In this hosts-only episode of Uncover the Human, Cristina and Alex dive into one of the most overlooked—and costly—gaps in organizational life: activation, the critical phase between having a great idea and actually implementing it. Drawing on real stories, humor, and plenty of personal experience, they explore why teams so often leap straight from strategy to execution, leaving people confused, overwhelmed, and unintentionally sidelined. From missed communication to unclear roles and “zoning sign” announcements nobody reads, they unpack the ripple effects of skipping activation and how it quietly derails even the best-intentioned changes.

Cristina and Alex also share what effective activation really requires: empathy, clarity, honest conversations, and the willingness to slow down long enough to bring people along. They examine the signs activation has been skipped, dispel the myth that communication or training alone is enough, and offer insights on how leaders can better prepare their teams for change. Whether you're navigating a restructure, launching a new initiative, or simply working with other humans, this episode is a relatable, energizing reminder that sustainable change isn’t an event—it’s a journey.

Meetings feel heavy when people stop listening, and they stop listening when the room isn’t designed for them. We sit down with Oscar Trimboli to unpack how listening truly works at work—and why it starts before a single word is spoken. From a career-defining moment in a smoky boardroom to a decade-plus of research, Oscar shares what the best listeners do differently and how leaders can turn monologues into momentum.

We dive into the four villains of listening—emotional, interrupting, distracted, and shrewd—and the simple moves that disarm them. You’ll hear why clarifying questions are a hallmark of high-performing teams, how to measure share of voice, and when rotating hosts unlocks engagement that agendas alone can’t. Oscar breaks down practical ways to build curiosity into your meetings, including live Q&A tools that let the audience vote on what matters most, and the courage to say I don’t know when that’s the most honest answer.

We also explore how to respect different listening preferences, including neurodiverse needs, by balancing story and data and by self-disclosing how you process information. The throughline is actionable: ask what will make this a good conversation, check progress midstream, and close the loop afterward so listening becomes visible. Whether you’re leading a team meeting, a cross-functional project, or a company town hall, these frameworks help you shorten meetings, surface real issues, and build trust that lasts.

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Two Authors Walk Into A Deadline And Try Not To Cry

A bestseller tag is nice, but the real story is everything it took to get there—and what we learned about authentic leadership by trying to write it down. We pulled back the curtain on our launch week for The Authenticity Upgrade: Rebooting Leadership for Real Humans and discovered that writing is less about perfect sentences and more about radical empathy for a reader who can’t talk back. Without a room to read, we had to anticipate confusion, trim complexity, and build a path that invites people to keep going.

We also double-clicked on our core belief: self-leadership comes before team, culture, and results. People often look to fix the external—bosses, processes, metrics—but transformation begins when you reclaim the energy lost to performing. As we threaded self-awareness, emotional literacy, and values clarity into a single arc, the through line became unmistakable: authenticity frees capacity, and that capacity is what makes collaboration, influence, and leadership sustainable. That clarity didn’t arrive quietly. Co-writing meant letting go when the words were right but not “ours,” rebuilding an “easy” chapter from scratch, and managing gremlins that insisted nothing was ready.

Beyond the page, we talk candidly about the logistics most authors underestimate: editing sprints, cover design, metadata, a 60-plus-page companion workbook, and the vulnerable act of promotion. We don’t chase rankings for ego’s sake; we play the platform game so the people who need this work can find it. From tech glitches to mailing list mishaps, we share the stumbles and the systems that ultimately worked. If you’re curious about how empathetic writing overlaps with modern leadership—or you’re facing a creative leap and want a field report from the edge—this one’s for you.

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