Productive Joy

Dr. Christie McMullen
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Welcome to Productive Joy with Dr. Christie. I'm your host, Christie McMullen, and together we are going to make sure we turn fun into action. How will we do that? By thoughtfully taking AIM. AIM stands for Analyze Improve Move. We're going to analyze the things that you're currently doing that you're like, I probably could find more joy in this. We're going to improve on those things by listening to experts and learning all kinds of new ways to do business. And then we're going to move. It is time to learn and grow together...let's do this.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Command Positivity, Not Control & More From Laurie Maddalena

    In this Productive Joy recap, Dr. Christie highlights executive coach Laurie Maddalena’s message that real leadership requires shifting from fixing to facilitating, focusing on enabling change rather than controlling it. The episode emphasizes that many leaders are promoted without leadership training, which can lead to insecurity, micromanagement, and diminished teams.  Dr. Christie argues that everyone is a leader—at work, home, and in community roles—and challenges listeners to lead in a direction worth following by putting people first. In a tough job market, leaders should prioritize employee well-being, create environments where people feel valued, heard, and able to use their talents, and make work “fun,” since people quit people, not jobs. The host recommends Intentionality Group for building safe, memorable, high-trust workplace culture and invites listeners to reach out for support. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Recap Setup 00:13 Fixing to Facilitating 00:44 Leaders Need Guidance 01:59 Everyone Is a Leader 03:22 Leading in Uncertain Times 04:01 Choose and Create Joy 05:03 Start With Fun 05:44 Design Fun Safe Spaces 07:10 Run Through Walls Leadership 07:58 Get Help and Take Action  #ProductiveJoy #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipPodcast #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipSkills #PositiveLeadership #BusinessLeadership #LeadershipMindset #TeamBuilding #ProfessionalDevelopment #WomenInLeadership #CareerGrowth #MotivationalPodcast #LeadershipTips #WorkplaceWellness #HumanCenteredLeadership #PersonalGrowth #IntentionalLeadership #LeadershipCoach #CompanyCulture #ManagementSkills #ProductivityHacks #SelfLeadership

    9 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    Shift from Fixing to Facilitating with Laurie Maddalena

    Today Dr. Christie welcomes executive coach and leadership development consultant Laurie Maddalena to discuss how leaders can be more productive and intentional with their time to enjoy life outside work. Lori shares her path from untrained first-time manager to VP of HR, then launching her coaching business 18 years ago after earning a coaching certification and experiencing company value misalignment.  Key leadership coaching themes include defining success, clarifying 3–5 key results vs. a long job description, and focusing on what only the leader can do—especially coaching and developing team members. Laurie explains the value of executive coaching as an outside lens and protected thinking time. Practical productivity strategies include planning the next day before leaving work, “productivity sprints,” reducing interruptions, improving meeting clarity and alignment, and shifting from fixing and micromanaging to facilitating performance through curiosity and questions. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Meet Lori 00:51 Busy vs Productive Leaders 02:19 Lori Leadership Origin Story 04:20 From VP to Coaching Business 05:42 Should You Go Solo 07:51 Intention and Modern Leadership 09:47 Key Results and Unique Genius 11:34 Why Executive Coaching Works 13:18 Define Productive Joy 14:29 Leadership Saboteurs and Focus 15:35 Crisis Mode and Meeting Overload 17:28 Recalibration and Productivity Sprints 19:34 Protect Focus Time and Energy 20:45 Find Lori and Final Takeaways 21:42 Rapid Fire Fun Questions 23:38 Final Wisdom Facilitate Performance 24:37 Closing Challenge Turn Fun Into Action

    26 min

  3. 15 MAY

    Mind-Body Practice & More From Croft Edwards

    In this Productive Joy recap, Dr. Christie highlights guest Croft Edwards, a 25-year Army veteran and author of The Liquid Accordion, discussing how the body and mind work together and how daily habits are always “practice” that either move you toward desired outcomes or keep you stuck. The key takeaway is to practice intentionally—whether that’s exercise, breathwork, getting off the couch, or choosing joy—because repetition builds skill in whatever you do most. Croft defines productive joy as “flow,” a friction-free state, which connects to the Intentionality Group’s focus on solving root causes in business by taking care of humans first, improving productivity, ROI, and retention. The episode encourages listeners to take action: adopt better practices, show up differently in meetings, read The Liquid Accordion, email Christie at intentionalitygroup.com Episode Highlights:00:00 Recap Intro00:06 Meet Croft Edwards00:43 The Liquid Accordion00:52 What Are You Practicing01:53 Choosing Joy Daily03:44 Flow And Friction04:36 Humans First Leadership05:27 Practice It Today06:18 Take Action Next

