Feedback is one of the most stress-inducing parts of work — for leaders and for employees. On this episode of the Less Stress, More Joy podcast, Amy Leneker breaks down why feedback so often goes wrong and how to do it in a way that actually builds trust, connection, and performance.

Drawing on her experience as a certified mediator and workplace conflict specialist, Amy explains the three types of feedback every workplace needs, why the feedback sandwich doesn’t work, and how mixing feedback types can overwhelm the nervous system. You’ll also learn simple, practical ways to reduce stress during feedback conversations — whether you’re the one giving feedback or receiving it.

If you want feedback conversations that are clearer, calmer, and more effective, this episode gives you tools you can use immediately.

• Why feedback conversations are often avoided — and why that avoidance increases stress
• The three types of feedback every healthy workplace needs
• How appreciative feedback builds motivation (and when it backfires)
• Why coaching feedback takes time — and why it’s worth the investment
• How evaluative feedback works best when it’s timely and specific
• Why the feedback sandwich has been debunked by research
• How to avoid cognitive overload during feedback conversations
• When and how to pause before moving into problem-solving
• How to build feedback into regular one-on-ones so it becomes part of how you work
• Why the best feedback cultures always go both directions

00:00 Introduction: Why Feedback Increases Stress at Work

00:39 Why Feedback Conversations Go Wrong

02:56 The Three Types of Feedback

03:53 Appreciative Feedback: What It Is — and Why It Matters

04:47 Coaching Feedback: Helping People Get Better

05:45 Evaluative Feedback: Expectations, Gaps, and Performance

06:52 Why “No News Is Good News” Doesn’t Work

09:18 When Appreciative Feedback Backfires

11:10 Common Feedback Mistakes (Including the Feedback Sandwich)

13:30 How to Use Gratitude Without Creating Confusion

15:23 Avoiding Cognitive Overload During Feedback

18:42 Building Feedback Into Regular One-on-Ones

19:46 Final Thoughts: Reducing Stress Through Better Feedback

• Thanks for the Feedback by Sheila Heen and Doug Stone
• Cheers to Monday by Amy Leneker (available March 24)

If this episode was helpful, please follow the podcast, share this episode with a colleague or friend, or leave a quick review — it’s the best way to help others find the Less Stress, More Joy podcast.

Have thoughts or questions? Reach out at amy@amyleneker.com.

Stress spreads faster than we realize — and not just in person. On this short episode of the Less Stress, More Joy podcast, Amy Leneker breaks down why stress is contagious in workplaces, how it travels through emotional pathways, and what leaders and teammates can do to stop the ripple before it impacts an entire organization.

If you’ve ever walked into a meeting and felt the tension — or noticed stress spreading through emails, texts, or Slack — this episode will help you understand why that happens and how to respond differently.

Amy shares research-backed insights on emotional contagion, explains why stress itself isn’t an emotion (but still spreads), and introduces one simple, practical tool you can use today — at work or at home — to reduce stress contagion and increase calm.

On this episode, you’ll learn:

* Why stress spreads through teams like a virus

* How stress travels emotionally, even in virtual workplaces

* Why “fake calm” doesn’t work — and what does

* How leaders and peers influence stress levels in the room

* One simple way to surface and manage stress before it escalates

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction & What You’ll Learn

Amy introduces the idea of stress contagion and promises one practical tool listeners can use today—at work and outside of work.

00:45 – Why Stress Feels Contagious (Even Though It’s Not an Emotion)

Amy explains why stress spreads through teams by traveling along emotional pathways tied to frustration, overwhelm, and anxiety.

01:55 – Anxiety as “The Emotion of Community”

How stress and anxiety ripple through workplaces, teams, and organizations—and why humans instinctively pick up on each other’s stress.

03:05 – Stress Spreads Digitally, Too

Why stress doesn’t just spread in offices, but also through emails, texts, emojis, and virtual communication.

04:05 – The Stress Ripple Effect at Work

How unmanaged stress moves through teams like a virus—and why awareness is the first step to stopping it.

05:05 – Calm Is the Antidote (and It Has to Be Real)

What research shows about leaders who demonstrate genuine calm, and how it reduces stress and increases engagement.

06:05 – One Tool to Stop Stress Contagion: The Stress Ruler

How to use a simple 0–10 check-in to surface stress early and prevent it from spreading.

06:35 – Wrap-Up, Book Mention & Call to Action

Amy closes with encouragement, invites listeners to follow and share the show, and mentions Cheers to Monday.

