In this thought-provoking episode of the Spirituality in Leadership Podcast, host Andrew Cohn sits down with Naren Balasubramaniam, a healthcare executive and founder of Metamorphix, a public benefit corporation tackling childhood mental health. Naren brings a refreshing perspective to the conversation, viewing spirituality not just as a human experience but as something deeply connected to all of life. He talks about how the illusion of separation holds us back and how true leadership should be about bringing people together, helping them uncover their purpose, and creating space for real connection.

Throughout the episode, Naren also shares the mission behind Metamorphix: using data-driven tools to bridge the gap between healthcare and education and ultimately support kids facing mental health challenges. He opens up about his path, the power of surrender, and the role trust has played in both his professional and spiritual evolution.

This episode is a powerful reminder that business isn’t just about numbers. It can be a platform for meaning and service. Naren challenges conventional success metrics and encourages leaders to build organizations that prioritize care, purpose, and impact.

Key Takeaways

• Spirituality Is Not Just for Humans: Naren redefines spirituality as life itself, an interconnected field that transcends identity and ego.

• Leadership Begins With Inner Evolution: You can't help others reach their potential if you're not evolving toward yours.

• Organizations as Meaning-Making Machines: Business can do more than deliver earnings. It can deliver purpose if we design it that way.

• Knowing Your Team Means Knowing Their Humanity: Real inclusion requires curiosity, context, and courageous connection.

• From EBITDA to Empathy: Operational success is not incompatible with spiritual service. It's incomplete without it.

• Mental Health is a Spiritual Crisis: Metamorphix addresses the disconnection driving teen mental health challenges through data-informed, compassionate intervention.

In This Episode:

• [00:55] Podcast introduction and host welcome
• [01:27] Guest introduction and episode overview
• [04:42] Naren’s background 
• [06:28] Defining spirituality beyond human experience
• [09:19] Spirituality’s role in leadership and inclusion
• [10:48] Leadership as enabling human potential
• [13:31] Challenges of caring in organizational leadership
• [15:50] Spirituality in organizational design
• [16:38] Organizations as meaning-making machines
• [18:43] Personal purpose and Metamorphix
• [19:34] Metamorphix: Mission and approach
• [21:41] Technology and data in childhood mental health
• [22:23] Personal growth and integrating experiences
• [23:44] Bridging healthcare and education for children
• [25:39] Addressing disconnection and youth mental health crisis
• [27:34] Spirituality, service, and societal good
• [28:20] Readiness for purpose-driven leadership
• [31:04] Surrender and trust in leadership
• [32:49] Spirituality beyond career constructs
• [33:51] Closing and how to connect
  

Resources and Links

Spirituality in Leadership Podcast

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spirituality-in-leadership/id1713365406

Naren Balasubramaniam

• Website: https://www.metamorphix.co/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/narenbalasubramaniam

Andrew Cohn

• Website: https://www.spiritualityinleadership.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcohnusa/

Music: 

• Kodiak: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rURKtnJr3jeHvZ0IVRQCe

In this episode of the Spirituality in Leadership podcast, Andrew Cohn chats with his longtime friend and mentor, Leslie Boyer, about what it truly means to bring purpose and spiritual awareness into the workplace. Leslie shares her journey, from starting out as a kindergarten teacher to working with high-risk teens, and eventually coaching global corporate teams. Her perspective? Whether you’re five or fifty, people want the same things: to be seen, heard, and understood.

They explore how culture and geography influence people’s willingness to talk about compassion, forgiveness, and purpose at work. Leslie talks about her experiences coaching teams in Germany and India, and how understanding cultural differences helps build trust and opens the door to more meaningful conversations.

They also talk about the power of storytelling, deep listening, and self-awareness, especially for leaders. Leslie explains how tuning into your inner motivations (and checking your ego) can make a big difference in how you lead and connect with others. She calls it “practical spirituality,” which is about making purpose and presence part of daily life, not just something you reflect on in quiet moments.

If you're curious about leading with more clarity and connection, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership is human development. Whether in classrooms or corporations, we all want to be seen, valued, and heard.

• Listening is spiritual practice. True listening requires presence, patience, and the humility to set aside personal agendas.

• Stories build connection. Leaders who share personal stories cultivate empathy and understanding across teams and cultures.

• Presence is deeper than patience. Being fully here and open creates a natural space for others to reflect, grow, and trust.

• Spirituality doesn’t need labels. Forgiveness, acceptance, and purpose are accessible values, even in secular or global workplaces.

• Culture matters. Effective leadership requires cultural sensitivity — geographic, generational, and organizational.

