Built On Purpose

Episode Summary: In this episode of Built on Purpose, Max Hansen sits down with Dr. Laura Gallaher to explore the psychology of leadership, self-acceptance, and organizational culture. Dr. Gallaher shares insights from her early career at NASA, where she was hired to help transform the agency’s culture after the Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy. Together, they discuss the importance of psychological safety, self-awareness, and accountability in leadership, and how leaders can foster environments that drive both high performance and employee well-being. Key Topics Discussed: 1. Introduction to Dr. Laura Gallaher Founder and CEO of Gallaher Edge (est. 2013) PhD in Organizational Psychology Early career at NASA working on cultural transformation post-Columbia accident 2. NASA, Psychological Safety, and Leadership Lessons The role of organizational culture in the Columbia disaster Why psychological safety is critical for open communication How NASA’s culture unintentionally bred fear despite being rated one of t