Life Fulfilled Podcast — Where leadership, self awareness and workplace performance actually connect.

Bernie Borges
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Hosted by Bernie Borges | Founder, Fulfilled@Work Academy Most people think of fulfillment as a feeling. But we treat it as a strategy—a powerful driver of performance, loyalty, and leadership impact. Whether you lead in the workplace, at home, or in your community, host Bernie Borges helps you harness the five life pillars—health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy—to lead with both head and heart. If your team’s performance is slipping and you can’t see why, this podcast helps you uncover the silent costs of disengagement. You can’t lead high-performing teams with outdated tools. This podcast gives you the upgrade. You’ll hear no-fluff solo episodes and guest conversations on modern leadership, workplace culture, disengagement, and the evolving role of AI, always grounded in actionable insights that help you create traction where it matters most. Bernie is the creator of the Fulfillment-Centric Leadership™ Framework and founder of the Fulfilled@Work Academy, equipping leaders to build energized, high-performing teams without sacrificing what matters most. If you’re ready to align performance with purpose, starting where you spend most of your time, subscribe to the Life Fulfilled Podcast. Because fulfillment isn’t just a feeling. It’s your performance strategy. 📺 Watch on YouTube: @LifeFulfilledpod 🎧 Follow Life Fulfilled on your favorite podcast app 💌 Subscribe to the Weekly Fulfill newsletter: fulfilledatworkacademy.com/newsletter 

  1. The 3 Antidotes to Leadership Burnout

    6D AGO

    The 3 Antidotes to Leadership Burnout

    Burnout isn’t just about having too much on your plate—it’s about doing too much of the WRONG things. That’s one of the powerful insights I took away from my conversation on episode 274 with Carmen Seda, VP of Operational Talent Solutions at Randstad USA. Carmen shared valuable wisdom on how leaders can thrive beyond the dated playbook of “busyness,” and instead lead from a place of identity, timing, and authority, especially crucial in our rapidly evolving, AI-impacted era. 3 Key Insights from This Episode   1. Leadership Challenges Start with IdentityAccording to Carmen Seda, most leadership roadblocks aren’t operational, they’re personal. Leaders often struggle because they haven't truly understood who they are and what drives their decisions. Self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership. Shockingly, only 15% of people are truly self-aware, and that gap is magnified at the top. 2. The Outdated Playbook Is Out. Timing Matters More Than EverOur culture has glorified busyness and outdated approaches for far too long. Carmen and I discuss how today’s environment, from AI advances to generational shifts, demands leaders to recognize what actually matters in the moment. The seasons of business (and life!) shift, and so should your focus as a leader. 3. Authority Is About Sovereignty, Not Just PowerTrue authority isn’t just about position or control. Carmen Seda reframes authority as “sovereignty,” the inner wisdom to know when to act, when to listen, and when to adapt. This kind of leadership moves away from obligation and toward authentic, empowered decisions built on deep self-awareness. The Main Takeaway Leading with fulfillment in today’s world requires tearing up the old script and starting with your own. If you’re feeling burned out, know it’s not about how much you’re doing, but what (and why) you’re doing it. Identity, timing, and authority are the new pillars of authentic leadership, and every fulfilling leader’s journey begins with self-awareness. Connect with Carmen Seda on LinkedIn; subscribe to her newsletter, “The Sovereign Leader,” at carmenseda.com for more insights. Catch the full episode on YouTube for the complete conversation and practical guidance on reframing your leadership mindset for the AI era and the human future. Connect with Bernie BorgesLinkedInInstagramTikTokWebsite Get in touch with Bernie to explore hiring him to:👉🏼 Be your executive coach👉🏼 Facilitate group coaching for your team👉🏼 Deliver a team workshop👉🏼 Be your next keynote speaker at your next event.👉🏼 A tailored presentation or workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™. Music attribution:Old Bossa Twin MusicomSuno   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min
  2. Turning Corporate Toxicity Into Leadership Fuel

