In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with Dr. Angela Jackson, workplace futurist, Harvard lecturer, ESG expert, and author of the award-winning new book The Win-Win Workplace: How Thriving Employees Drive Bottom-Line Success.

Dr. Jackson shares her powerful personal story of a career-changing accident that shifted her focus to employee well-being, leadership, and sustainable success. From her experiences at Viacom and Nokia to her research at Harvard, Dr. Jackson offers real-world insights into why well-being at work isn’t just nice to have, it’s a business imperative.

Listeners will learn:

• Why measuring and investing in well-being increases ROI, retention, and engagement
• The role of frontline managers in shaping employee experience
• How personalized benefits and skills-based hiring can unlock untapped talent
• Why AI-powered personalization is the future of employee well-being and career development
• Practical steps leaders can take to center employee voices and create cultures of belonging

Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, or professional looking to thrive in the workplace, this conversation offers actionable strategies for building organizations where people and performance flourish together.

Tune in to discover what’s possible when we embrace the future of work as a win-win for both employees and employers.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

In mini episode, Ilene Schaffer welcomes back executive coach Harry Hofer for the fourth nudge in this series. Harry introduces the concept of core tension in leadership: the inevitable push and pull between competing priorities like quantity vs. quality, execution vs. engagement, tactical vs. strategic, and short-term vs. long-term goals.

Harry explains that core tension is not a problem to solve but a reality to recognize, monitor, and manage. Drawing on real-world examples, including contact center performance, he shows how focusing too much on one side can cause breakdowns on the other.

Listeners will learn:

• What “core tension” means and why it’s at the heart of every system
• How leaders and coaches can identify when a tension is out of balance
• Open-ended questions to ask instead of making assumptions about priorities
• Ways to engage teams in meaningful discussions about managing tensions together

Tune in to find out what's possible when embrace core tension to lead with clarity and resilience.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

What comes to mind when you hear “organizational design”? If it’s just charts and reporting lines, think again. In this episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Susannah Robinson. As an HR leader, consultant, professor, and author of Beyond the Boxes and Lines, Susannah explores how thoughtful organizational design can make or break a company’s success.

Susannah shares why design goes far beyond the boxes on a page, encompassing job design, structure, and employee practices. She explains why alignment is the secret ingredient for thriving organizations, using real-world examples like Disney to show how every role contributes to the bigger picture.

Listeners will learn:

• How to spot organizational design issues before they derail performance
• Why leaders — not just HR — must take ownership of design
• Practical steps to align roles, incentives, and practices with business goals
• How to build organizations where employees feel valued and connected

Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, or manager looking to strengthen your team, this episode will give you actionable insights to rethink your organization’s design and unlock new possibilities for growth and well-being.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone. In this short, actionable episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer and executive coach Harry Hofer share practical nudges to help you step out of the weeds and lead with clarity.

Find out how shifting from tactical tasks to strategic thinking frees you to focus on your unique contribution, why mindset, is often the biggest barrier to progress, and the importance of delegation and creating space for vision, strategy, and well-being. Plus, learn a second game-changing nudge: “What else could be true?”...a mindset reset that broadens perspective and opens possibilities.

If you’re stuck in overwhelm, struggling to delegate, or ready to reframe your mindset, this episode offers a quick but powerful reset. Tune in to discover how small shifts in perspective can help you manage stress, lead strategically, and unlock what’s possible.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

In this milestone 100th episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with author, positive psychology coach, and happiness expert Robert Mack to find out what it really takes to be happy, and why leaders can’t afford to wait until life is perfect to start.

Author of Happiness from the Inside Out, Love from the Inside Out, Robert shares his own journey from depression to deep joy and his 4 AM morning routine. Plus, you’ll get his insights on the concept of “peaceful aliveness,” which is a state of inner health and vitality that isn’t dependent on external circumstances. Together, Ilene and Robert share practical strategies to help you thrive at work and in life, including:

• How to identify your “happiness islands” and “happiness deserts”
• Why starting and ending activities on a positive note boosts energy and performance
• Simple breathwork practices to manage stress and sharpen presence
• Why prioritizing happiness enhances professional success rather than compromising it

If you’ve been feeling stressed, burned out, or like joy has taken a back seat, this episode is your reminder, and your roadmap, to making happiness a daily practice.

