What actually happens to the brain when someone works in a toxic environment—and why is it so hard to recover? In this episode of Frog Talk, host Nader Safinya sits down with Ursula Pottinga, an internationally recognized leadership coach and neuroscience expert, to unpack how toxic workplace dynamics literally rewire cognition, behavior, and emotional regulation. Ursula explains why narcissistic behavior is often misunderstood, how psychological safety disappears long before people speak up, and why high-performing professionals slowly lose confidence, creativity, and focus under toxic leadership. Together, they explore relational trauma, people-pleasing versus fawning, and what leaders must understand if they want teams to thrive instead of silently checking out.

Guest Introduction:

Ursula Pottinga is a certified executive coach, neuroscience-based leadership expert, and co-founder of Be Above Leadership. With over 25 years of professional coaching experience and more than three decades leading workshops across Europe, North America, and Asia, Ursula specializes in relational trauma, toxic workplace dynamics, and embodied leadership change. She helps leaders understand the brain as a user’s manual for sustainable performance, safety, and growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Toxic environments don’t just feel bad—they reprogram the brain, reducing focus, confidence, and emotional regulation.
• Narcissistic behavior is widely misunderstood and often excused as “strong leadership,” masking real harm.
• Psychological safety is the foundation of creativity, engagement, and performance—and it disappears fast in toxic systems.
• People-pleasing and “fawning” are trauma responses, not personality flaws.
• Toxic behavior can come from any level of an organization, but leadership position amplifies its impact.
• Healing requires education, time, and often professional support—not just “moving on.”

Chapter Markers:

0:00 Frog Talk intro

0:22 Introducing Ursula Pottinga

1:17 Toxic workplaces and the neuroscience of behavior

1:39 What “toxic” really means

2:28 Narcissism and why it’s misunderstood

3:16 How toxic environments rewire the brain

4:18 Stress, instability, and loss of cognitive function

6:08 Narcissistic tendencies vs. narcissism

7:03 Behavior impact over diagnosis

8:01 Toxicity beyond leadership roles

9:21 The “rotten stew” metaphor

12:14 Loss of safety and credibility

12:55 Why people stop speaking up

13:33 “I don’t want to get in trouble” thinking

14:22 Authenticity and emotional suppression

18:03 “It’s not your fault” — reframing self-blame

19:00 Why toxic systems perpetuate themselves

20:11 Why HR often feels unsafe

22:53 Education as the first step

24:15 Can narcissistic leaders change?

26:55 Why some leaders cannot be coached

30:32 Neuroscience of embodied change

33:19 The body’s role in transformation

End: Closing reflections

Keywords:

Frog Talk podcast, Nader Safinya, Ursula Pottinga, toxic workplaces, leadership neuroscience, relational trauma, narcissistic leadership, psychological safety, workplace culture, embodied leadership, organizational health, emotional regulation, people-pleasing, fawning response

What if leadership wasn’t about mindset—but about brain health? In this episode of Frog Talk, we dive deep into how neuroscience is reshaping leadership, organizational culture, and decision-making at every level. I’m joined by internationally acclaimed brain coach and leadership neuroscience expert Dominika Staniewicz, who has advised presidents, negotiated national labor policies, and spent decades bridging science with real-world performance. We unpack why traditional leadership development falls short, how neuroplasticity really works, and why emotional regulation is the foundation of trust, influence, and resilience. From high-stakes government negotiations to boardrooms and teams, this conversation challenges how we think about growth, change, and human potential.

Guest Introduction:

Dominika Staniewicz is an internationally recognized elite brain coach, leadership neuroscience expert, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author. With nearly two decades of global experience, she has advised governments, consulted for the European Union, and served as a C-level HR executive. As the founder of Your Brain Coach D, Dominika designs neuroscience-based programs that transform leadership, emotional regulation, and performance across individuals and organizations worldwide.

Key Takeaways:

You can’t lead people effectively if you can’t regulate your own emotions first.

Brain health—not mindset—is the foundation of sustainable leadership and performance.

