CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel
In just five minutes a day, Dr. Jessica Kriegel, Chief Strategy Officer of Workforce and Labor for Culture Partners, unpacks the latest research, trends and strategies shaping workplace culture, and driving business results. CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
The Psychology of Workplace Design
In today's episode:
How your office experience can be shaped by the environment that surrounds it
What âCathedrals in the Cityâ are
What a private equity office designed to feel like a social club reveals about the real driver of workplace trust
The frictionless future of the physical office experience
âŚAnd clowns in the lobby!
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discus...
Compliance Versus Curiousity
In today's episode:
What the 3.1 million UNFILLED manufacturing jobs reveal about the American workforce
Why the country that once led the world in innovation is starting to look a lot more like its competitors
The one habit leadership mistakes for alignment, and why it can be concerning
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to explore how compliance culture is replacing curiosity in the workplace, and what...
Are You Post-Social Media?
In today's episode:
The telltale phrases that instantly reveal AI-generated content, and why even professional communicators fall into the trap.
Why the algorithm is no longer connecting you to your community and what it actually optimizes to show you instead.
A surprising prediction about where elite education is headed, according to tech moguls.
Whether brands will ever let go of the need to stay constantly present, and what a permanent social media "break" might look like at scale.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily...
Change the Experience
In today's episode:
The four-type framework that reveals exactly which workplace moments you can control and which ones will backfire
What skipping a team meeting without a word can cost you, and the one sentence that changes everything
Why Zuckerberg's yacht reveal is a masterclass in what not to do
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedIn
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"Real Quick"
In today's episode:
The two-word phrase your employees say that signals the complete opposite
Why this phrase subtly devalues your ideas, and what to say instead
The surprising link between a baseball game, a t-shirt cannon, and the shrinking attention spans of your workforce
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to unpack the workplace psychology behind the phrase "real quick," what it reveals about how employees...
Likable, Capable, or Aligned?
In today's episode:
What happens to a team when someone is brilliant but impossible to work with
The third factor in hiring that most leaders overlook completely, and why it outranks both likability and skill
Why "culture fit" is often just bias in disguise, and the subtle ways it sneaks into your hiring decisions
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss what actually makes someone...
The Performance We Put On at Work
In today's episode:
The unspoken rule about sharing our suffering at work and why most people follow it without ever realizing it
The hidden cost of always appearing fine, how it affects you and your coworkers
What the trust triangle reveals about authenticity, empathy, and how much energy both actually require
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Jessica explores why workplace relationships operate within such a narrow band of acceptable self-disclosure, whether that performance serves us, and...
Transparency, Turbulence & CEO Confidence
In today's episode:
The economic indicator signaling that business leaders are bracing for a harder road ahead.
Why the central bank's independence matters more to your portfolio than any interest rate decision.
The one leadership skill that separates businesses that survive turbulence from those that get buried by it.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to discuss the latest research on falling CEO confidence, what it...
The Jobs Report Nobody Trusts
In today's episode:
The surprising reason monthly jobs numbers have become unreliable, and what savvy leaders should track instead.
What 172,000 "new jobs" actually looks like up close, and why the headline figure can be deeply misleading.
The difference between fear-based leadership and adaptive strategy, and how the best CEOs are responding to turbulence right now.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to break down the latest...
How to ACTUALLY Measure Culture
In today's episode:
Why the metric most companies rely on to measure culture may actually be working against them
How a decades-old management consulting trend quietly shifted the way leaders think about their people, and why that shift is now overdue for a correction
The REAL metric of measuring a companyâs culture (and most honest)
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
In this solo episode, Dr. Jessica Kriegel traces the evolution of culture measurement from job sa...
Congrats on Getting a Job (Or Is It?)
In today's episode:
When congratulating someone on a new job might be a hidden put down⌠and what to say instead
Why the manager who cheers loudest when a star employee leaves might actually be the strongest leader in the room
The key difference between loyalty that holds people back and the kind of commitment that drives real performance
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica to di...
The Demand Curve of Addiction
In Todayâs Episode:
What economics can tell us about why the âwar on drugsâ was lost before it ever began.
