Dave Thompson shared something wild: the only extracurricular on his college resume was the cheese club. “No prerequisites. It fit my interest.” Today he’s a visiting scholar at Vanderbilt, two-time TEDx speaker, and advisor to Fortune 100s. Pedigree is not potential. 🧀 New eps out now.
In this episode of A World of Difference, Lori Adams-Brown sits down with Dave Thompson — strategist, two-time TEDx speaker, visiting scholar at Vanderbilt’s Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, and author of Brainstorm: Neurodivergent Talent and the Future of Work. Dave shares his journey from being counted out in…
What if the way we’ve been thinking about brains at work is fundamentally broken? What if accommodations aren’t about fixing people, but about unlocking talent we’ve been filtering out for decades? In this powerful episode, Lori sits down with Dave Thompson to explore how neurodiversity is the biggest shift in…
What if the key to innovation in your workplace isn't finding people who fit your culture, but transforming your culture to unlock brilliance that's been overlooked? Tara May (https://www.linkedin.com/in/taranmay/) , CEO of Aspiritech (https://aspiritech.org/) , has spent her career proving that when organizations create truly neuro-inclusive workplaces, everybody wins. In…
You're highly capable. So why does your next move feel this unclear? Executive coach Karen Kunkel-Young — known as "the telescope in the room" — joins Lori Adams-Brown to reveal what senior leaders consistently miss at career inflection points, and how to reclaim agency, visibility, and strategic influence before your…
You're highly capable. So why does your next move feel so unclear? For senior leaders at a career inflection point — whether navigating a layoff, a values misalignment, or a long-overdue pivot — the problem is rarely a lack of skill. It's a lack of perspective. In this episode, executive…
What do you do when the doors you’ve worked for keep closing because of factors you can’t control? In this episode, Rebeca Lopez Valerio shares how she turned “no” into fuel, built opportunities from scratch, and learned to lead with coraje, heart-forward courage rooted in identity, resilience, and values. Rebeca’s…
What if the very conversations you’re avoiding are the ones that could change everything? In this episode, we explore the hidden cost of silence, and how choosing “peace” over honesty can slowly erode trust, connection, and even joy. Many of us were taught to keep the peace, smooth things over,…
What happens when faith communities quietly replace women’s leadership with unpaid, invisible labor? In this powerful Best of 2025 #1 top most downloaded episode of 2025 re-release, historian and bestselling author Dr. Beth Allison Barr (http://bethallisonbarr.com/) joins Lori Adams-Brown to unpack how the role of the “pastor’s wife” became a…
Some conversations stay with us because they name what we’ve been living but haven’t had words for yet. This episode is one of those moments, a reminder that gratitude does not require us to deny our pain, and authenticity does not demand perfection. As we revisit this Thanksgiving message, one…
Ever started a new job and realized the “real work” isn’t just the work. It’s learning the culture, the decision-making rhythm, and what success actually looks like? In this re-released best-of conversation, Dr. Shweta Miglani breaks down the small, practical moves that help you ramp faster, build credibility, and grow…
What if the talent your organization is searching for is already inside your walls? In this Best of episode, Lori revisits one of the most impactful conversations of the year with talent strategy expert Dr. Edie Goldberg, and it’s just as relevant now as when it first aired. Dr. Goldberg…
As 2025 comes to a close, this episode is a love letter to difference makers everywhere—those navigating change, courage, career pivots, and complex workplaces. Lori Adams-Brown reflects on the books that shaped her thinking this year and deeply resonated with listeners across the globe. From leadership in the age of…
The Power of Your Authentic Voice: A World of Difference podcast emphasizes the importance of embracing your authentic voice and the value of differentiation in making a difference in the world. Host Lori Adams-Brown encourages listeners to recognize the significance of their unique perspectives and contributions. As 2025 wraps up,…
What should difference makers be reading right now? These are the books that shaped leadership, courage, and voice in 2025. Chapters: 00:00 Why books matter 01:30 Leadership & AI 04:50 Courage & toxic workplaces 09:00 Psychological safety 13:30 Career pivots & presence 17:45 Trauma, recovery & hope 19:30 Looking ahead…
Are you feeling the weight of leadership decisions that seem to pull you away from your core values? You're not alone in wrestling with what it means to lead authentically when the world around us feels increasingly divided and transactional. What happens when kindness becomes your greatest strength, not your…
Are you feeling the weight of this year's challenges while trying to maintain your authentic leadership voice? You're not alone. As we close out what's been an intense year of AI transformation, geopolitical shifts, and workplace upheaval, many executives are questioning what kind of leaders they want to be moving…
Are you walking into meetings wondering why that high-performing team member suddenly shuts down during feedback? Or why your most talented employee seems to overreact to simple workplace conversations? You're witnessing something most leadership training never addresses—the invisible impact of trauma in your workplace. What if I told you that…
Are you leading teams across cultures but feeling like you're constantly misreading the room? You're not alone. Most executives I work with struggle with the same challenge—they know cultural differences matter, but they don't know how to move beyond surface-level awareness to actual competence. What if I told you the…
Ever wonder what real courage at work actually looks like? Spoiler: it’s not all about big speeches or dramatic moments. It’s about those everyday choices, like speaking up in a meeting when it would be easier to stay quiet or sticking to your values even when it feels risky. Host…
Ever feel like work keeps asking for more while you’re running on empty, and wonder if there’s a better way? You’re not alone. Host Lori Adams-Brown just sat down with Dr. Nona Djavid, and she’s living proof that you don’t have to buy into nonstop hustle to be a strong,…
Ever thought that the messiest chapters of your life might actually be the best invitations to something new? On this episode of A World of Difference, host Lori Adams-Brown sat down with Laura Munson (she’s a bestselling author and the founder of Haven Writing Retreats) to talk about how those…
There comes a time when we all face a situation where our values are crossed. What will you do? We are living in those times now. It's time to speak up. Not sit down. Not shut up. It's time to let your voice be heard. What do you stand for?…
The biggest threat to authentic leadership isn't AI itself. It's how we're choosing to use it. Both approaches miss the mark entirely. Here's what lecturer Allison Shapira learned working with executives navigating this shift: The human isn't just "in the loop" the human IS the loop. This reframe changes everything.…
