Employees aren’t quitting—they’re disengaging. They’re showing up, but they’re not present. It’s called The Great Detachment, and it’s killing productivity, morale, and innovation.

In this episode, Sylvia and Kristen break down why employees are checking out, what leaders are getting wrong, and how to fix it. Spoiler: it’s not about perks—it’s about purpose, recognition, and trust. If you want a team that actually cares, you have to earn it.

Tune in for real talk, tough truths, and actionable strategies to bring your workforce back to life. The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast—because shiny leadership isn’t enough.

Sylvia and Kristen are back with another episode of The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, and this time, they’re tackling one of the biggest leadership pitfalls—thinking you’re being clear when you’re not.

It all started with what seemed like a simple request, but quickly turned into confusion and frustration. That moment became the perfect metaphor for leadership: when leaders have a vision but don’t communicate it well, their teams are left guessing.

In this episode, Sylvia and Kristen break down why assumptions lead to misalignment, how leaders unknowingly create obstacles for their teams, and what it really takes to turn vision into action.

Want to lead with clarity instead of confusion? Tune in to this episode of The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast.

Julie Parker’s entire career has led to this moment as the CEO of her own consultancy, Julie Parker Communications. With deep experience in all facets of the media industry, she is uniquely positioned to guide government agencies, nonprofit and for-profit organizations through the intricacies of communications training. Her roles as an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist in Washington, DC, as well as media relations director for two large police departments honed Julie’s skills in providing effective, timely and accurate reporting. She is now called upon by such esteemed agencies as the Naval Postgraduate School and the FBI National Academy as a presenter and trainer. Most notably, Julie was brought in 30 days after the January 6th attack and successfully guided the United States Capitol Police through the media and social media aftermath. The transformative results did not go unnoticed as Julie and her team were doubly honored this year by the Ragan Crisis

Communication Awards in the Reputation Turnaround Campaign and Government/NGOs categories. It is just such success stories that led to a feature in the Washington Post highlighting Julie’s work and the honor of providing written testimony on technology and social media for The President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Alongside her team of seasoned subject matter experts, Julie continues to provide this critical service to organizations no matter their size or communication needs. Connect with Julie on X (formerly Twitter) at @JulieParkerComm and on LinkedIn.

Our episode begins with Sylvia offering meditation advice that Kristen can get behind, and along the way we learn that bison walk into a snowstorm because they instinctively know they'll get through it faster that way.

We haven't posted a podcast in a while. Life got in the way, but every obstacle is an opportunity. The result is Episode 42, The Reboot.

Kristen & Sylvia visit with Chris Hsiung, a former police chief and founding board member of "The Curve," a non-profit created with the goal of modernizing police culture from within the profession.

Michael Koonce is the president of H2 Strategics and a pro at helping customers adopt hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel that is profitable and good for the globe. He is known for aiding customers with whole solutions not just a single piece of equipment or delivery. His work ethic, positive attitude, business acumen and holistic approach teaches leaders on various enterprises about becoming indispensable. He is not just a global success, he is a pilot, a chef, and a darn good cribbage player.

Kristen & Sylvia discuss narcissism, how it can benefit leaders (in small doses) and how to handle leaders who have it.

Scott Thuman anchors 7News' 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts every weeknight in Washington DC.

Over the years, his objective coverage has earned him many awards, including multiple Emmys, AP, Murrow, and Telly honors.

Scott spent much of the last decade as Chief Political Correspondent at the Sinclair Broadcast Group before returning to 7News in 2024. He’s also a weekly contributor to the national show, Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.

