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by Empathetic agile strategies for stronger teams and better leaders.
Welcome to the AgilEmpath Podcast, where we explore empathetic, agile methodologies to enhance team building in creative ways. With a foundation in mental health counseling, we bring a deep understanding of human behavior to help you lead more effectively. Are you coaching a team and need support in teaching soft skills? We provide tools to manage conflict and stress, boost productivity, and improve engagement—both at work and home—through emotional intelligence.
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- 4 weeks ago0 min
Happy Employees, Happy Results: The Science That Proves Your VP of HR Is Right
At SHRM 2026, the panel “HR Executive Insights: Architecting the Future of the Global Frontline Workforce” brought together some of the most influential HR leaders in the world for a conversation that was equal parts strategic, vulnerable, and deeply human.I approached Njsane Courtney, Vice President of Human Resources at American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), one of the world’s leading maritime classification and risk management organizations, immediately after the panel. I asked him one question: What is happiness in leadership?His answer was honest, pragmatic, and refreshingly direct.“Happiness and leadership; I mean, they go hand in hand. I think as leaders, part of our job is to provide career happiness. Maybe not always emotional happiness, because we’re not necessarily social workers all the time. But as leaders, we need to make sure that our employees enjoy their careers. Because I believe that when we give them great careers, they are better employees, they’re better engaged, you get better business results; and they don’t have to be mutually exclusive. So therefore, happy employees, happy results, in my viewpoint.”Read that carefully. In a world where “happiness at work” can feel vague and aspirational, Njsane cuts through the noise with a distinction that most leaders never make, and it changes everything.Who Is Njsane Courtney?Njsane Courtney serves as the Vice President of Human Resources at American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), one of the world’s foremost maritime classification societies and risk management organizations. Founded in 1862, ABS sets safety standards for the design, construction, and operation of marine and offshore assets across the globe; from commercial shipping vessels to offshore energy platforms. The organization operates in over 70 countries, providing critical safety and compliance services to industries where lives literally depend on getting things right.In this role, Njsane oversees people strategy for a global, highly technical workforce operating in one of the most safety-critical and regulated industries on the planet. When your employees are engineers, surveyors, and technical experts working on vessels and platforms around the world, “happiness” can’t be abstract. It has to be operational. It has to connect directly to career growth, professional excellence, and business outcomes.Njsane’s perspective is forged in the reality of leading people in high-stakes environments, where engagement isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a safety imperative. When he talks about career happiness driving better employees and better business results, he’s speaking from a context where the connection between people strategy and organizational performance isn’t theoretical. It’s measurable, visible, and mission-critical.The Career Happiness Principle: Breaking Down the InsightNjsane’s response contains three critical leadership distinctions that elevate the entire conversation about workplace happiness:1. Career Happiness vs. Emotional Happiness: The Honest Distinction“Part of our job is to provide career happiness, maybe not always emotional happiness, because we’re not necessarily social workers all the time.” This is one of the most honest things an HR leader has said in this entire series. Njsane draws a clear boundary: leaders are responsible for creating conditions where employees can build meaningful, fulfilling careers. They are not responsible for managing every emotional state. This distinction is not cold it’s clarifying. It tells leaders exactly where to focus their energy: on career development, growth opportunities, meaningful work, and professional support.2. The Causal Chain: Happy Careers → Happy Results“When we give them great careers, they are better employees, they’re better engaged, you get better business results.” Njsane doesn’t just claim that happiness matters — he maps the sequence. It’s not random. It’s a chain: Invest in careers → Produce better employees → Drive deeper engagement → Generate superior business results. Most leaders start at the end (wanting better results) without investing at the beginning (building great careers). Njsane starts at the beginning.3. Not Mutually Exclusive: The “And” Philosophy“They don’t have to be mutually exclusive.” This single sentence dismantles one of the most persistent myths in business; the idea that you must choose between happy employees or strong results. Njsane rejects the trade-off entirely. In his framework, happiness and performance are not competing priorities. They are the same strategy.The Science: Does Happiness Actually Cause Success?Njsane’s philosophy — “happy employees, happy results” — raises a question that scientist
