Episodios
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“You see companies: “I'm going to put a… ping pong table in the break room… and I'm going to have a massage therapist come in and do chair massages…” Those are all nice amenities, but they aren't culture… Culture… is the force that keeps everything together… Some people never get that, they never understand this is necessary… But if… they want to stick around for a while… they need to create a workplace that the people want to come back to every single day… You're going to be alone unless you understand that the only way you create anything is through people… Do you want to do this alone? Because if so, you shouldn't even hire people… But if you want to do great things with people, you better start with people”.
S03E05 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Joseph Michelli PhD. As an expert in organizational culture and customer experience, Joseph has collaborated with some of the world’s most renowned brands. He is the author of several insightful books that delve into the cultures of companies like Starbucks, Zappos, Ritz-Carlton, Mercedes-Benz, and Airbnb, revealing how these leaders have crafted lasting and impactful cultures within their organizations. Interestingly, Joseph began his career as a radio host at the young age of 13, highlighting his passion for communication and connection from an early age.
In this thought-provoking conversation, Joseph emphasizes the value of a people-centric leadership approach and how fostering authentic relationships can drive organizational success. He discusses the significance of intentional culture-building and how leaders can create environments where employees feel valued and engaged. Drawing on his extensive experience working with top CEOs, he provides actionable insights into the dynamics of remote work and interpersonal connections, urging leaders to prioritize meaningful interactions. With his unique blend of storytelling and expertise, and his commitment to passing down his wisdom to future leaders, Joseph inspires us to rethink our approach to culture, leadership, and the pursuit of a balanced and impactful career.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• Insights from top CEOs on how intentional company culture drives innovation, employee engagement, and long-term success.
• How leaders can build a vibrant culture that boosts employee engagement rather than accepting a “culture by default”.
• The significance of work-life balance for long-term health, and advice Joseph would give his younger self.
• The irreplaceable value of in-person interactions for trust, and practical ways to build emotional connections in remote teams.
• How in-person gatherings strengthen bonds beyond what digital tools can provide.
• The importance of genuinely caring for your team for success and profitability.
• The risks of workforce disengagement and how intentional culture can engage more employees.
• Why great leaders encourage rather than compete with the next generation.
• Tips for leveraging small moments to cultivate a strong, cohesive team culture.Further resources:
• Joseph Michelli, Ph.D. on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmichelli/
• Joseph’s Website: https://www.josephmichelli.com/
• When Fish Fly: Lessons for Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace from the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market, by John Yokoyama and Joseph Michelli PhD: https://www.amazon.com/When-Fish-Fly-Energized-Workplace-ebook/dp/B000FC1VVA/
• Stronger Through Adversity: World-Class Leaders Share Pandemic-Tested Lessons on Thriving During the Toughest Challenges, by Joseph A. Michelli: https://www.amazon.com/Stronger-Through-Adversity-World-Class-Pandemic-Tested-ebook/dp/B08CQHCJT4/
• My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future, by Indra Nooyi: https://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Full-Family-Future-ebook/dp/B08YN8H8GF/ -
"If you're not happy and you're not enjoying your environment, it's going to be hard to feel fulfilled… I tried a few different things, and they didn't work out… I think that really helped build my resilience and helped teach me that maybe the world judges successes and failures based on outcome. But it helped me create a deeper meaning for myself of what, actually, success looks like. And for me, it's really following my beliefs and having that clarity and focus and passion."
S03E04 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Seth Casden, the CEO and founder of Hologenix. As the force behind CELLIANT—a groundbreaking infrared textile technology that boosts local circulation, enhancing performance, recovery, and sleep—Seth shares how Hologenix’s culture has been instrumental in its recognition as one of Inc.’s top 5000 fastest-growing U.S. companies for three consecutive years.
In this episode, Seth shares his 20-year ascent in cultivating an empowering, resilient culture within Hologenix, drawing on the endurance and strategic thinking required in mountaineering. He highlights the importance of prioritizing people and fostering self-awareness and open communication, all essential to navigating challenging terrain in business. He discusses the value of a supportive environment where employees feel safe to grow, reflect, and collaborate. Seth also shares stories of mentors who influenced his leadership style, approaches for navigating conflict with empathy, and how these values create a meaningful workplace aligned with his broader definition of success.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• How a culture built on perseverance and learning from failure enables teams to navigate challenges and grow.
• Why prioritizing people and cultivating a positive, servant-led workplace drive greater alignment and success.
• How resilience and emotional detachment empower teams to handle criticism and build confidence.
• Why redefining success to include time freedom for meaningful activities enhances gratitude and fulfilment at work and in life.
• What active listening can achieve in deepening understanding and connection across teams.
• How mentorship and living abroad shaped Seth’s approach to fostering a resilient, empowered culture.
• Why Seth uses fear as an indicator to identify workplace conflicts that might otherwise go unspoken.
