Adele Hartland brings a rare combination of real-world leadership experience, deep coaching expertise, and a fresh, holistic perspective on building better workplaces. Adele’s philosophy? We are not just human doings, we are human beings. And in today’s fast-paced, AI-driven world, that distinction matters more than ever. Adele is the Managing Director and Master Coach at Lacuna Coaching Ltd, and she joins VistaTalks Host Simon Hodgkins on this episode.
A Global Workplace in Crisis
Adele shares some sobering statistics: Only 13% of European employees are highly engaged at work, and the global figure isn’t much better at 21%. That’s down 2% since 2023. So, what’s driving this engagement crisis? It’s a mix of factors, Adele explained—from downscaling and rapid AI adoption to outdated leadership models and emotional disconnection. But central to it all is a common thread: people don’t feel seen, supported, or connected in their workplaces.
When culture is poor, the financial cost is staggering. Global productivity losses due to disengagement reached $438 billion last year. Can we tap into the full potential of the global workforce? That’s a $9.6 trillion opportunity, about 9% of global GDP, left on the table.
“We Are the Cutting-Edge Technology, We Just Never Got a Manual”
Adele challenges leaders to rethink what productivity and performance really mean. With burnout and mental health challenges on the rise, organizations can no longer afford to see people as cogs in a machine.
“AI is brilliant,” she said, “but we’re still human. You can’t keep asking people to do more without giving them the tools to thrive.”
That’s where Adele’s work comes in. At Lacuna Coaching, she helps individuals and organizations access their untapped potential, not by pushing harder, but by slowing down and reconnecting. It’s about building cultures where trust, clarity, and genuine care are central.
Leadership That Starts With Self-Awareness
One of the most powerful takeaways from this episode is Adele’s belief that leadership begins with self-awareness. Leaders today carry more influence over an employee’s mental health than even their most intimate relationships. Yet many leaders are overwhelmed, under-supported, and unsure how to navigate the changing landscape.
Adele works with leadership teams across industries, many of them global and complex, to help them develop emotional intelligence, improve communication, and build cultures that reflect their values, not just display them on a wall.
“The way we were taught to lead doesn’t work anymore,” she explained. “It’s not about command and control. It’s about connection, curiosity, and courage.”
Building a Conscious Culture: Adele’s Framework
To drive meaningful transformation, Adele uses a three-pillar framework:
- Leadership Clarity – Developing self-aware, emotionally intelligent leaders who communicate effectively and set the tone from the top.
- Cultural Integrity – Aligning company values with behaviors, so employees experience authenticity and consistency every day.
- People-Centric Growth – Prioritizing the human experience at work, enabling discretionary effort, and long-term sustainability.
From these pillars emerge key outcomes:
- Trust and alignment
- Empowered leadership
- Sustainable high performance
It’s not about surface-level change. It’s about deep transformation.
Embracing Diversity and Human Complexity
Today’s organizations are more diverse than ever, across generations, cultures, and communication styles. Adele emphasized the importance of creating environments where different lived experiences are respected and a shared purpose is cultivated.
One simple but powerful practice? Inviting team members to share something unique about their culture or background. It creates connection, dismantles bias, and fosters understanding.
“We’re wired to connect,” she comments. “When people feel a sense of belonging, they stay, they grow, and they contribute beyond expectations.”
Slowing Down in an Age of Speed
AI has sparked a frenzy of doing. But Adele believes it should also prompt us to slow down and reflect. “We’re living in an overstimulated world. Our stress responses are firing constantly. If we don’t learn to regulate our minds, we burn out.”
Rather than relying solely on programs like EAPs, which often go unused, Adele encourages organizations to provide practical tools and education that empower people to manage stress, build resilience, and regain focus.
“It’s not about eliminating stress. It’s about transforming how we respond to it.”
What Kind of Human Do You Want to Be?
To close the episode, Simon asked Adele what single mindset shift she would recommend for today’s leaders. Her answer?
“Take time to connect with who you are. Be the kind of leader you’d want to be remembered as. Being human doesn’t make you unprofessional, it makes you powerful.”