Part of being human: A conversation about vulnerability and bias.

Bias isn’t always intentional—it’s often unconscious, shaped by survival instincts and reinforced by daily habits. In this episode of the comfy chairs, Kate Johnson sits down with leadership coach and licensed clinical social worker Sarah Harris to explore how bias influences workplace culture, decision-making, and team dynamics.

From confirmation bias to the “prove it again” bias, they unpack the ways hidden assumptions can derail inclusion and equity. Sarah shares practical strategies for increasing self-awareness, using feedback loops to reveal blind spots, and fostering psychological safety so that every team member can contribute meaningfully.

Sarah also highlights insights from her book, The Culture Garden, offering a roadmap for leaders who want to create healthier, more inclusive organizations where people thrive.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.
• Visit Sarah’s website.
• Check out Sarah’s book, The Culture Garden.

Resources mentioned in our conversation:

• Project Implicit
• Bias Interrupters’ Approach

Got something on your mind? A tricky situation at work? A leadership topic you’re curious about? Share your questions here: https://www.one23ltd.com/comfyhq

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

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In this comfyHQ installment of the comfy chairs podcast, Kate explores two core leadership questions:

1. How can I manage my insecurities while projecting confidence? We walk through practical steps for naming, containing, and balancing your insecurities with a clear-eyed view of your strengths. This isn’t about false bravado — it’s about cultivating honest self-awareness and healthy confidence.
2. What qualities do all successful leaders share? Listen for five essential traits that define effective leadership: knowing the business, connecting people’s needs with results, practicing active emotional intelligence, recognizing leadership is about others, and keeping the future visible and concrete for the team.

Packed with insights and encouragement, this episode reminds us that successful leadership isn’t perfection — it’s practice.

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

In this episode of the comfy chairs, I sit down with Thom Dennis to talk about leadership mindsets and what it means to “rewild” corporate culture.

Thom shares stories from his eclectic journey and how each stage has shaped his perspective on leadership. Together, we explore why mindset matters as much as action, the balance of masculine and feminine energies in leadership, and how trust, presence, and autonomy can transform organizations.

This conversation is both grounding and expansive, touching on the need for empathy, self-awareness, and creating systems that reinforce—not erode—our shared humanity at work.

Listen in for insights on:

• Why leaders need to experiment with full presence.
• How “rewilding” offers a new metaphor for corporate life.
• The role of courage, humility, and listening in leadership that lasts.

Connect with Thom on LinkedIn.

Visit the Serenity in Leadership website.

Got something on your mind? A tricky situation at work? A leadership topic you’re curious about? Share your questions here: https://www.one23ltd.com/comfyhq

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

In this comfyHQ episode of the comfy chairs,we tackle two common leadership struggles: how to set boundaries without seeming unavailable, and what to do when you catch yourself avoiding a tough conversation. With practical examples and reflective insights, Kate shows how both challenges come down to the same leadership essentials—clarity, care, and courage.

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

We’re taking our first-ever Summer hiatus here at the comfy chairs! We’ll be back with all-new episodes on September 2nd. Until then, we've curated a few of our shorter, comfyHQ episodes for you to revisit and enjoy.

So, this week, here's "make sense of things," where we provide answers to help you harness the power of stories as leadership tools and provide practical strategies for navigating ambiguity with confidence, clarity, and trust.

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

We’re taking our first-ever Summer hiatus here at the comfy chairs! We’ll be back with all-new episodes on September 2nd. Until then, we've curated a few of our shorter, comfyHQ episodes for you to revisit and enjoy.

So, this week, here's "hold this mindset," where we answer questions about balancing empathy and authority, and modeling accountability without harshness.

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

Your most impactful self: A conversation about identifying blind spots.

In this episode of the comfy chairs, Kate Johnson sits down with Benah Parker, PhD, a social psychologist and executive coach, to explore the power of intentional identity in leadership. Together, they delve into the importance of self-awareness and how blind spots can derail leadership effectiveness. Bena shares her five-step Strategic Identity Shift framework, offering practical guidance on how leaders can reshape their identities to align with their values and vision. The conversation also emphasizes the significance of rest, self-compassion, and the continuous work of refining one’s leadership identity to foster trust, growth, and resilience.

Leaders, it’s time to take a deeper look at who you are and who you want to become.

• Connect with Benah on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Level 42 Consulting.

Got something on your mind? A tricky situation at work? A leadership topic you’re curious about? Share your questions here: https://www.one23ltd.com/comfyhq

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

In this comfyHQ episode of the comfy chairs, Kate tackles three everyday leadership questions with her signature blend of clarity, candor, and care.

→ How do I help my team members grow when there’s no clear promotion path?

→ How can I get better at listening instead of jumping in with solutions?

→ What’s one simple way to encourage more ownership from my team?

These questions reveal deeper truths about how leaders define their roles, shape expectations, and support employee success. Kate offers practical tools like sticky-note mindset reminders, expectation-setting checklists, and even T-charts for role reflection. Whether you lead a team of two or twenty, this episode will help you step out of the weeds and into the work of real leadership.

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

What happens when you stop hiring for experience and start hiring for strengths?

In this episode of the comfy chairs, I talk with Dr. Mike Neal, optometrist and founder of Build My Team, about the moment he realized traditional hiring wasn’t working—and what he built instead. Drawing inspiration from Disney and the Ritz-Carlton, Mike created a system that helps small businesses (especially medical practices) hire better, faster, and more fairly. Together, we explore what it means to lead with clarity, reduce bias, and take the emotion out of hiring without losing the human element. We also talk candidly about managing underperformance, creating entry-level roles with purpose, and why predictable systems are a gift to growing teams.

If you're hiring (or thinking about it), this one’s for you.

• Connect with Dr. Mike on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Build My Team.

Got something on your mind? A tricky situation at work? A leadership topic you’re curious about? Share your questions here: https://www.one23ltd.com/comfyhq

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

In this comfyHQ installment, Kate tackles three leadership questions that share a common root: self-awareness.

She shares best practices for time management that actually work, rethinks the idea of “work-life balance” through the lens of needs and priorities, and offers a grounded approach to self-advocacy that doesn’t veer into self-serving.

• What are the best practices for time management as a leader?

• What are tips or suggestions for balancing work and life?
• How can I advocate for myself without coming off as self-serving?

If you’ve ever felt stretched too thin or struggled to ask for what you need, this episode will help you realign with clarity and courage.

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Music by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay