Negotiation isn’t just about boardrooms and big deals. It’s every time you ask for what you need that brings up fear, self-doubt, and a rush of emotion that can derail the whole conversation. In this episode, I talk with former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and negotiation expert Moshe Cohen about why so many of us dread conflict, how curiosity can quiet anxiety, and how to use tactical empathy as a strategic tool. We also share the tools to slow down emotional hijack and manage rejection. Tune in to learn how to regulate your emotions and negotiate with clarity instead of fear.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with 

customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why negotiation is happening in almost every interaction.

04:45 What are the 3 types of handling conflict?

09:15 How curiosity shuts down fear in your brain.

12:15 Is asking questions in general a good technique in a negotiation?

16:30 What empathy really means in negotiation.

23:15 How bonding and trust influence negotiation outcomes.

26:15 Why you should talk less and listen more in negotiation.

32:00 How naming your emotions reduces their intensity.

38:00 How often does that anxiety show up during a negotiation exercise?

41:00 Tips to slow down time when you feel emotionally hijacked.

46:15 What is the listening triangle?

50:30 How much advice is too much in a negotiation?

57:00 How to build your rejection muscle.

01:00:00 The stories you tell yourself before and during a negotiation

01:02:00 How knowing your BATNA lowers the stakes and raises confidence.

Resources + Links

Get the Anxious Achiever Healthy High Achieving App - studio.com/morra

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Chris: on LinkedIn @christophervoss + Instagram @thefbinegotiator

Follow Moshe: on LinkedIn @moshecohen

Work is making people sick, and quick fixes are not enough. In this episode, I’m joined by Jen Fisher, former Chief Wellbeing Officer at Deloitte, to talk about why wellbeing isn’t a perk but a business imperative. We break down why burnout is often rooted in systemic issues and hopelessness, how middle managers shape our daily mental health, and why hope and an understanding of the human nervous system may be the most underrated leadership skills of all. Tune in to rethink what wellbeing means and what it takes to lead with hope right now.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why wellbeing is more than mental health benefits.

06:00 How burnout led Jen to pioneer the Chief Wellbeing Officer role.

13:00 What does “wellbeing at work” mean?

19:30 The ROI of fixing workplace culture.

23:00 Why does AI make us so anxious? 

26:00 Why wellbeing must be part of organizational strategy.

30:00 How constant disruption dysregulates employees.

33:15 What is the definition of a successful leader?

37:15 What workplace data misses about human outcomes.

40:30 The #1 thing employees want from leaders.

46:00 Why middle management is the make-or-break layer.

51:00 Incentives drive culture more than values.

58:15 How to build a wellbeing role inside your organization.

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Jen’s book - Hope Is The Strategy

Read Jen’s article: “The Wellbeing Imperative: What I Learned Pioneering the Chief Wellbeing Officer Role”

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Jen: on LinkedIn @jenfisher + Instagram @jenfish23

You’re not trying to control people. You’re trying to help. But what if your “help” is quietly draining your team’s confidence, creativity, and trust? In this episode, I sit down with Professor Julia Milner of EDHEC Business School to talk about the psychology of micromanagement, especially the kind that comes from anxiety, care, and good intentions. We dive into the difference between constructive feedback and control disguised as questions, the “advice trap” that keeps leaders stuck, and why micromanaging often feels safer in the moment but costs you long-term trust, dialogue, and time. Tune in to learn how to replace fixing with serving, advice with curiosity, and control with empowerment.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why micromanagers often act from anxiety.

04:15 How to spot motivational micromanagement.

06:30 Why do you hate being micromanaged?

12:00 How micromanagement increases anxiety on both sides.

14:15 The subtle way “questions” can shut down dialogue.

18:00 How to give upward feedback without triggering defensiveness.

20:45 What it means to adopt a coaching mindset.

22:00 Phrases you can use to reset a micromanaging dynamic.

28:45 What’s the difference between feedback and feed forward?

30:30 How do you treat yourself with grace?

33:00 What the best empowering leaders all have in common.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Prof. Julia on LinkedIn @drjuliamilner

Self-understanding is the foundation of great leadership. In this episode, I sit down with Margaret Andrews, leadership educator, former executive director of the MBA program at MIT Sloan, and author, to talk about why leadership begins as an inside job. Margaret shares the 6 self-understanding questions, the best boss exercise that shows what people value in leadership, and why interpersonal skills aren’t about being affable. Tune in to rethink what it really means to manage yourself to lead others effectively.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit http://expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What to do when you’re triggered before you have to show up.

