The 1-in-4 Crisis: Navigating the Energetics of a Connected Culture w/ Jeff Hamaoui

One in four Americans feels like they don't have a single friend at work. Jeff Hamaoui, co-founder of Modern Elder Academy, explains why this "friendship deficit" is a business emergency and how leaders can navigate the energetics of a connected culture to drive innovation and purpose.

In the corporate world, friendship is often treated as a consequence of long hours together, not as a strategy for success. But Jeff Hamaoui, co-founder of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), argues that connection has critical operational implications.

In this episode, Jeff joins Corissa to discuss the 1-in-4 Crisis: the staggering reality that 25% of Americans have zero friends at work. They explore why professional distance is a liability and how prosocial leadership leads to higher retention, innovation, and a deeper sense of purpose.

A self-described skeptic who once rolled his eyes at "shamans in smocks," Jeff shares how the death of his young friend Zach forced him to move from a head-centric worldview to a heart-centered faith. He breaks down friendship not just as a social activity, but as a practice of managing the energetic field between people.

In this episode, we cover:

Prosocial Companies: Why the data supports building friendlier workplaces to improve performance and innovation.

The Skeptic’s Path: Jeff’s initial resistance to spiritual work and how grief became his most profound teacher.

Managing the Field: How to view your relationships as an energetic entity that can be elevated or drained.

Transcendent Connection: The sign Jeff’s friend Zach promised to send from the other side and how it realigned Jeff’s belief in the transcendent.

Notable Quotes:
"One in four Americans feels like they don't have a single friend at work... Just imagine how that feels." — Jeff Hamaoui

"Loneliness sits in the same part of the brain as hunger. We hunger for each other." — Jeff Hamaoui

"There is a field that we co-create with people... the practice of friendship is about how do we manage that field?" — Jeff Hamaoui

Resources & Links:

Modern Elder Academy (MEA): https://meawisdom.com