Jun 28, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min · 7 segments
**Welcome to episode #1042 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).** Marcus Buckingham has spent more than three decades changing how…
Marcus BuckinghamGuest
Mitch JoelHost
[upbeat music] What if we've been measuring the wrong things all along? For decades, businesses have optimized for efficiency, productivity, new tech, performance.

But what if the most powerful driver of long-term success isn't something we typically measure at all? What if it's something most leaders are actually uncomfortable even saying out loud? And that's the question that sits at the center of my conversation with Marcus Buckingham, who's been on the show countless times and is a brilliant mind.

Marcus has spent more than three decades studying what makes people thrive at work.

You might remember the books First, Break All the Rules or And Now Discover Your Strengths, To Stand Out.

His work has consistently challenged conventional thinking about performance, strength, and leadership.

He's making the case that love isn't a soft idea in business, but a measurable force that shapes behavior, engagement, loyalty, and even results.

Marcus argues that every interaction, every meeting, every customer touch point, every leadership decision creates some type of experience.

So the question isn't whether we're designing those experiences, it's whether we're designing them intentionally and whether they leave people feeling more fully themselves or less.

So in a business world obsessed with optimization and AI, this conversation asks a far more fundamental question: What if flourishing is the ultimate competitive advantage? Enjoy the conversation.
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