Nicole Blevins discusses HR burnout with Brandon Laws, describing HR professionals as the "emotional sponge" of organizations. She explains how HR workers struggle to recognize burnout in themselves despite helping others with similar issues, particularly solo practitioners lacking peer support. Nicole shares practical strategies including setting boundaries, scheduling breaks, using music for decompression, and building professional networks. The key message: HR professionals must proactively prioritize their own mental health and apply the same self-care they advocate for employees.

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders."

Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience. Learn more: https://www.xeniumhr.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawsbrandon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawsbrandon About: https://xeniumhr.com/about-xenium/meet-the-team/brandon-laws

Website: https://xeniumhr.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xenium-hr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XeniumHR Twitter: https://twitter.com/XeniumHR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xeniumhr YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/XeniumHR

In this episode, host Brandon Laws sits down with executive coach and author Susanne Madsen to explore what it truly means to do the inner work. Drawing from her career in high pressure corporate environments, Susanne shares how chronic stress, misalignment with personal values, and ignored emotions can quietly erode well being and performance.

The conversation highlights practical tools leaders can use to regulate their nervous system, challenge limiting beliefs, create space for reflection, and rebuild their energy through simple daily routines. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed or simply looking for sustainable ways to show up better for yourself and your team, this episode offers grounded and actionable insights.

00:00 Welcome and episode introduction 01:00 Why inner work matters in modern leadership 02:30 Susanne's experience with chronic stress and early warning signs 04:00 Ignoring emotional signals and wearing stress as a badge of honor 05:30 The moment she considered a sabbatical and how it shifted everything 06:30 Self sabotaging patterns and the belief that stress is "part of the game" 07:30 Near burnout and the internal voice that pushed her to take a break 08:00 How coaching opened the door to deeper awareness 09:00 Uncovering limiting beliefs and the process of coaching yourself first 10:30 What clients bring to coaching and how overwhelm shows up 11:30 Understanding values alignment and how people intuitively sense misalignment 13:00 The role of boundaries in preventing overload 14:00 The habit of saying yes and immediate regret 15:00 Why beliefs carry so much power in behavior and decision making 17:00 How to pause and sit with uncomfortable emotions 18:30 Techniques to acknowledge feelings so they dissipate 19:30 Why self compassion is difficult for many people 20:30 Finding your happy place as a foundation for inner work 22:30 How nature and silence support emotional processing 24:00 Identifying the tasks or relationships that drain energy 25:30 Rebuilding energy with small, meaningful activities 27:00 Introducing breathwork as a tool for emotional regulation 28:30 Coherent breathing and why it changes your physiology 30:00 Daily practice and how breath sets the stage for clarity 31:00 Meditation for training the mind and interrupting negative thought cycles 33:00 Using imagery and awareness to return to center 34:00 Combating negativity bias with gratitude 35:30 Noticing the small wins and everyday "miracles" 37:00 Rewiring the brain and shifting perspective over time 38:00 Encouragement to seek external help when needed 39:00 Final reflections and Susanne's closing advice 40:00 Ways to connect with Susanne and learn more about her work

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders."

Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience. Learn more: https://www.xeniumhr.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawsbrandon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawsbrandon About: https://xeniumhr.com/about-xenium/meet-the-team/brandon-laws

Website: https://xeniumhr.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xenium-hr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XeniumHR Twitter: https://twitter.com/XeniumHR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xeniumhr YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/XeniumHR

In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, host Brandon Laws sits down with Lawrence "Larry" Armstrong—architect, artist, and author of Layered Leadership: Drive Double-Digit Growth and Dominate Your Competition with Creative Strategies and Execution. Larry shares how his unique blend of art and business has shaped his multidimensional approach to leadership.

Through vivid metaphors and real-world examples, Larry breaks down his "layered" model of leadership, emphasizing balance, vision, and execution. He explains why curiosity and creativity are essential traits for leaders, how developing a strong "number two" can multiply impact, and why personal wellness and financial health form the foundation for sustainable success.

Listeners will come away with practical ideas for leading more intentionally, staying curious, and helping teams grow in both structure and creativity.

