Welcome to My Office with Carey Lohrenz

In this special Season 2 opener, Carey welcomes author, speaker, researcher, and staunch advocate of Positive Psychology to her office, Shawn Achor. Part of Shawn’s mission is to challenge the modern idea of equating happiness with pleasure and replace it with an ancient Greek definition- namely, that happiness is the consistent growth towards our ultimate potential. It’s a broad and ambitious goal, but Shawn’s teaching on how to implement this practice is anything but broad. His experience as both a world-class researcher and someone who has personally struggled with anxiety/depression allows him to come ready with a psychology-backed list of small habits and activities that can change the way you deal with stress, and in turn changing the way you lead and perform. Keep listening to hear more about Shawn’s beginnings in Positive Psychology, his thoughts on the supposed phenomenon of “Toxic Positivity” in the age of social media, and why “Scanning for Gratitude'' is one of the most powerful practices for anyone trying to be happier and more present in daily life. Resources and Links Shawn’s Website His Latest (And Favorite) Book - Big Potential Ted Talk on The Happiness Advantage Timestamps 2:30 - Redefining Happiness as Pursuit of Our Full Potential 9:00 - Thinking Holistically to Achieve Happiness 12:05 - Shawn’s Story of  Discovering Positive Psychology at Harvard 16:50 - Managing Stress, NOT Eliminating It 24:30 - Identifying Stress and Acknowledging its Meaning 27:25 - Focusing on Solutions to Avoid Mental Fragmentation 29: 40 - “Toxic Positivity” -  It’s More About Ignorance 32: 45 - Everyday Example of Avoiding Narrow Thinking 35:20 -  Implementing Positive Psychology in the Thick of Covid-19 37:50 - Getting Practical: What Habits Can Make You Happier?  42:32 - “Scanning for Gratitude” 44:05 - Mirror Neurons in Stress/Uncertainty 46:45 - Carey: Just Start Somewhere and Be Intentional 48:17 - Shawn’s Book and Where to Find Him

In this special look back at 2021, Carey invites us to listen to some of her favorite stories of perseverance from top performers and their hard-won truths about leading others across a wide range of fields. Don’t miss out on this chance to hear the best moments of last year from world-class leaders, including NYT’s bestselling author and mountaineer Alison Levine,  USMC Brigadier General Len Anderson, CEO and Cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton, and Morgan Stanley Vice Chairman Carla Harris. You’ll also hear from psychologists Ethan Kross and Dr. Amy Cuddy on the science of personal growth and how it can deeply inform our ability to perform and lead. Sports legends Hilary Knight and Gabrielle Reece, to legendary sports agent, Molly Fletcher on peak performance, and much, much more!Jump on in and as always, thanks for listening!Guest Time Stamps02:24 - Alison Levine                                  07:25 - Brigadier General Len Anderson13:20 - Nate Boyer18:21 - Dr. Amy Cuddy25:18 - Theresa Payton30:00 - Hilary Knight34:54 - Gabrielle Reece39:49 - Michael Clinton45:43 - Marc Polymeropoulos49:40 - Dave Robinson54:23 - Ethan Kross1:01:03 - Adrienne Bankert1:05:39 - Molly Fletcher1:10:48 -  Dorie Clark1:15:28 Carla Harris

Carla Harris, the vice-chairman, managing director, and senior client advisor at Morgan Stanley, steps into Carey's office this week. She has amassed an impressive 30-plus year career in investment banking and financial services, but she also has become one of the most powerful and influential women and Black executives in the world. Carla discusses the importance of knowing your own worth, how to train people to think of you in a certain way, and why leaders in the 21st Century must be comfortable taking risks.

Renowned reinvention expert and top business thinker, Dorie Clark takes a seat in Carey’s office this week. On the podcast, Dorie Clark shares insights from her latest book, The Long Game, and talks about how her own professional journey fuels her work today and the importance of “optimizing for interesting.”

Sergeant Major Keith Craig steps into Carey's office this week. The Sergeant Major is a public speaker, Hollywood entertainment executive, decorated U.S. Army Veteran, and the author of Serving To Lead. The Sergeant Major shares his journey from homelessness to a decorated career in the U.S. Army, how he developed his leadership mentality through adversity, and the importance of knowing your purpose.

Carey welcomes Molly Fletcher to her office this week. The word trailblazer gets thrown around a lot these days, but it’s the perfect descriptor for Molly. She was dubbed “the female Jerry Maguire” during her career as a top sports agent, where she negotiated over $500 million in contracts for the biggest stars in sports. These days she’s a keynote speaker, author, and the host of the podcast, Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Molly shares what high-performing leaders all have in common, the importance of saying no, and why she decided to become a sports agent.

Adrienne Bankert steps into Carey's office this week. Adrienne is an Emmy-winning reporter and host of Morning in America on NewsNation. In this episode, Adrienne shares her journey of working her way up through the reporting ranks, why she's always aware of 'hot mics,' and what inspired her to write the book, “Your Hidden Superpower: The Kindness That Makes You Unbeatable at Work and Connects You with Anyone.”

Ethan Kross steps into Carey’s office this week. Ethan is an author, scientist, and teacher, and one of the world’s leading experts on controlling the conscious mind. He’s currently a professor at the University of Michigan and the author of the book, “Chatter: The Voice in Our Head and How to Harness It.” Ethan shares his inspiration for 'studying the voice in our head’, the science behind the co-rumination trap, and tools for pandemic-induced ‘chatter'.

Carey welcomes Dave Robinson, the Founder and CEO of Vertical Performance Enterprises to her office. Dave is a senior executive and retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel with over three decades of experience leading complex organizations.  He's also the author of the new book, The Substance of Leadership: A Practical Framework for Effectively Leading a High-Performing Team.  Dave shares how his military background prepared him to prepare leaders, how he measures a team's response to adversity and why he developed his leadership triad of culture, people, and mission.

Marc Polymeropoulos steps into Carey’s office this week. He is one of the most decorated CIA officers of the modern era, and he’s also the author of the new book, Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA. Marc opens up about his impressive career in public service and the leadership lessons her learned over his 26-year career in the agency.

Joining Carey in her office is Michael Clinton. Michael is the former President and Publishing Director of Hearst Magazines. His storied career includes his stint as Executive Vice President at Condé Nast and Publisher of GQ. Michael is also the author of the new book, Roar: into the second half of your life (before it's too late). Carey and Michael discuss how his upbringing in Pittsburgh has kept him grounded throughout his career, why he doesn’t like the word ‘retirement’, and what motivated him to write a book after stepping away from full-time work at Hearst Magazines.

Walking into Carey's office this week is a volleyball legend, entrepreneur, fitness expert, bestselling author, and podcast host, Gabrielle Reece. Gabby shares her thoughts on college athletes being able to make money from endorsements and sponsorships, how she developed the skills to become a successful entrepreneur, how she defines success right now, and what it's like raising children in a post-pandemic world.

Frank Calderoni takes a seat in Carey's office this week. Frank is the CEO & Chairman of Anaplan, a cloud-based business planning service company. He stops by to discuss the inspiration for his new book, Upstanding: How Company Character Catalyzes Loyalty, Agility, and Hypergrowth and share some of the wisdom he's accumulated across his 30 years of executive leadership stops at Red Hat, Cisco System and IBM.

One of the most decorated players in the history of women’s ice hockey skates into Carey’s office this week.  Hilary Knight is an Olympic Gold medalist, two-time Olympic Silver medalist, seven-time World Champion, and arguably the best female hockey player in the world. Hilary talks about her introduction to hockey, how she ended up in Wisconsin, and why she’s a tireless advocate for gender equality in sports.

Stepping into Carey’s office this week is Dr. Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, bestselling author, award-winning Harvard lecturer, and expert on the behavioral science of power, presence, and prejudice. Amy talks about her groundbreaking Ted Talk, the inspiration for her new book, and her love of The Grateful Dead.

Cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton takes a seat in Carey’s office this week.  Theresa is America’s most respected authority on security and intelligence operations and was the first female to serve as White House Chief Information Officer during the Bush Administration.  These days Theresa runs a world-class cybersecurity consulting company and in 2020 she was named the Cybersecurity Crusader of the Year. Theresa and Carey discuss the current state of cybersecurity, how to handle disinformation online, the best cyber practices that every organization can do, and the importance of giving people grace and space.

Kara Goldin steps into the office. Kara is the Founder and CEO of Hint, best known for its award-winning unsweetened flavored water, and the author of Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters. Kara talks about why she started her own flavored water company, the importance of feedback for entrepreneurs, and what inspired her to write a book about overcoming doubt.

A special Memorial Day Podcast honoring the U.S. military’s first female pilots—the WASP—the Women Airforce Service Pilots. Long forgotten by most of history, their contribution during World War II was nothing short of remarkable.This is a brief look at and remembrance into their critical contributions, sacrifice, and the impact they still have on the world today... How will you measure your life? The WASPs and putting the ladder down.

Nate Boyer steps into Carey's office. Nate's story sounds like an action movie, but it's all real. After serving multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Green Beret, he played college football as a walk-on at the University of Texas despite never having played a down of organized football in his life. Nate talks about his life's circuitous journey, how he learned to play football while being deployed in Iraq and how he's empowering combat veterans and former professional athletes by connecting them after the uniform.

Brigadier General Len “Loni” Anderson IV, United States Marine Corps, steps into Carey's office this week where they talk about leading through uncertainty, rebounding from adversity, surprising career paths, and the importance of ‘doing the work’—not just at work, but on yourself as well.Anderson has completed multiple combat deployments as an F/A-18 pilot launching from an aircraft carrier, showcased the professionalism and teamwork of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps as a demonstration pilot with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, led large operations in the Marine Corps Reserve both in-theater and in CONUS, and is also a 757 Captain with FedEx Express.Along the way, Anderson went to Hollywood, had a role in a couple of blockbuster movies, and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild.Len is currently on active duty with Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, and also just qualified for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in his late 40’s after never biking for more than 30 minutes just a few years ago.Pour yourself a cup of coffee, put on your headphones, and prepare to be inspired to take action.