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July 14th, 2026

Language Learning, Leadership, and Finding Joy in Your Passion with Maaya Konishi

  1. Language Learning, Leadership, and Finding Joy in Your Passion with Maaya Konishi Dr. Christie McMullen 30:07

Today Dr. Christie has an outstanding interview with Maaya Konishi, CEO of Communica, author, global speaker, five-language polyglot, and amateur golfer based in Japan. Maaya shares how moving to the U.S. at age five and later living in Indonesia sparked her passion for language, culture, and linguistics, and how translating for her Family accelerated her English. 

She explains leaving investment banking to pursue her passion for teaching English and leadership development, leading to books for English learners and adults, including Becoming CEO. Maaya defines productive joy as sharing expertise to help others progress, and discusses delegating based on team strengths. Her advice: avoid paralysis by details, take one step at a time, and stay focused on what you’re good at. 

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Episode 300 Welcome

00:16 Meet Maaya Konishi

01:49 Language Origins Abroad

03:09 Learning English Young

05:32 From Linguistics to Author

06:03 Leaving Finance for Passion

11:32 Communication and Impact

13:01 Defining Productive Joy

14:51 Leadership and Delegation

20:08 Advice Against Overthinking

23:16 Golf and Language Parallels

26:50 Rapid Fire and Takeaway

28:55 Final Thanks and Challenge 

#ProductiveJoy #Episode300 #MayaKaneshiro #Communica #LanguageLearning #EnglishLearning #Polyglot #Linguistics #LeadershipDevelopment #CEO #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #CareerChange #FindYourPassion #FollowYourPassion #PublicSpeaking #ExecutiveCoaching #TeamLeadership #Delegation #Productivity #Discipline #GolfLife #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #Japan

Dr. Christie McMullen is a best-selling author and 25-year educator turned entrepreneur who can help you make work fun! She has worked with thousands of adults in multiple industries at organizations like Aetna, ReMax, Solaris, and RISE to improve human interactions.

With a masters and doctorate in Educational Leadership and two and a half decades of practical experience she is able to connect with CEOs, directors, educators, salespeople, and everyone in between.

As a coach, networking specialist, and keynote speaker she can help any human overcome mediocrity to experience extraordinary interactions with others. She can help you AIM, Analyze your current interactions, Improve on those interactions, and Move towards extraordinary relationships.

No one wakes up in the morning and says, "I want to be terrible at my job today." but quite often they are because they don't have the right tools in their toolbelt to be extraordinary. Christie can help