Key Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Transform Your Workplace and introduction to Xenium HR's Custom HR Support 01:00 – Introducing Lawrence Armstrong and the concept of "layered leadership" 03:00 – How the idea of layers connects art, architecture, and leadership 06:00 – The importance of building a foundation before chasing growth 09:00 – The "rocket" metaphor for balanced leadership 10:00 – Leonardo da Vinci and the power of whole-brain leadership 12:00 – Why curiosity and discomfort fuel long-term growth 13:00 – Delegate vs. abdicate: developing fluency in all aspects of your business 14:00 – The Tinker Toy exercise for visualizing leadership growth 16:00 – The power of developing a strong "number two" 18:00 – Books that shaped Larry's leadership approach 23:00 – Why personal health and financial wellness matter for leaders 25:00 – The "fleet of ships" metaphor and agile leadership at scale 27:00 – Building innovation into every layer of the organization 30:00 – How being an artist makes Larry a better CEO 32:00 – Leadership legacy and lessons from Layered Leadership

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought leaders."

Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience.

Discover how Xenium can transform your workplace: https://www.xeniumhr.com/

Connect with Brandon Laws: LinkedIn Instagram About

Connect with Xenium HR: Website LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, host Brandon Laws welcomes back Victoria Dew, founder and CEO of Dewpoint Communications, to unpack findings from her latest research report, Connecting the Frontline: Current Trends, Challenges, and Strategic Opportunities in Workforce Communication.

Victoria shares what her team discovered after interviewing communication leaders across 18 industries — from manufacturing and healthcare to construction and education — about the urgent need to better connect with deskless and frontline workers. Together, Brandon and Victoria discuss how to bridge the gap between corporate and hourly employees, why 72% of frontline workers don't understand company strategy, and how leaders can close that gap through listening, technology, and culture change.

You'll also hear insights on AI's role in communication, manager overload, the importance of in-person connection, and how organizations can transform frontline workers into powerful brand ambassadors.

If you lead people, especially those on the frontlines, this conversation will help you reimagine how communication, connection, and culture can drive performance across your entire organization.

Key Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction — Purpose of the show and Xenium's Custom HR solutions [01:00] Meet Victoria Dew — Founder and CEO of Dewpoint Communications [02:00] Inside the new report Connecting the Frontline and its goals [04:00] Why frontline workers are often "out of sight, out of mind" [05:00] The shifting meaning of work for frontline employees [07:00] Understanding the "Ferrari vs. horse and carriage" gap between workers [09:00] Why 72% of frontline employees don't understand company strategy [11:00] Creating context and meaning through internal communication [12:00] Supporting overburdened managers as key communication channels [14:00] Moving beyond one-way communication to real feedback loops [16:00] Listening circles, pulse checks, and two-way engagement [18:00] Bridging the tech divide for frontline communication [19:00] AI as a game changer for communication teams [22:00] Why face-to-face connection still matters [23:00] Empowering frontline workers as brand ambassadors [25:00] Shifting the digital divide from "too hard" to "must have" [27:00] Culture change and adoption challenges in communication tech [29:00] How data drives — but doesn't replace — emotional change [30:00] The evolving role of communication professionals in the AI era [31:00] Practical steps leaders can take to connect with the frontline [33:00] Where to find and download Victoria's full report

A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought leaders."

About Xenium HR Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR.

Discover how Xenium can transform your workplace: 👉 Learn more

Connect with Brandon Laws: LinkedIn Instagram About Brandon

Connect with Xenium HR: Website LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, host Brandon Laws sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart. Together, they unpack what it really means to lead with humanity in today's workplace.

Claude shares stories from her own journey—from leaving a two-decade advertising career to building one of the most human-centered cultures in business—and offers practical wisdom for leaders who want to foster authenticity, connection, and belonging on their teams.

Listeners will come away inspired to lead with heart, embrace imperfection, and create workplaces where people can show up as their true selves.

