Insight at Work with Ken Blackwell

I talk with top performers in diverse fields of work to uncover their secrets to success. We explore the insights and breakthroughs that have changed the way they work and, at times, how those insights that have transformed the way they live their lives. Along the way, we’ll also delve into topics like: leadership, teamwork, communication, mentoring & coaching, stress and time management and conversational intelligence. And just generally, how to make work, and life, more productive, engaging and rewarding.

#38: Valerie Hope - Creating Work Culture through Curiosity, Connection and Centeredness 01/09/2023

#38: Valerie Hope - Creating Work Culture through Curiosity, Connection and Centeredness IN THIS EPISODE: We’re going to start 2023 with Hope, specifically Valerie Hope. Valerie brings a truly global approach to leadership and building diverse, inclusive and equal work cultures. For Valerie it starts with curiosity and she shares how her early life as a self-proclaimed “military brat” and global traveller taught her the skills she now. shares with her clients. The conversation is wide ranging just like her perspectives and has a little something for everyone. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Being a curious and creative learner has set Valerie Hope apart as an accomplished leadership coach and professional speaker. Since having traveled to more than 30 countries and having lived with more than 400 host families, she learned that life is the best teacher and the human being living it, as the star pupil. For the past 25 years, Valerie has been called to inspire and activate global leaders to become more conscious, connected, and creative. As her coaching clients and audience members gain clarity of purpose, become bold and authentic in their self-expression, they tout fulfilling careers, more meaningful relationships, and experience a sense of aliveness. Her group workshops and one-on-one sessions are designed to go beyond concepts and data points, to shine a light on what has heart and meaning. She’s honed her coaching and speaking craft throughout the Americas and Europe through work in and for major companies and organizations such asHyatt Hotels and Resorts, Up With People, Etsy, Salesforce, University of California at Berkeley, and Anheuser Busch. In 2018, she stumbled into entrepreneurship and is now the CEO of her company, Connect to Joy, LLC.Valerie received her executive coaching certification from UC Berkeley and holds a B.A. in Public Relations and Spanish from the University of Alabama. She is a native Spanish speaker from the Republic of Panama. These days, you can find Valerie expressing her playful side on the tennis court, on the improv stage, and singing in a community choir. This former military brat calls Dallas home and she has the cowboy boots to prove it. SHOW NOTES: Connect with Valerie on: LinkedIn: Twitter: her website: or on YouTube: INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His focus is on creating a more human workplace. His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: , follow him on Facebook at and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: (make sure to mention you listen to the podcast). /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/25548471

#37: Insight Bite - Embracing the Darkness 12/22/2022

#36: Insight Bite - Gratitude 11/23/2022

#35: Tara Nolan - Building a plan for post-work 09/27/2022

#35: Tara Nolan - Building a plan for post-work N THIS EPISODE: On the podcast, we tend to focus on our present-day goals for work, but what about our goals for post-work? What kind of life do we want to live after we leave the workplace? Today’s guest, Tara Nolan, builds on her background as a pilot and logistics officer for the US Air Force to help people see the whole picture of both their work, and post-work, lives and build a financial plan that makes sense. The key is “understanding the mission” and putting goals ahead of tools. While the topic is money, there’s also some great insights about problem-solving, connecting and finding clarity that have universal application. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Tara Nolan Tara Nolan is a money strategist who supports entrepreneurs and professionals, who have limited time due to business and family demands, achieve and retain the lifestyles they want. Since starting her company, she has been obsessed with helping people feel good about their finances. It’s hard when they are stressed about money, and she loves helping people find that good feeling in their belly when they are in control of their money situation. Tara combines finance, her background in strategic military planning and a focus personal development to create transformational financial plans. She shares her philosophy and approach to money in her book, “Money Moves: Change where your money lives and change how your financial world grows”. SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Tara on the web at: Find Tara’s book on Amazon: INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His focus is on creating a more human workplace. His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: , follow him on Facebook at and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: (make sure to mention you listen to the podcast). /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/24506913

