In this inspiring conversation, host Gail McDonald sits down with Paul Haury, leadership consultant and founder of Heart-Based Leading, to explore one of our greatest blind spots: belonging. Paul shares why loneliness is less a personal condition and more a symptom of disconnection—and how true belonging is a conscious choice, not just a feeling.

Drawing from personal stories, his years as a teacher, and his work with organizations, Paul unpacks how creating cultures of belonging transforms classrooms, workplaces, and even communities. Together, Gail and Paul discuss the neurobiology of connection, why belonging is relational (not transactional), and how leaders can move teams from “fear of” to “fear for.”

Along the way, they highlight examples like San Francisco’s Delancey Street community, Brené Brown’s insights on fitting in vs. belonging, and Rutger Bregman’s Humankind and Moral Ambition.

If you’ve ever wondered how to build stronger teams, healthier organizations, or simply feel more connected in your own life, this episode will leave you with both practical tools and a renewed sense of possibility.

⁠Heart Based Leading with Paul Haury⁠

Mentions & References

• Rutger Bregman – Humankind & Moral Ambition

• ⁠Delancey Street Foundation⁠ (San Francisco)

• Brené Brown on belonging vs. fitting in