Learning From Your World

How to Build Exceptional Relationships | Carole Robin

Strong relationships are not found, they're built. In this episode, I talk with relationship expert and leadership educator Carole Robin, former Stanford Graduate School of Business faculty member and co-author of Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends, and Colleagues. Together, we explore the practical skills that help people build trust, strengthen communication, and create meaningful relationships at work and in life. We discuss: - The difference between functional and exceptional relationships - Why being willing to be seen and known builds trust - How curiosity strengthens relationships - The role of vulnerability in effective leadership - How to use the 15% Rule to step outside your comfort zone - One practical step to strengthen a relationship this week   This episode is for you if you: - Want stronger relationships at work or at home - Lead people and want to build trust - Feel stuck in surface-level communication - Want practical tools to build better relationships - Believe connection is essential to success and well-being   Resources: Carole's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-robin/] Connect Book [https://www.amazon.com/Connect-Building-Exceptional-Relationships-Colleagues/dp/0593237099]

Are You in the Right Room? | Allen Hauge on Leadership & Peer Groups

Most leaders struggle because they’re trying to figure it out on their own. In this conversation with Allen Hauge, we talk about what changes when you’re in the right room. After more than 30 years working with CEOs, Allen shares how trust, vulnerability, and the right peer community help leaders gain clarity, and make better decisions. In this episode, we discuss: - Why leaders make worse decisions in isolation - The “experience trap” and how it limits your thinking - Why clarity and connection are the foundation of strong leadership If you’re leading a team, building a company, or trying to navigate complex decisions, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: you don’t have to do it alone.

How to Make Friends as an Adult & Build a Community That Lasts | Holly Cooke

Making friends as an adult is hard, especially when you move somewhere new and don’t know anyone. In this episode, I talk with Holly Cooke, founder of The Lonely Girls Club, about what it actually looks like to build friendships and community as an adult. Holly shares how she started the London Lonely Girls Club, why showing up matters more than confidence, and what it takes to keep going when things feel uncomfortable or uncertain over time.

Why We Can’t Be Happy Alone: The Science of Connection | Nic Marks

Happiness was never meant to be an individual pursuit. In this conversation, Nic Marks, founder of Friday Pulse and creator of the Happy Planet Index, explains why happiness evolved as a social emotion, and why our brains light up in connection with others. We explore why so many of us are stuck in “okay” lives, why individualism has unintentionally disconnected us from what makes us thrive, and how our relationships are the most powerful predictors of our health and longevity. Nic also reveals why anger spreads faster than joy and how trust transforms entire communities. And in a world where people report more loneliness, more fear, and more fragmentation than ever, his message is a wake-up call: happiness isn’t something we chase alone. It’s something we create together.

How Do You Trust Again After Being Hurt? | Tracy A. Malone

What actually helps you trust again after you’ve been hurt or manipulated? In this episode, author and educator Tracy A. Malone joins me to talk about what it takes to rebuild self-trust after narcissistic abuse. We unpack why awareness alone isn’t enough, how “sweet words” without consistent action break trust, and why self-forgiveness is often the hardest (and most freeing) part of healing. We explore how fear and people-pleasing keep us stuck in old patterns, how to recognize your role without blaming yourself, and what it really means to trust your own voice again. You’ll walk away with simple, real-life ways to rebuild confidence, set boundaries without guilt, and choose relationships that feel mutual, safe, and real.