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

Michael welcomes Erin Albert, Chief of Pharmacy Relations, Network and Professional Affairs at Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs, to explain why U.S. drug pricing is so opaque and how transparency can lower costs. Albert shares how she joined the company after publishing LinkedIn price comparisons sparked by imatinib pricing, and describes her background as a pharmacist and attorney. She breaks down how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) evolved from claims processing into powerful middlemen, driving costs through rebates tied to formulary placement and “spread” pricing, especially on generics. The conversation covers vertical integration, state policy efforts, employer incentives that favor bundled solutions, pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts,” and why education should include “following the money.” Albert outlines Cost Plus’s cost-plus math, fair dispensing fees, and options for consumers via CostPlusDrugs.com, TeamCubanCard.com, and CostPlusWellness.com, urging patients to shop cash prices versus insurance copays.


Timestamps:
00:24 Welcome and Setup
01:31 Erin Albert Origin Story
04:49 How Pharmacy Pricing Works
08:28 Transparency and PBM Tactics
11:09 Policy and Vertical Integration
16:47 Building a Fair Pharmacy Network
20:40 Education and Medical Benefit Markups
24:05 Pharmacists as Clinicians
27:58 Trends and Sustainable Pricing
29:35 How Consumers Take Power Back
31:29 Key Takeaways and Resources
33:38 Closing

Connect with Erin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinalbert/
https://linktr.ee/erinalbert
https://www.markcubancostplusdrugcompany.com
https://www.costplusdrugs.com

Michael interviews Brian Elliott, CEO of Work Forward and former Google and Slack executive, about AI and the future of work through a human-centered lens. Elliott explains how his Future Forum research on workplace flexibility evolved into AI-focused advising, arguing that technology and policies are tools and the real work is alignment, culture, and motivating diverse teams. They discuss research showing most leaders say AI speeds work but few can prove ROI, often due to output over outcomes, poor goal alignment, and “AI work slop.” Elliott shares examples from Zapier, Guild, and Anthropic using outcome scorecards, training, leadership participation, and pathways for roles. They warn against performance-review metrics tied to AI usage and emphasize team-based learning, empathy, time for training, and listening to employees.

Timestamps:
00:24 Welcome and Setup
01:23 Meet Brian Elliott
02:07 From Remote to AI
03:44 Culture Over Tools
05:24 AI ROI and Alignment
07:56 Approach Goals and Pathways
11:09 Engagement and Meta Backlash
13:45 Gen X Leadership Moment
17:18 Practical Catch Up Tactics
19:23 Performance Reviews Trap
22:15 Expertise Identity and Judgment
25:50 Empathy Time and Training
29:50 Future of Transformation
32:17 Key Takeaways and Wrap
34:08 Closing

Connect with Brian:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/belliott/
https://theworkforward.substack.com
https://www.workforward.com

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

Michael interviews Dr. Jasmine Escalera, founder of the nonprofit Institute for Generational Healing, about recognizing and breaking inherited survival patterns passed through families. Escalera explains generational healing, how cycles can provide strength yet hinder desired lives, and the science behind inherited responses through epigenetics, alongside spirituality, modeling, and conditioning. They discuss misconceptions about trauma, distinguishing big T and little T trauma, and defining trauma as the body’s response. Escalera addresses accountability, compassion toward parents as humans, how far back to explore family stories, and the loneliness and grief cycle breakers face when families resist change. She outlines the institute’s pillars—research, education (including a generational healing 101 course), and transformation through community-based modalities beyond talk therapy—and how beliefs shape relationships and workplace behavior. Escalera shares her own journey from hyper-independence, emphasizes asking what’s holding you back and where it was learned, and notes her strength in hard work while learning balance. She shares ways to follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram, with a website coming soon.

Timestamps:
00:24 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:57 What Generational Healing Means
04:39 Science Behind Inherited Trauma
06:58 Responsibility to Break Cycles
10:44 Defining Trauma Big and Small
15:21 Family Stories and How Far Back
18:18 Cycle Breakers and Family Pushback
21:54 Institute Pillars and Healing Modalities
24:20 Beliefs at Work and Culture
30:30 How to Know What You Carry
34:20 Closing

Connect with Jasmine:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-escalera/
https://www.instagram.com/drjasmineescalera/
https://linktr.ee/drjasmineescalera

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

Michael welcomes LinkedIn Top Voice, trainer, and author Leslie Hughes to discuss how LinkedIn has evolved from a job-search site into a networking and thought leadership platform, and why many executives underestimate their need for an active presence. Hughes explains that executives are forward-facing brand ambassadors and should engage with their teams, celebrate wins, build quality networks, and publish consistently (even 20 minutes a week). They cover semantic search, profile essentials (professional headshot, banner, 220-character headline, and a first-person About section with quantifiable results), balancing authenticity with professionalism, and overcoming fears of “bragging” through servant leadership framing. Hughes shares examples of executives Dwayne Green (Aviva Investors) and Charles Brown (LifeLabs), addresses AI caution in compliance-heavy industries, and encourages proactive LinkedIn investment before layoffs force reactive catch-up.

Timestamps:
00:24 Welcome
01:18 Meet Leslie Hughes
02:515 LinkedIn Evolution for Execs
03:02 The Hidden LinkedIn Problem
04:41 Proactive vs Reactive Wake Up
06:06 CEO Examples Done Right
07:51 Time and Posting Cadence
09:30 Semantic Search and Discovery
11:55 Gen X Profile Refresh
13:32 Profile Essentials That Convert
16:17 Human Stories vs Bragging
19:41 Thought Leadership and Imposter Syndrome
22:36 AI Caution and Digital Twins
25:34 Overwhelm and Simple Systems
27:57 Guardrails and Brand Safety
29:42 Top Executive Takeaways
31:33 Closing Question MrBeast
34:22 Where to Find Leslie
35:18 Closing

Connect with Leslie:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-hughes/
https://punchmedia.ca

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

Michael talks with creator-economy builder Bia Granja about her hot take that the creator economy isn’t dead, but the attention economy that fueled it is ending as reach becomes commoditized and organic reach declines. Bia argues creators must shift from chasing virality and platform-optimized metrics to building repeatable formats, worlds, and durable IP with multiple revenue streams, while owning direct relationships with their communities through subscriptions and other channels. They discuss how AI accelerates content abundance and makes copying easier, increasing the importance of meaning, trust, critical thinking, and adaptability. Bia also explains why Wall Street, private equity, and Hollywood are focusing less on follower counts and more on underlying assets and franchisable systems.

Timestamps:
00:24 Welcome
01:22 Meet Bia Granja
03:16 Attention Economy Ends
06:07 Virality vs Business
09:23 AI and Meaning
16:01 Wall Street Meets Creators
17:14 Formats Worlds and IP
21:08 Ownership and Trust
24:40 Organic Reach Is Dead
27:33 Key Takeaways for Creators
30:21 Bonus Question Adaptability
33:55 Where to Follow Bia
34:47 Closing

Connect with Bia:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/biagranja/
https://creatoreconomy.rocks
https://povcreatoreconomy.substack.com
https://www.instagram.com/biagranja/

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