The LeaderLab Podcast

Tipping Point Skills™ for Maximum Impact

Tune in for in-depth interviews with senior leaders and short solo episodes from LifeLabs Learning facilitators — all packed with real talk, research, and practical strategies to try in your laboratory of life.

The LeaderLab is hosted by Micaela Mathre, CMO, searching for the antidote to the toxic workplace.

Feedback Skills, Manager Training, Leading Change, Manager Skills, Communication, Strategic Thinking

Preparing for a Defining Moment: The Obama Foundation’s Investment in Leadership

What happens when learning becomes part of how people work every day? Patrick Choquette, Director of Learning & Development at The Obama Foundation, shares lessons from building learning cultures across global organizations, mission-driven teams, and managers at every stage of growth.

Leading Change, Manager Skills, Feedback Skills, Communication

Give Feedback That Lands: The Playing Cards Method with Kathy Pearce

What if the feedback you’re giving is too blurry to help someone improve? In this Skills Spotlight episode, Kathy Pearce shares how LifeLabs’ Playing Cards Method™ helps managers turn vague praise and criticism into clear, actionable feedback that changes behavior.

Communication, Manager Training, Strategic Thinking, Leading Change, Manager Skills, Feedback Skills

How SonderMind’s VP of People Is Scaling Managers, Culture, and AI Readiness

What happens when scaling your company depends more on your managers than your processes? In this episode, Sara Marzitelli-Sanchez, VP of People at SonderMind, shares how she’s building leaders, not just systems, to support growth.

Communication, Strategic Thinking, Leading Change, Manager Skills, Feedback Skills

From “War for Talent” to “War on Talent”: Change, Fear, and Executive Alignment in NerdWallet’s AI Shift

What happens when People leaders have to guide an organization through AI, acquisitions, remote work, and economic uncertainty all at once? In this episode, Lynee Luque, Chief People Officer at NerdWallet, shares how she’s helping teams adapt to change with clarity, curiosity, and courage.

Communication, Strategic Thinking, Leading Change, Manager Skills, Feedback Skills

Inside Fabletics: How L&D is Preparing for an AI-First Future

How do you get your whole org ready for AI without losing the human touch? In this episode, Will Feng (VP of People, Fabletics) shares how TechStyle is preparing employees at every level to thrive in an AI-first workplace with a focus on human skills, middle manager enablement, and peer-powered learning.

Leading Change, Manager Skills, Feedback Skills, Communication

AI in Learning & Leadership: Why Human Skills Still Win with Priscila Bala and Michelle King

AI is reshaping how we think about learning, but it can’t replace human judgment, social connection, or live practice. In this episode, LifeLabs CEO Priscila Bala and Facilitation Manager Michelle King explore why human-centered learning is still essential in the age of AI. From asking questions (the Q-Step™) to reinforcement, they share the skills and strategies managers need to multiply trust, collaboration, and lasting behavior change.

Meetings Mastery, Resilience, Leading Change, Feedback Skills

How to Lead Through Change Using the CAMPS Check with Brendon Nimphius

Facilitation Manager Brendon Nimphius shares how to reduce resistance during change using the CAMPS Check—a quick, brain-based tool for leading through times of uncertainty.

Meetings Mastery, Feedback Skills, Leading Change

Harry’s & Flamingo: “It’s Us, We’re the Problem” with Kristen Correa Blanco, Head of People

What if the biggest blockers to collaboration and innovation… were the leaders themselves? In this episode of The Leader Lab, Kristin Correa Blanco, Head of People at Harry’s and Flamingo, shares how the Harry’s team turned employee feedback into action. From overloaded meetings to unclear decision-making, they realized: the problem started at the top.

We’re Back: Tipping Point Skills™ & Leader Stories

The LeaderLab Podcast is BACK! We’re blending our original mini skill-building episodes with fresh insights from senior leaders navigating today’s toughest people challenges.

Strategic Thinking, Leading Change, Manager Skills

Grow Kind: The Leader Level Wrap Up

When we look at change in the workplace, it can often be challenging to navigate. As a leader, there are ways to guide your team in an empowering and empathetic way. Join us for this special panel-style conversation on Grow Kind Leadership in times of uncertainty.

Communication

Grow Kind: Easy Focus

We invite Annie-Rose London, a Facilitator at LifeLabs Learning, to explain how leaders can harness the power of easy focus to quickly create space for their teams to think, feel, and connect by using the “I could talk abouts” primer.

