Are we leading from conscious choice, or from stress, ego, and conditioning? Who are we beneath the roles and personas we construct to function in society? What if the biggest problem in leadership isn’t strategy, but self-regulation?

In this episode, Aram Cargill unpacks with Sonja and Jamie a systems-based view of leadership rooted in neuroscience, physiology, and human behavior. Aram challenges common ideas around authenticity, arguing that leadership isn’t about self-expression, it’s about self-regulation, humility, and the ability to hold pressure without passing it on.

The conversation explores how being present in our body through stress relief, sleep, breath, and even food rituals shape our capacity to lead, why our digital environment is eroding our ability to relate to others, and what it means to build sustainable leadership in a rapidly changing world.

What do we lose when we resist inevitable change? How can organizations create stability in the face of constant evolution? How do we define progress if we're never truly "there yet"? Franziska Altenbeck, an industrial engineer and healthcare-sustainability innovator, is intimate with an ever-changing environment: she has relocated 17 times in her life and built a career across Germany, France, and beyond. In this episode, Franziska shares how a childhood in a coal-mining community shaped her relationship with change, and why she believes the inability to embrace it is one of society's greatest risks. The conversation travels through invisible labor in the workplace, caregiving skills that never show up on a performance review, the dangers of taking AI at face value, and what it means to be a bridge builder rather than a trailblazer: a rich, wide-ranging discussion about leadership, authenticity, and what it truly means to grow.

Who are we if our identity is wrapped up in how others see us? What happens to leadership when a generation grows up on shortcuts and instant answers? What kind of society are we creating when we prioritize results over process? Derek Hyde, an American educator in Germany, reflects with Sonja and Jamie on identity, change, and AI in the classroom. Drawing on his military and international school experience, he explains how diversity turns students into subject‑matter experts and future leaders by recognizing that everyone has value. The conversation explores how one's identity is shaped both internally and by others’ perceptions, especially for third‑culture kids, and touches on a warning that AI and information overload have the potential to erode process, critical thinking, and resilience in our future leaders. Progress may move at a different pace for everyone, but without its daily churn, we will never reach our goals.

Who should own, control, and profit from data? Will AI ultimately kill more jobs, or create them? Are the human timescale and the AI timescale compatible? Technology evangelist Kevin O’Donovan joins Sonja and Jamie to unpack how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping organizations, energy systems, and everyday work. Kevin explains why AI is different from past tech waves, acting as a horizontal force that touches every function, from engineering and procurement to HR and customer support. Can large organizations really reskill their way through disruption without also changing their mindset and culture? In a world increasingly reliant on electricity faced with mounting pressure on energy systems from data centers, electric vehicles, and automated factories, how does AI both drive demand and enable smarter grids, materials, and optimization? The conversation zooms in on people: who wins, who risks being left behind, and how small and medium businesses can use AI as a great leveler. In a world of unknowns—from geopolitics to AI—are we doomed to chaos, or are we humans wired to make it through?

Can technology ever truly replace the human touch in client relationships? How can one adapt a communication style to ensure one's advice is truly understood? How does authentic team connection strengthen organizational success? Sonja and Jamie interview Ryan Vogel, Chief Planning Officer at Novi Wealth Partners, on the importance of personalized communication and deep understanding of client needs, particularly during times of distress. Vogel highlights the role observation plays in tailoring advisor-client interactions, and honors team diversity as a bedrock of organizational sustainability and, ultimately, client satisfaction. Despite AI's potential to transform his industry, Vogel believes the human element remains crucial in building sustainable, authentic relationships with clients.

Today’s learners are tomorrow’s leaders. How can we help young people build a solid foundation now to succeed in an increasingly uncertain future? As AI rewrites the rules of the classroom, what must we do to keep humanity and equity at the heart of education? How can school leaders truly support educators and students through upheaval and innovation? And what does radical acceptance have to do with fostering ethical, lasting change?

