The Conversation with Clinton M. Padgett

In this episode, Clint talks with Zach Mercurio – researcher, leadership development facilitator, and author of “The Power of Mattering” and “The Invisible Leader” – about why feeling valued and knowing that our contributions make a difference are fundamental human needs, and how leaders can create environments where people feel seen, appreciated, and motivated to do their best work. This is the first part of a two-part conversation.

Topics Covered:

• How a chance encounter with a cab driver inspired Zach's career studying purpose and meaningful work
• The powerful story of a university custodian whose supervisor transformed the way she viewed herself and her work
• What it means to matter and why feeling valued and adding value are essential to motivation and well-being
• The important differences between belonging, inclusion, and mattering
• Why the need to feel significant isn't a generational preference, but a fundamental human need
• The connection between mattering, employee engagement, and high-performing teams
• Why people can feel increasingly lonely despite being more connected than ever
• How small acts of attention and recognition can make employees feel seen and appreciated
• Why leaders play a critical role in creating a culture of significance
• Why compensation and recognition programs alone can't replace the experience of feeling genuinely valued

Links:
Zach’s website - https://www.zachmercurio.com/
Zach’s LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/zachmercurio
Zach’s book, “The Power of Mattering” - https://amzn.to/4jpzdg0
Zach’s book, “The Invisible Leader” - https://amzn.to/4jqMyEL

In Part Two of Clint’s conversation with Shawn Vanderhoven, Partner at The Wiseman Group and bestselling author of “Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World,” Shawn explains how leaders can create the right balance of clarity and challenge to help their teams do their best work. From embracing “productive uncertainty” and defining measurable success to establishing team norms and recognizing each person’s unique strengths, Shawn shares practical ways leaders can reduce distraction, build shared commitment, and create an environment where people can thrive.

This is the second part of a two-part conversation. 

Topics Covered:

• How “productive uncertainty” creates the right balance between safety and stretch
• Why teams need a clear and measurable definition of success
• How to turn broad ambitions into specific success measures
• The difference between success measures and the lead actions that drive them
• Why involving your team in setting priorities builds shared commitment
• How a “distraction inventory” can reveal what’s stealing your team’s focus
• Creating “house rules” that protect time and reduce unnecessary distractions
• How to “pause up” and get your boss involved in protecting your team’s focus
• Why leaders should know their team members’ superpowers and kryptonite
• How understanding each person’s “native genius” helps leaders assign the right work
• Why recognizing when an employee is struggling can have an outsized impact
• How making people feel seen strengthens focus, engagement, and belonging

Links:

Shawn’s website - https://thewisemangroup.com/who-we-are/our-team/shawn-vanderhoven/ 
Shawn’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnvanderhoven/ 
Shawn’s book, “Pause” - https://www.pausebook.co/ 

In this episode, Clint sits down with Shawn Vanderhoven, Partner at The Wiseman Group and bestselling author of “Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World” to discuss why doing more doesn’t always lead to better results and how leaders can create the space their teams need to focus on the work that matters most.

Drawing on research with leaders and teams across more than 150 major companies, Shawn explains why constant interruptions, competing priorities, and an endless stream of “quick” requests can prevent even the most talented people from doing their best work. He and Clint discuss the difference between a bias toward action and a bias toward impact, the hidden cost of task switching, and why effective leadership increasingly requires the courage to make real trade-offs.

This is the first part of a two-part conversation.

Topics Covered:

• Why focus has become one of the biggest obstacles to doing great work
• The difference between a bias toward action and a bias toward impact
• Why great leaders “tune in before they jump in”
• How seemingly small interruptions can derail hours of productive work
• Why multitasking doesn’t work and the hidden cost of task switching
• How many major priorities one person can realistically manage
• The “Red Queen effect” and why moving faster doesn’t always move you forward
• How hidden work quietly overwhelms teams
• Why leaders need to uncover their team’s true workload
• What happens when everything is treated as a top priority
• Why saying no to important work is essential to making an impact
• How strategic pauses can help teams create greater focus, clarity, and momentum

Links:Shawn’s website - https://thewisemangroup.com/who-we-are/our-team/shawn-vanderhoven/ 
Shawn’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnvanderhoven/ 
Shawn’s book, “Pause” - https://www.pausebook.co/

In Part Two of Clint’s conversation with Dr. Sherry Turkle, MIT professor and author of “Artificial Intimacy,” they discuss what happens when we begin outsourcing not just our work, but our thinking, relationships, and most meaningful human experiences to artificial intelligence.

