Dr. Donna Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and the former Deputy Director of the Program on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution (PICAR). She facilitated dialogues in numerous unofficial diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Libya and Syria. She has taught courses in conflict resolution at Harvard and Columbia Universities and conducts seminars in the US and abroad on dignity leadership training and on the role dignity plays in resolving conflict. She has two books on Dignity, including Dignity: It’s Essential Role in Resolving Conflict and Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People.

Mentioned on the Show

• Read Donna Hick’s book, Leading with Dignity: https://a.co/d/04lnHrUz
• Donna’s first book on dignity in conflict resolution: https://a.co/d/08CQSEgG
• Learn more about Donna Hicks, PhD: https://drdonnahicks.com/
• Donna and O’Brien discussed the Dignity Index, learn more here: https://www.dignity.us/

Timestamps
(00:00:00) – O'Brien McMahon welcomes dignity expert Donna Hicks, PhD to People Business

(00:02:52) – Why is dignity such an important factor in negotiation and conflict resolution?

(00:12:53) – Respect vs. Dignity: understanding and defining both concepts

(00:15:12) – How does understanding self-dignity (our own sense of dignity) affect our ability to give dignity to others?

(00:16:33) – How do we reconcile feelings of inadequacy and insecurity with the concept of “unleashing” our dignity?

(00:28:30) – Dignity work in practice: how to approach mediation when both sides in a conflict feel their dignity has been violated

(00:36:30) – How is someone's dignity and humanity honored while also accounting for bad behavior?

(00:39:01) – Are humans wired for revenge? How do we balance our impulses with dignity?

(00:48:57) – Closing thoughts on dignity from Donna Hicks, PhD

Aaron Levy is the Founder of Raise The Bar and Stride, two companies focused on helping companies create high- performing teams by building better leaders. He is the author of the bestselling book Open, Honest, & Direct, the host of Raising The Bar on Leadership Podcast, a Thrive Global contributor, an ICF Certified Coach, and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. Over the last decade, Aaron has worked with 10,000 business leaders in various industries, inspiring them to define their goals, create tactical action plans, and achieve sustained success.

Mentioned on the Show

• Learn more about Aaron Levy on the Raise the Bar website: https://www.raisebar.co/team/aaron-levy-founder
• Read Aaron’s book Open, Honest, and Direct: https://a.co/d/081LR77O
• Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aelevy
• O’Brien discussed the book Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin: https://a.co/d/0iN1Z70x

Timestamps
(00:00:00) – Aaron Levy returns to People Business with O'Brien McMahon

(00:02:42) – What is Raise the Bar and how do you help develop leadership skills in teams?

(00:03:09) Have leadership lessons have evolved since the pandemic or if they remain the same?

(00:04:28) How has the hybrid work world changed how we need to lead people and what skill sets have become important?

(00:08:14) What opportunities exist now, post-pandemic, that didn't before?

(00:14:19) What key fundamental skills are foundational for leadership development?

(00:20:53) How is psychological safety created in the workplace?

(00:21:44) How can someone receive feedback constructively, “like a scientist”?

(00:23:51) What factors allow people to receive difficult feedback in a positive way?

(00:32:09) How can difficult, tough conversations be made in a way that helps?

(00:42:35) Millennials, Gen Z, are generational differences real or just examples of human nature across life stages?

(00:48:11) Is there anything about how Aaron leads Raise the Bar that surprises clients?

Dr. Jennifer Fraser is the author of The Bullied Brain and The Gaslit Brain. It is her mission to educate people on how to recognize and name these behaviors and stay safe when they show up.

Mentioned on the Show

• Dr. Jennifer Fraser’s website: https://bulliedbrain.com/
• Read The Gaslit Brain: https://a.co/d/0fupTc7K
• Get Dr. Fraser’s book The Bullied Brain: https://a.co/d/09JvZBgo
• Jennifer Fraser, PhD is a regular contributor to Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/jennifer-fraser-phd
• Learn more about BrainHQ training: https://www.brainhq.com/

Timestamps
(00:00:00) - Jennifer Fraser, PhD joins People Business with O'Brien McMahon

(00:02:24) - Workplace dynamics: Personal agendas vs. Organizational agendas

(00:06:09) - Denial: why do we think “this could never happen”?

