What if the strongest leader in the room is also the kindest, and that combination is precisely what helped build a global legal powerhouse?

In this episode of Finding Your Inner Mister Rogers, I sit down with Miguel Zaldívar, Global Chief Executive Officer of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, honored in our neighborhood as “The Global Architect.” Miguel shares a leadership philosophy that stands out in the corporate world for all the right reasons: deep humility, unyielding hard work, and a profound respect for human dignity.

From attending night school in Miami while working full-time to leading one of the world’s largest and most prestigious law firms, Miguel’s story is about far more than executive success. It’s a masterclass in staying grounded, leading with radical empathy, and keeping human connection at the center, especially when the pressure is at its highest.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Kindness as a Competitive Advantage: Why high performance and compassionate leadership are not mutually exclusive, but mutually reinforcing.
• The Journey of Resilience: How starting at night school shaped his perspective as a global leader guiding tens of thousands of employees at Hogan Lovells Cadwalader.
• Building a Values-Driven Culture: How to cultivate trust, institutional integrity, and authentic community across a global enterprise.
• Living the "95% Rule": Recognizing the unseen burdens team members carry and leading with a sense of shared humanity every day.

What I appreciated most about Miguel is his steadfast belief that you can achieve extraordinary professional heights without losing yourself (or your kindness) along the way. This conversation is an inspiring guide for anyone looking to build a culture of trust, purpose, and enduring impact.

#findingyourinnermisterrogers # servantleadership #95percentrule #Leadingwithkindness 

In this episode, Todd Faber talks with Jon Rubinstein, founder of Joe Coffee Company, about how he built a New York institution by centering kindness, hospitality, and a genuine sense of community. What began as a single Greenwich Village storefront grew into a beloved brand with 24 cafes, a roastery, and a wholesale business, but the real product was always the experience: making people feel seen, welcome, and valued.John shares how Joe Coffee became a “third place” for regulars, artists, students, and even celebrities, and explains the leadership philosophy that kept the culture intact as the company scaled. He reflects on hiring from within, training staff to lead with warmth, and eventually stepping back as CEO to hand the business to a longtime employee.

The conversation also explores legacy, mentorship, and the tension between kindness and accountability. Jon and Todd discuss what it means to lead as a guide rather than a boss, and why the strongest organizations are built around trust, humanity, and relationships that last.

The quiet power of leadership

One of the best leadership lessons I’ve heard lately came not from a boardroom or a keynote, but a children’s museum. 

On this week's episode of Finding Your Inner Mister Rogers, I talked to Carole Charnow about what it means to lead an institution built around play, access, and belonging, and one thing kept coming through: Real leadership is not just about what you build, it’s about who you make room for. Carole has spent years making sure Boston Children’s Museum is truly for all children. Whether keeping a $1 admission program alive, creating free access days for Boston families, building programs for children with autism and severe medical needs, or simply providing usable space for kids with wheelchairs, hearing differences, sensory needs, and more.

What struck me most was how she talked about access. Not as a side program or a nice extra, but as the mission. She said something that truly resonated: "When you put a stake in the ground about what you will allow, access can’t be optional." That’s leadership. The other thing I loved was her approach to people. She spoke about fundraising as relationship building. About staff as people who need space to try, learn, and sometimes be wrong. About culture as something that takes time, patience, and shared values. And when one of their small experiments, a summer camp, turned into a huge success, her instinct wasn’t to claim the win. It was to say, in effect: try it, learn from it, and if it works, great. Maybe that’s the part we don’t talk about enough. Kindness is not soft. Patience is not passive. And making room for people is not the opposite of strong leadership, it might be the definition of it. 

“We hide the learning in the fun and play.”

#FindingYourInnerMrRogers #Leadingwithkindness #95percentrule #accesibilityforall

The most effective leaders I’ve known don’t lead with certainty. They lead with trust.

On this week's episode of Finding Your Inner Mister Rogers I talked to Angelo Santinelli about mentorship, leadership, and what it really takes to build a culture people want to stay in. One line stayed with me:

"Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care."

That’s not soft leadership, that’s the foundation. Angelo made a point I think a lot of leaders miss: Trust isn’t built by having the answer to everything. It’s built through care, competence, consistency, character, and yes, vulnerability too. But not the kind that disappears under pressure. The kind that can say, "I don’t know yet, let’s figure it out." That balance matters:

Too much certainty and people stop telling you the truth.

Too much uncertainty and they stop trusting you.

What stood out most was how he connected leadership to values. Not just what people say they value, but what they actually choose when things get hard. Because in the real world, that’s where leadership shows up. In the hard conversations, the trade-offs and the moments when the easy choice is usually the wrong one. Worth thinking about.

The best leadership lesson I know is simpler than we make it

Jane Steinmetz said something that stuck with me:

When she tried to lead like the people already at the top, it didn’t work.