📚 Resources & Next Steps

Explore the Stress Ruler in a previous episode of Less Stress, More Joy

Learn more in Amy’s upcoming book, Cheers to Monday (available March 24)

💬 Stay Connected

* If this episode resonated with you:

* Follow the podcast

* Share it with a colleague or friend

* Leave a quick review — it’s the best way to help others find the show

📩 Questions or thoughts? Reach out at amy@amyleneker.com

What if the questions keeping you up at night as a leader are the same ones everyone else is quietly asking?

On this Q&A episode of Less Stress, More Joy, Amy Leneker answers six real questions submitted by leaders across the country — all centered on stress, burnout, relationships, and how to lead with more clarity and humanity at work.

From debunking the myth of work-life balance to navigating toxic positivity, overwhelming workloads, difficult bosses, and the fear of asking for help, Amy offers grounded, research-backed guidance leaders can actually use.

If you’re feeling stretched thin, questioning whether your job is sustainable, or trying to lead well without burning out — this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn

• Why work-life balance isn’t real — and what to aim for instead
• How relationship tension outside your team can quietly damage trust inside your team
• Why high performers are 70% more likely to burn out when workloads aren’t managed well (according to Gallup)
• How to think clearly about a dream job with a toxic boss
• Why asking for help feels so hard — and how to do it in a way that builds trust and credibility
• The real danger of toxic positivity and why it erodes trust and engagement
• How the Stockdale Paradox can help leaders stay grounded during tough times

Key Research & Ideas Referenced

• Psychological safety research by Amy Edmondson
• Studies on asking for help from the London School of Economics
• Leadership trust insights from Brené Brown
• The Jim Stockdale Paradox: holding reality and hope at the same time

Call to Action

If something in this episode sparked a question for you, Amy wants to hear it.

📩 Email: amy@amyleneker.com

📘 Pre-order Cheers to Monday — available wherever books are sold

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review — it helps more leaders find their way to less stress and more joy.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Less Stress Q&A

01:04 Debunking Work-Life Balance

04:36 Navigating Workplace Relationships

06:57 Managing High Workload

11:13 Dealing with a Difficult Boss

16:31 The Challenge of Asking for Help

23:15 Understanding Toxic Positivity

Stress doesn’t stay neatly at work or at home—and neither do we. On this episode of Less Stress, More Joy, Amy introduces The Stress Ruler, a simple, powerful tool you can use anywhere in your life: before a tough meeting, during a one-on-one, or even at the dinner table.

The Stress Ruler asks just one question:

How challenging has your stress been on a scale of 0–10?

And what makes it effective is what it doesn’t include:

• No definition of what “challenging” means—you decide
• No separation between work stress and life stress
• No time frame that masks what really matters

Amy shares real-world stories from leadership teams where stress scores revealed hidden disconnects, unspoken assumptions, and opportunities for trust, delegation, and better conversations. She also explains how leaders can use this tool without becoming therapists—and why simplicity matters more than ever in today’s workplace.

On this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why stress shows up before we do
• How the Stress Ruler creates safer, more honest conversations
• How to use it on your own, with your team, or in one-on-ones
• What to listen for when stress numbers don’t match perception
• How curiosity—not fixing—is the real leadership skill

🎯 Download the Stress Ruler and try it this week.

If this episode sparked a question, email Amy at amy@amyleneker.com.

And if you found it helpful, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—it helps others find their way to less stress and more joy.

📘 Pre-order Amy’s new book, Cheers to Monday, wherever books are sold.

Our mission: Less stress. More joy. Zero toxic positivity.

That’s the joyful rebellion—and you’re part of it.

Chapters:

00:00 – Workplace Stress & Life Stress Are Connected

How stress at work affects stress at home (and vice versa)

00:33 – A Stress Management Tool for Work and Life

One simple framework you can use anywhere

00:54 – What Is the Stress Ruler?

