The Anxious Achiever

Do difficult conversations keep you up at night, or do they make you want to avoid conflict altogether? In this episode, I sit down with workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo, author of Getting Along, to talk about how healthy conflict actually strengthens trust, decision-making, and leadership confidence. We dive into how our brains get emotionally hijacked during difficult conversations, how avoidance creates “conflict debt,” and why learning to stay grounded in discomfort may be one of the most important leadership skills we can build. Tune in to learn how to face conflict calmly to reduce anxiety and make you a more confident leader.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand, and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why conflict feels especially hard for anxious achievers.

04:30 How avoiding conflict increases anxiety.

06:15 What happens during an emotional “amygdala hijack”?

08:00 The cost of conflict avoidance and conflict debt.

10:30 How difficult conversations build confidence over time.

12:30 What is the role of shame and fear in workplace conflict?

17:00 How to practice conflict safely in low-stakes situations.

22:30 The 4-step framework for handling conflict better.

27:30 Finding shared goals during disagreement.

32:15 What to do when conflict keeps you up at night.

34:15 How to repair conversations that went badly.

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Amy’s book Getting Along HERE

Learn more about Amy Gallo HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Amy: on LinkedIn @amyegallo + Instagram @amyegallo

For years, leadership has been associated with charisma, confidence, and speaking the loudest in the room. But what if some of the most powerful leadership traits are actually quiet ones? In this episode, I’m joined by leadership expert and author Jennifer Kahnweiler to talk about the strengths of introverted leaders. We break down the misconceptions around introversion, why many successful leaders are secretly introverted, and how preparation, listening, and thoughtful presence can become leadership superpowers. Tune in to rethink what effective leadership looks like and learn how quiet strengths can create lasting influence.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree⁠

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to ⁠http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever⁠

Talkiatry - Head to ⁠http://talkiaitry.com/achiever⁠ and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working ⁠http://genius.com⁠

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to ⁠brevo.com/achiever⁠ and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why introverted leadership is often misunderstood.

03:45 What is an introverted leader?

06:00 What has changed and what hasn’t for introverts at work.

10:30 Are you adapting or just exhausted?

14:45 The 4 P’s of introverted leadership.

18:30 Why telling your team you’re an introvert is a leadership hack.

21:30 Why quiet men face unique workplace bias.

27:15 The connection between introversion, anxiety, and performance.

33:00 How introverted leaders prepare for high-stakes meetings.

35:15 Techniques to make meetings more introvert-friendly.

39:15 How giving teammates a heads-up increases participation.

44:30 How to show presence in meetings without talking more.

47:45 The introvert's guide to not burning out in a hybrid world.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Jennifer Kahnweiler ⁠HERE⁠

Listen to Jennifer’s podcast: ⁠The Introvert Ally Podcast⁠

Get a copy of my book - ⁠The Anxious Achiever⁠

Watch the podcast on ⁠YouTube⁠ 

Find more resources on our website ⁠morraam.com⁠

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn ⁠@morraaronsmele⁠ + Instagram ⁠@morraam⁠

Follow Jennifer: on LinkedIn ⁠@jenniferkahnweiler⁠ + Instagram ⁠@jenniferkahnweiler

Negotiation isn’t just about boardrooms and big deals. It’s every time you ask for what you need that brings up fear, self-doubt, and a rush of emotion that can derail the whole conversation. In this episode, I talk with former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and negotiation expert Moshe Cohen about why so many of us dread conflict, how curiosity can quiet anxiety, and how to use tactical empathy as a strategic tool. We also share the tools to slow down emotional hijack and manage rejection. Tune in to learn how to regulate your emotions and negotiate with clarity instead of fear.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with 

customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why negotiation is happening in almost every interaction.

04:45 What are the 3 types of handling conflict?

09:15 How curiosity shuts down fear in your brain.

12:15 Is asking questions in general a good technique in a negotiation?

16:30 What empathy really means in negotiation.

23:15 How bonding and trust influence negotiation outcomes.

26:15 Why you should talk less and listen more in negotiation.

32:00 How naming your emotions reduces their intensity.

38:00 How often does that anxiety show up during a negotiation exercise?

41:00 Tips to slow down time when you feel emotionally hijacked.

46:15 What is the listening triangle?

50:30 How much advice is too much in a negotiation?

57:00 How to build your rejection muscle.

01:00:00 The stories you tell yourself before and during a negotiation

01:02:00 How knowing your BATNA lowers the stakes and raises confidence.

Resources + Links

Get the Anxious Achiever Healthy High Achieving App - studio.com/morra

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Chris: on LinkedIn @christophervoss + Instagram @thefbinegotiator

Follow Moshe: on LinkedIn @moshecohen

Work is making people sick, and quick fixes are not enough. In this episode, I’m joined by Jen Fisher, former Chief Wellbeing Officer at Deloitte, to talk about why wellbeing isn’t a perk but a business imperative. We break down why burnout is often rooted in systemic issues and hopelessness, how middle managers shape our daily mental health, and why hope and an understanding of the human nervous system may be the most underrated leadership skills of all. Tune in to rethink what wellbeing means and what it takes to lead with hope right now.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why wellbeing is more than mental health benefits.

06:00 How burnout led Jen to pioneer the Chief Wellbeing Officer role.

13:00 What does “wellbeing at work” mean?

19:30 The ROI of fixing workplace culture.

23:00 Why does AI make us so anxious? 

26:00 Why wellbeing must be part of organizational strategy.

30:00 How constant disruption dysregulates employees.

33:15 What is the definition of a successful leader?

37:15 What workplace data misses about human outcomes.

40:30 The #1 thing employees want from leaders.

46:00 Why middle management is the make-or-break layer.

51:00 Incentives drive culture more than values.

58:15 How to build a wellbeing role inside your organization.

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Jen’s book - Hope Is The Strategy

Read Jen’s article: “The Wellbeing Imperative: What I Learned Pioneering the Chief Wellbeing Officer Role”

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Jen: on LinkedIn @jenfisher + Instagram @jenfish23

You’re not trying to control people. You’re trying to help. But what if your “help” is quietly draining your team’s confidence, creativity, and trust? In this episode, I sit down with Professor Julia Milner of EDHEC Business School to talk about the psychology of micromanagement, especially the kind that comes from anxiety, care, and good intentions. We dive into the difference between constructive feedback and control disguised as questions, the “advice trap” that keeps leaders stuck, and why micromanaging often feels safer in the moment but costs you long-term trust, dialogue, and time. Tune in to learn how to replace fixing with serving, advice with curiosity, and control with empowerment.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to http://shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why micromanagers often act from anxiety.

04:15 How to spot motivational micromanagement.

06:30 Why do you hate being micromanaged?

12:00 How micromanagement increases anxiety on both sides.

14:15 The subtle way “questions” can shut down dialogue.

18:00 How to give upward feedback without triggering defensiveness.

20:45 What it means to adopt a coaching mindset.

22:00 Phrases you can use to reset a micromanaging dynamic.

28:45 What’s the difference between feedback and feed forward?

30:30 How do you treat yourself with grace?

33:00 What the best empowering leaders all have in common.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Prof. Julia on LinkedIn @drjuliamilner