Pamela Larde, PhD

Author, The Practice of Joy
Professor of Leadership at AU

Dr. Pamela Larde is a professor, coach, author, business owner, and Director of Education for the Institute of Coaching. Dr. Larde spent twelve years in student leadership development at the Claremont Colleges and Marquette University, eleven years as a professor of research at Mercer University's Tift College of Education, and was appointed Associate Professor of Leadership for Anderson University's PhD Leadership Program in 2021. Her research focuses on race and gender dynamics, self-motivation, joy resilience, and posttraumatic growth. 

As a dedicated member of the global community, Dr. Larde is committed to taking the lead in addressing compelling social issues via coach training through the ICF-accredited Academy of Creative Coaching, which she founded in 2013 as the first black female-owned accredited coaching school with the International Coaching Federation. Finally, her podcast, The Joy Whisperer is a platform for discussion that covers issues concerning humanity, intellect, change, and of course... joy.

The Utility of Joy @ Work

Pamela will lead an hour-long breakout session on the topic of joy. 

In her session, Pamela will explore a nuanced understanding of joy in the workplace, moving beyond just the basic link to happiness. She talks about joy as a crucial element of employee engagement and organizational culture, rather than a luxury. She will talk about the conscious and subconscious aspects of joy, its relationship to energy and purpose, and how it differs from simply environmental satisfaction. 

The session will challenge attendees to rethink joy as a fundamental need in the workplace, exploring its connection to autonomy, satisfaction, and meaningful work. Harde will also explain how companies are evolving to prioritize joy, moving beyond surface-level perks to foster deeper engagement and fulfillment among employees.

The session will help you understand joy on a deeper level and will teach you practical ways to make it a priority.