Al Dea shares his journey from management consulting to founding The Edge of Work, a leadership and talent development consulting firm focused on helping leaders build skills for today's workplace. He explores how navigating personal and professional change has shaped his approach to leadership development.

• From technology transformation consultant to leadership development expert focused on people and culture
• Experienced the challenge of feeling out of control during multiple rapid organizational changes at Salesforce
• Found stability by becoming a "sturdy rock" for others and identifying what remains constant during change
• Recognizes that new parenthood and other major life changes teach valuable lessons about adaptation
• Emphasizes that all work fundamentally involves change—getting people to start, stop, or modify behaviors
• Recommends leaders start with self-awareness before guiding others through change
• Suggests starting where momentum already exists rather than focusing on skeptics
• Promotes progress over perfection and creating psychological safety for experimentation
• Uses the leadership tools of "what you say, what you do, and what you reward" to create change-ready cultures

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Ready to discover what your brain has been trying to tell you about success? Welcome to the Brain Aware podcast, where we decode the neuroscience behind what makes people thrive at work and in leadership. As hosts, we bring unique perspectives – Dr. Britt Andreatta has dedicated her career to unraveling brain science related to change and learning, while Justin Reinert brings over two decades of leadership development expertise. Together, we're bridging the gap between cutting-edge neuroscience and practical workplace application.

Our conversations explore the fascinating territory where brain function meets professional excellence. Each week, we'll examine evidence-based strategies that drive real results for leaders, teams, and individuals looking to maximize their potential. Whether you're navigating organizational change, building more effective teams, or seeking personal growth, you'll find actionable insights grounded in scientific research. We're not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom or outdated models that contradict what science tells us about human behavior.

The inaugural season focuses on the neuroscience of change – exploring why humans are neurologically wired to resist it and how to work with (not against) your brain during transitions. We'll dive into motivation mechanisms, habit formation, fear responses, change fatigue, and the brain's reaction to failure. You'll gain a deeper understanding of why certain approaches work while others fail, and how small adjustments based on brain science can dramatically improve outcomes. Subscribe now for our June 1st premiere and join a community of forward-thinking professionals who understand that when you know how the brain works, you can transform how you lead, learn, and live.