Neuroplasticity works both ways: what you consume and who you surround yourself with actively rewires your brain.

Real change happens through small, focused shifts—not constant, chaotic transformation.

Safety and stability are prerequisites for growth, creativity, and innovation.

Chapter Markers:

0:00 Intro & Welcome to Frog Talk

1:00 Guest Introduction: Dominika Staniewicz

2:30 From Government & HR to Brain-Based Coaching

5:00 Why Traditional Leadership Development Fails

8:00 Emotional Regulation, Energy, and Trust in Leadership

10:00 What Neuro-Encoding Is (and Why It Works)

14:00 Neuroplasticity, Environment, and Human Behavior

18:30 Growth vs. Safety: Why Too Much Change Backfires

23:30 Leadership Integrity Under Pressure

27:00 Brain Science, Policy, and Organizational Design

31:00 Final Thoughts & Closing

Keywords:

Frog Talk podcast, Nader Safinya, Dominika Staniewicz, leadership neuroscience, brain-based leadership, neuroplasticity, emotional regulation, executive coaching, organizational culture, leadership development, brain health, neuro-encoding, high-performance leadership

In a world where people switch jobs every two to three years, finding someone who has stayed nearly two decades at the same organization is rare — and deeply revealing. In this episode of Frog Talk, I sit down with Peter Müller-Wille, Senior Design Engineer at Santa Cruz Bicycles and a friend since we were 14, to explore what long-term commitment teaches us about culture, craft, loyalty, and design integrity.

Guest Introduction:

Peter Müller-Wille is a Senior Design Engineer at Santa Cruz Bicycles, where he has spent 19 years designing full-suspension mountain bikes from concept to production. With a geology degree from UC Santa Cruz, Peter blends scientific rigor with creative engineering, working closely with overseas manufacturing partners to ensure uncompromising quality. His nearly two decades at one company offer a rare lens into culture, craftsmanship, and long-term organizational evolution.

Key Takeaways:

Longevity sharpens clarity. Staying nearly two decades in one place transforms design work from personal expression into collective purpose.

Honesty is the cultural backbone. Santa Cruz Bikes operates with a level of transparency — across departments, leadership, and customers — that keeps loyalty strong and silos nonexistent.

Change is inevitable, growth is optional. M&A, globalization, and scaling forced the company to evolve — and those who embraced the tension grew with it.

Designers argue because they care. Micro-details matter; great design comes from passionate debates about things customers may never consciously notice.

Trust powers innovation. Long-term manufacturing partnerships opened the door to protected R&D, new materials, and unique competitive advantages.

Chapter Markers:

00:00 — Frog Talk Intro

00:20 — Guest introduction: 19 years at Santa Cruz Bikes

00:45 — Peter’s background and role as Senior Design Engineer

01:00 — Full disclosure: a friendship since age 14

01:13 — What nearly two decades at one company teaches you

01:40 — Why passion for bikes shaped Peter’s career path

02:11 — Wearing many hats: QC, test lab, design tech to senior engineer

03:03 — Stability, family, and the value of a company that grows with you

04:02 — Transitioning from geology to bike design

05:21 — Culture of passion at Santa Cruz Bikes

08:00 — M&A: Joining the Pon Holdings family

09:10 — Growth, corporatization, and the tension of change

10:27 — How culture was protected and preserved during expansion

13:33 — Why “honesty” defines the culture of Santa Cruz Bikes

14:37 — Bikes made by bikers: design integrity from lived experience

16:39 — Why customers notice bad design but rarely good design

17:35 — How long-term commitment changes a designer’s relationship to the work

18:40 — Putting ego aside: designing for the brand, not the individual

21:41 — Working with overseas manufacturers: trust and long-term partnership

25:03 — Balancing production schedules with R&D investment

Keywords:

Santa Cruz Bicycles, Peter Müller-Wille, Frog Talk podcast, Nader Safinya, workplace culture, long-term commitment, industrial design, mountain bike design, creative careers, manufacturing partnerships, M&A culture shifts, brand integrity, passion-driven careers, product design process, leadership and culture.