Sherry discusses the difference between empathy and compassion, why students who rely on AI to summarize books may be missing the most important part of reading, and how the pursuit of efficiency can come at the expense of developing essential skills. She also explains why boredom and solitude are critical to childhood development and why learning to be alone helps us build stronger relationships with others.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Sherry shares her experiences with an unauthorized AI version of herself and her experiment with creating a chatbot that could speak to her grandchildren after she’s gone. Clint and Sherry also examine the increasingly personal roles AI is playing in families, education, and the workplace and what we risk losing when we allow technology to take the place of experiences that help us grow.

They close by discussing where AI can genuinely benefit society, the responsibilities of parents and educators, and why Sherry remains hopeful that we can learn to use this remarkable technology without losing sight of what makes us human.

This is the second part of a two-part conversation.

Topics Covered:
Why the ability to simulate empathy is not the same as genuinely caring about another person
The debate over empathy versus compassion in the age of AI
How virtual reality and AI companionship may encourage us to disengage from the physical world
The implications of using AI to evaluate empathy in job interviews and other professional settings
Why reading, writing, and the process of learning matter as much as the answers we produce
The difference between developing expertise and simply letting AI complete a task
Why boredom and solitude are essential to childhood development
How AI and social media can influence identity, authenticity, and self-presentation
Sherry’s experience with an unauthorized AI chatbot impersonating her
The emotional and ethical questions surrounding AI versions of loved ones after death
What AI-generated interview summaries can miss about meaningful human experiences
Why parents and educators have an important role in shaping how the next generation uses AI
Sherry’s hopes for a future in which AI supports human capabilities rather than replacing them

Links:
Dr. Turkle’s website - https://www.sherryturkle.com/
Dr. Turkle’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherry-turkle/
Dr Turkle’s book, “Artificial Intimacy” - https://amzn.to/4rp1Uvy

In this episode, Clint welcomes back Dr. Sherry Turkle, MIT professor and author of the new book “Artificial Intimacy,” as the first returning guest on The Conversation. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is changing not just what we do, but how we understand ourselves and relate to one another.

Drawing on decades of research into the relationship between people and technology, Sherry explains why AI’s ability to simulate empathy should not be confused with genuine human understanding. From a touching story about her granddaughter to the growing use of chatbots as friends, companions, and therapists, she challenges us to consider what we may be giving up when we turn to technology to meet our emotional needs.

Clint and Sherry also discuss the importance of disagreement in healthy relationships, the impact of AI on children learning what it means to connect with others, and why we need to recognize the technology’s extraordinary capabilities while being thoughtful about the roles we allow it to play in our lives.This is the first part of a two-part conversation.

Topics Covered:
Sherry’s journey from studying psychoanalysis to exploring the psychology of our relationships with computers
How AI can generate convincing falsehoods and create narratives that make them seem believable
The difference between information, understanding, and lived human experience
Why simulated empathy and artificial intimacy are not the same as genuine human connection
How AI companionship may change our expectations of friendship and relationships
The importance of disagreement, listening, and finding common ground
Why Sherry believes we need to keep AI “in its lane”
The implications of AI companions for children and older adults
What parents risk losing when they outsource moments of learning and discovery to chatbots
The limitations and potential dangers of using AI as a substitute for human therapists

Links:
Dr. Turkle’s website - https://www.sherryturkle.com/
Dr. Turkle’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherry-turkle/
Dr Turkle’s book, “Artificial Intimacy” - https://amzn.to/4rp1Uvy

In Part Two of Clint’s conversation with Julian Treasure – award-winning author of “How to be Heard” and internationally recognized expert on listening, speaking, and the impact of sound – Julian explains why listening is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and mastered. He explores the modern listening crisis, why verbal communication is declining, how leaders can become better listeners, and the communication habits that strengthen relationships, reduce conflict, and build trust.