05:00 What is the best way to lead?

10:00 The “best boss” exercise and what 20 years of data reveal.

14:15 The 3 traits that separate good bosses from great ones.

18:15 What is managing yourself to lead others?

22:30 How moments of “hot shame” shape your leadership patterns.

25:00 Why you can’t manage what you don’t understand.

29:00 Should you improve weaknesses or maximize strengths?

33:30 The most common reasons leaders derail.

38:00 How to grow without losing credibility.

42:00 Why telling people what you’re working on can build trust.

45:00 Ways to practice self-management without losing status.

49:00 How do you get unscared of heart emotions?

Resources + Links

Learn more about Margaret Andrews HERE

Get your copy of Margaret’s book, Manage Yourself to Lead Others HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Margaret on LinkedIn @margaretcandrews

We’re told to “bring our whole selves to work.” But what if that advice is burning you out, especially if you’re anxious, neurodivergent, or wired differently? In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist and author Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic to talk about why radical authenticity can actually harm your career, your relationships, and your energy. We dive into the difference between feeling authentic and being perceived as authentic, why emotional intelligence is really impression management in disguise, and how leaders who seem “real” are often the most curated of all. Tune in to rethink what authenticity really means and discover how to show up at work in a way that’s true to you and sustainable.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit http://expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Should you ever be your whole self at work?

04:00 Why “just be yourself” is bad career advice.

07:15 What’s the difference between feeling authentic and being seen as authentic?

09:45 How over-identifying with work fuels burnout.

12:15 Why the leaders we trust most are often the most curated.

14:15 What impression management really means.

16:45 Why every role calls for a different version of you.

19:00 The cost of “bring your whole self” for neurodivergent people.

22:00 Where does the authenticity movement come from?

25:15 How modern work became a soft cult.

29:00 Can you belong without over-sharing?

33:45 Why engagement and performance aren’t the same thing.

36:15 The generational shift toward radical honesty.

39:00 When does being “real” harm your team?

42:15 The rules that actually create psychological safety.

44:30 Why reputation matters more than intention.

47:00 How to learn how you’re really seen.

50:00 The truest definition of self-awareness.

Resources + Links

Get Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic’s book Don’t Be Yourself

Learn more about Tomas’s work on leadership, personality, and potential HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Tomas on LinkedIn @drtomaschamorro

We’ve never talked more about mental health at work and yet, burnout is rising, disengagement is everywhere, and leaders still feel stuck. In this episode, I’m joined by strategy coach and former PwC partner David Lancefield to talk about why the current approach isn’t working and what actually creates change. David shares why “mental health” has a bad brand in corporate life, how leaders can engage even the most skeptical executives, and why the real leverage point isn’t awareness campaigns, but better questions. We also dive into why small pilots beat big programs, and how leaders can design environments where people do their best work. Tune in to know what it means to treat mental health as a business solution.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit http://expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why the mental health conversation at work isn’t working.

07:00 The fear and freedom of leaving a prestigious role.

13:15 The mistake we make when trying to persuade leaders.

17:45 Why business results are the bridge to mental health.

21:15 How to reframe burnout as a performance problem.

25:00 Why storytelling can backfire without resolution.

30:45 What leaders should leave people feeling after sharing.

34:45 ​​The “motherhood penalty” and its parallels at work.

39:00 2 questions every leader should ask.

43:00 How do you move from drifting to designing your life?

47:00 3 questions that reset your day.

49:00 How do you help people shape roles around their strengths?

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow David: on LinkedIn @davidclancefield

For so many high-achievers, food becomes the one thing we can control when everything else feels uncertain. In this episode, I’m joined by Melissa Gerson, founder of the Columbus Park Treatment Center for Eating Disorders, to talk about the relationship between anxiety, perfectionism, and the way we eat. We dive into why disordered eating serves a purpose, how restriction and overeating can both feel like relief, and what happens in your brain when anxiety and food become entangled. Tune in to rethink your relationship with food, anxiety, and control.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit http://expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What’s the relationship between anxiety and eating disorders?

02:00 How disordered eating creates a sense of control and safety.

05:30 What starvation does to the brain.

09:15 Why anxious people often turn to rigid food control.

11:30 The unspoken rules about eating at work (especially for women).

17:00 The perfectionist profile behind many eating disorders.

19:45 Signs your relationship with food may need support.

22:00 The gold-standard treatment for eating disorders.

23:15 When exercise becomes another form of control.

