Episode 209: Work has always been about more than deadlines, meetings and paychecks. The quality of our connections with colleagues often determines whether the office feels like a community or a cold, transactional environment.

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada explore the complex role that relationships play in shaping purpose, belonging and well-being in modern professional life.

Drawing on insights from psychotherapist and bestselling author Esther Perel, the hosts explore her four pillars of strong workplace connections: trust, belonging, recognition and collective resilience. They consider why these principles matter more than ever, at a time when many people socialize less outside of the office and rely on their jobs to provide a sense of community.

The hosts also debate whether structured tools — like question cards designed to spark conversation — can genuinely help colleagues build trust, or whether such efforts feel contrived. Along the way, they reflect on Kyte’s two decades of teaching courses on community building, offering practical examples of how leaders can foster camaraderie without resorting to blunt instruments.

The discussion also ventures into topics many organizations avoid, such as romance between coworkers. Is it ethical to discourage friendships and relationships at work simply because some may turn sour, or does connection outweigh those risks?

Technology looms large in the conversation. Remote and hybrid roles may boost productivity and employee satisfaction, but they often lead to reduced engagement and leave individuals feeling isolated. The hosts ask whether organizations have a responsibility to intentionally create opportunities for connection in an age where people may find screens more predictable than people.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

Esther Perel on how technology is changing love and work, with podcast host Scott Galloway

7 questions that can instantly boost your work relationships, by Angela Haupt, Time

Episode 208: For years, experts and parents alike have debated how to get children off their devices. Limiting screen time, blocking apps and setting stricter household rules are common strategies. But what if the problem isn’t the technology itself but the loss of freedom to simply be a kid?

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada look at a revealing report from The Atlantic that asked children directly how they would spend less time online. The most common response was not more rules or stricter discipline — it was more unstructured play with friends, free from constant supervision.

The answers highlight a cultural shift. Over the past several decades, the independence once common for children — riding bikes across town, walking to the corner store or wandering through a local park — has steadily disappeared. Parents often cite safety concerns, and social norms reinforce the idea that letting kids roam is risky. Yet statistics show that many communities are actually safer today than in past generations.

The episode raises an uncomfortable possibility: children are not “addicted” to screens so much as they are starved for spaces where they can make choices and explore without adults hovering nearby. Smartphones, for all their flaws, offer at least the perception of autonomy. They allow young people to connect, interact and discover on their own terms — even if those experiences are shaped by algorithms.

Episode 207: Walking is one of the simplest, healthiest, and most accessible things a person can do. It strengthens the heart, reduces stress, helps maintain a healthy weight and boosts mental well-being. Yet, in the United States, daily walking has quietly slipped out of many people’s lives.

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada dig into why that happened — and why it matters far beyond personal health. They trace the decades-long shift toward designing towns and cities almost entirely around cars, making short trips on foot less safe, less convenient and, in many cases, practically impossible.

The hosts talk about how changes in school design, neighborhood planning, and even parental habits have contributed to fewer children walking or biking to school. They share striking statistics: in 1969, roughly half of U.S. children walked or biked to school. Today, it’s about 10 percent. And it’s not because more kids are taking the bus — parents are driving them, even for distances as short as a few blocks.

The conversation also dives into the health consequences of this shift — from rising childhood obesity to declining mental health — and the irony that fears about letting kids move around independently are often exaggerated. Kyte shares data showing how rare stranger danger actually is, while Rada points out that cellphones now make unsupervised outdoor time even safer than in previous generations.

They explore potential fixes, from “walking school buses” to car-free zones near schools to “Drive to Five” programs that encourage parents to park a short distance away and let kids walk the rest. But solutions aren’t just about sidewalks — they require changes in mindset, city planning, and community culture.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

Uphill both ways? That's probably not such a terrible thing, Richard Kyte

US report card on physical activity for children and youth, Physical Activity Alliance

Young children who walk or bike to school are more likely to continue the habits as they age, Greg Bruno, Rutgers

Video: Why did kids stop walking to school?, About Here

Video: Why America can't build walkable cities, flurfdesign

Help! Our neighbor kept calling the cops on my kids. Well, my son took matters into his own hands, Jenee Desmond Harris, Slate

Episode 206: Bat flips. End zone dances. Trash talk amplified by social media. For some, these moments are pure joy — a celebration of hard-earned achievement. For others, they signal the slow erosion of something more important: the grace and humility once expected from those at the top of their game.

In this episode, hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada tackle a simple but surprisingly complicated question: Do high-level competitors owe the public more than just dazzling performances?

The two differ significantly in their perspectives. Rada leans toward seeing modern sports theatrics as largely harmless — part of the entertainment business that keeps fans engaged. Kyte, on the other hand, wonders if something meaningful has been lost and whether society should still expect athletes to embody certain timeless values.

The conversation begins with a look at Joseph Epstein’s Wall Street Journal column lamenting the decline of sportsmanship. Epstein points to changes in professional sports — from touchdown dances to crowd noise meant to rattle opponents — as evidence of a cultural shift. From there, the hosts explore the tension between sports as entertainment and sports as a moral arena.

Do we expect more from athletes because they’re in the spotlight or because their behavior influences the next generation? How do those expectations differ for a Super Bowl quarterback, a college standout, and a high school athlete representing their hometown?

The conversation also explores individual expression and evolving norms in team dynamics, as well as whether excellence alone is sufficient. Along the way, the hosts reflect on role models and youth sports, as well as the unique way competition reveals character.

Episode 205: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada dive into one of the year’s most unexpected viral moments — not to rehash the gossip, but to explore what it reveals about the culture we live in.

You’ve probably seen the clip: a Coldplay concert in Boston, a playful moment on the jumbotron and two people who instinctively pull away from the camera. Within hours, internet sleuths had identified the pair as high-ranking executives at a tech company — and the fallout was swift. The CEO was married, but not to the woman next to him. Both resigned. Social media had a field day.

But in this conversation, Kyte and Rada move past the memes and into the moral gray area: What drives the rush to judgment when private moments become public? Is there any room for compassion in a digital world that thrives on humiliation?

They explore how public reactions often hinge less on what’s right or wrong and more on whether someone gets caught. Along the way, they dig into the deeper difference between being accountable to your own values and reacting to the judgment of others — a line that separates two powerful emotions often confused with each other.

This episode also looks at how viral incidents pressure companies to act, regardless of policy or due process. Did the company involved really have no choice but to cut ties with its leaders? Does the fact that one of them was in charge of HR change the equation?

In the end, Kyte and Rada ask: What does our fascination with these moments say about us — and how can we create a culture that values understanding over outrage?

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

Public shame is having a moment again and the Coldplay kiss cam scandal explains why, by Kaylee Holland, Fox News

Shame and humiliation at a Coldplay show, New York Times letter writers

Episode 204: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada explore why so much of what we call “constructive criticism” fails — and what it takes to make it truly effective.

Many of us dread the annual performance review, and with good reason. As Kyte points out, a well-run workplace shouldn’t save observations and advice for one stressful meeting a year.

“Good coaching is constant,” he says. “If you have a good manager, you already know what’s working and what needs improvement, because it’s an ongoing conversation.” Feedback, he explains, should be specific, timely and delivered in the spirit of helping someone grow — not just checking a box.

The hosts also draw lessons from outside the office. Rada shares a story of baseball great Chipper Jones, who was challenged early in his career by coach Don Baylor to correct flaws in his swing. Jones said he appreciated the directness because it showed someone cared enough to help him improve. That’s the mark of effective feedback — being clear, constructive and genuinely invested in the other person’s success.

Of course, not all feedback lands well. Many people simply seek confirmation rather than honest critique. As journalist Jason Feifer has written, it’s crucial to tailor your approach based on where someone is in their process — whether they need a collaborator, a reactor or a refiner.

The episode also tackles some tricky ethical questions: Does feedback always need to be gentle? Should it sometimes hurt? How do you know when to stop offering advice, especially if someone repeatedly ignores it? The hosts provide guidance on how to adjust your approach according to the person, the context and your intended outcome.

Episode 203: Anxiety seems to have become a defining feature of modern life. Despite living in one of the safest and most prosperous periods in human history, rates of unease, worry and fear are rising — especially in developed nations. Why is that? And more importantly, what can each of us do to help those around us feel more secure, confident and connected?

In this thoughtful and timely episode, hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the ethics of responding to fear and uncertainty — not only in ourselves, but in our families, workplaces and communities. They examine why collective anxiety appears to be growing even as actual risks decline, and they explore how disconnection and social isolation may be making fear feel even more overwhelming.

Kyte reflects on how good leaders don’t just avoid stoking unnecessary fear — they actively create environments where people feel safe, respected and useful. He explains why those three elements — safety, recognition and purpose — are key to helping people face challenges with courage. The conversation also explores the psychological concept of “free-floating” fear, which lacks a clear source yet saps energy and focus, and why courage should be cultivated not only for life-or-death scenarios but also for everyday living.

The hosts also consider the role of fear as a motivator, from the healthy pressure of deadlines to the manipulative use of fear in politics, media and even public health campaigns. Are there ethical ways to warn people about dangers without crossing the line into exploitation? Can fear ever truly inspire growth?

Episode 202: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada agree that smartphones and apps can make life more efficient, but they also worry these tools are making it harder to think deeply, reflect and create.

The hosts discuss how the constant stream of notifications, tasks and digital distractions — what some experts call “sludge” — leaves little room for quiet thought or meaningful engagement.

“More and more, we’re finding it harder to focus, be present and make room for long-term thinking,” Rada said.

Kyte points out how this pace of change, accelerated by artificial intelligence and personalized apps, can feel overwhelming. “It’s like things are just happening to us now,” he said. “And no one’s really talking about what the benefits even are anymore.”

The episode weaves together research findings, personal stories and cultural observations. The hosts reflect on how even simple actions — like turning off notifications or going for a walk without headphones — can restore some mental space and foster creative thinking.

Kyte recalls how boredom as a child often sparked imaginative games and projects. Today, he argues, kids and adults alike rarely feel bored, reaching for screens instead. “Boredom is a great impetus to creativity,” he said. “When you’re not bored, you lack the incentive to invent or explore.”

Rada also notes how the digital habits that once felt generational have become universal. In airports, waiting rooms and even family dinners, everyone — from toddlers to retirees — seems glued to a device.