#34: Tim Mousseau - Beyond Psychological Safety 06/27/2022

#34: Tim Mousseau - Beyond Psychological Safety IN THIS EPISODE: Many of us are aware of Google’s Project Aristotle which discovered a key characteristic of high performing teams was a climate of “psychological safety” - that team members could speak up and share opinions without fear of any kind of reprisal or repercussion. Neuroscience backs this up - we do our best thinking when we feel safe and are working in an environment of trust. But feeling safe goes beyond just the ability to express thoughts and opinions, it extends to other aspects of our lives such as culture and identity. Today’s guest, Tim Mousseau, has spent the last 10 years researching what makes people feel unsafe and how to create frameworks and boundaries that lead to safe work cultures. This is a deeper and more personal conversation than we’ve had in while and Tim shares some great insights that will change how you think about the workplace. ABOUT OUR GUEST: As a male survivor of sexual violence and harassment, Tim Mousseau has spent the last ten years studying prevention to create frameworks that help communities overcome sexual assault and individuals set boundaries to maintain feelings of safety. As an HR speaker and researcher, Tim is studying how managers and employees define safe work cultures. This research builds off his past work on how different generations define feelings of safety and how to prevent workplace harassment. Tim has spoken in over five counties to over 450 organizations, including Fortune 1000 companies, professional sports teams, and Congressional offices. SHOW NOTES: Find Tim on the web at: INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His focus is on creating a more human workplace. His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: , follow him on Facebook at and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: (make sure to mention you listen to the podcast). /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/23555543

#33: Cait Donovan - Burnout, Boundaries and Resentments 06/15/2022

#32: Mackey McNeil - The 3 Freedoms of Prosperity 05/16/2022

#31: Deb Lewis - Friend instead of Foe? Using Stress to your Advantage. 03/21/2022

#31: Deb Lewis - Friend instead of Foe? Using Stress to your Advantage. N THIS EPISODE: Can we make stress a friend, or at least keep it from being a foe or an enemy? Today’s guest, Deb Lewis would like to challenge our thinking about stress and encourage us to look at it from a different perspective. Deb is no stranger to stress. As one of the first female candidates to graduate from West Point and then as a leader in combat, Deb understands the impact of stress on performance. In this episode, she shares her experiences, perspective, and several tools so we can pivot and instead of being crushed by stress, we can actually use it to our advantage. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Colonel Deb Lewis is a West Point graduate from its first class with women. A retired Army Colonel and Harvard MBA, Deb commanded three US Army Corps of Engineer Districts, including a $2.1B reconstruction program in combat. She survived the 9/11 Pentagon attack while serving on the Joint Staff antiterrorism team. Colonel Deb’s experiences leading while under fire inspired her unique 'Mentally Tough Women' (MTW) program to help women (and enlightened men!) handle more stress - not de-stress - and put it to work for them. Set in Hawai’i, her latest book titled "Why is Pono not Pono Today?” helps kids of all ages make better choices by using fun cartoons and characters to reveal the secret to handling stress. SHOW NOTES: Connect with Deb on LinkedIn: Deb’s Author Page on Amazon: Go to her website and check out her 2 free stress courses: Read about Deb in Hawaii’s Star Advertiser Magazine: INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His signature practice is "rescuing Accidental Leaders and Dysfunctional Teams". His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: . /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/22485494

