Attention to mental health is not a workplace benefit. It is the factor that makes or breaks your workplace. In this episode of High Octane Leadership, Donald Thompson sits down with Dr. Kennette Thigpen, Chief Clinical Officer at Workplace Options, to explore why embedding psychological safety is mission critical to your success as a leader and organization.

What You'll Learn:

• How to truly infuse mental health into your organizational culture, policies and daily practices in the context of employee engagement and retention
• The Psychosocial Risk Framework your new risk assessment tool to identify systemlevel stressors that create presenteeism, absenteeism and turnover
• Why psychological safety is your secret weapon for high performance teams

About the Guest(s)

Dr. Kennette Thigpen is the Chief Clinical Officer at Workplace Options, where she oversees clinical excellence, quality and service delivery across a global mental health and employee assistance platform. With a background in clinical social work and mental health counseling, Dr. Thigpen brings deep expertise in workplace mental wellbeing, psychological safety, and organizational culture transformation. She is the author of “Cut Yourself Some Slack: 52 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health for a Happier, Healthier, and More Hopeful You”, a practical microlearning resource born from five years of weekly mental health insights shared across social media. Over the course of her career, her work has directly impacted thousands of employees globally, demonstrating that authentic mental health advocacy at the leadership level creates a cascading effect that strengthens organizational culture, engagement and, ultimately, better business outcomes.

Resources:

• Connect with Dr. Kennette Thigpen
• Workplace Options Website
• Donald Thompson LinkedIn

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

What does knowing how to build a loyal fan-community have to do with being an impactful leader? Everything, apparently. In this episode of High Octane Leadership, Donald Thompson sits down with J.C. Abdallah, Ph.D., a quantitative researcher studying fandom and persuasion, alongside creative partner Bob Batchelor to explore how fandom works, why persuasion matters in leadership and how the psychology of community building applies directly to business and brand strategy.

What You'll Learn:

• The persuasion framework and the difference between ethical influence and manipulation
• Why brand loyalty begins in childhood and how long-term customer relationships beat quick revenue hits
• Why authenticity and visibility matter more than you think

About the Guest(s)

J.C. Abdallah, Ph.D., is a quantitative researcher and educator specializing in the intersection of sports, media and fan identification. With expertise in sports communication, persuasion and mass communication, Dr. Abdallah has conducted extensive research on how NFL and college football fans engage with social media and build community identity. His work demonstrates that understanding fan behavior and creating meaningful connections is not just about entertainment; it's a blueprint for C-suite executives and emerging leaders looking to cultivate long-term brand loyalty and organizational culture.

Resources:

• Connect with J.C. Abdallah
• Connect with Bob Batchelor
• Donald Thompson LinkedIn

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

Trust and empathy are critical leadership currencies in today's uncertain business landscape, especially when navigating internal communications and team dynamics.

In this episode of High Octane Leadership, host Donald Thompson engages with Bianca Freedman, CEO of Edelman Canada, to explore effective leadership strategies, building trust, and creating psychological safety in the workplace. As the youngest regional CEO in Edelman's global network, Bianca shares insights from leading 300 employees across five offices and achieving strong double-digit growth.

What You'll Learn:

• Build trust and alignment through clear, consistent communication—focusing on everyday messaging, visibility, and proximity with teams.
• Model psychological safety by addressing mistakes openly and prioritizing solutions over spin to maintain both internal and client trust.
• Lead with authenticity by grounding thought leadership in genuine curiosity and delivering real value.
• Accelerate career growth by excelling in current responsibilities while actively seeking learning opportunities for future roles.

About the Guest(s)

Bianca Freedman is the CEO of Edelman Canada, where she oversees strategy, operations, and culture across five offices and nearly 300 employees. Appointed in 2022 as the youngest regional CEO in Edelman's global network, she has led the organization to strong double-digit growth and numerous creative accolades, including top ranking at Cannes Lions 2024. Under her leadership, Edelman Canada has earned recognition as one of the best workplaces in Canada and best workplaces managed by women in 2025.

In this episode, Bianca shares valuable insights on building trust in uncertain times, effective internal communications, and creating psychological safety in the workplace, drawing from her experience leading a major professional services organization through complex business environments. Her practical approach to leadership and focus on empathy-driven decision-making offers valuable lessons for both emerging and established business leaders.

Resources:

• Bianca Freedman LinkedIn
• Edelman LinkedIn
• Edelman Website

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.