What if the silence in your meetings has nothing to do with confidence and everything to do with culture? Organizational psychologist Neelu Kaur joins Lori Adams-Brown to decode the invisible operating systems shaping how professionals communicate, advocate for themselves, and lead across cultures and organizational hierarchies. IN THIS EPISODE:   - What the "self-trust recession" is and why it matters for global leaders right now   - The paradox at the heart of corporate America: individualistic society, yet over-indexed workplaces   - Why "just speak up" is incomplete advice when power dynamics are involved   - The Abilene Paradox: how teams end up agreeing to decisions nobody actually wants   - The difference between assimilation and adaptability at work and why organizations are getting it wrong ABOUT NEELU KAUR: Neelu Kaur is a global keynote speaker, organizational psychologist, and author of Be Your Own Cheerleader: An Asian and South Asian Woman's Cultural, Psychological, and Spiritual Guide to Self-Promote at Work. She partners with Fortune 500 companies to build transformative leadership cultures, holds a Master's in Social and Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and is a certified NLP master practitioner. TIMESTAMPS:   00:00 - Introduction and Neelu's cross-cultural background (India to the US)   04:00 - The self-trust recession: outsourcing inner authority in the age of AI   08:00 - The I vs. We paradox in corporate America   12:00 - Assimilation vs. adaptability in hiring and onboarding   18:00 - Psychological safety and cultural assessments in executive teams   22:00 - Inclusion at work events: safety, restraint, and belonging   26:00 - Speed culture vs. strategic depth: the cost of always being on autopilot   36:00 - The Abilene Paradox and how groupthink silences the room Join us for the exclusive bonus episode on Patreon with Neelu. FIND NEELU KAUR AT:   Website: https://www.neelukaur.com   Book: Be Your Own Cheerleader (available where books are sold) Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you spend 18 years building a company to $5 million in revenue across 80 countries, finally sell it, and then wake up with no idea who you are without it? Fiona Macaulay knows that moment intimately, and what she built from it is changing how thousands of accomplished women think about what comes next. In this episode, Lori Adams-Brown sits down with Fiona Macaulay, founder of The Wild Network, co-author of Aim High and Bounce Back, and creator of the Next Chapter Accelerator, to explore the real terrain of midlife reinvention: identity loss after success, the shame women carry around failure, and the practical tools that make starting over less lonely and more intentional. What you will hear in this episode: Why selling a thriving company felt like "perceived failure" and what that reveals about how we define success What being "stuck" actually looks like for accomplished mid-to-senior career women, and how to tell the difference between needing a rest and needing genuine change The three things every woman in transition needs: process, community, and a new chapter network Why Fiona takes women on a walking retreat on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, and what movement unlocks that a boardroom simply cannot The Leadership Fail Lab that sparked a book: what happened when successful women from across the globe started sharing their biggest failures on stage Four types of failure (including "circumstantial failure" and "perceived failure") and how naming the right one changes your recovery Why the biggest failure of all is the one you never attempted About Fiona Macaulay: Fiona Macaulay is a three-time entrepreneur, global leadership expert, and founder of The Wild Network, a community of 25,000 purpose-driven leaders across 115 countries. She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and co-author of Aim High and Bounce Back: A Successful Woman's Guide to Rethinking and Rising Up from Failure. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction: building $5M across 80 countries, then waking up lost 0:38 - Selling Making Sense and the reality of perceived failure 3:25 - What "stuck" looks like for accomplished mid-career women 7:59 - Why walking the Camino de Santiago unlocks what workshops cannot 11:06 - Follow your fascinations: building a new chapter network 13:21 - Experimentation over planning: taking small steps toward big goals 15:57 - Why failure hits women harder: the social science behind the shame 18:00 - The Leadership Fail Lab and the origin of Aim High and Bounce Back 20:22 - Four types of failure and how to name what you are experiencing 22:46 - What successful leaders do differently with failure 24:29 - Where to find Fiona and her work Find Fiona Macaulay at: Website: fionamacaulay.com The Wild Network: thewildnetwork.org Leadership for Social Impact Forum: wildleadershipforum.org Next Chapter Accelerator (Camino retreat, 4 spots remaining for late September 2026): nextchapteraccelerator.com Book: Aim High and Bounce Back, available online and at your local bookstore If this conversation stayed with you, here are two ways to go deeper: Become a Difference Maker on Patreon: patreon.com/aworldofdifference $7/month for bonus conversations and community. $25/month to join me live every quarter. Read the full essays and join the monthly live on Substack: loriadamsbrown.substack.com Or support the show with a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/loriadamsbr Share this episode with one person who needs it. That is how we grow this. Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean when the only HR professional in a room of 6,000 AI innovators refuses to stay silent? Anju Choudhary attended HumanX in San Francisco, looked around, and decided that was not a coincidence. It was a calling. In this live conference conversation recorded at HumanX, Lori Adams-Brown sits down with Anju Choudhary, a seasoned Chief Human Resources Officer, to talk about what it really means to keep humans at the center of one of the most consequential shifts in how we work. Anju's message is clear: people leaders do not belong on the sidelines of the AI conversation. They belong at the head of the table. In this episode, you'll hear: Why Anju was the only HR professional among 6,000 attendees at a major AI conference, and what that signals for the profession The mindset shift every people leader needs right now: from "human in the loop" to "human in the lead" How building her first AI agent in under two minutes changed the way she talks about AI adoption What India's vast cultural and linguistic diversity taught her about adaptability, care, and meeting people where they are A practical, courage-forward invitation: take your first step, ask for help, and remember, we are all co-creating this together About Anju Choudhary: Anju