#30: Kori Reed - Is “Me Too” backfiring? 02/28/2022

#30: Kori Reed - Is “Me Too” backfiring? N THIS EPISODE: While “Me Too” and other movements had done tremendous good in amplifying the stories and voices of women who have not been treated fairly in the workplace, there may be a hidden cost. Researcher Kori Reed explores gender equality in the workplace and as she surveyed male leaders across the country she began to notice a trend. Many men, while wanting an inclusive workplace culture where men and women can both thrive, were nonetheless so uncertain about crossing the line from an innocent comment to a harassment complaint that they would avoid any conversation on gender equity altogether. These would be champions, men in power who could make a difference in leveling the playing field, are instead silencing themselves and essentially taking themselves out of the game. Kori and I discuss her findings, explore the state of the gender conversation in the human workplace, how to create safe spaces for dialogue and how we can collectively move toward the ultimate goal of “better together”. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Driven by a purpose to align people to see things in new and creative ways for good, Kori thrives at the intersection of people, insights, and organizational goals. An agile and relatable communicator, she values authentic dialog that enables people to find clarity in the chaos, connect with others, and change the world in meaningful ways. With more than 25 years of experience working in large, complex, Fortune 500 organizations, Kori has navigated large-scale change management communication; created an integrated, award-winning signature companywide program; and built communication strategies to align stakeholders on challenging issues. In the process, she earned progressive management duties at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Quaker Oats, PepsiCo, and Conagra Brands -- where she became a Vice President, working across the company in employee and community engagement under the umbrella of corporate social responsibility. Driven by a passion for the people side of process, management and culture, Kori also worked in Human Resources at Compass Minerals, a salt mining company, as Director Employee Experience and progressed to the Senior Director of Talent and Organizational Development. A lifelong learner, Kori is certified in Change Management, Human Resources, DISC Communication Styles and DISC Teams, and more. Adept amid chaos, Kori also wrote a book on the wisdom and humor of work, life, and family balance. SHOW NOTES: Connect with Kori: on , and on her . Ken and Kori discussed Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 Classic INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His signature practice is "rescuing Accidental Leaders and Dysfunctional Teams". His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: . /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/22289936

#29: Carl Seidman - Retire at 32? Diversify your life! 02/14/2022

#29: Carl Seidman - Retire at 32? Diversify your life! IN THIS EPISODE: Almost all of us see the wisdom in having a diversified financial portfolio, it’s smart investing not to have all your eggs in one basket. But what about the portfolio of our lives? Rarely do we think about the value in diversifying our lives and careers - not only to minimize risk, but also to create opportunities. The upside potential isn’t just monetary, there are mental wellness and life experience benefits as well. Today’s guest Carl Seidman applied his financial acumen to his career and began diversifying his life by retiring at age 32! There’s more to the story of course - Carl and I discuss that and the current state of career and life management. It’s another great conversation, listen in! ABOUT OUR GUEST: Carl Seidman is a trusted business advisor specializing in financial planning & analysis (FP&A), business strategy, and finance transformation. He works with Fortune 500 corporations and middle-market companies, helping establish effective FP&A practices, processes, and teams. At the same time, he brings finance professionals greater control over their careers by helping them build their competence and confidence while eliminating time-wasting activities and mistakes. Carl’s FP&A development methodologies and curriculums have been implemented by many leading companies as part of their financial leadership development programs (FLDPs) for top talent and emerging leaders. Carl also serves as a CFO advisor and management consultant to entrepreneurial businesses throughout North America and Europe and assists them with strategic financial planning, value enhancement, and revitalization. Carl is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) has earned other professional credentials including the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), CIRA, CFF, CFE, CGMA, and AM (Accredited Member in business valuation), and was a 2020 National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) 40 Under Forty honoree. He lives in Chicago with his wife and twin sons. SHOW NOTES: You can learn more about Carl on his website: https://seidmanfinancial.com INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His signature practice is "rescuing Accidental Leaders and Dysfunctional Teams". His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: . /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/22097654

