What does neuroscience have to do with leadership? How do you pivot from frog dissections to Fortune 500 boardrooms? And what do you do when your boss says you’re "great behind closed doors"... and not in a good way?

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by the ever-dynamic Meredith Haberfeld, CEO of ThinkHuman and longtime advisor to companies like Spotify, SoulCycle, and Goldman Sachs. Meredith takes us on her wild journey from whitewater rafting guide to one of the most trusted names in executive coaching. And yes, there are weird workplace moments aplenty.

Together, they unpack everything from awkward culture faux pas and executive presence mishaps to burned-out CEOs, dueling project management systems, and what to do when you accidentally "like" your boss’s shirtless Instagram post from 2017. (Spoiler: Don’t panic.)

Key Takeaways

• Why executive presence is less about posture and more about connection




• How to lead teams through major change even when it's messy




• What to do when your role changes... but no one told you first




• Creative solutions to cross-functional dysfunction


• Why emotional intelligence and business strategy must go hand-in-hand




• How to handle embarrassing social media moments with humor and grace

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  In This Episode

  
  

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  [00:00 ] Introduction to Meredith Haberfeld

  
  


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  [04:19 ] Developing Executive Presence

  
  


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  [10:35 ] ThinkHuman: Finding the Right Fit

  
  


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  [13:18 ] Weirdest Workplace Moments: Boss calls her a "banger behind closed doors"

  
  


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  [16:13 ] The Week in Work: CEO Exodus

  
  


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  [23:01 ] Listener Question #1: Dueling Project Management Systems

  
  


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  [30:22 ] Listener Question #2: Outsourced Team Challenges

  
  


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  [36:50 ] Cringeworthy Question: Accidentally Liked My Boss’ Old Swim Selfie!

  
  


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  [40:35 ] Closing Remarks and Credits

  
  

Notable Quotes

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  [06:01 ] - “ I can take things on that I feel totally not equipped to do, and if I just relentlessly go for it, I eventually will be able to do it.” - Meredith Haberfeld

  
  


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  [09:11 ] - “ Sometimes women more than men might struggle with how to modulate their persona into a presence that can be taken seriously.” - Maya Kadar Kovalsky

  
  


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  [13:36 ] - “ In the startup world, for anybody who works in it, you end up with more in places you don't belong in a good way, 'cause you're like, all right, well we're a small team trying to build something, and here I am.” - Meredith Haberfeld

  
  


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  [19:41 ] - “ I really think leading is an incredible privilege. So if somebody is called to that and feels inspired toward that, hold it with the level of care that it deserves.” - Meredith Haberfeld

  
  


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  [27:52 ] - “ I think that the idea of purely digital written communication in a virtual or hybrid environment is just a fail.” - Meredith Haberfeld

  
  

Resources and Links

Meredith Haberfeld

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  Website - https://www.meredithhaberfeld.com/

  
  


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  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-haberfeld-she-her-29aa7a5

  
  


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  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thinkhumankind/

  
  


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  ThinkHuman Website - https://think-human.com/

  
  

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

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  Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/

  
  


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  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/

  
  

Workplace Weirdness

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  Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com

  
  


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  SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness

  
  


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  Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com

  
  


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  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/

  
  

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.