What if the secret to unlocking true leadership isn’t about knowing all the answers, but about learning to ask the right questions—especially across generations?

In this eye-opening episode of the “Gen Mess with Tess,” host Tess Brigham sits down with powerhouse executive coach Kristi Royse, founder of KLR Consulting, to uncover the real challenges—and unexpected opportunities—leaders face in today’s rapidly shifting workplace. You might be surprised to learn that the biggest workplace problem isn’t generational conflict, but something much sneakier: ignorance and a reluctance to adapt.

Tess and Kristi pull back the curtain on why leadership has changed so drastically since Kristi’s early Boston Market days—from command-and-control to flexible, empathic management. Together, they slice through stereotypes about “lazy” young workers and stubborn older bosses, revealing why every generation falls into the trap of judging the next—and how that holds companies back from monumental growth and innovation.

Key highlights from this episode include:

• The shocking stat that in just a few years, most Americans will have a boss younger than themselves—and what that means for workplace dynamics.
• Kristi’s candid stories about turning tech engineers into inspiring people leaders (plus, just how important real coaching—not checkbox training—can be).
• Why understanding and embracing generational differences will make your team 49% more innovative (yes, there’s research to prove it).
• The myth of “work-life balance” for Gen Z and Millennials, and how blending personal and professional lives is reshaping workplace expectations.

Whether you’re a CEO, manager, or early-career professional, this episode will challenge your assumptions and equip you with practical tips to create a healthier, more connected, and future-ready workplace. Get ready to make sense of the generational “mess”... and maybe even learn to thrive in it.

Timestamped Episode Overview:

00:01 – Tess introduces Kristi Royse and her extensive leadership background

01:13 – Kristi shares her origin story: from Boston Market COO to leadership consultant

02:25 – Night-and-day differences in leadership then and now

03:34 – The complex realities of leading five generations at once

06:01 – Tess and Kristi discuss fear, assumptions, and resistance to change among leaders

08:25 – Generational stereotypes: Why every young cohort gets accused of being “lazy”

09:48 – Coaching leaders to communicate and collaborate across generational divides

11:02 – The pitfalls of promoting technical stars to management without support

12:54 – Case study: Transforming engineers at Strava into people leaders

14:09 – Gen Z and the new meaning of work-life blend

15:26 – Building trust: How real conversations and vulnerability build stronger teams

18:00 – Younger vs. older generations: What key assumptions are holding us back?

20:17 – How to invest in employees—even if you fear they might leave

22:03 – Simple, actionable ways managers can support every direct report

23:27 – Overcoming resistance: Why the “it’s too much work” excuse falls flat

26:28 – Kristi on the greatest workplace struggle: ignorance and culture clashes

29:30 – Coaching, courage, and patience: The real keys to personal and company growth

40:02 – Doing meaningful work: When passion and purpose trump the paycheck

43:52 – Kristi’s positive spin: The generational “mess” is actually the best opportunity of our time

47:49 – Where to find Kristi’s work & resources for leaders ready to do better

Listen in and discover how you can turn generational tension into your organization’s biggest asset!

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What if the greatest barrier to your success isn’t the world outside—but the silent story you keep telling yourself inside your own head?

In this compelling episode of Gen Mess with Tess, host Tess Brigham sits down with Dr. Ashok Bhattacharya, psychiatrist and founder of The Empathy Clinic, to explore why empathy isn’t just a “soft skill”—it’s the invisible glue shaping our relationships, workplaces, and personal growth. Dr. Bhattacharya reveals how early life experiences and powerful moments (sometimes as tiny as a single comment from a grade school teacher) can shape the narratives that define—and sometimes limit—us for decades.

Together, Tess and Dr. Bhattacharya dig deep into how we can unravel unhelpful stories, challenge survival-mode thinking, and truly transform how we connect with ourselves and each other. They break down the real difference between empathy, compassion, and kindness, and explain why even a little bit of genuine empathy can make or break a relationship, a workplace, or even your own self-worth.

Key highlights you’ll discover in this episode:

• The surprising childhood experience that led Dr. Bhattacharya to devote his life to empathy.
• Why your brain is hardwired to focus on failures—plus how perfectionism sneaks into relationships and work.
• The “jam jar” analogy that reframes why change often happens slowly—until it happens all at once.
• Why empathy is NOT about agreement—or imagining yourself in someone else’s shoes.
• How to raise emotionally healthy kids and support younger generations who face unprecedented pressures thanks to technology.
• Practical tools for leaders (and coworkers) to foster empathy at work—without needing hours of meetings or group therapy.
• The secrets of reciprocal empathy, especially in couples and intergenerational relationships.
• How embracing difference, not sameness, is the real key to bridging generational divides.

If you’re curious about how to actually practice empathy (not just talk about it), handle disagreement gracefully, or help your team, family, or yourself thrive in a messy, ever-changing world, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom and heartfelt stories.

