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The Anxious Achiever

The Anxious Achiever

Author: Morra Aarons-Mele

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Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive.

Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163

180 Episodes
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Anxiety rarely feels good, so it might feel counterintuitive to think about it as a positive thing. But in this episode, we revisit a conversation with Wendy Suzuki, an NYU neuroscientist who studies neuroplasticity. Anxiety can bring benefits to performance and work, and we can reframe our relationship with this challenging but necessary emotion. Suzuki is the author of the book “Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion.” Learn more about Wendy here: https://www.wendysuzuki.com/
In the quest to be a more empathetic and effective leader or manager, the lens of trauma-informed leadership might be helpful for you. It’s the idea that all people have various forms of trauma that they carry with them to the workplace, and that leaders should approach situations at work accordingly. Matthew Cooke, partner at the coaching, consulting and investment firm Evolution, is a big proponent of this kind of thinking. He explains how a trauma-informed leader might view or act in situations differently, the skills and resources used for managing through tough moments, and how you can apply the concepts to your own work.  Learn more about trauma-informed leadership:  https://healthadministrationdegree.usc.edu/blog/trauma-informed-leadership https://accelerate.uofuhealth.utah.edu/leadership/five-ways-to-practice-trauma-informed-leadership https://www.fastcompany.com/90836621/we-need-trauma-informed-leadership-in-the-workplace https://evolution.team/matthew-cooke
Heather Hansen challenges the notion of "good" and "bad" English. Good communication is about getting the message across. She’s based in Singapore and helps executives with their linguistic and communication skills. Hansen is helping us tackle a real problem in our increasingly globalized work world: accent bias. Hansen is on a mission to help increase awareness about our assumptions of what “perfect” English sounds like-- and what we think a good leader sounds like. She explains the negative impacts that accent bias can have, and how we can fight it.  To learn more about Heather, check out her TedTalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/heather_hansen_2_billion_voices_how_to_speak_bad_english_perfectly
Uncertainty and anxiety are highly linked in our brains: when we aren’t sure what will happen, we often go into planning, defensive mode, trying to come up with every possible scenario and ensure a good outcome. Author Maggie Jackson looks at the ways that better managing uncertainty - like anxiety - is an essential skill. Reframing uncertainty helps us perform in challenging times. Jackson shares the latest brain science and shows being more comfortable in the unknown can help our careers and our success.  More about her book: https://www.maggie-jackson.com/uncertain
We all have big moments that shift the course of our life - and our relationship with those moments also change over time. Dan Harris was a long time TV journalist when he had a panic attack on air in 2004. That set in motion a different course in his life - where he began meditating, finding healthier ways to manage his anxiety, and hosting the podcast 10 Percent Happier. On the tenth anniversary of his book 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Really Works – a True Story he speaks with Morra Aarons-Mele about how work and public discussions of mental health has changed, how he views his life changing moment now, and what he wants next.  Check out his book here: https://www.amazon.com/10-Happier-10th-Anniversary-Works-dp-0063356473/dp/0063356473/ref=dp_ob_title_bk And listen to his podcast: https://pod.link/1087147821
You know the feeling when you know that something is off with a relationship at work, but feel like you can’t speak up? Many of us have felt this feeling but haven’t known how to describe it or work through it in a healthy way. Toxic bosses and coworkers are super common, and can send negative ripple effects throughout the organization, far beyond a one on one relationship.  Benish Shah was a trusted colleague of mine and she wrote the column “Is it Toxic?” to help workers navigate tricky situations in their jobs. In this episode, we get her expertise on how to deal with toxic bosses and coworkers in helpful and strategic ways. We lost Benish suddenly in December, but I’m honored to share some of the work that was so important to her and to help continue her impact.  Read Benish’s column here: https://www.themuse.com/advice/is-it-toxic-column-supportive-manager-180-grilling-nitpicking-micromanaging
We put so much of ourselves and our identity into our work; that’s especially true for entrepreneurs. It can be hard to deal with the emotions of selling the business you started, even when it’s the outcome you dreamed of. In this episode, we speak with two very different entrepreneurs about how their lives and mental health have changed over time, as they’ve created and sold businesses and changed career paths.  Bob Glazer is the founder of Acceleration Partners as well as the author of several books. Michael Kaplan is former CEO of Fashion to Figure, and part of the family that started the company Lane Bryant. Both share the ups and downs of their entrepreneurial journeys.  Learn more about Bob: https://robertglazer.com/ Learn more about Michael: https://www.alumni.hbs.edu/stories/Pages/story-bulletin.aspx?num=2490 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-kaplan-7679828/
For many of us, anxiety is a partner on our journey of life: it is always there. But a helpful reframe could also be the idea that anxiety is a habit. And the good news is: habits are something we can break. We’ll learn about how to recognize these habits and change them, especially at work.  In this episode Morra speaks with Dr. Judson Brewer, author of “Unwinding Anxiety” and journalist Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of Habit” as well as the new book “Supercommunicators.”  Check out Jud’s book here:  https://www.amazon.com/Unwinding-Anxiety-Science-Shows-Cycles/dp/0593330447 You can find Charles’ books here:  https://www.amazon.com/Supercommunicators-Unlock-Secret-Language-Connection/dp/0593243919 https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
How far have we come in terms of mental health at organizations, and how far do we still need to go? Kristin Maczko leads Strategic People Programs for Synopsys, but formerly served as the Head of Health and Wellbeing at Google before recently being laid off. She speaks with host Morra Aarons-Mele about how she’s seen workplace structures around mental health shift over time, the mistaken idea of mental health being only the individual’s responsibility, and how we separate our jobs from our core sense of self and value.  Hear more about Kristin on her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-self-at-work/id1686526288
