Human Connection in AI Buzz Everywhere

Four Careers, One Through-Line: Joy Brown Kirst on Reinvention and the Skills That Travel

What does it look like when every career you've had was quietly preparing you for the one you're building now? Joy Brown Kirst spent 23 years in executive search, earned an MBA from Rice, became a trained skincare formulator, and launched Modern Age Skin — a brand built for perimenopausal and menopausal skin that the industry wasn't serving. But the real thread running through all of it? People. In this episode, Christine and Joy dig into the leadership lessons that don't show up on a résumé — like how reading candidates across decades of executive search sharpens your ability to read any room. How moving from a global corporation to a two-person startup teaches you to drop your ego fast. And how the confidence to stand up for yourself in a low-stakes moment early in your career becomes the muscle you'll need for every hard conversation that follows. Joy also shares her take on why listening is still the most underused leadership skill, how to build credibility in a field where nobody knows you yet, and why she tells her kids the same thing every time: God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. If you're navigating a career pivot, sitting inside a big company wondering what's next, or just trying to figure out which skills are actually yours to keep — this one's for you.

The Leadership Alignment Problem No One Wants to Fix

What if the reason your AI adoption — or any major transformation — is stalling has nothing to do with the technology? Betsy Kauffman has spent 25 years leading large-scale tech transformations across Fortune 500 companies. And time after time, the same thing happened: the teams got it. The technology worked. But without aligned leaders at the top, everything eventually hit a wall. Now as founder and CEO of Crossed Impact Coaching and a TED speaker with over 1.6 million views, Betsy helps mid-market CEOs and senior leadership teams close the gap between strategy and execution — by fixing the human system first. In this conversation, Christine and Betsy explore: * Why every technology transformation is really a leadership alignment problem * The moment her clients started saying "Stop helping the teams — go help our leaders" * What burnout looks like when you're a Swiss Army knife consultant doing everything for everyone * The warning signs that a client relationship isn't working (and how to say no anyway) * Her Leadership Operating System — and the one-hour, one-decision exercise any team can try this week * The four tips for honest conversations from her viral TED Talk * Why delivery might be the most underrated skill in leadership communication * How growing up playing team sports shaped everything she does today Whether you're leading a team of one or running a company through its next big change, this episode will challenge you to look at the top before you look anywhere else. ---------------------------------------- Connect with Betsy: 🌐 crossimpact.co [http://crossimpact.co] — free leadership alignment survey 📘 The Fix — her upcoming book (coming soon to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Spotify Audiobooks) 🔗 LinkedIn: Betsy Kauffman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsykauffman/]

Stop Faking it: Authentic Branding, Burnout Recovery, and Intuitive Leadership

In a world obsessed with data, metrics, and AI-generated everything, Elizabeth Rosenberg is making the case for something radical: trusting yourself. Elizabeth is a serial entrepreneur, PR strategist, intuitive medium, and founder of two platforms — The Good Advice Company, a C-suite personal branding and communications consultancy, and Chief Spiritual Officer, a leadership development movement helping executives harness intuitive intelligence as a competitive edge in an AI-driven world. She also leads a global executive women's collective, because apparently she doesn't sleep. In this episode, Christine and Elizabeth dive into what intuitive leadership actually means in practice — and why the instincts we've spent years overriding might be the most important skill we're not developing. Elizabeth shares the story behind her own burnout, including a scary episode that landed her in the ER and later went viral on Business Insider, and what she wishes she had listened to before it got that far. They also get into the messy, human work of building an authentic personal brand — why the story you think no one wants to hear is usually the most compelling one, why being a great people person doesn't automatically make you a great manager, and what leaders at every level can do this week to start building real visibility and credibility. In this episode, you'll hear: * What intuitive leadership is and why it matters more than ever right now * The difference between being a great people person and being a good manager * What burnout actually looks like — and the early signs most people ignore * Why your most embarrassing or vulnerable story is probably your best brand story * A simple LinkedIn strategy for leaders who don't want to become influencers * How to lead by example when it comes to team boundaries and emotional wellbeing * Why Elizabeth cold-contacted Kevin Costner in 8th grade — and what that tells you about brand-building Connect with Elizabeth: Website: thegoodadvicecompany.com [http://thegoodadvicecompany.com] LinkedIn + Substack linked from her site

Right People, Right Moment: How Beth Ward Studios Uses Working Genius to Lead Better

What happens when a founder with Wonder and Invention leads a growing team — and finally names what's actually going on? Christine sits down with Beth Ward (Founder & CEO) and Marjolein Westerbeek (COO) of Beth Ward Studios to talk about how Working Genius transformed their leadership dynamic, their hiring process, and the way their whole team communicates. What does it look like when a real company actually puts Working Genius into practice — not just once, but across multiple cycles, with their full team? In this episode, Christine sits down with two powerhouse leaders from Beth Ward Studios — a women-run jewelry design and private label consultancy based in New York City — to talk about how Working Genius changed the way they lead, hire, communicate, and grow. Beth Ward, Founder and CEO, brings Wonder and Invention to everything she touches. Marjolein Westerbeek, COO, leads with Wonder and Discernment. Together, they've built something rare: a leadership partnership grounded in self-awareness, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to creating space for the people around them. In this conversation, you'll hear: * Why Beth and Marjolein came back to Working Genius after their first cycle during COVID — and what made this round more impactful * How naming Beth's Wonder + Invention genius took the pressure off her team (and off Beth herself) * What Marjolein's Discernment brings to the partnership — and why "slower" doesn't mean wrong * How Beth Ward Studios now uses Working Genius in hiring, performance reviews, and day-to-day team decisions * What it looks like when a company full of Enablers tries to have harder conversations — and why "clarity is kindness" * Why burnout isn't always about hating your job — it's about how your day is built This episode is for leaders who want to stop doing it all, build teams that complement each other, and create a workplace where people feel genuinely seen. Resources Mentioned: * The Six Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni [https://www.workinggenius.com/] * Beth Ward Studios: bwstudios.com [http://bwstudios.com] * Evry Jewels: evry.com [http://evry.com] * The 9/11 Memorial Serenity Sky Collection [https://store.911memorial.org/collections/jewelry-accessories] (in partnership with Anne-Marie Principe)

Meetings Are Broken. Let’s Fix Them.

Meetings before meetings. Meetings that run over. Meetings where no one knows why they’re there. Sound familiar? Christine Courtney and Tom Armstrong take on one of the biggest frustrations in today’s workplace—ineffective meetings—and begin a practical, no-nonsense series on how to change them. Together, they explore what’s actually going wrong, from lack of clarity and leadership to overstuffed agendas and disengaged participants. But this isn’t just a vent session. It’s a playbook. Expect real strategies you can use immediately to: * Lead meetings with clarity and purpose * Keep conversations focused and on track * Engage every voice in the room * Build psychological safety without losing momentum If you lead meetings—or sit in too many of them—this episode will change how you show up starting today.