Welcome to Transform’s Q&A Author Spotlight Series, where we feature insightful authors who are redefining people and culture, work, leadership, and technology. Join us to gain fresh perspectives and practical knowledge from those at the forefront of today’s evolving professional landscape. In this Transform Author Spotlight, we explore Amira Barger and her book, The Price of Nice.
“I’m not willing to be silent about inequity for the sake of being nice.”
About the Author
Amira Barger, MBA, CVA, CFRE, is an award-winning communications, change management, and DEI advisor with 20+ years of experience guiding organizations through complex transformations. She is an Executive Vice President at Edelman and a professor of marketing, communications, and change management at CSU East Bay and UCSF. Amira is a columnist for MSNBC and Fast Company and author of the forthcoming book The Price of Nice (Berrett-Koehler, October 28, 2025), which challenges the cultural obsession with “niceness” and its hidden costs. A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Amira helps leaders advance equity, build trust, and foster authentic, inclusive workplaces.
Background and Inspiration
Transform: What inspired you to write about workplace culture and leadership, and what keeps you motivated in this field?
Amira: I grew up watching how “niceness” was used to keep people quiet—especially women, people of color, and anyone challenging the status quo. In my early career, I saw how it showed up in workplace culture: avoiding conflict, prioritizing comfort over real change. That tension inspired me to focus on leadership and workplace transformation, because organizations can’t thrive if they only focus on keeping everyone comfortable. What keeps me motivated is watching people light up when they realize they don’t have to trade authenticity for belonging—that they can lead differently and still succeed.
Transform: Can you share a pivotal moment or experience that led to your interest in the future of work?
Amira: The pandemic shifted everything. It cracked open assumptions about where, when, and how work happens—and revealed how much inequity was baked into the old systems. For me, seeing frontline workers, especially in healthcare, forced into harm’s way while others worked safely from home, was the moment I knew the “future of work” had to be reimagined through an equity lens.
Transform: How have your professional experiences influenced your writing and perspectives on workplace trends?
Amira: I’ve worked across nonprofits, healthcare, and global corporations, often during periods of disruption—mergers, crises, culture shifts. Those experiences showed me how culture, communication, and equity are deeply intertwined. My writing pulls from that front-row view: what happens when organizations get it wrong, and how transformative it is when they get it right.
Writing Process
Transform: What does your typical writing day look like when working on topics related to HR and business?
Amira: I start early, before email and meetings hijack my day. My mornings are for deep work: researching, outlining, or writing in focused sprints. Afternoons are for conversations – interviews, podcasts, or testing ideas with peers. I treat writing like a workout; showing up consistently matters more than waiting for inspiration. I am also still analog – I write in a physical notebook every single day. My favorite is the Leuchtturm journals.
Transform: How do you stay current with the rapidly changing trends in the workplace to ensure your writing remains relevant?
Amira: I read widely – research papers, academic journals, news, and thought leadership from across industries – and I stay close to fellow practitioners. Teaching at universities and advising organizations gives me real-time insight into what leaders and employees are grappling with now, not just what’s trending on LinkedIn. And don’t knock TikTok, there is a lot of learning and education taking place on that platform, I’ve started to dabble in sharing my own knowledge there too for the masses.
Transform: Do you prefer to outline your ideas in detail before writing, or do you allow the narrative to develop organically?
Amira: Both. I outline key arguments and takeaways so I know where I’m headed, but I let the stories, case studies, and real-life examples develop organically as I write. That keeps it structured yet human.
Content Development
Transform: How do you develop the case studies or examples in your books, and do they evolve as you write?
Amira: Case studies come from direct experience, interviews, and research. Many evolve as I write, because often a story starts as an example of one thing and ends up revealing something much deeper about culture or leadership. One of my favorites, the peanut butter and jelly case study and exercise, actually came to me completely at random. I had to stay open‑minded and curious enough to recognize it as useful.
The PB&J story works because it starts simple: I ask people to tell me, step by step, how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It sounds easy until you realize how many assumptions you make without thinking. Do you open the jar before using it? Which side of the bread gets the peanut butter? What if someone has never seen jelly? People instantly see how bias and assumptions shape their instructions, just like they shape how we work together, hire, lead, and communicate. It’s a fun but powerful way to show that when we slow down, question what we “already know,” and invite other perspectives, we create better outcomes at work.
Transform: What is the most challenging aspect of creating relatable and impactful business scenarios?
Amira: Balancing transparency with confidentiality. People connect with real stories, but protecting individual and organizational privacy is critical.
Transform: Have any real-life business situations surprised you by taking a different direction than you anticipated?
Amira: Absolutely. I’ve seen “unsolvable” cultural tensions resolve quickly once leaders were willing to hear uncomfortable truths. Conversely, I’ve seen simple changes stall for years because no one would risk being the first to say, “We need to do things differently.”
Themes and Messages
Transform: What core themes do you explore in your writing, and why are they significant to you and your audience?
Amira: My core themes are authenticity, power, equity, and leadership accountability. These matter because they determine whether a workplace is just “good on paper” or truly equitable and inclusive.
Transform: How do you balance conveying important messages about the workplace culture and leadership with engaging storytelling or practical advice?
Amira: I pair research and data with human stories. It’s one thing to know the stats, but it’s the lived experiences that create urgency. And I always offer practical, actionable steps so readers can immediately apply what they’ve learned.
Transform: Are there recurring motifs or ideas in your work that you believe are crucial for understanding the workplace culture and leadership?
Amira: Yes: power dynamics, systemic inequities, and the hidden costs of “niceness.” These show up repeatedly because they shape everything from who gets promoted to who feels safe speaking up.