• How Seth's leadership style prioritizes empathy, empowerment, communication, and self-awareness over micromanagement.Further resources:
• Seth Casden on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethcasden/
• CELLIANT website: https://celliant.com/ -
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"It feels good to do good with your business. I think we underestimate ourselves as businesspeople and the impact that we can have on people in the world. And we look at politicians and policy, and we look at the slow going, and the barriers to things changing. If we want a more just and equitable future, where all of us can thrive and seek opportunity, business can play an important role in doing that... It starts with caring for your people and giving them good jobs. Not jobs where you're depending on them to have less so you can have more. And frankly, the feeling that you get from that is one that I have enjoyed from the moment we opened our doors as Nest DC."
S03E03 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on lisa wise, the visionary founder of Nest DC and the birdseed Foundation. Nest DC is a socially conscious property management company dedicated to ethical practices and sustainable housing solutions that foster community-building and equity in real estate. The birdSEED Foundation is lisa’s philanthropic initiative that provides no-strings-attached down payment assistance to disadvantaged minority homebuyers, addressing racial discrimination and empowering communities to build generational wealth through homeownership.
Learn how lisa's innovative real estate management company oversees $2 billion in properties while her nonprofit empowers minority homeowners with essential downpayment grants. Join us for an inspiring episode packed with insights on workplace justice, activism, entrepreneurship, and lisa’s powerful impact on both business and community.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• What makes Nest DC a game-changer in property management.
• How Nest DC creates great jobs with competitive pay and growth opportunities.
• The importance of a justice mindset that places people before profit.
• Lisa's approach to servant leadership.
• How lisa tackles profitability challenges.
• How lisa views employee ownership vs. responsibility
• Lisa’s habits for maintaining mental and physical well-being.
• The intentionality of public praise and private feedback.
• How lisa's housing insecurity and privilege shaped her mission with birdSEED.
• Lisa's vision for scaling birdSEED to help thousands more.Further resources:
• lisa wise on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisawise/
• birdSEED: https://www.birdseed.org/
• Nest DC: https://www.nest-dc.com/
• Self-Elected: How to Put Justice Over Profit and Soar in Business, by lisa wise: https://www.amazon.com/Self-Elected-Justice-Over-Profit-Business-ebook/dp/B0B9T2H5QH
• Radical Candor, by Kim Scott: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Candor-Revised-Kick-Ass-Humanity-ebook/dp/B07P9LPXPT/ -
"High self-worth leaders want to create environments where everyone can flourish. Low self-worth leaders create environments that control people. So, if they're willing to work on their self-worth… we can build a democratic company in a Democratic Leadership style… seeing how employees feel differently when they work in a WorldBlu certified freedom-centered company, because suddenly they're seen. They're treated with dignity. They're treated with respect. They're treated as a person who has worth."
S03E02 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Traci Fenton, a celebrated keynote speaker, coach, and author of Freedom at Work. Traci is the founder and CEO of WorldBlu, a well-known leadership, culture, training, and certification company dedicated to transforming leadership and workplace culture through freedom-centered principles. Recognized by Inc. magazine as a Top 50 Leadership Thinker and a recipient of the prestigious Thinkers50 Radar award, Traci founded WorldBlu during her senior year in college, with the vision of empowering 1 billion people to work in freedom-centered organizations. WorldBlu has already impacted 1.25 million people by training and certifying companies to foster cultures of democracy and freedom in the workplace.
In this episode, Traci dives deep into her experiences with organizational democracy and her personal journey of discovering the importance of freedom at work. She discusses the Freedom at Work Scorecard, a unique tool that measures the level of freedom and democracy within companies and offers practical advice on how leaders can build environments where both individuals and the team thrive. She also shares insights on the link between self-worth, knowing your inherent value, and leadership, and how businesses can foster a culture that balances individual empowerment with collective success.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• Traci’s college experience that sparked her passion for organizational democracy.
• Her eye-opening experience in Indonesia and the impact of witnessing a lack of freedom.
• Why organizational democracy is important.
• How cultural influences shape leadership styles.
• The Power Question Practice for overcoming fear.
• The importance of hiring people with high self-worth.
• How to foster a world where everyone lives, leads, and works in freedom, not fear.
• The Freedom at Work framework for building freedom-centered cultures.
• Measuring and improving organizational democracy with the Freedom at Work Scorecard.Further resources:
• Traci Fenton’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracilfenton/
• WorldBlu website: https://www.worldblu.com/
• Freedom at Work: The Leadership Strategy for Transforming Your Life, Your Organization, and Our World, by Traci Fenton: https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Work-Leadership-Transforming-Organization/dp/1953295495 -
"I present a vision of the world the way it was meant to be… As we come together in organizations, we need leaders who know how to be good stewards of the people who join this organization, and we send them home fulfilled each night, which will create better families, heal the brokenness we're seeing in our communities… We could heal the brokenness in the world, if we had leaders who had the skills and courage to care."
S03E01 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Bob Chapman, Chairman & CEO of Barry-Wehmiller. Under Bob's leadership, Barry-Wehmiller has transformed from a struggling $20 million business into a $3 billion global company with over 12,000 team members. His unique approach, rooted in people-centric leadership, has driven over 130 acquisitions while focusing on improving lives—not just for customers, but for employees too. Beyond his business role, Bob founded the Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute, emphasizing leadership training and cultural transformation. He's also the co-author of Everybody Matters and the newly released The Journey of Leadership, which explores servant leadership and building happier workplaces.
