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Relationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why Leaders Need Neuro-Fitness: Building Regulation and Real Impact w/ Mallory MeyerWhat does it mean to be a neuro-fit leader? In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher is joined by trauma-sensitive, polyvagal-informed leadership and neuro coach Mallory Meyer to unpack the real power of nervous system regulation in leadership. Together, they explore why leaders can’t think their way to better leadership — they have to feel it. Mallory shares how neuro-fitness supports emotional agility, improves decision-making, and helps leaders show up with authenticity and calm in high-stress environments. They also discuss: – Why resilience gets misused in the workplace – What co-regulatio...2025-05-0641 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How Leaders Can Spark Purpose and Inspiration at Work w/ Dr. Alise Cortezurpose isn’t a poster on the wall — it’s an everyday practice. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Dr. Alise Cortez joins Russel Lolacher to explore how leaders can move beyond surface-level engagement and truly ignite meaning, connection, and inspiration in the workplace.Drawing from her research in logotherapy, workplace meaning, and leadership development, Alise shares: ✅ Why leaders must first be inspired by their own lives ✅ How to embed purpose into workplace culture from onboarding onward ✅ The critical role of recognizing and rewarding kindness, empathy, and courage ✅ How relationships can e...2025-04-2945 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leading Through Complexity: Rewriting the Narrative of Work w/ Graham AbbeyWhat if the way we talk about work is limiting how we lead it?In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Graham Abbey—Chief Executive of Farleigh Performance and Professor in Practice at the University of Bristol Business School—for a deep dive into complexity in today’s organizations. From metaphors that reveal our worldview to the mechanical mindset still dominating leadership, Graham challenges how we think about control, purpose, ambiguity, and personal growth.Together, they explore:Why leadership isn’t about control—but about creating the conditions for emerge...2025-04-2247 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Character Counts: Rethinking How We Hire and Lead w/ Sean VassilarosIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with Sean Vassilaros, CEO and co-founder of Kanny, about what’s missing from hiring—and it’s not experience or skills. It’s character.Sean dives deep into how character—not personality—drives behavior, shapes culture, and ultimately determines long-term success in the workplace. He shares why traditional hiring tools like resumes and references are fundamentally flawed, how peer-driven feedback can bring accountability to both employees and hiring managers, and why data-backed character insights could be the future of leadership and culture.We talk:Why 75% of...2025-04-0846 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Cracking the Viking Code of Leadership w/ Anders IndsetIn this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with renowned business philosopher and bestselling author Anders Indset to unpack the leadership philosophy behind his book The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success.Anders explores how the values rooted in Norwegian culture have shaped a new model of leadership—where individual excellence and collective support are not at odds, but essential partners. He discusses how self-trust, intrinsic motivation, and brutal honesty can transform workplace relationships and performance. Pl...2025-04-0150 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Authenticity Is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait w/ Pete SteinbergLeadership isn't about checking boxes — it's about showing up with intention, clarity, and connection. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with Pete Steinberg — executive coach, speaker, former national rugby coach, and author of Leadership Shock — to explore the real work behind authentic leadership.Pete challenges the myths around “bringing your full self to work,” shares how authenticity drives sustainable leadership (and prevents burnout), and reveals why success often leads to leadership shock. He also breaks down the power of feedback loops, relationship-first priorities, and the intentional systems leaders need to grow.Whether you're cli...2025-03-2550 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leading with Respect: The Key to Trust, Engagement, and Culture w/ Dr. Gena CoxRespect isn’t just a workplace buzzword—it’s the foundation of trust, engagement, and culture. Yet, too many leaders overlook its impact, mistaking civility for true respect. In this episode, Dr. Gena Cox joins Russel Lolacher to break down why respect is the missing piece in leadership, how it directly affects employee engagement, and why HR isn’t responsible for fixing workplace culture—leaders are.They dive into: ✅ The difference between civility and real respect ✅ How leaders unknowingly erode trust in their organizations2025-03-1851 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Incentivizing Leadership: Are We Rewarding the Wrong Behaviors? w/ Nigel ThurlowIn this thought-provoking episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Nigel Thurlow, co-creator of The Flow System and former Chief of Agile at Toyota, to break down the hidden dangers of how we incentivize leadership.We discuss: ✔️ How financial incentives