Challenges and Rewards
Transform: What has been the most challenging part of your career as an author focused on HR and workplace culture?
Amira: Pushing against deeply ingrained beliefs, like that “being nice” is always good, can be uncomfortable for readers. But challenging comfort zones is part of the work. People often confuse discomfort with disrespect—if what I say makes them squirm, they assume I’m attacking them rather than the problem. And when you’re the kind of leader who is comfortable disrupting in the service of something better, you can quickly get labeled the problem instead of being seen as someone naming and addressing the problem itself. That tension has been one of the most challenging parts of my career, but also one of the most necessary.
Transform: What’s the most rewarding aspect of writing about culture and workplace trends?
Amira: Hearing from readers who say, “This gave me language for what I’ve been feeling for years,” or, “I finally feel like I can speak up,” is incredibly rewarding. I wrote an entire book on nice to give us new language and new framing; because if we can name it, we can change it. My goal isn’t to provoke for the sake of drama, but to provoke for the dream on the other end: a workplace and a world that truly works for all of us.
Transform: How do you handle periods of writer’s block or when new workplace trends, culture, and leadership seem overwhelming?
Amira: I treat it as data: if I’m blocked, it often means I’m tired or need more clarity. I step away, talk to people experiencing the issue, or revisit my core question: “Who is this for, and what do they need right now?”
“We need to align our actions with our values—
otherwise our values are just empty statements.”
Publishing and Reception
Transform: Can you describe your journey to getting published in the HR and business genre?
Amira: I started with op-eds and thought leadership, which built my voice and audience. That led to columns for MSNBC and Fast Company and ultimately to Berrett-Koehler, which aligned perfectly with my values-driven approach.
Transform: How do you respond to feedback and criticism of your work, especially from HR professionals?
Amira: I listen, especially if it’s from people I write for, like HR pros or employees. Criticism is often a gift that shows me where I need to clarify or expand my thinking.
Transform: What has been the most surprising reaction from readers to your book?
Amira: It comes out on October 28, so not many have read it yet. However, I am speaking about the concept, and doing podcasts and webinars on it, so many early readers admitted they never realized how much “niceness” was harming progress until they read The Price of Nice. That level of self-reflection has been inspiring.
Advice and Future Plans
Transform: What advice would you give to HR professionals or business leaders who aspire to write about their field?
Amira: Write from experience, not just expertise. Readers want your perspective, your voice, and your lessons learned – don’t try to sound like everyone else.
Transform: What’s next for you? Are you working on any new projects or books?
Amira: Book tour for The Price of Nice and expanding my TikTok Comms Analysis series on media literacy and communications strategy. I’m also exploring a second book focused on rhetoric and public discourse, because the way we communicate can, in fact, cause harm. Think about formats like Jubilee’s public forums via YouTube: they look like “open dialogue,” but the structure itself can normalize dangerous viewpoints. Much like what I teach on TikTok, this next book will explore how the way we communicate shapes culture, trust, and ultimately, the health of our democracy.
Transform: How do you envision your writing evolving?
Amira: I see myself leaning even more into multimedia, podcasts, video, and interactive formats that bring these ideas to life for broader audiences.
Personal Insights
Transform: If you could have dinner with any three thought leaders in HR or business, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Amira: bell hooks, for her brilliance on love and power, and may she rest in power; Adam Grant, for his research on organizational psychology; and Resmaa Menakem, for his work on racialized trauma in leadership.
Transform: What book (besides your own) do you wish you had written and why?
Amira: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg. I wish I had written it because it captures something I care deeply about—how the way we communicate can either connect or divide us. Supercommunicators explores the psychology and neuroscience behind how we can all learn to be supercommunicators at work and in life. That’s at the heart of my work, whether it’s workplace culture, rhetoric, or my TikTok series. Duhigg breaks it down in such an accessible way, and lately, it’s a book I recommend all the time.
Transform: How do you unwind and stay grounded when you’re not immersed in writing about workplace culture and leadership?
Amira: I spend time with my family, kayak in the Bay, drive over to Napa for wine, and visit national parks—we’re on a mission to see all 417!
“I want HR leaders to know that you can be
kind and firm. You can be bold and thoughtful.”
Deep Dive into Specific Works
Transform: What’s the story behind the title of your latest book, The Price of Nice?
Amira:
Transform: Can you share an interesting fact or piece of trivia about your research process from your book, The Price of Nice?
Amira:
Transform:
How do you choose the case studies or companies to feature in your work, and do any of them hold personal significance?
Amira:
Engagement with Readers
Transform: How do you interact with your readers, especially those who are HR professionals or business leaders?
Amira: Conferences across the U.S. and now social media are my main spaces, especially TikTok, where I break down workplace and media trends. I also engage through workshops and live Q&As.
About the Reader
Transform: Describe what a leader/organization looks like one year after reading your book and committing to its teachings.
Amira: Leaders show up as their most uninterrupted selves—meaning they’re no longer performing a watered-down version of who they are to fit in or keep the peace. They lead without editing out their convictions, their curiosity, or their creativity just to avoid making others uncomfortable. One year after committing to the book’s teachings, you see leaders who can have hard conversations without flinching, set boundaries without apology, and create space for others to show up as their full selves, too. It’s a ripple effect, an organization that feels braver, more honest, and more human.
Transform: Considering a reader who just finished your book and is processing all the great insights, what is the first step they should take to operationalize their learning?
Amira: Identify one area where “niceness” is holding your team back, then have the courageous conversation to change it.
Transform: Share three takeaways from The Price of Nice that the reader should walk away with.
Amira:
- Niceness can perpetuate harm and stagnation.
- Courageous, authentic leadership drives real change.
- Discomfort is not failure—it’s growth in motion.
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