In this thought-provoking conversation, Bob Chapman redefines leadership with a powerful message: it's not about profits, it's about people. He highlights how traditional leadership often overlooks teaching leaders to care, instead focusing on using people for success. At Barry-Wehmiller, Bob flips the script, championing a culture where "The People are our Purpose." By seeing every employee as someone's precious child, he creates a workplace where people feel valued. The result? A thriving company that measures success by the impact on lives. Bob’s insights will challenge you to rethink what true leadership looks like.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• Bob Chapman’s revelations about the positive impact business can have on the world.
• Why leaders were not taught to care for the people they’re leading, and how they can start.
• How to shift from management to human-centered leadership.
• The importance of showing pride in your employees and addressing their needs with compassion.
• How to balance people, purpose, and performance equally.
• Why creating both human and economic value matters.
• The power of courageous patience and healing the poverty of dignity.
• If business is more like a family or a sports team.
• Whether Barry-Wehmiller's culture or business model is what drives its success.
• How the way we see people affects the way we treat them, and in turn their performance.Further resources:
• Truly Human Leadership: https://www.barrywehmiller.com/blog
• Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute: https://www.ccoleadership.com/
• Humanistic Leadership Academy: https://humanisticleadershipacademy.org/
• Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family, by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia: https://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Matters-Extraordinary-Caring-People/dp/1591847796
• Bob Chapman – Truly human leadership – TEDxScottAFB: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01NQZrWIXno
• Impressions of Truly Human Leadership: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVyQ_IuzuKA -
"I learned a very hard lesson in my early twenties when I was running my painting business. I had a lot of my painters quit partway through the summer and I didn't understand why they were quitting on me… I was dictating. I wasn't inspiring them. I wasn't sharing my vision with them or my goals. I wasn't treating them like teammates. I was being a dictator. And my dad said to me, Kristi, people are priority. If you don't have a great team of people, you've got nothing. So make people your priority. And so I would whisper in the ear to anyone, people are priority and play is powerful. Make people priority by having some fun with some play and because it's powerful, you'll get back a lot of value from doing so."
S02E01 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Kristi Herold, the founder and CEO of JAM. JAM is a company that has brought the joy of play to millions of people at work through more than 4,000 corporate events across 30+ countries. JAM has been recognized with Canada's Most Admired Culture Award, while its founder, Kristi Herold, has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women.
Kristi is the best-selling author of the book It Pays to Play. Driven by a vision to engage one million people in play annually, Kristi’s passion for fun extends beyond her business. In her 40s, she taught herself to play the guitar so she could sing along, and she loves to engage in various playful activities, from card games to theatre to singing. Kristi's mission is connecting people through play, and she shares with us her insights on why prioritizing people and incorporating play into the workplace can enhance team cohesion, employee satisfaction, and overall productivity.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
• How JAM became a workplace where thousands of friendships, marriages, and business relationships have flourished.
• What are the benefits of prioritizing people and integrating play into the workplace.
• Why the first day at work should be a memorable and engaging experience.
• How play fosters meaningful interactions, creativity, friendship, as well as trust and vulnerability.
• If play is suitable for your business, even if it is a serious institution.
• How JAM incorporates playful aspects into the interview process.
• Why Kristi prioritizes hiring for cultural complement over culture fit.
• Why cutting play during the pandemic was detrimental to JAM's employee performance.
• Why Kristi prefers to hire people with workplace experience that can appreciate the culture at JAM.Further resources:
• Kristi's website: https://www.kristiherold.com/
• Kristi's book offer for our listeners: https://www.kristiherold.com/rethink25/
• Kristi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-herold/
• JAM website: https://jamgroup.com/
• It Pays to PLAY: How Play Improves Business Culture, by Kristi Herold: https://www.amazon.com/Pays-PLAY-Improves-Business-Culture/dp/1544536224 -
"If leaders are willing to be vulnerable and listen to their employees.. those are cultures which empower everyone to feel safe and to bring their whole selves to work... A lot of leaders are still trying to hide behind stuff.. and they are not sleeping well at night. The most peaceful place for a leader to be is to have stated values and then can stand in the spotlight of those values."
While Rethink Culture is relaxing on summer holidays, we thought we'd bring you one of the podcast classics - How to Craft Company Values - with Will Scott, founder of Culture Fix Academy, entrepreneur, published author, servant leader, father and triathlete.
Will has worked with 10s of companies to transform them into culture-first workplaces. He talks about creating your values bottom-up, how to "notice and nominate" to reinforce values in the company using stories, how often to revise values, and how he started playing with values and culture as a young child in his treehouse.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
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"We founded the company with a crazy big mission. We wanted to end human suffering in the world as it relates to technology, by returning joy to both technology and to the teams that design it and build it… I had this picture in my head of, what do I want my work life to look like? And I thought… a big opening collaborative work environment, a place filled with human energy, a lot of collaboration, doing interesting, new, innovative things together, accomplishing big goals, not as individuals, but as a team."
