What’s Possible w. Ilene Schaffer

In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment, Ilene Schaffer is joined by SVChange coach Niels Gott to share a simple but powerful technique for calming your nervous system in moments of stress.

This conversation is part of our mini-series Inside the Coach Toolbox, where Ilene sits down with SVChange coaches to explore the practices they personally rely on when life feels overwhelming.

Niels introduces a three-step reset called “Name, Breathe, Widen.” The process begins by naming what you’re feeling, which helps engage the prefrontal cortex and create distance from the stress response. Techniques like this work because they activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping us regain perspective and choice even in chaotic moments.

If you’re looking for a quick way to reset your mind and body during a stressful day, this episode offers a practical tool you can use immediately.

- - - - - - -
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 if productivity wasn’t about doing more, but about creating the right conditions for focus, flow, and meaningful work? In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with Steven Puri, CEO of The Sukha flow state app, to explore a radically different way of thinking about productivity, leadership, and modern work.

Steven shares lessons from a career that spans engineering, Hollywood visual effects, studio leadership, and tech startups, and how failure, trust, and flow states shaped his perspective along the way. Together, Ilene and Steven unpack why the most important work doesn’t happen in the minutes between meetings, how leaders can create conditions for deep focus, and why understanding how people actually work is essential in a hybrid and remote world.

This conversation is both thoughtful and practical, offering a “toolkit for 2025” filled with ideas leaders can use right now to support healthy productivity, creativity, and fulfillment at work.

- - - - - - -
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 episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment, Ilene Schaffer sits down with SVChange coach Alex Jack to explore practical, evidence-informed tools for calming your nervous system in real time.

This conversation is part of our new mini-series, Inside the Coach Toolbox, where Ilene interviews SVChange coaches about the practices they personally rely on when life feels overwhelming.

Drawing from positive psychology and lived experience, Alex shares five simple tools he uses regularly to reset stress quickly:

• Intentional breathing
• Music as emotional regulation
• Grounding through sensory awareness
• Movement and dance
• Connecting with someone you trust

From watching Planet Earth to standing barefoot on grass, Alex explains how small, accessible practices can shift your state in seconds and why these tools are backed by research, not just preference.

If you’re leading a team, navigating uncertainty, or simply feeling stretched thin, this short episode offers practical ways to return to calm and clarity, starting now.

___

Inside the Coach Toolbox is a special In the Moment mini-series from What’s Possible, where Ilene Schaffer sits down with SVChange coaches to explore the real-life practices they use to regulate stress, manage pressure, and stay grounded in high-stakes moments.

These brief, practical episodes offer science-backed tools you can use immediately — whether you're leading others or simply trying to show up as your best self.

- - - - - - -
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 do you do when your nervous system spikes right before something important? In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment, Ilene Schaffer is joined by SVChange coach Stephen Burke to share the 10-minute grounding practice he uses before high-stakes moments.

This conversation launches a new mini-series, Inside the Coach Toolbox, where Ilene sits down with SVChange coaches to explore the real practices they rely on when life feels stressful.

Stephen walks us through a simple reset rooted in somatic awareness, noticing thoughts and emotions, and practicing self-compassion. It’s a practice that helps him steady himself, reconnect to his body, and return to clarity and curiosity, especially when the pressure is on.

_____

Inside the Coach Toolbox is a special In the Moment mini-series from What’s Possible, where Ilene Schaffer explores the calming practices SVChange coaches rely on in their own lives.

These short episodes offer practical, human tools you can use immediately, whether you’re leading a team, navigating uncertainty, or simply wanting to show up with more steadiness and intention.

- - - - - - -
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.

Meetings are one of the biggest drains on time, energy, and focus at work, but they don’t have to be. In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with organizational scholar Rebecca Hinds, author of “Your Best Meeting Ever,” to radically rethink how meetings are designed, facilitated, and experienced.

Together, they explore why most meetings fail, how to purge unnecessary ones, and how to intentionally redesign the meetings that remain, whether they’re hybrid, one-on-one, walking meetings, or leadership team sessions. Rebecca shares research-backed insights from her work at Asana and Glean, practical tools like calendar resets and decision-focused agendas, and why subtraction is the key to better work.

If you’ve ever ended a day wondering how you were busy all day but accomplished very little, this conversation will change how you think about meetings and how you use your time.

- - - - - - -
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.

How do leaders get out of their own way to make space for growth? In this In the Moment episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with executive coach Harry Hofer to unpack how mindset, language, and perspective can either limit or expand a leader’s choices. 

Harry introduces a coaching nudge on personal complicity, while Ilene offers accessible ways to help leaders reframe challenges, build trust, and create more possibility. 

This short conversation is full of practical insights leaders can use right away.

- - - - - - -
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 does it really take to lead well, not just in theory, but in practice?

In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with Michael Mulhern, Executive Chairman of Epsilon Global and author of “The CEO Playbook,” to unpack 40 years of real-world leadership lessons.

Michael shares practical wisdom from leading four private-equity-backed companies across multiple industries, offering a refreshingly honest look at what actually drives performance and culture. From building flat organizations and aligning values with results, to managing stress and developing emotional intelligence, this conversation is grounded, candid, and immediately applicable.

Listeners will hear why sincerity is the foundation of leadership, how EQ can be developed at any stage, and why the best leaders create environments where people choose to show up and do their best work.

This episode is a must-listen for senior leaders, aspiring CEOs, HR professionals, and anyone who wants to lead with integrity, clarity, and humanity.

- - - - - - -
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 if defining a successful day could fit right in the palm of your hand? In this In the Moment episode of What’s Possible, executive coach Harry Hofer shares a simple five-finger framework born out of a moment of chaos that helps leaders break down daily priorities into clear, actionable steps.

Host Ilene Schaffer reconnects with Harry to unpack how this tactile exercise guides leaders and teams in focusing on what matters most—from connecting with people to engaging hiring managers and prioritizing learning—while keeping well-being and the team at the center.

Listeners will learn:

• How to use the “five fingers” as a quick, memorable guide to focus daily efforts
• Why defining success with tangible touchpoints reduces overwhelm
• Ways to customize the framework to fit your team’s goals
• How building connection and well-being strengthens leadership impact

If you’re a leader seeking practical tools to simplify your day and activate your team, this episode offers a fresh nudge you can start using today.

- - - - - - -
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.

Behind every powerhouse communicator, relationship builder, and resilient leader is a strategic thinker who leads with curiosity and honors wellbeing. Say goodbye to disengagement and team fatigue as we bring you science-backed strategies that will transform not just your leadership style but also your team’s and organization's success.

Join Ilene Schaffer and industry leaders as they share tried-and-true methods, empowering insights, and a mission to elevate your leadership game.

- - - - - - -
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 if being yourself at work wasn’t a risk, but your greatest advantage?

In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and author of “Be Yourself at Work,” for a deeply human conversation about authenticity, emotional intelligence, and what it really means to belong at work.

Claude shares powerful lessons from her personal journey, including a life-changing Outward Bound experience, and how those insights shaped her philosophy of servant leadership, presence, and psychological safety. Together, Ilene and Claude get into the cost of “fake urgency,” the myth of perfect work-life balance, and why great leadership is less about control and more about care.

This episode is full of practical wisdom for leaders, HR professionals, and anyone navigating today’s workplace. If you’ve ever wondered how to thrive at work without losing yourself, this conversation is for you. 

- - - - - - -
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.