The Enlightened Executive

Burnout Is Not the Problem—It's a Design Flaw

Is your leadership model silently draining your team?  In this episode of The Enlightened Executive, energy and culture expert Josh Allan Dykstra challenges the outdated belief that resilience means pushing through. Instead, he offers a new paradigm: designing work around energy flow, not just productivity.  You'll learn:  Why burnout is a design issue, not a personal failing  The leadership reflex that keeps you stuck in overdrive  How to build teams that are energized, not just efficient  A practical roadmap to shift from exhaustion to alignment  This conversation is a must-listen for any leader ready to build sustainable high performance, from the inside out.   Listen now and explore how your leadership patterns may be working against you.  Want to uncover your blind spots? Explore the Enneagram Applied program. 

Is Your Team Performing the Culture You Want?

You may not think of yourself as a performer, but as a leader, your presence is always on stage.  In this episode of The Enlightened Executive, Susan Drumm interviews culture and storytelling expert Mike Ganino on the hidden performance behind every company culture. From improv stages to executive boardrooms, Mike reveals how unspoken patterns and leadership presence shape what your team believes, repeats, and trusts.  Together, we explore:  Why culture is always being performed, whether scripted or not  How your leadership presence becomes the company's culture cue  The neuroscience of storytelling and its impact on team engagement  How to "rehearse" the behaviors and values you want your team to embody  Simple, actionable ways to lead with more clarity, intention, and impact  Whether you're scaling a team or leading through change, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how you're showing up, and what your team is learning from it.  Don't just manage culture. Lead the one your team performs every day.

Unlocking Creativity: The Leadership Advantage You're Overlooking with Natalie Nixon

Most leaders double down on strategy when pressure hits, but what if the real competitive edge lies in creativity?  In this episode of The Enlightened Executive, I speak with Natalie Nixon, creativity strategist and author of Move, Think, Rest, about why creativity, not control, is the next frontier in leadership. Natalie shares her human-centered framework for redesigning work in the face of burnout, complexity, and hybrid teams. You'll learn:  Why creativity is a teachable, practical skill (not just a personality trait)  How the Move / Think / Rest framework can rewire the way you lead  What it takes to "unlearn" outdated leadership reflexes  A powerful question to reimagine how you show up under pressure  If you're ready to stop reacting and start imagining, this conversation is your next step forward.    📘 Explore her book Move, Think, Rest: http://enlightenedexec.com/ep112 🎧 Subscribe to The Enlightened Executive for weekly episodes that blend neuroscience, leadership, and real-world insight 

When Smart Leaders Miss What's Right in Front of Them: A Conversation with Jacquette Timmons

You can be brilliant with numbers and still miss the pattern that's holding you back. In this episode of The Enlightened Executive, financial behaviorist Jacquette Timmons shares the pivotal moment when her longtime CPA asked, "When are you going to stop mortgaging your life?" That one question revealed a blind spot that changed how she approached her business, her money, and her leadership.  We discuss:      Why blind spots form next to your strengths      How success can reinforce outdated habits      The emotional side of financial decisions      One practical step leaders can take to uncover what they can't see on their own  If you've ever wondered whether your leadership habits are still serving you, this episode offers a fresh lens to find out.  🔎 For deeper insight into your leadership patterns, explore Susan's Enneagram Applied tools here.

The Midlife Remix: Petra Kolber on Resilience, Reinvention & Leading with Joy

What if your biggest life challenges became the catalyst for your boldest leadership chapter yet?  Petra Kolber is no stranger to adversity. She's survived cancer twice, pivoted from global fitness icon to mindset coach, and now serves as VP of Mindset for the Daisie Foundation. In this powerful conversation, Petra joins host Susan Drumm to share how midlife became her launchpad, not her slowdown. Together, they explore: Why resilience isn't about bouncing back, but bouncing forward  The mindset shifts that helped Petra rewrite her story How to let go of perfectionism and lead with authenticity What executives can learn from their own moments of disruption Whether you're navigating a personal pivot or feeling the pull to reinvent your leadership path, this episode will challenge you to trade burnout for boldness and live a story you're excited to lead. 🎧 Subscribe to The Enlightened Executive for weekly strategies that spark your personal and leadership evolution.