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Joy isn’t a perk. It’s a competitive advantage. We sit down with executive and team coach Michelle Chambers to unpack how collective joy fuels psychological safety, deeper alignment, and reliable results—even when teams are under pressure. If “joy at work” sounds woo-woo, Michelle’s stories and tools will change your mind fast.

We start by spotting the early signs that joy has gone missing: flat energy, thin trust, and conversations that feel purely transactional. From there, Michelle draws a clear line between short-lived happiness and durable, collective joy grounded in purpose, belonging, and contribution. You’ll hear how a CFO put joy into a hospital’s strategic plan and why that bold move improved resilience and collaboration across departments.

Michelle shares practical rituals you can use this week: build a wall of pride to surface progress, end meetings with appreciation circles, and revisit the team’s purpose to re-center focus when the stakes rise. A powerful case study tracks a nonprofit team through leadership turnover, audit failures, the pandemic, and even ransomware—then shows how consistent practices rebuilt trust and momentum. For one-on-one coaches and leaders, we connect the dots to systemic impact: model joy visibly, make it measurable, and protect space for it in the cadence of work.

If you care about team performance, culture change, leadership development, and psychological safety, this conversation will give you actionable steps and language to make joy part of how you operate. Subscribe, share with a colleague who shapes team culture, and leave a review to tell us which ritual you’ll try first.

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What happens when an AI coach is judged by the same yardstick as a human? We invited executive coach and researcher Jonathan Passmore and AI coaching innovator Rebecca Rutschmann to unpack their new study benchmarking an AI coach against ICF Core Competencies—and the results upend assumptions. The machine reliably demonstrated ACC-level performance and crossed more than half of the PCC markers, especially in crisp summarizing and steady open questioning. That said, we draw a clear line between competence at the basics and the deep, sustained presence required for identity, values, and ethically nuanced conversations.

Across the hour, we explore where AI coaching shines—24/7 availability, structured reflection, accountability loops—and where it still stumbles: longer arcs, emotional complexity, and the tendency to praise rather than challenge. Rebecca argues capabilities are leaping forward with better prompting frameworks, onboarding, and conversational design, pointing to recent builds that reach deeper reflective work. Jonathan counters that human strengths remain decisive: relational humor, embodied presence, lived experience, and ethical maturity that can hold discomfort without defaulting to platitudes. We converge on a future of hybrid models that use AI for pre-work, micro-coaching, and late-night clarity, while reserving human time for complexity and transformation.

We also face the economics. With a surging supply of coaches and falling fees for transactional work, differentiation becomes urgent. If AI can do the basics well, human coaches must elevate to PCC-level craft as a baseline, specialize with domain and identity expertise, and design client journeys that blend AI tools without diluting trust. Finally, we call for new standards: if AI is an orange to the human apple, we need AI-specific metrics for safety, continuity, bias, escalation, and outcome transparency—so clients know what they’re choosing.

Curious where to start? We share practical steps for AI literacy and fluency, plus communities and programs that help you experiment safely and ethically. Subscribe, share this conversation with a colleague who’s on the fence, and leave a review with your take: partner, threat, or both?

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Joy doesn’t have to wait for a perfect day or a perfect world. We sit down with social leadership coach Gloria Custodio (ICF PCC) to unpack why so many high achievers believe joy belongs to someone else—and how to reclaim it as a practical tool for better thinking, stronger leadership, and sustainable impact. From family scripts and grind culture to burnout and systemic barriers, we map the forces that push joy out of reach, then show how to bring it back with care and rigor.

Gloria introduces the joy spectrum—absent, distant, conditional, tentative, integrated—as a clear, compassionate way to meet clients where they are. You’ll hear how to name joy directly with permission, design small experiments that fit real lives, and keep the work ethical by avoiding toxic positivity and honoring pace. We also dig into radical acceptance as a way to notice catastrophizing without judgment, create breathing room, and choose values-based actions that move people forward.

Along the way, we explore the research linking authentic joy to cognitive flexibility, collaboration, and performance, plus simple attention hygiene to reduce social media’s anxiety spiral. We ground joy in five pillars—meaning, purpose, values, fulfillment, and connection—so it becomes daily practice rather than a reward at the finish line. Expect concrete prompts, human stories, and a coaching stance that centers curiosity and agency.

