What if the very drive that helped you succeed is the same force quietly pushing you toward exhaustion?
In this conversation with Dr. Selina Neri, I explore a tension so many high performers live with but rarely name. The desire to hold high standards, to lead well, to deliver excellence, and at the same time feel deeply depleted. Selina brings both research and lived experience to this topic, helping us understand that burnout is not a sign of weakness. It is often the byproduct of sustained overextension without intentional recovery.
We talk about what recovery really means. It is not about checking out or lowering expectations. It is about creating rhythms that allow your nervous system, your mind, and your identity to recalibrate. Selina shares why rest must be designed with the same intentionality as performance, and how leaders can model this in ways that strengthen culture rather than diminish it.
One of the most powerful parts of our discussion centers on identity. When achievement becomes intertwined with worth, stepping back can feel threatening. Selina gently challenges that narrative. She offers a path where ambition and sustainability coexist, where self-respect fuels excellence instead of self-pressure draining it.
If you care about leading at a high level without sacrificing your health, your relationships, or your sense of self, this episode will resonate. I hope it invites you to reconsider what strength looks like and how recovery might actually be your greatest advantage.
Dr. Selina is a multidisciplinary, forward-thinking, global corporate-academic with over 30 years of diverse, C-level and Board experience in Fortune 500, Global 500 and startups in different industries (technology, luxury, hospitality, travel and academia) in the US, Europe and Asia. Included in the prestigious Thinkers50 Radar 2025 list of the world’s most influential management thinkers, for her important contribution to leadership development and Future Readiness. CEO, Dean & Co-Founder of the Future Readiness Academy (UAE), dedicated to enabling Future Readiness through advisory, research and learning solutions. Senior Fellow of the Center for Governance, Public Investment Fund (Saudi Arabia), driving thought leadership and education in corporate governance. Professor of Leadership and Corporate Governance at Hult Ashridge Executive Education (UK). Dr. Selina is a leading voice in Future Readiness, the Future of Work, Human Development and Corporate Governance.
Featured in Emirates News (Dubai One TV), Gulf News, Arabian Business, Khaleej Times, The Agenda Podcast Dubai Eye, Khaleej Times (Print), Zawya, Zawya (Arabic), 25H App. Featured in The Female FTSE Board Report 2016: 100 Women to Watch, published by Financial Times in recognition for services to corporate governance. Winner of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Professor of the Year award (London and Dubai campuses) and the 2020 Global Faculty of the Year award at Hult International Business School. Featured in Higher Education Digest 2023 for her contribution to leadership impact and development.
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About Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP
Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP is a highly sought-after speaker, 2x-TEDx speaker, diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, and contributor to leading news outlets. She is also the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement and consulting firm. After over 25,000 employee engagement surveys and years of working with organizations to transform employee engagement, here’s what Heather has seen over and over: When you know how to listen, employees will tell you exactly what they need to bring their full selves to work. Book Heather to speak at your event or organization.
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