Dr. Jessica Kriegel — Chief Strategy Officer at Culture Partners and author of Surrender to Lead — shares her extraordinary transformation from self-centered executive chasing wealth and accolades to spiritually grounded leader serving others. After her father's sudden death and a profound spiritual awakening marked by an unexplainable sign, Jessica's life was turned upside down. Now, as a death doula and workplace culture expert, she teaches leaders that surrendering control—and instead shaping beliefs through experiences—unlocks exponential growth. This conversation explores the paradox of surrender, leading with love instead of fear, and why transparency and integrity outperform control every time.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
How surrendering control creates space for exponential results beyond what fear-based management achieves
Why shaping beliefs through experiences (not commanding actions) transforms performance
The power of transparency and integrity over secrecy—and how it prevented layoffs
How leading with agape love (willing the good of another) actually drives revenue
The SHIFT framework: Stop fighting reality, Have faith, Identify what's yours, Free yourself from fear, Take the next right action
Why purpose fit matters more than culture fit when building teams
LEARN MORE
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October 30, 2025
Dr. Jessica Kriegel
Surrender to Lead: How Letting Go Unlocks Extraordinary Growth
"Surrender isn't giving up control—it's giving up the illusion of control."
TIMESTAMPS
02:42 – From self-centered executive to death doula: A spiritual awakening
10:41 – The "Violetta" story: An unexplainable sign that changed everything
22:28 – Service over achievement: How presence and energy transform leadership
25:23 – The action trap: Why focusing on actions instead of beliefs limits growth
27:25 – Boston Medical Center story: From 42% to 92% compliance in 3 weeks through storytelling
35:48 – Layoffs story: Surrendering control through transparency and honesty
46:28 – Leading with agape love: Willing the good of another in the workplace
50:30 – The SHIFT framework: A practical model for surrender in leadership
56:47 – Parenting and leadership as mirrors: Faith, accountability, and letting go
SHOW NOTES
Dr. Dan sits down with Dr. Jessica Kriegel, Chief Strategy Officer at Culture Partners, keynote speaker, researcher, and author of Surrender to Lead. Jessica’s powerful story—from self-driven executive to spiritually grounded leader—reveals how surrendering control, embracing faith, and leading with love can transform both personal and professional life.
Jessica shares the profound spiritual awakening that reshaped her life following her father’s death, her journey as a death doula, and the lessons she’s learned about presence, compassion, and purpose. Together, Dr. Dan and Jessica explore how the principles of surrender, love, and faith create healthier workplaces, stronger leaders, and more humane organizations.
Through inspiring stories and real-world examples, Jessica explains her SHIFT framework (Stop fighting reality, Have faith, Identify what’s yours, Free yourself from fear, and Take the next right action) and how this model drives results while honoring humanity.
LINKS & RESOURCES
Dr. Jessica Kriegel
Book: Surrender To Lead
Unfairly Labeled — Jessica's first book on generational myths in workplace
Podcasts
Culture Leaders — Interviews with CEOs of major companies (Ikea, Denny's) who believe in culture
CEO Daily Brief — 5-minute daily podcast on culture and leadership
Key Frameworks & Concepts
SHIFT Framework — Stop fighting reality, Have faith, Identify what's yours to control, Free yourself from fear, Take the next right action
Personal Results Equation — Identify your why, desired results, and critical belief systems
Experiences → Beliefs → Actions → Results — Transformation happens at the belief level, not the action level
The Action Trap — Focusing on controlling actions instead of shaping beliefs through experiences
Agape Love — To will the good of another (St. Thomas Aquinas); leading with love drives business results
Purpose Fit vs. Culture Fit — Hiring based on purpose alignment rather than unconscious bias
Surrender — Giving up the illusion of control; identifying what's yours to control vs. what to release
People & Organizations Referenced
No One Dies Alone program — Hospital volunteer program for people without family
GUEST BIO
Dr. Jessica Kriegel is Chief Strategy Officer at Culture Partners, where she leads research on workplace culture and performance. A keynote speaker and host of the Culture Leaders and CEO Daily Brief podcasts, she's been featured on CNN, Fox Business, CNBC, and Bloomberg. Jessica holds an MBA, a doctorate in educational leadership, and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity. She's also a trained death doula who volunteers with the No One Dies Alone program and at Joshua's House homeless hospice. Her first book, Unfairly Labeled, challenges generational workplace myths, and her upcoming book, Surrender to Lead, launches in January 2026.
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