Wired to Work | Neuroscience, Psychology & Leadership

Burnout, disengagement, leadership fatigue — we’ve been trying to solve these problems by fixing individuals. But what if the real issue is how work is designed?

In the first episode of the newly rebranded Wired to Work, workplace strategist Jess Chapman speaks with systems designer and founder of All In Agency Jules Maitland, PhD about why traditional workplace models no longer fit the world we live in.

They explore:

• Why resilience training doesn’t fix burnout

• Why employee engagement often fails

• Why leaders struggle to admit they don’t have all the answers

• What systems thinking means in practical terms

• How to redesign work without a “big bang” transformation

• The rise of adaptive, self-managing (“teal”) organizations

If you’re a leader, founder, or manager wondering how to improve culture, reduce burnout, or lead change that actually sticks — this episode is for you.

Welcome to Wired to Work.

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• (00:00:00) - How to Be a Leader Who Knows the Answer
• (00:00:28) - Wired to Work: How to Make Work Better for Everyone
• (00:02:28) - How to Win at Work with a Computer
• (00:04:44) - How Systems Thinking fits into Human Centered Design
• (00:11:53) - The Role of Relationships in Organizations
• (00:15:26) - Back to the Floor
• (00:16:56) - The Need to Evolve Our Practices
• (00:20:37) - The Need for Human Centered Design
• (00:23:43) - Leadership in a Changing World
• (00:26:42) - On Feedback and Commander Control
• (00:32:39) - What Do You Do If You Don't Have the Power to Change
• (00:37:40) - What is a Teal Organization?
• (00:44:07) - On the Need for More Leadership
• (00:45:26) - Wired for Work: Unlocking Your People

As Season 2 wraps up, Jess looks back on the moments that stuck — the insights, laughs, and leadership lessons that made this season one to remember. From kindness at work to navigating change, clarity in relationships, and what it really means to connect with people, these are her Top Five Takeaways to make the tough people stuff easier.

️ Featuring highlights from conversations with Chelsea Colwell-Posh, Tom Hickey, Jeff McAloon, Anna Cook, Pierre Battah, and Susan Englehutt.

️ Watch the full episode now — packed with real-world advice on hiring, leadership, and the people side of growth.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/IhRn3i4pD3U?si=rIN5V1FkBPFc5gmr

• (00:00:00) - Unlock Your People: A Season Finale
• (00:01:05) - Chelsea on the Need for More Kindness in Work
• (00:04:33) - Employers' ability to manage uncertainty
• (00:07:37) - How To Win a Brother's Love
• (00:11:59) - In the Elevator With Pierre Batter
• (00:12:43) - How to Drive Change in the Organization
• (00:16:34) - Susan Engelhut on the Relationship in Sales
• (00:19:05) - Just Ask Jess: Season 2

What really happens when your business starts to grow — and your people have to grow with it? In this roundtable episode of Unlocking Your People, Jess is joined by Atlantic Canada entrepreneurs Mike Randall (Portfolio) and Stephanie Hovey (Allied Therapy) for a candid chat about leading through change, managing emotion at work, and finding the right cultural fit when hiring. From the hidden costs of moving too fast to why the “people part” matters as much as the business plan, this panel gets real about what it takes to build healthy, thriving teams.

✉️ Get in touch at: [email protected]

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Website: https://www.ethree.ca

• (00:00:00) - Unlock Your People
• (00:01:05) - A Chat With Mike Randall and Steph Huffy
• (00:02:57) - Stephanie on Change Management
• (00:08:39) - What's the biggest mistake leaders make in planning for change?
• (00:11:02) - How to Prepare for Change?
• (00:15:51) - What support does a team need for change?
• (00:17:27) - On Change and How to Deal with It
• (00:23:58) - The 3 Step Process on Change Communication
• (00:27:18) - The Simple Things a Leader Can Do to Make People Feel Seen and
• (00:32:23) - How to Hire the Right Talent
• (00:37:08) - Does Psychometrics for Fit Matter?
• (00:41:21) - Interviewing the Right Person for the Job
• (00:47:45) - The Need for Talent Development in 2030
• (00:51:17) - What is harassment prevention legislation in New Brunswick?
• (00:55:17) - E3CA: HR Self-Serving Toolkit

Contracts, corporations, and co-founders — oh my! In this episode, Jess sits down with Anna Cook, Partner at Cox & Palmer, for a practical, plain-language look at the legal side of running a business. From when to incorporate, to why every partnership needs a “business prenup,” Anna breaks down what small business owners really need to know — including how to avoid common legal pitfalls as you grow.

Plus, Jess tackles a viral workplace scandal in the Just Ask Jess segment: when the CEO and HR lead make headlines for all the wrong reasons, what can small organizations learn about managing relationships at work?