S02E19 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Richard Sheridan, founder and CEO of Menlo Innovations, a Michigan-based software company where he is also known as the Chief Storyteller. Rich is the author of two books, Joy, Inc. and Chief Joy Officer. Menlo Innovations stands out for its unique culture, attracting around 3,000 visitors annually who come to observe it firsthand.
Rich discusses the early influences that sparked his passion for creating joy, which became the foundation for Menlo Innovations. He recounts how winning a programming contest during high school led to his first job as a programmer and how he later redesigned the culture at Interface Systems. Rich also describes the pivotal moment when the internet bubble burst, which spurred his journey into entrepreneurship and the founding of Menlo Innovations. Throughout the interview, Rich emphasizes the value of intentionality in creating a culture, collaborative work, joy in the workplace, and service to others.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• What a workplace culture focused on joy looks like.
• How books on teamwork, management, design thinking, and leadership led Rich to a breakthrough in organizing people effectively.
• How rethinking a rejected promotion enabled Rich to transform the culture at Interface Systems as VP of Product Development.
• The contrasting reactions to his innovative teamwork methods.
• Rich's perspective on intentional culture and Menlo's unique hiring and onboarding processes.
• Menlo Innovations' day-long collaborative teamwork and the interview process for finding people who enjoy it.
• The importance of communicating core values from the initial interview.
• The benefits of working collaboratively in pairs across a company.Further resources:
• Rich Sheridan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menloprez/
• Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love, by Richard Sheridan: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Inc-Built-Workplace-People/dp/1591847125
• Chief Joy Officer: How Great Leaders Elevate Human Energy and Eliminate Fear, by Richard Sheridan: https://www.amazon.com/Chief-Joy-Officer-Leaders-Eliminate/dp/0735218226
• Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change, 2nd Edition, by Kent Beck with Cynthia Andres: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Programming-Explained-Embrace-Change/dp/0321278658 -
"I always hesitate a bit when organizations are like, happiness, happiness, happiness… because our pitfalls will never go away… I will always have those pitfalls. But if I can become conscious and intentional, then I can start to own my pitfalls instead of my pitfalls owning me. And I can start to take responsibility for them… We can talk about it together and no one ever punishes someone for being in their pitfall… We might lovingly make someone aware of it, give them feedback or encourage them… In one of our value statements we say, we see the five-year-old you and we love them, and we also lovingly support you to be bigger than that."
S02E18 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Lisa Gill. Lisa is an organizational and self-management coach and trainer with Tuff Leadership Training. Included in the Thinkers 50 Radar 2020, Lisa has made significant contributions to the field. She hosts the Leadermorphosis podcast, where she has interviewed nearly a hundred pioneers in the future of work.
Lisa co-authored "Moose Heads on the Table," a book featuring stories about self-managing organizations from Sweden. With a rich international background, having lived in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore as a child, she brings a unique and diverse perspective to her purpose of helping leaders transform.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
- How self-managing cultures attract people who enjoy responsibility and are capable of self-management.- Why some organizations or individuals are not suited for self-management.
- Why founders and CEOs should recognize the different personal development rates of those they lead.
- The impact cultural transformations have on employee retention.
- The importance of creating compassionate spaces to process changes and difficulties.
- How to create safe spaces for sharing, owning, and taking responsibility for pitfalls.
- Why respecting your work capacity and wellbeing prevents burnout.
- The role of exposure to diverse leadership styles in personal development.
Further resources:
- Lisa Gill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-gill-23815a4/
- Leadermorphosis podcast: https://leadermorphosis.co/
- Moose Heads on the Table, by Karin Tenelius and Lisa Gill: https://mooseheadsonthetable.com/
- Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness, by Frederic Laloux: https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Organizations-Frederic-Laloux/dp/2960133501
- Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity's Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism, by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira: https://www.amazon.com/Hospicing-Modernity-Humanitys-Implications-Activism/dp/1623176247
- The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business, by Patrick M. Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Advantage-Organizational-Health-Everything-Business/dp/0470941529
- Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World's Most Unusual Workplace, by Ricardo Semler: https://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Success-Behind-Unusual-Workplace/dp/0446670553
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"Leaders are usually less perfect than we were taught, or books tell us about them because leading is a very complicated thing… I always like to joke with my clients… when they say, we don't know how we're going to take our culture to the next level. I tell them, give me the ingredients you have, and I'm going to help you out the same way that sometimes I get invited to a friend's house and say, tell me what you have in the kitchen… and I'm going to create some recipe with that… Each company requires its own recipe and I try to understand… the assets, their ingredients, and help them cook some interesting dish that's authentic, hopefully fulfilling, and positive for that particular company."
S02E17 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Gustavo Razzetti, workplace culture consultant, author and speaker. As the founder and CEO of the consultancy Fearless Culture, an accelerator of positive culture, Razzetti has dedicated over 30 years to helping a wide array of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to startups and nonprofits, design better workplace cultures.
Gustavo recounts pivotal moments in his life that shifted his career towards culture, discusses his book "Remote Not Distant," which provides insights on effectively managing remote teams, and introduces us to the Culture Design Canvas, a framework for enhancing organizational culture.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Oops! You might hear some audio gaps in this video. We hit a few bumps during recording. Thanks for sticking with us and enjoy the show!
