Episode 328: Showing Up as a Leader When the World Feels Heavy
APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | PANDORA | ANDROID
In this Workday Playdate, Erin explores a leadership truth that’s impossible to ignore right now: teams disengage when leaders keep leading the old way—especially in a world that feels emotionally heavy, digitally loud, and constantly changing. Erin unpacks what it really means to lead humans through uncertainty, overwhelm, and external world events that don’t clock out at 5 p.m.
Drawing on research around psychological safety and belonging, Erin shares practical tools for creating emotionally safe teams—and introduces her simple, actionable LOVE framework to help leaders show up with intention, presence, and humanity.
Leadership today is about holding space, setting energy, and leading with love.
The LOVE Method
Erin introduces a four-step approach to leading in heavy times:
Listen for what’s said (and unsaid)
Openly ask questions without needing perfect answers
Value core values as your leadership compass
Energize your team with intentional, positive energy
Psychological Safety Is a Business Strategy
Safe spaces drive performance. Learn why belonging and emotional safety are foundational to engagement, and how leaders set the tone through transparency, curiosity, and compassion.
Values in Action
Your values shape your culture. Erin walks through practical exercises to clarify what matters most and align your team around belonging, acceptance, and community.
Energy Is the Culture
Your energy is your leadership. From daily remote messages to recognizing small wins, Erin shares simple ways to bring uplifting, steady energy into even the toughest moments.
Better Presence, Better Teams
Reflection, intentional listening, and emotional awareness help leaders prevent overwhelm before it spreads. This episode shows how being present builds trust—and resilience—one conversation at a time.
Your Freebie
You want to support your people the same way you want to be supported—but in fast, emotionally charged moments, the right words can be hard to find.
Enter, your free resource - Human Leadership in the Age of AI: An Empathy Playbook. It gives you a simple, 3-part list of human-first phrases you can use in meetings, emails, and one-on-ones.
Empathy isn’t extra anymore. It’s essential. Download your Empathy Playbook here.