Ready to turn joy from a buzzword into a leadership advantage? Listen now, try the prompts, and share where you land on the joy spectrum. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, leave a quick review, and pass it to a coach or leader who needs a brighter way forward.

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Gloria has created a small companion gift for our podcast audience that builds on the article and this conversation. Click here to find out more: https://bit.ly/3N1NRf1

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What if joy is the most practical leadership tool you have? We sit down with spiritual alignment coach and global ritual expert Barbara Biziou and ICF Master Certified Coach and pioneer DJ Mitsch to explore how simple rituals raise our personal frequency, strengthen teams, and transform coaching results. From a live grounding practice to vivid stories from corporate workshops and community spaces, we show how release, gratitude, and celebration help people shift from constriction to creativity.

Barbara breaks down why rituals work: the brain responds to symbolic action as if it were real, which is why writing and burning a worry, or washing it away in the shower, frees capacity for better choices. DJ connects her broadcasting roots to the “map” of frequencies, explaining how holding joy—even for seconds—aligns thought, emotion, and action with the outcomes we want. We dive into the costs of shame on performance, the power of acknowledging micro-steps, and practical ways leaders can ritualize routine moments to build belonging and trust.

Across the conversation, science and spirituality meet. We talk space clearing to reset cues, playful team experiences that unlock innovation, and the rising importance of intuition as our most human technology. You’ll leave with tangible practices: choose a daily quality to embody, craft a release ritual, celebrate progress in the moment, and ask better questions—What do I want to make possible for the person in front of me? If joy is a frequency, this episode is a tuner.

Listen now, then share your favorite ritual with us. If the conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it to someone who could use a lift today.

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What if your toughest feelings aren’t enemies to defeat but signals to decode? We sit down with behavioral scientist Charles Jones and executive coach Terry Hildebrandt to unpack Emotional Responsibility, a simple, powerful framework that turns anger, anxiety, frustration, and guilt into clear next steps—and uses joy as concrete proof that our needs are being met.

We trace the origins of this work back to research on flow states and explore a core distinction that changes everything: emotions drive thought, while needs drive behavior. That shift helps leaders stop suppressing emotions and start harnessing them. Anger points to a right to assert; anxiety flags risk to mitigate; frustration highlights blocked goals; guilt calls us back to ethics. When we name the feeling, identify the need, and plan a specific action, the emotion naturally settles because the mind registers progress. On the flip side, savoring positive emotions while naming the strategy that worked strengthens neural pathways, boosting cognitive performance, collaboration, and resilience.

From a coaching perspective, ERA opens the door to lasting behavior change. Once the true need is visible, unhelpful programming becomes adjustable. We share practical methods to transform recurring derailers, accelerate soft-skill growth, and even retire trauma patterns by creating conditions where the subconscious lets go. At the team and culture level, ERA tackles what Terry calls the new pandemic—emotional victimhood—by replacing blame with ownership. Leaders learn to translate complaints into needs, empower people to meet those needs, and build trust through clear agreements and consistent follow-through.

Ready to work smarter with your emotions and build a healthier culture? Listen now, then subscribe, share this episode with a colleague who leads teams, and leave a quick review with the one emotion you plan to harness this week.

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Terry and Charles would like to offer our listeners their video course ($100 value) FREE, that teaches coaches "How to Transform Stress Into Growth with Emotional Response-Ability". Click the link here. Use Code: choice

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What if joy isn’t a perk but the operating system of high performance? We sit down with visionary leader and five-time entrepreneur Marissa Levin to unpack why joy—grounded in psychological safety and clear structure—creates cultures where people do their best work and stay longer. No fluff here: we connect joy to engagement, retention, and real business results, while sharing practical steps leaders can take this week.

Marissa introduces her joyful leadership model, built around the symbolism of the lotus: growth through the mud, resilience in the storm, and the softening of ego. We break down the six petals—principles, process, perspective, presence, people, and play—and show how each petal translates into daily leadership moves. From clarifying values and mission to eliminating chaos with clean processes, from widening your lens to being intentional about your energy, the model offers a roadmap any leader can use to reduce friction and unlock creativity.

