Notes on Resilience 135: Leading with Soul, with Karen Ansen
When a disability care organization struggled with high turnover and poor morale, today's guest, Karen Ansen, suggested flipping its organizational chart to put frontline caregivers at the top.
The organization transformed its culture and operations by asking employees directly what they needed.
Karen is an employment lawyer and leadership coach who brings humanity to high-conflict employment situations. As an attorney who deals with terminations and workplace disputes, Karen creates space for authentic communication while managing legal risks. She coaches leaders through their fear of legal repercussions while addressing the underlying issues. By unpacking how organizations reach breaking points, she helps clients avoid repeating painful patterns.
Karen's wisdom comes from personal experience—she's felt the sting of workplace conflict and knows the toll it takes. "Every person you've ever talked to has a terrible war story about what happened to them at work," she notes. "And I often say to people, 'don't let this be your story.'" This perspective shapes her unique approach combining legal expertise with soul-centered leadership practices, including breathwork sessions for executives.
Ready to transform your approach to workplace challenges? Explore how compassionate leadership can strengthen your organization while maintaining appropriate boundaries. Your team deserves nothing less.
Karen Ansen is a heart-led employment lawyer and leadership coach who believes the greatest transformations—whether in workplaces or in life—begin with listening deeply and leading with compassion. With decades of experience supporting aged care and community care leaders through complex challenges, Karen brings a rare blend of legal wisdom, emotional insight, and soulful presence to everything she does.
She is the founder of Ignite HR & Employment Law and Ignite Your Purpose, two values-based businesses that blend compliance with care, structure with soul, and leadership with deep inner alignment.
Learn more about Karen on LinkedIn and by visiting the Ignite HR & Employment Law website.
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Producer / Editor: Neel Panji
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