The Workplace Wonderers: Workplace Lessons from Experts

Why do great meetings feel effortless while others drain the life out of a room? Facilitator and OD leader Annie Grace joins Kara Kirby and Blake Cohen to explore the neuroscience and psychology of facilitation - from reading the room to building trust and regulating emotion in real time. The trio discusses power dynamics, trauma-informed practices, and how playful design (yes, even Post-its and LEGO) unlocks creativity and connect...

In this thought-provoking episode of Workplace Wonderers, hosts Blake Cohen and Kara Kirby dive deep into the evolving conversation around “toxic workplaces” — and why the term may be losing its punch. They explore the spectrum of workplace behavior, from subtle incivility to overt bullying, and the often-overlooked “mean girl” dynamics that can erode culture. The discussion takes unexpected turns into the psychology of leaders who...

In this episode of The Workplace Wonderers, Blake Cohen and Kara Kirby sit down with HR transformation expert and AI educator, Surbhi Ugra, for a refreshingly honest conversation about what AI really means for HR professionals. From resume scanners and hiring bots to "humans in the loop" and AI-powered retention strategies, they cut through the noise and break down what’s hype, and discuss what’s actually happening.

You’ll hear:

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In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Valencia Harris—nonprofit leader, educator, mother, and advocate—joins Blake and Kara for a passionate discussion about the intersection of education, mental health, and parenting.

With her signature warmth and eloquence, Dr. V shares personal stories about raising her son, navigating the public education system, and what it really means to empower young minds.

💡 Topics covered include:

* The...

In this episode, we sit down with Mike R. Sweeney—TEDx Speaker and Founder of Saber Coaching—to explore what it means to lead with nuance, empathy, and emotional intelligence in a world that often demands hard lines and quick answers.

Mike shares his powerful perspective on:

• Embracing “both/and” thinking instead of the limiting “either/or” mindset
• The importance of emotional intelligence and inclusive dialogue in conflict reso...

In this episode of The Workplace Wonderers, Kara Kirby sits down in person with Raleigh legend and hospitality powerhouse, Van Eure, owner of the iconic Angus Barn.

More than just a celebrated restaurant, the Angus Barn is a masterclass in workplace culture, leadership longevity, and service excellence. Van shares the rich history behind the family-owned establishment, and more importantly, her unique philosophy on leading with hea...

In this eye-opening episode of The Workplace Wonderers, Kara and Blake are joined by Dr. Noelle Santorelli, clinical psychologist and professor, to explore the complex and often unspoken world of Mean Girl Mom Culture.

Together, they dive into:

• Why some adult female dynamics turn toxic, especially in parenting and community settings

• The evolutionary psychology behind covert aggression in women

• How to recognize subtle rela...

In this episode of The Workplace Wonderers, Kara Kirby turns the mic on her co-host, Blake Cohen, for an honest and insightful conversation about his recent TEDx experience—from the rejections to the red dot.

Blake shares:

• How he was rejected over 10 times before finally landing a TEDx stage
• The surprising role that authenticity played in getting accepted
• What the pitch process really looks like behind the scenes
• The emotional...

In this episode of The Workplace Wonderer, Kara and Blake sit down with leadership powerhouse Chris Williams, a seasoned advisor with over 45 years of experience building and leading teams—from writing software to scaling departments to serving as VP of HR at Microsoft.

Together, they explore the often-overlooked plight of middle managers—those caught between strategic leadership and front-line execution.

Chris brings wisdom, wit, ...

In this episode, we sit down with the incredible Velma Knowles—a Gallup-certified strengths coach, public speaker, and leadership strategist—to dive deep into the communication blind spots that hold teams and leaders back.

We explore: ✅ How to identify and overcome common communication gaps ✅ Why strengths-based development is essential for leadership growth ✅ How Velma’s unique upbringing shaped her communication style and leaders...

In this enlightening episode of The Workplace Wonderers, hosts Blake Cohen and Kara Kirby engage with Nina Nesdoly—burnout and corporate stress management speaker, neuroscience researcher, and PhD candidate in Management.

Nina shares her unique blend of scientific insights and practical strategies to help individuals and organizations combat burnout and enhance productivity.​ Nina Nesdoly Drawing from her background in neuroscience...

In this heartwarming and eye-opening episode of Workplace Wonderers, hosts Blake Cohen (Founder of Mind Capital & Corporate Speaker) and Kara Kirby (Leadership Development Expert & Founder of Insight Leadership Group) sit down with the brilliant and beloved Henry Lucas, LCSW—owner of Louisville Health and Healing and CEO of the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition.

Henry brings humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom to a convers...

Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we work, learn, and lead — but can it ever replace great leadership?

In this episode of Workplace Wonderers, Kara Kirby and Blake Cohen tackle a big question: Will the rise of A.I. make human leadership skills obsolete, or will it make them more important than ever?

Guided by questions generated by artificial intelligence itself, Kara and Blake explore:

• The role of emotional intelli...

Welcome back to all of our listeners!

This week, we have Jason Seiden on the podcast to discuss his mission of improving how organizations cope and communicate with grieving team members. 

Jason and his wife have a powerful story that influenced their decision to start a passion project called Comfort Communications. Comfort Communications helps teams normalize grief and provides predictable, consistent, and effective support to be...

Welcome back to you all! Today's episode is deep dive into the Workplace Wonderer's new cohost, Kara Kirby. Kara details her professional journey telling us how she went from a small town in Texas, to teaching kids English in Mexico, to helping sell tires, to being the owner of a successful Organizational Development practice called Insight Leadership! We hope you enjoy the episode and getting to know Kara better. If you did, leave...

Hello to you all! Welcome back to another episode of the Wonderer Podcast hosted by Kara Kirby, Insight Leadership, and Blake Cohen, Mind Capital. On today's episode, Kara decided she wanted to take some time to interview Blake! They explore how he went from overcoming his own struggles with mental health concerns, to working in mental healthcare, and then eventually becoming an organizational and leadership psychologist. They talk...

Well, folks, we're back!

On this episode, we welcome Kara Kirby to the team as the new co-host of Workplace Wonderer Podcast alongside Blake Cohen.

On this episode, we take time to establish our working relationship live on the podcast!

We cover a wide range of topics and most importantly, how we see ourselves working together!

Oh, and we have some fun too!

Please enjoy this episode of the Workplace Wonderer Podcast and leave a com...

On this episode of the Workplace Wonderer, Blake Cohen sits down with his guest, Jonathan Bennett, to discuss the impact of creating a value-based organization on attracting customers.

The conversation explores this topic in detail and then turns to the two men's personal journies of growth and self-discovery. This vulnerable and insightful conversation ended up exploring topics that neither person expected, but both were delighted...

Clear #communication across your #team and #organization is crucial to the #success of your #business.

However, you may want to ask yourself, "How well am I doing at communicating clearly with my team?" The odds are that you think you're doing better than you actually are.

In this episode of the Workplace Wonderer, hosted by Blake Cohen, we sit down with Peggy Umbarger, Senior Branch Manager at Apple One Recruiting Services, to bre...