What’s Possible w. Ilene Schaffer

What happens when a beloved senior leader suddenly leaves, and the person stepping in isn’t a high-profile external hire, but someone already within the organization?

In this In the Moment, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Eric Wong, Principal of Organizational Effectiveness at Adobe, to talk about a real-life story that redefined his view of succession planning and leadership culture.

Eric shares a pivotal experience where an untested internal successor stepped up to lead a global team, turning what could have been a moment of chaos into a story of collective confidence and resilience. Together, Ilene and Eric find out what makes internal succession work, from creating teams that can operate without you to cultivating leaders who are loved, trusted, and ready.

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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 episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Donna Lichaw, executive coach, author, and former tech and product leader, to hear about her new book, “The Leader’s Journey: Transforming Your Leadership to Achieve the Extraordinary.”

With a background spanning documentary filmmaking, tech startups, and executive coaching, Donna brings a refreshingly unique lens to leadership. She shares how storytelling shapes the way leaders see themselves, their teams, and their work. Plus, we learn why rewriting those internal stories is essential for growth.

Tune in to hear:

• How personal stories can either hold us back or propel us forward
• Why embracing quirks and “kryptonite” behaviors can unlock leadership strengths
• The role of systemic awareness in creating meaningful, sustainable change
• Practical steps for identifying and harnessing your own leadership superpowers
• How joy, authenticity, and purpose fuel transformational leadership

From collecting tin robots to guiding executives through chaos, Donna’s journey is both deeply personal and universally inspiring. Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or simply curious about the intersection of storytelling and leadership, this episode will help you discover what’s possible when you embrace your whole self as a leader.

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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.

Instead of starting tough conversations with “These results are unacceptable,” Harry Hofer reminds us that everyone wants to do their best. And when performance slips, it’s often because of unseen burdens like caregiving responsibilities, health struggles, or personal stress.

In this In the Moment episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down again with Harry Hofer, coach and leadership thinker, to explore a powerful shift in how leaders approach performance challenges.

Together, Ilene and Harry unpack how leaders can move from judgment to curiosity by asking open-ended questions like “What’s taking up your energy right now?” This simple but transformative question creates psychological safety, builds trust, and helps employees return to their best.

Listeners will learn:

• Why assuming the best intentions changes the way leaders address performance issues
• How to reframe conversations from punishment to support and growth
• Practical coaching questions that open up dialogue and uncover hidden challenges
• The role of team activation and collective support in helping employees thrive
• How positive psychology principles like grace, visualization, and forward focus boost engagement

If you’re a leader, manager, or HR professional navigating performance conversations, this episode will give you actionable insights to build stronger teams, foster resilience, and create workplaces where people feel supported to do their best.

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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 if leadership is not just about skills, but something deeper? In this episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Dr. Max Klau, author, coach, developmental psychologist, and founder of the Center for Courageous Wholeness, to explore the future of leadership through the lens of servant leadership.

Dr. Klau’s new book, Developing Servant Leaders at Scale: How to Do It, and Why It Matters, offers a powerful methodology for building leaders who serve with humility, courage, and wholeness. Drawing on two decades of designing transformational leadership programs at City Year and the New Politics Academy, Max shares his insights on the interconnectedness of inner development and systems change.

You’ll learn:

• What servant leadership really means in today’s world—and why it’s needed now more than ever
• How to confront your shadow mission and align with your true purpose
• The flame model of leadership (Be, Know, Do) and why the “Be” is the most overlooked capacity in organizations
• How to build developmental organizations where growth, wholeness, and service are woven into the culture
• Practical ways leaders can invite teams into this deeper work without resistance or fear

If you’re a leader, coach, or professional curious about how inner growth fuels outer impact, this episode will inspire you to reimagine leadership as a dual journey of serving others while becoming more whole yourself. 

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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 In the Moment mini-episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down again with Harry Hofer to explore an unconventional but powerful leadership idea: celebrating the word “no.”

Drawing from Blue Zones research on longevity and his own experience coaching high-performing teams, Harry explains why hearing “no” isn’t a setback, it’s a catalyst for growth. By reframing “no” as a positive, leaders can foster psychological safety, encourage innovation, and create cultures where employees push boundaries without fear.

Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or coach, this short episode will change the way you think about rejection, and show you how embracing “no” can unlock new possibilities in your leadership and your organization.

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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 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.