    FEB 9

    Turning Corporate Toxicity Into Leadership Fuel

    This conversation with Paula Chiocchi is all about resilience, reinvention, and leadership. She shared how setbacks from corporate toxicity to divorce became the fuel for building a thriving business and a positive, empowered team. Paula’s philosophy is to turn adversity into opportunity, leading with both ambition and empathy, and to keep learning from every win and loss. If you’re navigating challenges in your own journey, let Paula’s story remind you: setback doesn’t mean stop, it’s your setup for a stronger comeback. This podcast episode is available on the Fulfilled Leadership YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/O32NuvkJkww?si=WYM9_RepmjgX49HH 3 Key Discussion Points from This Episode: 1️⃣ Resilience Rooted in Her Father's Life Experience:Paula shares how her father’s military experience shaped her “no excuses” approach. It gave her a drive to solve problems and persist no matter the setback. Rather than letting failures define her, Paula uses them as stepping stones, constantly asking herself at the end of each day if she’s done her best. 2️⃣ Reframing Adversity as Opportunity:Paula experienced corporate toxicity early in her career and reframed it as fuel for her leadership style. Additionally, a life-changing divorce inspired her to create change in her life. She turned these adversities into catalysts, leaving the corporate world to build her own business, just as she had dreamed as a teen. Her story is a testament to making lemonade out of lemons (even if her family sometimes pokes fun at her optimism!). 3️⃣ Leadership Beyond Command & Control:Paula openly discusses her own instinct towards command and control leadership and how she’s intentionally shifted to inclusiveness, giving her team a voice. By mentoring employees and fostering ambition and drive, she’s created an environment where people feel valued, which, in turn, has contributed to low turnover and a strong company culture that creates winning client relationships. One Main Takeaway:Setbacks don’t have to be permanent. As Paula demonstrates, the ability to bounce back and even grow stronger from adversity comes down to self-awareness, reframing your challenges, and focusing on progress, not perfection. If you’re in a season of change or feeling stuck, remember your next breakthrough might just come from your toughest challenge. Connect with Paula Chiocchi: LinkedIn Website Connect with Bernie BorgesLinkedInInstagramTikTokWebsite Get in touch with Bernie to explore hiring him to:👉🏼 Be your executive coach👉🏼 Facilitate group coaching for your team👉🏼 Deliver a team workshop👉🏼 Be your next keynote speaker at your next event.👉🏼 A tailored presentation or workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™. Music attribution:Old Bossa Twin MusicomSuno Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    32 min
  3. Why Servant Leadership is Burning You Out

    FEB 1

    Why Servant Leadership is Burning You Out

    Watch this episode on the Fulfilled Leadership YouTube channel. In this episode, host Bernie Borges shares why servant leadership without boundaries can burn you out and actually hurt your team and yourself. Bernie calls it "doormat syndrome": when you over-function, rescue others, and lose sight of healthy accountability. But there’s a solution: combine your servant mindset with authentic leadership. Top Discussion Points: The Engine vs. The Steering WheelServant leadership is all about lifting others up and empowering your team—it’s the “engine” that moves an organization forward. But without boundaries (the “steering wheel”), serving can turn into rescuing, leading to emotional exhaustion and codependency. Personal Story: Learning the Hard WayBernie Borges recounted his experience as a volunteer board chair, where, instead of holding a team member accountable, he absorbed their workload and stress. This moment of clarity revealed how easy it is to slide from helpful leader to perpetual rescuer. The Fulfilled Leadership MatrixHe broke down four leadership styles: Absentee Leader Tyrant/Ego Leader Doormat/Rescuer (where many servant leaders get stuck!) Fulfilled Leader (high servant, high authenticity)  Main Takeaway:Serving from the heart is vital, but fulfillment only happens when you hold yourself and others to agreed standards. Authentic, self-aware leadership—where you’re honest, set boundaries, and challenge your team—prevents burnout and builds trust without fostering dependency. If you’re thinking, "Wow… I might be stuck in Doormat Mode," maybe it’s time to install your Steering Wheel. Book a conversation with Bernie. It's a focused, 20-minute Lead Without Rescuing Call to help you stop carrying your team, and start empowering them. If you're the one people lean on when it matters most, this is for you. Get in touch here to book your call. Let’s get your steering wheel installed. Connect with Bernie Borges ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ Website⁠ ⁠Get in touch with Bernie⁠ to explore hiring him as a keynote speaker at your next event, a tailored presentation or workshop on ⁠Fulfillment Centric Leadership™⁠. Music attribution: ⁠Old Bossa Twin Musicom⁠⁠ Suno⁠   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    17 min
  4. Transform Your Leadership Style to Win at Work and at Home

