Hello everyone, I’m Mollie Rogers and this is the Emotional Inclusion podcast. In my one and a half decade long career in the fashion industry and through listening to hundreds of stories of people who have navigated work whilst facing the ‘perfect storm’ on a personal level, I realized the urgent need to advocate a safe platform in the business world where, with a trained professional onboard, emotions could be heard, recognized and dealt with, for an enhanced business productivity. Building a better corporate ecosystem starts here.
In the 21st century world in which we live in, companies are still forgetting that the emotional health of our employees is the very foundation of their success. What are we doing to reintegrate our employees into the workforce when they are experiencing hardships? Why are we still not taking care of our employees when we know that they are our greatest asset? Please join me in sharing conversations with leaders, culture changers, creatives, founders and CEO’s, scientists and doctors, in breaking down archaic corporate stereotypes and building a mindset and culture of Emotional Inclusion in the workforce.
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Emotions Power Performance: Neuroscience with Paul Rochon
Episode 28
Thursday, January 29, 2026 • Duration 38:00
Dr. Paul Rochon
Dr. Paul Rochon is a Biopsychologist, Doctor in Cognitive Sciences about Sleep, State of Consciousness and Cognitive process, Master in Biology, Physiology and Neuroscience, and Master in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Bordeaux, France.
He is also a clinical behaviour specialist, former director of the mental health department, and current director of the sleep center at Raffles Hospital Beijing. As well as certified in Social Cognition from the Military Academy of Lisbon (Portugal), and Cognitive Linguistics from the University of Mons (Belgium).
Dr. Rochon has been practicing biopsychological counselling for 20 years, working mostly with athletes, companies, schools, and individuals. He is making science accessible to everyone with clear and easily implementable behaviour management programs.
He is a certified Hypnotherapist from the American Hypnosis Association and the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, Los Angeles. He uses hypnosis for Smoking Cessation, Weight Loss, Anxiety, Guilt and Shame, Mindfulness Cognitive therapy, Sport Performance, Pain Management, and Childbirth.
He is also a serial entrepreneur, certified in Executive Business Management from SKEMA Business School, with 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, and Director of the North Asia International Area of the Entrepreneur Organisation.
In addition, as a former professional rugby player and coach, he is passionate about the impact of mindset on athletes' performance.
Insights from this episode:
Emotions start in the body, not the mind
Wellbeing is a hard skill
Sleep is a performance multiplier
Psychological safety beats motivation
Engagement rises when emotions are supported
Recovery must be designed, not assumed
Environment matters more than programs
Wearables can increase anxiety
Presenteeism is the real productivity drain
Emotional literacy is foundational
Quotes from the show:
“We are not thinking machines that feel. We are feeling machines that think.” - António R. Damásio
“Emotion is not just linked to performance — it is the base of everything you do.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
“People don’t burn out from too much work. They burn out from too much threat.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
“If you are a dysregulated leader, you will create a dysregulated team.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
“When people feel safe, they perform at their full potential.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
“Presenteeism costs two to three times more than absenteeism.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
“The future of work is not resilience workshops — it’s biological and emotional skills to stay human.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
“What you can name, you can tame.” - Dr. Sue Johnson
“The best trick to have a good sleep is to wake up at the same time.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
“When people feel supported, even if they never use the support, engagement rises.” - Dr. Paul Rochon
Emotional inclusion is distinct from emotional intelligence: it’s about integration and practice, not just awareness.
The average person spends 81,396 hours working throughout their lifetime — making sleep, the one thing we do more than work. Workplaces must make those hours meaningful and human.
Neuroscience shows that we emote before we even reason; emotions are biological facts, not weaknesses.
Burnout and disconnection are at alarming levels:
80% of people will experience a diagnosable mental health condition.
60% of employees report being emotionally detached; 19% are outright miserable.
48% of workers and 53% of managers report being burned out.
Five key actions to engineer emotional inclusion:
Prioritize mental health support.
Build action-oriented platforms for wellness.
Educate teams on naming and regulating emotions.
Leaders go first in modeling vulnerability.
Challenge false assumptions and create psychological safety.
Investing in emotional inclusion leads to stronger performance, innovation, retention, and trust.
Personal wellbeing habits such as sleep, movement, meditation, and micro-moments of pause fuel sustainable performance.
Quotes from the show:
“Emotional intelligence is the knowing. Emotional inclusion is the doing.”
“81,396 — that’s how many hours the average person spends working. Shouldn’t those hours be positive, meaningful, and human?”
“Emotions are not soft. They’re biological facts.”
“There is no such thing as splitting our home self from our work self — that’s a false dichotomy.”
“When leaders open up, they give others permission to do the same.”
“If you’re not making a difference in people’s lives, you shouldn’t be in business.” – Richard Branson
“Workplaces with greater psychological safety and emotional inclusion will make it possible for everyone to contribute and thrive.” – Amy Edmondson
Ei x Chester Elton: How Do We Manage Anxiety At Work?
Episode 18
Thursday, February 24, 2022 • Duration 43:04
Chester Elton
has spent 2 decades helping clients engage their employees and organizational strategy, vision, and values. In his inspiring and always entertaining talks, Chester provides real solutions for leaders looking to build culture, manage change, and drive innovation. Chester is the co-founder of The Culture Works, a global training company, and author of multiple award-winning, number 1 New York Times, USA today, and Wall Street Journal best-sellers; which have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 1.5 million copies. These books are: “All In: How the Best Managers Create a Culture of Belief and Drive Big Results”, “The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their Employees, Retain Talent, and Drive Performance”, “The Best Team Wins: The New Science of High Performance”, and his latest book, “Anxiety at Work: 8 Strategies to Help Teams Build Resilience, Handle Uncertainty, and Get Stuff Done”.
His books have been called “fascinating” by Fortune magazine, and “creative and refreshing” by The New York Times. Chester has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS News’ 60 Minutes, and is often quoted in Fast Company, Newsweek, and The Wall Street Journal. In 2020, Global Guru’s research organization ranked Chester #4 amongst the world’s top leadership experts, and #2 amongst the world’s top organizational culture experts. He recently ranked #9 in the top 200 biggest voices in leadership to watch for in 2022.
Insights from this episode:
Duck Syndrome
Workplace anxiety
Mental health issues increase in younger generation
Healthy workplace communication language
Trust and emotional safety in leaders and the workplace
Importance of making it safe to make mistakes, failures, and asking for help
Worker overload and burnout vs job security
Sympathy vs Empathy
Gratitude
Quotes from the show:
“There is only one attribute to a leader that matters, and that is - empathy. If you are not empathetic, if people don’t believe that you care about them, none of the other stuff matters.”
Let's be Emotionally inclusive
Episode 17
Monday, January 31, 2022 • Duration 08:45
Insights from this episode:
What we learned from the past 2 years
Mental health programs
Changing working conditions
Global health systems
Mental health resources in companies
Quotes from the show:
“The bottom line here is: employee mental health is and will continue to be the nucleus to building healthy work environments.”
“Emotional expression should not be a bias in hindering positive office culture.”
“There is no health without mental health.”
“Yes, vision is easy but execution takes work and that’s exactly what we set out to do at Emotional inclusion.”
Emotional Inclusion x Lufthansa Systems with Olivier Krueger
Episode 16
Friday, May 14, 2021 • Duration 44:06
Olivier Krueger
is the global CEO of Lufthansa Systems. Lufthansa Systems is one of the world’s leading providers of IT services in the airline industry. It draws its unique strengths from an ability to combine profound industry know-how with technological expertise and many years of project experience. Formed as a spinoff of the Lufthansa Systems Group Airline Solutions division, the company continues to be a brand now familiar to the airline industry worldwide. The company offers its more than 350 airline customers an extensive range of successful and in many cases, market-leading products for the aviation industry. Lufthansa Systems also supports its customers both within and outside the Lufthansa Group consulting services and experience it has gained in projects for airlines of every size and business model. Having worked in many countries around the world leading large international multicultural teams throughout his career, Olivier is known to be an empathetic and humble leader. Close to his people, many are those who testify that Olivier leads from the heart.
Insights from this episode:
Effects of the pandemic on employees and company responsibility to act
What is true leadership?
Importance of empathy and listening in leadership
Company response and adaptation to the pandemic
Importance of communication technology within the company during the pandemic
Empathy and empowerment in leadership
Importance of trust and diversity in companies
Lufthansa Systems’ “Playbook”
Breaking the stigma of seeking help in dealing with mental health issues
Quotes from the show:
“Don’t work hard to develop a passion, but find your passion and then work hard to become the best in what you love.” - Olivier Krueger
“Leadership is all about developing people and helping others reach their full potential.” - Olivier Krueger
“Empathy entails truly feeling the emotions of the other person and doing so without judgement and criticism.” - Mollie Jean De Dieu
“If you look into tools and approaches that helped certainly, though creating a sense of “You're not alone in this.” was equally important and it had to be addressed in the empathy level. ” - Olivier Krueger
Emotional Inclusion x Deutsche Bank with Michael Connolly
Episode 15
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 • Duration 44:32
Michael Connolly is the COO of Corporate Bank and Investment Bank APAC at Deutsche Bank. He is responsible for business management, office control, strategy, and transformation, of around 2300 employees across the region. Under his leadership, the Investment Bank in Asia topped Asia Risk Awards 2020 with 3 House Awards, winning the coveted titles of: Crisis Response of the Year, Market Maker of the Year, and Deal of the Year. A Canadian native with a love of France, his deep vested humanistic leadership has touched many.
Insights from this episode:
What makes an exceptional leader?
Company’s addition of skills to employees throughout career progression
Adaptive leadership in navigating the pandemic
Company’s adapting technology and management to support employees during the pandemic
Work from home difficulties and programs to help people in the company
Pillars of “The People Strategy” Program
Mental First-Aiders and The Resilience Collective
Leadership awareness of employee state
Attributes of a great leader
Stigma of Mental Health
Quotes from the show:
“There’s no silver bullet yet, but we’re spending a lot of time working on it.” - Michael Connolly
“The skills that have gotten you in the door are absolutely not the skills that will make you an excellent managing director or business head.” - Michael Connolly
“As an organization, we need to ensure that we are adding skills to people as they progress through their career.” - Michael Connolly
“There absolutely was a high correlation in the observations that I made during the lockdown period of people that had a big safety net around them and arguably flourished and those that were under a lot of stress and it became all the more important that we understood what was going on with them.” - Michael Connolly
“Wellness including mental wellness is absolutely something that we have identified as a priority.” - Michael Connolly
“Empathy as a manager, is one of the most important attributes to display.” - Michael Connolly
“A manager must have awareness of all the factors that can impact the emotional state of employees.” - Michael Connolly
Emotional Inclusion x Richemont With Alain Li
Episode 14
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 • Duration 33:24
Alain Li As the Asia-Pacific Regional CEO of Richemont, Alain is responsible for overseeing and cultivating the presence and development of some of the world's most coveted luxury brands in the region such as Cartier, Montblanc, Van Cleef & Arpels to name a few. His objective is to build success in his industry through the success of his people. With a strong and agile team, he aims to be a truly holistic organization. His deeply humanistic leadership ethos is inspiring.
Insights from this episode:
Leadership values and sense of purpose
Customer and Employee Centricity
We Care program
Preventive support for employees
Adaptive resiliency
Evolving leadership through generations
Destigmatization of mental wellness across cultures
Cultivating an environment that allows vulnerability
Corporate responsibility on employee’s job security and welfare
Richemont retail academy and watch making school
Quotes from the show:
“I think there is a responsibility of everyone to not just care for our customers, but also care for all our teams.” - Alain Li
“At some point we all need a strong support system around us.” - Alain Li
“The Truth in the matter is that the pull of looking at mental wellness in the workforce is greater than us.” - Mollie Jean De Dieu
“I think it’s good that there is that awareness now; mental issues but also the need to look at things holistically and to try and do good. Just basically to try and do good by our colleagues, by our family, by our neighbor, and by each other.” - Alain Li
“As people get exposed it becomes destigmatized. People understand that they are not alone in feeling those things.” - Alain Li
“I think it’s important for us to know that we can bring our whole selves to work and also for leaders to be vulnerable themselves because at the end of the day we are the ones who are setting the note and the example for others to follow in our footsteps.” - Mollie Jean De Dieu
“I think egolessness is a state of mind of mind, of awareness, of curiosity, of inquisitiveness, and paying attention and understanding one another.” - Mollie Jean De Dieu
Leading With Emotion Through Trust & Intuition With Bettina von Schlippe
Episode 13
Friday, February 5, 2021 • Duration 36:11
Bettina von Schlippe
She is currently the publisher of Vogue in Singapore. She has worked in publishing and media for over two decades and is no stranger to taking on new challenges with poised determination. Bettina is also the founder of R.S.V.P, a fashion & lifestyle marketing communications agency based in both Singapore & Russia. A big chunk of Bettina’s life was spent in Moscow, where previous to launching RSVP, she worked in PR, media relations and event management with BBDO (where she oversaw the accounts for Johnson & Johnson, Martini and Gillette to name a few) and then moved on to Conde Nast Russia where she was responsible for the communication for Vogue, GQ, and the Architectural Digest publications. Now based in Singapore, the center of luxury lifestyle in Southeast Asia, Bettina has been missioned with unleashing Vogue. She is a smart, witty, strong woman who inspires many and carries herself with such grace and genuine love for mankind.
Insights from this episode:
Leadership duties on employee’s emotional well-being
Balance of workforce well-being and having a successful business
Progression of business mindset throughout the years regarding humanness in the workplace
Alignment of leader and therapist on business vision and workforce emotional wellness
Leader’s empathy and compassion for employee well-being and motivation
The question of “how to” regarding vulnerability and self-regulation in the workplace
Covid-19’s impact on corporate growth and emotional sustainability
Power of verbal and non-verbal communication
Social media’s role in one’s emotional well-being
Quotes from the show:
“You have legal advice, and you have other advisors, why shouldn't we apply the same system for emotions?”
“You have to be self-aware. You need to manage your own emotions before you can manage the emotions of others and people around you.”
“You’re not always right and you have to admit it. And I think that as well as a spirit of good leadership, you are open about it because if you want your team to be behind you, they need to understand it’s authentic how you are.”
How to Be More Emotionally Inclusive at Work With Dr. John Demartini
Episode 12
Thursday, January 28, 2021 • Duration 49:21
Dr. John Demartini He is a world-renowned specialist in human behavior, a researcher, author, and global educator. He was just recently selected as Top Human Behavior Specialist of the Year for 2020 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for his outstanding leadership and commitment to the profession.
Dr. Demartini played a key role in the internationally acclaimed documentary “The Secret” (directed by Rhonda Byrne) and is amongst the world’s more renowned & respected researchers when it comes to human behavior and how it translates into performance. With 47 years of in-depth study to his name, he is one of the forefathers of human potential in aiding people all over the world to live more purposeful lives. He has addressed public & professional audiences of up to 11,000 people at a time across the world and has shared the stage with some of the world’s most influential people. From the thousands of testimonials he receives annually, Dr. Demartini’s work changes people’s lives forever.
Insights from this episode:
Effect of brain anatomy on emotions and decision making
Fulfillment of one’s value through work
Data and metrics on hiring and emotional well-being
Psychology and its effects on employee productivity
Correlation of the cost of a therapist and the gain and productivity of the company
Building confidence on employees
An individual’s fulfillment, reason, and mission
Emotional wellness’ effect on motivation
Employee education on job cost and security
Quotes from the show:
“We’re not here to put people on pedestals or pits. We’re here to put them in heart. And when we do in our heart, we tend to lead objectively and wisely with reason and inspiration.” - Dr. Demartini
“There’s no doubt that concentrating on higher values is effectively the only way to live a fulfilled life; and by definition, a happy one.” - Mollie Jean De Dieu
“I would say “careless” is devaluing them and exaggerating you. “Careful” is walking on eggshells for somebody else. And “caring” is having an equanimity within yourself and an equity between them with respect.” - Dr. Demartini
Emotional Inclusion & How to Cope with Grief at Work
Episode 11
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 • Duration 41:29
Milton Walters
Milton is the CEO of a company called 'Adapting' where he works with major corporates to pilot programs on dealing with grief in the business landscape. He has also started a Podcast called 'Adapting' where he opens up the discussion on the said subject.
Insights from this episode:
Role of companies in supporting their employees going through grief
Effect of grief on work performance
Building a culture of empathy in an organization
Impact of therapists + culture of empathy within a company
Work policies regarding bereavement
People’s behavior around someone who is grieving
How company culture surrounding grief can extend beyond work
Organizations’ ways to prepare for and de-mystify grief
Quotes from the show:
“If you could be working in an organization that’s looking to build that culture of empathy, I think you’re really on the right track.”
“Any resources like a therapist, councilor, psychologist, that happens to be working in an organization, if they were in an organization and it was the right culture, (I think that’s the other thing, you can’t have one without the other) If you had that culture of empathy and you had somebody in that role, how could it not be something that is really impactful?”
“If that culture is in place, you may allow yourself to be vulnerable enough to do that; to go and see somebody.”
“Going back to work is a hell of a challenge. But it’s not just a challenge for those grieving, it’s a challenge for those working with someone who is grieving.”
“If you did extend yourself out to somebody that was grieving in an environment that encouraged it and you had some understanding of what the organization expects of you, what they did in relation with grief for their employees, I think you would potentially, you could get real post traumatic growth out of an employee.”
“When you need that human connection most is at this time. And so that’s the opportunity for workplaces to just have those conversations to think about it before it happens.”
“As a group of people, we may not do it completely right; but at least we’re going to be trying to approach it from a more mature perspective and a more human perspective.”
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“Even in the hard times, there are things we can be grateful for. Change that mindset, reduce your anxiety. “
“The 8th strategy is gratitude. Treat yourself and treat those around you with a little bit of gratitude - it lifts them up, and it lifts you up.”
“Gratitude is an extremely effective way to lead your teams in business. If you lead with gratitude, you’ll have more engaged, happier employees. If you’re happy at work, you’ll be 150% more likely to be happy in your personal life. “
“We’ve got responsibilities as leaders to send our people home happy, virtually or physically. It’s a great way to lead. It’s a great way to run a business. It’s an even better way to just live. “
“Trust me on this one. That when you live a life of gratitude, you’re more relaxed, you’re more aware, you’re a better support to your spouse, your partner, your kids, your family, your community. “
“When you put gratitude at the center of your life, it’s just a better way to live.”
“The bravest thing you can do is ask for help.”
“Having anxiety is a normal human behavior for us all to have and it’s okay to normalize it and to not to frown upon it in this flawless corporate landscape today.”
“We’re doing it because we believe that we are a much better company, a better community, if we have that diversity throughout the entire company.” - Olivier Krueger
“Empowering leadership is the choice of leaders to engage in behaviors that allocate greater responsibility and freedom to followers, and effectively increase their motivation levels which may ultimately lead to higher levels of success.” - Olivier Krueger
“When people feel empowered, they truly believe in themselves and promote that optimism and can-do spirit that gets things done faster and better.” - Mollie Jean De Dieu
“Trust and allowing others actually to be empowered, is something that doesn't cost you a single cent but help you to create an organization that is extremely effective and a lot of fun to work in.” - Olivier Krueger
“We need to make sure that we shape the circumstances in a way that it’s not only support in a technical way but also in a mental and psychological way.” - Olivier Krueger
“Emotional inclusion is not a side topic. It’s a key to success.” - Olivier Krueger
“Listening to others not only on the surface, makes a difference.” - Olivier Krueger
“Emotionally inclusive leadership means that yes, as leaders we commit to truly ensuring that our teams, that our employees are cared for so that they can really feel a sense of belonging and value to achieve their full potential.” - Mollie Jean De Dieu
"There's definitely something to be said about bringing qualified expertise to tackle a very specific challenge. And I think the events of the last 18 months have proven that ensuring that everyone is getting support they need is definitely a challenge." - Michael Connolly
“We have a corporate responsibility to people who have given a lot of their time to support the business and I think it’s important for businesses to ensure that when times are tough, we do also look after the welfare of our teams who have been there during the good times as well.” - Alain Li
“Whatever we do, it really has to start from within so we ourselves as leaders have to feel comfortable to be emotionally engaged with ourselves and then be able to be emotionally engaged with all of our colleagues and to set that tone to instill that culture of truly listening and truly caring.” - Alain Li
“People talk about the digital revolution but I think the emotional inclusion revolution has taken a big step forward.” - Alain Li
“Anybody that can bring more enthusiasm, more engagement, inspiration, resolve conflicts, resolve health distractions, personal financial distractions, all the things that people are facing, if they know how to resourcefully get those back on track, absolutely will produce.” - Dr. Demartini”
“There’s some people if you tell them what to do they’re like, they’ll go and do it. Other people, when you tell them they can’t do it, they’ll do it.” - Dr. Demartini
“Do you want to be a master of destiny or do you want to be a victim of history? You want to run your story or you want to get on and do something amazing out of what’s happened?” - Dr. Demartini
‘It’s the challenges in life that create genius. It’s the challenges that allow us to become resourceful. It’s the challenges that activate our greatest brain capacity. It’s the challenges that make us feel fulfilled when we conquer them.” - Dr. Demartini
“If you lose your inspired vision, and your real reason for doing what you’re doing, a real mission for doing it, you’ve already lost the game.” - Dr. Demartini
“If you don’t have something to live for, you die.” - Dr. Demartini
“I’m a firm believer that people, when they have something deeply meaningful, that makes a difference in people’s lives, that they have sustainable fair exchange with, there’s more fulfillment there.” - Dr. Demartini
“Mistakes are not what people make. Mistakes are what we label things when we expect to live in other people’s values or expect them to live in ours.” - Dr. Demartini
“Perseverance in the same direction over time, adds up to great achievement. When we know what direction to take, we begin our path to success.” - Dr. Demartini
“The needs of employees is exactly what you say: it’s a therapist who knows how to dissolve and resolve all that they deal with and face in their personal lives so that they can be resourceful efficiently in the workplace.” - Dr. Demartini
