Love Lead Change

In this heartfelt episode of LoveLeadChange, Simon Phillips and Renée Smith sit down with Chris Conley, interim president and CEO of the Metropolitan Planning Council, founder of Abundant Professional, and a pioneer in human-centered design. Chris brings a wealth of experience in fostering compassionate workplace cultures, blending innovative practices with a deep commitment to care and connection.Chris discusses his unique approach to leadership, starting with how he defines love in the workplace: fully accepting people for who they are while celebrating their unique qualities. He shares how his focus on empathy and curiosity has shaped his leadership philosophy, starting from his early days as a faculty member, where he championed underperforming students who had been overlooked. He draws parallels between his academic and professional experiences, challenging the traditional "high potential" mindset in organizations. Instead, Chris believes in investing in every team member, empowering them to unlock their potential.Through personal anecdotes, Chris highlights the transformative impact of love in action. From sitting down with each team member one-on-one to build trust, to fostering openness and honesty in team sessions, his leadership style emphasizes connection, inclusion, and curiosity. Chris also speaks candidly about the challenges of leading peers and addressing dysfunction at senior levels, illustrating how vulnerability and persistence are key to fostering collaboration.A particularly moving part of the episode focuses on Chris's experience of letting go of a senior leader in a loving way. He shares how framing the departure as a matter of fit rather than judgment allowed him to support the individual through the transition and celebrate their contributions even after their exit. This moment underscores Chris's belief in sustaining relationships and maintaining care, even in difficult situations.Chris also reflects on the importance of creating spaces where people feel safe to express themselves, critique processes, and collaborate on solutions. He describes how these practices, rooted in human-centered design, help organizations navigate uncertainty and embrace change effectively.This episode is an inspiring exploration of how leaders can revolutionize workplace culture by leading with love, fostering resilience, and prioritizing relationships. Chris's insights will resonate with leaders at every level, encouraging them to embrace vulnerability, empower their teams, and build workplaces where everyone can thrive.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene03:14 Meet Chris Conley: A Leader in Human-Centered Design06:09 The Importance of Love in the Workplace09:00 Building Relationships and Trust11:50 Navigating Challenges as an Interim Leader15:08 Letting Go with Compassion17:51 Creating a Loving Workplace Culture21:09 Reflections on Impact and Future AspirationsSubscribe at this link to get regular emails with proven insights to transform your workplace by leading with love from your hosts Simon Phillips and Renée Smith. https://a-human-workplace.myflodesk.com/love-lead-change-emailConnect with the Guest and the Hosts:Chris Conley - LinkedIn ProfileRenée Smith - LinkedIn ProfileSimon Phillips - LinkedIn ProfileAll Music composed by Adam Phillips

In this uplifting episode of *Love, Lead, Change*, hosts Simon Phillips and Renée Smith welcome Julie Schreiber, a world-renowned laughter yoga instructor, mental health counselor, music educator, and advocate for joy in the workplace. As the founder of "Connecting the Pieces," Julie brings unique perspectives on integrating love, compassion, and intentional laughter to create supportive and resilient workplaces. Through her engaging stories, she illustrates how laughter can be a powerful tool for managing stress, building emotional resilience, and fostering connection among colleagues.Julie delves into her early career as a music educator working in challenging environments, where she was often the only teacher who allowed herself to truly connect with her students' emotional needs. This formative experience taught her the importance of empathy and vulnerability, shaping her belief in love as a guiding principle in her work. She explains how laughter yoga, a practice combining intentional laughter with breathing exercises, can unlock joy and relieve tension, even in high-stress or grief-filled settings. By choosing laughter, she encourages listeners to disrupt negative emotions and reconnect with themselves and others.The conversation touches on how laughter can serve as a pathway to global peace and unity, an ambition close to Julie's heart as a "Global Laughter Ambassador." She shares a moving story of a grief support group where laughter meditation brought healing to a bereaved family, revealing the therapeutic potential of laughter in moments of profound pain. Julie’s mission is clear: to bring joy to as many people as possible, helping them find levity in life’s challenges.Julie also shares practical advice for integrating laughter into daily routines to enhance well-being and resilience. Her “Joy Cocktail Shaker” exercise and laughter meditation techniques are accessible tools that anyone can use to lighten the emotional load at work or home. By making intentional choices to laugh, we can cultivate a mindset of positivity and compassion that elevates both personal well-being and team morale.Join Simon, Renée, and Julie in exploring how intentional laughter can break down barriers, build connections, and transform workplace culture into a space of trust, love, and shared joy. This episode is packed with insights and practical exercises to help you embrace laughter as a means to improve your health, resilience, and relationships in the workplace.Subscribe at this link to get regular emails with proven insights to transform your workplace by leading with love from your hosts Simon Phillips and Renée Smith. https://a-human-workplace.myflodesk.com/love-lead-change-emailConnect with the Guest and the Hosts:Julie Schreiber - LinkedIn ProfileRenée Smith - LinkedIn ProfileSimon Phillips - LinkedIn ProfileAll Music composed by Adam Phillips

