In a corporate culture that historically rewarded silence, stoicism, and checking your personal life at the door, how can leaders sustain high performance without losing themselves in the process?

In this compelling episode of Return on Empathy, Rebecca Dhrimaj sits down with HR leader, executive coach, and TEDx speaker Cheryl Gould (author of Workplace Ready and speaker behind Whole. Worthy. Wise: The New Standard of Leadership). Together, they pull back the curtain on the silent identity crisis brewing at the executive level and explore why ignoring human wholeness is directly driving systemic burnout, absenteeism, and turnover across modern organizations.

Drawing from a rich 30-year career in human resources, Cheryl breaks down what it takes to build resilient, human-centered workplaces in an era of rapid change. From guiding post-pandemic Gen Z professionals as they transition into corporate environments to helping seasoned executives unlearn rigid, legacy leadership habits, Cheryl delivers a masterclass in leading with vulnerability, emotional presence, and radical curiosity.