In this special episode of Change Wired , I sit down with Claude Silver , the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX , to celebrate the launch of her new book, Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart . Together, Angela and Claude unpack how to build cultures of belonging - where people don’t just fit in, they flourish . 🔑 Episode Highlights Why “fitting in” is outdated and how belonging unlocks performance. Claude explains that belonging is about psychological safety , while fitting in is about conformity . Teams thrive when people feel seen, not when they match . The 3 Emotional Pillars of Heart-Led Leadership: Emotional Optimism — believing things can get better and seeing possibility even in hard moments. Emotional Bravery — having the difficult conversations with compassion and self-awareness. Emotional Efficiency — creating clarity and speed through empathy and trust. The Lie Exercise: A simple self-awareness tool Claude uses to help people challenge limiting beliefs. Write down the lie you tell yourself (“I’m not smart”) and find evidence that proves it wrong. Replace it with a truer, kinder statement (“My intelligence shows up in many ways”). Culture Fit vs. Culture Add: Great companies don’t clone culture, instead they expand it. Claude shares how curiosity and openness to difference build stronger, more creative teams. How to Retain Top Talent: Don’t wait for exit interviews, instead do stay interviews . Listen before people leave. Create opportunities, mentorship, and moments of appreciation. Running on Calm: “When I get anxious, my team gets anxious,” Claude says. She shares practices like grounding, breathing, and visualization to help leaders find calm under pressure . 💬 Practical Takeaways Ask yourself: What part of me am I not bringing to work? Reflect on what it costs you—and your team—to hide that part. Practice Emotional Bravery : speak up when something feels misaligned, with respect and curiosity. Make time for self-awareness rituals : journaling, stay interviews, reflection moments, or asking your team, “What do you need from me this week?” 👩💼 BIO Claude Silver is the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX , working alongside CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to build a people-first culture that powers creativity and growth . A pioneer in emotional intelligence at scale, she’s on a mission to bring more heart, humanity, and authenticity into the workplace . Claude has been honored with Campaign US’s Female Frontier Award and AdWeek’s Changing the Game Award, and has spoken at Meta, Google, the US Armed Forces , and more. She lives in New Jersey with her wife and two children. 🔗 Links 🌐 Claudesilver.com 📘 Be Yourself at Work 💌 Newsletter & Resources via Website 💬 Connect on LinkedIn and Instagram Text Me Your Thoughts and Ideas Support the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant
