Business

Do Good To Lead Well with Craig Dowden

If you’re passionate about mastering self-leadership, you’re in the right place. I’ve dedicated my career to understanding the science and practice of positive leadership. I Integrate evidence-based principles from the fields of positive psychology with those in leadership and organizational excellence that will help you develop real-life solutions to solve your greatest challenges. Each week I’ll bring world-class content with industry experts to help you use positive leadership to build a peak performance culture.

Latest Episodes:

From Playing It Safe to Crushing It: Dianna Fioravanti on Flipping the Switch in Leadership and in Life Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

How do you move from playing it safe to truly amplifying your impact? In this week’s energetic episode, I welcome back Dianna Fioravanti, President of Kuhne + Nagel Canada and bestselling author of "Flip the Switch," for a candid exploration of what it takes to silence self-doubt and step into authentic leadership.

Dianna draws on her own setbacks and triumphs, revealing how even high performers can get stuck in fear or overthinking. Our conversation unveils her 6P model (person, purpose, passion, playbook, perseverance, partnership) as a roadmap for overcoming hesitation and achieving lasting transformation—not by becoming someone else, but by becoming more fully yourself. The stories and questions are deeply practical, designed to help listeners stop waiting for permission and start owning their voice.

If you’re looking for tools to foster self-trust, design a meaningful legacy, and build resilience, this conversation is a must-listen. Discover how to flip your own internal switch and how to help those around you do the same.

What You’ll Learn

- Start with self-leadership.

- Discover your purpose and passion — Learn the difference between what gives you direction and what fuels your energy.

- Create your playbook to move from insight to consistent action, especially when life gets tough.

- Cultivate perseverance so you can bounce back and keep moving forward.

- Give yourself (and others) permission to move

- Build partnerships and your “inner cabinet”—trusted allies who support, push, and celebrate you along the way.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) – What Does It Mean to Flip the Switch?

(06:45) – Overcoming Inner Barriers

(09:08) - The R.E.A.L. Model of Leadership

(12:17) – The 6P Model

(14:24) - Distinguishing Passion and Purpose

(17:21) - The Role of Core Values in Self-Leadership

(21:31) - Sustaining Passion and Rebounding from Setbacks

(24:30) - The Importance of a Personal Playbook

(29:29) - Giving Yourself Permission and Owning Your Voice

(36:40) - Self-Assessment and Identifying Your Switches

(41:19) - Building Partnerships and Your Inner Cabinet

(44:52) - One Switch Listeners Can Flip Today

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Self-Leadership, Courage, Purpose, Organizational Culture, People-First Leadership, Personal Growth, Overcoming Fear, Avoiding Overthinking, Dealing with Perfectionism, Sustained Motivation, The Power of a Playbook, Core Values, Introspection, Passion, Resilience, Empathy, Authenticity, Legacy, Psychological Safety, Vulnerability, Partnership, CEO Success

Creating Positive Impact While Leading Through Change and Uncertainty – A Conversation with Laura Paglia, CEO of the Canadian Forum for Financial Markets Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

What does authentic leadership mean amid rapid change and digital noise? On this week’s episode of the Do Good to Leac Well podcast, I speak with Laura Paglia, CEO of the Canadian Forum for Financial Markets, who draws from her experience leading Canada’s top financial markets think tank and decades in private practice to answer this question. Her answers challenge the myth that ethics are just slogans, showing how integrity and transparency must guide every decision, even with the toughest choices.

We also explore how to bring together diverse perspectives and contentious viewpoints, leveraging empathy without sacrificing progress and accountability. She also shares how she keeps herself and her team resilient by focusing on controllable outcomes. We also have a candid discussion about the impacts and opportunities of AI ranging from increased efficiency to navigating job disruption. Laura emphasizes the importance of maintaining our critical thinking and curiosity, even as technology transforms the informational and decision-making landscape.

The conversation closes with an empowering message focused on the importance of stepping back, not personalizing setbacks, and always bringing your best self to work and life. This is the key to transformational growth and success. Tune in for an insightful journey from personal values to organizational change.

What You’ll Learn

- Lead by example: ethics and integrity must be lived, not just discussed.

- Authenticity builds trust and effectiveness.

- Mistakes are learning opportunities—be honest, be open.

- Empathy, resilience, and perspective help navigate tough conversations and uncertainty.

- Prepare for change (especially AI), but keep critical human insight at the forefront.