Choudhary is a Chief Human Resources Officer with global leadership experience spanning IBM, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and beyond. A passionate advocate for human-centered AI adoption, she believes the people who understand the human element are exactly the ones who need to be shaping the future of work. Find Anju Choudhary at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anju-choudhary1/ Timestamps: [00:00] Welcome and live recording introduction at HumanX, San Francisco [01:30] Anju's global journey: IBM, a traveling husband, and the richness of India's cultural diversity [04:00] What excites her most: creativity, collaboration, and the human-AI partnership [05:30] "From human in the loop to human in the lead" [07:00] What concerns her: people feeling helpless, frozen, and left behind [08:30] Building her first AI agent in two minutes and why that first step changes everything [09:30] A call for more HR and people leaders at AI decision tables [10:30] Final wisdom: raise your hand, ask for help, and co-create the journey forward Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with a people leader who needs to hear this. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Join us on Patreon for exclusive content Join us on Substack for a deeper dive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the life you have been imagining could actually begin somewhere else? At Move Abroad Con in San Diego, at the Hard Rock Hotel, Lori Adams-Brown stepped onto the conference floor to have three honest conversations with people living and breathing the conference about the expat life. Each one brought a different perspective. All three pointed to the same truth: the world is more open than most people think. Why people from all walks of life, and all stages of life, are reconsidering where they call home What Shasta Townsend has learned after nearly five years in Puerto Vallarta, and the one mistake she sees people make when they try to go it alone How Mischa Mannix-Opie reframes New Zealand's location from a limitation into a genuine advantage The surprising education opportunities opening up for people who believed that chapter of their life had closed How to approach the expat journey as an adventure, even when the process feels overwhelming Mischa Mannix-Opie is Director of Client Experience at Greener Pastures New Zealand, a full-service firm helping global citizens gain permanent residency through investment, lifestyle transition, and immigration support. Shasta Townsend is a real estate and relocation expert based in Puerto Vallarta, helping individuals and families make the leap to expat life in Mexico with confidence. Kelsey Morgan served as Events Coordinator for Move Abroad Con, helping bring together a remarkable community of explorers at every stage of the expat journey. Move Abroad Con is produced by Expatsi, founded by CEO Jen Barnett. Introduction Kelsey Morgan: What Move Abroad Con Revealed About Why People Move Shasta Townsend: The Truth About Moving to Mexico Mischa Mannix-Opie: Reframing New Zealand as a Global Hub Find Mischa Mannix-Opie at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mischamannix-opie/ | Greener Pastures New Zealand: www.greenerpastures.nz Find Shasta Townsend at: https://www.instagram.com/shasta.townsend/ Learn more about Move Abroad Con and Expatsi at: https://expatsi.com/mac-tickets Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Timestamps: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if executive presence has nothing to do with how you look in a room and everything to do with how aware you are in your own body? Presence-based leadership coach Bradley McDevitt joins Lori Adams-Brown to explore why trust is built somatically, not just strategically, and why the discomfort you feel in a meeting might be pointing you directly toward your greatest growth. In This Episode: Why executive presence has shifted from gravitas to availability and agency How trust is built through felt experience in the body, not through logic alone What theater and embodied play can teach leaders about navigating uncertainty Why imposter syndrome might actually be your most powerful leadership asset How to reclaim attention and agency in the middle of a modern meaning crisis About Bradley McDevitt: Bradley McDevitt is the founder of Carolina Commons Coaching and a coach with the Center for Creative Leadership. He is adjunct faculty in depth psychology and creativity at the Pacifica Graduate Institute and brings more than 30 years of experience in professional theater, somatic practice, and leadership development. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:46 What executive presence really means today 04:15 Why trust is built somatically, not cognitively 08:17 How theater shaped Bradley's understanding of leadership and power 13:23 Omnidirectional awareness and what it opens up for leaders 19:14 Reframing imposter syndrome as a leadership asset, not a liability 23:22 The modern meaning crisis and how leaders can respond 33:05 The non-anxious presence and what it costs a team when leaders lack it 34:42 How to connect with Bradley and Carolina Commons For an exclusive with our Difference Makers, join Lori as she goes deeper into the conversation with Bradley McDevitt at in our Patreon exclusive here. Find Bradley McDevitt at: carolinacommons.org Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens to your identity when the system that formed you was built to erase it? In this deeply personal and clear-eyed conversation, New York Times bestselling author Tia Levings returns to A World of Difference with her new book, a survivor's guide that meets you wherever you are on the road to recovery. Whether you were raised in high-control religion, are navigating the aftermath of leaving, or are simply trying to understand why you still silence yourself in rooms where it feels unsafe to speak, this episode is for you. In This Episode: Why personhood itself becomes the problem inside high-control religious systems, and what it costs to live there How "quiet is good, quiet is safe" becomes a form of self-policing that follows you long after you leave What relearning "no" looks like for someone who had consent conditioned out of them Why recovery isn't a tidy upward arc, and the danger of skipping the transition period The pull to cult-hop and how healing your sense of internal belonging makes you less vulnerable to manipulation The moment Tia first knew, truly knew, that she belonged to herself About Tia Levings: Tia Levings is the New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife and her new book I Belong to Me: A Survivor's Guide to Recovery and Hope After Religious Trauma. Her work decodes the fundamentalist influences in news and culture, and has appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, Newsweek, and the