This is the second part of a two-part conversation. 

Topics Covered:

• Why listening is hearing + attention
• The global cost of poor listening and miscommunication
• Why listening should be taught in schools
• How texting and technology are changing communication
• The three types of listening: inner, created, and external listening
• Managing your inner critic and developing self-awareness
• The importance of listening in leadership and team development
• Julian's RASA framework for effective listening
• Why “Tell me more” is one of the most powerful phrases in communication
• The four “leeches” of communication: fixing, people-pleasing, looking good, and being right
• How to navigate disagreement using the PAVE framework
• HAIL: the four foundations of powerful speaking (Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, and Love)
• Why great speakers must first become great listeners
• Lessons from Julian's latest book, “Sound Affects”
• Julian's mission to regenerate the world's listening
  
  

EXCLUSIVE LISTENER OFFER: Get 25% off Julian Treasure’s new Conscious Communication App, featuring daily micro-lessons designed to improve your speaking, listening, and presenting skills.The offer is available to the first 200 people who redeem it.

Learn more and get 25% off: https://studio.com/juliantreasure/mcc?c=Y1WUw0Js

Links:Julian’s website - https://www.juliantreasure.com/ 
Julian’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliantreasure/ 
Julian’s book, “How to be Heard” - https://amzn.to/4xOJeHu 
Julian’s book, “Sound Affects” - https://amzn.to/46ajyJq 
The Listening Society - https://bit.ly/4g1rQJy

In Part Two of Clint’s conversation with Julie Newman, aerospace engineer and author of “Pull Don’t Push,” Julie explains why asking better questions can open entirely new career possibilities. She shares how parents, educators, and leaders can help young people discover engineering by connecting them to meaningful problems, not just job titles. Along the way, she challenges common misconceptions about engineering, discusses the surprising role of creativity and storytelling, and offers practical advice for inspiring the next generation. This is the second part of a two-part conversation.

Topics Covered:

• Why "What problems do you want to solve?" is a better question than "What are you passionate about?"
• How engineering creates opportunities to make a meaningful impact on the world
• The surprising career advantages of engineering, including earning potential, stability, and work-life balance
• Why creativity, not just math, is one of the defining characteristics of great engineers
• The unforgettable story of how NASA landed a Mars rover with a giant inflatable "bouncy ball"
• Why stories are more powerful than statistics when inspiring future engineers
• Common myths about math ability and why they discourage too many students from considering engineering
• Practical advice for parents, educators, and STEM advocates on creating outreach that truly inspires
• The free tools and resources Julie has developed to help improve STEM outreach efforts

Links:

• Julie’s website - https://juliejnewman.com/ 
• Julie’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-j-newman/ 
• Julie’s book, “Pull Don’t Push” - https://amzn.to/4q7vcxW 

In this episode, Clint sits down with Julie Newman, accomplished aerospace engineer and bestselling author of “Pull Don’t Push,” to discuss why decades of well-intentioned efforts to encourage more girls into STEM haven't produced the results many hoped for. Julie argues that the problem isn't a lack of encouragement, it's the way we're communicating about engineering. Together, they explore how engineering is often misunderstood, why creativity and communication are essential engineering skills, and how leaders, parents, and educators can inspire young people by focusing on possibility instead of obstacles. This is the first part of a two-part conversation.

Topics Covered:

• Why traditional STEM messaging often misses the mark
• The difference between "pushing" someone toward a career and "pulling" them toward a possibility
• How Julie's career at SpaceX, NASA, Boeing, and Impulse Space shaped her perspective on leadership and engineering
• Why engineering is fundamentally about creativity, teamwork, communication, and solving problems
• The biggest misconceptions people have about engineers and engineering careers
• Why communication skills can be a competitive advantage for engineers
• How parents and educators can better introduce engineering to young people
• Why engineering deserves a bigger role in the STEM conversation
• What business leaders can learn about influence from the way we talk about careers
  
  

Links:

• Julie’s website - https://juliejnewman.com/ 
• Julie’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-j-newman/ 
• Julie’s book, “Pull Don’t Push” - https://amzn.to/4q7vcxW