Leading Change, Time Management

Grow Kind: Data Dive

We invite Rachel Glick, Director of Consulting & Team Enablement at LifeLabs Learning, to explain how leaders can take a look beneath the surface of their team’s data to uncover the inputs contributing to performance outcomes using a Data Diiiive (and no, that’s not a typo — find out what the four I’s stand for by listening to the full episode).

Leading Change, Manager Skills

Grow Kind: Vision Statement

We invite Massella Dukuly, Director of Team Enablement at LifeLabs Learning, to explain why using vision statements is one of the best ways to get people on board with, and even excited about, change.

Leading Change, Manager Training, Manager Skills, Communication

Grow Kind: Reasoning Questions

In this episode of The LeaderLab, we invite Victoria Chen, Facilitation Lead and Leadership Trainer, to demonstrate how leaders can use reasoning questions to create perspective and promote productive dialogue by understanding the ‘why’ behind somebody’s ‘what’.

Grow Kind: A Quick Update from the LeaderLab

We’re taking a tiny break to Grow Kind and bring you new and exciting content on August 1st!

Leading Change, Strategic Thinking, Communication

Grow Kind: Systems Level Wrap Up

In this special episode of The LeaderLab, we welcome back a few incredible guests from our systems-level Grow Kind series to discuss how the ‘grow kind’ mission came to be at LifeLabs Learning, what we’ve learned about growing kind so far, and what companies can do to grow in a way that benefits the business while still being people-centered, empowering, and energizing.

Resilience, Leading Change

Grow Kind: Reinforcing Organizational Ethos

Joie Lim, LifeLabs Learning’s Impact Lead, joins The LeaderLab this week to talk about how leaders can protect an org’s ethos by reinforcing the behaviors that align with the company’s ideal identity.

Manager Skills

Grow Kind: The FAIR Framework for Inclusive Growth

This week, Vanessa is joined by Ashley Schwedt, LifeLabs Learning’s Director of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-bias), to discuss one of her favorite tools: a DEI checklist for systems that we refer to as the FAIR framework.

Manager Skills, Communication

Grow Kind: The 4D Model of Knowledge Management

The LeaderLab invites Brian Dann, certified Knowledge Manager and facilitator, and Katya Davydova, author and leadership facilitator, to share the 4D Model of Knowledge Management. Brian, Katya, and Vanessa discuss how this tool helps companies organize, socialize, and deepen their knowledge base at scale even during times of rapid growth.

Strategic Thinking, Time Management

Grow Kind: Prioritizing Purposefully

The LeaderLab invites Robyn Long, LifeLabs Learning’s Chief of Staff and Business Operations Strategist, to share one of her favorite calibration tools with our listeners: the Business Priority Score (BPS) system.

Communication, Leading Change, Strategic Thinking

Grow Kind: A Conversation with LifeLabs Learning CEO Priscila Bala

In this episode, Vanessa speaks with Priscila Bala, CEO of LifeLabs Learning. The two discuss the journey of change leadership as LifeLabs enters a phase of intentional hypergrowth: growing kind.

Manager Skills, Leading Change

Learning at LifeLabs: A Conversation with our Co-Founders

In this season’s final episode, LifeLabs Learning Co-CEOs LeeAnn Renninger and Tania Luna share LifeLabs’ origin story, and how we’ve navigated the extraordinary changes the last two years presented, all while growing the business, supporting other organizations, and distilling what we’ve learned

Leading Change

SuperInfluence WrapUp

SuperInfluencers are wildly impactful. In this special episode of the LeaderLab, we invite our guests back into the lab to share more about the pivotal skills SuperInflueners use to catalyze outcomes in their organizations.

Leading Change

SuperInfluence: The Gap Analysis

Do you ever feel like your ideas aren’t taken seriously? Or that it’s hard to feel a sense of progress or accomplishment? Learn how SuperInfluencers use the gap analysis to strategize about what gets done and how to measure if it’s been successful.

Feedback Skills, Leading Change

SuperInfluence: Using Need-Forward Questions

Feeling stuck or noticing others getting in their own way? Learn how SuperInfluencers use the transformative Need-Forward skill to create positivity and progress for themselves and others.

Leading Change

SuperInfluence: Creating Conviction & Connection

We often go into conflicts trying to persuade others to see things our way, which can lead to tension or even resentment. Learn what SuperInfluencers do differently to transform conflicts into fruitful conversations.