In this episode, Sonja and Jamie welcome nationally recognized education leader and social impact strategist Justine González. Justine shares her journey of self-acceptance, lessons learned from leading change in some of the country’s largest school districts, and how she helps educators navigate stress, transformation, and the evolving classroom. Together they unpack the power of honest self-reflection, the importance of listening to all voices in a community, and the promise and pitfalls of technology in our schools. Join us for an inspiring conversation on resilience, leadership, and what it takes to reimagine education for everyone.

How can the principles of tending a sustainable garden transform the way we lead in business? In this episode, Sonja and Jamie talk with Caroline and Vincent Jeanteur, co-founders of executive coaching firm Emergentiel, about weaving permaculture principles into business strategy. Rooted in ethical land stewardship, permaculture offers a powerful framework for reimagining how organizations use resources, engage teams, and measure success, much as you would when growing food for harvest. Caroline and Vincent share how trust, vulnerability, and open dialogue can spark innovation, and how “edge thinking”—seeking ideas from unexpected places and valuing out-of-the-box directions—fuels creative breakthroughs. The conversation also explores nature as a coaching tool, helping leaders gain new perspectives and strengthen team dynamics through shared observation. From decentralization to multi-local strategies, we invite our audience to rethink leadership, cultivate resilience, and embrace a more human-centered approach to corporate leadership by looking to the land as teacher.

Who are we without a living relationship to place and community? How do we measure progress in ways that keep people and systems alive? Season 3 of Are We There Yet? opens with an exploration of what it means to live off the land—metaphorically, physically, collectively. Despite being creatures who created rich cultural traditions rooted in ancestral place, we are also now global citizens, and for many our connection to land has been fractured, potentially altering who we are as a species. So what does it mean to “return to the land” in a modern, digitized life? 

With each new episode, Season 3 will focus on the lessons we can learn from permaculture—a modern philosophy built on indigenous traditions co-developed over millennia as we evolved in our environment—as both a land-based practice and a framework for living. Within a structure provided by the twelve principles of permaculture, hosts Sonja Ernst and Jamie Hardy discuss how the philosophy’s core ethics—Earth care, people care, and fair share—extend beyond gardening to shape business, communication, and personal growth in ways that will help shape our future for the better.

You’ve worked tirelessly and achieved the pinnacle of what is humanly possible long before turning 30. Then what? What measures success when medals fade into memory? Are we more defined by expectations—our own, others’—or by the choices we make every day? When staring down burnout, is stepping back quitting, or preserving oneself? Olympic bronze medalist swimmer Natalie Hinds shares with Sonja and Jamie her powerful journey from Midland, Texas—where she followed her older sister into the pool and kindled a love of swimming—to the international stage. As one of the few Black girls in her community sport, Natalie forged a new path for herself and others to follow in her wake. But this success came with intense pressure, ultimately leading to burnout. After time away from competition helped her rediscover her passion and clarify her goals, Natalie returned at the top of her game. Now half a decade later and leading a life largely off the blocks, she has a wise perspective on the connection between teamwork and leadership, as well as the value of prioritizing mental health and wellbeing. Natalie’s story is an inspiring reminder that success isn’t just about medals—it’s about embracing the journey, finding balance, and leading with authenticity.

How do we balance a life-defining career with the strain it can place on life outside it? How can we reconcile complex identities that may clash at home and in our careers? When a profession shapes your identity, who are you once it ends? 

Mary Winchester and Sarah Defur’s stories reveal how unexpected detours can lead to purpose, leadership, and resilience. Mary’s path began at seventeen in the Army Reserves, evolving into a vital biomedical engineering role during Operation Desert Storm. Sarah, once set on becoming a veterinarian, found her calling in firefighting and emergency medicine. In this powerful season two extra about the stratospheric highs and chasmic depths, both women share how they faced life’s toughest moments—Mary’s sudden job loss and Sarah’s heartbreaking loss of a child—with strength, faith, and the sometimes awkward but always well-meaning support of their communities. Navigating high-stakes careers in male-dominated fields, they reflect on stepping into leadership, challenging norms, and forming deep bonds through shared experiences. In a refreshing take on our eternal question, are we ever really “there,” or is life just chapters of becoming?