former NBA executive, coach, and Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. But he wasn’t always on that path: after playing basketball at Princeton, he ended up spending much of his career in finance before following his true passion. Robinson shares lessons he learned from his family, his insights on getting high performers to stay at their best, and how to keep going in the face of negativity and criticism. Listen to Craig’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ways-to-win/id1733309040
Coming Soon: Season 10
trailerStarting June 5th, the Anxious Achiever is back to celebrate its tenth season. We’ll be diving into the topics and challenges you’ve asked about most: How to manage anxiety around AI and your job What is is like crafting a career while living with Tourette’s syndrome How to identify if you are a people pleaser (and how to change) Why your boss is or isn’t toxic Manage emotions through difficult situations And much, much more. The new season launches next week - be sure to let us know what you think!
S9 Ep 54Thinkers50: The Limits and Responsibilities of Leaders
Leaders of organizations have a large responsibility when it comes to their own mental health, and of those in their organization. When they speak up about mental health, others can too. But vulnerability comes with risks. How can leaders model openness around mental health without bumping up against stereotypes and judgment? In this roundtable conversation, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmonson – the pioneer of the concept of psychological safety at work; entrepreneur and best-selling author Peter Sims; and Megan Reitz of Oxford University and Hult International Business School about the leader’s role in speaking up and fighting mental health stigma. Learn more about Amy: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6451 Learn more about Peter: https://petersims.com/ Learn more about Megan: https://www.meganreitz.com/ Learn more about Thinkers50: https://thinkers50.com/
S9 Ep 53Thinkers50: Can We Banish Burnout?
Burnout doesn’t come on because of weakness, and it doesn’t come about overnight. Many of us are walking around with some degree of burnout! On the flip side, it takes more than a vacation or loving your job to solve the problem. In this special Thinkers50 episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele explores some of the ways companies and individuals can more effectively avoid burnout and put in place more mentally healthy systems. She speaks with Alyson Meister, a professor at IMD Business School, Jon Jachimowicz, assistant professor at Harvard Business School, and Basima Tewfik, assistant professor at MIT Sloan School of Management. Learn more about Alyson: https://www.imd.org/faculty/professors/alyson-meister/ Learn more about Jon: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=1175257 Learn more about Basima: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/basima-tewfik Learn more about Thinkers50: https://thinkers50.com/
S9 Ep 52Thinkers50: Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy, Start Being Your Best Friend
As part of a month long series with Thinkers50 and The Silicon Guild, in this episode host Morra Aarons-Mele explores constructive ways we can improve our relationship with ourselves, instead of always being our harshest critic. She’s joined by Duke Professor Sanyin Siang, Lenny Mendoca, Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey, and Palo Alto City Council Member Julie Lythcott-Haims to talk about ways to change your self talk and your work. Learn more about Sanyin: https://centers.fuqua.duke.edu/cole/team_profiles/sanyin-siang/ Hear our past episode with Lenny: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-stigma-of-mental-health-for-men-in-business/id1480904163?i=1000601243370 Hear our past episode with Julie: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/how-to-stop-the-cycle-of-overachieving/id1480904163?i=1000479076732 Learn more about Thinkers50: https://thinkers50.com/
S9 Ep 51Thinkers50: Improving Work, Improving Mental Health (For Everyone)
What are some of the most important management ideas out there in today’s world? Thinkers50 is an organization that aims to identify and share these important ideas day in and day out, and all month long host Morra Aarons-Mele is partnering with Thinkers50 and The Silicon Guild for a series of roundtable talks about mental health and work. In this episode, she speaks with Columbia Business School’s Rita McGrath, Copenhagen Business School’s Poornima Luthra, and entrepreneur Andrew Barnes, founder of the Four Day Week Movement, about rethinking how we work to improve mental health for everyone. Learn more about Rita: https://www.ritamcgrath.com/ Learn more about Poornima: https://www.talented.dk/ Learn more about Andrew: https://www.4dayweek.com/andrew-barnes Learn more about Thinkers50: https://thinkers50.com/