Leading Change

SuperInfluence: Make the Ask

SuperInfluencers are able to impact the behaviors of others without relying on authority. Learn one often overlooked SuperInfluencer skill in this episode.

Leading Change

SuperLeaders Wrap-up

Cultivating SuperLeaders is integral to an organization’s success, but how does it happen? Listen to this special episode of The LeaderLab where we invite our SuperLeader guests back into the lab for a deeper dive into this very important topic.

Leading Change

SuperLeaders: RESpond

When defensiveness shows up, conversations shut down. Learn the SuperLeader skill that will help you connect instead.

Leading Change

SuperLeaders: Celebration

One thing SuperLeaders do differently is celebrating wins – but not the kind of wins you think. Tune into this episode of The LeaderLab powered by LifeLabs Learning to find out what type of wins matter most.

Leading Change

SuperLeaders: Role Modeling

Want your team to pick up new behaviors faster and more holistically? Listen to this episode of the LeaderLab powered by LifeLabs Learning to discover one SuperLeader tool that makes all the difference.

Leading Change

SuperLeaders: Accountability

Did you know that you can drive greater accountability on your team with four simple questions? Check out the first episode in our SuperLeaders series to find out how.

Communication, Strategic Thinking, Leading Change

SuperLearning Wrap-Up

How can one make SuperLearning a way of life as an individual, team, or organization? In this special episode of The LeaderLab, we invite our previous guests to not only wrap up the conversation on SuperLearning but take us further into this topic than we’ve gone before.

Strategic Thinking, Time Management

SuperLearning: Deliberate Practice

Did you know that there’s a specific kind of practice that allows you to learn faster and achieve more? Tune into the fourth episode in our SuperLearning series to discover how to use deliberate practice.

Communication, Strategic Thinking

SuperLearning: Somatic Hooks

Do you use your senses to help you learn something faster? Check out episode #3 in our SuperLearning series on The LeaderLab to find out how.

Communication, Strategic Thinking

SuperLearning: Powerful Questions

Do you know how to use questions to supercharge your learning? Tune into episode #2 in our SuperLearning series on the LeaderLab to find out how.

Communication, Strategic Thinking

SuperLearning: Extraction Skills

Did you know that there are techniques to help you learn faster and achieve more? Listen to this episode on extraction skills as your first step to becoming a SuperLearner.

Get Ready for Season 2!

Happy 2021! Have a listen to hear what’s up next in the new year for The LeaderLab powered by LifeLabs Learning!

Time Management

Energy Management: Start and Stop Rituals

Feeling like the lines between work and home are blurring? Do you find yourself working extra hours at night or on weekends? Learn about the tool of start and stop rituals on this episode of The LeaderLab powered by LifeLabs Learning.

Time Management

Energy Management: Micro, Meso, and Macro Breaks

Did you know that there are three types of breaks you should be taking to maintain your energy? Tune into this episode of the LeaderLab powered by LifeLabs Learning to learn more.

Strategic Thinking, Time Management

Energy Management: If-Thens

Trying to manage your energy, but fall into the same old burnout boosting habits? Listen to this episode of the LeaderLab powered by LifeLabs Learning to learn how to use the power of If-thens to deliberately make better choices.

Strategic Thinking, Time Management

Energy Management: Job Crafting

Feeling run down? Looking for a way to maintain or up your energy at work? Tune in to this episode of the LeaderLab to learn how job crafting will help you keep burnout at bay.

Communication

Difficult Conversations: Time Distance Cover

Did you know that you can de-escalate a difficult conversation before it even happens? Learn about the Time Distance Cover technique in this episode.

Communication, Manager Training

Difficult Conversations: Affect Labeling

Have your emotions gotten the best of you during a difficult time? Learn how affect labeling can help you self-regulate and advocate for what you need.

Communication

Difficult Conversations: The High Five Statements

Ever at a loss for what to say during a difficult conversation? In this episode, learn the High Five Statements that you can apply to any challenging conversation to move from conflict to connection.

Leading Change, Communication, Strategic Thinking

Difficult Conversations: Positions vs. Interests

Do you dread conflict? Do you find yourself getting defensive vs working towards a win-win solution? Listen to this episode of LifeLabs Learning’s podcast, The LeaderLab, to learn about the skill of uncovering underlying interests in a challenging conversation.

Strategic Thinking, Time Management, Resilience