Pushing harder isn’t always the path to progress. Lorraine Berg, leadership strategist and founder of Human Centered Workplaces, shares how burnout reshaped her approach to leadership. In this interview, she explains differentiated leadership and how aligning with natural design can reshape how teams function and connect.

Editor’s Note: This interview includes discussion of the “science of differentiation,” a methodology that draws from Human Design, which incorporates birth data (time, date, and place). While it is presented here as a leadership and self-awareness framework, readers are encouraged to approach this model with curiosity and discernment, recognizing that it is not based on conventional scientific or psychological paradigms.

Lorraine, thank you for being here. To begin, can you tell us about your journey—from running a traditional business to developing your human-centered leadership framework—and how that shift reshaped your purpose?

Thank you so much for having me. My path to human-centered leadership didn’t begin in theory; it crystallized after two decades of experience and an eventual burnout that brought everything into focus.
I ran a nationally recognized brick-and-mortar salon and retail business in the beauty industry, leading a team of 28 across sales, education, and client services. From the outside, it looked like a success story. But internally, I was burning out and ultimately made the painful decision to close the business and file for bankruptcy.

That unraveling forced me to examine the foundation of leadership and success. What emerged from that space was Human Centered Workplaces, a consultancy rooted in the science of differentiation. I began to study how we are each uniquely designed to make decisions, contribute, and relate at work. It changed the way I saw everything—from burnout to productivity, from team dynamics to personal fulfillment.

Now, we help leaders and companies understand how to support the human behind the role. Because thriving doesn’t come from pushing harder, it comes from aligning more deeply with who you really are. Something that isn’t taught in business school.

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You talk about the ‘science of differentiation.’ For those new to the concept, what exactly is it—and how does it go beyond traditional personality or leadership styles?

The science of differentiation is an evidence-based system that shows how each of us is designed to operate—our natural strengths, decision-making process, and how we work best with others. It uses objective data (birth time, date, and place) to uncover what’s already within you and applies it to real-world environments like business and leadership.

Unlike traditional personality tests, this isn’t about labeling you or boxing you in. It’s a practical framework for self-awareness and team awareness.

For me personally, it shut down the comparison game completely. I began to lead differently because I understood how I was meant to lead. And that changed everything. Because like biometric thumbprints, no two are ever alike. We are not alike—the way we approach things and contribute to things are rarely alike. That’s the power in the word “differentiation.”

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This framework is based on birth data—time, date, and location. For skeptics who may be unfamiliar with this method, how do you explain its practicality in business settings?

Skepticism is healthy. I always invite people to be curious. I can show you the logic, where the information comes from, how we interpret it, and how to apply it, but the real work is in your experiment. Does it feel true for you? That’s what matters.

And that’s where confidence starts: in self-accountability and self-recognition. Most people don’t realize they’re craving that deeper sense of internal alignment until they find it. The science offers a way to understand your relationship to your work and your choices like never before.

I always say, don’t take my word for it. Try it, test it, live it. That’s how results happen. This isn’t about me or what has worked for me, because I have validated it for myself. I know what works for me, thanks to this science and experiment. This is about YOU and supporting you as you figure out what has always been true for you.

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One of your goals is to help leaders regulate nervous system stress and restore trust in teams. How does understanding individual design directly contribute to that?

Understanding your design helps regulate the nervous system because it teaches you how to make decisions from a place of internal clarity, not mental overdrive. When you’re grounded in how you operate, you stop overextending and start honoring what feels correct for you. The body naturally becomes regulated because you’re not always in fight-or-flight mode. That heightened stress—ironically built over time—creates dissociation from the nervous system, which becomes clearer as you experiment with discovering your own rhythms and patterns of being. Especially in the workplace, where we adults spend most of our lives.

From there, trust naturally builds. When each person on a team knows how they function best and respects how others do, miscommunication and tension start to fade. That’s when you go from effort to flow—individually and collectively.

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You’ve said that many systems aren’t built for individuality. Can you give an example of how a misalignment between a person’s design and their work environment leads to burnout or dysfunction?

Burnout often doesn’t come from doing too much—it comes from doing things in ways that go against your nature.

I lived this. I grew up in a “just do it,” hustle culture. You’ve heard the saying, “No pain, no gain.” And for a while, I thought that was leadership. But it wasn’t sustainable—at least for someone like me.
When you’re trying to fit into roles, expectations, or team dynamics that don’t match your design, resistance builds. Communication erodes. It’s like static going out and static coming in. Do you recognize that experience?

Over time, that shows up as frustration, bitterness, or burnout. Better yet, we can use the trending workplace words for deeper connection—disengagement, quiet quitting, and the like. The science of differentiation helps you identify those misalignments early, so you can recalibrate and show up with clarity. And for leadership, attempt to connect to your people and support them holistically, before it’s too late.

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How does this framework apply in the context of AI and automation, where the human element is often sidelined for efficiency?

We are entering a world where artificial intelligence will do more of the thinking and producing. But it cannot replicate human spirit. It can’t offer a warm smile, a gut sense, or genuine emotional presence.

This is why human connection is not a soft skill—it’s a survival need. As AI grows, it will become harder to discern what’s real and what’s simulated. The ability to read energy, regulate emotions, and truly connect with others will be more vital than ever. Knowing yourself—how you’re naturally wired, how you support, and how you lead—will be one of the most valuable tools in the future of work.

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You’ve shifted from leading a team of 28 in a brick-and-mortar business to working with leaders through this new model. What were the most difficult lessons you had to unlearn during that transition?