In Sarah LaMont's own words: "When I graduated college with a degree in Graphic Design from the University of Washington I had a hard time finding a job in my field, that is when I secured a second job at Nordstrom in Downtown Seattle as a Salesperson in the Women’s Petite Department. Admittedly, I didn’t think it was a real job… on my very first day I tended to a 5 feet tall woman who was overwhelmed trying to find something memorable to wear to her son’s wedding. By the end of the day, not only had we found something that made her feel beautiful but had accomplished the same challenge for her husband. They were so happy I remember them tipping me $100 and told me to use it to buy myself a bottle of vodka because 'I deserved it!' This experience was eye opening to me… I always loved getting dressed and saw it as a way to express who I was and how I wanted people to see me; I cared more about body shape and proportion and how fashion could be incorporated into your every day lifestyle. While working at Nordstrom I encountered people who didn’t see getting dressed as a creative expression but as a stressful hassle… and I wanted to help. I do what I love: Styling for both men and women, not just for special occasions and events, but for their Saturday mornings and casual evenings with their family and friends. I believe style should be part of your everyday life and doesn’t have to be full of rules and “dry clean only” labels. I started this business so that I can help each one of my clients find function and creativity in their existing closets and never feel embarrassed to bump into people they know while out doing errands again. Why style?… Why not!"

Before she was an entrepreneur, Becky Stickley was
an "intrapreneur." Her career path has been more of a jungle gym than a
ladder and she has served as a children’s librarian, trademark
assistant, communications professional, and project manager. Throughout
her career, she excelled and collected all the gold stars. Until she got
“the promotion that changed everything.” In the midst of overwhelm and a
massive case of imposter syndrome, Becky found coaching. It changed the
way she manages her day, leads her team, and loves her family and friends.
She’s never looked back, and now brings all that goodness to her
clients.

She has more than a decade of experience managing
multi-million dollar projects, brand new programs, and both in-person
and remote teams. Becky combines this experience, a degree in leadership
studies, and a coaching certification to help her clients navigate the
evolving work landscape by gaining confidence, building resiliency,
better managing relationships, and developing their unique leadership
style with less overwhelm and frustration.

Becky lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, daughter, dog, cat, and growing herd of cows.

After two guests cancel, Kristen & Sylvia fill the void with a fun-filled and informative conversation ranging from the lessons learned from the Adam Grant book "Think Again," to a discussion about the people in our lives, including "illuminators" and "diminishers," all brought to you by our new sponsors: Naked Attraction, Yellow Legal Pads & No. 2 Pencils, Coach and Tumi (not really).

Jennifer Gonzales is the Chief of Police of Napa, California, despite the fact that she doesn't make her bed every morning. As our chiefs Kristen and Sylvia try to understand how a person so accomplished can be so negligent toward her own bed, they are blindsided by the number of unread emails in Chief Gonzales' phone and how many snooze alarms she has set every morning. The lesson is that there are many different ways to be the right person for the job, and many different right ways to do the job. We hope you enjoy our conversation with this admitted Star Wars nerd. May the force be with you.

What began as a chat about branding and coordinating calendars devolved (evolved?) into a long conversation on a wide range of topics. Included in this discussion: cold plunging, genetalia differences, creating accountability for good habits, gut health, almond milk, breathing through your nose, the obesity epidemic in industrialized countries, Kristen shopping for a Mercedes Revel before realizing the kind of person who owns one is the exact opposite of who she is, and Sylvia the Beekeeper. It’s fun, it’s all over the place, and we even let Producer Ted sit at the adult table for this one. We hope you enjoy it.

Sunny Lee-Goodman is the Lead Consultant for Inclusion and Diversity with Lapin Consulting International. With over twenty-five years of experience, she is passionate about developing inclusive leaders who inspire and bring out the best in their teams. In this episode, Sunny talks a lot about trust, and the need to give it in order to receive it. Join us for coffee, tequila, and Sunny!

Naren Aryal wil always have a special place in our hearts for publishing Kristen’s book Reimaging Blue. The former lawyer began his career in books two decades ago by writing a children’s book for his daughter about the mascot at Virginia Tech, where he went to college. In this episode, we learn about the grueling process of writing and re-writing a manuscript, experienced first-hand by Kristen and soon to be experienced by Sylvia. Naren is CEO of Amplify Publishing Group and, for those of us who like to read, gives us hope that books on not headed toward extinction in favor of eBooks, iPads, and smart phones. Naren also answers what has become a regular question on our podcast, Do you make your bed every morning? We hope you enjoy our interesting and enjoyable conversation with Naren Aryal.