(00:11:48) - What does gaslighting look like and what is manipulative communication?

(00:17:46) - What is happening in our brains when we are being gaslit?

(00:23:25) - What is healthy self-esteem and status and what is unhealthy ego?

(00:25:55) - Is “true” psychopathy a spectrum?

(00:29:40) - DARVO: Denial; attack; reverse; victim; offender

(00:35:30) - When is appropriate to terminate and when should a second chance be offered?

(00:37:46) - How can workplace gaslighting be recognized earlier?

(00:48:08) - What happens in the brain after gaslighting and bullying?

(00:53:20) - How we should think about high status people in positions of power?

(01:00:38) - Final thoughts from Jennifer Fraser, PhD

Daniel Ratner is a relationship coach, speaker, and author helping people build healthier connections by recognizing draining patterns and setting stronger boundaries. He is the author of three books, including Emotional Vampires, teaching readers how to protect their happiness from toxic people.

Mentioned on the Show

• Coach Dan Ratner’s website: https://coachratner.com/
• Connect with Coach Ratner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coach-ratner-45b4678a/
• Check out Coach Ratner’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thecoachratnerpodcast
• Coach Ratner on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoachratnerpodcast

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Coach Daniel Ratner sits down with O'Brien McMahon of People Business

(00:03:43) What is an "emotional vampire"?

(00:07:22) What are some of the red flags for narcissists?

(00:08:53) How do we set the right boundaries with manipulative people in the workplace?

(00:11:21) How do we protect ourselves against narcissists who love bomb people?

(00:12:51) Wisdom about assessing if someone treats people well (or poorly)

(00:19:50) Drama Queens and people who play the victim card

(00:21:20) Is there a good way to snap people out of the victim mindset?

(00:23:43) How do we find that balance between helping people change and knowing when to move on?

(00:25:17) How do we build self-esteem in ourselves so it's easier to look at painful truths?

(00:28:42) What kinds of activities help people build esteem outside of relationships and work?

(00:36:25) What are things introverts can do to still bring positive energy into meetings?

(00:41:50) Anything we didn't hit that would be important or any final message?

Sri Kaza is a business leader and small business advocate with a career spanning corporate strategy, entrepreneurial ventures, and dedicated support for small businesses. He is the author of Unconvention: A Small Business Strategy Guide.

Mentioned on the Show

• Visit Sri’s website: https://sri-kaza.com/
• Connect with Sri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srikaza
• Get Sri’s book, Unconventional: https://a.co/d/d9swnpB
• O’Brien and Sri discussed the book The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek: https://a.co/d/iDTdkFG (start with this book, not this one)

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Sri Kaza joins People Business with O'Brien McMahon

(00:02:22) Could you connect your McKinsey background to writing a book on small business strategy?

(00:10:36) What's the minimum threshold for making something unique in positioning?

(00:12:09) Understanding lifestyle businesses vs. scalable businesses

(00:19:50) Simon Sinek's The Infinite Game

(00:22:29) How do small businesses with a deeper purpose make trade-offs between business and purpose?

(00:28:35) What is meant by customer “intimacy” or customer proximity?

(00:38:31) How can a business owner assess their own performance and sharpen your gut?

(00:40:31) What are some effective self-reflection practices?

(00:45:52) What are the best ways you've seen organizations scale purpose, proximity, and position while keeping the essence of those principles?

(00:52:02) Final thoughts from Sri Kaza

Mark Fithian is the cofounder of WideOpen, a consultancy that helps organizations achieve sustainable growth through strategic customer experience. Mark’s expertise in CX is informed by more than thirty years of work across industries, partnering with leading brands such as Providence, SAP, PayPal, Optum, IBM, BMW, the American Cancer Society, and Microsoft. Before founding WideOpen, he held leadership roles on both the client and agency sides, as well as in strategic consultancies.

