In this episode of The Leader in You, Dr. Lola Gershfeld and her daughter and co-host, Polina Marian, explore one of the most universal leadership challenges: how to keep your focus during stressful situations.

We often believe that staying focused means staying on the problem—the facts, the content, the mistakes, the timeline. But as Lola and Polina explain using the Emotional Connection (EmC) framework, true focus comes from shifting your attention away from the content and toward the underlying emotional experience—yours and the other person’s.

Through a compelling real-life example from a global organization, Lola illustrates how a leader transformed a tense, disconnected moment into a breakthrough of understanding, empathy, and reconnection—not by fixing the problem, but by slowing down and focusing on raw spots, triggers, and emotions.

You’ll learn:

• Why stressful conversations knock us off balance
• How focusing on content keeps teams stuck
• How to quickly shift your focus to what actually matters
• The specific questions that help people express vulnerability
• The role of co-regulation and co-creation in emotionally safe teams
• How staying focused on emotional experience resolves problems more effectively—and prevents them from repeating

If you’ve ever found yourself reacting, shutting down, defending, or trying to fix things too quickly, this episode will give you a simple, powerful roadmap for staying grounded and creating connection—even in the hardest moments.

Watch or listen to the full episode to learn how emotional focus can transform your conversations, your leadership, and your team culture.

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...

In this insightful episode of The Leader in You, Polina and Dr. Lola Gershfeld sit down with Dr. Jamie Goff, author of The Secure Leader, to explore how attachment science shapes leadership, team relationships, and the emotional culture of the workplace.

Jamie shares her personal journey—from teaching emotionally focused therapy (EFT) to stepping into leadership and realizing how her own attachment patterns showed up in her role as a department chair. A single moment with her administrative assistant (“You have to let me do my job”) became a turning point that opened her eyes to how deeply our relationship histories influence our leadership behaviors.

Together, we explore:

• Why leaders don’t show up at work as “blank slates”—they bring their whole relational history with them
• How avoidant or anxious patterns quietly shape leadership decisions, conflict, and collaboration
• The emotional courage it takes to go beneath the surface and own your fears and needs
• Why emotional attunement and high expectations are not opposites—they strengthen each other
• Practical tools from The Secure Leader to increase emotional awareness, regulate reactivity, and move toward earned security
• How connection creates resilience, clarity, and healthier conversations—even during difficult moments
  

This episode is warm, relatable, and filled with powerful insights about what it truly means to be a secure leader—one who fosters trust, emotional safety, and a connected culture.

Where to Find Jamie’s Work

• Website: drjamiegoff.com
• Book: The Secure Leader

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...

In this heartfelt episode of The Leader in You, Dr. Lola Gershfeld speaks with Niamh Hannan, EmC Certified Trainer in Ireland, about what it truly means to bring people home—to themselves, to one another, and to emotional safety at work.

Fresh from leading a two-day EmC Master Class in Ireland, Niamh shares moving stories of leaders and coaches who discovered how to transform disconnection into trust and teamwork through the Emotional Connection (EmC) process. Together, Lola and Niamh explore:

🌱 How emotional awareness builds safety, confidence, and connection.
💬 Why structure in the EmC process helps people open up safely.
🌍 The universal need to belong—across cultures, teams, and virtual spaces.
🤖 How to keep the human factor alive in an AI-driven world.

This episode reminds us that no matter where we are—in the office, online, or across continents—home is not a place, but a feeling we create through emotional connection.

✨ Connect with Niamh:
Visit https://niamhhannan.com/
or connect with her on https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamhhannan/
to learn more about her work and upcoming trainings.

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...

In this episode, Polina and Dr. Lola unpack what happens when workplace conflicts take an unexpected turn — what they call “the curveball.” Whether it’s defensiveness, shutdown, or denial, these moments often derail even our best intentions to connect.

Together, they explore how emotional disconnection fuels these reactions and how leaders, managers, and teammates can use the EmC process to slow things down, recognize protective behaviors, and create safety for real conversations to happen.

