Your Working Life

In this episode, Caroline sits down with Kathy Miller, a manufacturing executive turned leadership coach and author of MORE Is Better: Leading Operations with Meaning, Optimism, and Relationships for Excellence. Kathy has led multi-billion-dollar operations across aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors, and she brings a unique perspective on building high-performance cultures where people genuinely thrive. Drawing from both her decades in the C-suite and her master's degree in applied positive psychology, she reveals the science-backed strategies that connect meaningful work, optimism, and strong relationships to operational excellence. Whether you're leading from the plant floor or the executive suite, Kathy offers practical tools for engaging every team member's hands, head, and heart—proving that when people flourish, results follow. More from Kathy Miller: Follow Kathy on LinkedIn and check out her website at www.more4leaders.com. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch. Music Credits for this episode: Kumaon Foothills by Scanglobe is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

In this episode Caroline interviews Debra Clary, author of the new book The Curiosity Curve: A Leader's Guide to Growth and Transformation through Bold Questions. Clary believes curiosity isn't just a nice-to-have soft skill but a competitive edge that drives agility, innovation and collaboration. Drawing from more than three decades of executive experience, she shows leaders how to turn "quiet quitters" into passionate advocates by creating cultures where structured exploration and bold questioning are woven into daily operations. Learn more about Deb and order her book at debraclary.com. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

If you can tell a good story, you can persuade someone of something. That's the premise of strategic storytelling expert Sally Perkins's new book, From Story to Action. In this episode, Sally and Caroline talk about how neuroscience research shows well-told stories literally sync the brains of listeners with the storyteller—creating shared experiences that drive decisions and inspire action. More from Sally Perkins: Order Sally's book and read more about her work at sallyperkins.net. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

In this episode, Caroline interviews Eveline Shen, a social change strategist who teaches leaders how to navigate oppression, adversity, and complex challenges without compromising their values or burning out. In her new book, Choosing to Lead Against the Current: The Courageous Operating System for Changemakers, Shen shares her revolutionary framework for helping leaders cultivate sustainable power, turn setbacks into sources of strength, and redefine success on their own terms. More from Eveline Shen: Order her book and learn more about her work at her website leadingcourageously.com. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

After Steph Wagner experienced financial devastation following an unexpected divorce—despite being financially savvy person—she transformed her pain into purpose, dedicating her career to ensuring other women never feel financially powerless. In her new book, FLY! A Woman's Guide to Financial Freedom and Building a Life You Love, Wagner tackles a sobering reality: 80% of women will manage their finances alone at some point, yet half still defer financial planning to partners. Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal journey, she offers women an empowering, tools-based approach to conquering their fears about money and taking control of their financial futures. Whether you're navigating a life transition, part of the sandwich generation, or simply want to feel more prepared for the unexpected, Wagner's honest and empathetic guidance will help you build the confidence to live life on your own terms. More from Steph Wagner: Order Steph's book and learn more about her work at her website stephlwagner.com. Connect with Steph on LinkedIn. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch. Music credits for episode: Kumaon Foothills by Scanglobe from Free Music Archive. CC BY-NC-SA

Kate Lowry is a CEO coach, venture capitalist, and author who has made it her mission to help people not just survive but thrive under toxic leadership. In this episode, Caroline interviews Kate about her new book, Unbreakable: How to Thrive Under Fear-Based Leaders, where Lowry explains why domineering, manipulative leadership is making a troubling comeback—and offers tactical strategies for maintaining your autonomy when working under such leaders. Drawing from her own experience growing up in a hierarchical family and working in high-pressure environments at McKinsey, Meta, and Insight Partners, she's developed a powerful methodology for understanding and navigating fear-based leaders. More from Kate Lowry: Order Kate's book and learn more about her work at her website, katelowry.com. Connect with Kate on LinkedIn and Substack. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