    JAN 26

    Transform Your Leadership Style to Win at Work and at Home

    On this episode of the Life Fulfilled podcast, host Bernie Borges speaks with Emmanuel Hernandez-Agosto, DBA, the Dean of Business at St. Petersburg College, for a powerful conversation about leadership, self-discovery, and the true meaning of success. Twenty years ago, Emmanuel was a rising executive who followed a “command and control” leadership style that brought impressive results at work, but nearly cost him his marriage and disconnected him from what mattered most at home. Emmanuel shares his inspiring transformation story: how a defining fork in the road, sparked by his wife’s ultimatum, pushed him to reevaluate his priorities. This candid conversation explores the impact of culture, early career pressures, and the journey from managing strictly by metrics to leading with both head and heart. Emmanuel unpacks how integrating his family, relationships, and even sports into his life has helped him become a more fulfilled person and effective leader. If you’ve ever struggled to balance ambition with meaningful relationships, or felt yourself choosing between career achievement and fulfillment at home, this episode offers an intimate look at how personal growth can create lasting change, not just for yourself, but for everyone you lead. Watch this episode with visual elements for story enhancement on ⁠YouTube⁠.  Connect with Emmanuel Hernandez-Agosto, DBA  Website: https://www.spcollege.edu/friends-partners/about/leadership/leadership-directory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-hern%C3%A1ndez-agosto-32785865/ Try the Employee Engagement Fund ROI Calculator. You’ll get a clear view of what turnover is really costing your business, and how much you could save through employee engagement and retention strategies. Connect with Bernie BorgesLinkedInInstagramTikTokWebsite Get in touch with Bernie to explore:Hiring him as a keynote speaker at your next event.A tailored presentation or workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.Music attribution:Old Bossa Twin MusicomSuno Sound Effect by DRAGON-STUDIO from Pixabay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min
  5. 5 Authentic Leadership Moves That Earn Respect and Results

    JAN 19

    5 Authentic Leadership Moves That Earn Respect and Results

    Can you be an authentic leader and still drive top performance? Host Bernie Borges explains five ways to lead with authenticity to achieve fulfilled leadership, and performance results. Watch this episode of the Life Fulfilled Podcast on YouTube 🗝️ Here are 3 key takeaways on leading with authenticity: 1️⃣ Know and live your values: Document your core values and make decisions that reflect them. Consistency in values builds trust, inspires teams, and provides a foundation for both fulfillment and results. 2️⃣ Lead with head and heart: Go beyond the surface and build real connections. Recognize your team's humanity, invite genuine conversations, and be present for your people, not just in a performative leadership role. 3️⃣ Embrace openness and accountability: Share failures and lessons learned. Take ownership when things don’t go as planned and engage your team in honest discussions about how to improve, demonstrating that authenticity isn’t about perfection. Main takeaway:Authentic leadership is the gateway to both fulfilled teams and strong performance. Leading with presence, openness, and genuine care creates trust and inspires people to do their best work. Try the Employee Engagement Fund ROI Calculator. You’ll get a clear view of what turnover is really costing your business, and how much you could save by investing in employee engagement and retention strategies. Connect with Bernie BorgesLinkedInInstagramTikTokWebsite Get in touch with Bernie to explore:Hiring him as a keynote speaker at your next event.A tailored presentation or workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.Music attribution:Old Bossa Twin MusicomSuno Text us your feedback on the podcast. Get the Weekly Fulfill weekly newsletter and never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 min
  6. Transform Your Work and Life by Finding Your Spark

    JAN 12

    Transform Your Work and Life by Finding Your Spark

    Host Bernie Borges is joined by returning guest Heike Yates, coach and author of "Pursue Your Spark." If you've ever felt stuck, burned out, or unfulfilled at work or in life, this conversation is packed with insight on how the real block might be a disconnection from your own inner spark, the energy and drive that fuels possibility. Watch this episode with visual elements for story enhancement on YouTube.  Here are 3 key takeaways for anyone ready to reclaim their spark: 1️⃣ Acknowledge Your GapMany people feel unfulfilled because there's a gap between where they are and where they want to be. Recognizing this gap is the crucial first step to moving forward. 2️⃣ Start Small and Set BoundariesProgress doesn't require huge leaps. Small, intentional actions like shifting your mindset from “I have to” to “I choose to,” or simply setting a boundary such as a hard-stop time at work can make a big difference in restoring your sense of agency. 3️⃣ Lead Yourself FirstSelf-leadership isn't about job titles, it's about influence. We're all leaders across different areas of our lives. Rediscovering your spark often begins by taking responsibility for your own choices and energy, which in turn amplifies your impact on others. 🎯 Main takeaway:If your inner spark feels dim, it’s not always about the job or other people, it’s often about how connected you are to yourself. Small steps, mindful choices, and curiosity about what’s possible can help you reignite that spark, bringing fulfillment and energy back into your work and life. Are you ready to pursue your spark?  Connect with Heike Yates  Website: https://www.heikeyates.comPursue Your Spark Book: https://heikeyates.com/midlife-mindset-book-pursue-your-spark/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heike-yates/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heikeyates/ Try the Employee Engagement Fund ROI Calculator. You’ll get a clear view of what turnover is really costing your business, and how much you could save through employee engagement and retention strategies. Connect with Bernie BorgesLinkedInInstagramTikTokWebsite Get in touch with Bernie to explore:Hiring him as a keynote speaker at your next event.A tailored presentation or workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.Music attribution:Old Bossa Twin MusicomSuno Text us your feedback on the podcast. Get the Weekly Fulfill weekly newsletter and never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min
  7. Leadership Strategies Tackling Job Hugging and Disengagement

    JAN 5

    Leadership Strategies Tackling Job Hugging and Disengagement

    Watch this episode of the Life Fulfilled Podcast on YouTube Host Bernie Borges breaks down the risks of job hugging; when employees stick around not out of engagement but because leaving feels riskier than staying. He highlights how this quiet disengagement carries costs that don’t show up in retention metrics but can erode performance across the board. This episode also explores how leaders can recognize the signs, audit their teams, and invest in leadership strategies that prioritize fulfillment as a driver of sustainable results. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 1️⃣ Why Disengagement Is More Dangerous than AttritionMany “job huggers” aren’t quitting or causing visible problems, but they’re also not innovating, driving outcomes, or bringing a winning mindset to work. As Bernie Borges points out, slower execution and missed goals are the warning signs you won’t catch in your standard retention metrics. 2️⃣ Job Hugging: The Hidden Behavior Costing You GrowthEmployees who stay out of risk aversion—not engagement—appear loyal but lead to “silent erosion” of business performance. You’re paying full salaries for partial output, and this cost hides inside your metrics. 3️⃣ Outdated Leadership Systems Need a RefreshOld leadership models optimized for control and compliance simply don’t cut it anymore. Fulfillment-centric leadership, as taught by Bernie Borges, treats fulfillment as the backbone of sustainable performance—fueling energy, ownership, and results. Main Takeaway:Disengagement rarely shows up in dashboards, but it’s quietly draining momentum, profit, and morale. The antidote? Shifting to a fulfillment-based leadership operating system that supports employees’ health, career, relationships, and legacy for measurable business impact. Try the Employee Engagement Fund ROI Calculator. You’ll get a clear view of what turnover is really costing your business, and how much you could save by investing in employee engagement and retention strategies. Connect with Bernie BorgesLinkedInInstagramTikTokWebsite Get in touch with Bernie to explore:Hiring him as a keynote speaker at your next event.A tailored presentation or workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.Music attribution:Old Bossa Twin MusicomSuno Text us your feedback on the podcast. Get the Weekly Fulfill weekly newsletter and never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    15 min
  8. Stop Chasing Fulfillment. Build It Through Self-Discovery.

    12/29/2025

    Stop Chasing Fulfillment. Build It Through Self-Discovery.

    Watch this episode of the Life Fulfilled Podcast on YouTube Host Bernie Borges guides you through a conversation about the power of self-discovery as the true foundation of fulfillment far beyond changing jobs, relationships, or chasing shiny new achievements. You'll learn why transitions, not reinventions, spark the right questions; how misalignment in your core life pillars—health, family, career, relationships, and legacy—can keep you stuck; and why clarity is the missing link to moving forward.  Bernie draws on his personal journey and practical metaphors to explore how fulfillment is built from the inside out, starting with honest self-reflection and proactively clearing the "fog" that blurs your sense of self. Three key insights: 1️⃣ Fulfillment starts inside: Chasing external fixes (new job, new relationships, etc.) isn’t the answer. The real shift begins with self-discovery and getting clear on what matters most to you today. 2️⃣ Transitions trigger growth: Life’s transitions, both pleasant and challenging, are opportunities to reflect, not just react. The process of asking the right questions during these shifts helps reveal where your values and reality are misaligned. 3️⃣ Build, don’t chase, fulfillment: True fulfillment is something you build by aligning your health, career, relationships, fitness, and legacy pillars with your values. It’s a process that starts with clarity, not reinvention. Main takeaway:Don’t settle for "foggy glasses." Give yourself permission to gain clarity through self-discovery, recognize misalignments, and intentionally build the fulfillment you deserve in every area of life. Try the Employee Engagement Fund ROI Calculator. You’ll get a clear view of what turnover is really costing your business, and how much you could save by investing in employee engagement and retention strategies. Connect with Bernie BorgesLinkedInInstagramTikTokWebsite Get in touch with Bernie to explore:Hiring him as a keynote speaker at your next event.A tailored presentation or workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.Music attribution:Old Bossa Twin MusicomSuno Text us your feedback on the podcast. Get the Weekly Fulfill weekly newsletter and never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18 min
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5
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

Hosted by Bernie Borges | Founder, Fulfilled@Work Academy Most people think of fulfillment as a feeling. But we treat it as a strategy—a powerful driver of performance, loyalty, and leadership impact. Whether you lead in the workplace, at home, or in your community, host Bernie Borges helps you harness the five life pillars—health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy—to lead with both head and heart. If your team’s performance is slipping and you can’t see why, this podcast helps you uncover the silent costs of disengagement. You can’t lead high-performing teams with outdated tools. This podcast gives you the upgrade. You’ll hear no-fluff solo episodes and guest conversations on modern leadership, workplace culture, disengagement, and the evolving role of AI, always grounded in actionable insights that help you create traction where it matters most. Bernie is the creator of the Fulfillment-Centric Leadership™ Framework and founder of the Fulfilled@Work Academy, equipping leaders to build energized, high-performing teams without sacrificing what matters most. If you’re ready to align performance with purpose, starting where you spend most of your time, subscribe to the Life Fulfilled Podcast. Because fulfillment isn’t just a feeling. It’s your performance strategy. 📺 Watch on YouTube: @LifeFulfilledpod 🎧 Follow Life Fulfilled on your favorite podcast app 💌 Subscribe to the Weekly Fulfill newsletter: fulfilledatworkacademy.com/newsletter 

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