Huffington Post. She appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series Shiny Happy People and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction & Cold Open 01:07 — How Tia showed up differently writing I Belong to Me 03:22 — Living in a framework where your personhood is the problem 06:25 — "Quiet is good, quiet is safe" — two kinds of silencing 08:27 — Relearning "no" after having it conditioned out of you 11:30 — Suffer well: how doctrine functions as a control mechanism 14:20 — Die to self, the JOY acronym, and reclaiming a disappeared self 17:20 — Why leaving isn't as simple as just leaving 20:01 — What recovery actually looks like — the swamp, the crash, the transition 23:55 — Cult-hopping, fawning, and staying wary of gurus 31:23 — "I had no self" — building identity and belonging to yourself 37:49 — Outro and final reflections Find Tia Levings at: Pre-order I Belong to Me and get Tia's thank-you gifts Social media: @TiaLevingsWriter (all platforms) Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with someone who needs it. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the resistance you're seeing in your organization isn't defiance, it's information? What if the way you're talking about change is the very thing blocking it? Episode Summary In this episode of A World of Difference, host Lori Adams-Brown sits down with Jeff Wetherhold, founder of the Sustainable Change System and MI for Health, to unpack why 88% of organizational changes produce no lasting results, and what evidence-based leaders can do differently. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience and the robust science of motivational interviewing (MI), Jeff offers a radically practical reframe: your team isn't resistant. They're ambivalent. And that ambivalence is something you can actually work with. What You'll Learn Why traditional change management frameworks often fail — and what survey data reveals people actually need How to hear the difference between 'change talk' and 'sustain talk,' and why reflecting the wrong one can derail an entire initiative The evidence behind motivational interviewing: 2,000+ randomized control trials, 200+ meta-analyses, and applications across fields from healthcare to organizational transformation Why resistance is a 'blanket term' that blinds leaders to actionable insight — and what to ask instead The critical difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and why leaders who rely on extrinsic shortcuts exhaust themselves What makes change stick: the role of practice, systems, and sustained organizational support — not just training Guest Bio Jeff Wetherhold is the founder of the Sustainable Change System and MI for Health, where he equips leaders and organizations with evidence-based communication skills for navigating change. He is a faculty member with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and a Prosci-Certified Change Practitioner, with clients including the State of Illinois, MIT, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction — what if resistance is information? 02:30 Jeff's background: behavioral science, adult learning & change management 04:00 What the data says: 88% of organizational changes produce no lasting results 07:00 The 'why' problem — why leaders think they've communicated, but haven't 09:30 Cross-cultural dimensions of change communication (Erin Meyer, The Culture Map) 11:30 Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation — why shortcuts backfire 14:30 What Jeff does differently: skills + practice vs. frameworks alone 18:00 What is motivational interviewing? Origins, evidence, and applications 21:50 Reframing resistance: change talk, sustain talk, and the 19x rule 28:40 Champions for change — why volunteering someone into a title isn't enough 34:40 Real stories: one manager's shift, and a holiday table breakthrough 38:55 How to work with Jeff + Patreon preview Check out the Patreon exclusive with Jeff on how he would advise a leader on talent strategy here. Connect with Jeff Website: jeffwetherhold.com LinkedIn: Jeff Wetherhold Sustainable Change System + MI for Health: jeffwetherhold.com Connect with the Show Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with five people who lead people through change. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Join our Patreon community of Difference Makers: patreon.com/aworldadifference Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You were trained for almost everything. Nobody trained you for this. In this solo episode, Lori Adams-Brown draws on her extraordinary career of working in civil war zones, surviving riots targeting American citizens, leading evacuations, and navigating genuine life-or-death threats across multiple countries to name the one threat most leaders are completely unprepared for: the workplace bully. Research tells us these individuals spend approximately 80% of their time watching, planning, and strategizing how to take down the people they perceive as threats. Not because those people did anything wrong — but because they are competent, empathetic, and influential. They charm publicly and destroy privately. And they use the same psychological tactics as hostage-takers: isolation, gaslighting, intermittent reinforcement, and the careful, strategic destruction of a target's reality. In this episode, Lori draws on research and the insights of seven past podcast guests, including Elaine Lin Hering (Unlearning Silence), Dr. Chuck DeGroat, Minette Norman, Catherine Matisse, Dr. Shveta Miglani, Rachel Radway, and Gary Ridge, to make the case that leaders need new skills, new protocols, and a new willingness to believe the people who speak up. In this episode: Why workplace bullies use the same psychological tactics as hostage situations, and why organizations are structurally unprepared The predictable bully playbook: how they charm publicly, control the narrative, and isolate targets before anyone knows what happened Three red flags every leader needs to be able to spot, and why silence in your organization is not a green light What real protection looks like beyond HR departments and policy documents that collapse the moment someone actually reports abuse Lori's direct challenge to leaders, and a free framework to help you detect internal threats before you lose your best people About Lori Adams-Brown: Lori Adams-Brown is a Strategic Transformation Executive, founder of Brava Global Advisory, and host of A World of Difference podcast with 153,000+ downloads, 285+ episodes, and listeners across 100+ countries. She has worked across six continents in six languages and spent over two decades helping organizations build psychologically safe, high-performing, and globally minded cultures. Timestamps: [00:00] Cold Open — Real crisis training and what was missing from it [03:00] The threat from within: what nobody