- Jun 29, 20260 min
Happiness at Work Is the Ability to Be Oneself: How Belonging, Authenticity, and Psychological Safety Drive Performance
At SHRM 2026, the panel “HR Executive Insights: Architecting the Future of the Global Frontline Workforce” brought together some of the most influential HR leaders in the world for a conversation that cut straight to the core of modern leadership.I approached Bettina A. Deynes, Global Chief Human Resources Officer of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, immediately after the panel. Continuing the thread from each executive in this series, I asked her one question: What is happiness at work?Her answer was immediate, personal, and profound.“Happiness at work is the ability to be oneself, to know that you’re going to be able to be part of a community where you feel like you belong, where you can do your best work, when you can connect with people that aim to have the same goals and achieve the same success.”Read that one more time. In a single sentence, Bettina identified the four pillars that decades of research have proven drive human thriving:* Authenticity — the ability to be oneself* Belonging — being part of a community* Peak performance — doing your best work* Shared purpose — connecting with people who share the same goalsThis isn’t corporate optimism. This is an executive who leads People Strategy for over 200,000 employees across 9 cruise line brands, sailing to over 700 ports around the world; distilling what makes people actually happy at work into its purest form.Who Is Bettina A. Deynes?Bettina A. Deynes serves as the Global Chief Human Resources Officer of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest leisure travel company. Carnival’s portfolio includes iconic brands such as Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and others, operating over 90 ships across six continents.In this role, Bettina oversees the global people strategy for a workforce that spans dozens of nationalities, languages, and cultures, all operating in one of the most complex and people-intensive industries on the planet. Managing HR for a global cruise fleet is unlike any other industry: your employees don’t just work for the company; they live inside the company. The ship is their office, their home, and their community — sometimes for months at a time.Before Carnival, Bettina served as Chief Human Resources Officer of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) itself; the world’s largest HR professional society; giving her an unparalleled vantage point on the trends, research, and challenges shaping the future of work globally. Her career spans senior HR leadership roles across industries, and she is widely recognized as one of the most influential HR executives in the world.When Bettina speaks about belonging and community, she isn’t speaking in abstraction. She is speaking from the reality of building cultures where people from every corner of the world must come together, find belonging, and deliver extraordinary experiences every single day, at sea.The Belonging Principle: Breaking Down the InsightBettina’s response is deceptively simple. Within it are three interconnected leadership lessons that every executive needs to understand:1. Authenticity Is the Foundation of Happiness“The ability to be oneself.” Before belonging, before performance, before connection there must be a workplace where people don’t have to mask who they are. Bettina places authenticity first in her definition, and that’s not accidental. If employees can’t show up as themselves, no engagement initiative, no team-building retreat, and no compensation package will produce genuine happiness.2. Belonging Is a Community, Not a PolicyBettina doesn’t say “inclusion” she says “part of a community where you feel like you belong.” There’s a critical difference. Inclusion can be a policy, a checklist, a training module. But belonging is a felt experience. It’s the difference between being invited to the table and actually feeling like you’re supposed to be there. In Carnival’s world, where thousands of employees from different countries live and work together on a ship this isn’t optional. It’s operational survival.3. Shared Purpose Fuels Connection“Connect with people that aim to have the same goals and achieve the same success.” Happiness at work isn’t just about individual fulfillment, it’s about collective alignment. When people feel they are working toward something together, connection becomes organic. Bettina is describing the difference between a group of individuals performing tasks and a community pursuing a shared mission.The Science: Psychological Safety and Google’s Projec
- Jun 27, 20262 min
The Conductor of Culture: Why Enablement is the True Driver of Workplace Happiness
At SHRM 2026, the panel “HR Executive Insights: Architecting the Future of the Global Frontline Workforce” delivered some of the most grounded, strategic conversations of the entire conference. The focus wasn’t on HR theory, it was on business reality.I approached Jamie Durling, a Global C-Suite Executive, immediately after the panel. I asked him to expand on what he talked about during the session regarding his philosophy on enablement.His answer shifted the conversation entirely away from emotions and directly into operations, resources, and business acumen.What Jamie Said About Enablement“One of the things we were talking about is happiness and wellness... enablement is the means to the end. Rather than focusing on what the outcome is, organizations, HR leaders, and executives need to focus on what they’re doing to get to the outcome. It’s really about the tools and the resources... training, compensation, leadership feedback, physical products. That drives whether or not the employees are actually being supported and whether or not they are going to ultimately be engaged. Enablement really is the key.”Earlier at the conference, I also attended an exclusive Braindate hosted by Jamie titled, “HR as the Conductor of the Orchestra: How He Drives Top and Bottom Line Growth.” Connecting his thoughts on enablement to this concept, I asked him to explain what it means for an HR leader to act as the conductor. He added:“As an HR executive, nobody knows the organization better than we do. In order for HR to be impactful, they need to understand the business. My superpower is understanding the business... Understanding how all the functions effectively integrate is just like how a conductor leads his orchestra.”(Note: Keep an eye out for Jamie’s upcoming book on this exact topic!)The Enablement Principle: Breaking Down the InsightJamie’s perspective is a masterclass in operationalizing culture. He provides two critical frameworks for modern leaders:1. Happiness is an Outcome; Enablement is the StrategyMany leaders make the mistake of targeting “happiness” or “engagement” directly with superficial perks. Jamie argues that happiness is the end, but enablement is the means. If you want happy, engaged employees, you must provide the tangible resources they need to succeed: proper training, fair compensation, clear feedback, and the right physical tools.2. The Leader as the ConductorA conductor doesn’t play every instrument, but they must understand how the strings, brass, and percussion integrate to create a symphony. Similarly, an HR executive doesn’t need to be an expert in every department, but they must possess deep business fluency to orchestrate how these functions work together to drive top and bottom-line growth.The Science: The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) ModelJamie’s assertion that “tools and resources” drive engagement isn’t just a great leadership philosophy; it is the foundation of one of the most heavily validated theories in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.The Study: “The Job Demands-Resources Model: State of the Art”Researchers: Dr. Arnold B. Bakker and Dr. Evangelia Demerouti Published: 2007, Journal of Managerial PsychologyThe JD-R model revolutionized how psychologists understand workplace wellbeing. It proposes that every occupation has two general categories of working conditions:* Job Demands: The physical, psychological, social, or organizational aspects of the job that require sustained effort (e.g., high workload, emotional labor, poor physical environment). These lead to exhaustion and burnout.* Job Resources: The physical, psychological, social, or organizational aspects of the job that are functional in achieving work goals, reduce job demands, or stimulate personal growth (e.g., performance feedback, autonomy, physical tools, training).The Findings:* The Motivational Process: Job resources are the exclusive predictors of work engagement. When employees have high resources (enablement), they are highly engaged, motivated, and happy.* The Buffer Effect: High job resources actually buffer the impact of high job demands. Even in high-stress environments, if employees are properly “enabled” with the right tools and support, they do not burn out.The Conclusion: You cannot mandate engagement. You can only provide the resources that naturally produce it.Jamie is describing the practical application of the JD-R model. When he says his superpower is “und
- Jun 25, 20260 min
The Happiness Blueprint: What a World Series Organization Knows About Joy
At SHRM 2026, some of the most powerful HR leaders in the world took the stage for a panel called “HR Executive Insights: Architecting the Future of the Global Frontline Workforce.” The conversation was extraordinary — a masterclass in how the world’s most forward-thinking organizations are rethinking work itself.But it’s what happened after the panel that became the seed of this series.I approached Dr. DeRetta Cole Rhodes — Executive Vice President and Chief People & Culture Officer of the Atlanta Braves — and asked her one simple question:“What is happiness in leadership?”Her answer wasn’t a corporate platitude. It was a philosophy. And it’s backed by decades of science most leaders have never read.What DeRetta Said“It’s all about the fact that we’re trying to ensure people are enjoying what they’re doing. So happiness becomes a cornerstone of everything. How do you deal with fans? How do you deal with the community? But how do you deal with it internally — and how it can come out for you, so people can see it and understand it. We talk about happiness, but we really want to think about how joy and happiness are ensuring that people are enjoying themselves — and it’s a part of wellness and mindfulness.”Read that again slowly.She didn’t start with the customer. She didn’t start with the brand. She started inside the building. Internal joy first; then it radiates outward so that fans, community, and the world can see it and feel it.This is not accidental. This is architectured happiness from one of the most accomplished Chief People Officers in professional sports.Who Is DeRetta Cole Rhodes?Before we unpack the science behind her words, you need to understand who’s saying them.Dr. DeRetta Cole Rhodes holds a Ph.D. in Adult Education from the University of Georgia, an MBA from Clark Atlanta University, and has led people strategy at some of the most recognized organizations in America: Turner Broadcasting, Ernst & Young, First Data, YMCA of Metro Atlanta, and now the Atlanta Braves, where she oversees people capital, communications, and community affairs across Major League operations, The Battery Atlanta, and Spring Training facilities.She is the author of Courage of Voice: Empowering Women to Open Professional Doors, a TEDx speaker, a Georgia Titan 100 honoree, and serves on the boards of the Woodruff Arts Center, Goodwill of North Georgia, and the International Women’s Forum. Her doctoral dissertation, “Courage Under Fire: How Black Women Have Learned to Survive in Corporate America,” examined how racism and sexism impacted the career progression of executive Black women in Fortune 500 organizations.In short: DeRetta doesn’t theorize about people and culture. She has built it, rebuilt it, and transformed it, across industries, across decades, and now inside one of the most iconic sports franchises on the planet.The Inside-Out Principle: Why Her Words MatterLet’s break down what DeRetta is actually teaching us. Her insight contains three distinct leadership lessons:1. Happiness Is Infrastructure, Not DecorationWhen she says happiness is “a cornerstone of everything,” she’s positioning joy not as a perk, not as a wellness initiative tacked onto Q4 planning; but as foundational architecture. The way a building needs a cornerstone before it can rise, an organization needs internal happiness before it can perform, serve, or grow.2. Joy Moves Inside-OutDeRetta draws a clear directional arrow: internal first, external second. “How do you deal with it internally — and how it can come out for you, so people can see it and understand it.” She’s describing emotional contagion as organizational strategy. The internal experience of employees doesn’t stay internal. It transmits to fans in the stands, to community partners, to every touchpoint of the brand.3. Happiness Is Wellness and MindfulnessBy connecting joy to “wellness and mindfulness,” DeRetta reframes happiness from something you feel to something you practice. This is not passive. This is intentional, cultivated, and sustained. It’s a discipline not a mood.The Science: Emotional Contagion in the WorkplaceNow here’s where it gets powerful. DeRetta’s inside-out philosophy isn’t just executive intuition, it’s been validated by one of the most important studies in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.The Study: “The Ripple Effect: Emotional Contagion and Its Influence on Group Behavior”Researcher: Dr. Sigal Barsade, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Published: <a target="_blank" href="htt
- May 23, 202633 min
Why the Church Must Stop Hiding Sin and Start Having Real Conversations