Timestamps Overview:

00:00 – Intro: The generational “mess” & Tess’s mission

00:31 – Dr. Ashok Bhattacharya’s origin story & why empathy matters

04:40 – How the stories we tell ourselves can cripple us

07:04 – Why falling down (in skating…or life) is harder to process than you think

10:16 – The amplified pressures of today’s tech-driven world for the younger generation

12:39 – Practice, failure, and shame: Why young people get “stuck”

14:40 – What empathy, compassion, and kindness actually are

16:28 – The real challenge of empathy and “getting out of your head”

19:46 – Can you be empathic with people you disagree with?

23:03 – Tess’s therapy work: The invisible ripple effect of empathy

26:57 – “Soft skills” and how small moments shape lives

31:16 – The privilege of being “with” someone as a therapist

32:37 – Why bridging generational divides requires empathy

34:59 – How generations value and practice empathy differently

39:08 – Practical steps for leaders and teams to actively use empathy

42:07 – Why “a little empathy goes a long way” in the workplace

44:08 – Empathy as a proactive force for productivity and trust

45:54 – Where to find Dr. Bhattacharya + his books on empathy and burnout

48:33 – The secret power of reciprocal empathy in couples

49:13 – Outro: Embracing the mess and learning to live in it

Listen in—and discover how empathy isn’t a luxury. It’s your greatest tool for navigating the messiness of modern life.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the American Dream your parents promised you was nothing but a myth? What if the payoff for all your hard work simply… never arrives?

In this eye-opening episode of the Gen Mess with Tess, host Tess Brigham sits down with writer, podcaster, and former writing professor Amye Archer to pull back the curtain on generational work myths, shifting values, and what’s really happening as Gen Xers raise Gen Z kids in a world that looks nothing like the one they inherited.

Key Highlights:

• Generational Real Talk: Tess and Amye dive deep into Gen X’s collective disillusionment—how growing up between two very different eras (Boomers’ trusting company loyalty and Millennials’ self-branding hustle) shaped their perspectives on work, creativity, and life.
• Gen Z’s New Playbook: Can you actually say “no” to crappy jobs and still end up ahead? Amye shares what she’s learned from parenting twin Gen Z daughters who refuse to settle for less, put work-life balance first, and are rewriting the rules the rest of us grew up with.
• Therapist Wisdom & Storytelling: How does a background in writing, teaching, AND therapy shape a successful podcasting career? Amye reveals the skills and mindset shifts that made her leap from academia to the unpredictable world of podcasting—plus how connecting with listeners has become her ultimate reward.
• Parenting Without a Playbook: From tales of “feral Gen X” childhoods to the anxiety of raising teens in an era of mass shootings and online drama, Tess and Amye compare notes on what surprises, worries, and inspires them about this new generation.
• Shaking Up the Workplace: What does managing (or parenting) Gen Z really require? Hear straight talk on how managers and parents need to let go of old rules, focus on personal connection, and embrace the flexibility, questioning, and self-respect that today’s young adults demand.

Whether you’re wondering how to deal with your Gen Z coworkers, trying to understand your kids, or facing your own career pivot, this episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to finally make sense of the generational mess—and maybe even be inspired by it.

Episode Overview:

00:00 – Introductions & Pop Culture Blindspots: Gen X vs Gen Z

01:16 – Work, Creativity & Gen X Disillusionment

04:09 – Gen Z’s Bargaining Power at Work

06:06 – Parenting Styles Then and Now

10:56 – Mental Health, Communication & Anxiety in Kids

11:20 – Building a Podcast Career Outside the Traditional Path

12:52 – How Writing, Creativity, & Therapy Fuel Podcasting

15:00 – Why Amye Started Little Miss Recap & Murder She Watched

16:13 – Leaving Academia and Lessons from Career Pivots

18:27 – Working With a Spouse in the Podcasting World

19:33 – Surprises in Raising Gen Z Daughters

23:42 – Gen Z, World Issues & Climate Anxiety

25:23 – Gen Z and Money, Work-Life Balance, and Defining Success

26:58 – Gen X, Boomers, and the Vanishing American Dream

29:14 – Advice Gaps: Why “Old” Solutions Don’t Fit New Problems

31:09 – Why Professors (and Managers) Are Burned Out

33:27 – What Gen Z Has Taught Gen X About Self-Respect and Boundaries

35:25 – Parental Concerns: Coddling vs. Independence

38:39 – The Importance of Modeling and Letting Kids Fail

40:13 – Advice for Managing Gen Z at Work

41:58 – Why Work Should Focus on Output, Not Hours

43:11 – The Need for Personal Connection in the Modern Workplace

45:14 – Wrapping Up & Amye’s Podcast Plugs

Press play to discover how to stop fixing the mess—and start living in it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.