prepared us for [05:00] The bully playbook, charm publicly, destroy privately [07:00] Silicon Valley offices, nonprofits, and the mission statement contradiction [09:00] The painful irony: the strengths that made Lori effective also made her a target [11:00] Three red flags every leader must learn to recognize [13:30] What real organizational protection requires [15:30] Trauma-informed leadership: believing the target [17:00] Lori's challenge to leaders and a free resource Free Resource: Download the SAFE Framework at: loriadamsbrown.com/safe Subscribe, leave a review at aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new, and share this episode with five people who need to hear it. Visit aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the blueprint for thriving in the AI era has been buried for centuries, inside the civilization that built the pyramids? Organizational psychologist Christine Mikhail joins Lori Adams-Brown live from the Transform Conference in Las Vegas to unpack one of the most urgent (and under-discussed) challenges in the modern workplace: we're racing to implement AI, but we're forgetting the humans doing the work. In this episode, you'll discover: Why Christine coined "compounded change" and why your workforce is carrying more layers of transformation than anyone is acknowledging The ancient Egyptian precedent: when women held positions of finance, governance, and pharaonic leadership and what modern society lost when that changed The critical AI adoption gap: organizations are deploying new technology without addressing the psychological and emotional responses of their people How change resilience workshops create unexpected catharsis and build communities people didn't know they needed How to frame AI as a tool that elevates human capability, and why that framing is the difference between adoption success and workforce anxiety Christine Mikhail is a master's-level industrial-organizational psychologist and founder of Mikhail Consulting Group, a consultancy specializing in work design and change management. With roots tracing to ancient Egypt, she brings a uniquely global lens to how humans navigate transformation at work. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome from the Transform Conference, Las Vegas 02:17 – Egypt, cultural identity, and a heartbreaking lesson in gender inequality 05:00 – Ancient Egypt's golden era: when women were pharaohs, financiers, and leaders 08:59 – What excites Christine about the future of work and the human-AI relationship 10:59 – The overlooked gap in AI adoption: where is the human change strategy? 13:24 – Upskilling in the AI era: we promise humans will be needed — but for what? 15:49 – "Compounded change" — why this moment feels like a tsunami, earthquake, and ripple at once 18:09 – How change resilience workshops are building community and catharsis 20:27 – AI adoption success: framing technology as "for" people, not a replacement 22:40 – Where to find Christine and Mikhail Consulting Group Find Christine Mikhail at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-mikhail-odconsultant | Mikhail Consulting Group on LinkedIn Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with five people who need to hear it. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources on intercultural leadership and global impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason you're exhausted isn't because you're doing it wrong — but because you're doing too much? Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey (Nell3D) is here to challenge the most dangerous assumption in modern leadership: that progress always comes from piling more on. In this episode, we unpack: Why high-capacity, values-driven leaders are drowning in ambition — not lack of it The Leading in 3D Framework: aligning Me, We, and World as a stable, sustainable triad — not a trade-off What Nell learned the hard way — from frontline work in the West Bank to a head-on collision with a 10-ton truck — about the cost of doing too much The three-step subtraction process: Stop (gather real data), Drop (minimum effort for desired results), Roll (connect to the system) What horses can teach corporate leaders about energy conservation, minimal communication, and detecting inauthenticity Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, known as Nell3D, is a Harvard-trained subtraction strategist, author, and speaker. Based in Montana, she blends systems thinking, equine wisdom, and two decades of global leadership development to help difference-makers lead with more impact, not more effort. TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction — why exhausted leaders are struggling with too much, not too little [01:26] Interview begins [00:49] From the West Bank of Palestine to Manhattan: making a difference in different contexts [04:42] The upstream metaphor — who's throwing babies in the river? [07:45] The Leading in 3D Framework: aligning Me, We, and World [11:19] Personal sacrifice, loss, and what Nell learned the hard way [13:05] A head-on collision and the birth of systematic subtraction [16:34] Subtraction is not minimalism — it's a systems approach [21:41] Step 1 — Stop: the most important step most leaders skip [25:35] For difference-makers: why helpers are the worst at helping themselves [28:24] What horses teach us about leadership, energy, and inauthenticity [33:53] Predator-prey dynamics in corporate environments [36:08] Navigating bullies: energy conservation in practice [40:25] How to find Nell and access her Substack Join us for an exclusive episode with Nell here on Patreon. Find Nell at: nell3d.com | Free Mini Course + 90-Day Guest Pass: nell3d.kit.com/stopdroproll Subscribe, leave a review at aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new, and share this episode. Visit aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources, including our Patreon exclusive with Nell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live from the Transform 2026 conference floor in Las Vegas, Lori sat down with Daria Maneche, founder of The Working Optimist, for a candid, neuroscience-backed conversation about what it actually takes to build human connection at work, and why the stakes for getting this right have never been higher. Daria brings a deeply personal why to her work: after years of her own struggles and many forms of support that fell short, it was understanding the neuroscience of the brain that finally changed how she walks through the world. That shift became the foundation of the Working Optimist Mindset Method, and now she is bringing it to teams and leaders across the globe. In this episode, you will hear: Why high-quality connections (HQC) at work are not a "nice to have" but a core performance and retention strategy How a raging amygdala physically blocks access to the prefrontal cortex, and why this