The counterintuitive reason eliminating drug suppliers has never worked, and what actually has to change for the needle to move.
The one force John argues can bend the demand curve not just for drugs, but for other destructive patterns in life and business.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ank...
LMS Are Dead
In today's episode:
⢠AI is transforming learning from a one size fits all experience into a personalized conversation, raising questions about whether traditional learning management systems still have a future.
⢠The value of AI depends less on the technology itself and more on the motivation of the person using it. Curious learners use AI to deepen understanding, while disengaged learners use it to find shortcuts.
⢠The future of education may belong to tools that adapt in real time to individual needs rather than forcing learners through rigid, predefined curricula.
CEO Daily Brief...
AI or Buy
In today's episode:
⢠As AI makes software development easier than ever, leaders must decide what should be built internally and what is too mission critical to reinvent from scratch.
⢠The real question is not whether AI will make mistakes. Every system does. The question is whether the potential benefits outweigh the risks and costs of getting it wrong.
⢠Framing blindness can limit better decisions. Expanding the lens beyond a single function or assumption often reveals opportunities, risks, and solutions that were invisible before.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-mi...
Innovating Education
In today's episode:
⢠Innovation starts with questioning assumptions and challenging the idea that "the way we've always done it" is the way it must be done.
⢠Technology is transforming every industry, and education is no exception. Leaders who embrace change will create more accessible, personalized, and impactful outcomes.
⢠Innovation without accountability is just creativity. Real progress happens when bold ideas are paired with measurement, implementation, and a relentless focus on results.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Transforming Healthcare in Saudi Arabia
In today's episode:
⢠Saudi Arabiaâs healthcare transformation offers a real world look at leading large scale change while improving outcomes for both employees and citizens.
⢠Great leadership requires more than logic. Trust is built through authenticity, empathy, and meaningful acknowledgment of the people doing the work every day.
⢠The fastest way to challenge assumptions about people and cultures is to experience them firsthand. Genuine connection often reveals a reality far different from the stereotypes.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wi...
HR Is Fired
In today's episode:
The CEO of the tech company Bolt claims that firing HR caused a many problems to disappear. This is a naive and dangerous move; HR's job is to protect the company. While much of HR is being automated, its role in culture creation, value-driving, and talent management is more important than ever.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica every week to discuss the latest news in labor, employment, and...
Let's Fight (With Kindness)
In today's episode:
People are disengaging in all aspects of life, but we need to continue fighting--kindly. Curious engagement and intelligent disagreement drive learning and innovation. AI can be used for both good and bad ends; with some work, we can leverage technology for the benefit of humanity.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica every week to discuss the latest news in labor, employment, and workplace culture by asking each other the...
Agentic AI
In today's episode:
As companies experment with agentic AI, they're finding AI agents can smooth out the friction between disconnected systems in the workplace. Agentic AI can augment and sharpen what people are already doing, but it's not accountable in the way that people are. Agentic AI will reduce costs in some places, but it can also allow companies to redeploy people to new revenue streams.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Nicole Mangarella is the the head of global technology and innovation...
Jessica's TedX Talk
In this episode, Jessica talks about her TedX talk being featured on Ted.com. Watch it at go.ted.com/jessicakriegel.
CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom,
â â â â â â â â Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedInâ â â â â â â â . Â
Other ways to connect:
â â â â â â â â Jessica Kriegel Websiteâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â Jessica Kriegel Instagramâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â Jessica Kriegel Newsletterâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â Culture Partners Websiteâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â Culture Partners LinkedInChanges At The Frontline - Jessica on the Unforget Yourself Podcast
In today's episode from Jessica's appearance on the Unforget Yourself podcast:
When you make change via culture, it permeates all the way to the frontline and changes how people show up. For people to opt into action that achieves a result, they need to be aware of the result. Once culture-level change has impacted the entire company, tangible results will follow.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom,
â â â â â â â â Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedInâ â â â â â â â . Â
Other ways to connect:
â â â â â â â â Je...Longevity and Surrender
In today's episode:
Many leaders are interested in longevity. But what are we actually doing with the time we have? Often, a focus on creating more time, doing more and achieving more, can cause us to stop appreciating the moment. Sometimes, that future-focused mindset can come from a fear of death, job loss, or failure. But surrendering to the moment can bring us success and happiness.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom,
â â â â â â â â Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedInâ â â â â â â â . Â
Other ways to connect:
â â ...Replacing the Blame Culture
In today's episode:
When something goes wrong in matters of safety, don't just look at outcomes--figure out what underlying beliefs and systems led to the situation. Discipline and blame should be applied to those who blatantly disregard the rules. But often, mistakes are the result of unintended beliefs that influence behavior. Everyone in the company is responsible for safety within an organization. When that doesn't happen, silos are created. Safety, productivity, and profitability all go hand-in-hand.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Brian...
Beliefs Can Be Sneaky
In today's episode:
People hold beliefs and assumptions that we're not always aware of; these beliefs might be hampering our ability to achieve results. When we don't know the beliefs that are held by the people around us, we can't take steps to shift them.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom,
â â â â â â â Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedInâ â â â â â â . Â
Other ways to connect:
â â â â â â â Jessica Kriegel Websiteâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â Jessica Kriegel Instagramâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â Jessica Kriegel Newsletterâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â Culture Partners Websiteâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â Culture Partners LinkedInQuarterly Earnings
In today's episode:
The SEC's is proposing a change from quarterly earnings to semi-annual earnings reports There are pros and cons to this move. Mandated quarterly earnings reports forces companies to provide more transparency to shareholders. On the other hand, this change could allow companies to make longer-term investments instead of feeling beholden to short-term quarterly earnings reports.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica every week to discuss the latest news in...
Death As Teambuilding
In today's episode:
Love often appears in the workplace during moments surrounding death and trauma. Tragedy can often bring people together more powerfully than success. Through suffering, people find meaning, empathy, and connection. We don't need to create tragedies, but they'll happen anyway--and should be use as opportunites to find that meaning.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica every week to discuss the latest news in labor, employment, and workplace culture by...
How To Effectively Roll Out Change
In today's episode:
Change managment begins with understanding the people and personas in the workplace. The modern workforce contains people from across generations, regions, values, communication styles and more. Understanding people requires a variety of information sources, including observations, mystery shopping deep dives, qualitative and quantitative measures. The employee and customer experience are tied together; culture and brand are reflections of each other.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Dr. Chesley Black is the SVP of Global Workplace Experience Strategy...
The Value of Mediation
In today's episode:
For a long time, mediation was seen as a last-ditch effort to avoid a trial -- but it's now being recognized for its measurable value. Leaders often get invested in the conflict itself, rather than considering the cost to the organization that comes from remaining in a conflict. Mediation can have faster resolutions and lower cost, is confidential, and often aligns better with business objectives.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Kimberly Taylor is the CEO and President of JAMS...
How To Get A Job
In today's episode:
People are getting laid off left and right, and now they're asking for jobs. The wrong approach is to keep up shields and pretend like you're not worried about things. The right approach: be vulnerable. Be a human. Being afraid for your future doesn't mean you're incompetent.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica every week to discuss the latest news in labor, employment, and workplace culture by asking each...
Uncertainty and Declining Birth Rates
In today's episode:
Declining birth rates aren't just about affordability -- they're also a sign of uncertainty about the future. This isn't an issue that can be solved with government policies; it's about the beliefs that people have. It's a culture question. The same holds true in the business world; the speed of change has removed any predictability about the future. This is all about how we think. What future are building based on the mindset we're bringing to this moment?CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where...
The Supreme Court's New Tariff Ruling
In today's episode:
For a second time, the Supreme Court has shut down the Trump administration's plan for 10% blanket tariffs. But the government is likely to have a plan C to bring them back. The lesson for leaders: tariffs are here to stay. More than that, variable tariffs are here to stay. Your tariff strategy needs to be one of adaptability; uncertain conditions are now the default state of the economy.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor...
