Your Working Life

Do you cringe at your own "ums," "uhs," or when you drop a slang word drop at work? Valerie Fridland , a linguist with two decades of research and author of Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English , joins Caroline to make the case that the speech habits we love to criticize are actually powerful social tools. Valerie explains why filled pauses help both speakers and listeners, how a word like "dude" can build connection across social divides, and why language change is natural rather than a sign of decline. More from Valerie Fridland: See more of Valeries work and order her books at her website . You can also follow her on LinkedIn . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

Are you constantly tempted by the next new phone, app, or trend, and wondering why it never delivers the satisfaction it promises? Eric Athas, an editor at The New York Times and author of Saying No to New: Why New Things Are Stealing Your Time, Money, and Happiness—And How to Take Back Your Life , joins Caroline to explore why we're wired to chase newness and what it costs us. Drawing on brain science, persuasion research, and interviews with scientists, philosophers, and decision-making experts, Eric explains how retailers, influencers, and technology exploit our impulses for quick dopamine hits. He shares a practical framework for deciding what deserves a place in your life and what to deflect. More from Eric Athas: Learn more about Eric, his work and subscribe to his newsletter at ericathas.com. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

Andrea Gash , a speaker, trainer, and career coach, joins Caroline to talk about how to move through grief and loss in both our personal and professional lives. Andrea explains why moving through loss, overwhelm, or an unexpected pivot isn't about bouncing back, but about rebuilding piece by piece. She shares her Momentum Method, a step-by-step framework for discovering who you are now and building a life that feels like your own. If you're standing in the "after" of a major life change and wondering what comes next, this conversation offers practical tools and encouragement to help you move forward with clarity and courage. More from Andrea Gash: Learn more about Andrea's work here , and order her book, Don't Bounce Back, Rebuild Forward: How to Reclaim Your Power When Life Breaks the Script . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

How to Harness AI-Human Collaboration with Paula Goldman Paula Goldman , the first-ever chief ethical and humane use officer at Salesforce, joins Caroline to talk about her new book, [ Manage the Machine: How to Harness Human-AI Collaboration at Work ]( https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paula-goldman/manage-the-machine/9781541608207/#:~:text=Manage the Machine is a,to corporate strategy to HR.) . A trained anthropologist who has advised the U.S. government on AI policy, Paula argues that the real competitive advantage will belong to companies that know where to preserve the human touch. She shares a practical framework for deciding which tasks to delegate to AI and where people should stay in charge. More from Paula Goldman: Follow Paula on LinkedIn and [buy her book here]( https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paula-goldman/manage-the-machine/9781541608207/#:~:text=Manage the Machine is a,to corporate strategy to HR.) . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: Minimal Brain Activity by Unheard Music Concepts. Free Music Archive. CC BY.

Natalia Emanuel and Emma Harrington are Harvard-trained economists and leading researchers on remote and in-person work, whose data-driven studies have tracked millions of work hours across Fortune 500 companies, startups, and call centers. In their new book In Person , they bring hard evidence to the contentious return-to-office debate, revealing that while remote work is fine for checking off tasks, being physically together dramatically boosts creativity, mentorship, and innovation. In this episode, they explain the science behind why in-person collaboration works—and offer practical, research-backed strategies for calculating the right amount of office time, preserving flexibility, and avoiding the RTO mandates that backfire. More from Emma and Natalia: You can learn more about Emma and Natalia (and order the book) at inpersonbook.com . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

Barb Betts is a keynote speaker, CEO, and author of The Relationship Advantage , who helps sales teams and leaders build the trust-based connections that actually drive revenue, retention, and stronger teams. With more than 23 years in sales and leadership, she built a seven-figure business for over a decade without ads or cold outreach—proof that relationships, not transactions, are the real driver of long-term success. In this episode, she shares her 5x5 Method™, a simple daily practice for building relationships before you need them, and explains how she turned that approach into a repeatable system now used across industries like healthcare, finance, and real estate. More from Barb Betts: Learn more about Barb and her work at [ barbbetts.com ]( http://barbbetts.comhttps ://barbbetts.com/). You can also follow her on Instagram . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: The Soft Approach by PC III. Free Music Archive. CC BY.