In this engaging episode of the *Love, Lead, Change* podcast, hosts Simon Phillips and Renée Smith sit down with Rick Gage, a seasoned executive leader and current Executive Director of the Center for a Loving Workplace. Known for his transformative approach to leadership and fostering environments that prioritize humanity, Rick shares stories and insights from his 40+ years of experience in roles ranging from operations management to strategic leadership at major organizations.Rick discusses the pivotal influence of his mentor Nancy, a leader who modeled inclusivity and created a culture that valued each team member deeply. He highlights a powerful process from her team that involved a quarterly check-in where each individual’s growth, challenges, and needs were discussed openly and with respect. This practice left a lasting impact on Rick, solidifying his commitment to fostering workspaces where people feel genuinely supported and valued.A major theme throughout the conversation is Rick's perspective on love in the workplace. He defines love as “the energy that uplifts and connects,” drawing from the Amare Wave concept by Moshe Engelberg. Rick explains how this energy drives positive change by alleviating suffering, encouraging respect and compassion, and nurturing human potential. He stresses that successful organizations today must move beyond the mechanistic and profit-centered mindsets of the past and embrace innovation, diversity, and the human aspects of work. The conversation also touches on the challenges Rick has faced in trying to bring compassion to the workplace, especially when operating in profit-driven environments. He shares how cultivating “confident vulnerability” and regular check-ins has allowed him to create more connected teams, dismantling judgment and blame by fostering deeper understanding among team members.This episode is full of actionable insights, as Rick offers strategies for leaders at all levels to incorporate love into their practices. From individual contributors to senior leaders, Rick encourages listeners to model introspection, cultivate inclusive spaces, and embrace systems that prioritize human connection and growth.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Rick Gage and His Journey02:26 Defining Love in the Workplace04:51 The Shift in Workplace Dynamics08:10 Experiences Shaping Leadership Philosophy11:57 The Importance of Employee-Centered Conversations15:20 Impact of Leadership on Organizational Culture17:15 Challenges in Implementing Loving Leadership20:01 Creating Human Connection in Teams21:57 Leadership at Different Levels24:43 Reflections on a Meaningful Career26:11 Looking Ahead: Unleashing Human PotentialIf you'd like a copy of the Guide we have created to implement Check-Ins in your workplace, just click this link - https://a-human-workplace.myflodesk.com/check-in-guide-podcastConnect with the Guest and the Hosts:Rick Gage - LinkedIn ProfileRenée Smith - LinkedIn ProfileSimon Phillips - LinkedIn ProfileAll Music composed by Adam Phillips

Simon Phillips and Renée Smith discuss their new podcast, Love Lead Change. What's it all about? Why they think it is needed now and what they hope to achieve through their conversations, with each other, and with their Guests. Simon and Renée are experienced practitioners of loving leadership and creating cultures within which Love can thrive and Fear is eliminated. They'll be bringing all this experience along with their research and consulting credentials to the fore to find out as much as possible from their Guests about what it takes to make change happen and for Love to become the way that things happen inside all different types of workplaces.Join in the conversation and get in touch if you know someone who should feature on the show, especially if that person is you!Connect with the Hosts:Renée Smith - LinkedIn ProfileSimon Phillips - LinkedIn ProfileAll Music composed by Adam Phillips