Listen to this episode to discover:
- The true meaning of fearlessness.
- The importance of speaking up about respect in the workplace.
- Why a toxic culture is the responsibility of many people, not just one leader's.
- The toolkit for building thriving cultures with remote or hybrid teams.
- The rituals, such as the Washing Instructions, that support collaboration for remote teams.
- Why perfectionism and unsolicited feedback are enemies to culture.
- What your meeting culture is and how to have better, more efficient and inclusive meetings.
- Why we should focus on high-performing culture instead of high-performing people.
- What the Culture Design Canvas is and how it can benefit your organisation.
- Why you need to start designing your culture when you are still a startup.
Further resources:
- Gustavo's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavorazzetti/
- Fearless Culture website: https://www.fearlessculture.design/
- The Culture Design Canvas: https://www.fearlessculture.design/canvas
- Remote Not Distant: Design a Company Culture That Will Help You Thrive in a Hybrid Workplace, by Gustavo Razzetti: https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Not-Distant-Company-Workplace-ebook/dp/B09VXX4FN3
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"You can't be productive unless your team is happy… It's not the foosball tables and the perks. It's that deeper happiness that comes from doing some meaningful work for people that you like and respect, working with people that you like and respect."
S02E16 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Nathan Donaldson from New Zealand. Nathan is the CEO and founder of Boost, a custom software agency for government that runs without managers. He is also the author of the book "Unicorns Over Rainbows," which focuses on making lasting, meaningful changes to organizations. Nathan is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Democracy in the Workplace from WorldBlu. As a designer at heart, he loves solving hard problems. Outside of work, Nathan enjoys computer game racing and embracing the great outdoors with activities like mountain biking, surfing, and snowboarding.
Nathan explains how his company operates without traditional hierarchical structures or managers. Instead, Boost's 25-30 employees manage themselves with the help of coaches, displaying a high level of responsibility.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
- How a Dunedin controversy sparked a young Nathan's interest in political and social justice issues.- What inspired Nathan to co-found his company and how the early internet shaped his entrepreneurial path.
- How a business crisis led Nathan to seek mentorship, embrace continuous learning, and adopt a no-manager approach.
- Why overwhelming your team with numerous ideas is counterproductive and what to do instead.
- How the Good Small Change framework focuses on implementing small, manageable business changes.
- The three key components of the Good Small Change framework: curiosity, accessibility, and safety.
- The importance of empathy in leadership and how Nathan improved his empathy skills transforming his leadership style.
- How Nathan's Scottish-influenced upbringing fostered a multicultural, client-focused team culture.
Further resources:
- Nathan Donaldson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathandonaldson/
- Unicorns Over Rainbows: Make lasting, meaningful change in your organization, by Nathan Donaldson: https://www.amazon.com/Unicorns-Over-Rainbows-meaningful-organization-ebook/dp/B0CC4PF4F7
- Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love, by Richard Sheridan: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Inc-Built-Workplace-People/dp/1591847125
- Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World's Most Unusual Workplace, by Ricardo Semler: https://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Success-Behind-Unusual-Workplace/dp/0446670553
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"As a manager, as a leader… one of your goals is to build the best team that you can afford… So when people say, I can't attract any talent… it's not the talent's fault. Just because you have a job… just because you have a vacancy, there is no God-given right for amazing people to show up at your door and apply for it… Are you a shit place to work or are you an amazing place to work?"
S02E15 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Dominic Monkhouse, Business Coach and CEO Mentor. He's the founder and CEO of Monkhouse & Company, with a remarkable track record of scaling technology service businesses from zero to 30 million pounds in just five years. He accomplished this while serving as managing director of UK-based Rackspace and Pier 1 Hosting. Dominic is also the author of 'Mind Your F**ing Business' and the host of the same-titled podcast, which recently reached 300 episodes.
Without holding back, Dominic shares a wealth of information on how to build high-performing teams capable of rapid and sustained growth.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:- What it takes to attract top talent away from competitors.
- How to use the monthly keeper test to decide who to keep and who to fire.
- What to do if you fear losing or having trouble replacing employees.
- Why the war for talent is essentially a victim mindset.
- Why annual performance appraisals are equal to 12 months of avoiding difficult conversations.
- How to manage and measure expectations on deliverables.
- Which approach to employee promotion leads to growth and success.
- How to build a team of A-Players that is 5 to 10 times more productive.
Further resources:
- Dominic Monkhouse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominicmonkhouse/
- Monkhouse & Company Website: https://www.monkhouseandcompany.com/
- Mind Your F**king Business: The no-nonsense guide to making your good business great, by Dominic Monkhouse: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Your-king-Business-no-nonsense/dp/1781337268
- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't, by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996
- BE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0): Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company, by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/BE-2-0-Beyond-Entrepreneurship-Business/dp/0399564233
- The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation, by Matthew Dixon: https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Sale-Control-Customer-Conversation/dp/1591844355
- The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision, by Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna: https://www.amazon.com/JOLT-Effect-Performers-Overcome-Indecision/dp/0593538102
- The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong, by Dr. Laurence J Peter and Raymond Hull: https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Principle-Things-Always-Wrong/dp/0062092065
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Power-Thinking-Without/dp/0316010669
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"I think business owners have to really rethink who and how they hire, our judgments, our biases, and what as a society we can do, even as a small business like mine, to make it a more vibrant and equitable place... I wanted to make sure that we were treating everybody, no matter what their background was, where they were from, what language they spoke, what addiction they were overcoming, what jail sentence they had served, I wanted all of those people to have a level playing field."
