Kelly connects with Dr. Khameer Kidia, a writer, physician, and anthropologist at Harvard Medical School and University of Zimbabwe. A Rhodes Scholar and 2023 New American Fellow, Dr. Kidia has worked on global mental health research practice, and advocacy for the last decade. He has a new book, “Empire of Madness: A Physician’s Case for Reimagining Global Mental Health.”

Kelly speaks with Erin McGoff, an award-winning filmmaker and content creator – known as the “internet’s big sister” through her AdviceWithErin branding. She received a Pulitzer Fellowship in 2017 and was named a Forbes 30 under 30 recipient in 2025. She has a new book: “The Secret Language of Work: Hyper-Helpful Scripts for Every Situation.”

“What holds people back from speaking up is fear.”

“Communication is at the heart of every single aspect of your career.”

“Don’t tell yourself a story that takes away your power.”

Kelly connects with Julia Minson, a professor at Harvard Kennedy School. She is a behavioral scientist with extensive research experience in conflict, communication, negotiations, and decision-making. She has a new book: “How to Disagree Better.” 

Kelly talks to Joe Pine, an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor to Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial start-ups alike. He is a co-founder of Strategic Horizons LLP, a thinking studio dedicated to helping businesses conceive and design new ways to add value to their economic offerings. He is the co-author of the best-seller “The Experience Economy,” and his latest book is called “The Transformation Economy: Guiding Customers to Achieve Their Aspirations.”   

“What people want, in short, is to be transformed.” 

“Customization is the antidote to commoditization.” 

“Sell the end.” 

Kelly spends time with Jane Marie Chen, a globally recognized entrepreneur, inventor, speaker, and leadership coach. She is the co-founder of Embrace, which developed an infant incubator that has helped to save over a million babies. Jane has been a TED fellow and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. She has a new memoir, “Like a Wave We Break: A Memoir of Falling Apart and Finding Myself.”

“This is the story of a wipeout.” 

“True leadership, I realized, wasn’t about perfection or invincibility. It was about authenticity.”

“Surviving trauma and confronting its aftermath are two different experiences.” 

Kelly talks to Jenny Raymond from the Harnish Foundation and Julie Dumais Osborne from The Second City Training Center to talk about a new partnership that offers free improv-based leadership training for girls in grades 3 through 8 in Chicago called Funny Girls. The best part: IT’S FREE! For more information or to sign up your school, go here: https://thehf.org/funny-girls/secondcity/

“Improv is a warm hug for girls.”

 “Improv teaches girls that there’s no right or wrong, fostering a sense of confidence and belonging.”

  “By using improv, we’re helping girls discover their voices and build the confidence they need to lead.”

Kelly welcomes futurist Bob Johansen back to the podcast to discuss his book “Navigating the Age of Chaos.” Bob introduces us to the term BANI, which describes the world we live in now: Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible. Spoiler alert – improvisation is a skill one needs to navigate this world.

“In the mid-2010’s, everything started to get a little crazy.” 

“Improv allows you to practice in low-risk ways for nonlinear futures and unpredictable environments.

“The best leaders will be great storytellers.” 

Kelly talks to Harvard professor Leslie John, whose research into self-disclosure provides a rich source of insights into how we can better build relationships, foster connection, and lead a more purposeful life when we are willing to be vulnerable and share details of our lives with others.

“If in doubt, transparency is the safer bet.” 

“Today, the illusion of reciprocity thrives on social media.” 

“Like most hangovers, the pain of TMI is often short-lived.”

In this engaging conversation, Kelly connects with Paul Eastwick to discuss his new book, ‘Bonded by Evolution,’ exploring misconceptions about love and connection. He critiques the outdated ‘Evo script’ that shapes our understanding of attraction and relationships, emphasizing the impact of modern dating practices. Eastwick highlights the fluidity of attraction, the importance of close relationships, and the science behind breakups and attachment. He advocates for a constructive approach to building relationships, recognizing the role of change and the power of listening and validation in fostering connection.

“We like different people for different reasons, which just adds to the chaos of it all.” 

“Learning your place in the dating pool can be a brutal process.” 

“No one enjoys being stuck in the friendzone.” 

Journalist Kate Murphy has a compelling conversation with Kelly about her new book “Why We Click: The Emerging Science of Interpersonal Synchrony.” In this conversation, Kelly and Kate find a direct line between improvisational training and the kind of synchrony that leads to better relationships, more effective teams and the superpowers that flow from human to human interaction.

“Synchrony between humans is nothing short of a superpower.” 

“Our interactions with people are what make us most happy and most miserable in life.” 

“We are born to sync. We yearn to sync. And we suffer when we do not.”