Leadership, Life, Health and Happiness

Luci Gabel
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Bimonthly

A podcast for leaders and professionals managing growing responsibility and expectations—who want more energy, sharper focus, and lasting success. Your host, Luci Gabel—Speaker and author of Eat to Lead—has 20+ years of experience across leadership and health, spanning serial entrepreneurship, COO of biotech startup, and teaching at GWU medical school graduate program. Each episode shares science-backed insights to strengthen presence and decision-making, prevent burnout, and thrive at work and home. Recognized by Spotify for 2025 listener engagement.

  1. Sep 17

    The Generational Divide at Work Is a Leadership Test | Tess Brigham | Ep 63

    “First one in, last one to leave” once meant arriving at 8:00 and leaving at 6:00. Today, it can mean never being off the clock. Work changed. Technology changed. The boundaries around work changed. But many of the expectations we use to judge commitment, professionalism, and respect were formed in a very different environment. In this episode, I talk with licensed psychotherapist, certified coach, and author Tess Brigham about what is actually driving generational friction at work. We explore why Gen Z’s resistance to making work their entire life may be less about entitlement and more about what they have watched happen to the generations before them. Millennials entered an increasingly connected workplace with few established boundaries. Gen Z watched the burnout that followed—and many are saying, “No, I’m not going to do it that way.” But understanding generational differences is only part of the conversation. We also examine the leader’s role in creating psychological safety. Do we believe people deserve to feel safe at work? And are we resisting a more supportive approach because no one supported us when we were starting out? The fact that earlier generations weren’t helped doesn’t mean the next generation shouldn’t be. And good leadership doesn’t always require hours of mentoring or a large workplace program. Sometimes it begins with saying hello, looking someone in the eye, remembering what matters to them, and taking five minutes to check in. When we understand what shaped someone’s expectations, we can respond with clearer communication, better questions, and more intelligent leadership. ABOUT TESS BRIGHAM Tess Brigham is a licensed psychotherapist and certified coach who has spent more than 20 years working with Gen Z and millennials. She is the host of The Gen Mess with Tess podcast and the author of True You: A Step-by-Step Guide to Conquering Your Quarter-Life Crisis. Learn more about Tess: 🌍 Website: https://tessbrigham.com 🎙️ Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxFCpIBwL8H13nT-th8sdR0g37KCTsNPj&si=mKc86vz6gzTTByur 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessbrigham 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tess_brigham CONNECT WITH LUCI 🌍 Website: https://lucigabel.com 💌 Notes on Staying Steady: https://lucigabel.com/notes 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucigabel 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucigabel/ ☕ Enjoying the podcast, emails, or other resources? Fuel future conversations: https://buymeacoffee.com/lucigabel

    The Generational Divide at Work Is a Leadership Test | Tess Brigham | Ep 63

  2. Aug 25

    What Makes Us Vulnerable to Manipulation and Scams: The Human Blind Spot | Ep. 61 | Robert Siciliano

    Why do capable, intelligent people still miss the signs that something isn’t right? Security expert and private investigator Robert Siciliano joins me to explore the human blind spot behind scams and fraud — and how our natural biological wiring affects our judgment. Robert calls one of those pitfalls the human blind spot. Trust is one of our most natural tendencies, part of how humans connect and function together. But that same instinct can sometimes make it harder to recognize when something isn’t quite what it seems. I had just experienced this myself. Someone posing as a well-known author contacted me about my book, built a relationship with me over several exchanges, and eventually introduced me to a supposed marketing professional. There were warning signs along the way — but there were also very human reasons I kept giving them the benefit of the doubt. We also explore what Robert calls the Exhaustion Glitch: how being tired, hungry, lonely, distracted, or simply not at our best can influence how we assess what’s happening around us. His lessons fit remarkably well with something I say often: If you want to handle responsibility well, take care of the biology that supports it. And importantly, this isn’t a conversation about becoming suspicious of everyone. Robert explains how situational awareness is a learned skill — one that can help us notice more, ask better questions, and navigate both our digital and physical worlds with greater awareness. Because sometimes protecting our judgment begins with understanding what is influencing it. Resources & Links Robert SicilianoProtect Now: https://ProtectNowLLC.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsiciliano/ Connect with Luci 🌐 Website
https://www.LuciGabel.com ✉️ Notes on Staying Steady
Stories, reflections, andobservations on leadership, health, and what it means to stay steady in a fast-moving world. https://www.LuciGabel.com/notes 📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/lucigabel 💼 LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucigabel

    What Makes Us Vulnerable to Manipulation and Scams: The Human Blind Spot | Ep. 61 | Robert Siciliano

  3. Aug 11

    The Future of Work? Technology Changed. Our Biology Didn’t.