Key Timestamps

[00:02:00] Claude's bold career pivot and how she discovered her calling as Chief Heart Officer [00:04:30] The truth about workplace conformity and why authentic leadership is a competitive advantage [00:06:00] A pivotal moment at VaynerX that showed the power of inclusion and belonging [00:08:00] How leaders can help their people see their potential by moving ego to the back seat [00:11:00] The link between authenticity, trust, and happiness at work [00:13:00] The hidden cost when employees feel the need to "shrink" instead of being themselves [00:15:00] Claude's concept of emotional optimism and how optimism, bravery, and efficiency fuel resilient teams [00:19:00] Practical tools to stop workplace anxiety and get grounded in the moment [00:24:00] The difference between fitting in and belonging—and how leaders can help people claim their space [00:27:00] Why humility is the foundation of effective leadership [00:30:00] How imperfection and vulnerability build real trust [00:33:00] Collective vulnerability as a cultural agreement for authenticity [00:36:00] The hardest part of heart-centered leadership and how Claude continues to grow in clarity [00:38:00] The biggest mindset shift in leadership—seeing through the lies we tell ourselves [00:40:00] Rediscovering emotional intelligence as a leadership superpower [00:41:00] The real ROI of bringing humanity into the workplace

A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders."

About Xenium HR

Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience.

Discover how Xenium can transform your workplace: Learn more

Connect with Brandon Laws: LinkedIn Instagram About

Connect with Xenium HR: Website LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

HR consultant Nicole Blevins discusses building effective partnerships between internal HR teams and external consultants. She emphasizes starting with clear role definitions, addressing concerns through curiosity rather than defensiveness, and positioning consultants as supportive extensions rather than threats. Success requires open communication, regular check-ins, and customizing support based on each team's unique needs.

TAKEAWAYS

• Start relationships with clear expectations by mapping roles and responsibilities to avoid conflicts over unmet assumptions
• Address resistance through curiosity—ask questions to understand concerns rather than listing credentials defensively
• Customize support based on team needs, whether handling administrative tasks to free up strategic work or providing strategic guidance to developing teams

A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR

Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.

About Xenium HR

Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience. Discover how Xenium can transform your workplace: Learn more [https://www.xeniumhr.com/]

Connect with Brandon Laws: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawsbrandon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lawsbrandon] About [https://xeniumhr.com/about-xenium/meet-the-team/brandon-laws]

Connect with Xenium HR: Website [https://xeniumhr.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/xenium-hr] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/XeniumHR] Twitter [https://twitter.com/XeniumHR] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/xeniumhr] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/XeniumHR

Danielle Dinkelman shares her journey into corporate wellness, shaped by personal injury and witnessing her husband's burnout. She emphasizes that effective wellness programs require shared responsibility between employers and employees, focusing on five key areas: rest, fuel, play, connection, and purpose. Success depends on authentic leadership commitment rather than incentive-driven programs.

TAKEAWAYS

• Rest is productive, not a distraction — leaders must recognize that sustainable performance requires intentional recovery time.
• High-impact wellness coaching achieves 20-40% utilization — far exceeding traditional programs when integrated authentically into company culture.
• Burnout prevention requires policy alignment — review employee handbooks through the lens of rest, fuel, play, connection, and purpose.

A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR

Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.

About Xenium HR

Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience. Discover how Xenium can transform your workplace: Learn more [https://www.xeniumhr.com/]

Connect with Brandon Laws: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawsbrandon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lawsbrandon] About [https://xeniumhr.com/about-xenium/meet-the-team/brandon-laws]

Connect with Xenium HR: Website [https://xeniumhr.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/xenium-hr] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/XeniumHR] Twitter [https://twitter.com/XeniumHR] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/xeniumhr] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/XeniumHR

Construction veteran and certified polyvagal professional Josh Durham returns to explore "embodied safety" — a whole-person approach that connects physical, psychological, and physiological safety. He and host Brandon Laws discuss why practices beat policies, how simple sensory cues (calm voice, clear signage, clean spaces, brief breathing drills) help teams operate in a focused "play zone," and practical steps leaders can use to build respectful worksites that improve retention, decision-making, and outcomes.