The church must stop hiding sin and start having real conversations — not with cruelty, but with the expectation that kindness is the natural starting point. People can handle the truth. Many already know it. When we try to cover things up, we insult their intelligence and damage trust. The call is to speak honestly and kindly — because science and Scripture both confirm that this is how we were designed to operate.The Problem: Covering Sin in the Church* We cover as human beings. It’s instinctive to protect reputation, avoid conflict, and maintain appearances.* But covering sin doesn’t make it disappear — it festers, spreads, and eventually surfaces in more destructive ways.* Many people in the congregation already know what leadership tries to hide. The cover-up often causes more damage than the sin itself.* The church loses credibility not when sin is exposed, but when it’s discovered that sin was concealed.The question isn’t whether people can handle the truth — it’s whether we trust them enough to share it.We Need to Have Real Conversations; Jesus did* Real conversations require:* Courage — to name what’s happening* Humility — to acknowledge our own brokenness* Kindness — as the default posture, not an afterthought* Trust — in the resilience and maturity of the body of Christ* These conversations aren’t about gossip or public shaming. They’re about honest accountability within a community that claims to follow the God of truth.The Science: Kindness Is Instinctive — Not WeaknessThe Default Mode: Kindness Is InstinctiveDr. Jamil Zaki, Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab:“People tend to act kindly when they’re not thinking about it. If you ask people to make decisions very quickly, they tend to make kinder decisions than if they spend a long time deliberating.”* Interviews with Carnegie Hero Project honorees — people who risked their lives to save strangers — reveal a consistent pattern:“I didn’t think about it. I just ran into the burning building.”* Key insight: Kindness is not a calculated strategy. It is an automatic, instinctive response — our default mode.* When we overthink, we talk ourselves out of kindness. The church should lean into its instinct, not away from it.Oxytocin — The “Love Hormone”* The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus releases oxytocin, a neuropeptide that drives social behavior and produces feelings of connectedness.* Oxytocin stimulates the limbic system to release dopamine, creating a reinforcing loop of rewarding feelings.* Beyond mood, oxytocin is:* Anti-inflammatory* Pain-reducing* Wound-healing* Blood pressure–lowering* Cardioprotective* Acts of kindness cause the release of nitric oxide via oxytocin, which dilates blood vessels and reduces blood pressure.Source: Doty, J.R. — “Why Kindness Heals,”Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (KindnessEvolution.org)God literally wired our bodies to reward kindness. When we speak truth with kindness, we are operating in alignment with both divine design and biological design.The ScriptureHebrews 11 — The Faith Chapter* The “Hall of Faith” — a catalog of people who acted on truth even when it was costly.* These heroes didn’t hide. They didn’t cover. They moved forward in faith despite uncertainty, persecution, and death.* Abel offered a better sacrifice — and was killed for it.* Noah warned of a flood no one could see — and was mocked for it.* Abraham left everything familiar — on nothing but a promise.* Moses chose affliction with God’s people over the comfort of Pharaoh’s house.* The common thread: They told the truth with their lives. They didn’t manage appearances — they walked in faith.“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.”— Hebrews 11:39They didn’t need to see the outcome to be faithful. Neither do we.<a target="_blank" hre
- May 15, 20269 min
Learn & Grow
Being a Lifelong Learner is a Happiness Habit! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alexia.substack.com/subscribe
- May 9, 20261 min
Executive Presence Is Not Polish. It’s Expression
For years, executive presence was taught like a performance: dress better, speak tighter, look more confident. But that’s not the real thing.Real executive presence happens when who I am on the inside becomes visible on the outside; in my character, my confidence, and the way I communicate. It’s not about becoming more impressive. It’s about becoming more fully expressed.If this resonates, ask yourself: What do I know, believe, or carry that still isn’t fully visible in the room?That gap is where the real work begins. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alexia.substack.com/subscribe
- May 2, 20265 min
Ohhhh JUDE
Jude https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude&version=NLT20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,[g] 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alexia.substack.com/subscribe
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About AgilEmpath
Welcome to the AgilEmpath Podcast, where we explore empathetic, agile methodologies to enhance team building in creative ways. With a foundation in mental health counseling, we bring a deep understanding of human behavior to help you lead more effectively. Are you coaching a team and need support in teaching soft skills? We provide tools to manage conflict and stress, boost productivity, and improve engagement—both at work and home—through emotional intelligence.
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