In this episode, Gillian and Michelle meet with Aspect CEO Darryl Kelly to explore various themes surrounding leadership, communication, and speed within productivity. They discuss the importance of authenticity, the role of inspiration within teams, and the emotional growth that comes with leadership. The conversation also delves into the balance between speed and simplicity in decision-making, the management of energy to avoid burnout, and practical takeaways for both leaders and doers. The hosts emphasize the need for awareness and margin in our professional lives, encouraging listeners to be present and mindful of their energy levels.

Takeaways

• Communication is key
• Know your audience
• Inspiration comes from the team dynamics around you.
• Emotional growth is essential for effective leadership.
• Focus is a lived experience, not just a theory.
• Speed with simplicity is crucial for organizational success.
• Managing energy is vital to avoid burnout.
• Creating margin allows for better decision-making.
• Delegation is important for maintaining productivity.
• Awareness of one's energy levels can enhance performance.

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria

AI isn’t just hype or headlines—it’s a tool. And like any tool, it’s only as useful as the person using it. In this episode, Michelle sits down with Emily Heavner, product manager at Aspect (and PhD in mathematics), to demystify artificial intelligence and its place in the modern workplace. Emily shares how AI works, clears up common misconceptions, and explains why data—not magic—is the true engine behind intelligent systems. If you’ve ever wondered how AI can support your work, or how to spot red flags in tools you're adopting, this one’s for you.

You’ll Learn
• Why AI depends entirely on good data
• How AI compares to other automation tools
• What AI can (and can’t) replace at work
• How to evaluate AI tools with privacy and values in mind
• Where AI shines in boosting productivity and decision-making

Perfect For
Workplace leaders, team builders, data geeks, skeptics of AI hype, and anyone curious about how to use AI as a helpful, human-supporting tool.

Keywords
AI, artificial intelligence, workforce, data, machine learning, algorithms, productivity, misconceptions, applications, technology

Takeaways

• AI helps parse large data sets into usable, decision-ready insights
• Automation doesn't always require AI; not all AI is automation
• Quality data is the foundation—bad data, bad results
• AI should be evaluated through privacy, compliance, and value alignment
• Not everyone needs a full AI “tool shed”—just the right tools for the job
• AI isn’t new—it’s been decades in the making and is here to stay
• A well-built AI system improves with feedback and updated data
• Trust in AI increases when people understand how it actually works

Sound Bites

• “AI can and will support actual work.”
• “It’s all about data.”
• “You don’t need a tool shed. Sometimes you just need a hammer.”
• “If it doesn’t align with your core values, don’t use it.”
• “AI is not a new concept.”

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Emily & AI
05:13 How Emily Got into Algorithm Development
11:30 Understanding What an Algorithm Actually Is
18:53 The Mechanics of Machine Learning
25:05 Common Misconceptions About AI and Automation
31:16 Data: The True Engine Behind AI
37:36 Evaluating AI Tools in the Workplace
44:25 Aligning Tools with Your Team's Values
50:12 Productivity, Trust, and Use Cases for AI
56:44 AI's Role at Aspect and the Future of Work

Related links for this episode:
· Emily Heavner – https://www.eheavner.com
· Aspect – https://www.aspect.company

Be sure to support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing!

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria

This episode of Futureworks dives into the intersection of lived experience and leadership with Tausha Simon—marketing manager at Aspect, executive coach, and host of the GreatFully You podcast. Tausha shares what it means to create safe spaces for emergence in the workplace, how her parenting journey with a non-verbal autistic son shaped her approach to communication, and why belonging starts with understanding. Whether you're building a team or rebuilding yourself, Tausha offers deep, practical wisdom on leading with empathy, presence, and purpose.

You’ll Learn

• What “emergence” means and why it matters more than labels
• How to spot when a team member isn’t feeling safe to share
• What joy and play have to do with leadership
• How to hold space as a parent, peer, and professional
• The difference between checking the DEI box and embodying it

Perfect For
Leaders, parents, DEI professionals, and anyone working to build more compassionate, inclusive environments—at home or at work.

Keywords
neurodivergence, emergence, workplace inclusion, leadership, parenting, executive coaching, belonging, communication, DEI, empathy at work, safe spaces

Takeaways

• Leadership is about creating environments where people feel safe enough to grow.
• Real inclusion happens in how we show up, not in what the policy book says.
• Asking “what do you need?” requires both presence and follow-through.
• Kids are incredible teachers of joy, presence, and creativity.
• A safe space at work begins with curiosity—not judgment.
• Showing up authentically helps others do the same.

Sound Bites

• “We’re all emerging into who we’re meant to be.”
• “Joy is the first sign of a healthy work life.”
• “If you’re too much for the room, maybe the room wasn’t built for you.”
• “Leadership starts in your one-on-ones.”
• “You don’t need grand gestures, just consistent empathy.”

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Intro to Tausha
03:12 Parenting and Becoming a Safe Space
07:45 From Corporate to Coaching to Greatful YOU
12:30 What Emergence Really Means
15:40 Building Psychological Safety at Work
21:04 How Joy Unlocks Creativity and Capacity
26:10 Curiosity vs. Judgment in Leadership
30:00 Communicating with Different Processing Styles
36:45 The Power of Showing Up Fully
42:20 Creating Space for Neurodivergent Voices
46:50 Final Advice for Leaders and Individuals

Related links for this episode:
· GreatFully You – https://www.greatfullyyou.com
· Aspect – https://aspect.company

Be sure to support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing!

© 2025 Aspect

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria

On this episode of Future Works, Gillian sits down with Lindsey Comeau, Chief of Staff at Sunday and one of the best listeners in the business. With a non-linear path from dude ranch to startup operations, Lindsey has worked across customer experience, marketing, and executive leadership. Today, she acts as the connective tissue inside a fast-moving company, helping people show up, communicate, and solve conflict more effectively. Together they explore what the Chief of Staff role really is, how startups can better invest in internal clarity, and why learning to listen might be the best leadership skill of all.

You’ll Learn

• What a Chief of Staff actually does in a growing company
• How customer experience builds deep empathy and people skills
• Why emotional intelligence is core to startup performance
• How to manage up effectively and build executive trust
• The hidden cost of communication breakdowns at work

Perfect For

Startup operators, people leaders, HR and talent teams, and early stage founders trying to build healthier, more human-centered cultures.

Keywords

chief of staff, emotional intelligence, startup culture, conflict resolution, internal operations, people management, startup communication, real leadership, people ops, CX, future of work

Takeaways

• Customer service is an empathy masterclass for future leaders
• The Chief of Staff role flexes based on what the organization needs
• Deep listening includes watching body language, not just hearing words
• Managers must meet people where they are, not manage how they wish to be managed
• Alignment between team members prevents wasted time and turnover
• A lack of communication clarity can derail entire teams
• AI is a great tool, but collaboration and creativity still require human connection
• Vulnerability builds trust and unlocks better conflict navigation

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Reconnecting

01:16 What Is Sunday and What Does Lindsey Do?

03:01 What It Means to Be a Chief of Staff

06:00 Starting on a Dude Ranch, Finding a Path to Leadership

09:20 Lessons from Leading CX Teams

12:00 Coaching People Through Communication

15:30 How Lindsey Builds Trust Across Teams

19:40 Managing Up and Meeting People Where They Are

23:12 Observing Dynamics in Meetings

26:10 When Communication Breaks Down

29:00 The Hidden Cost of Misalignment

32:00 Using AI Personally and Professionally

35:00 How Sunday Supports AI Adoption Internally

37:20 Building Company Culture Through People Ops

39:40 Final Advice on Navigating Conflict

Related links for this episode:

Lindsey Comeau LinkedIn

Sunday Lawn Care

If you enjoyed this conversation, hit subscribe and follow along as we explore more ideas shaping the future of work.

© 2025 Future Works Podcast / Aspect

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria

In this episode of Futureworks, Michelle and Gillian welcome a very special guest—Gillian’s father, Ric Grefé. With a career spanning naval intelligence, journalism, public policy, and two decades leading AIGA, Ric brings sharp insight into how design thinking can shape leadership that’s curious, intentional, and human-centered.

From “repotting” your career to reframing hierarchy and cultivating creative confidence, Ric shares practical and personal stories that reveal what it really means to lead by design. This conversation challenges the default approaches to management and reminds us that real innovation starts with listening, observing, and staying open to change.

You’ll Learn

• What it means to “repot” your career and stay sharp
• How curiosity fuels strong, adaptive leadership
• Why observation is foundational to innovation
• How design thinking can transform communication and management
• Why storytelling is essential for creating understanding and momentum

Perfect For

Leaders, strategists, creatives, and anyone rethinking how they show up in their work, teams, or organizations.

Keywords

design thinking, creative leadership, innovation, storytelling, curiosity, organizational change, design strategy, human-centered design, collaboration, communication

Takeaways

• Career growth thrives on variety, not repetition
• Listening is the most underrated leadership skill
• Design thinking is about solving real human problems, not just output
• Creative confidence grows when leaders remove fear from the process
• Prototyping applies to systems, not just products
• The best leadership flips the org chart to empower the front line
• Storytelling gives strategy emotional power and stickiness
• Constraints are part of the creative act—embrace them

Sound Bites

• "People, like plants, need to be repotted regularly."
• "You can't pump uphill."
• "We're not in the information business, we're in the understanding business."
• "Creative confidence starts with curiosity."
• "Anyone can hang a curtain. Getting the permit is the art."
• "Storytelling is what makes things memorable and shareable."

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Futureworks

00:28 Introducing Ric Grefé

01:15 Why Observation Fuels Innovation

03:00 Leaving Consulting for Lasting Impact

05:00 Repotting and the Power of Perspective

07:15 Building AIGA from Club to Hub

10:30 Design Thinking for Leaders

12:45 Prototyping Communication and Culture

15:10 Flipping the Org Chart to Serve Better

17:30 Storytelling, Abundance, and Administrative Art

20:00 Final Takeaways on Curiosity and Leadership

Related links for this episode:

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

If you enjoyed what you heard today, be sure to subscribe and follow along as we explore innovation and imagination in the workplace.

© 2025 Futureworks Podcast / Aspect

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria

In this episode of Futureworks, hosts Gillian and Michelle sit down with Kelly Maiden for a candid, energizing conversation about creativity, storytelling, and what it truly means to lead—with empathy, clarity, and intention—at work and at home.

Kelly shares how a single goosebump-inducing moment as a teenager launched her creative journey, and how parenting has unexpectedly shaped her leadership style. Together, they explore the messy beauty of balancing motherhood and careers, the power of emotional connection in marketing, and why storytelling still matters in today’s oversaturated world.

From building trust across time zones to prioritizing relationships in remote teams, Kelly offers hard-won insights for both doers and leaders. The episode wraps with an inspiring call to embrace discomfort as a sign of growth and a reminder that creativity doesn't happen on a deadline—but it does thrive when you step outside, breathe, and touch grass.

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria

In this episode, our host, Michelle Lee, sits down with Gabriel Rodriguez to examine the pervasive issue of imposter syndrome—especially in the context of remote work. Gabriel shares his personal journey through various roles in sales and beyond, reflecting on how self-doubt and cultural expectations can hinder growth. Emphasizing the critical role of constructive feedback and supportive relationships, he offers insights into navigating imposter syndrome at both personal and organizational levels.

The conversation also explores how managers can foster a more positive work environment by deploying effective communication strategies and validating the contributions of each team member. Listeners will come away with actionable steps for combating feelings of inadequacy, from cultivating a culture of openness to understanding the unique challenges posed by remote work. Ultimately, the episode underscores the importance of awareness, empathy, and proactive support in helping teams and individuals thrive.

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria

In this episode, hosts Gillian Grefe and Michelle Lee sit down with Lesley Pinckney for a thought-provoking discussion on how corporate culture intersects with authenticity. The trio begins by highlighting the role of food as a powerful connector, before diving into Lesley’s diverse professional path and the balancing act of “showing up” authentically within organizational norms.

Lesley underscores the importance of discernment over judgment, advocating for “brave spaces” where team members feel safe to express their true selves. She stresses hiring for cultural fit over mere technical skill, and explains how this approach fosters genuine connections and more resilient team dynamics. The conversation also explores the practical challenges of adopting new tools, the value of data-driven decision-making, and the importance of well-placed questions in effective management. Ultimately, the episode offers actionable insights for leaders seeking to cultivate inclusive, authentic workplaces—where meaningful relationships and innovation can thrive.

Learn more about Aspect at -

https://www.aspect.com/

Brought to you by Aspect and Alvaria

https://www.aspect.com/

https://www.alvaria.com/

© 2025 Aspect and Alvaria