- Value merit and reciprocity: invest in the people who uplift your organization.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) – Welcome to the Podcast

(04:06) – What Are the Essential Leadership Qualities?

(05:42) - Authentic Leadership & Integrity

(10:03) - Building Ethical Cultures

(13:34) – How Honesty, Diplomacy & Directness Can Co-exist

(17:51) - Openness About Mistakes and Uncertainty

(23:08) - Navigating Diverse Perspectives and Conflict

(26:03) - Empathy in Leadership

(31:38) - Personal and Organizational Resilience

(38:31) - AI Impact & Adaptation

(42:41) - Leading Through AI Uncertainty

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Authenticity, Honesty, Ethics, Integrity, Organizational Culture, Communication, Transparency, Diplomacy, Emotional Intelligence, Listening, Empathy, Resilience, Adaptability, Self-Awareness, Continuous Learning, Meritocracy, Reciprocity, Teamwork, Empowerment, Critical Thinking, AI, Artificial Intelligence), Change Management, Personal Growth, Work-Life Balance, CEO Success

Wired on Wall Street: Tom Hardin’s Journey from Insider Trading to Ethical Leadership Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

In this raw episode of Do Good to Lead Well, I welcome Tom Hardin, whose journey from Wall Street hedge fund analyst to one of the FBI’s most prolific informants is a powerful examination of what drives good people to cross ethical lines. Despite the widespread belief that corruption comes from major events, Tom outlines the subtle drift and rationalizations that can turn ambition into poor decisions.

Tom makes a compelling case that most people are far more vulnerable to contextual pressures than they would care to admit. In fact, he argues that the more confident we are in our belief that we are incorruptible, the more likely we are to make an ethical misstep. Through honest storytelling, the episode urges us to move beyond blaming or distancing ourselves, challenging us to ask better questions, reflect on our own values, and foster workplaces where psychological safety and true accountability can thrive.

For anyone seeking a deeply personal and vulnerable understanding of ethics, culture, and resilience, this conversation delivers practical tools for self-reflection, leadership, and building lasting trust. These heartfelt lessons matter at every level of business and life.

What You’ll Learn

- Why 80% of us are at risk of “moral drift” if we’re not vigilant

- The crucial difference between mistakes and choices

- Culture is what gets rewarded

- How leaders can spot and stop ethical slippage, starting with “the little things”

- The power of asking better questions—not just of your team, but of yourself

- Why honesty, humility, and self-forgiveness are the real superpowers in leadership

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) – The Decision to Share a Profound Story of Vulnerability

(05:14) – Cheating is a Choice

(09:19) – Ownership, Shame, and the Challenges of Self-Forgiveness

(13:06) – Moral Drift and Rationalization

(16:35) – How to Spot Warning Signs

(24:05) – Culture, Values, and Leadership

(40:01) – Resilience and Redemption

(45:08) – Radical Listening

(48:22) – A Story of Hope and Personal Agency

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Insider Trading, Behavioral Ethics, Organizational Culture, FBI Informant, Compliance, Self-Reflection, Vulnerability, Rationalization, Psychological Safety, Ethical Culture, Whistleblowing, Character Development, Integrity, Reputation vs. Character, The Peril of Incentive Structures, Ethical Decision-Making, Personal Values, Resilience, Redemption, Asking Clarifying Questions, Moral Drift, Organizational Justice, CEO Success

Fixing Fairness: Building Workplaces That Work for Everyone with Lily Zheng Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

In this timely and important episode, Craig sits down with Lily Zheng, one of today’s leading voices on workplace transformation, to tackle the challenges and evolution of DEI. Lily brings both research-backed frameworks and real-world pragmatism, reflecting on how shifting from DEI to FAIR offers a practical way through current backlash and confusion.

Lily’s refreshing candor provides a thought-provoking and valuable frame to the conversation. They don’t shy from complexity, but treat hesitancy, fear, and failure as necessary parts of meaningful progress.

The episode is filled with practical advice, including tying every initiative to a real business problem, focusing on behaviors not buzzwords, and the need for every leader to own the responsibility for inclusion. Technology’s double-edged role is candidly discussed, warning leaders that AI will multiply both strengths and flaws.

At its core, this episode asks: how do we actually do better? Lily urges leaders to focus on “atomic units” of behavioral change, reminding us that real progress is messy, ongoing, and built one intentional action at a time.