#28: Patricia Bravo - Empathic Leadership 02/01/2022

#28: Patricia Bravo - Empathic Leadership IN THIS EPISODE: As we move closer towards a more human workplace, leadership will need to evolve along side it. The days of a distant and disconnected leader are fading away. Today, leaders need to be in touch with their people and understand what is impacting them in, and out, of the workplace. That means leaders will need to take their interpersonal communication and awareness of human dynamics to a much deeper level. To understand how leaders can adapt to this changing landscape, I’ve asked today’s guest, Patricia Bravo, to speak with us about Empathic Leadership. Patricia is a consultant who has worked with many Fortune 500 companies in the Bio/Pharma, Energy, Technology and Financial Services industries. She equips everyone from emerging leaders to seasoned executives with targeted approaches, techniques and tools to accelerate their performance as Empathetic Leaders. In our conversation, we’ll talk about some of those approaches and techniques and discuss how small changes and investments as small as 10 minutes of time can transform the relationship between leader and team member and remove obstacles to performance. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Patricia Bravo equips leaders with targeted approaches, techniques and tools to accelerate their performance as Empathetic Leaders. Leveraging her strength in facilitation, she develops and facilitates leadership programs for leaders ranging from emerging leaders to seasoned executives. The programs Patricia designs and facilitates accelerate leader capability in the areas of leading with empathy, team development and resilience. Patricia enjoys using her talent management experiences gleaned at Fortune 500 companies such as Starbucks Coffee, to shape the leadership landscape of the future. While working at Starbucks, Patricia designed a leadership academy program, led multiple organizational design projects and led a team that managed talent management activities for the West Coast store development business unit. She also led a portfolio of large projects including: executive immersion, performance management and succession planning. Patricia’s consulting work has included many Fortune 500 clients in the Bio/Pharma, Energy, Technology and Financial Services industries. She has successfully worked with leaders holding titles from Manager to Senior Vice President. She teaches undergraduate courses in Managing Teams and Human Resources at University of Washington, Bothell and leadership courses for professionals at UCLA Extension. She frequently speaks on the topic of Empathetic Leadership and is author of a chapter on Empathy as a Vehicle to Authentic Leadership and Followership in Latin America in Authentic Leadership and Followership: International Perspectives. SHOW NOTES: To connect with Patricia: check out her website: You can also connect with her on . INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His signature practice is "rescuing Accidental Leaders and Dysfunctional Teams". His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: . /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/21974198

#27: Marcia Daszko - Pivot, Disrupt & Transform 01/24/2022

#27: Marcia Daszko - Pivot, Disrupt & Transform IN THIS EPISODE: Throughout history, organizations have had to adapt to survive. That is especially true in these challenging times. Often it is the ability of leaders to adapt, to change, to pivot – that enables these organizations to not only navigate distruption but to thrive in it. Today’s guest, Marcia Daszko, works with leaders to challenge their thinking so they can realize results they’ve never before achieved. For more than 25 years, she has passionately been guiding strategic innovation and transformation in Fortune 500 corporations and private start-ups; school districts, government agencies; and non-profits. She is a best selling author of and the co-author of . In our conversation, we discuss the traits pivotal leaders need to create the environments for their people to contribute and be their most creative. These pivotal leaders focus on not just problem solving, but asking the questions that will take their organizations into the future so they can create new products, new solutions, new services and new markets. We’ll also discuss the importance of knowing the “why” behind your organization’s reason for existence. It’s a robust conversation so let’s get to it. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Marcia is an inspiring speaker who will provoke your thinking and elevate it for bold action. She is a Catalyst for Strategic Leadership, Transformation and Innovation. She speaks to and works with leaders to challenge their thinking to realize results never before achieved. For more than 25 years, she has passionately been guiding strategic innovation and transformation in Fortune 500 corporations and private start-ups; school districts, government agencies; and non-profits. Marcia has taught Graduate management and marketing classes at six universities across the U.S. She is a best selling author of and the co-author of . She was invited to write a chapter about leadership in the book: Organizational Project Management. SHOW NOTES: Connect with Marcia: Web: Linkedin: Facebook: Twitter: INSIGHT AT WORK PODCAST THEME MUSIC: Our theme music is composed by Chris Lucca, Jr.. You can listen to more of Chris’ work at You can also connect with him on Twitter: and on Instagram: ABOUT THE HOST: Ken Blackwell is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and executive coach. His signature practice is "rescuing Accidental Leaders and Dysfunctional Teams". His firm InKlaritas, based in Princeton, NJ, works with teams and leaders in companies in the U.S. around the world. You can find out more about InKlaritas at: and connect with Ken on LinkedIn at: . /episode/index/show/insightatwork/id/21867152