    Why do we still end the day feeling mentally exhausted even when AI and tech helps us finish work faster? I’ve been noticing something in my own work: I’m more productive, but the gaps between projects have gotten smaller. I shift gears faster, stay mentally engaged longer, and often use the time technology saves me to simply do more. In this episode, I explore what that may be doing to our mental energy—and why the natural pauses between demanding tasks matter more than they appear to. We’ll look at what happens in the brain when we step away from focused work, why pauses can support both processing and recovery, and how AI may be changing the rhythm of our work even as it makes us more efficient. I’ll also share one question I’ve started asking when I feel overloaded: What is my brain managing right now? Mental energy is one of our most valuable resources. Becoming more deliberate about where we spend it may matter more than ever. Selected References • NeuroLeadership Institute — cognitive load and executive function research • Albulescu, P. et al. (2022). Give Me a Break! A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Efficacy of Micro-Breaks for Increasing Well-Being and Performance. • Luo, et al. (2024). Rest to Promote Learning: A Brain Default Mode Network Perspective. Stay Connected Notes on Staying Steady: ⁠https://lucigabel.com/notes⁠ Website: ⁠https://lucigabel.com⁠ Instagram: @LuciGabel LinkedIn: Luci Gabel ☕ Support the work Enjoying the podcast, emails, or other resources? Fuel future conversations: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/lucigabel⁠

    The Future of Work? Technology Changed. Our Biology Didn’t.

  4. Jun 30

    How to Speak So People Listen | Ep. 60 | Dr. Danny Brassell

    Why do some people naturally get others to listen while others struggle to get their message across—even when they know exactly what they're talking about? In this episode, I explore that question with speaker, author, and communication coach Dr. Danny Brassell. We explore why stories are often more persuasive than facts, why perfection can quietly create distance, and why acknowledging your imperfections can actually strengthen your credibility. Danny shares practical strategies he's used to help entrepreneurs, executives, educators, and leaders become more engaging communicators. We explore how to uncover stories worth telling, how to recognize when you're losing your audience, why humor and vulnerability are powerful when used well, and how relatability influences trust. Whether you lead meetings, speak on stage, teach, coach, sell, or simply want your ideas to resonate more deeply, this episode offers practical ways to build stronger connections with the people around you. As our conversation unfolded, one theme kept resurfacing: people don't connect with perfection—they connect with people. The moments that build trust are often the ones that reveal our humanity. Understanding that doesn't just make us better speakers. It helps us become better leaders, teachers, colleagues, and friends. Resources & Links Connect with Dr. Danny Brassell 📘 Free Story Guidehttp://freestoryguide.com/ 💼 LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dannybrassell/ 📸 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/realDannyBrassell/ Continue Exploring 🎙️ Episode 53 – Most Leaders Miss This: What Actually Drives Results in Leadership (Kevin Wayne) 🎙️ Episode 56 – Why Leadership Feels Different Than You Expected (Bianca Reimer) 🎙️ Episode 57 – What Is My Value If AI Can Do My Job? (Daria Rudnik) Connect with Luci 🌐 Websitehttps://www.LuciGabel.com ✉️ Notes on Staying SteadyStories, reflections, and observations on leadership, health, and what it means to stay steady in a fast-moving world.https://www.LuciGabel.com/notes 📸 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/lucigabel 💼 LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lucigabel

    How to Speak So People Listen | Ep. 60 | Dr. Danny Brassell

  5. Jun 18

    Summer Heat Affects More Than You Think

    Ever feel like your brain is "buffering" during a heatwave? You’re not just tired—there’s a biological reason why heat makes your work, decisions, and relationships feel much harder. The other day I parked in the wrong spot in my apartment building. At first, I blamed a long day. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't just a long day. Heat affects much more than physical comfort. In this episode, I explore why workouts can feel harder, thinking can feel slower, patience can be shorter, and energy can seem to disappear during hot weather. Drawing from experience studying in a hot climate, along with research in physiology, hydration, and human performance, I'll explain what's happening behind the scenes when temperatures rise. You'll learn how heat affects cognition, mood, recovery, cardiovascular function, hydration, and decision-making. I'll also share practical ways to support your body and brain during the summer heat so you can work with your physiology instead of against it. And finally, this episode explores a question many of us ask when life starts to feel harder: What's wrong with me? Sometimes the better question is: What kind of stress is my biology carrying right now? Because when life carries responsibility, the condition of your biology matters. ------------------- Connect with me: 🌐 Website: LuciGabel.com 📝 Notes on Staying Steady: LuciGabel.com/notes 🎙 Leadership, Life, Health & Happiness Podcast 📱 Social Media: @LuciGabel Referenced Episode: Episode 25 – Exercising in the Heat: Here's What to Know

    Summer Heat Affects More Than You Think

  6. May 24

    When Success Breaks You Down: Business, Burnout & Rebuilding Health | Wes Towers

    What happens when business pressure, burnout, AI disruption, deteriorating health, and personal loss all collide at once? Entrepreneur Wes Towers shares the moment he found himself crying under his desk minutes before one of the biggest meetings of his life. What followed became a turning point — not just for his business, but for his health, nervous system, relationships, and the way he thinks about leadership and human connection. We talk about: resilience and rebuilding during difficult seasons entrepreneurship and mental health nervous system regulation and stress recovery breathwork, cold plunges, and energy management how improving personal health changed business performance AI, human connection, and the future of leadership why meaningful relationships matter more than ever in business This conversation explores something many high performers experience but rarely talk about openly: what it takes to keep functioning when life feels heavy from every direction atonce.🎧 Leadership, Life, Health & Happiness podcast with Luci Gabel Connect with Wes Towers:🔗Website: https://uplift360.com.au 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/westowers Connect with Luci Gabel:🔗Website: https://www.LuciGabel.com🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucigabel

    When Success Breaks You Down: Business, Burnout & Rebuilding Health | Wes Towers

  7. May 11

    What's My Value If AI Can Do My Job? | Ep 57 | Daria Rudnik with Luci Gabel

    AI is changing the way we think, work, and connect. In this episode, I talk with team architect and executive coach Daria Rudnik to explore how AI is changing not only the workplace — but the way we think, communicate, and collaborate as human beings. This conversation went far beyond tools and productivity. We talked about what happens when AI begins thinking for us first, how that changes brain engagement, and why critical thinking, discernment, and human connection may become even more important in the years ahead. Daria shared real-world examples from organizations navigating AI transformation, including how teams can slowly lose connection with clients, conversations, and even their own thinking when too much cognitive work gets handed over to AI systems. We also discuss:• how AI affects the brain and attention• why the “cadence” of AI use matters• AI hallucinations and the risks of over-reliance• critical thinking in the age of AI• workplace culture and AI integration• leadership, communication, and decision-making• how AI may be shaping human language and expression• why empathy, relationships, and human experience still matter deeply One of my favorite parts of this conversation was exploring how we stay human in a rapidly changing technological world — not by rejecting AI, but by learning how to work with it consciously. If you’ve been thinking about the future of work, leadership, cognition, creativity, or human connection in the age of AI, I think you’ll really enjoy this discussion. Connect with Daria RudnikTeam Architect | Executive Coach | Co-Author of The AI Revolution Web: https://www.dariarudnik.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariarudnik/ Connect with me, Luci Gabel: Speaker | Leadership Advisor | Author of Eat to Lead Website: ⁠https://www.LuciGabel.com⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucigabel/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/lucigabel

    What's My Value If AI Can Do My Job? | Ep 57 | Daria Rudnik with Luci Gabel

  8. Apr 24

    Why Leadership Feels Different Than You Expected | Ep 56

    What happens when you step into a bigger role—and realize what got you there isn’t enough anymore? In this episode, I speak with executive leadership and influence coach Bianca Riemer to explore the shift many people experience when they move into a mid to high-level or executive leadership role. It becomes about influence, communication, and how you show up under pressure. Here’s a glimpse of what Bianca shared: • Why stepping into leadership often brings unexpected pressure, visibility, and self-doubt • The question many people quietly ask: “Am I actually cut out for this?” • Why leadership is less about authority—and more about understanding what people care about • A simple way to listen for what matters to someone and use it to communicate more effectively • How to regulate your nervous system in high-pressure moments using your breath We also talk about the internal side of growth—the identity shift that happens as your role expands, and how to navigate it without losing yourself in the process. When your life carries more responsibility, the condition of your biology starts to matter more—not less. Connect with Bianca: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancariemer Website: https://biancariemer.com Keep in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LuciGabel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/LuciGabel

    Why Leadership Feels Different Than You Expected | Ep 56
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About

A podcast for leaders and professionals managing growing responsibility and expectations—who want more energy, sharper focus, and lasting success. Your host, Luci Gabel—Speaker and author of Eat to Lead—has 20+ years of experience across leadership and health, spanning serial entrepreneurship, COO of biotech startup, and teaching at GWU medical school graduate program. Each episode shares science-backed insights to strengthen presence and decision-making, prevent burnout, and thrive at work and home. Recognized by Spotify for 2025 listener engagement.

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