Mentioned on the Show

• Read Mark’s profile on the WideOpen website: https://www.thisiswideopen.com/our-team
• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markfithian/
• Get Mark’s book, The CX Imperative: https://a.co/d/316xGzX
• O’Brien and Mark discussed the book Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt: https://a.co/d/9GSTIfN

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Welcome to People Business with O'Brien McMahon

(00:01:45) What is the difference between customer experience and user experience?

(00:02:22) And how did you get into this work in the first place?

(00:07:24) What is the purpose of business?

(00:08:35) Why do businesses struggle with customer experience?

(00:11:24) "The Great Distancing": what it is and why it hurts customer experience

(00:13:44) What makes good incentives in customer experience?

(00:15:15) How does a business know when they are doing CX well?

(00:20:08) How does executive leadership get involved in good CX?

(00:32:49) Who should be responsible for customer experience?

(00:40:41) Mark's 5 Pillars of Customer Experience

(00:44:19) What does strategy mean to you?

(00:55:21) How to get started with customer experience and how to contact Mark Fithian.

Brock Anderson and Tracy Awe are Directors of Enterprise and Strategic Partnerships with Function Health, a biometric data company helping individuals and groups take control of their health data to live longer, healthier, more productive lives.

Mentioned on the Show

• Listen to Dr. Mark Hyman on the Huberman Lab podcast: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/how-to-improve-your-vitality-heal-from-disease-dr-mark-hyman
• Learn more about Function Health and their approach to testing and longevity: https://www.functionhealth.com/
• Review the study conducted by the Integrated Benefits Institute on Economic Impact of Early Disease Detection: https://www.ibiweb.org/resources/economic-impact-of-early-disease-detection
• O’Brien gave a shout-out for Peter Attia’s book, Outlive. Available on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/5nSm1Xn
• Brock Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brock-anderson-16196
• Tracy Awe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyawe

Timestamps

(00:00:00) – Tracy Awe and Brock Anderson join O’Brien McMahon on People Business

(00:02:38) – What is Function Health? What is Function Health’s approach to preventative health?

(00:10:20) – When should people start preventative health analysis and biometric screening?

(00:15:19) – How can companies encourage people to think more long-term about their health?

(00:18:48) – Do doctors welcome data from these types of screenings? How can Function members have constructive conversations with their doctors?

(00:31:22) The 5 Types of Medical Consumers: segments of employees and how they use medical benefits. Population health management in practice.

(00:38:21) – How does diet and exercise fit into the Function Health approach? How does Function Health support lifestyle change?

(00:44:53) The Process: how many blood draws are needed?

(00:44:59) Costs: what are the costs associated with bringing Function Health to employees?

(00:49:16) What shifts are seen in the business clients of Function Health? Does the conversation about health shift as prevention gets a spotlight?

(00:50:33) What ‘add-ons’ does Function Health offer in addition to the core blood panel?

This is a fun crossover episode with Karl Staib, host of the Systemic Leader podcast and systems consultant through a company of the same name. In this episode, shared across both platforms, we discuss systems thinking and how we have each built and evolved systems to help us navigate work and life.

Mentioned on the Show

• Learn more about Karl and his Systematic Leader framework: https://systematicleader.co/
• Connect with Karl Staib on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlstaib
• Listen to the Systematic Leader podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/systematic-leader/id1535499918

Timestamps

(00:00:00) — People Business x Systematic Leadership podcast crossover: O’Brien McMahon with Karl Staib

(00:02:00) — What is systems thinking? How do you define it?

(00:08:15) — “Leaking”: How do you identify the biggest problem in your process?

(00:12:45) — What are some best practices in creating a customer journey map?

(00:14:27) — Client retention: what systems help keep things fresh for existing clients?

(00:17:49) — How do you handle feedback and resistance to change in organizations?

(00:23:31) — How humans are more motivated by status than we might think

(00:33:14) — How to turn employee appreciation into a system

(00:36:33) — When should something be cut out of a system?

(00:42:19) — Examples of systems that might surprise people

(00:52:54) — Final thoughts and how to contact Karl and Systematic Leader