Studies show that over 70 percent of us feel imposter syndrome at one time or another. But there’s a lot we still don’t know about the why, the how, the what. In this episode, imposter syndrome expert Lisa Orbe-Austin returns to the show to talk about the latest research, how we can start fresh this year, and what’s really holding us back in our careers.  Learn more about Lisa Orbe-Austin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaorbeaustin/
Congressman Adam Smith spent years quietly struggling with both anxiety and physical pain, while serving the people of his state and the entire country in Washington D.C. For many years, holding public office meant hiding things like mental health struggles, but things have changed recently. He speaks with host Morra Aarons-Mele about what his anxiety felt like (running on a treadmill that was slowly speeding up), how it impacted his job, how it has made him more empathetic, and how he hopes to change the conversation.  Find his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Broken-Journey-Chronic-Crippling/dp/0757324622
Leaders out there who are guilty of micromanaging might not immediately realize that it comes from a need for control, and probably a bit of anxiety. On the other side of the table, being micromanaged can have really negative impacts on our mental health. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Julia Milner, a leadership professor at EDHEC Business School, about how to recognize, handle, and prevent micromanaging in your work.  Read more here.
Charlene Li is someone who has spent her career focusing on digital transformations and disruptive leadership. And she practices what she preaches - she even helped host Morra Aarons-Mele set up an AI (check out morra.ai). Li shares how to define your individual purpose and find the motivation to “be great” in this special LinkedIn Live.  Read more: https://charleneli.com/thinking/
What can we learn about performance and mental health from professional athletes? As we start a new year off, Morra Aarons-Mele revisits her conversations with sports and performance psychologist Alex Auerbach, who works with the Toronto Raptors; and with former NFL star Ryan Mundy, who now runs a mental health start-up called Alkeme Health.  Learn more about Alex: https://twitter.com/AlexAuerbachPhD?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Learn more about Ryan and Alkeme Health: https://alkemehealth.com/
The limelight - and appreciation - given to medical professionals early in the pandemic has largely faded, but the stresses they face continue. In this episode, Morra speaks to a veterinarian and a physician about their personal mental health, compassion fatigue, and making decisions that go against the grain. Her guests are Chief Medical Officer at Mars Veterinary Health Molly McAllister and Dr. Ariela Marshall, a hematologist and health entrepreneur.
Do you feel lonely, even when you’re almost never alone? It’s a common feeling for many workers in the U.S. right now - with around 50 percent of Americans experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. That sense of loneliness has a huge impact on our collective mental health as well. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy speaks with host Morra Aarons-Mele in this special LinkedIn Live episode about what we can all do to improve the situation. Learn more here: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
Ever been at work and everyone starts talking about their recent trip to Italy, or their Ivy League college reunion coming up… and you just feel left out? Beyond money, class is something that also involves culture and it shows up everywhere - including at work. The stress we feel around class can have a big impact on our mental health, and it’s likely that our class also impacts how we approach our mental health. In this episode, we chat through all the ins and outs of class with Jonathan Menjivar, the host of the podcast Classy. Listen to his show here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/classy-with-jonathan-menjivar/id1692818989
The working world has gotten a lot more open about a lot of things, from mental health challenges to the realities of being a working parent. But a topic that is still taboo for many is the subject of menopause. Today's guests share why understanding more about this phase of life and how it affects women's physical and mental health is paramount to running a successful organization.  In this episode Morra speaks with Dan Simons, cofounder of Farmers Restaurant Group, a business with $100 million in revenue. He’s on a personal mission to normalize conversations about menopause at work as part of a larger part of his leadership which includes being more open about mental health. Joining the conversation with her perspective is Amy Gallo: author, contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, and cohost of the HBR podcast Women at Work. Read Dan's blog post here: https://medium.com/@dansimonssays/menopause-menallpause-leadersallpause-2fff22228dc0
Many in the U.S. this week are celebrating the holiday of Thanksgiving - which, unfortunately for many, can mean difficult conversations with family about money, politics, and even the past. At a time when old habits can re-emerge for people, host Morra Aarons-Mele revisits a conversation with Kathleen Smith about family systems theory. The role we played in our family of origin shapes how we show up as a leader and colleague. Smith is a writer, therapist, and associate faculty member at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family.
Today’s guest always seemed to seek out chaos in his career. It wasn’t until a diagnosis that he learned to manage his emotions, stay still, and practice consistency as a leader.  Bryce Seto is an SVP of Business Strategy and Business Development, and has been managing borderline personality disorder since he was diagnosed several years ago. He’s also cofounder of the Blossom Mental Health Fund and has been writing about his experience with BPD to decrease stigma and help the work world better understand what he - and so many others - goes through.  Read more about his story here: https://www.bryceseto.com/p/borderline-boy
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Comments (6)

Lia Thomas

Great podcast. Feels honest and relatable. Helps me be thoughtful about my process and path.

May 20th
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Alina Cota

Hello! I love this podcast so much. Truly. It struck a nerve the instant I heard it and I have recommended it to many since. When will the 2nd season start?

Mar 10th
Reply

Brooke Jackson

New to podcast, already hooked!

Jan 3rd
Reply

carlos gonzalez batres

Great episode, thanks for your work!

Nov 27th
Reply

Meta Minds

Great podcast, we are going to be following your progress! 🎙

Oct 11th
Reply

Rosaluna

Too bad that there is this annoying music in the background, not stopping and making it very difficult to listen to what you are saying 🙄😔 Could you please look into this?

Oct 1st
Reply
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