Rashmi Airan is a leadership expert and transformation strategist who once had it all, an Ivy League law degree and a high-powered Wall Street career. Then, a spectacular fall landed her in federal prison. Rather than let that failure define her, she rebuilt her life and now helps leaders and organizations do the same: face hard truths, build trust, and grow through discomfort instead of avoiding it. In this episode, she shares lessons from her book All Rise and its RISE framework, making the case that real growth only comes from moving through pain, not around it. More from Rashmi Airan: Learn more about Rashmi and her work at rashmiairan.com . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: Quickening by malictusmusic. Free Music Archive. CC BY. Minimal Brain Activity by Unheard Music Concepts. Free Music Archive. CC BY.

In this episode, Caroline interviews Jia Jiang, to discuss his new book, Easy Discipline: An Unconventional Way to Achieve Ambitious Things . Drawing on his own struggles with ADHD and procrastination, Jia argues that the most successful people don't rely on grit and willpower, they find ways to make hard things feel easy. If you've ever felt like discipline is a losing battle against distraction and disorganization, this conversation offers a refreshingly different approach to getting things done—and actually enjoying the process. More from Jia Jang: Learn more about Jia's work and order his book at www.jiajiang.com . You can also follow him on LinkedIn . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

Caroline Webb is a leadership coach, economist, and author of " Leadership Intelligence: Science-Based Strategies for Mastering Twenty-One Everyday Management Challenges ". In this episode, Caroline shares practical, science-backed strategies for making smarter decisions, managing conflict, building trust, and steering through uncertainty. Whether you're a new manager or a seasoned executive, her actionable playbook offers tools designed to make leadership feel less like guesswork and more like a craft you can master. More from Caroline Webb: Learn more about Caroline's work and order her book at https://carolinewebb.co . You can connect with her on LinkedIn , Facebook and Instagram . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: Liberosis by Nihilore. Free Music Archive. CC BY.

Lata Hamilton wants to help women navigate career transitions and earn what they're worth. Drawing on her own experience tripling her salary in three years, along with change management work that has touched over 100,000 people across major Australian companies, she offers practical strategies for pivoting careers, building unshakeable confidence, and future-proofing your professional path. In this episode, Lata shares real-world tools for overcoming self-doubt, identifying your ideal career direction, and maximizing your earning potential—plus her perspective on how AI is reshaping the future of work and career growth. More from Lata Hamilton: Learn more about Lata's work and order her book at www.latahamilton.com . Connect with her on LinkedIn . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

In this episode Caroline talks with Mary Helen Rogers, the Chief Marketing Officer at the International Sleep Products Association about how sleep and overall well being make us more productive at work. Mary Helen shares insights on why quality sleep matters and how small, consistent habits can help listeners start every day with a good night's sleep. Her practical, science-backed approach makes this a must-listen for anyone looking to improve their energy, focus, and overall quality of life. More from Mary Helen Rogers: Follow Mary Helen on LinkedIn . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

How do you keep climbing the corporate ladder while quietly panicking on the inside? Patty Azzarello knows firsthand. She became the youngest general manager in Hewlett-Packard's history at thirty-three, ran a billion-dollar business at thirty-five, and was a CEO by thirty-eight. In her new memoir, Why Is SHE Still Here? My Ungraceful Journey from the Playground to the Boardroom , Azzarello pulls back the curtain on what that rise actually felt like: the imposter syndrome, the awkward missteps, and the constant pressure to prove herself in a male-dominated industry. In this episode, Pattys shares the candid, funny, and vulnerable stories about what it looked like to show up scared but how she did it anyway. More from Patty Azzarello: Connect with Patty on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram (@pazzarello777). More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: The Soft Approach by PC III. Free Music Archive. CC BY.

What separates elite teams from average ones? According to psychologist Ron Friedman, it's not longer hours or more meetings, it's how teams manage energy, attention, and each other. Friedman, bestselling author of The Best Place to Work and Decoding Greatness , surveyed thousands of teams for his latest book, Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams , drawing on real-world examples from Michelin-starred kitchens to NBA locker rooms to Nobel Prize-winning labs. In this episode, he shares counterintuitive insights on what actually drives team performance, from the meeting rule that cuts time in half to why "top of the room" thinking is a warning sign. More from Ron Friedman: Order Ron's book and learn more about creating a superteam at superteamsinc.com . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

