Send us Fan Mail A CEO calls employees “low-value human capital,” companies brag about AI while cutting people loose, and somehow, workers are told to just be resilient. To be honest about what that does to trust and what leaders can do differently, I sat down with Tamar Cohen, founder of Halo Effect, to talk about the real human cost of fear-based management and the very real business costs that follow. Tamar shares two stories that changed how she thinks about leadership: one boss who responded to a scary personal moment with a simple, powerful line, “Tell me what you need, I’ll get it for you,” and another who pushed her to deliver a high-stakes presentation while she had pneumonia. We use those extremes to distinguish between supportive and dehumanizing leadership, especially in high-pressure environments where burnout is always lurking. From there, we dig into resilience as momentum, why trust is a lagging indicator, and why layoffs don’t magically create efficiency when the people who remain are disillusioned and overloaded. We also talk about the AI bubble and what it really costs companies, from data cleaning to training to massive infrastructure bets, and why the promised ROI can be harder to reach than leaders admit. Most importantly, we lay out a practical, human-centered AI operating model: be transparent, bring employees into decisions about the AI tools you want to use, invest in real upskilling, map processes before automating, and communicate clearly about how roles will evolve. If you care about employee experience, organizational culture, the future of work, and leading through AI without breaking trust, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a leader who needs it, and leave a review with the best (or worst) leadership line you’ve ever heard. Tamar Cohen is the CEO and Founder of HaloEffect. She doesn’t talk about employee engagement, she’s working to replace it. She equips leaders with a new operating model for work experience in an era where AI, distributed work, and trust erosion are reshaping how people contribute. With a background in CX, EX, and organizational design across global enterprises, she translates complex workforce signals into strategies that drive retention, performance, and belief in the workplace. Email: tcohen@myhaloeffect.comWebsite: www.myhaloeffect.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tamarcohen Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the show __________ Producer / Editor: Neel Panji Invite Manya to inspire and empower your teams and position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in well-being, resilience, and trauma sensitivity. Learn more: www.manyachylinski.com/services Subscribe to the newsletter: manyachylinski.com/notes Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your listening platform of choice. It really helps others find us. #trauma #resilience #compassion #MentalHealth #CompassionateLeadership #leadership #survivor
