Michael interviews Ehsan Ehtesad, organizational psychologist and co-founder/CEO of Mia Science, about building healthy, high-performance teams by focusing on recharging rather than constant intensity. Drawing on nearly 400 interviews with CEOs, surgeons, and champions, Ehsan contrasts time management with energy management and argues that effective recovery comes from doing the opposite of what drains you at work. They discuss sustaining excellence as a marathon, resting along the way, using rhythms of focus and recovery, and leaders’ responsibility to create supportive cultures where people can communicate low energy without judgment. Ehsan shares metaphors about charging batteries and leaders as thermostats, and recommends writing a personal recharging plan on good days for use on bad days.

Timestamps:

00:24 Welcome
01:12 Meet Ehsan Ehtesad
02:18 Why Workplaces Matter
04:01 400 Interviews Insights
05:34 Energy Over Time
06:46 Opposite Recharge Rule
08:57 Redefining Productivity
09:50 Marathon Pace and Cycles
12:30 Rest on the Way
14:16 Team Energy Language
17:53 Support Not Judgment
23:51 Rituals and Thermostat
28:53 Intentional Culture Systems
30:22 Personal Recharge Plan
32:13 Funeral Message Question
34:11 Where to Follow Ehsan
35:07 Closing

Connect with Ehsan:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehsanetezad/
https://ehsanetezad.com
https://www.youtube.com/@EhsanEtezad
https://www.instagram.com/ehsanetezad/
https://x.com/EhsanEtezad


Michael's National Workforce Study on Change Management:
https://www.michaeljlopez.coach/research

Michael interviews Dennis Yu, joined by AI builder engineer Leo Pohlmann, about Google’s recent move to AI results first instead of the traditional “10 blue links,” a shift Dennis says is the biggest in 25 years and has caused many SEO experts to report major traffic losses. Dennis argues the fundamentals of visibility still matter—expertise, credibility, stories, and real experiences—while warning against chasing hype and generating “AI slop,” especially as networks adopt AI content fingerprinting. He recommends creating evidence-based, unedited original content (like podcasts and real videos), repurposing it with AI tools, and using small paid distribution (“social postage,” e.g., dollar-a-day boosts) to amplify proven winners tied to business outcomes. They also discuss AI’s impact on jobs, emphasizing that AI-enabled A players will outcompete B players, and Dennis shares his “learning curve vs earning curve” career turning point while Leo describes meeting Dennis as a life-changing moment.

Timestamps:
00:24 Intro
03:16 Dennis Yu Background
06:40 Ignore The Hype
08:09 Real World Advantage
12:01 Fight AI Slop
14:06 Repurpose Real Proof
17:12 Enough Content Question
17:58 Quality Beats Quantity
20:42 Boost The Winners
22:15 Ads Versus Selling
22:40 Pay for Distribution
23:29 Story Clips Strategy
25:52 Consistency Builds Trust
27:24 Publish Skill Files
28:54 Agents Will Shop
30:55 AI and Job Shifts
32:14 Multiply Your Impact
34:04 Direction Over Horsepower
36:37 Sliding Doors Stories
39:32 Where to Find Dennis
40:33 Closing

Connect with Dennis:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisyu/
https://dennisyu.com/

Michael's National Workforce Study on Change Management:
https://www.michaeljlopez.coach/research

Michael speaks with Jennifer Dulski, founder and CEO of Rising Team, about the hidden costs of untrained teams and how leadership development can be improved. Dulski shares her background across nonprofit work, teaching, and leadership roles at Yahoo, Google, Facebook, and change.org, plus lessons from being a rowing coxswain. They discuss why traditional training often fails to translate into behavior change, the downsides of a “common denominator” approach, and how AI can enable personalized growth plans aligned with company principles while preserving human connection. They cover impacts of weak leadership—unclear expectations, rework, low morale, quiet quitting, attrition—and the value of shared struggle, honesty, trust, and consistent team investment, citing measurable ROI improvements from regular team-building.

Timestamps:
00:24 Welcome and Setup
01:28 Meet Jennifer Dulski
02:56 Sports Teams Lessons
05:26 Why Training Fails
08:57 Personalized Growth With AI
10:44 AI and Human Strengths
14:40 Hidden Costs of Bad Teams
17:59 Shared Struggle and Honesty
21:27 Trust and The 10 Percent
25:38 Building Foundations Early
27:51 Proving ROI of Training
30:13 Leadership Breakthrough Story
32:11 Three Key Takeaways
35:30 Closing

Connect with Jennifer:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdulski/
https://risingteam.com
https://www.purposefulbook.com

Michael's National Workforce Study on Change Management:
https://www.michaeljlopez.coach/research