What You’ll Learn

- The power and pitfalls of language in DEI work.

- Navigating the politicization of inclusion.

- Let data—not dogma—drive your priorities

- Move beyond ‘admiring the problem’: Replacing performative acts with real progress.

- Redefining representation: Beyond the numbers.

- Technology & AI: A double-edged sword.

- The power of atomic units of change.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) - Introduction to Lily Zheng and the Origin of the Book

(08:00) - Reframing DEI: Why Focus on Fairness?

(14:41) – Lessons in Leadership: DEI Backlash

(20:34) - From Performative to Problem-Solving DEI

(25:15) - Systemic Change & Diversity Leadership

(35:55) - Representation vs. Quotas and Building Trust

(43:04) - Technology, AI & Fairness Risks

(48:38) - FOFO: Fear of Finding Out and Organizational Reality

(56:14) - The Atomic Unit: Driving Change Through Behaviors

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Fairness, DEI, Inclusion, Equity, Representation, Organizational Change, Systemic Change, Workplace Culture, Diversity, Performative DEI, Accountability, Unconscious Bias Training, Artificial Intelligence, Politics, Cultural Transformation, CEO Success

Building Emotionally Intelligent Teams with Vanessa Druskat Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

In this week’s episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I speak with Vanessa Druskat, a globally recognized expert in team performance and author of "The Emotionally Intelligent Team." Vanessa shares the inspiration behind her research, highlighting the gap between anecdotal advice and evidence-based practices for building successful teams. She discusses the importance of cultivating esprit de corps—meaning a sense of belonging, value, and psychological safety—within teams, and emphasizes that this must come from both leaders and team members.

Our conversation explores practical norms and routines that emotionally intelligent teams use, dispelling myths around individual emotional intelligence versus collective TeamEI. Vanessa provides actionable examples, such as brief check-ins, team charters, and structured feedback mechanisms, underscoring the need for leaders to be intentional, especially in remote or hybrid environments. Questions from the live audience explored topics such as the role of team charters, overcoming ineffective norms, and the courage required to embrace feedback and conflict constructively. The episode is packed with research-backed insights and practical strategies to help leaders create high-performing, emotionally intelligent teams.

What You’ll Learn

- Great teams do things differently… and intentionally.

- The importance of assessing your team’s norms (anonymous surveys work wonders!).

- Develop a charter and revisit it regularly.

- Make feedback part of your culture rather than a once-a-year event

- How to lead remote/hybrid teams effectively.

- Why you want to finish meetings with a Plus/Delta.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) – Welcome to the Podcast

(10:25) - Defining Team Emotional Intelligence vs Individual EQ

(19:56) - Common Team Norms: Good, Bad, and Misunderstood

(24:32) - Creating and Using Team Charters

(27:12) - Activities to Build Understanding and Belonging

(32:11) - Best Practices for Team Assessment

(36:54) - Feedback and Accountability in Emotionally Intelligent Teams

(41:20) - Constructive Conflict and Avoiding Sidebar Conversations

(49:33) - Emotional Intelligence in Remote and Hybrid Teams

(54:33) - Final Reflections

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Team Emotional Intelligence, Team Norms, Self-awareness, Psychological Safety, Feedback Culture, Team Rituals, Team-Building, High-Performing Teams, Team Assessment, Team Charter, Remote Teams, Hybrid Teams, Collaboration, Accountability, Sense of Belonging, Respect, Onboarding, Team Effectiveness, CEO Success

How to Make High-Quality Decisions Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

It seems that uncertainty is the rule rather than the exception, and this trend only appears to be intensifying with each passing day. In this environment, making high-quality decisions is of paramount importance. For this solo episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I reference groundbreaking research published in MIT Sloane Management Review to identify five traits for effective decision-making, which were derived from a global study of business leaders.

The common thread that runs through these five qualities is that they are learnable. Another key element is that our mindset plays a critical role in influencing our effectiveness, a theme we have discussed multiple times before.

Tune in to learn how you can become a highly skilled decision maker by avoiding common traps that can undermine our effectiveness.