S02E14 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Gina Schaeffer, founder, CEO, and co-owner of a chain of 13 Ace Hardware stores across multiple cities in the United States. Ace Hardware is the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative. Gina oversees the operations and management of over 300 dedicated employees.
Gina discusses her commitment to community initiatives and her experiences in creating a thriving work environment based on open-mindedness and acceptance. A beacon of inspiration in the entrepreneurial landscape, she challenges leaders to rethink their assumptions and reimagine culture by embracing the notion of providing opportunities for everyone to thrive, regardless of their background, such as a history of addiction or imprisonment. Beyond her business endeavours, Gina's passion for exploration and creativity is evident in her travels across South America and her hobby of crafting personalized greeting cards.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
- How Gina defies conventional assumptions by hiring people who have experienced addiction, homelessness, or incarceration.- Why extending opportunities to those with employment barriers promotes connection, support, and a strong community.
- The significance of adapting core values and practices to reflect evolving circumstances.- Gina's insights into openness, trust, fairness, and the embodiment of organizational core values.
- What is the principle of "inspect what you expect" in encouraging accountability.
- How to enhance customer satisfaction by reflecting customer diversity in employee composition.
- The value of curiosity, maintaining a beginner's mindset, and being open to learning from everyone.
- Why we should care about business transition readiness and the education of future business leaders.
Further resources:
- Gina's website: https://ginaschaefer.com/- Gina's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginaschaefer-speaker/
- Community work of Ace Hardware: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YVROFpjX1M&ab_channel=AceHardware- Culture by Design, by David J. Friedman: https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Design-individual-organizational-performance/dp/0692100784
- Recovery Hardware: A Nuts and Bolts Story About Building a Business, Restoring a Community, and Renovating Lives, by Gina Schaefer: https://www.amazon.com/Recovery-Hardware-Restoring-Community-Renovating/dp/B0B6M6P168
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"If you're not properly leading yourself, it's hard to lead others... How you do one thing is how you do everything. And if… the three areas of your life, if they're in order, if… yourself, mind, body, spirit is good and your family and relationships is good, then it's much easier to be good in the work world."
S02E13 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on David Henzel, a serial entrepreneur who owns several businesses with over 500 employees. Among his recent ventures are TaskDrive, an AI-driven virtual assistance platform, and upcoach, a coaching platform. His successful track record includes having co-founded and sold MaxCDN, which hosted over 6 million websites.
David talks about "Love Not Fear" a concept that drives his personal development course, Managing Happiness, and his organizational development course, Love Not Fear. David's commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture is reflected in his company's impressively high Cultural Health Score, which is scoring in the high 90s. David spends his free time at his Bodrum farm with his wife, daughter, three horses, ten dogs, and two donkeys.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
· Why acting out of love rather than fear can transform your life and business.· How David practices Love Not Fear in his daily habits.
· What makes aphantasia and SDAM his superpower.
· What is the Managing Happiness framework and how it supports personal and professional goals.
· Why rethinking product development improved employee happiness and productivity.
· How David combines accountability and compassion in his feedback.
Further resources:
· David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhenzel/
· The Managing Happiness course: https://www.managinghappiness.com/
· Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness, by Frederic Laloux: https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Organizations-Frederic-Laloux/dp/2960133501
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"What I would tell a leader is that culture starts with you, but it's made up of the collective. You have to set the tone for it and be that role model. You have to inspire people to be their greatest. Don't be afraid to put your people first… You have to be intentional about it… So don't tolerate people who are taking away from the culture… You are that beacon. You should be the culture evangelist. If you aren't, then I think that you are really missing out on an opportunity to build a lasting, strong company."
S02E12 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Kerry Siggins, CEO of StoneAge. A 45-year-old industrial cleaning equipment manufacturer, StoneAge, is one of the top 100 Companies to Work For. In 2023, Kerry was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year. She hosts two podcasts, including the popular Reflect Forward, and is a YPO member. She's the author of Ownership Mindset and is starting her second book on finding purpose and meaning at work.
Kerry is passionate about leadership, impact, disruption, and empowering people to be their best selves and grow together while bringing value to the company's customers. Kerry shares her insights on fostering an ownership mindset among employees. She invites leaders to trust their employees and help them thrive at work, resulting in financial as well as emotional benefits. Kerry's perspective should inspire more leaders to see their employees as integral owners of the business, rather than merely as resources, thereby allowing them to contribute more effectively to its success.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
· How an employee stock option plan created an ownership mentality at StoneAge.
· Why an "Own-It" culture has both financial and emotional benefits.