A simple stress assessment tool for leaders and teams

01:29 – How to Measure Stress Without Judgment

Why “challenging” works better than “bothersome”

01:58 – Why You Shouldn’t Separate Work Stress and Life Stress

Understanding whole-person stress

02:21 – Why Most Stress Check-Ins Don’t Work

How time-based stress questions miss the real issue

03:00 – Leadership Mistakes That Increase Team Stress

A mediator’s perspective on missed signals

03:45 – How Leaders Should Use Stress Scores

A better way to talk about stress at work

04:08 – How to Check Your Stress Before Hard Conversations

Emotional awareness and self-regulation at work

04:56 – How Teams Can Track Stress Over Time

Using stress levels to prevent burnout

05:20 – Using Stress in One-on-One Meetings

Supporting employees without becoming their therapist

06:00 – When Leaders Underestimate Their Stress Impact

How leader stress affects team performance

06:55 – When Leaders Hide Stress From Their Team

Why over-functioning creates mistrust

08:21 – Why Talking About Stress Is Easier With Numbers

Psychological safety and stress conversations

08:43 – How to Spot Burnout Warning Signs

Recognizing stress spikes and outliers

09:02 – Teaching Kids Emotional Awareness With Stress Tools

Using the Stress Ruler at home

09:29 – Stress, Leadership, and the Joyful Rebellion

Less stress. More joy. Zero toxic positivity.

If you’ve ever woken up on a Monday already exhausted, this episode is for you. In the premiere of Less Stress, More Joy with Amy Leneker, Amy introduces the “joyful rebellion” against burnout and toxic positivity. She unpacks why stress is at an all-time high, why so many teams are stuck in chronic stress, and why the most dangerous belief in modern work culture is that stress is the price of success.

Amy breaks stress down into clear, usable categories (eustress vs. distress; acute vs. chronic), explains how chronic stress impacts health, thinking, and decision-making, and shares what she sees in thousands of high-stakes workplace conversations as a certified mediator.

This episode also calls out a common leadership trap—toxic positivity—and offers a more honest, effective alternative: holding reality and hope at the same time (the Stockdale Paradox). Finally, Amy closes with simple, practical steps you can take immediately to reduce stress and build more connection at work and at home.

What You’ll Learn

• Why “work isn’t working” and why stress can’t be ignored
• The difference between eustress (helpful) and distress (harmful)
• Acute stress vs. chronic stress—and why chronic stress is the real threat
• The four organizational impacts of chronic stress (from the U.S. Department of Labor)
• Why toxic positivity increases stress (and erodes trust)
• How stress spreads through teams via emotional contagion
• Why connection is a powerful antidote to stress
• Three practical actions you can take today

Action Steps (Try This Today)

1. Start a shared conversation about the four types of stress
2. Commit to leading without toxic positivity
3. Pay attention to connection—where you feel seen, heard, and valued

📩 Send Amy your questions (or a voice memo/video): amy@amyleneker.com

📚 Pre-order Cheers to Monday: The Surprisingly Simple Strategy to Lead and Live with Less Stress and More Joy (wherever books are sold), or here: amyleneker.com/book

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Less Stress, More Joy

00:52 Work Isn’t Working: Why We Have to Talk About Stress

03:21 Eustress vs. Distress: Not All Stress Is the Same

04:31 Acute Stress: The Kind We’re Wired For

05:09 Chronic Stress: When Fight-or-Flight Never Turns Off

07:40 What Chronic Stress Feels Like in the Body

08:00 The Workplace Cost of Chronic Stress

11:20 Naming It: What Are We Going to Do About Stress?

12:49 What We’re NOT Doing: Toxic Positivity

13:35 The Stockdale Paradox: Reality + Hope

15:55 Why Toxic Positivity Spreads Stress

16:49 Emotional Contagion: How Stress Spreads Through Teams

18:41 Authenticity Builds Trust

20:00 Choose Your Awkward: Have the Conversation

22:00 Connection Is the Antidote

23:55 Three Things You Can Do Today

26:00 When Work Stress Follows You Home

27:00 Follow, Share, Review + Pre-Order + Send Questions

Hi friend — I’m Amy Leneker, and welcome to the Less Stress, More Joy podcast. I created this podcast because I made every burnout mistake in the book… truly, all of them. If I can help even one person avoid the absolute hell I went through, this show will be a wild success.

Here’s what I know: you were meant for a joy-filled life. We spend a third of our lives at work, and you deserve to lead — and live — with less stress and more joy. In this podcast, I’ll teach you the simple three-step method that changed everything for me. We’ll talk about how to see stress differently, how to sort it so you know what to do with it, and how to solve it in a way that actually frees your time, your energy, and your life.

If you’ve ever woken up on a Monday already exhausted, you’re in the right place. Tune in every Monday, and let’s break the cycle together. You can also pre-order my book Cheers to Monday everywhere books are sold.