Charlie Levin · Mar 17, 2026
In the latest episode of The Munn Avenue Muse, host Charlie Levin speaks with HR leader, consultant, and researcher Dr. Roz Cohen, author of The Engagement Dilemma. The conversation pulls back the curtain on one of the most uncomfortable truths in modern leadership:
Many workplace culture initiatives aren’t meant to solve problems. They’re meant to look like they are. Cohen calls this phenomenon engagement theater, and once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
The Most Dangerous Culture Problem Is Invisible
Engagement theater resembles real effort.
Town halls. Surveys. Retreats. Listening sessions. Carefully worded emails about values and belonging. On paper, everything appears positive.
Employees, however, are remarkably good at sensing authenticity. When initiatives fail to produce meaningful change, trust erodes quietly—not through rebellion, but through withdrawal.
People stop speaking up.
Stop volunteering ideas.
Stop believing honesty is safe.
Over time, they stop bringing their full selves to work. Not out of laziness, but out of self-protection.
Why Real Leaders Talk About Their Mistakes
What makes Cohen’s book unusual is that she doesn’t present herself as the flawless expert. Instead, she shares deeply uncomfortable moments from her own career.
Including one that still makes her cringe.
Early in her finance career, she casually referred to an employee as “my pet” and tapped them on the shoulder, a comment overheard by her boss and immediately recognized as inappropriate.
Many professionals would erase that memory.
Cohen chose to document it. Leaders who pretend they have never failed create cultures where everyone else feels pressure to pretend as well. Acknowledging mistakes does not diminish authority; it makes leadership more human.
And humans follow humans, not perfection.
Stories Change People More Than Data Ever Will
Cohen deliberately structured The Engagement Dilemma around narrative, not just research. Because information informs. Stories transform.
A statistic might make you think. A story makes you remember. A personal story makes you feel.
That emotional connection is what actually shifts behavior, whether in leadership, teaching, or writing. As Cohen notes, the fastest way to regain a drifting audience is simple: “Let me tell you a story.”
Everyone leans in. Because stories are how humans make meaning.
When Labels Replace Curiosity
Cohen also tackles one of the most charged topics in modern workplaces: diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Her argument is both bold and disarming. At their core, these concepts aren’t political. They’re human. People want to be seen. Understood. Valued for who they are.
The problem arises when labels become shortcuts for understanding. Instead of learning about the individual in front of us, we interact with assumptions.
Cohen compares it to wearing tinted glasses: everything you see is pre-filtered before you even begin. Clear vision requires removing the tint.
The Values Driving the Message
Cohen traces her motivation to two Jewish principles that shaped her worldview:
Tzedakah — the responsibility to give back
Tikkun Olam — the call to repair the world
Writing the book was, for her, an act of contribution. Knowledge that stays within elite circles helps no one.
But if one leader reads the book and changes one behavior, if one employee feels more seen, more heard, more valued, that ripple matters.
The Real Engagement Dilemma
The biggest threat to workplace culture is performative care.
Employees don’t need more programs that appear supportive. What matters is leadership behavior that demonstrates support in everyday moments.
A manager who listens without deflecting.
A system that makes participation possible for more than just the loudest voices.
A culture where mistakes can be discussed openly and learned from.
Engagement is not something leaders announce. It is something people experience.
When individuals feel genuinely seen, motivation follows naturally.
If you lead people, this conversation serves less as a set of tips and more as a wake-up call. The future of work will not be defined by perks, policies, or slogans, but by whether employees believe their leaders genuinely mean what they say.
For Writers: Stop Waiting for the Perfect Conditions
Cohen’s advice to aspiring nonfiction authors is refreshingly grounded:
Start small. Stay consistent. Lower the bar.
Write for 30 minutes. Write three sentences. Organize notes. Free-write without editing. Progress beats perfection. She compares writing a book to eating an elephant: one bite at a time.
Most unfinished manuscripts aren’t abandoned because of a lack of talent, they’re abandoned because the task feels too large to begin.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Munn Avenue Muse featuring Dr. Roz Cohen on your favorite podcast platform.
📘 The Engagement Dilemma is available now at:
🌐 Connect with Roz at DrRozCohen.com
✍️ If you are ready to share your own story, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of both, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you bring it to life. If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.
Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder
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