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Psychological safety, workplace culture, and empathy in leadership take center stage on this episode of Civility Matters. Host Dr. John O'Brien sits down with Karen Hall — known worldwide as the "Queen of Empathy" — a psychological safety keynote speaker, bestselling author, and leadership strategist who helps organizations build trust, engagement, and emotional intelligence at every level.

Together they unpack what psychological safety actually means, the warning signs it's missing from a conversation or a team, and how empathetic leadership fuels civility even during disagreement. Karen tackles a question many leaders avoid: can you create psychological safety for someone whose views you find genuinely harmful? She also draws a clear line between healthy disagreement and dehumanizing conflict, and offers one practical habit anyone can use today to build more trust and safety at work.

Whether you're a manager navigating a toxic workplace, an HR leader building a healthier culture, or just curious about emotional intelligence and leadership, this conversation delivers real, usable strategies.

For more on my work on rudeness and incivility, you can find information at:

www.activatesuccess.org

www.rudenessrehab.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmobrienphd/

https://www.youtube.com/@RudenessRehab

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In this episode of Civility Matters, John O'Brien sits down with Eleni Kelakos to explore the powerful link between civility and charismatic presence. Eleni shares how treating others with respect actually amplifies a leader's charismatic presence which, in turn, reinforces civil behavior. This can create a positive feedback loop within workplace culture. The conversation also turns to the flip side: how rudeness and incivility quietly erode charisma, diminishing trust and influence over time. Left unchecked, these behaviors can spiral into a toxic workplace where connection and leadership impact suffer. A compelling case for civility as a leadership superpower.

You can find out more about Eleni's work at:

https://elenikelakos.com/

For more on my work on rudeness and incivility, you can find information at:

www.activatesuccess.org

www.rudenessrehab.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmobrienphd/

https://www.youtube.com/@RudenessRehab

For more on my work on rudeness and incivility, you can find information at:

www.activatesuccess.org

www.rudenessrehab.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmobrienphd/

https://www.youtube.com/@RudenessRehab

Send us Fan Mail

Nearly 7 in 10 workers say they've experienced a toxic workplace. On this episode of Civility Matters, Dr. Mira Brancu — clinical psychologist and co-author of Millennials' Guide to Workplace Politics — joins us to unpack Toxic Tiredness, Culture Cracks, and Stress Spillover: how workplace incivility drives burnout, and what leaders can do to build healthier, more civil cultures.

About Dr. Brancu:

Dr. Mira Brancu is a former federal healthcare research executive, and current Founder of award-winning social impact consultancy Towerscope, as well as a Duke faculty member. She helps HR and business leaders expertise-driven high-pressure industries navigate through retention, burnout, uncertainty, and power dynamics in large, complex systems.

She is also a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Founding Member of The Sage Group business advisory and Forefront, a leadership coaching legacy of MG 100Coaches Agency, a Duke University faculty member, author of the Millennials Guide to Workplace Politics and companion workbook, a Psychology Today columnist, and host of an award-winning top 5% podcast and YouTube channel, The Hard Skills.

Contact:

Dr. Brancu's website:

https://gotowerscope.com/

Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-skills/id1706366751

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@DrMiraBrancu

For more on my work on rudeness and incivility, you can find information at:

www.activatesuccess.org

www.rudenessrehab.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmobrienphd/

https://www.youtube.com/@RudenessRehab