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....
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, ...
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, courag...
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 emp...
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 offer...
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 conta...
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 practi...
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...
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,” wh...
Feeling burned out, stressed, or disconnected at work? It’s time to explore a powerful alternative: social prescribing. In this episode of What’s Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Julia Hotz, award-winning author of The Connection Cure, to uncover how prescribing nature walks, art workshops, volunteering, and community activities can dramatically improve your mental health, workplace productivity, and overall well-being. Julia shares evidence-backed insights on how movement, nature...
When you are called to communicate critical messages that truly resonate with your audience, where do you start? In this episode, Harry Hofer shares an essential framework that can transform how you connect with people in just minutes. Ilene Schaffer sits down with Harry to get the inside scoop on the “Know, Do, Feel” communication framework. Harry, an internal executive coach at a Fortune 500 company, shares practical insights for senior leaders on effectively crafting messages that resonate...
Do you really know how you're showing up as a leader? We all have blind spots, those hidden areas in our behavior, thinking, and communication that can unknowingly hold us back. In this episode, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Marty Dubin, clinical psychologist, executive consultant, and author of the forthcoming book Blind Spotting, to explore how recognizing and addressing your leadership blind spots can dramatically improve your impact. You'll learn about the six crucial areas of self-a...
Feeling stuck in your leadership style or struggling to communicate effectively with your team? In this quick-hit episode, What's Possible host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Harry Hofer, internal executive coach at a Fortune 500 organization, to introduce the power of "nudges." These subtle mindset shifts are grounded in behavioral science and emotional intelligence and can help leaders navigate common workplace challenges, normalize team experiences, and boost overall employee engagement. ...
Did you know the Enneagram can radically improve your leadership, communication, and relationships? In this episode, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Ali Dunn, a dynamic leadership and Enneagram coach, to learn how understanding your core motivations can dramatically transform your workplace interactions, reduce conflict, and prevent burnout. With over 20 years of professional experience, Ali shares how awareness of the nine Enneagram types enhances team performance, strengthens relationshi...
Stepping into a leadership role from the outside can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of “What’s Possible,” host Ilene Schaffer talks with Capella Fahoome, executive coach, film producer, and expert in storytelling and positive leadership, about practical ways new leaders can quickly establish trust, connection, and confidence. Capella, who is known for her award-winning documentaries featured at Sundance, Tribeca, Netflix, and PBS, shares how she broke into new ind...
Do you dread giving feedback, worry about hurting feelings, or simply avoid those tough conversations altogether? Or maybe you’re eager to level-up your feedback skills to create more trust, engagement, and motivation on your team? In this mini-episode of What's Possible, host Ilene Schaffer chats with Lisa Sansom, SVChange executive coach and expert in positive psychology and workplace feedback, to break down the secrets behind effective feedback. Lisa shares insights from her current doctor...
What does "legacy" mean to you? Have you considered how it's created every day, not just in big moments, but in the small, daily interactions? In this mini-episode, CEO of Silicon Valley Change Ilene Schaffer challenges the notion of legacy as something reserved for the extraordinary few. Instead, Ilene invites you to think about the small, consistent imprints you leave through everyday actions, interactions, and intentions. Tune in to learn Ilene’s annual “birthday reflection” exercise desig...
What if you could consistently connect deeply and authentically with every member of your team? In this episode of What's Possible, host Ilene Schaffer sits down with Paul Chudleigh, Principal Business Psychologist and expert in emotional intelligence and applied neuroscience, to explore the powerful concept of leadership resonance. Paul shares practical strategies to help leaders build meaningful connections through genuine curiosity, empathetic listening, and understanding the unique emotio...
In this mini-episode, host Ilene Schaffer is flipping the script on traditional interviewing techniques. Instead of putting candidates through a nerve-wracking interrogation, she shares how creating a warm, comfortable environment allows leaders to truly see a person's potential. You'll learn how to ask questions that invite genuine responses, understand the power of making candidates feel safe, and discover why seeing someone's authentic self matters more than perfectly rehearsed answers. Ge...
What does it take to create a company purpose so powerful that it becomes part of your organization’s DNA? In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene sits down with Marissa Heckman, VP of Learning & Development at Power Digital, to explore Project Why, their groundbreaking initiative to define and integrate the company’s deeper purpose into daily operations. Marissa takes us behind the scenes of their thoughtful, collaborative process that involved diverse voices from across the company an...