    7 min

  4. 12 MAY

    We Are Liquid Accordions with Croft Edwards

    Today on Productive Joy, Dr. Christie interviews author, veteran, and leadership coach Croft Edwards about his book The Liquid Accordion and the power of the body in shaping emotions, mindset, and results. Croft explains that humans are “liquid accordions,” with cells that expand and contract, and that the body’s sensory system drives how we experience fear, love, confidence, ambition, and joy.  He connects somatic awareness to leadership, coaching, and flow states, emphasizing that changing posture and physical shape can shift perspective and behavior faster than changing stories. Croft encourages practicing the states you want—starting small—and warns that people can unknowingly practice resignation or resentment.  Episode Highlights: 00:00 Meet Croft Edwards 00:49 The Liquid Accordion Idea 01:23 Army Habits and Self Care 02:51 A Childhood Leadership Spark 04:10 Somatics and Power Poses 06:36 Body Biology and Emotions 08:27 First Steps in Body Awareness 10:07 Defining Productive Joy 12:06 Finding Flow Through Practice 14:15 Moods Stories and Meaning 16:58 Ontological Coaching OAR Model 17:25 Observer Shapes Results 17:54 Language Mood Body 19:14 Choosing Daily Good 20:53 Where To Find Croft 21:44 Croft Name Origins 23:01 Girl Dad And Rivalries 24:44 Rapid Fire Round 25:57 Emus And Authenticity 28:24 Show Up On Bad Days 29:52 Change Body Change Story 31:11 Final Challenge To Act  #CroftEdwards #TheLiquidAccordion #MindsetMatters #SomaticCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment #FlowState #PersonalGrowth #SelfLeadership #MindsetShift #EmotionalIntelligence #PositiveMindset #MentalWellness #BodyMindConnection #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #PersonalDevelopment #GrowthMindset #MindBodySoul #VeteranLeadership #MorningRoutine #FindYourJoy #PurposeDrivenLife #HighPerformanceHabits #InspirationalPodcast

    32 min

  5. 8 MAY

    Master The Start of Your Week & More with Jason Greenhaw

    In this Productive Joy: The Recap, Dr. Christie highlights guest Jason Greenhaw, a personal trainer of 25 years and author of “Monday Mindsets: 52-Week Mindset Makeover for People Who Hate Mondays,” aimed at helping people overcome the Sunday scaries and start the week with a more positive perspective.  She shares Jason’s statistic that 75% of people don’t enjoy going to their jobs on Monday mornings and emphasizes choosing to see weekly opportunities. Dr. Christie encourages manifesting what you want, being proactive, and practicing intentional living—doing life by design instead of by default. She connects intentionality to showing up well in meetings, focusing on root causes, and practicing habits that produce results.  Reach out to Dr. Christie at christie@intentionalitygroup.com for support and getting more out of every aspect of your life.  Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:37 Monday Mindsets and Sunday Scaries 00:57 Shift Your Weekly Perspective 01:40 Manifesting Summer Intentions 02:10 Intentionality by Design 03:00 Practical Intentional Habits 03:29 Practice What You Want 03:53 Get Help and Take Action

    5 min

  6. 5 MAY

    Mindset Makeover...No More Sunday Scaries with Jason Greenhaw

    Today on Productive Joy, Dr. Christie interviews fitness trainer, gym owner, author, and mindset coach Jason Greenhaw, a longtime personal trainer who opened a private personal training studio in 2005. Jason explains how he left college and had a short stint as a prison guard after seeing a “now hiring personal trainers” sign at Bally Total Fitness, then built a career motivating clients—often older adults focused on overall fitness and weight loss.  He shares why he wrote “Monday Mindsets: A 52-Week Mindset Makeover for People Who Hate Mondays,” inspired by Les Brown’s comments about widespread job dissatisfaction and the “Sunday scaries,” and describes the book’s 52 short chapters with reflection questions and calls to action. Jason emphasizes perspective, controlling mindset and attitude, and boosting joy by encouraging others. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Meet Jason Greenhaw 00:43 Bowling Banter 02:04 Fitness Career Origins 04:52 Building a Private Gym 06:07 Writing Monday Mindsets 09:37 Favorite Lesson Perspective 12:13 Defining Productive Joy 14:18 Creating Joy at Work 15:26 Where to Find the Book 18:08 Rapid Fire Questions 20:28 Final Mindset Takeaway 21:47 Listener Challenge Wrap  #ProductiveJoy #MondayMindset #MindsetShift #MotivationMonday #PersonalGrowth #GrowthMindset #PositiveMindset #SuccessMindset #SelfImprovement #ProductivityTips #InspirationDaily #MotivationalSpeaker #OvercomeOverwhelm #MentalStrength #AttitudeIsEverything #FindYourWhy #PurposeDrivenLife #PeakPerformance #DailyMotivation #HabitsForSuccess #ResilientMindset #LifeCoaching #HighPerformance #MindsetMatters #TurnFunIntoAction

    23 min

  7. 1 MAY

    Create Better Systems & More From Dr. Lisa Woodruff

    In this Productive Joy recap, Dr. Christie celebrates Lisa Woodruff’s upcoming dissertation defense and highlights her two books: Organized 365 for organizing your external world and Escaping Quicksand for improving your internal world. Key takeaways include her message that you are not broken—the system is—and the importance of rethinking systems that don’t work.  Dr. Christie also reflects on lowering the expectation of “done,” noting how unrealistic completion standards can create unnecessary stress and reduce quality time. Using the quicksand metaphor from Escaping Quicksand, the episode encourages practical steps to avoid sinking deeper when life feels overwhelming.  She also shares a 2026 goals bingo card for tracking progress, including completing a 5K in April, and urges listeners to define success, focus on excellence over perfectionism, and apply what they learn so it changes practice. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome and Recap 00:05 Meet Lisa Woodruff 00:58 You Are Not Broken 01:15 Lower the Done Bar 02:06 Escaping Quicksand 02:20 Midyear Reflection 02:48 Goals Bingo Progress 03:43 Excellence Over Perfection 04:10 Share and Take Action  #ProductiveJoy#LisaWoodruff#EscapingQuicksand#Organized365#ProductivityTips#GetOrganized#DeclutterYourLife#TimeManagement#MindsetShift#PersonalDevelopment#OvercomeOverwhelm#SimplifyYourLife#GoalSetting#SuccessMindset#IntentionalLiving#SelfImprovement#WomenInBusiness#LifeOrganization#MentalClarity#FocusAndProductivity#WorkLifeBalance#GrowthMindset#MotivationDaily#AchieveYourGoals#TurnFunIntoAction

    5 min

  8. 27 APR

    Escaping Quicksand with Dr. Lisa Woodruff

    In this episode of Productive Joy, Dr. Christie sits down with productivity expert, author, and professional organizer Lisa Woodruff to explore how women can move from overwhelm to clarity by shifting both mindset and systems. Lisa, founder of Organized 365 and author of Escaping Quicksand, shares powerful insights on why so many high-achieving women feel stuck despite doing “all the right things.” At the core of this conversation is a transformational idea: you are not the problem—the system is. Lisa explains how many women struggle not because of a lack of effort, but because of ineffective order of operations, unrealistic expectations, and outdated definitions of success. Through her lived experience and work with thousands of women, she introduces a more sustainable approach to productivity, organization, and personal growth. Learn how to: Shift from external organization to internal clarity and mindset transformation Redefine success based on personal values instead of societal expectations Break free from perfectionism and embrace progress and excellence Create systems that support productivity, time management, and mental well-being Identify what truly matters and prioritize effectively in daily life Lisa also shares practical strategies for decision-making, including how to “play out” future scenarios to gain clarity, as well as how to lower the pressure around what “done” really looks like. The conversation highlights the importance of self-leadership, personal responsibility, and creating repeatable systems that make life more manageable and meaningful. This episode is especially valuable for women navigating midlife transitions, career pivots, entrepreneurship, and the mental load of managing a household. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how to move forward, this conversation offers both validation and actionable solutions. Key Takeaway: You don’t need to do more—you need better systems, clearer priorities, and the willingness to lead yourself first #ProductiveJoy#LisaWoodruff#Organized365#ProductivityTips#TimeManagement#WomenInBusiness#PersonalDevelopment#MindsetShift#GetOrganized#DeclutterYourLife#OvercomeOverwhelm#WorkLifeBalance#EntrepreneurLife#SelfLeadership#GoalSetting#SuccessMindset#LifeOrganization#MentalClarity#FocusAndProductivity#MidlifeTransformation#WomenEmpowerment#CreateSystems#SimplifyYourLife#IntentionalLiving#GrowthMindset

    26 min
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About

Welcome to Productive Joy with Dr. Christie. I'm your host, Christie McMullen, and together we are going to make sure we turn fun into action. How will we do that? By thoughtfully taking AIM. AIM stands for Analyze Improve Move. We're going to analyze the things that you're currently doing that you're like, I probably could find more joy in this. We're going to improve on those things by listening to experts and learning all kinds of new ways to do business. And then we're going to move. It is time to learn and grow together...let's do this.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Christie McMullen
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    288
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Christie McMullen
  • Show Website
    Productive Joy

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