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Personal growth, Decision-Making, Managing Stress, Navigating Uncertainly, mastering our Mindset, Growth Mindset, Focus on the Positive, CEO Success

Source:Five Traits of Leaders Who Excel at Decision-Making

Harnessing Anxiety for Growth: Find Your Fierce with Dr. Jacqueline Sperling Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Good to Lead Well, I welcome Dr. Jacqueline Sperling, a clinical psychologist, assistant professor in psychology at Harvard Medical School, and the co-founder and co-program director of the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program at McLean Hospital to discuss her latest book, “Find Your Fierce: How to Put Social Anxiety in Its Place.”

Motivated by long waitlists at treatment centers and the slow path many face toward accessing help for social anxiety, Jacqueline Sperling shares her mission: to offer practical, evidence-based tools that anyone can use, regardless of clinical diagnosis or age. She grounds her message in empowerment, emphasizing that anxiety is a universal emotion—sometimes adaptive, sometimes disruptive—but always manageable with the right approach.

Major themes include:

• Understanding Anxiety: Dr. Sperling defines anxiety as a forward-looking form of fear and reframes it as a resource that can help us prepare for life’s challenges, provided we don’t let it dominate our decision-making.

• The Thoughts-Feelings-Behaviors Model: Our discussion breaks down how our internal dialogue, emotions, and actions interconnect. Techniques like “stop, drop, and roll” and identification of unhelpful thought categories (catastrophizing, shoulds, overgeneralizing) are brought to life through questions from the live audience.

• Leadership and Team Dynamics: We explore how leaders can compassionately address anxiety in their teams, foster psychological safety, and model healthy boundaries, which are especially during disruptive times and organizational uncertainty.

Check out this episode for an honest, caring invitation for how we can create lasting mental health hygiene: a daily, mindful practice to care for ourselves, as we pursue meaningful work and lead with compassion.

What You’ll Learn

- How to flip the script when you always expect the worst.

- How leaders can compassionately support team members stuck in negative thought cycles.

- Strategies for dealing with imposter syndrome and perfectionism.

- Practical tips for receiving feedback without defensiveness.

- Ways to maintain resilience in uncertain, disruptive times.

- The power of mental health hygiene.

Podcast Timestamps

02:15 Dr. Jacqueline Sperling's background

04:07 Origin story of "Find Your Fierce" book

05:48 Understanding anxiety vs. fear

07:49 The three-component model (thoughts, feelings, behaviors)

10:04 Stop, drop, and roll technique

14:23 Managing catastrophizing in team members

18:54 Addressing imposter syndrome

23:01 Overcoming fear of speaking up in meetings

28:08 Values-based anxiety management

31:53 The "shoulds" and "musts" trap

33:51 Receiving feedback effectively

38:03 Managing team anxiety during disruption

40:06 Addressing perfectionism

44:40 Delegation and leadership anxiety

48:33 Overgeneralizing dangers

52:07 Mental health hygiene practices

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Managing Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Thought-Feeling-Behavior Model, Catastrophizing, Mindfulness, Imposter Syndrome, Perfectionism, Exposure Therapy, Behavioral Experiments, Self-insight, Mental Health Hygiene, Resilience, Stress Management, Reframing, Team Dynamics, Sleep Hygiene, Self-care, CEO Success

TITLE: Designing Resilient Organizational Culture with Heart: Insights from James D. White and Krista White Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

How do you know whether your company’s culture is happening by accident or being intentionally designed? That’s the challenge we explore in this episode of Do Good to Lead Well, as I sit down with culture architects James D. White and Krista White, co-authors of the USA Today bestseller “Culture Design.”

James and Krista share why now, more than ever, leaders can’t afford to leave culture to chance. Their advice springs from decades of practical experience: culture isn’t a poster on the wall—it’s what people do when no one is looking.

In a thought-provoking and engaging conversation, they answer timely questions from the audience including: How do you diagnose the real health of your culture? Can values become more than just “word salad?” What about the unique pressures of remote work, generational differences, or legacy cultures stuck in old patterns?

Through stories and concrete examples, James and Krista reveal what organizations can actually do. They talk about running “archaeological digs” through interviews and surveys, turning employee feedback into actionable strategy, and the power of empathy. They explain how and why leaders should “listen with heart,” make time for micro-moments of connection, and value small steps over perfection.

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway is that designing culture is ongoing work. It’s about ensuring that how you operate matches what you say you value and having the courage to change, with empathy, when your organization needs it most.

What You’ll Learn

- Culture is always there – whether you design it or not.

- The importance of closing the “say-do” gap.

- Empathy is a leadership superpower.

- How to design your culture for both stability and change.