Listen now to celebrate our 100th episode and discover what’s possible when you choose happiness first.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Feeling burned out, stressed, or disconnected at work? It’s time to explore a powerful alternative: social prescribing. In this episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Julia Hotz, award-winning author of The Connection Cure, to uncover how prescribing nature walks, art workshops, volunteering, and community activities can dramatically improve your mental health, workplace productivity, and overall well-being.

Julia shares evidence-backed insights on how movement, nature, art, service, and belonging significantly contribute to employee wellness, reduce stress, and combat burnout. You’ll learn why clinical care accounts for just 20% of health outcomes, with the remaining 80% driven by our environment and social factors. She provides actionable strategies leaders can immediately use to foster healthier, happier teams by reconnecting employees to what genuinely matters to them.

Whether you’re a leader looking to enhance organizational health, a professional navigating burnout, or simply someone seeking holistic strategies for well-being, this episode offers practical tools and transformative ideas for better living.

Listen in and discover how to harness the prescriptive power of human connection to create lasting wellness in your workplace and beyond.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

When you are called to communicate critical messages that truly resonate with your audience, where do you start? In this episode, Harry Hofer shares an essential framework that can transform how you connect with people in just minutes. Ilene Schaffer sits down with Harry to get the inside scoop on the “Know, Do, Feel” communication framework.

Harry, an internal executive coach at a Fortune 500 company, shares practical insights for senior leaders on effectively crafting messages that resonate, motivate, and inspire action. You'll learn how clearly defining what you want your audience to know, what you want them to do, and importantly, how you want them to feel can dramatically enhance your communication impact.

Whether you’re preparing for a high-stakes meeting, delivering feedback, or stepping into an important interview, this powerful yet simple framework will help ground your message, elevate your influence, and ensure clarity in moments of stress or uncertainty.

Let's find out what's possible in the moment, and stay tuned for more In the Moment episodes with Harry Hofer.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Do you really know how you're showing up as a leader? We all have blind spots, those hidden areas in our behavior, thinking, and communication that can unknowingly hold us back. In this episode, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Marty Dubin, clinical psychologist, executive consultant, and author of the forthcoming book Blind Spotting, to explore how recognizing and addressing your leadership blind spots can dramatically improve your impact.

You'll learn about the six crucial areas of self-awareness - identity, traits, motives, emotions, intellect, and behavior - and hear real-life examples of executives who transformed their careers and their leadership by becoming strategically self-aware. Marty shares practical tips on leveraging feedback, using 360 assessments effectively, and making small but powerful behavioral tweaks that lead to extraordinary results.

If you're ready to become a more intentional and effective leader, tune in and discover what might be hiding in your blind spots, and what’s possible when you see clearly.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Feeling stuck in your leadership style or struggling to communicate effectively with your team? In this quick-hit episode, What's Possible host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Harry Hofer, internal executive coach at a Fortune 500 organization, to introduce the power of "nudges."

These subtle mindset shifts are grounded in behavioral science and emotional intelligence and can help leaders navigate common workplace challenges, normalize team experiences, and boost overall employee engagement.

Harry shares practical examples of how leaders can apply these nudges to create psychological safety, encourage openness, and improve organizational well-being.

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Did you know the Enneagram can radically improve your leadership, communication, and relationships? In this episode, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Ali Dunn, a dynamic leadership and Enneagram coach, to learn how understanding your core motivations can dramatically transform your workplace interactions, reduce conflict, and prevent burnout.

With over 20 years of professional experience, Ali shares how awareness of the nine Enneagram types enhances team performance, strengthens relationships, and fosters personal and professional growth. If you'ever felt stuck in your leadership approach or wondered how to build a more cohesive and empathetic team, this episode offers an exciting new opportunity.

You’ll learn:

• What the Enneagram is and how it differs from other personality assessments.
• Real-world examples of leaders using the Enneagram to improve team dynamics and avoid burnout.
• Practical tips for leveraging your Enneagram type to enhance your communication and relationships.

Find out what’s possible when you use the Enneagram to become the authentic, impactful leader you aspire to be. 

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Learn more about Silicon Valley Change Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
Connect with Ilene Schaffer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.