Lieutenant Steve Goard has dedicated 21 years to working in various law enforcement assignments. He has served as a patrol officer, Field Training Officer, sexual assault detective, SWAT Team Member, Assistant Team Leader for the Sniper Team, Press Information Officer, Range Instructor, and Reality Based Training Instructor. Currently, Lieutenant Goard is assigned to patrol as a Watch Commander. Additionally, he is the manager of the Force Options Unit and the Real-Time Crime Intelligence Unit within the agency.

Lieutenant Goard became interested in the sauna, fasting, and cold plunge after sustaining multiple injuries while on duty and considering retirement due to the resulting pain.

In 2018, he researched the benefits of saunas and infrared saunas, leading him to experiment and ultimately purchase his own. After experiencing the benefits, Lieutenant Goard expanded his wellness routine to include cold plunges. Since then, his pain has significantly decreased, and he has been able to continue pursuing his career.

Nowadays, Steve shares his experience and has encouraged other officers to experiment to see if they have similar benefits.

Every once in a while, Kristen & Sylvia like to provide our millions of listeners with a “little nibble” to bridge the gap between full episodes. Enjoy 8 minutes with our chiefs talking about making charitable assumptions.

Jezebel Bardot is Toronto's French-Canadian drag diva. Starting her career with impersonations of comedy tycoon Joan Rivers, Jezebel has modeled her stage persona around strong, inspiring women. By day, Jezebel - aka Jason when he's not in drag - works in education and has a background in Sports Psychology & Physical Education. On stage t his translates into Jezebel's characteristic heart, wit, and striking athleticism. Just like a tall glass of fine French wine, Madame Bardot serves full body, pairs well with meaty dishes and leaves a sweet aftertaste.

Robert “Bobby” Hollis is the Deputy Chief for the Lacey Police Department and has worked in law enforcement for 23+ years. He has worked with three other agencies, spending the majority of his time with the Kent Police Department. Throughout his career he has worked as a Field Training Officer (FTO), collision investigator, Public Information officer (PIO), recruiting officer and SWAT officer. As he promoted up the ranks he supervised K9, School Resource Officers, Information Technology projects and was the Emergency Management liaison during COVID. Bobby recently completed the Executive Leadership Institute through Cal Chiefs and the Women’s Leadership Institute through IACP. Bobby has is undergraduate degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, both earned from the University of Washington. He is married and has one son and two step daughters.

Jonae has over two decades of legal and policy experience in government, non-profit, corporate and private practice. Her most recent roles demonstrate vast experience in folding law and policies together for large scale impact. Jonae currently supports Adelante Healthcare’s mission of Healthy People, Sustained by Healthy Communities. As Adelante’s Chief Operations Officer, Jonae believes that sustaining healthy people and communities is grounded in sound systems and processes, as well as a commitment to community care. In doing so, she aims to collectively elevate the care and compassion given to those Adelante reaches and serves. As the Equity and Inclusion Manager for the City of Tempe, Jonae oversaw Tempe’s AntiDiscrimination Ordinance and the workforce Safe Haven process, which reviewed claims of discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, and harassment. Among other things, she also spearheaded andimplemented two equity initiatives – Equity in Action and The Right to Breathe – to create measurable engagement and access outcomes for Tempe’s vulnerable communities. These initiatives required the collaboration of 19 city departments, city council and external stakeholders. Before joining the City of Tempe, Jonae was the Director of Equity and Special Finance Services forChicanos Por La Causa, where she designed and implemented a program division for leveraging new federal tax legislation to bring investment and community-led development in historicallyunderrepresented neighborhoods. While at CPLC, she also laid the framework for the CPLC Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) which advocates for social justice and equity in underserved communities.Jonae’s legal background ranges from tax and bankruptcy to immigration and contract work.