✉️ Get in touch at: [email protected]

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Website: https://www.ethree.ca

HR Toolkit!: https://www.ethree.ca/hr-toolkit/

• (00:00:00) - Unlock Your People: Small Business Owners
• (00:00:48) - Meet Anna Cook
• (00:02:12) - Why Law School Is For Real
• (00:03:42) - Do You Incorporate or Not?
• (00:06:56) - Other Things to Consider When Starting a Business With Family
• (00:13:08) - What are some of the things that you regularly see organizations doing that
• (00:18:22) - Small Business Owners: Stock Options and Remuneration
• (00:22:55) - Should You Give Stock Options to Family or Friends?
• (00:26:48) - Incorporation: The Cast of Characters
• (00:29:22) - Do Shareowners Have a Right to Vote?
• (00:33:12) - Confirmations and Documents for Business Owners
• (00:39:18) - Have You Got a Vision to Sell Your Company?
• (00:40:09) - Ontario vs Nova Scotia & Quebec: What's the Difference?
• (00:45:16) - Covid HR: Remote Work and the Law
• (00:48:54) - Commercial Law
• (00:50:28) - The Coldplay Kiss Cam
• (00:54:42) - Are Personal Relationships Bad for the Workplace?
• (00:56:27) - Questions for Work

Giving feedback doesn’t have to spark defensiveness — if you know how to do it right. Jess walks through her NICER framework: Notice the behavior, validate intent, and explain consequences in a way that matters. It’s a simple, powerful way to turn tough conversations into growth conversations — minus the friction.

• (00:00:03) - How to Coach a Terrible Co-worker
• (00:04:34) - How to Give Feedback to a Boss

When we talk about safety at work, we usually think hard hats and handrails — but what about the safety to speak up, struggle, or be honest about your mental health? In this episode, Jess sits down with Sean Kennedy to unpack what psychological safety really means. Sean shares his own mental health journey and how stigma shaped his leadership perspective, while Jess explores how organizations can move beyond surface-level wellness to build cultures where people actually feel safe — not just physically, but emotionally too.

• (00:00:02) - Unlock Your People: Psychological Safety
• (00:00:57) - Seth Mind on Mental Health
• (00:05:47) - Psychological Safety in the Workplace
• (00:12:18) - Wellbeing and the Lead
• (00:19:34) - Mental Well-being in the Workforce
• (00:23:53) - Philip Glass on Workplace Psychosocial Issues
• (00:25:55) - How to Coach Someone Who's a Jerk
• (00:30:32) - How to Give Feedback on a Problem
• (00:33:11) - Just Ask Jess

In this Just Ask Jess episode, Jess tackles real questions from listeners — from how to manage performance in small teams to what to do when your leadership group isn’t aligned. She shares straight-up advice on giving better feedback, getting your people involved, and creating a culture that actually works (not just looks good on paper).

✉️ Get in touch at: [email protected]

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Website: https://www.ethree.ca

HR Toolkit!: https://www.ethree.ca/hr-toolkit/

• (00:00:00) - So much.

When leaders speak, their words carry weight — whether they’re grounded in fact or not. In this Just Ask Jess episode, Jess reflects on Trump’s presidency through a leadership lens, unpacking what it reveals about power, responsibility, and influence. From the impact of a leader’s words, to the role of trusted advisors and diverse perspectives, to the dangers of “yes men” and top-down cultures, Jess explores how leaders can either build trust or erode it — and what that means for anyone guiding a team, an organization, or a nation.

✉️ Get in touch at: [email protected]

Follow us:

Instagram - @ethreeconsulting

LinkedIn - ethree-consulting

Website: https://www.ethree.ca

HR Toolkit!: https://www.ethree.ca/hr-toolkit/

• (00:00:01) - Trump on Tylenol, and His Leadership
• (00:02:27) - The Importance of Diversity in Your Enourage
• (00:06:21) - Top-Down Management Under Trump
• (00:09:07) - Government employees' attachment to the work
• (00:10:34) - In the Elevator With a CEO

The world of work is shifting fast — and leaders are being challenged to keep up. In this Hot Topics episode of Unlocking Your People, Jess welcomes back Tom Hickey to unpack the themes showing up everywhere right now: diversity, equity, and inclusion (or DIB, as we call it), the rise of AI and its impact on jobs, the complexity of employee expectations, and the uncertainty that comes with constant change.

With two voices, different perspectives, and candid conversation, Jess and Tom break down what’s really happening inside organizations today — and what leaders can do to navigate it.

• (00:00:03) - Unlock Your People Today
• (00:00:37) - Tom Back on the Podcast
• (00:01:11) - What Did I Do?
• (00:02:31) - The Need for Strategic Plans
• (00:08:19) - Ontario Business Executive on the US vs. Canada divide
• (00:13:48) - Do We Need More Jobs in the AI Space?
• (00:21:10) - Can You Replace Your Boss With AI?
• (00:26:21) - Does AI Social Media Help You Build Relationships?
• (00:33:22) - How to Win at Cold Calling
• (00:34:58) - DW: Diversity and Inclusion
• (00:42:46) - The role of diversity in the workplace
• (00:48:54) - The Scarf Model
• (00:50:29) - Just Ask Jess

In this bonus Q&A segment, Jess unpacks three real-world scenarios—an RFP gone sideways, a hiring process with hidden ties, and a client relationship kept quiet—all pointing to one root issue: undisclosed conflicts of interest. She explains why most conflicts aren’t intentional, the reputational risks they pose, and how leaders can build awareness, motivation, and clear processes to prevent them.

• (00:00:00) - Conflict of Interest: The Issues