What if the key to sparking real innovation isn't unlimited freedom—but strategic constraints? In this episode, Caroline sits down with Sheri Jacobs, author and innovation strategist, to explore this counterintuitive fact: boundaries don't stifle creativity, they fuel it. In her latest book, The Unexpected Power of Boundaries: Rethinking the Rules, Risks, and Real Drivers of Innovation, Sheri challenges conventional wisdom about creativity and shares practical strategies for making innovation a repeatable habit rather than a lucky accident. Through stories from Pixar to polar expeditions, she shows how the right structure actually nourishes ideas and empowers people to take smarter risks. More from Sheri Jacobs Order Sheri's book at learn more about her work at her website: sherijacobs.com. Connect with her on Instagram and LinkedIn. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

What if the very thing we've been taught drives success is actually holding us back? In this episode, Caroline sits down with Ruchika T. Malhotra, founder of global inclusion strategy firm Candour and author of the groundbreaking new book UNCOMPETE: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success. Ruchika challenges one of the workplace's most fundamental assumptions: that competition is necessary for excellence. Drawing on her extensive work with major corporations, insights from business leaders, and cutting-edge research, she makes a compelling case that our obsession with competing is actually fueling exhaustion, anxiety, burnout, and isolation—while preventing us from reaching our true potential. More from Ruchika: Buy Ruchika's book and learn more about her work at www.ruchika.co. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

In this episode, Caroline interviews Jaime Goff about her new book The Secure Leader: Discover the Hidden Forces that Shape Your Leadership Story - and How To Change Them. Jaime argues that effective modern leadership requires more than mastering techniques—it demands deep self-understanding. Drawing on attachment theory and psychology, Goff shows how leaders' emotional blueprints shape their behaviors and offers a transformative framework for deconstructing and reauthoring their narratives to lead with authenticity and purpose. The book provides practical guidance on integrating emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and self-compassion into leadership practice, addressing the post-2020 shift where employees increasingly seek meaning, connection, and belonging at work rather than just compensation. More from Jaime Goff: Order The Secure Leader from Jaime's website. Find Jaime on LinkedIn. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

When a woman moves into a leadership position at work, she is much more likely to burnout, be depressed and face different criticism than her male colleagues. It's something author Meghan French Dunbar experienced herself, and why she wrote her new book,This Isn't Working: How Working Women Can Overcome Stress, Guilt, and Overload to Find True Success. Meghan interviewed leaders like Eileen Fisher and former Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario to reveal why contemporary business culture disproportionately harms women and causes epidemic levels of burnout. Rather than asking women to "lean in harder," she offers a rallying cry for a better way to work and lead, providing actionable strategies for individuals and organizations to optimize performance without sacrificing well-being. More from Meghan French-Dunbar: Buy Meghan's book: This Isn't Working: How Working Women Can Overcome Stress, Guilt, and Overload to Find True Success Follow Meghan French-Dunbar on LinkedIn. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

Muriel Wilkins is a leadership coach, Harvard Business Review podcast host, and author whose new book Leadership Unblocked tackles the unconscious beliefs that prevent leaders from reaching their full potential. Caroline and Muriel talk about the hidden "blockers"—such as "I know I'm right" and "I need to be involved"—that cause common leadership frustrations, and how leaders can recognize when the problem isn't their team or circumstances, but their own mindset. More from Muriel Wilkins: Buy Muriel's book: Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential Follow Muriel on LinkedIn and Instagram. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.

Claude Silver is on a mission to spread the word of human-centered leadership. In her debut book, Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart, she makes a compelling case that authentic presence is today's greatest business superpower. The book offers a practical framework built on emotional optimism, emotional bravery, and emotional efficiency. With real-world stories, actionable exercises, and sample dialogues, Claude provides leaders at every level with the tools to build cultures of belonging where individuality is celebrated and teams thrive through genuine human connection. More from Claude Silver: Buy Claude's book: Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart. Follow Claude on LinkedIn More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

Goldie Chan, a proud introvert, brings a fresh perspective to personal branding that rejects the exhausting "fake it till you make it" mentality. In her new book, Personal Branding for Introverts, Chan offers empowering, practical strategies that help introverts build authentic and memorable brands without draining their energy or compromising their true selves. Drawing on real-world examples from Taylor Swift to everyday professionals, she shows how introversion can be a powerful asset and provides actionable guidance on networking, community-building, and creating sustainable visibility that feels genuine rather than performative. More from Goldie Chan: Get Goldie's book Personal Branding for Introverts. Follow Goldie on LinkedIn More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

