compassion

When Compassion Meets Combat: A Paratrooper’s Take on Leading People

When you’ve led people through war zones, you learn what unshakable leadership really means. In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I sit down with retired Army officer, author, and speaker Clay Novak to explore what happens when compassion meets combat. With five tours of duty across Iraq and Afghanistan, Clay has lived the reality of … Read more

Strong Yet Compassionate: The New Leadership Standard

In this episode of Leadership with Heart, I sit down with Tracy Nolan, Senior Vice President of MarketPoint at Humana, for a candid and powerful conversation about what it truly means to lead with both strength and compassion. Tracy has spent her career guiding large teams through complex transformations, including overseeing 14,000 employees during the … Read more

163: Leaders with Heart Lead with Compassion

In this episode, Heather interviews Taneshia Nash Laird, president & CEO of Newark Symphony Hall, the vintage 1925 performing arts center in Newark, NJ. The way that Taneshia came to be on Heather’s podcast reveals a uniqueness that accompanies this episode until its end. The first word Taneshia uses to describe her leadership style is compassionate. … Read more

143: Leaders with Heart Lift Up Others

Subscribe to the Leadership with Heart Podcast: In this episode, Heather speaks to Garth Jordan and Heather Loenser of the American Animal Hospital Association. Both leaders of this organization: Garth, CEO, and Heather Loenser, Senior Veterinary Officer, together with Heather Younger have a very dynamic discussion about their personal leadership findings.  To the Heathers, empathy … Read more

140: Leaders with Heart Leave Room for Mistakes

Subscribe to the Leadership with Heart Podcast: In this episode, Heather interviews Diana Steinhoff, Executive Vice President, Product and Strategy at Life & Absence Management Administrative Solutions. Diana is a leader who does what she loves day in and day out, interacting with people that need help as they navigate difficult life events. Diana has … Read more

112: Leaders with Heart Lead First with Grace

Subscribe to the Leadership with Heart Podcast: In this episode, Heather Younger speaks with Andy Boian, Founder and CEO of Dovetail Solutions, a PR firm based out of Colorado. Andy shares a touching story of his drive to lead out of adversity, his ideas on a 60-day quick start program for new employees and his … Read more

99: Leaders With Heart Have A Strong Moral Compass

In this episode, Heather speaks with DeeDee Williams, Director of Human Resources at Davis, Graham and Stubbs LLP, about her leadership journey, her focus on compassion, and her strong moral compass which she fights to maintain. She also shares a powerful story of when she was not the best leader she could be and what … Read more

43: Leaders With Heart Lead With Compassion

SUBCRIBE TO ITUNES In this episode, Heather speaks with longtime friend and human resources practitioner, D’Anthony Tillery, about leading with heart, evolving as a leader, and what it takes to lead with compassion. Key Takeaways: Leadership is about always learning. Even though we want to empower and trust our people, we need to provide enough … Read more

21: Leaders with Heart Give Themselves the Grace of Imperfection

Today on the podcast we have Christinne Johnson, President of HR at First Bank. In this episode, Christinne shares a lot about her leadership style, what drives her to be a leader, and when she was not the greatest leader. We also talk about What drives her to be excited about vision and strategy, What … Read more

Becoming Unshakable With Heather R Younger

Becoming Unshakable is the podcast for leaders, creators, and changemakers who know that true leadership starts from within. Each episode explores what it takes to lead with resilience, compassion, and purpose—without pretending to be perfect.
Through candid conversations with executives, frontline leaders, coaches, and everyday heroes, Heather uncovers the real stories behind growth, setbacks, and transformation. From navigating change to creating emotionally safe cultures, Becoming Unshakable reveals how self-leadership and Caring Leadership can shape people—and workplaces—that cannot be shaken.

Heather is a Workplace Culture Expert

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CEO of Employee Fanatix

A leading workplace culture and employee engagement consulting & training firm.

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Bringing the best insights from over 25,000 employee stories to the stage.

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An expert in creating spaces for these vital conversations.

A contributor to leading news outlets

A trusted expert on workplace culture — recognized by INC. as one of the Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts of 2025 and by Thinkers50 as one of the leading global voices shaping the future of leadership.

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The Cycle of Active Listening

Create a listening culture that elevates the workplace experience for everyone.

Through this guide, uncover how to ensure those in your care at work feel heard and valued, resulting in increased loyalty and satisfaction.

  • Understand why listening is the key to improved engagement
  • Learn how the Cycle of Active Listening contributes to strong workplace relationships
  • Get a practical framework for creating a listening culture that is bidirectional, responsive, and supportive

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