This week on The Empowered Team Podcast, Kari is joined by one of the most sought-after leadership experts in North America—Steven Gaffney, CEO of The Steven Gaffney Company and author of Unconditional Power.

With 30+ years of experience advising Fortune 500 companies and organizations ranked #1 in their industries, Steven reveals what it actually takes to build consistently high-achieving teams.

They dig deep into:

• Why emotional safety is the #1 leadership skill (and why most leaders miss it)
• The real problem with “honest communication” — it’s not what you think
• A 9-step formula to have difficult conversations that actually move the needle
• Why psychological safety isn’t enough — and what emotional safety looks like in action
• How leaders accidentally train people to lie to them (and how to reverse it)

Plus: why AI is not your enemy in leadership, how to rebuild team norms even after years of dysfunction, and the crossover lessons that can transform not just your team—but your marriage, too.

🎁 BONUS: Listen in to hear how to get a FREE digital copy of Steven’s book Just Be Honest and access his AI-powered leadership tool for building elite teams.

www.StevenGaffney.com

www.JustBeHonest.com

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

https://www.instagram.com/stevengaffneydc/

👉 Ready to go deeper? Join the Empowered Team and take your leadership to the next level: https://theempowered.ca/team-learn-more

👉 Ready to use AI to support your leadership? Grab our free guide “the 50 best AI prompts for executives” https://thehumanalgorithm.ai/free-ai-guide

Saying no shouldn't come with guilt — but for high-achievers and people-pleasers, it often does. In this episode, Kari breaks down five powerful, practical ways to say no with clarity, integrity, and connection — without sacrificing relationships or self-respect.

Learn how to:

• Break the cycle of burnout and resentment
• Set boundaries that build trust (yes, really!)
• Spot a “dirty yes” before it drains you
• Deliver a “no” with empathy, strength, and leadership
• Preserve your energy while deepening your influence

Featuring real coaching insights and Kari’s personal take on the strategies that work best, this episode is for anyone ready to reclaim their time, energy, and power — without being the bad guy.

👉 Listen now and start saying no in ways that align with who you truly are!

👉 Ready to go deeper? Join the Empowered Team and take your leadership to the next level: https://theempowered.ca/team-learn-more

👉 Ready to use AI to support your leadership? Grab our free guide “the 50 best AI prompts for executives” https://thehumanalgorithm.ai/free-ai-guide

We’ve all heard the phrase: “It’s just business.” But in this episode, Kari blows the lid off this outdated myth—and exposes how suppressing emotions in leadership isn’t just cold... it’s costly.

Drawing from over 20 years in business and coaching high-performance leaders, Kari unpacks:

• The hidden emotional labor leaders carry every day.
• Why suppressing emotion leads to poor decisions & burnout.
• How empathy and emotional intelligence increase trust, retention & innovation.
• How to strategically bring emotion into business (without drama or unprofessionalism).

💡 Plus: Real-world stories—from grand openings to firing fears, and even a hard business deal with her father—that reveal the emotional weight behind every major business move.

Key Takeaway: Business is emotional because people are emotional. When you stop pretending and start leading with emotional intelligence, everything changes—for the better.

Perfect for: Founders, CEOs, leaders, and changemakers who want to lead with integrity, clarity, and purpose in the modern business world.

🔗 Don’t forget to subscribe and share with a leader who needs this!

👉 Ready to go deeper? Join the Empowered Team and take your leadership to the next level: https://theempowered.ca/team-learn-more

👉 Ready to use AI to support your leadership? Grab our free guide “the 50 best AI prompts for executives” https://thehumanalgorithm.ai/free-ai-guide