Tune in to learn:

• Why “curveballs” in conflict are really protection signals, not attacks
• How to spot the pursuer–withdrawer cycle and use the right phrases to rebuild trust
• What managers can do to help two people reconnect without taking sides
• Why expressing emotion is like putting down a heavy bag of bricks — freeing both the heart and mind

Join Polina and Dr. Lola as they show how even the toughest moments can become opportunities for healing, connection, and growth at work.

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...

What happens when two aerospace engineers just can’t get along—and a manager decides not to force a resolution?

In this insightful and entertaining episode from Day 2 of the ATD OrgDev Conference, Dr. Lola Gershfeld, Polina Marian, and guest Matt Gjertsen with Better Everyday Studios uncover how a workplace conflict turned into an unexpected story of connection, understanding, and emotional growth.

Matt shares a true story about two teammates who went from frustration to friendship—not through confrontation, but through simple, human moments of care. Together, we explore why emotions are contagious, how safety and empathy reshape team dynamics, and why no amount of AI or automation can replace genuine human connection.

Get ready for laughter, science, and inspiration—from handshakes and hugs in boardrooms to the power of emotional attunement that can transform entire teams.

🎧 Listen in to discover how turning conflict into connection can unlock trust, collaboration, and creativity at work.

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...

In this lively conference edition of The Leader in You Podcast, Dr. Lola Gershfeld and her daughter and co-host, Polina Marian, bring listeners behind the scenes at the ATD OrgDev Conference in Houston — joined by special guest Beth Messick, leadership coach and advisory board member for OrgDev.

Together, they unpack key insights from keynote speaker Galen Emanuele, who used the principles of improv — especially the “Yes, And” mindset — to illustrate how openness, flexibility, and emotional presence transform team dynamics and connection at work.

From playful improv exercises to deep reflections on emotional triggers, presence, and body awareness, this conversation bridges performance and neuroscience — showing how saying yes (and meaning it) creates trust and emotional safety in organizations.

You’ll learn how:

• The “Yes, And” approach mirrors emotionally safe communication in teams.
• Presence helps us tune into others’ emotions beyond just words.
• Disconnection and indifference can feel more painful than outright “no.”
• Emotional awareness allows leaders to expand flexibility and repair trust.

🎧 Tune in for a powerful mix of laughter, learning, and lived experience — and discover how Emotional Connection and improv thinking together can build more responsive, resilient teams.

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...

When conflict and loneliness take over your workplace, your body and mind pay the price. In this episode, Dr. Lola Gershfeld and Polina Marian explore the powerful link between emotional connection and well-being — drawing from the landmark Harvard Happiness Study and decades of attachment science.

Discover how the EmC Process helps you repair relationships, restore safety, and reawaken joy at work. Because when we feel seen, supported, and secure, everything — from performance to health — begins to thrive.

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...

What if the key to transforming your team’s culture, connection, and performance wasn’t another system or strategy—but something far more human?

In this episode, Dr. Lola Gershfeld and Polina Marian reveal the secret ingredient to true team transformation: self-awareness. Drawing from real data in the Team Emotional Safety Assessment (TESA), they share how one company’s 13% increase in self-awareness led to stronger relationships, fewer conflicts, and measurable improvements in emotional safety and productivity.

You’ll hear how the Emotional Connection (EmC) process helps teams identify emotional triggers, repair disconnections, and create secure bonds that unlock collaboration and trust. Lola and Polina also discuss the ripple effect of awareness—how it spreads through teams, reduces wasted time in conflict, and amplifies engagement and ROI.

If you’ve ever wondered what truly drives lasting change in a team, this episode will open your eyes to the emotional science behind transformation.

👉 Listen now to discover the secret ingredient to team transformation—self-awareness.

For more information on the Team Emotional Safety Assessment, click here.

The Leader in You is the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where you can thrive.

Envision a future where you are more grounded, confident, and in sync with your team.

CONNECT:
EmC Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube Channel

RESOURCES:
TESA - TEAM EMOTIONAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
EMC MASTER CLASS
CONTACT US

Connect with Dr. Lola Gershfeld:

LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Gershfeld
Instagram: @drlolaemc

Connect with Polina Marian:

LinkedIn: Polina Marian
Instagram: @livewithfivekids

Dr. Lola Gershfeld, a distinguished organizational psychologist, has dedicated her career to delving into the intricate layers of employee engagement, team ...