What if the biggest way to grow in your career was becoming more human?

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Philippa J. White to explore why leadership, innovation, and performance are breaking down in modern organisations, and what it actually takes to rebuild them. We talk about disengagement, quiet quitting, siloed teams, and why so many workplaces are struggling despite more tools, tech, and strategy than ever before.

This is a conversation about returning to humanity at work, without losing results.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why disengagement isn’t a motivation problem, but a leadership one

• How human-centered leadership drives innovation and collaboration

• The real cost of silos and how to break them

• Why purpose, connection, and creativity are now business essentials

• How leaders can create environments where people actually want to contribute

Philippa J. White is an international speaker, bestselling author of Return on Humanity, and host of The TIE Unearthed Podcast. With over 20 years of experience working with global organisations, Philippa helps leaders tackle disengagement, resistance to change, and lack of innovation by putting people, not just profit, at the center of strategy.

Born in South Africa, raised in Canada, running a business in the UK, and now based in Brazil, Philippa brings a truly global lens to leadership and organisational culture. Her work challenges traditional management models and offers a more human, sustainable approach to performance in today’s workplace.

You can find Philippa and her work at www.philippajwhite.com and through her book Return on Humanity.

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome

00:32 Philippa’s Top 3 Takeaways

02:37 What “Return on Humanity” Really Means

05:18 The Root Cause of Disengagement at Work

10:21 Self-Awareness at Work

15:31 What Gen Z Needs to Hear about Starting a Business

21:14 Purpose, Belonging, and Human-Centered Leadership

25:10 Leading Through Change Without Burnout

27:08 What Leaders Must Unlearn to Move Forward

31:21 What Every Teenager Needs To Do Now

33:20 Building Workplaces Where People Thrive

41:04 Philippa’s 2 Life-Changing Books

48:50 End Reflections

51:41 Thank You

🎄 GIVEAWAY NOTE

I’m running a Christmas giveaway with a finance & self-development book, details will drop in the next episode. Stay tuned. Follow my Instagram to stay up to date to any updates and news!

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🌐 Learn more about Sonia Marta: www.soniamarta.com

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