Self-Awareness, Emotional Regulation and the Future of Workplace Well-Being I Crystal Rowland

Self-Awareness, Emotional Regulation and the Future of Workplace Well-Being I Crystal Rowland

Author: Bill August 28, 2026 Duration: 52:34
In this episode of the 40% Better podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Crystal Rowland, Founder & Senior Consultant at Path to Serenity Consulting, for a powerful conversation about self-awareness, workplace well-being, emotional regulation, leadership, and finding purpose in your career. Crystal shares her personal journey from working in the insurance industry to developing training programs focused on workplace well-being, emotional awareness, and helping people become more present at work. She explains how observing gaps in communication and training led her to create workshops that addressed not only professional skills but also the human side of work. The conversation explores why self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and personal growth. Crystal discusses the importance of taking time to understand yourself, asking difficult questions, managing stress, and learning to regulate your emotions before reacting. Bill and Crystal also dive into the connection between employee well-being and business performance. They discuss how happy employees can contribute to stronger productivity, better retention, lower recruitment costs, and a healthier workplace culture. They explore why leaders should see themselves as guides rather than heroes and how great leaders create the conditions for their teams to succeed. Key topics covered: * Crystal Rowland's journey into leadership and workplace well-being * The importance of self-awareness and personal growth * Why emotional regulation matters in the workplace * Managing stress and burnout before they become overwhelming * Meditation and developing greater awareness of your thoughts * How to pause before reacting in difficult situations * The connection between employee happiness and business performance * Why leadership training is critical for managers * How poor leadership can impact employee retention * Creating a culture where employees feel valued and supported * The business case for investing in employee mental well-being * Why leaders should act as guides rather than heroes * Helping employees discover what they truly want to do * Building happier teams and more prosperous businesses * The importance of empathy in leadership * How new employees can bring fresh perspectives and valuable insights * Why self-care and workplace well-being should be part of leadership strategy If you are a leader, manager, HR professional, business owner, or professional interested in workplace wellness, emotional intelligence, leadership development, and building healthier teams, this conversation offers practical insights into how self-awareness and employee well-being can transform both people and organizations. Guest: Crystal Rowland Founder & Senior Consultant Path to Serenity Consulting Connect with Crystal Rowland on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cer4040/ #Leadership #WorkplaceWellness #EmotionalRegulation #SelfAwareness #EmployeeWellbeing #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #MentalHealthAtWork #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Bill and the 40 % Better podcast team Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wblennan/ Visit the 40 Percent Better website here: https://40pb.com/ Listen to 40 % Better on these podcast platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qkqdMPkR9BqYPM7UPa4P0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/40%25-better---engineering-leadership/id1709546347 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/01ad162e-7a33-4df4-8c29-04c4af0405fc/40-better---engineering-leadership #40PercentBetter #BillLennan #Leadership #TeamPerformance #EmployeeEngagement #PsychologicalSafety #BusinessGrowth #Kaizen #EngineeringLeadership #Coaching The 40% Better podcast with Bill Lennan unlocks previously unheard-of performance levels in teams and leaders. Bill Lennan, founder of 40 Percent...

Hosted by Bill, 40% Better-Engineering Leadership is a conversation for those who build and guide technical teams. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a practical dialogue focused on the tangible mechanics of morale, motivation, and output. Each episode features a single expert in employee engagement, and together we dissect the specific strategies that lead to measurable leaps in performance. You'll hear detailed explorations into what actually moves the needle for engineers and their managers, translating research and experience into actionable leadership techniques. The goal is straightforward: to provide the insights that can help your team operate at a significantly higher level of effectiveness and satisfaction. Tune in for a focused, deep-dive podcast that cuts through the noise of generic management advice, offering concrete ideas you can apply directly to the unique challenges of engineering leadership.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

40% Better - Engineering Leadership
Podcast Episodes
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SE1E94 - From Dial-Up Belarus to 350 Engineers | Andrei Yurkevich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In 2002, a 25-year-old Andrei Yurkevich started a software outstaffing business in Belarus with internet speeds under 100 kilobits per second for the entire country—slower than a dial-up modem. Twenty-two years later, he…
Run to the Inevitable: High-Trust Engineering Teams | Josh Carroll [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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How Failure Made Her a Better Engineer | Sairan Aqrawi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:16
When Sairan Aqrawi decided to become a swimming coach as a teenager in Iraq, she discovered something critical about leadership: passion alone isn't enough. You need skills, responsibility, and the willingness to take ac…
From Student Entrepreneur to CTO Leading 371 Engineers | Taran Lent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:38
From College Meal Plans to Multi-Tenant Cloud Platforms: How a CTO Built an 80% Market Share by Stacking the Odds for His Teams with Taran LentWhat started as a hungry college student solving his own problem with slips o…
Leading from a higher level | Prashanth Kumar Tondapu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:34
When Prashanth Tondapu started his company at 27, he had no formal leadership training. What he discovered through building an 85-person engineering team would completely transform his approach to leadership, starting wi…
How Curiosity Builds Better Teams | Durgesh Sukhtankar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:56
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