Tucker Carlson's New York Times Interview
In today's episode:
The recent NYT interview with Tucker Carlson is demonstrating one of Jessica's 2026 predictions -- the beginnings of a new third political party. On issues of economics and foreign policy there's a broad consensus among Americans that isn't being served by either existing party. According to Carlson, identity-based culture wars have served as a distraction from these issues of deep overlap, but they're losing prominence.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom,
â â â â â â Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedInâ â â â â â . Â
Other wa...
Competitive Listening
In today's episode:
Listening is one of the most powerful tools in negotiation and communication. "Competitive listening" means listening so deeply that it surprises your conversation partner. When you listen with that kind of focus, conversations completely transform. Instead of preparing what you have to say next, total focus on listening requires surrender. Listening is reciprocal in nature. When you don't feel heard, that's a signal to use competitive listening.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
Kwame Christian is the CEO and Founder...
Chaplains in the Workplace
In today's episode:
People's real lives affect their working lives and productivity. The more a company supports them, the more they connect to the workplace. As Reverand Eric J. Hall explains, chaplains can be a key part of that support and care, filling a role that many organizations overlook. Spiritual care doesn't have to involve proselytizing faith--just listening and showing support.CEO Daily Brief is a daily, five-minute podcast for CEOs where we dissect the week's biggest news, unpack hot-button workplace trends, and bring you exclusive interviews with leaders who leverage culture to drive...
Decisions Versus Choices
In today's episode:
Jessica and John untangle the subtle differences between a "decisions" and "choices" in the modern workplace. "Decisions" often mean choosing between bad options, while "choices" involve actively defining what matters. Decisions fatigue us, while choices tie our identities to a purpose. It's choosing what matters versus deciding what works.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica every week to discuss the latest news in labor, employment, and...
Surrender to Lead - Jessica on WUSA9
In today's episode:
Surrender doesn't mean giving up; it means letting go of the things you can't control and focusing on what you can control. People will opt into the mission if they believe in what you're trying to do; as a leader, you're best served by creating experiences that create those beliefs. Accountability doesn't have to be a bad thing. When defined as a personal choice to focus on what you can control to drive results, people become eager to take accountability.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business...
Deloitte, Distraction, and Turbulent Times
In today's episode:
Deloitte is cutting benefits like parental leave, especially for the internal roles that are most vulnerable. Is this call worth the bad press? During turbulent times, people are often too distracted to notice some of the more egregious moves by companies. The model of consulting itself has been fundamentally changed by AI. The new question is: what unique value can consultants bring that these companies can't do for themselves? There's a massive amount of information out there. The most valuable people in the economy are going to be the ones who can sort out the...The Era Of Mega-Layoffs
In today's episode:
We're seeing layoffs like we've never seen before, as artificial intelligence is built to replace jobs. It's changing the way we make decisions about the future. We don't kno what the economy will demand in 5, 10, or 20 years. As economies mature, they run out of certain growth opportunities; it becomes a matter of profitability rather than revenue. But that system can't hold forever without some kind of public reaction.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor...
Surface Acting
In today's episode:
How often are you "surface acting" -- heightening and feigning expected emotions to meet work demands? It's a survival strategy in the workplace, but it costs us in exhaustion and reduced performance. Surface acting is different from compartmentalizing; it sacrifices authenticity. Do we have relationships that are strong enough to handle the truth?CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom.
John Frehse, Global Head of Labor Strategies at Ankura, joins Jessica every week to discuss the latest news in labor, employment...
Change Management, Accountability, and Fear-Based Leadership
In today's episode from Jessica's appearance on Refocus with Angela Stephens:
Leaders today still struggle with the new model of change management. It's more than moving from A to B; now, we need to be constantly adaptable. Fear-based leadership can lead to micromanaging and control -- but it's worth extending a little grace to people operating in a competitive, winner-take all system.CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel is a 5-minute daily podcast where business pragmatism meets inner wisdom,
â â â â â â Connect with Dr. Jessica Kriegel on LinkedInâ â â â â â . Â
Other ways to connect:
...