Title: What Happens When Love Enters the Boardroom (Part 1)
Guest: Kelly Hall — Author of Love Works: Transforming the Workplace with Purpose and Authenticity
What happens when a business leader says the word "love" in a boardroom?
Kelly Hall found out firsthand.
After two decades leading global teams in industries where performance ruled, Kelly began exploring what happens when we let emotion — empathy, compassion, and yes, love — belong at work.
In Part 1, Kelly and Mike unpack the tension between results and humanity: why we've been trained to separate who we are from what we do, and how reconnecting the two builds teams that trust, engage, and stay.
Why "love" still feels taboo in corporate culture — and why that's changing.
Kelly's story of being told to remove the word "love" from a presentation to investors.
The danger of leaving parts of ourselves at the office door.
Mike's moment of authenticity: going from "Michael" to "Mike."
Redefining psychological safety and what it really looks like in action.
"It's scary to bring your emotions to work — and that's a tragedy."
"The best leaders put their hand on your back, not their thumb on your head."
"Safety doesn't mean comfort. It means you can stretch without fear."
"When leaders show up as their whole selves, it gives everyone else permission to do the same."
Real leadership is relational, not positional.
Love is just another word for deep respect and care.
Authenticity isn't a soft skill — it's a performance advantage.
Create spaces where people can make mistakes and still belong.
Growth happens when people feel safe enough to stretch.
Ask yourself: Do people on my team feel safe to tell me the truth — even when it's uncomfortable? This week, lead one conversation from curiosity, not control.
Connect with Kelly Hall.
