What if the key to high performance isn’t pushing harder, but knowing when to pause?

In leadership, the line between ambition and burnout is thinner than we think. True performance isn’t about doing more; it’s about creating the boundaries that protect your energy, wellbeing, and focus.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily sits down with Janet N. Ahn, PhD, behavioral science expert and experimental social psychologist, and Founder of Perilla & Co., to explore how leaders can balance performance and wellbeing in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. Together, they unpack how prioritizing wellness can transform the way we work and help us lead from a place of wholeness rather than depletion.

Whether you’re a high performer on the edge of burnout or a leader trying to build healthier team dynamics, this conversation will help you reimagine what balance and wellbeing really look like in modern leadership, and how to lead without losing yourself.

Timestamps: 

• [00:03:49] Redefining Success for High Performers – Janet opens up about the pressure to constantly achieve and why redefining what “success” looks like is essential for balancing performance and wellbeing in fast-paced roles.
• [00:10:41] When Effort Doesn’t Equal Impact – Emily and Janet discuss how leaders often confuse activity with progress and how focusing on meaningful outcomes, instead of endless action, helps teams stay energized and effective.
• [00:16:04] Boundaries as Leadership Signals – Emily and Janet unpack the subtle signals that tell you a boundary has been crossed (like resentment, exhaustion, tension within the team), and how leaders can reset expectations without losing compassion.
• [00:21:59] The Power of Choice – Janet challenges the “I have to” mindset so many high performers fall into, reminding leaders that reclaiming choice is the key to sustainable energy and self-trust.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

What if we reframed our dislike of office politics and saw it instead as a way to help our teams get the recognition they deserve?

In complex organizations, politics and strategic networking aren’t distractions. They’re often the hidden drivers of influence, credibility, and career growth.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily sits down with Audrey Greenberg Venture Partner and Chair of Business Development at Mayo Clinic, to explore how leaders can navigate politics with integrity, build meaningful networks, and advocate for themselves and their teams.

Together, they unpack why sponsorship outpaces mentorship, how to “pre-wire the room” before decisions, and what it takes to balance transparency with influence when the stakes are high.

Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, championing a rising star, or working to break silos, this episode will reshape how you view politics at work and reveal why relationships may be your most powerful leadership tool.

Timestamps: 

• [00:08:03] Sponsors, mentors, and visibility – Audrey and Emily unpack why career growth requires mentors (guidance), sponsors (advocacy when you’re not in the room), and intentionally created visible moments so your work isn’t left to chance.
• [00:19:29] Negotiating from abundance, not scarcity – Practical negotiation guidance: lead with gratitude, present evidence/benchmarks, ask for shared-success outcomes, and consider levers beyond immediate cash (equity, review cadence, bonus).
• [00:23:05] Beyond salary: creative levers of recognition – A focused discussion on alternatives to immediate pay increases: equity, title changes, flexibility, PTO, and other levers that can retain and recognize people (and often cost less than cash).
• [00:31:07] You can be both human and high-performing – Audrey challenges the myth that you have to choose between being human or high-performing, showing how presence and performance actually fuel each other.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

What if your credibility as a leader had more to do with curiosity than confidence?

In fast-moving industries, learning isn’t optional, it’s your edge.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily sits down with Karen Giberson, President & CEO of the Accessories Council, a nonprofit that represents the hundred-billion-dollar accessories industry, to explore how a thirst for learning keeps leaders relevant, connected, and credible in fast-moving industries.

They unpack what learning actually looks like at the executive level, from staying close to trends and team culture, to rolling up your sleeves and showing up side-by-side with your people.

Whether you’re leading a creative team, steering through industry change, or just trying to stay sharp while managing it all, this episode is a reminder that staying curious is your most strategic move.

Timestamps: 

• [00:03:22] Learning never stops at the top – Emily and Karen discuss why great leaders never “graduate”, and how staying in learning mode builds trust, credibility, and relevance.
• [00:07:20] The power of proximity: learning with your team – Karen shares stories about showing up on the ground, staying close to the work, and why it matters for connection and leadership effectiveness.
• [00:10:24] Mentorship as mutual learning – They explore why the best mentoring relationships are two-way, and how teaching can sharpen your own thinking.
• [00:20:07] Adapting with curiosity, not fear – Karen reflects on how curiosity helps leaders respond to change with openness instead of resistance, and why being a learner keeps your edge.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

Bringing new ideas to life at work shouldn’t feel like pushing a boulder uphill. But too often, it does.

Leaders say they want innovation. Teams try to deliver it. But without the right conditions, innovation at work stalls. Mismatched expectations, siloed communication, and rigid structures can quietly kill momentum before anything new has a chance to take hold.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily is joined by Jessica Begley, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Very, a fully distributed IoT company, who has cracked the code on turning bold thinking into real execution, to unpack what innovation really looks like day-to-day, and how leaders can create the right environment for new ideas to gain traction. They explore how to pitch ideas, get buy-in from leadership, and build a team culture where experimentation and accountability can coexist.

Whether you’re trying to lead change, drive innovation at work, or simply make your ideas stick, this episode offers practical leadership strategies to influence up, reduce friction, and make meaningful progress.

Timestamps: 

• [00:04:42] Creating the conditions for innovation – Emily and Jessica discuss why so many good ideas stall in organizations, and how leaders can create the right environment for innovation by fostering psychological safety and beginning with the end in mind.
• [00:14:10] Getting leadership buy-in – The conversation turns to influencing up, including how to pitch ideas in a way that aligns with executive priorities and how to clarify what “innovation” actually means to different stakeholders.
• [00:23:37] Balancing execution and experimentation – Jessica shares how to build systems that allow teams to move fast while still making space for experimentation, and how to operationalize innovation without burning people out.
• [00:33:58] Leading change from the middle – The episode closes with insights on the unique role that people leaders can play in leading change from inside the system. 

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

Time is one of the most precious resources we have — and one of the most mismanaged in modern leadership.

Teams today are stretched thin, constantly reacting to urgent demands, and struggling to stay focused. The result? Chronic overwhelm, declining team productivity, and a work culture that rewards busyness over progress. But better time management isn't just about your calendar,  it's about how you lead.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily sits down with Kiera Gannon SVP and Global GM of Ralph Lauren Brands at Delta Galil, to explore how leaders can manage their time more strategically, set clearer priorities, and create space for deep, meaningful work. They unpack why workplace norms often breed burnout, how to structure your time for impact, and what it takes to lead with clarity, transparency, and trust.

Whether you're feeling overworked, overwhelmed, or just ready to improve your leadership efficiency, this episode offers practical time management strategies to help you reclaim your time, and lead your team more effectively.

Timestamps

• [00:06:02] Reframing your relationship with time – Emily and Kiera explore how being fully present can make time feel more expansive, and why structuring your day around meaningful work changes your sense of productivity.
• [00:15:27] Saying no without shutting down – The conversation turns to boundary-setting, offering practical strategies for how to say no with solutions and communicate overload in ways that still build trust and show ownership.
• [00:25:34] Balancing fires with long-term focus – Kiera reflects on how to juggle urgent daily demands while building systems and structure that support future strategy, clarity, and sustainable progress.
• [00:34:09] Breaking patterns of unsustainable leadership – Emily and Kiera close the episode with a powerful exchange on what leadership should look like now: transparent, human, and rooted in learning rather than control.

Access the episode transcript.

As an added bonus, head to arosegroup.com/resources to grab your complimentary guide to building moments of groundedness into your daily work life and leadership practice. 

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

You can’t lead well if you’re not well.

Too many of us today are struggling to lead while running on fumes. And when we think about wellbeing, it often becomes just another thing on the list, something we turn to only after burnout hits.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily sits down with Rosemary Mancino, President of Meridian Brands and Founder of The Wisdom Collective, to reframe wellbeing as a leadership competency, not a nice-to-have. They talk about what wellbeing really looks like beyond massages, gym workouts, and vacation days and why it’s about showing up whole so you can lead with clarity, make sound decisions, and create space for others to thrive.

Whether you’re holding too much, moving too fast, or haven’t paused to check in with yourself, this conversation is a grounded invitation to lead from a place of sustainability and self-awareness.

Timestamps

• [00:06:05] Making space for yourself – Rosemary shares how giving yourself permission to pause is an essential part of showing up with clarity and presence.
• [00:15:40] Wellbeing as a leadership skill – Emily and Rosemary reframe wellbeing not as a luxury but as a leadership practice that sustains decision-making, energy, and trust.
• [00:26:18] Honoring your season – Rosemary reflects on how personal and professional rhythms shift over time and why sustainable leadership requires pacing and perspective.
• [00:35:02] Modeling wellness at work – The conversation closes with a look at how leaders can normalize wellbeing by living it themselves and making space for others to do the same.

As an added bonus, head to arosegroup.com/resources to grab your complementary guide to prioritizing your wellbeing at work. 

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

You can’t build a high-performing team if people don’t feel safe to show up fully.

When people hide parts of themselves at work, you lose trust, creativity, and performance. But most leaders don’t realize it’s happening, or how they may be contributing to it.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily talks with Owen Rogers, founding partner of IDEO, the company that pioneered Human Centered-Design, and executive coach. They discuss how to lead in ways that create safety, trust, and ownership, especially to allow those who’ve been historically marginalized to show up in their fullest expression. 

This conversation is essential listening for leaders because it challenges you to reflect on how your presence, power, and past experiences shape the environment you create.

Timestamps: 

• [00:03:14] When leaders cause people to shrink: Emily shares from personal experience how leadership behavior can lead people to self-censor or hold back.
• [00:10:00] From complicity to conscious leadership: Owen reflects on his time at IDEO and how he began recognizing the systems that marginalize others.
• [00:16:14] The unseen impact of power: Emily and Owen unpack how a leader’s presence can affect psychological safety, often in ways they don’t realize.
• [00:23:18] Leadership is about amplification: Emily and Owen discuss how great leaders see people fully and create space for their strengths.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

Giving feedback can be hard. Avoiding it makes things even harder. It’s time to do the hard thing and have that feedback conversation. 