matters for every decision your team makes under pressure The hidden burnout accelerator: working in a remote or hybrid environment without intentional space for human connection Why globalizing a workforce without cultural consideration is a recipe for disconnection and disengagement What the Working Optimist Mindset Method is, and how metacognition can help individuals and teams change the way they think about thinking Guest Bio Daria Maneche is the founder of The Working Optimist, where she brings neuroscience-backed tools rooted in positive psychology into workplace settings to help individuals and teams connect, think more clearly, and perform with greater resilience. She is also an executive and transformational coach. Timestamps [00:00] — Welcome from Transform 2026, Las Vegas [01:30] — Daria introduces the Working Optimist Mindset Method [03:00] — What leaders can be optimistic about: EQ, connection, and the age of digital transformation [05:30] — The HQC gap: what we are not investing in and why it matters [07:30] — Burnout is accelerating, and disengagement is part of it [08:30] — The amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, and why stress blocks problem-solving [10:00] — Daria's personal why: how neuroscience changed everything for her [12:00] — Where to find Daria and The Working Optimist Find Daria Maneche at: workingoptimist.com | and linkedin.com/in/daria-maneche-87331418 Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do when the title is gone, but the work isn't finished? In this solo episode, Lori Adams-Brown pulls back the curtain on the past six months: the beach day that changed everything, the blank bio she couldn't write, and the Italian word that finally gave shape to what she was building. This is the origin story of Brava Global Advisory, and a masterclass in the kind of self-leadership most leaders never talk about out loud. What you'll hear in this episode: The moment at Santa Cruz that turned a word into a mission Why applying the Ikigai framework to yourself is completely different from applying it to others What it actually looks like to run an executive search and launch a consulting practice simultaneously How Lori's personal board of directors keeps her accountable (and why yes-people are leadership liabilities) Why the bravest work in today's world of work is being willing to see yourself clearly Lori Adams-Brown is a strategic transformation executive, intercultural leadership practitioner, and founder of Brava Global Advisory. With 20+ years advising senior leaders across six continents and six languagess, from Jakarta to San Jose, she brings a rare combination of global range and personal depth to every conversation. She hosts A World of Difference, a podcast with 153,000+ downloads across 100+ countries. Timestamps: [00:00] — The word brava, and what it means to earn it [04:30] — The blank bio: who are you outside the title? [09:00] — The beach, the reset, and the origin of Brava [14:00] — Applying Ikigai to yourself (it's harder than it sounds) [19:00] — Running a search and building a business at the same time [24:00] — Self-leadership, personal boards, and anti-yes-people [28:00] — What Brava is for — and what this show has always been for Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever started a new job and realized the “real work” isn’t just the work. It’s learning the culture, the decision-making rhythm, and what success actually looks like? In this re-released best-of conversation, Dr. Shweta Miglani breaks down the small, practical moves that help you ramp faster, build credibility, and grow your career without burning out. Dr. Miglani shares how her journey began in journalism, pivoted through learning science and instructional design, and expanded into global talent management and organizational development—supporting leaders across industries and countries. Together, we talk about what separates professionals who thrive quickly from those who stay stuck: proactive communication, stakeholder mapping, clear expectations, and learning how to lead with both strategy and humanity. You’ll hear actionable guidance for your first 90 days, how to make your one-on-ones count, and why emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence matter even more as AI transforms the workplace. If you’re stepping into a new role, navigating a career pivot, or leading across cultures, this one will give you a playbook you can actually use. Main topics we cover: The #1 mistake people make in a new job—and how to avoid it How to prepare for one-on-ones so you’re seen as a true partner Stakeholder mapping: the career accelerator most people skip Upskilling/reskilling + AI: what leaders must unlearn to adapt EQ + CQ: why “being more human” is the competitive advantage Dr. Shweta Miglani is a global talent and organizational development leader with deep experience across major companies, helping modern organizations build leadership, culture, and capability. She holds a doctorate in leadership development and organizational enablement and is the author of Navigate Your Career: Strategies for Success in New Roles or Promotions by Wiley press. Timestamps (approximate): 00:00 — BetterHelp + why support matters 01:30 — Why this best-of episode is back 04:30 — Shweta’s career pivot and the mentor question that changed everything 13:30 — The biggest early-career mistakes in a new role 20:00 — What high performers do differently (prep, proactivity, follow-through) 30:30 — Talent development trends: skilling + AI 40:30 — EQ/CQ and leading “more human” in an AI world 52:00 — The one leadership move: lead with your values + clear expectations 58:30 — “Difference Maker” community: planning, stakeholder map, managing up Subscribe, leave a review, Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone starting a new role or navigating a pivot. Your support helps the community grow and keeps these important conversations going. Connect with us: https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com Linkedin YouTube Substack If you need professional help, such as therapy: https://www.betterhelp.com/difference If you are looking for your next opportunity, sign up for Lori’s Masterclass on Master the Career Pivot: https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/careerpivot Difference Makers who are podcast listeners get 10% offf with the code: DIFFERENT Get 50% off your first 2 months with Riverside: https://riverside.cello.so/ErHyXrgXYn3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it look like to build a life from scratch, not once, but again and again? Nuray Krein Yilmaz has done it more times than most people ever will, and her story is one of the most quietly extraordinary ones we've shared on this podcast. Nuray grew up in a small farming village in eastern Turkey, the eleventh of twelve siblings, in a community where