The E Word with Karen & Brittany
The E Word is a bold conversation about culture, leadership, power, and identity—and how the systems that shape them influence the way we live, work, and lead. Hosted by leadership strategists Karen McFarlane and Brittany S. Hale, The E Word is made for curious leaders, culture shapers, and deep thinkers navigating power, purpose, and change. Each episode explores the structures, decisions, and dynamics driving business, politics, culture, and everyday life. Grounded in Aristotle’s five intellectual virtues, we connect the dots between timeless wisdom and today’s most urgent questions to help you find your power, reimagine what’s possible, and shape the world you want to see
Episodes
The smartest leaders don’t think in one gear; they shift. In this episode of The E Word, we explore six distinct modes of thinking—emotion, logic, intuition, motivation, creativity, and the brain-body connection—and how each one drives clarity, connection, and decision-making.
We start with the physical: sleep, hydration, oxygen, and movement—the real OS of your brain. From there, we explore how leading with emotion and i...
Ever notice how a quiet phone unlocks a sharper mind? In this episode of The E Word, we trade the buzz of notifications for the kind of focus that fuels real leadership. Through the lens of the SPENT framework, Brittany and Karen break down what it means to lead with intention, whether you’re managing paid staff, motivating volunteers, or planning for what (and who) comes next.
We explore practical wisdom (phronesis) in a...
Cameras love a glow-up, but what happens when the glow shines too brightly on the truth you're trying to outrun?
In this episode of The E Word, we discuss the Wendy and Eddie Osefo insurance fraud allegations and trace the slippery slope from reality TV stardom to legal exposure. We break down how social media, simulacra, and spectacle create pressure to perform polished personas at all costs, often at the expense of...
Who gets the ride and at what cost? A new lawsuit claims that women-only rideshare options discriminate against men, but the real issue runs deeper. In this episode of The E Word, Karen and Brittany explore what happens when product design, legal frameworks, and lived experience collide.
We break down Uber’s safety data, how Safety Risk Assessed Dispatch (SRAD) works, and the early signs that smarter routing may reduce ha...
The Diddy documentary (Sean Combs: The Reckoning) doesn’t just revisit an era; it puts a magnifying glass on how power moves through music, media, and myth. We examine what the four-part series actually shows beyond headlines and why the tight storytelling lands more like a character study than a scandal reel.
From the Uptown days to global branding, we trace how image-making blurred into control, how a reality TV “work e...
Have you ever thanked your past self for making life a little easier today? That simple gesture reflects something deeper: the kind of practical wisdom (phronesis) that fuels human flourishing.
In this episode of The E Word, we explore how Aristotle’s five intellectual virtues—through our SPENT framework—can guide us toward a more intentional, joyful, and purpose-driven life. What starts as a philosophical reflection quic...
What does it really mean to pivot with purpose? In this episode of The E Word, Brittany and Karen discuss the layered controversy around Tabitha Brown’s viral advice to struggling entrepreneurs: “Get a job.” What seems like simple, practical wisdom sparked unexpected backlash, revealing just how deeply social media resists nuance.
Drawing from their own experiences with task management and necessary change, the hosts expl...
It started with a kiss on the Jumbotron.
When the CEO and Chief People Officer of Astronomer showed up mid-embrace at a Coldplay concert—on screen, no less—they probably didn’t expect it to go viral. But those few seconds set off a firestorm: internal resignations, external backlash, and an urgent conversation about boundaries, bias, and what it means to lead in public.
In this episode of The E Word, Brittany and Karen bre...
What does it take to belong, and what are we willing to trade for acceptance? In this episode of The E Word, we discuss the spectacle of “Bama Rush,” where sorority recruitment at the University of Alabama has become a high-stakes, high-cost performance.
From rush coaches charging thousands to curated Instagram feeds and rehearsed conversations, we explore how young women are taught to shape-shift for approval—often at th...
What if ancient wisdom held the keys to thriving in today’s world? In Season 3 of The E-Word, we’re expanding our focus from equity to eudaimonia, the Greek idea of living a flourishing, meaningful life rooted in truth, virtue, and excellence. Equity is still in the mix, but now it lives within a bigger conversation about what it means to live and lead well.
Leadership strategists Karen McFarlane and Brittany S. Hale int...
What does it mean when a university’s right to admit international students comes under legal challenge? In this episode, Karen and Brittany explore Harvard’s recent court victory and what it reveals about the balance between institutional autonomy, educational values, and evolving policy priorities.
At the heart of the case is a deeper conversation about academic freedom and the idea that universities should have the spa...
Two people. Same background. Completely different digital realities. How?
In this episode, we unravel the invisible influence of algorithms and how personalized feeds quietly shape your worldview, reinforcing what you already believe and filtering out anything that challenges it.
From college debates that once built mental muscle to today’s one-tap echo chambers, we explore what we’ve lost—and how it affects everything fr...
What if the categories we use to define race are more limiting than enlightening? In this episode, Karen and Brittany unpack actor Malik Yoba’s recent statement that he no longer identifies as a “Black man” but as “non-white”—a personal choice that opens the door to a much bigger conversation.
Together, they explore how racial classifications have shifted over time and across borders—from South Africa’s former system to t...
Deloitte says “everyone is welcome”—but just scrapped its DEI goals, transparency reporting, and inclusive programming in the U.S. In this episode, Brittany and Karen confront the contradiction and ask: what happens when companies eliminate the very tools that make inclusion measurable?
From the quiet ban on pronouns in email signatures to inconsistent global policies (Deloitte UK is still all-in on DEI), we explore how t...
This International Women's Day, Karen and Brittany delve into a pressing issue: the federal government's removal of terms like "women," "Black," "Latinx, "mental health," "climate change," "gender" and a host of other words from official communications. They share personal stories of influential women in their lives—mothers balancing careers and family, gra...
In this episode, Karen and Brittany delve into how society perceives and reacts to displays of wealth, sparked by a recent Real Housewives of Beverly Hills episode where a cast member declared, "my wallet is bigger." They explore why we often associate positive traits like intelligence and morality with financial status and how these perceptions influence our interactions.
The discussion touches on the adage &q...
Think diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is just about race and gender? Think again. DEI frameworks impact nearly everyone—veterans, parents, caregivers, disabled individuals, and more—by breaking down barriers to success and ensuring true merit can shine.
In this episode, we tackle the biggest misconceptions about DEI, including the idea that it undermines meritocracy (hint: it actually strengthens it). We explore ho...
We're unpacking a gripping Reddit post about a woman questioning her reaction to her fiancé’s Republican views on the federal financial aid freeze. Their story opens up a broader conversation on government subsidies, military service benefits, and how to navigate political differences in relationships.
We also dive into deep-seated biases within the military, the role of education and financial aid in creating opport...
Target’s latest DEI moves are stirring up conversation—are they reacting to political pressure or making a strategic business play? We break down the end of their three-year DEI goals, the impact of past controversies (hello, Pride Month backlash), and what it all means for the brand’s future.
We also explore how big brands can make DEI more than just a corporate checkbox, the influence of Black consumer spending, and fre...
Contrary to the headlines, McDonald's isn’t abandoning its DEI principles—it’s been blending them into its secret sauce all along.
In this episode, we dig beneath the headlines to explore McDonald's purpose and impact report, highlighting what the global giant is getting right, where we disagree and see a higher opportunity for its actions, and why its evolution could light the way for other organizations. From ...
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