Julie Kratz is a leading voice in workplace allyship and inclusion, drawing from her 12 years in Corporate America where she experienced her own struggles with belonging. She now helps organizations create environments where everyone feels seen and heard. Her latest book, We Want You: An Allyship Guide for People with Power, provides leaders with practical, research-backed strategies to move beyond fear and use their power intentionally to foster psychological safety and equity. The guide offers concrete tools for building inclusive policies, modeling vulnerability, and creating pathways for diverse talent at the individual, team, and organizational levels. More from Julie Kratz: Get Julie's book We Want You: An Allyship Guide for People with Power Follow Julie on LinkedIn More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

Caroline interviews Vanessa Druskat, a leadership and team performance expert, about how to create the best workplace team for you. Vanessa challenges the common misconception that simply assembling emotionally intelligent individuals will create a cohesive team. Instead, she demonstrates that exceptional team performance requires building a culture around agreed-upon norms and habits that foster emotional intelligence at the group level. More from Vanessa Druskat: Read her book: The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform the Rest. Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

Rachel DeAlto is on a mission to connect people to their most powerful resource—each other—in today's diverse, multi-generational workforce. But creating genuine connection can be difficult, which is why Rachel wrote her latest book, The Relatable Leader: Create a Culture of Connection. Caroline and Rachel talk about the actionable strategies in the book that help leaders learn how to be more authentic to gain trust and unlock team potential. More from Rachel DeAlto: Book: The Relatable Leader: Create a Culture of Connection Rachel's website. Find Rachel on LinkedIn. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

After receiving harsh feedback about her lack of self-awareness despite strong business results, embarked on a deep exploration of leadership through philosophy, psychology, and management studies. She ultimately developing her MYLO (Manage Yourself to Lead Others) approach for other leaders, which led to her writing her new book, Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding. Caroline and Margaret talk about the practical steps for identifying the leader you want to become, managing emotions and difficult situations, navigating organizational culture as a "Culture-Maker" rather than "Culture-Taker," and recovering from setbacks. More from Margaret Anthony: Book: Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding. Find Margaret on LinkedIn More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

In this episode, Caroline talks to Jenn Tardy, a diversity practitioner and human resources expert about how to promote workplace diversity amid current DEI backlash. Jenn has worked with organizations like Gap Inc., Red Bull, Harvard, and the US Chamber of Commerce. Rather than offering generic advice, she provides actionable insights for combating hidden biases at every stage of the talent lifecycle—from finding and attracting candidates to engaging and developing employees. Her new book, The Equity Edge: How Addressing Bias in Recruiting and Retention Drives Success, serves as both a strategic guide for leaders and a valuable resource for potential employees navigating today's hiring landscape. More from Jenn Tardy: Book: The Equity Edge: How Addressing Bias in Recruiting and Retention Drives Success Find Jenn on LinkedIn Jenn's Website More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

Dr. Scott D. Anthony, a clinical professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, joins Caroline to talk about eleven pivotal innovations that changed business and the human experience. From gunpowder, to the printing press, to Julia Child's cookbook and now generative AI, Scott tells the stories of how these innovations changed the world. Rather than simply celebrating these inventions, Anthony reveals the underlying patterns of how disruption actually occurs and spreads through society. More from Dr. Scott Anthony: Book: Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.

Caroline sits down with Dr. Josephine Palermo, an organizational psychologist and executive coach, to talk about how women should reconsider everything they think they know about power in the workplace. Josephine is the author of the new book Rising to Feminine Power: The Lasso of Truth, which talks about how current power structures aren't working and how women especially can bring a new kind of leadership to the workplace. Josephine talks about the science behind feminine power and how we uncover the hidden barriers that may be holding you back from stepping into your authentic power. Connect with Dr. Josephine Palermo: Book: Rising to Feminine Power: The Lasso of Truth Podcast: Teams, Culture & You More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Book Caroline as your next keynote speaker! Check out Caroline’s books. Get in touch with Caroline.