In this insightful and heart-opening episode of the Expert Speaker Podcast, host Majeed Mogharreban sits down with Marcelle Xavier, an expert in human connection, relationships, and the role of love in business and leadership.

Marcelle shares her decade-long research on how love and connection influence leadership, team performance, and personal growth. From quitting her corporate job to studying at Schumacher College in the UK, to leading Instituto Amuta in Brazil, Marcelle has dedicated her career to helping people design environments that foster deep connection, authenticity, and human flourishing.

If you want to build stronger relationships, create a more connected workplace, or simply redefine what love means in a professional setting, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

✅ Love is Essential for Innovation & Success – Businesses often focus on efficiency, but Marcelle argues that human connection is the missing piece for true innovation and collaboration.

✅ Why Self-Love Alone Isn’t Enough – Marcelle challenges the popular belief that "you must love yourself first" and instead shares how love is cultivated through community and relationships.

✅ Love in the Workplace – Introducing love in professional settings isn't about romance—it's about creating a culture of trust, appreciation, and support that leads to high performance.

✅ Creating Thinking Environments – Inspired by Nancy Klein’s Thinking Environment and Humberto Maturana’s research on love, Marcelle explains how the way we treat people directly influences their ability to think, create, and lead.

✅ Cultural Differences in Connection & Expression – Marcelle shares how Brazil, the UK, and other cultures differ in the way they express love, affection, and connection—and what businesses can learn from these differences.

✅ The Science of Love & Intelligence – Love isn’t just emotional—it actually makes us smarter, more adaptable, and more creative. Marcelle shares how companies can leverage love as a leadership tool.

✅ Simple Gestures That Transform Relationships – Whether in the workplace or personal life, small changes—like thoughtful gestures, intentional conversations, and creating safe spaces—can have a huge impact on relationships and culture.

Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Love is the emotion that makes us smarter.” – Marcelle Xavier 🗣️ “If I love you, I see you as a legitimate you—not just a projection in my mind.” – Marcelle Xavier 🗣️ “Creating environments where people feel safe, seen, and valued is the foundation of high performance.” – Marcelle Xavier 🗣️ “We don’t just need to change ourselves; we need to change the environments that allow people to flourish.” – Marcelle Xavier

Action Steps

🎯 Start small – Look for one simple, thoughtful action you can take today to improve connection in your workplace or relationships.

🎯 Redefine self-love – Instead of trying to force self-love in isolation, ask: What kind of environment helps me feel valued and cared for?

🎯 Explore Marcelle’s Work – Follow Instituto Amuta for more insights on creating connection, community, and transformative environments.

🎯 Want to bring love & connection into your workplace? – Marcelle offers facilitation, workshops, and corporate consulting to help teams build stronger, more authentic relationships.

Final Thoughts

Love and connection aren’t just for personal life—they are essential for leadership, innovation, and business success. Whether you’re leading a team, running a business, or navigating personal relationships, fostering an environment of genuine connection will help you build stronger, more fulfilling relationships in all areas of life.

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