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If you're looking to share insights into the future of work, or advice on how to motivate and engage your talent, join the guest list today.
Penny De Villiers: A Leadership approach to protecting people and performance
In this episode of the People Strategy Leaders Podcast, host Srikant Chellappa sits down with Penny de Villiers, founder of Rebalance Life and author of From Leadership to Strategic Pioneering, to explore how leaders can prevent burnout and design work cultures that protect both performance and people.
Penny shares her personal journey of burnout, how it transformed her approach to leadership, and why burnout is not a failure of resilience but a system malfunction. Drawing from her work with organizations like Uber Freight, she reveals how companies can scale without exhausting their people.
What you’ll learn:
✅ Why burnout impacts leaders as much as employees
✅ How workplace systems—not individuals—cause exhaustion
✅ 18 strategic shifts to build change-fit, energized cultures
✅ Why well-being is not a perk but a performance infrastructure
✅ Practical steps to redesign work for human energy and resilience
Penny de Villiers is a consultant and speaker who helps organizations reimagine leadership and culture in today’s high-pressure, fast-moving world. Her unique blend of compassionate leadership and sharp business strategy helps teams thrive without burning out.
If you’re a CEO, HR leader, or team manager seeking sustainable performance, this episode is a must-watch.
👉 Follow Penny on LinkedIn: Penny de Villiers
👉 Subscribe for more leadership insights
Don’t miss this episode and stay tuned for more.
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If you want to be our next guest, register now at https://go.engagedly.com/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEFLMUhBb0hLckhnYnlLUm1ady1VeTFWLUlQZ3xBQ3Jtc0tueG5yaldDUTBkWGs1TmE4TFNzNWQxODBVb1cxREFXT2hSX3ptMHhNTk1LWFBTek1Ga3llQm0wVmNBSnQ3Rk96bjlCakNlcUdSVTRhY1U1LTMwWWxYU3hMaUtZeG5PcjdOSC1jaENsb2RwSVlBYU8xVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.engagedly.com%2F&v=iWKGZv0_aDI).
12 Aug 2025
Avoiding Leadership Burnout with Authenticity
Website Link: https://engagedly.com/podcast/authentic-leadership-with-dominic-george-episode-85/ (https://engagedly.com/podcast/authentic-leadership-with-dominic-george-episode-85/)
Dominic George is a leadership coach and the founder of Vision Leadership for Life, a coaching practice dedicated to helping Black men and mid-level professionals step into senior leadership roles with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. With a master’s degree from Columbia University, Dominic blends academic rigor with practical coaching expertise to guide his clients through imposter syndrome, burnout, and identity erosion in the workplace. He is the author of The Authentic Edge: Leading Without Losing Yourself and host of the Vision Leadership for Life podcast. Dominic’s work centers around uncovering a leader’s “leadership DNA”—the values, story, and mindset that make their leadership both effective and sustainable.
👉 Learn more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominiccgeorge (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominiccgeorge)
Episode Overview:
In this episode of the People Strategy Leaders Podcast, Dominic George joins host Sri Chellappa for a candid conversation on how today’s mid-level leaders can avoid burnout and imposter syndrome by leading from a place of authenticity. Dominic shares powerful metaphors, actionable strategies, and personal insights from years of coaching professionals who are ready to scale their impact without compromising who they are.
Key Discussion Points:
Introduction and Guest Background:
Dominic introduces his mission and coaching philosophy—empowering leaders to rise by reconnecting with their values and identity, especially Black men navigating the complexities of corporate leadership.
The Rise of Imposter Syndrome:
Dominic explains how imposter syndrome emerges when leaders mimic others who may not share their background or experiences. He emphasizes the importance of building confidence from within.
Burnout and the “Mask vs. Mirror” Analogy:
Dominic outlines how burnout often stems from wearing a “mask” at work—suppressing identity to fit in. By choosing the “mirror” instead, leaders reflect their authentic selves and lead with clarity.
The 3Ms Framework for Leadership Growth:
Dominic’s coaching centers on three pillars:
👉 Mindset – Rewriting internal narratives and overcoming imposter syndrome
👉 Mastery – Strengthening both hard and soft leadership skills
👉 Motivation – Anchoring daily leadership in personal purpose and legacy
Purpose Over Position:
Dominic challenges the obsession with titles and salaries, reframing leadership as a vehicle for impact—not status.
Recognizing the Warning Signs of Burnout:
From disengagement in meetings to loss of motivation, Dominic helps leaders identify early red flags and reconnect with their original “why.”
Strategic Alliances & Leading Across the Org:
Leadership today requires cross-functional collaboration. Dominic discusses how building strategic relationships across teams amplifies both personal influence and organizational success.
Supporting Black Leaders in Corporate Spaces:
Dominic highlights the unique pressures faced by Black professionals and how culturally aware coaching can help them lead powerfully without compromising their identity.
1 Aug 2025
Truth about Equity with Celeste Warren, ex Chief Diversity Officer of Merck
https://engagedly.com/podcast/rebuilding-trust-in-equity-and-inclusion-with-celeste-warren-episode-84/ (https://engagedly.com/podcast/rebuilding-trust-in-equity-and-inclusion-with-celeste-warren-episode-84/)
Celeste Warren is a globally recognized DEI strategist, author, and former Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Merck. With nearly 40 years of experience in global HR, Celeste is a leading voice on how equity transforms organizations from the inside out. Her journey began as a journalist uncovering pay inequities—and evolved into a powerful career in DEI leadership, helping companies dismantle systemic barriers and build more inclusive cultures. She is the author of The Truth About Equity: What It Really Is, What It Isn’t, and Why Everyone Wins When We Get It Right, a book that challenges misunderstandings about equity and offers a path forward for individuals and organizations alike.
Learn more at https://www.crwdiversity.com (https://www.crwdiversity.com)
Episode Overview:
This episode explores the real meaning of equity in the workplace and why it’s essential for both organizational performance and human dignity. Celeste Warren joins host Sri Chellappa to discuss the DEI backlash, the misconceptions surrounding equity, and what leaders must do to build truly inclusive and high-performing teams.
Key Discussion Points:
Guest Introduction and Career Journey:
Celeste shares her background—from discovering pay disparities in journalism to becoming a global DEI leader. Her passion for driving equity across all dimensions of identity sets the foundation for the conversation.
What Equity Really Means:
Celeste explains the key differences between equity and equality, arguing that equity isn’t about giving some people more—it’s about giving everyone what they need to succeed.
Why DEI Is Facing Backlash:
She unpacks the political and societal pushback against DEI, emphasizing that much of it stems from misunderstanding or resistance to systemic change.
The “Three-Rock” Analogy:
Using a visual metaphor, Celeste describes how equity programs help level the playing field for everyone—and why those who’ve always had privilege often fail to see the barriers others face.
DEI as Business and Leadership Strategy:
Celeste reframes DEI not as a “nice to have,” but as fundamental to leadership, talent development, and customer understanding. She connects equity to performance, innovation, and long-term sustainability.
Global Equity Challenges:
Reflecting on her work at Merck and Kraft Foods, Celeste shares how she tailored DEI strategies for global audiences while respecting local cultural nuances.
A Call to Action for Today’s Leaders:
Celeste urges leaders to meet people where they are, embrace inclusive practices, and recognize equity as essential to unlocking collective success.
Inside a recent episode
61 - Succession Planning is Broken and How to Fix It with Rich Horwath with Strategic Thinking Institute's Rich Horwath
Published 7 Feb 2024 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And then that third area is really around executive skills. So, do they have the ability to set vision, set strategic direction, make trade -offs, allocate resources, be good with decision -making? So, those are some of the executive skills. So, again, if we're evaluating director level, first -line level managers all the way up to the CEO, those three areas can be used across any functional area, whether it's HR, IT, business development, sales marketing. So, what I recommend is then build that scorecard for your top five people, and then on a monthly basis, grade them from one to three, one being insufficient to being sufficient three being above average. […]
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