In This Episode:

• [00:00] Introduction and universal human needs
• [01:16] Leslie’s background 
• [03:51] Personal development and passion for practical spirituality
• [05:40] Teaching kindergarten and corporate lessons
• [07:04] Early teaching experiences and disillusionment
• [08:57] Corporate coaching and global work
• [09:48] Core spiritual dimensions in the workplace
• [11:13] Cultural differences in openness
• [11:39] Navigating cultural norms
• [13:08] Building trust and credibility
• [15:41] Cultural examples: Germany, Sweden, US
• [17:50] Storytelling as a bridge
• [18:12] The value of sharing stories
• [19:29] Listening and asking questions
• [20:49] Barriers to listening
• [23:03] Learning styles and communication
• [24:37] Self-awareness and leadership
• [25:49] Holding space and presence
• [26:32] Self-reflection and inner work
• [30:39] Commitment to growth and healing
• [32:12] Trust in something greater
• [32:53] Spiritual awakening and practice
• [34:16] Purpose and practical spirituality
• [36:50] Compassion, teamwork, and new stories
• [37:47] Closing and contact information
  

Resources and Links

Spirituality in Leadership Podcast

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spirituality-in-leadership/id1713365406

Leslie Boyer

• Website: https://www.boyershift.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieboyer

Andrew Cohn

• Website: https://www.spiritualityinleadership.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcohnusa/

Music: 

• Kodiak: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rURKtnJr3jeHvZ0IVRQCe

Mentioned

• Getting Things Done

• 10% Happier Podcast

• 10% Happier Book

We have been conditioned to think that spirituality is not something we could bring to work. It's something we leave at the door, never to be spoken about in the halls of business and professionalism. But as we'll see later, this is a huge missed opportunity for all stakeholders involved. In this episode, we are joined by Martin Rutte, a pioneer in the intersection of business and spirituality. Martin shares his journey into this transformative space, revealing a pivotal moment at an Indian monastery that sparked a realization about the absence of spirituality in his life. However, as Rutte navigated the resistance, he discovered that spirituality at work holds the potential to enhance authenticity, trust, and engagement. The conversation unfolds to explore the positive impact of framing spirituality as an ongoing inquiry rather than a set answer, highlighting the importance of creating a safe and permissible space for individuals to explore and express their spiritual dimensions in the workplace. Tune in for more!

This fascinating conversation focuses on the deeper dimensions of providing services to people with intellectual disabilities. Andrew speaks with David Swain, the CEO of Endeavour Foundation, a provider of support services and employment to people living with disabilities in Queensland, Australia. David talks about caring in action, recognizing the inherent worth of the people being served, with a focus on making impact rather than making money. At the same time, David talks about the need to speak the language of business when running a large organization. He leads us into the intersection of purpose-driven action and leadership, the key things that allow him to create a greater impact organizationally and individually. David also talks about the need to focus on and measure the being level at work, not just the doing. He serves as a wonderful inspiration for those of us trying to make a greater impact with our work in the world.

There are very powerful ways that our individual spiritual dimensions help us in our work and very practical ways that workplace conversations about spirituality can engage and align work teams. In this episode of the podcast, Andrew is joined by the CEO of  Mobius Executive Leadership, Amy Elizabeth Fox, who discusses the importance of being in tune with our deeper selves, and how our spiritual and internal development/healing is instrumental to how we lead and support others. Amy talks about stepping into vulnerability, living from a self-loving heart, healing from trauma, and how leaders can increase their emotional footprint so as to build a stronger relational infrastructure. This is a rich conversation about the power of spirituality to create more mature leaders and healthier organizations

Spirituality is such a big word that it becomes elusive to define. But for Kelly Wendorf, the CEO of EQUUS, spirituality is what hones us to become better humans and tethers us to accountability and boundaries. She sits down with Andrew Cohn to discuss deeper into what spirituality is to her and how it guides her life and helps her recognize that there are forces greater than ourselves and that we are a part of. Kelly talks about spirituality in the context of leadership, honing in on the ideas of care and presence as leaders build systems, cultures, and frameworks that help teams and organizations thrive. She also taps into inclusion and what leaders can do to keep doors open as well as how being in nature reminds us that there are greater forces at work. Join today’s episode and find that profound connection to life, nurturing that awareness of how we can influence each other for the greater good.

We are capable of so much more than we realize. Sometimes, we just have to look deeper within ourselves to discover what we are made of, serving not just ourselves but others. This is what Hylke Faber helps people with. As the CEO of Growth Leaders Network, he sits at the helm of his team of facilitators and coaches to help individuals tap more deeply into what they’re truly made of and their true potential. In this episode, Hylke joins Andrew Cohn to share the origin story of finding the connection to his calling—from thinking of himself as a primary client to then discovering that spiritual dimension through meditation and replacing the word ‘spiritual’ with connectedness and evolution. He also talks about how this connection to our deeper strengths also applies to organizations as a whole, especially as leaders move their teams across crises and bring results. Tune in as Hylke takes us on a journey to connectedness and the pursuit of learning more about ourselves as individuals and as part of a collective.

You are listening to Spirituality In Leadership Podcast. Join Andrew Cohn in exploring different ways leaders can leverage their spiritual dimensions for the benefit of others. Each episode focuses on the thread that connects spirituality and leadership, providing you with the roadmap to become more fulfilled and effective in all roles of your life. Prepare to dive into these insightful discussions that will guide you on embracing servant leadership, understanding your purpose in life, and tapping into your core dimensions.