25:15 What leaders can do to build a food-safe workplace.

28:00 Why high achievers self-medicate with food, alcohol, and control.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Melissa: on LinkedIn @melissagerson

Work becomes the place where we pour everything we can’t face elsewhere. In this episode, I’m joined by Jane Chen, founder of Embrace, to talk about burnout, identity, and what happens when your worth becomes tied to what you produce. Jane shares how building a world-changing company nearly broke her, why healing can become another form of overachievement, and how childhood trauma shapes your drive to succeed. Tune in to rethink ambition, resilience, and what it really means to choose yourself.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit http://expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What happens when your dream company starts destroying you?

03:00 Why “self-work” can become a form of escapism.

06:15 How childhood trauma fuels the need to succeed.

10:45 Why so many changemakers are driven by unresolved pain.

14:30 Why you never give yourself credit for your own resilience.

20:15 How Embrace was born in a Stanford classroom.

27:00 The country where 40% of the world’s premature babies are born.

34:30 When identity collapses with your company.

38:00 Hitting rock bottom after 10 years of overwork.

49:00 How does trauma live in your body?

52:00 How achievement becomes a way to earn love.

56:30 Why you can’t think your way out of pain.

1:00:45 What Internal Family Systems teaches about your “parts.”

1:05:00 Why achievement becomes a survival strategy.

1:13:45 Why your worth can’t live outside you.

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Jane’s book, Like a Wave We Break HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Jane on Instagram @janemarie.chen

What do a combat pilot, a $250M entrepreneur, and a world-renowned academic have in common? ADHD. In this episode, I revisit one of my favorite conversations about how ADHD shows up in high-performing leaders who live different lives. I sit down with Nate Swan, a combat pilot who thrives in high-stress environments, Dan Bastian, co-founder of Boom Chicka Pop, and Johan Wiklund, a professor who studies ADHD in entrepreneurship. We talk about hyperfocus, impulsivity, anxiety, late diagnosis, leadership, and the unexpected ways ADHD can become a competitive advantage. Get ready to learn how the very traits often labeled as “disorders” can fuel success, creativity, and resilience.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 3 high achievers with ADHD live completely different lives.

03:15 Why chaotic environments calm the ADHD brain.

04:45 How anxiety and ADHD overlap.

05:30 What happens when ADHD goes undiagnosed in adulthood?

06:30 The career risks of ADHD medication for military pilots.

09:00 Leadership lessons from managing neurodiverse teams.

11:30 How the military is shifting its mental health culture.

18:00 The anxiety that never fully goes away.

20:30 Is ADHD good or bad?

25:30 The types of work that suit ADHD brains.

34:30 Designing work around energy cycles.

37:30 How to use ADHD and anxiety as motivators.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

What if the very differences you’ve been trying to smooth out are actually your greatest leadership strengths? In this episode, I’m joined by renowned leadership coaches and Fixable hosts Frances Frei and Anne Morriss for a conversation about anxiety, being a neurodivergent leader, and what it really takes to lead well. We talk about how partnership at work and in life has taught them to communicate clearly, embrace conflict, and build teams that thrive because of difference. I ask Frances and Anne some listener questions, from micromanaging bosses to burnout, imposter syndrome, and the fear of being “known for DEI.” Tune in to discover how setting boundaries and rewriting your inner narrative transform the way you lead and feel in life and at work.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit http://expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Meet Frances Frei & Anne Morriss.

06:00 What partners with different wiring teach each other.

12:45 How conflict actually drives high performance.

16:45 How being neurodivergent has shaped Frances’s leadership at Harvard.

20:00 The power of devotion and high standards.

23:45 What are the three elements of trust?

27:45 How listening can change a broken dynamic.

31:30 Why inconsistent boundaries are the same as no boundaries.

39:15 Is it risky to be known for DEI right now?

42:15 How to make inclusion feel expansive, not exclusive.

50:15 Why you’re not the best judge of your own excellence.

51:00 Protecting your life force as a leader.

Resources + Links

Download the Anxious Achiever App HERE

Listen to Fixable with Frances Frei & Anne Morriss HERE

Learn more about Frances Frei & Anne Morriss HERE

Get your copy of Unleashed by Frances Frei & Anne Morriss

Get your copy of Move Fast & Fix Things by Frances Frei & Anne Morriss

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Frances: on LinkedIn @francesfrei + Instagram @francesxfrei

Follow Anne: on LinkedIn @annemorriss + Instagram @annemorriss