Title: What Happens When Love Enters the Boardroom (Part 1) Guest: Kelly Hall — Author of Love Works: Transforming the Workplace with Purpose and Authenticity

Intro

What happens when a business leader says the word "love" in a boardroom? Kelly Hall found out firsthand.

After two decades leading global teams in industries where performance ruled, Kelly began exploring what happens when we let emotion — empathy, compassion, and yes, love — belong at work.

In Part 1, Kelly and Mike unpack the tension between results and humanity: why we've been trained to separate who we are from what we do, and how reconnecting the two builds teams that trust, engage, and stay.

What This Part Covers

• Why "love" still feels taboo in corporate culture — and why that's changing.

• Kelly's story of being told to remove the word "love" from a presentation to investors.

• The danger of leaving parts of ourselves at the office door.

• Mike's moment of authenticity: going from "Michael" to "Mike."

• Redefining psychological safety and what it really looks like in action.

Highlights

• "It's scary to bring your emotions to work — and that's a tragedy."

• "The best leaders put their hand on your back, not their thumb on your head."

• "Safety doesn't mean comfort. It means you can stretch without fear."

• "When leaders show up as their whole selves, it gives everyone else permission to do the same."

Takeaways

• Real leadership is relational, not positional.

• Love is just another word for deep respect and care.

• Authenticity isn't a soft skill — it's a performance advantage.

• Create spaces where people can make mistakes and still belong.

• Growth happens when people feel safe enough to stretch.

Next Step for Listeners

Ask yourself: Do people on my team feel safe to tell me the truth — even when it's uncomfortable? This week, lead one conversation from curiosity, not control.

Connect with Kelly Hall.