· The three main steps to instill an ownership mindset among employees.
· What is the most crucial characteristic of effective leadership.
· How to build trust within teams using frameworks like Lencioni's "6 Types of Working Genius".
· What are the benefits of leadership transparency.
· About Kerry's new writing project on purpose and its significance in the workplace.
· How to create a positive workplace culture through intentional leadership and role modeling.Further resources:
· Kerry's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/
· Kerry's Website: https://kerrysiggins.com/
· The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues, by Patrick M. Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Team-Player-Recognize-Cultivate-ebook/dp/B01B6AEJJ0
· The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team, by Patrick M. Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Types-Working-Genius-Understand-Frustrations/dp/1637743297
· The Ownership Mindset: A Handbook for Transforming Your Life and Leadership, by Kerry Siggins: https://www.amazon.com/Ownership-Mindset-Handbook-Transforming-Leadership/dp/1637554346
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"I tell founders this all the time, your goal is to build the company, the environment, to build the place where all the best people in your industry want to work and never want to leave."
S02E11 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Jeff Hoffman, a successful entrepreneur, CEO, motivational speaker, and Hollywood film producer. He has also the producer a Grammy-winning jazz album and served as executive producer of an Emmy-winning television show. Throughout his career, he has also founded multiple startups. Jeff rose to prominence as CEO of priceline.com, which morphed into booking.com, youbid.com and many more.
Jeff shares his valuable insights and stories with us, discussing how to attract and retain rock star employees, how to reward culture fit, and how to demonstrate compassion without undermining performance. Jeff's current focus is on working with creative young people through events like Junk Kouture, encouraging them to pursue their passions and forge their own paths in life.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
· How to discover, attract, as well as keep rock star employees.· About the inspirational story of Natalie and the Golden Ninja award.
· Why putting culture on a poster but not living it yourself undermines your credibility.
· Why it is essential to do both skill and cultural assessments for your staff as well as business partners.
· How to strike a balance between compassion and accountability, as well as high performance and caring.
· Why scaling your business happens when you have empowered your employees to the point where you can trust them enough to get out of their way.
· What a Culture Committee does and how to treat each other every day by engaging in behaviours that make people feel respected and valued.
· What is the impact of culture on your brand.
Further resources:
· Book: 'Scale: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back', by Jeff Hoffman & David Finkel: https://www.amazon.com/Scale-Seven-Proven-Principles-Business/dp/1591847249
· Jeff's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffhoff/
· Jeff's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerjeffhoffman
· Jeff's website: https://www.jeffhoffman.com/
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"If it was easy to become a great leader, we would have totally different politics, totally different companies, totally different burnout rates… "Okay, interesting, why is it so difficult for me?" I think investigating that makes us humans. And that makes you also a better leader if you understand what happens inside yourself. It's also easier to be compassionate with others."
S02E10 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Wendy Van Ierschot, visionary founder and CEO of VIE people, an advisory firm for fast scaling companies in the Netherlands. Beyond that role, Wendy wears multiple hats: she's a business angel investor, a podcaster (with over 160 episodes recorded for The Work Professor, a Dutch business radio news channel), a leading member of the Entrepreneurial Organization, and author. She recently published her book, 'Scale-ups & downs', which aims to guide an organization through the stages of growth. She has spent years researching this topic and generously shares her best insights with us.
Wendy's experience, however, is defined not only by her professional ability, but also by her resilience. Despite coping with visual impairment, which is elegantly hinted at by her distinctive spectacles, Wendy has emerged as a prominent figure in the global HR landscape, ranking among the top 100 HR influencers worldwide.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
What are the 4 stages of a company's growth from 0 to 100 employees.Why leaders should encourage their team to exhibit appropriate behaviour, core values, and high performance.Why founders need to transition from working in their company to working on their company in order to grow their business.How a combination of tests, mentorship, mentoring, education, and self-investment is the most effective way to develop your leadership style.Why it is essential to hire people who have the potential to advance into leadership positions within your company from the start of building your company.What is the significance of good formal education, an effective feedback system, and instilling a sense of ownership in your team.How to embrace vulnerability by removing bits of our armour through compassion every day.How Wendy's visual impairment changed her personally and professionally, and how she's adapting to it.Why you should prioritize based on what is needed to scale your company, not what your experience or others tell you.
Listen to this episode to find out:Further resources:
Wendy's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyvanierschot/Scale-ups & downs: Gids je organisatie door elke groeispurt, by Wendy van Ierschot: https://www.amazon.com/Scale-ups-downs-Gids-organisatie-groeispurt/dp/9047016807/ Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, by Ashlee Vance: https://www.amazon.com/Elon-Musk-SpaceX-Fantastic-Future/dp/006230125X -
"The best organizations will win the battle for talent by creating cultures that allow people to be their best more frequently. And that means one of your practices as a leader needs to be gathering stories that tell you when your people are at their best."
S02E09 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Spencer Harrison, a professor of organizational behaviour at INSEAD Business School and a TED speaker. Spencer's expertise and research are widely recognized in the field, and his work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Money, and Inc. magazines. He co-founded The Creative Collaboratorium, the world's largest working group of creativity researchers, and serves as a culture advisor to some of the world's fastest growing companies, including Google, Salesforce, and Deloitte.
