ABOUT THIS EPISODE
We dive into the shifting landscape of the 2026 workplace. While recent reports show that fewer employees are planning to leave their organizations, only a fraction actually feel energized by their work.
I'm joined by Dr. David Shar, a consultant and University of Maryland researcher who specializes in why people fall out of love with their careers and how to rekindle that passion. David shares his non-traditional journey from running a Baltimore ice cream shop—where a "trivial" job provided deep meaning for his crew—to researching the systemic causes of employee stagnation.
Key topics in this conversation include:
The Catalyst for Passion: How an ice cream shop manager learned that work can be a "happy place" even amidst personal tragedy.
The Reality of Burnout: Why burnout isn't just about overwork, but rather the accumulation of "dirty glasses"—the bureaucracy, red tape, and interpersonal conflicts that block a state of flow.
Nice vs. Kind: Why effective leadership requires "bucket filling" and the courage to give tough, honest feedback rather than performative politeness.
Thermostats vs. Thermometers: A simple mental shift you can use in the next 24 hours to set a better temperature for your workplace culture.
Stick around until the end to hear David’s most controversial take yet—it has nothing to do with HR and everything to do with pizza.