In this episode Caroline interviews Carrie Joy Grimes, the founder and CEO of WorkMoney, a nonprofit serving over 9 million Americans with practical financial guidance, and the author of the new book The Joy of Money: How to Do More With and Feel Better About Your Money No Matter How Much You Have . Drawing on her experience talking directly with everyday Americans about their finances, plus her own journey from living paycheck-to-paycheck to building a career helping others do better, Carrie Joy offers real strategies for navigating today's affordability crisis, from rising gas and healthcare costs to layoff anxiety. More from Carrie Joy Grimes: You can connect with Carrie on LinkedIn and Instagram (@therealcarriejoy). You can learn more about her work at workmoney.org . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

In this episode, Caroline talks with Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard, author of the new book Power Reimagined: My Mission to Get It, Grow It and Give It Away , she draws on personal stories—from a discrimination lawsuit she won as a teenager to negotiating equal pay as a junior attorney—to challenge conventional ideas about who holds power and how it's built. She offers a framework for turning obstacles into leverage through strategic relationships, hard conversations, and intentional courage. Khadijah shares practical lessons on claiming your voice as a source of strength, whether you're navigating a corporate career or your own life challenges. This conversation is for anyone looking to rethink their relationship with power, influence, and self-worth in the workplace. More from Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard: Follow Khadijah on Instagram @KhadijahDrinkard and LinkedIn . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: Upstream Color by Mike Wilson X. Free Music Archive. CC BY

Gustavo Razzetti, culture strategist and CEO of Fearless Culture, has spent 25 years helping teams break through the conversations they keep avoiding. In this episode, he introduces the concept of "conversational debt", the hidden cost that builds when smart people stay silent, talk in circles, or mistake politeness for progress. Drawing on his new book, Forward Talk , Gustavo breaks down the three patterns that keep teams stuck: avoidance, blame, and groupthink, and shares how leaders can turn stalled conversations into real decisions. If your team talks a lot but never seems to move forward, this conversation offers a framework for finally getting unstuck. More from Gustavo Razzetti: Follow Gustavo on LinkedIn and subscribe to his Subtack, Demystify Culture . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

In this episode of Your Working Life, Caroline Dowd-Higgins talks with Leidy Klotz about the power of our physical spaces. Klotz, a behavioral scientist and University of Virginia engineering professor, wrote the new book In a Good Place: How the Places Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive . While most self-improvement advice focuses on what we do, Klotz makes a compelling case for paying attention to where we do it. He argues the spaces we inhabit profoundly shape our habits, relationships, and sense of self in ways we rarely notice. More from Leidy Klotz: Order Leidy's book and learn more about his work at leidyklotz.com More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: Spring by 1000 Handz. Free Music Archive. CC BY

Today, we have an appointment with the "Teamwork Doctor"! Liane Davey is an organizational psychologist, CEO advisor, and author of her forthcoming book Thoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work . With over 25 years of experience advising teams at companies like Amazon, Google, and Walmart, Davey argues that today's workplace crisis isn't caused by oversized workloads — it's the mounting cognitive and emotional demands, what she calls "thoughtload," that are burning teams out and flattening results. Drawing on science-backed research, she offers managers and teams practical steps to cut through the noise, regain focus, and create the conditions for truly great work. More from Liane Davey: Order Liane's book and learn more about here work at lianedavey.com . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: Sweeping Broomstick by Jangwa. Free Music Archive. CC BY

Today's guest is Caroline Maguire, an internationally recognized social-emotional learning expert, ADHD coach, and author of the groundbreaking new book Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults: A Guide for the Anxious, Uniquely Wired, and Easily Distracted . Caroline offers neuroscience-grounded strategies for a community too often left out of conversations about connection, belonging, and professional success. Drawing on both her clinical expertise and her own lived experience with ADHD, dyslexia, and learning disabilities, Maguire explores why anxiety and self-judgment so often undermine meaningful connection, and what to do instead. More from Caroline Maguire: Order Caroline's book and learn more about her work at carolinemaguireauthor.com . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch .

In this episode of Your Working Life, Caroline Dowd-Higgins speaks with Minette Norman, keynote speaker, former software executive, and award-winning author about her new book The Psychological Safety Playbook for Changemakers . Despite psychological safety topping the list of leadership priorities, Minette explains why it still isn't working in most organizations and why mission statements and one-off trainings are no substitute for the micro-moments of everyday leadership. From how leaders respond to dissent to whether they genuinely welcome differing perspectives, she reveals that subtle behaviors send far louder messages than words ever could. More from Minette Norman: Learn more about Minette and her work at thepsychologicalsafetyplaybook.com . More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker , check out her books or get in touch . Music in this episode: Quickening by malictusmusic. Free Music Archive. CC BY