girls' futures were largely pre-written. She lost both parents to cancer before she turned 13. She taught herself to dream inside boarding school libraries and across chess tournaments — and she never stopped. In 2018, she moved to the United States through a cultural exchange program with limited English, no safety net, and an enormous amount of courage. Today she is a content analyst in tech, a published author, and the founder of What If You Can — a community for people navigating immigration, grief, career transitions, and the question of whether they belong. In this episode, Lori and Nuray explore: How losing both parents to cancer before age 13 became the unlikely foundation for a life built on education and agency The role her father played in naming a different future for her — in a place where most men didn't What chess taught her about being underestimated, competing, and winning on her own terms The layers of learning agility required to navigate new languages, new cities, new countries, and new cultures Practical advice for first-generation immigrants: mentors, community, salary negotiation, and the courage to ask for help Why storytelling and community are not soft extras — they are the infrastructure of belonging The vision behind What If You Can and what she most wants to say to the girl she once was Nuray Krein Yilmaz is a first-generation immigrant, content analyst working via Highspring at Google, a published author, and founder of the What If You Can community. She holds a degree in business administration and builds spaces for people navigating uncertainty with curiosity and hope. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction & welcome 02:00 — Growing up on a farm in eastern Turkey; losing both parents before 13 05:00 — Her father's pivotal role; chess as a gateway to confidence and travel 10:00 — Arriving in the United States in 2018; navigating visa challenges and a new culture 18:00 — Education, self-learning, and tools for first-generation immigrants 22:00 — Salary negotiation, unwritten rules, and asking for help 24:00 — How storytelling builds belonging and motivation 29:00 — What If You Can community and the difference Nuray is making 33:00 — Where to find Nuray, her book, and her community Find Nuray Krein Yilmaz at: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nuraykreinyilmaz Instagram: @nuraykrein Book: Notes From My Mind (available on Amazon) Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the way we’ve been thinking about brains at work is fundamentally broken? What if accommodations aren’t about fixing people, but about unlocking talent we’ve been filtering out for decades? In this powerful episode, Lori sits down with Dave Thompson to explore how neurodiversity is the biggest shift in human capital in a generation, and why the companies that get it right will lead the future of work. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why “rebranding the brain” matters, and how moving from a deficit model to an ecological, strength-based framework changes everything for individuals and organizations The four levels of psychological safety (inclusion, learner, contributor, and challenger safety) and what they actually look like when done well — not as buzzwords Why hiring is broken for everyone, and how job descriptions, ATS systems, and rigid requirements filter out some of the most brilliant talent before they even get a chance The difference between accommodations and “success enablers” and why Dave’s “desk tour” approach unlocks self-advocacy without labels or paperwork How ERGs can become true business resource groups, and why emotional labor and self-advocacy deserve recognition, not just a bullet on a job description About Dave Thompson: Dave Thompson is a strategist, author, and internationally recognized speaker focused on redesigning systems that support the full range of human cognition. A program coordinator and visiting scholar at Vanderbilt University’s Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, two-time TEDx speaker, and advisor to Fortune 100 companies, he translates lived experience as an early-identified ADHDer and dyslexic thinker into practical change. His book Brainstorm: Neurodivergent Talent and the Future of Work is available now wherever books are sold. Timestamps: [00:00] Cold open — What if brains at work are fundamentally misunderstood? [01:10] Intro — Meet Dave Thompson [02:00] Dave’s why — From cheese club to systems change [04:30] Rebranding the brain — The rainforest analogy for neurodiversity [08:00] Belonging & psychological safety — The four levels explained [14:30] Hiring is broken — Job descriptions, ATS bias & filtering out brilliance [21:30] Success enablers vs. accommodations — Dave’s desk tour approach [26:00] Self-advocacy & recognition — Not everyone wants a birthday party [33:00] ERGs that actually work — From afterschool clubs to business drivers [40:00] Brainstorm the book — What Dave hopes readers take away [43:30] Outro — Patreon exclusive teaser + calls to action Want more? Dave joins us in the Difference Makers community on Patreon for an exclusive: watch here. Find Dave Thompson at: Website: brainstormneurodiversity.com Book: Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, bookshop.org, and wherever books are sold Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the key to innovation in your workplace isn't finding people who fit your culture, but transforming your culture to unlock brilliance that's been overlooked? Tara May, CEO of Aspiritech, has spent her career proving that when organizations create truly neuro-inclusive workplaces, everybody wins. In this conversation, Tara opens up about her personal journey, including raising an autistic son and her own OCD diagnosis in her 40s, and shares the practical frameworks any organization can use to go beyond diversity buzzwords and create real, measurable change. In this episode, you'll discover: Why 80% of autistic adults face unemployment, and what employers are missing The 'spiky cognitive profile' advantage and why neurodivergent talent can be 150% more productive What the 'ROI of Kindness' really means for your bottom line Three concrete steps to become a neuro-inclusive organization starting this week The canary in the coal mine: how accommodations for neurodivergent employees benefit everyone Why psychological safety isn't a soft skill — it's the engine of innovation About Tara May: Tara May is the CEO of Aspiritech, a tech services organization built on the belief that neurodivergent talent is a competitive advantage. With 25 years leading digital transformation at major media companies, Tara brings both executive credibility and lived experience to the movement for neuro-inclusive workplaces. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro — What if inclusion is the real innovation strategy? [01:24] Tara's origin story: An autistic son, a C-suite career, and a new mission [05:05] Neurodiversity belongs to all of us — the 86 billion neuron truth [06:56] Tara's own OCD diagnosis: 'It's okay to have needs' [10:03] Accommodations demystified: the water bottle story [13:20] The spiky cognitive profile and the strengths employers overlook [17:03] The index card meeting: introverted leadership in action [20:44] Universal design and the canary in the coal mine [25:27] 3 steps to becoming a neuro-inclusive organization [30:00] Psychological safety as the engine of digital transformation [35:11] How Aspiritech measures success — employees ARE the mission [38:54] One action you can take this week: ask 'what do I need?' [41:08] Where to find Tara and connect with Aspiritech Find Tara May at: www.aspiritech.org | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tara-may Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode. Visit our website for more resources. Mentioned in this episode: The Human Score — https://thehumanscore.org Find out how human-centric your organization really is with our 40-question survey and live dashboard. Get clear insights and practical steps to strengthen culture, trust, and performance. Host Lori Adams-Brown is one of the consultants in the Human Score Consultant Collective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're highly capable. So why does your next move feel so unclear? For senior leaders at a career inflection point — whether navigating a layoff, a values misalignment, or a long-overdue pivot — the problem is rarely a lack of skill. It's a lack of perspective. In this episode, executive coach and strategic advisor Karen Kunkel Young joins host Lori Adams-Brown to talk about what high-performing leaders consistently miss when they're standing at a crossroads — and what it actually takes to move forward with clarity, agency, and intention. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why the habits and communication styles that made you successful may now be holding you back — and how to see that shift before it costs you How to reclaim ownership of your career narrative, especially when external forces (layoffs, leadership changes, industry shifts) have made you feel like a passenger The critical transition from expert executor to strategic leader — and why skipping the mindset shift is a lose-lose for everyone How to advocate powerfully for your impact without it feeling like bragging — including the storytelling framework that connects your achievements to business outcomes A practical approach to fear in high-stakes transitions: how to name it, feel it, and use it as a launchpad rather than a brake About Karen Kunkel Young: Karen Kunkel Young is an executive coach and strategic advisor known as "the telescope in the room" — helping senior leaders step back far enough to see the blind spots, shifting influence, and hidden opportunities their current vantage point obscures. With nearly 30 years of experience as a global media showrunner (including Project Runway and Tim Gunn's Guide to Style), Karen brings a master storyteller's precision to leadership transitions, executive presence, and career pivots. Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction & why this moment demands perspective over pace 01:12 — What highly capable leaders aren't seeing clearly right now 03:51 — You are the CEO of your career: reclaiming agency 07:30 — The expert-to-leader transition: why it's a lose-lose without support 10:04 — What the telescope reveals: the hard truth that changes how leaders lead 13:42 — Naming unspoken fear in high-stakes transitions 18:46 — How your narrative expands or limits your future influence 23:02 — Advocacy without bragging: the storytelling framework that works 28:14 — Coaching leaders through emotionally difficult career transitions 33:57 — Advice for high-performing women in a slow, painful job search 38:30 — Where to find Karen Kunkel Young 39:44 — Lori's closing reflection on perspective, resilience, and sustained impact Find Karen Kunkel-Young at: 🌐 karenkunkelyoung.com 💼 LinkedIn: Karen Kunkel Young Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with a leader standing at a crossroads — even if they haven't named it yet. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources, tools, and episodes designed for globally-minded leaders. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Join us for an exclusive with Karen on Patreon here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're highly capable. So why does your next move feel so unclear? For senior leaders at a career inflection point — whether navigating a layoff, a values misalignment, or a long-overdue pivot — the problem is rarely a lack of skill. It's a lack of perspective. In this episode, executive coach and strategic advisor Karen Kunkel Young joins host Lori Adams-Brown to talk about what high-performing leaders consistently miss when they're standing at a crossroads — and what it actually takes to move forward with clarity, agency, and intention. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why the habits and communication styles that made you successful may now be holding you back — and how to see that shift before it costs you How to reclaim ownership of your career narrative, especially when external forces (layoffs, leadership changes, industry shifts) have made you feel like a passenger The critical transition from expert executor to strategic leader — and why skipping the mindset shift is a lose-lose for everyone How to advocate powerfully for your impact without it feeling like bragging — including the storytelling framework that connects your achievements to business outcomes A practical approach to fear in high-stakes transitions: how to name it, feel it, and use it as a launchpad rather than a brake About Karen Kunkel Young: Karen Kunkel Young is an executive coach and strategic advisor known as "the telescope in the room" — helping senior leaders step back far enough to see the blind spots, shifting influence, and hidden opportunities their current vantage point obscures. With nearly 30 years of experience as a global media showrunner (including Project Runway and Tim Gunn's Guide to Style), Karen brings a master storyteller's precision to leadership transitions, executive presence, and career pivots. Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction & why this moment demands perspective over pace 01:12 — What highly capable leaders aren't seeing clearly right now 03:51 — You are the CEO of your career: reclaiming agency 07:30 — The expert-to-leader transition: why it's a lose-lose without support 10:04 — What the telescope reveals: the hard truth that changes how leaders lead 13:42 — Naming unspoken fear in high-stakes transitions 18:46 — How your narrative expands or limits your future influence 23:02 — Advocacy without bragging: the storytelling framework that works 28:14 — Coaching leaders through emotionally difficult career transitions 33:57 — Advice for high-performing women in a slow, painful job search 38:30 — Where to find Karen Kunkel Young 39:44 — Lori's closing reflection on perspective, resilience, and sustained impact Find Karen Kunkel-Young at: 🌐 karenkunkelyoung.com 💼 LinkedIn: Karen Kunkel Young Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with a leader standing at a crossroads — even if they haven't named it yet. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources, tools, and episodes designed for globally-minded leaders. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Join us for an exclusive with Karen on Patreon here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do when the doors you’ve worked for keep closing because of factors you can’t control? In this episode, Rebeca Lopez Valerio shares how she turned “no” into fuel, built opportunities from scratch, and learned to lead with coraje, heart-forward courage rooted in identity, resilience, and values. Rebeca’s story is powerful and deeply human. Born in Mexico with Indigenous roots from the Oaxaca/Puebla region, she immigrated to the U.S. at age four and navigated life as a first-generation student, while also carrying the realities of being undocumented during key years of her education and career journey. Together, we talk about what it really takes to keep showing up when the stakes are high, and how community can be the difference between feeling stuck and finding your way forward. In this episode, we cover: Indigenous heritage, language loss, and the impact of “dialects being looked down on” First-generation student survival: why community often beats 1:1 mentorship How to lead with ambition without being defined by hardship Rejection as strategy: building your brand through projects, businesses, and relationships Sustainable fashion + AI: how Apparel Assist aims to reduce clothing waste by starting in our closets Guest bio:Rebeca Lopez Valerio is a hardware engineer, entrepreneur, and community builder. A first-generation immigrant with a background in electrical engineering, she co-founded Apparel Assist, a sustainable fashion startup exploring how AI can help people rewear what they already own and reduce clothing waste. Timestamps (highlights): 00:01 – Meet Rebeca + the cultures that formed her 01:11 – Indigenous roots and the reality of language loss 05:44 – Immigrating at age four + education access 08:59 – Most overlooked resource for first-gen students: community 15:11 – “No” after “no”: how Rebeca built her personal brand 24:39 – Practical strategy: relationships, reps, and showing up anyway 29:56 – From cleaning business to Apparel Assist (AI + sustainability) 42:39 – Where to find Rebeca + Apparel Assist on Instagram Bonus: 00:01 – Legacy: impact through everyday interactions Follow Apparel Assist on Instagram, where Rebeca and her team are sharing the story behind their AI-powered sustainable fashion platform and inviting community conversation. Call to action:Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who’s been shrinking to fit. Visit loriadamsbrown.com for more resources and to stay connected. Join Lori for. an exclusive with Rebeca with our Difference Makers on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the very conversations you’re avoiding are the ones that could change everything? In this episode, we explore the hidden cost of silence, and how choosing “peace” over honesty can slowly erode trust, connection, and even joy. Many of us were taught to keep the peace, smooth things over, or stay quiet especially when the stakes are high in families, partnerships, and leadership roles. But as today’s conversation reveals, avoiding hard conversations doesn’t actually protect relationships. It quietly damages them. This episode is for anyone who knows something needs to be said, but isn’t sure how, when, or whether it’s safe to say it at all. I’m joined by Amy Brodsky. Amy is Founder and CEO of Sky Partners, a Performance Coaching, Facilitation and Advisory Firm. Amy has spent her career helping CEOs, Leadership Teams, UHNW Families and high-profile individuals navigate their most confidential and complex matters, including challenging team and family dynamics. Amy helps CEOs and Leadership Teams achieve the utmost success through exploring their current thoughts and patterns of behavior while supporting them as they create shifts to increase performance, professional relationships, awareness and peace. Amy has 30 years of experience in leadership, transformational change, negotiation and executive coaching across sectors. She has led client engagements ranging from large-scale mergers and acquisitions, organizational change, and cultural integrations. Amy holds a J.D. from New York Law School, Executive Coaching Certification from Columbia University and B.A. from University of New Hampshire. Her past employers include J.P. Morgan, Union Bank of Switzerland, PIMCO and U.S. Trust. Amy has been a guest on CNN to discuss the topic of harassment in the workplace. She is a well-known speaker on the topic of Family Dynamics, Performance Coaching and Acquisitions. This is not about being confrontational. It’s about being honest. It’s about understanding the difference between peace and avoidance, and learning how to reclaim your voice without burning bridges. In this episode, we explore: Why avoiding difficult conversations creates fear, dysfunction, and lost potential The emotional dynamics that silently shape families, teams, and organizations The difference between technical problems and adaptive (human) challenges How self-awareness, intentional listening, and inquiry rebuild trust Why psychological safety and dignity are foundational—not optional—for performance About the Guest:Amy Brodsky is a performance coach and advisor who helps CEOs, leadership teams, and families navigate high-stakes conversations, succession planning, and deeply rooted relational challenges. With a background spanning Wall Street, HR leadership, and organizational behavior, Amy brings rigor, compassion, and clarity to the conversations that matter most. www.skyconsulting.org www.linkedin.com/in/amybrodsky Key Timestamps: 00:02 – Peace vs. avoidance: what silence really costs 08:14 – Emotional dynamics and why we’re never taught to communicate 16:36 – Trust, succession, and the real reasons families and companies fail 21:20 – Technical vs. adaptive challenges explained 35:28 – How assumptions derail relationships 39:10 – Final reflections: courage, fear, and choosing growth Call to Action:Subscribe to A World of Difference, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs permission to speak up. Visit loriadamsbrown.com to learn more and stay connected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices