How we respond to each other in good times and bad is at the heart of human relationships. Our capacity to share both positive and negative emotions and experiences is a marker of the quality of our connections with each other, but can be challenged by the stressors we encounter as we move through a fractious and pain-filled world. Expressing both positive and negative emotions must be done constructively so that relationship partners can learn and grow from their mutual sharing. In this talk, I will explore what “constructive” communication is, what it is not, what it takes to practice it, and the role of coaching for strengthening this important skill.

For most of the 20th century we measured our wellbeing solely on the basis of gross domestic product. In the last 20 years, people have taken a serious look at what makes us happy. The UN publishes a yearly report that identifies the conditions that people say they need to live a happy life, and they are fairly uniform across all cultures and income levels. These factors include social support, health, freedom to make life choices, and trust. Yet when we survey millennials in the US about their most important life goals, they tell us that they want to become rich and famous and achieve a great deal at work. The disconnect is due at least in part to what we are told we should want and should make us happy, through constant bombardment from media about what life should look like. The Harvard Study of Adult Development is one of the only studies in history to track the same people from adolescence into their 90s, to find out what really makes us thrive. We find that the breadth and depth of our relationships with others are keys to wellbeing as we age – not just happiness, but physical health. Loneliness is toxic, and many people are lonely. We find that material things make us less happy than experiences. Although relationships are key to our thriving, we have stopped investing in others over the last 70 years. Beginning with the arrival of television in every home, and increasing with the advent of our electronic screens, we have greatly diminished the frequency with which we invite others to our homes, have family dinners, and invest in community activities and religious institutions. We must actively tend to our connections with others in order to foster our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those we care about.

The hyper-competitive business landscape has leaders trapped in a dilemma: embrace risks and the inherent possibility of failure, or avoid them and stagnate? Harvard Business School Professor and bestselling author Amy Edmondson says while most missteps can be avoided, intelligent failures are gold mines of learning and innovation. As she explains in her highly anticipated new book, “Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well” (September 2023), leaders can transform their perspective on setbacks by embracing the intelligent failures that are vital to innovation. She likewise uncovers how basic and complex failures can reveal and prevent future recurrences. With Edmondson’s approach, leaders and teams gain specifically tailored practices, skills and mindsets for taking smart risks and using their inevitable mistakes as springboards for profound learning and competitive differentiation.

Climate change is the greatest global threat to health. Moreover, last year the United Nations declared that a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a human right. This session will provide an overview of how climate change is impacting our health, especially for the most vulnerable, and strategies that each one of us can implement to help minimize the impact.

Mental disorders are a growing crisis and are now the leading cause of disease burden and disability worldwide. Although current treatments can work, they fail to work for far too many people. The brain energy theory integrates decades of clinical, epidemiological, basic science, neuroimaging, genetic, and metabolic research into one coherent theory: mental disorders are metabolic disorders of the brain. This theory integrates biological, psychological, and social theories of mental illness and offers new treatments that come with the hope of long-term healing as opposed to just symptom reduction. This presentation will offer a high-level overview of the brain energy theory and some of the lifestyle treatments that it offers, including changes in diet, exercise, hormones, substance use, sleep, and some of the nuances and concerns with current treatments.

The world is undergoing massive technological changes, and AI will be an integral part of this next chapter of life. While computer intelligence is increasing at lightning speed, there are elements it will never replace, including the power of human connection and presence. Yes, we need answers to certain questions AI will provide, but there are other questions that can only be accessed when we are able to receive support through the presence of another person, someone who is able to foster genuine human connection and empathy. While some jobs will be replaced, other opportunities will present themselves, and our job is to navigate this time and continue to offer our own gifts and talents. This talk will explore this topic, looking at how we can both harness the emerging power of AI, while also remembering what is most essential to our life and work that no machine can replace.