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emily sits down with Wanda Shoer, Chief Learning Officer at Sanofi, a global pharmaceutical and healthcare company, to talk about one of the most important, and most avoided, leadership responsibilities: giving feedback.

They unpack how to give feedback that’s clear, timely, and grounded in growth not fear. From focusing on observable behaviors (not assumptions) to reinforcing belief in a person’s ability to improve, the conversation offers practical strategies for making feedback feel like an investment in someone’s development. They explore how strong leaders use feedback to unlock potential, not just correct mistakes, and how clarity and specificity can drive accountability without micromanagement.

If you’ve ever avoided a feedback conversation or felt stuck between honesty and empathy, this one’s for you.

As an added bonus, head to arosegroup.com/resources to grab your complementary guide to having difficult feedback conversations. 

Timestamps: 

[00:07:58] – Why Feedback Feels Risky

Wanda explores the emotional weight of giving feedback and why fear of embarrassment, shame, or misinterpretation often keeps leaders silent.

[00:16:20] – Feedback Is the Job, Not a Bonus

Emily and Wanda discuss how giving feedback isn’t “extra”, it’s core to leading well. When done with clarity and care, it builds trust, ownership, and alignment.

[00:25:14] – Focus on Behaviors, Not Labels

Why the best feedback avoids assumptions about intent and instead centers on what was observed, experienced, and actionable.

[00:35:45] – Growth-Oriented Feedback, Not Fear-Based

Wanda shares how to shift the culture of feedback from one of fear to one of possibility, where improvement is expected and supported.

[00:44:00] – Unlocking Potential Through Strengths

The episode closes with a conversation about leading through strengths, creating clarity, and helping team members feel accountable without micromanagement.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

Communication isn’t a soft skill—it’s a crucial leadership skill.

In this episode of Let’s Talk, People, Emmy-winning journalist turned executive communications coach, Jane Hanson, joins Emily to unpack what it really takes to communicate with clarity, presence, and influence in today’s distracted, high-stakes world.

They dig into what “executive presence” actually means (and what it doesn’t), why being present is one of the most underrated leadership tools, and how to use storytelling to drive buy-in.

From navigating virtual meetings to inspiring confidence under pressure, Jane offers tactical advice, powerful reminders, and a little tough love for leaders ready to up their communication game.

Timestamps:

• [00:10:51] – Presence Over Performance: Jane explains why true communication starts with presence, and how to train yourself to drop in, cut the noise, and connect in real time.
• [00:18:19] – How to Run a Meeting People Actually Want to Join: Jane shares her formula for virtual team meetings that are clear, concise, and engaging, including her rule for cameras on and how to build real connection in the first five minutes.
• [00:23:12] – Stop the Monologue: Matching Message to Medium: How to know when to use a live meeting versus a written update and why so many managers misuse meeting time.
• [00:29:09] – If You Want to Be Heard, Tell a Story: Jane shares how storytelling, not just data, helps managers communicate upwards in a way that resonates and drives change.
• [00:32:38] – Executive Presence, Redefined: Forget gravitas. Jane unpacks the real components of executive presence from confidence and clarity to calm in a crisis, and how leaders can build it intentionally.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year, we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!

Leadership in this moment of divisiveness means making space for complexity—without getting lost in it.

In this episode, Emily is joined by Vince Marigna, CEO of Breakthrough Collaborative, to explore how leaders can navigate uncertainty, hold space for difference, and guide teams through today’s increasingly divisive environment.

Together, they dig into what it really means to lead during destabilizing times—when institutional change is constant, political opinions are charged, and team members are carrying vastly different lived experiences into work. Vince shares practical tools like guiding principles, practicing responsible transparency, and the art of listening without assuming.

If you’ve ever felt caught between protecting your people and supporting your organization’s decisions—or struggled to stay grounded while holding space for others—this is an honest, deeply human conversation you won’t want to miss.

Timestamps:

• [00:05:08] – When Problem-Solving Isn’t the Answer: Vince shares a formative lesson from his sister that reshaped his leadership approach—sometimes the most powerful move is to ask, not solve.
• [00:13:07] – Leading with Influence Over Control: As CEO of a federated organization, Vince breaks down how to lead with influence, not authority—and why listening to local context while providing the structure for collective succeed is essential.
• [00:22:30] – Principles for Navigating Divisiveness: From political tension to personal values, Vince outlines how Breakthrough uses guiding principles and shared values to unify teams during charged times.
• [00:33:30] – Responsible Transparency: Vince and Emily explore how leaders can acknowledge hard truths without destabilizing their teams and how to determine what’s the right level of transparency for the moment. 
• [00:43:30] – From Competence to Genius: In his closing reflection, Vince names the pattern he’s working to break as a leader — spending too much time in the zone of competence, and not enough in his zone of genius.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group’s website.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let’s Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others discover the show.

Thanks for listening to Let’s Talk, People!