Spencer shares his journey from English to business professor and provides insight into ways of identifying outstanding management and leadership. He describes the differences and relationships between big C culture and small C culture, and highlights the value of a healthy work-life balance for employees. Despite their unpopularity, he stresses the role of office meetings in maintaining company culture and explains why leaders should take an interest in story-gathering and storytelling.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
Spencer's journey from wanting to be an animator and a poet to becoming a business professor.How to identify the excellent managers and the high-performing leaders.What is big C culture and what is small C culture.What anthropologists discovered conducting research on tribes sharing a sack of rice.The role of meetings in building a culture supported by visual information.How high-performing leaders transform meetings into cultural moments.Why leaders need to be story-gatherers and storytellers.How to give a sense of meaning to your team through stories.Why culture should not be abstract values and impersonal behaviours, but personal and relatable stories.Why culture needs to meet strategy, not just for breakfast but also for lunch, dinner and the after party.What you can do to create a better work-life balance for the people in your organisation.If we need the office to maintain culture.Further resources:
Spencer Harrison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curiosityatwork/ INSEAD: https://www.insead.edu/ Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda: https://www.amazon.com/The-Book-of-Questions/dp/1592703224Odes to Common Things, by Pablo Neruda: https://www.amazon.com/Common-Things-Bilingual-Pablo-Neruda/dp/0821220802 -
"No leader should lead alone. … they need a peer group, they need people they can share with, they need to be continually learning and developing, and they need … a support network. It's very easy for a leader to get to a point in their career where they know themselves well, they can be self-aware, they can develop the skills and be a passionate and vital leader inside an organisation. But unless they've got a safe space to unpackage things and grow and develop and learn how to handle tricky situations, they can very easy forget how the world perceives them. And that can be a really difficult place for a leader to get to."
S02E08 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Sandy Hall, a resilience specialist and the owner of re/cognition, a leadership development consultancy. Sandy managed IBM's Best Workplace Program in New Zealand for 18 months. She is also passionate about neuroscience and its applications to leadership.
Sandy shares her experiences growing up in a Pentecostal church and witnessing church culture, as well as her role as Head of People and Culture at Leading Edge, where she helped build the organization's leadership framework. She shares her insights into neuroscience and how It relates to leadership, as well as her wisdom teaching leaders to lead from a place of compassion, love and consistent support.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Why leaders need safe spaces in the form of mentors, coaches, feedback mechanisms, and organizations like EO.How leaders embracing feedback, self-reflection, and safe spaces for growth boost employee engagement and performance.What are the 3 elements of good feedback.What distinguishes empathy from sympathy.The fundamentals of the neurochemistry of leadership.The Daily D.O.S.E. of four key neurochemicals and their workplace use. Why abandoning Western role models helps you find your authentic leadership style. How to balance performance with care.That leadership can be lonely, but you don't have to lead alone.
Listen to this episode to find out:Further resources:
Sandy Hall's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-hall-recognition/ re/cognition Website: https://www.recognition.co.nz/ Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, by Nassim Taleb: https://www.amazon.com/Antifragile-Things-That-Disorder-Incerto/dp/0812979680 The Great Game of Business, Expanded and Updated: The Only Sensible Way to Run a Company, by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Business-Expanded-Updated/dp/0385348339Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34466963-why-we-sleep -
"I always ask people right from the start to talk to me and decide what you want to be famous for… So, what's your intention in terms of that space and getting tasks done? … What's your intention in terms of the relationships that you want to have? What's your intention for the reputation of the team that you will serve?"
S02E07 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Bruce Sullivan, keynote speaker, author, and business leader, voted Australian Keynote Speaker of the Year. Bruce has entrepreneurial experience leading people, and he teaches culture, teams, and relationships. He started managing his first business at 19 and a staff of 130 employees in nine retail sites by 22.
Bruce's encounter with Mrs. Evans while he was doing community service in high school was the catalyst that shaped his approach to work and life, orienting him towards problem-solving and serving others. He now coaches leaders, sharing his knowledge and experience.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Why it's important to acknowledge the existing culture within your organization and use it as a starting point for making changes.What are Bruce's 3 key points: the frequency of interaction, the brightness of the future, and the intention.How to address the "ants at the picnic," the individuals in your company that do not contribute positively to the culture.How Bruce became an accidental entrepreneur at the age of 15 and how his early experience, his insight and empathy set him apart from other speakers. What clarity of intentions in communication is and why leaders should overcommunicate.How to be aware of your own intentions by asking what you want to be famous for.Who Mrs. Evans was and what was her catalytic role in teaching Bruce formative life lessons.How to approach feedback by fostering psychological safety and embracing curiosity.Why we need to be curious about other people's intentions and not judge them by their actions alone.
Listen to this episode to find out:Further resources:
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, by Roger Fisher and William L. Ury: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Yes-Negotiating-Agreement-Without/dp/0143118757 The Global Negotiation Initiative: https://www.pon.harvard.edu/category/research_projects/global-negotiation-initiative/ - Mostrar más