- Why you want your values to be actionable and personal.

- The key role of middle managers in fostering culture.

- Honor the past, but don’t cling to it.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) - The Inspiration and Meaning Behind "Culture Design"

(05:47) - Intentional Culture: Design vs. Default

(07:17) - Diagnosing Organizational Culture

(16:00) - The Future Back Approach in Leadership

(18:37) - Values: From Performative to Impactful

(22:21) - Organizational vs. Individual Resilience

(25:47) - Empathy as a Leadership Foundation

(33:00) - Generational and Hybrid Workforce Dynamics

(43:37) - Measuring, Supporting, and Sustaining Culture Change

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Culture Design, Organizational Culture, Empathy, Resilience, Values, Change Management, Transformational Leadership, Inclusion, Organizational Stability, Leading with Integrity, Rituals, Future-back Methodology, Cross-generational Workforce, Remote Work, Hybrid work, Employee Engagement, AI adoption, Feedback Loops, Legacy Culture, CEO Success

Unlearning Silence to Unleash Talent: Elaine Lin Hering on Speaking Up and Leading Well Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

What if silence in your team meetings isn’t just about shyness or lack of ideas, but something everyone’s been taught—often unconsciously—to protect themselves or others? In this episode, I sit down with Elaine Lin Hering, a top facilitator, global educator, and author of “Unlearning Silence,” to dig into the roots of silence and how leaders can transform it into true engagement.

As the conversation kicks off, we tackle a fundamental leadership dilemma: despite constant encouragement to “speak up,” people often hold back. Why? Elaine reveals it’s not just about courage or confidence. Silence is a learned survival strategy, which is often shaped by culture, hierarchy, and even unconscious organizational habits. Her own story, growing up as the youngest daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, shows how silence sneaks in early and sticks.

Throughout the episode, we explore questions relating to real-world challenges such as how can you create a safe space for candor when your “resting face” or demeanour sets the wrong tone? Or, why do team members only give feedback after a decision is finalized. Elaine offers evidence-informed and practical answers to these situations.

The takeaway is clear: Strong leadership means recognizing that silence is not always golden—and that by unlearning it, we unlock deeper connection, better decisions, and a future not bound by the past.

What You’ll Learn

- Silence is learned… and it’s often unintentional.

- Unlearning silence is an ongoing process.

- Explicit clarity is critical for leaders.

- How to reframe your view of your voice.

- The mode and medium of communication matter.

- What is obvious to you may be the insight someone else is looking for.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:03) - The Origins of Unlearning Silence

(05:46) - The Process of Unlearning Silence

(09:10) - Agency and the Value of Voice

(15:59) - The RACI Framework

(19:16) - How Communication Mode and Process Influence Voice

(24:10) - Surfacing Feedback and Pre-Empting Silence

(32:08) - Imposter Syndrome or Imposter Treatment?

(41:47) - When Is Silence Golden?

(46:52) - Explicitly Creating Psychological Safety

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Self-Awareness, Feedback, Personal Growth, Leading with Intention, Unlearning silence, Employee Voice, Power Dynamics, Decision-Making Frameworks, RACI Model, Team Communication, Self-Silencing, Imposter Syndrome, Psychological Safety, Personal Growth, CEO Success

What We (Often) Get Wrong About Empathy Jan 29, 2026

Show notes

In this solo episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I unpack the concept of empathy and leadership. Although considerable research has shown the multiple benefits of empathetic leadership, it may have become a victim of its own success. As it has become increasingly integrated into leadership conversations, there are widespread misunderstandings about what it is and what it is not.

While empathy is often viewed as ‘all about feeling,’ there is more to the concept. I’ll explore its multidimensionality and rather than being one sole element, the secret sauce is how all of this comes together. When only one aspect of empathy is tapped, it’s an incomplete picture.

What You’ll Learn

- The science behind the power of empathy in leadership.

- The most common way people use to define empathy.

- Why affective (e.g., emotional) empathy is only one aspect of high empathy leadership.

- The crucial difference between empathic joining and empathic concern.

- The power of perspective-taking.

- How inaction can be at the heart of leadership excellence.

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Excellence, Strategic Thinking, Personal Growth, Communication, 360-Feedback, Affective Empathy, Cognitive Empathy, Empathic Concern, Empathic Joining, Leading with Intention, Leading with the Heart and Mind, The Power of Thoughtful Inaction, CEO Success

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