Leadership had always come naturally to me, but it wasn’t until I faced collapse that I realized I had internalized ways of working that weren’t mine, as I mentioned in a previous question. I had to unlearn the culture of “push through” and “make it happen.” I said yes to everything and had a “can-do attitude” that, from the outside, looked like I was “put together” and “ambitious”—or better yet, “great work ethic” is what most peers would say about me.

The biggest lesson? Knowing when enough is enough. A precision in discernment and right action.

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Have you received certifications or recognitions that support this model? What do they signify for you and your work?

Yes, I’m certified through the BG5 Business Institute, the business application of the science of differentiation. This certification allows me to interpret and translate an individual’s career design into practical, empowering strategies for leadership, communication, and business operations—without jargon or overwhelm. It gives clients language for what they’ve always sensed and permission to lead and contribute from their true nature.

Beyond certification, I’ve spent over two decades leading in both entrepreneurial and corporate settings, and I bring that lived experience to the conversation for support and relatability. I’ve worked nationally and internationally, and within diverse industries from beauty and retail to education and sales. I’ve built and scaled teams across cultures, led service and retail operations with 28+ staff, and was nationally recognized as one of the Top 200 salons in the U.S. I’ve collaborated with institutions like the University of St. Thomas School of Entrepreneurship, been published in Canvas Rebel and other media outlets, and supported BIPOC communities through my work with organizations like MEDA (Metropolitan Economic Development Association). I’m also a serial entrepreneur and currently manage two businesses while raising a young family.

What these achievements signify isn’t just accomplishment—they reflect adaptability, evolution, and a lifelong commitment to human development. They show that I’ve walked the path from traditional models of success to building something more regenerative and aligned. HCW only works with professional experts and now stands at the intersection of lived leadership and modern systems thinking, where we help others create clarity, traction, and sustainability—on their own terms.

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You’ve emphasized that human connection is not a soft skill but a structural necessity. How can organizations restructure roles or cultures to reflect this philosophy in practical terms?

Let’s be honest: there’s a lot of frustration and disappointment in the workplace today. People feel misunderstood, micromanaged, or unseen. Communication breaks down. Trust erodes.

Human connection isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s fundamental to how we work together. In nature, we survive in groups. We co-regulate. We support each other. That’s not sentiment—it’s science.

To reflect this practically, organizations need to move beyond assumptions. Know your people—not just their resume, but how they process, communicate, and decide. When you stop treating people as interchangeable parts and start honoring them as individuals, you unlock more efficiency and more harmony.

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For leaders who are feeling stuck in outdated frameworks, what’s one simple step they can take today to begin honoring differentiation in their teams?

Start by getting curious about how you lead—not the role you were trained into, but who you are underneath it all.

From there, get curious about your team. Everyone processes and operates differently. You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. But you can begin by paying attention: what energizes each person, how they make decisions, and where friction keeps showing up.
This one shift—curiosity—can change everything. Because once you see how different we really are, you stop trying to fit people into the same box. You start leading them the way they’re wired to succeed. That’s when traction happens.

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If you were to write your bio in your own words, what would you say? What legacy do you hope to leave?

Lorraine Berg is a leadership strategist, educator, and founder of Human Centered Workplaces, a consultancy guiding modern leaders to restore traction, trust, and sustainability in how they work, lead, and relate.

With over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, education, and team development, Lorraine has led cross-functional teams in retail, service, and professional development sectors. Her career includes founding and operating a nationally recognized brick-and-mortar business that employed 28 people and was named one of the Top 200 Salons in the United States by Salon Today magazine. That experience—of building, burning out, and ultimately rebuilding—became the catalyst for her lifelong devotion to human sustainability in leadership.

Lorraine is a certified BG5 Career and Business Consultant through the BG5 Business Institute, the global hub for the professional application of Human Design in the workplace. Her expertise is grounded in the science of differentiation, a revolutionary system that reveals how individuals are designed to make aligned decisions, contribute uniquely, and thrive in environments that recognize their authentic nature. She teaches that each person possesses a built-in decision-making strategy—mechanical, reliable, and powerful—that is rarely acknowledged in mainstream education or leadership models.

Her work fuses nervous system regulation, team energetics, and business structure to reveal how honoring natural design leads to greater clarity, emotional intelligence, and long-term performance. At the heart of her mission is the radical notion that clarity creates traction, and that honoring the differentiated human is not a soft skill, but a structural imperative in the future of work.

Lorraine has contributed to the University of St. Thomas School of Entrepreneurship, been featured in Canvas Rebel Magazine and other media platforms, and actively supports BIPOC and women entrepreneurs through advisory work with organizations such as MEDA (Metropolitan Economic Development Association). She currently leads Human Centered Workplaces while managing a second business and raising a family—embodying the very principles she teaches.

Her legacy centers on helping people return to what has always been true about them but forgotten under systems that asked them to override their nature. She brings both lived experience and formal training to a field that is redefining leadership from the inside out.

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Key Links & Credentials:
🌐 Website: www.humancenteredworkplaces.com
🔗 LinkedIn: Lorraine on LinkedIn
📜 BG5 Certification: BG5 Business Institute Profile
📰 Media Feature: Canvas Rebel Magazine
📖 Case Study: Full Business Analysis: From Burnout to Empowered Business Stewardship

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Welcome to Humane HR Talk, where we present insightful interviews with HR industry experts and thought leaders in related fields sharing their strategies, perspectives, and visions for creating more human-centric workplaces. Through these discussions, you’ll gain practical tips and fresh inspiration to transform your HR practices, to foster inclusive, thriving cultures, and to help in your own journey in the evolving world of work.

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