Originally released on Johnny Levy’s Workplace Delight podcast, this episode was too good not to share with our Stay Forth audience! Alan Briggs—leadership & sabbatical coach, “mountain guide for the leadership journey,” and co-host of the Stay Forth Leadership Podcast—joins Johnny to explore why intentional sabbaticals are the next frontier in workplace culture.

Whether you’re in HR, the C-suite, or you’ve built a startup from scratch, you’ll learn:

How a sabbatical can release outdated mindsets and reset your priorities
Why “get-tos” vs. “have-tos” reignite creativity, trust, and long-term retention
The Harvard Business Review research proving sabbaticals drive innovation
Practical “stress-test” pilots to evolve your policy without upheaval
The two phases every leader experiences after sabbatical: Release & Reset

Press play for a healthy dose of adventure, abundance mindset, and people-first strategy—then return tomorrow for Episode 3 of our H2 Leader Summer Series!

Key Topics Covered

Defining Sabbatical: From academic “research leave” to genuine life-giving renewal
Personal Story: Alan’s first 10-week gift sabbatical—what he released & how he reset
Abundance Mindset: “Get-tos” vs. “Have-tos,” and why rest is a human right
Business Case: HBR findings, Big Tech sabbaticals, and the real ROI on renewal
Implementation: Evolving vs. revolutionizing your policy—stress tests, pilots & partnerships
Outcomes: Release old habits → Reset priorities → Reinvigorate individual & organizational performance

Reflect & Apply

Inventory Your “Get-Tos”: What creative or restorative activities have you shelved for “someday”?
Identify Roadblocks: Which of Fear, Pride, or Permission is blocking sabbatical at your company?
Pilot a Pilot: What small “stress-test” could you run this quarter—for example, extend someone’s vacation by one week?

Links & Resources

Watch the Full Interview on YouTube
https://youtu.be/EfHh61p0hPE?si=J3FHcHJR5wE5Opdp

Workplace Delight Substack (Johnny’s full show notes & takeaways)
https://workplacedelight.substack.com/

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