When she stopped performing and started being herself, everything changed.

That’s not just a career lesson. It’s a human one.

Jane was the first woman to lead a Big Four office in Boston. She’s also helped build EY’s Neurodiverse Center of Excellence, because she sees neurodiversity for what it is - not a problem to work around, but a competitive advantage.

That same mindset showed up again when we talked about mentorship, housing, childcare, and even environmental stewardship.

The thread was always the same:

Leadership is not about looking impressive.

It’s about making more room for other people to thrive.

Maybe that’s the point.

“If you don’t have time to play, you don’t have time to BE. Play isn’t what you do, but rather it’s the spirit and intention with which you do everything.” Steve Gross

In my latest episode of Finding Your Inner Mr. Rogers I sat down with a man I like to call "Mr. Rogers in a hoodie", Steve Gross, Founder & Chief Playmaker at the Life is Good Playmaker Project.

Steve is a clinical social worker who has spent over 30 years using the discipline of play to restore safety and joy for children surviving unimaginable adversity, from post-earthquake Haiti to Newtown, CT.

In this episode we dive deep into:

-Why play is a prerequisite for resilience, creativity, and leadership

-How to sit with people in their pain without letting it crush your optimism

-The difference between authentic support and "toxic positivity"

-How to practice my "95% Rule" in high-stress environments

🎥 Watch the 30-second snippet below for a preview of our conversation!

🎧 Listen/Watch the full episode now: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube (Link in comments/bio)!

#FindingYourInnerMrRogers #Leadingwithkindness #LifeIsGood #Playmaker #95percentrule

In this deeply reflective conversation, Todd Faber sits down with Lawrence S. DiCara, longtime Boston civic leader, attorney, and author, to explore what it means to lead with empathy during moments of conflict and change. Larry shares firsthand memories from the busing crisis, Boston’s financial struggles in the 1970s, and the challenges of navigating public life while staying grounded in service to the community. At the heart of the discussion is a powerful theme: shared humanity. Larry explains how listening, face-to-face conversation, and finding common ground have shaped both his legal career and his decades of public service. He reflects on the mentors, teachers, and family members who influenced him, and why history matters so much when confronting today’s divisions.From Boston politics to workplace culture, from civic memory to the importance of treating everyone with dignity, this episode offers a thoughtful reminder that real leadership is not about titles, but rather it’s about connection, humility, and showing up for others.

10 episodes in, and I’m just getting started. 🎙️

Celebrating a milestone this week and reflecting on the powerful lessons these first ten episodes have revealed about leading with heart.

When I set out on this journey, I wanted to find the real leaders walking among us. The ones in our own neighborhoods who lift others up, acknowledge their victories, and sit with them in their defeats.

Turns out, true leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about empathy that takes courage.

This milestone isn’t just about publishing episodes. It’s about the stories, the hard-earned lessons, and a daily reminder that kindness can shape whole communities.

Thank you to everyone who has tuned in, shared an episode, or joined the conversation. Here’s to the next thirty that are coming soon!

#10Episodes #PodcastMilestone #LeadWithHeart #95percentrule #KindnessMatters #FindingYourInnerMisterRogers

How do tiny daily habits shape a happier life? In this episode of Finding Your Inner Mr. Rogers, I’m joined by Pam Garramone, M.Ed., the award-winning positive psychology speaker, life coach, founder of Thrive Now Boston, and author of Be Happier — to explore the science of happiness, micro-habits, self-compassion, and why kindness is still one of the most powerful forces we have.

Pam shares practical, science-backed ways to reduce stress, build resilience, and create real emotional well-being without toxic positivity or massive life overhauls. We talk about everything from tiny rituals and self-care resets to identifying your signature strengths and using them to show up better in work, relationships, and daily life.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by change, burnout, or the pressure to “have it all together,” this conversation is a reminder that small, intentional steps can create meaningful change.

#FindingYourInnermisterRogers #95percentrule #leadingwithempathy #PositivePsychology #MicroHabits #leadingwithkindness

The most radical thing we can be right now? Kind. Here's why leads a community helper to truly connect.

Drop a 💙 if you agree kindness is the secret to real leadership.

Fred Rogers taught us that leadership isn't about control-it's about service to others' dignity. Tim Garvin exemplifies this daily. As the CEO of United Way, he's not just managing statistics; he's mobilizing neighbors, building trust, and transforming complex problems into human-sized solutions.

Whether responding to a crisis or inspiring volunteers, he shows that when we unite resources and hearts, there's no stranger, only a neighbor we haven't helped yet. It's simple but powerful: kindness is a leadership superpower.

Think about it: are we leading with compassion enough? What small act could you do today to be the helper?

👉 Click the links in the comments below to listen to how Tim talks about the power of community

#FindingYourInnerMrRogers #95%rule #CommunityLeadership #LeadWithKindness #SocialImpact #UniteForGood