We also tackle skepticism head-on. Drawing on research around psychological safety and gratitude, Marissa explains how safety becomes the gateway to joy, and how joy fuels sustained performance. You’ll hear concrete stories from remote teams, a powerful “soul behind the role” lens for seeing your people, and a simple joy audit you can run on yourself before you try to shift your culture. Expect fresh language you can take into the boardroom and immediate actions that move joy from “woo-woo” to “must do.”

If you lead a team, coach executives, or simply want work to feel alive again, this conversation will equip you with tools to align purpose and paycheck, spark innovation with play, and build the kind of culture that holds steady under pressure. Listen, take notes, and tell us: where will you plant the first petal today? Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review to help more leaders discover joyful leadership.

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Marissa has graciously provided our listeners with her PDF of The Art of Joyful Living and Leading.

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What if joy isn’t a mood you wait for but a stance you cultivate—especially when the world feels chaotic? Executive and team coach Terrie Lupberger joins us to unpack why joy can be a radical act that disrupts scarcity, separation, and fear in the coaching room and the boardroom. We explore a clear distinction between joy and happiness, how to avoid toxic positivity, and why holding paradox—grief alongside gratitude, urgency with steadiness—makes leaders more effective and coaches more trustworthy.

We go deep on the hidden narratives that shape work: the myth that there’s never enough, that we’re alone, and that worth depends on outcomes. Terrie offers accessible practices to reset your inner operating system, including micro moments of appreciation you can do in 15 seconds and “radical receiving” so praise and connection actually land in your body. We talk about curating inputs—news, feeds, and relationships—to protect attention, reduce reactivity, and widen choice. The result is a coaching presence that doesn’t collude with fear and a leadership style that strengthens trust, creativity, and meaningful action.

You’ll leave with practical ways to cultivate joy daily, support clients without bypassing pain, and anchor your heart while you move into the “din of battle.” If you’ve been chasing happiness or feeling drained by constant crisis, this conversation offers language, tools, and a path back to what matters. Listen, try a micro practice today, and tell us where joy is most accessible in your life. If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

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Learn more about Terrie here.

Terrie's offer to our listeners: The first 10 people who email me with the subject line ‘Joy at Work’ at info@terrielupberger.com will receive a free copy of my new book Uncommon Wisdom at Work — I’ll pop it in the mail to you.

And for everyone who emails, I’ll also send my Joy Check-In Practice, a short guided reflection you can use daily to reconnect with your own steady flame of joy or offer it to your clients. Your email is safe with me. I don't share or spam you.

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Buyers rarely say no because your headline is off by a word or your price is a tick too high. They hesitate because something in your offer, your proof, or your process doesn’t feel safe yet. We sit down with business strategist and five-time certified coach Marci Rossi to unpack the trust risk connection and why a clear safety net can turn curiosity into coaching clients.

Marci explains how to separate a visibility problem from a trust problem, so you know what to fix first. We dig into practical trust builders you can implement this week: risk reversal through guarantees or prorated cancellations, honest social proof that feels human (and how to collect it ethically), and messaging that states exactly who you help, what changes, and what the first steps look like. We also talk about what to do when interest stalls—how to read on-site behavior, invite candid feedback from prospects, and nurture relationships with simple follow-ups that respect the personal nature of coaching.

You’ll hear why screenshots can be stronger than polished quotes, how to avoid placeholder testimonials that harm credibility, and why clarity beats clever copy every time. Marci also shares her Shortcut program, a 12‑week done-for-you backend setup that handles tech, automations, and onboarding so you can spend more time coaching and less time tinkering. If you’re tired of being the world’s best kept secret, this conversation gives you a clear path to build trust, reduce risk, and earn more yeses from the right clients.

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the show, share it with a coach friend, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more people find thoughtful, practical coaching insights.

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Marci has provided a FREE Gift The Revenue Rituals: The simple, daily business moves that bring in clients and cash which you can access here.

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