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 — Welcome & sponsor; why embodied safety matters beyond "hard hats and harnesses."

• 02:20 — Defining embodied safety: physical, psychological, and physiological components.

• 03:50 — Industry context: advances in physical safety, rise of mental health focus, and the "leading-edge" physiological piece.

• 04:55 — A pivotal harassment incident: why leaders must assume unseen risks exist on every site.

• 06:40 — The "hidden staircase": universal human drivers—survive, belong, become.

• 08:10 — Leading individuals at scale: meeting core needs and empowering "ambassadors."

• 10:05 — Practices vs. policies: proactive habits that build trust, health, and productivity.

• 12:00 — Implementing respectful worksite programs (Green Dot/Rise Up), aligning physical safety, and physiological cues.

• 13:10 — Start with a real "why," expect resistance, recruit influential change ambassadors, iterate openly.

• 15:30 — Overcoming "HR fluff" perceptions; tying respectful work to productivity, quality, safety, profits, and retention.

• 17:10 — The change curve: guiding people from shock/denial to curiosity and commitment.

• 19:30 — Polyvagal basics: the vagus nerve as the body's safety signal network.

• 21:20 — From fight/flight/freeze to the "play zone": operating in an activated-but-safe state.

• 24:40 — Practical cues leaders can use: calm tone, visual grounding, clean/organized spaces, belonging at first contact.

• 26:10 — Breathing as the controllable lever of the autonomic nervous system; simple stretches and breath work.

• 30:10 — Retention, productivity, legal and injury risks when safety isn't embodied.

• 32:30 — Respect as default: people bring invisible burdens through the gate every day.

• 35:00 — First steps: clarify your "why," name bad habits, identify change ambassadors, and frame a simple plan.

• 36:30 — Resources and contact; closing.

A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR

Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.

About Xenium HR

Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience. Discover how Xenium can transform your workplace: Learn more [https://www.xeniumhr.com/]

Connect with Brandon Laws: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawsbrandon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lawsbrandon] About [https://xeniumhr.com/about-xenium/meet-the-team/brandon-laws]

Connect with Xenium HR: Website [https://xeniumhr.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/xenium-hr] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/XeniumHR] Twitter [https://twitter.com/XeniumHR] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/xeniumhr] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/XeniumHR

Leadership coach Nir Megnazi discusses leading calmly through uncertainty in this Transform Your Workplace podcast. He explains how overwhelming change causes leaders to freeze, micromanage, or become emotionally reactive. Megnazi emphasizes that effective leadership requires emotional awareness—identifying and naming feelings before acting on them. He argues leaders must shift from prioritizing results to enabling team success by understanding individual strengths and creating environments where people can reach their potential, ultimately achieving exponentially better outcomes.

TAKEAWAYS

• Emotional awareness precedes calm leadership: Leaders must identify and name their emotions in real-time to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively to triggers and stress.
• Trust requires competence plus care: People choose to follow leaders who demonstrate professional expertise and genuine concern for their team members' wellbeing and growth.
• Enable results, don't just demand them: A leader's job is growing teams that deliver outcomes by tapping into each person's unique strengths, not personally achieving every result.

A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders."

About Xenium HR Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. 👉 Learn more

Connect with Brandon Laws

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• About Brandon

Connect with Xenium HR

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

• YouTube

Melissa Swift discusses why modern work is dangerous, boring, and frustrating—comparing today's tech overload to the early industrial revolution. She advocates for human-centric workplace design, reducing work intensification, and treating employee feedback as valuable data rather than complaints.

TAKEAWAYS

• Work intensification is real: Employees are doing more tasks per hour with denser workloads, like carrying bricks instead of sponges
• Technology waste is massive: 42-43% of time with workplace tech is wasted; half of employees want old systems back
• Focus on retention over recruiting: HR spends 3x more effort on recruitment than developing current talent

A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST

Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR Host: Brandon Laws

In Brandon's own words: "The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders."

About Xenium HR Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. 👉 Learn more

Connect with Brandon Laws

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• About Brandon

Connect with Xenium HR

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

• YouTube