Think about the last environment you walked into — a meeting, a family dinner, a conversation with someone you manage or someone who manages you. Did you create that environment? Or did it just happen to you?

Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about what we're in. What we don't always do — and what takes far more courage — is turn the lens around and ask: What am I creating?

That's what the 2026 season of The Courage Effect is built around.

The central idea: you don't just work in an environment. You create one. And most of the time, you're doing it unconsciously — replicating patterns from the systems that shaped you, even when those patterns aren't working. This season, we're asking three honest questions: When did you become aware of the system around you? When did you become aware of your impact on it? And what did you do about it?

Coming this season: Kat Kibben, author of The Bounce Back Factor, who sold everything and ran their business from a van for three years — only to discover they'd been replicating broken leadership patterns all along. And Emily Parkhurst, who left her role as publisher and president of the Puget Sound Business Journal to found Formidable, a media company built specifically for women leaders that existing systems weren't seeing.

Plus solo episodes, a live event in Seattle this summer, and livestreams where you can be part of the conversation in real time.

The new season launches in June. Between now and then, sit with this: What environment are you creating — before you've even said a word?

📩 suzanneweller.substack.com | 🌐 wellercollaboration.com/thecourageeffect

What are you walking into rooms and unconsciously building?

What does it really take to be a woman at the top — not just to get there, but to stay? In this listener favorite, Suzanne Weller sits down with global technology executive Fumbi Chima for an honest conversation about directness, equity, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to stop shrinking your truth.

Dr. Fumbi Chima is an executive coach at The ExCo Group and has held CIO and senior executive roles at Boeing Employees Credit Union, Adidas, Fox Networks Group, Burberry, Walmart, and American Express. She sits on the public company boards of Whitbread and WTW. Born in Nigeria and educated in England, she has spent nearly three decades at the intersection of business and technology — and taught herself to code along the way.

Key takeaways:

• Getting to the top and staying there are two different challenges — and the second one doesn't get nearly enough airtime
• Curiosity (about other people, other cultures, other ways of thinking) is the foundation of a true global mindset
• Fumbi's Gen Z daughters pushed her to say what she actually meant. She listened.
• Moving from ten words to seven isn't about being blunt. It's about being honest enough to stop protecting people from the truth you're carrying.

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to the theme of courage and growth

(04:26) - Women at the top: Benefits and loneliness

(06:11) - Challenges women face to stay in leadership roles

(07:37) - The reality of diversity scorecards vs. genuine inclusion

(12:28) - Fumbi’s childhood in Nigeria and England

(15:05) - Self-teaching technology and building new skills

(17:37) - The power of ambition and owning your career goals

(20:22) - Confidently celebrating achievements and owning your voice

(25:18) - Cultivating a global mindset through curiosity

(33:37) - Ongoing learning in AI and data for future leadership

(34:37) - Closing thoughts on embracing disruption and innovation

Connect with Dr. Fumbi Chima on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fumbi-chima/

Connect with The Courage Effect:

• Host: Suzanne Weller / Weller Collaboration
• Website: https://wellercollaboration.com/thecourageeffect
• Social Media: https://linktr.ee/suzanneweller
• Substack: Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter at https://suzanneweller.substack.com/about

Support the Show:

If this episode resonated with you:

• Leave a review on your podcast platform
• If this conversation resonated, share it. That's how this show grows — one courageous conversation at a time.

In this episode, Suzanne Weller engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Jeremy Nobel about the complexities of loneliness. They explore the different types of loneliness (psychological, societal, and existential) and emphasize the importance of acknowledging and addressing these feelings. Dr. Nobel shares insights from his book, 'Project Unlonely,' and discusses how the arts can serve as a powerful tool in combating loneliness. The conversation highlights the need for human connection, the courage to express feelings of loneliness, and the role of creativity in fostering relationships and emotional well-being.

About Dr. Jeremy Nobel: He’s a primary-care physician, public health practitioner, and award-winning poet with faculty appointments at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Medical School. He is the founder and president of The Foundation for Art & Healing, and author of the book Project Unlonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection.

Takeaways:

• Loneliness is a universal experience that everyone faces.
• There are different types of loneliness: psychological, societal, and existential.
• Loneliness is not the same as being alone; it's a subjective feeling.
• Acknowledging loneliness requires courage and can foster connection.
• Loneliness can be a signal indicating a need for human connection.
• The pandemic has made conversations about loneliness more acceptable.
• Arts and creativity can help combat feelings of loneliness.
• Recognizing the signs of chronic loneliness is crucial for mental health.

Sound Bites:

"Loneliness is a universal experience that everyone faces."

"Vulnerability is essential for authentic connections."

"Arts and creativity can help combat feelings of loneliness."

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Loneliness: A Human Experience

13:04 The Role of Arts in Combating Loneliness

Connect with Dr. Nobel:

• Website: https://jeremynobel.com/
• The Foundation for Art & Healing: https://www.artandhealing.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_-GxBhC1ARIsADGgDjscusqh0TIxqNq2gTDMnNRzKr9zyELmGhveSCPokdnWF0GmsOEomHoaAqFWEALw_wcB
• Read his book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/647051/project-unlonely-by-jeremy-nobel-md-mph/

Connect with The Courage Effect:

• Host: Suzanne Weller / Weller Collaboration
• Website: https://wellercollaboration.com/thecourageeffect
• Social Media: https://linktr.ee/suzanneweller
• Substack: Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter at https://suzanneweller.substack.com/about

Support the Show:

If this episode resonated with you:

• Leave a review on your podcast platform
• Share this episode with someone who would benefit from Dr. Nobel’s story