Joyful Disruption And Whole-Person Leadership With Lynne Cuppernull
Thu Jan 22 2026
This episode of the One Humanity Lab Podcast is for leaders, coaches, and changemakers who are curious about how innovation, imagination, and deep listening can transform the way we lead ourselves and others.
Guest hosts Pauline de Castelnau and Mia Cellucci welcome Lynne Cuppernull, leadership coach and co-founder of the SparkLit Group, for a rich and playful conversation on whole-person leadership, joyful disruption of the status quo, and the power of reconnecting with what matters most. Drawing from her work across industries, including healthcare, government, nonprofits, and more, Lynne invites listeners to explore their “heart work”—a lifelong journey of aligning purpose, values, and action.
Together, they reflect on imagination, burnout, listening, and the role of play in leadership, weaving together insights from coaching, improv, and Lynne’s own formative experiences in theater. The conversation offers both practical tools and deeper reflections for leaders navigating complexity, change, and the call to lead from wholeness.
This episode features:
Lynne’s definition of whole-person leadership as heart-centered, values-aligned work.The origins and vision of the SparkLit Group (https://sparklitgroup.com/) and the idea of “joyful disruption of the status quo.”How playfulness, imagination, and reconnecting with our inner eight-year-old can fuel innovation.A powerful distinction between feeling tired and being “burnt out,” with the former reminding us of a need to be relit—and what that means for leaders today.Why deep listening and asking open, powerful questions are essential leadership capacities.How the practice of “yes, and” can foster collaboration, creativity, and trust, not just in improv comedy, but on teams across sectors.A practical reflection tool, the Lotus Blossom, for nurturing innovation individually or with teams.Lynne’s reflections on staying open to possibility and holding outcomes lightly as she looks ahead to 2026.Resources & Links:
Explore the Lotus Blossom, a practical tool for nurturing your inner innovator: https://itk.mitre.org/toolkit-tools/lotus-blossom/Learn more about the SparkLit Group: https://sparklitgroup.com/Listening for the Questions podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/listening-for-the-questions-podcast-big-ideas-bold/id1840958602Connect with Lynne Cuppernull on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnecuppernull/Follow the One Humanity Lab Podcast: https://leadershipcoaching.cepl.gwu.edu/podcast/
Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! https://leadershipcoaching.cepl.gwu.edu/podcast/
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This episode of the One Humanity Lab Podcast is for leaders, coaches, and changemakers who are curious about how innovation, imagination, and deep listening can transform the way we lead ourselves and others. Guest hosts Pauline de Castelnau and Mia Cellucci welcome Lynne Cuppernull, leadership coach and co-founder of the SparkLit Group, for a rich and playful conversation on whole-person leadership, joyful disruption of the status quo, and the power of reconnecting with what matters most. Drawing from her work across industries, including healthcare, government, nonprofits, and more, Lynne invites listeners to explore their “heart work”—a lifelong journey of aligning purpose, values, and action. Together, they reflect on imagination, burnout, listening, and the role of play in leadership, weaving together insights from coaching, improv, and Lynne’s own formative experiences in theater. The conversation offers both practical tools and deeper reflections for leaders navigating complexity, change, and the call to lead from wholeness. This episode features: Lynne’s definition of whole-person leadership as heart-centered, values-aligned work.The origins and vision of the SparkLit Group (https://sparklitgroup.com/) and the idea of “joyful disruption of the status quo.”How playfulness, imagination, and reconnecting with our inner eight-year-old can fuel innovation.A powerful distinction between feeling tired and being “burnt out,” with the former reminding us of a need to be relit—and what that means for leaders today.Why deep listening and asking open, powerful questions are essential leadership capacities.How the practice of “yes, and” can foster collaboration, creativity, and trust, not just in improv comedy, but on teams across sectors.A practical reflection tool, the Lotus Blossom, for nurturing innovation individually or with teams.Lynne’s reflections on staying open to possibility and holding outcomes lightly as she looks ahead to 2026.Resources & Links: Explore the Lotus Blossom, a practical tool for nurturing your inner innovator: https://itk.mitre.org/toolkit-tools/lotus-blossom/Learn more about the SparkLit Group: https://sparklitgroup.com/Listening for the Questions podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/listening-for-the-questions-podcast-big-ideas-bold/id1840958602Connect with Lynne Cuppernull on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnecuppernull/Follow the One Humanity Lab Podcast: https://leadershipcoaching.cepl.gwu.edu/podcast/ Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! https://leadershipcoaching.cepl.gwu.edu/podcast/