can backfire and create toxic leadership ✔️ The difference between responsibility and accountability in leadership ✔️ Why many employees don’t want leadership roles—and how to change that ✔️ The real question leaders should ask: If you stopped paying people, would they still follow you...2025-03-1143 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Taking A.I.M. at Bad Leadership: Admit, Identify, ManageIn this mini-episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher dives into a tough but necessary conversation—why organizations need to stop passing the buck on bad leadership. Russel explores the hidden dangers of shifting problematic leaders to new roles without accountability, the ripple effects on workplace culture, and how teams often feel forced to "recommend" toxic leaders just to be rid of them. With a simple A.I.M. framework—Admit, Identify, Manage—Russel highlights how leaders and organizations can take responsibility, confront leadership blind spots, and foster real growth. It’s time to stop hiding leadership issues and star...2025-02-2708 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How to Truly Operationalize Work Culture w/ Garrett DelphCulture isn’t just a set of values on a website—it’s the daily actions, behaviors, and processes that shape how an organization truly operates. In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Garrett Delph, founder and CEO of Clarity Ops, to dive deep into how to operationalize culture in a way that actually works.Garrett shares:✔️ Why most companies fail at culture (hint: lack of process and accountability)✔️ The PPP (P3) framework for integrating culture into daily operations✔️ How leadership must move beyond vision...2025-02-1852 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Breaking the Fear of DEI: Why Inclusion is a Business Imperative w/ Toby MildonFear, hesitation, and resistance—why do so many leaders struggle with DEI? In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Toby Mildon, diversity and inclusion architect and author of Inclusive Growth, to break down the misconceptions, challenges, and real business benefits of embedding DEI into workplace culture.Toby shares insights on:✔️ The biggest fears leaders have around DEI—and how to overcome them✔️ Why diversity isn’t just good ethics, but a competitive advantage✔️ The importance of embedding DEI into the DNA of an organization, no...2025-02-1153 min
A Table in the Corner101. Turning the Tables on Russel WasserfallWith 100 episodes of A Table in the Corner in the bag, I felt it might be time to do a biographical insert for episode 101. Some of my guests have asked when the spotlight would fall on me. A few of our regular listeners have also asked via Instagram DMs when I'm going to be interviewed. Jonathan Warncke recently invited me onto his industry-focused podcast 'How to Start a Podcast in South Africa', and I cajoled him into being the guest host on my show - to turn the tables on A Table in the Corner. Turns out there was a...2025-01-3036 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Relationship-Building Hacks: Confidence, Connection, and Values w/ Susan IrelandIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher dives into relationship-building hacks with Susan Ireland, executive leadership coach and co-founder of Seasons Leadership. Susan reveals her proven strategies for strengthening workplace connections, including her "inside-out" and "outside-in" approaches to building trust and confidence.From small tweaks that boost how you show up to practical tools like the Relationship Matrix, Susan shares actionable advice for leaders and professionals looking to improve their relationships. Tune in to learn how aligning your values, nurturing trust, and staying curious can transform your workplace and leadership style.Hey! If...2025-01-2848 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Knowing Our Strengths and Weaknesses Changes Everything w/ Anna NelsonIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with strengths and development coach Anna Nelson on the importance of knowing our leadership strengths and weakness and its benefit to our teams.Anna shares her thoughts and insights on...Strengths are what energize you, not just what you're good at.We can learn skills, but that doesn't make them strengths.Recognizing strengths and weaknesses helps navigate career growth.Weaknesses aren't just what you're bad at, they also drain you.Self-awareness is key, but often overlooked.Communicating strengths is about business impact, not personal preference. 2025-01-1448 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why Hiring Managers Don't Know How to Hire And How to Fix It w/ Allyn BaileyIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with talent futurist and keynote speaker Alynn Bailey on why managers don't know how to hire, and how to help them.Allyn shares her insights and experience with...Empathy and first impressions are crucial.The hiring process is highly complex and often improvised.Consistency in assessment is essential but rare.Accountability in hiring starts with managers.Practical experience outweighs observation.The ripple effect of poor hiring.Confidence in hiring requires support systems.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our...2024-12-3153 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How Leaders Can Help Create High Performing Cultures w/ Chris DyerIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with keynote speaker and author Chris Dyer on the steps leaders need to take to foster high-performing cultures.Chris shares his insights and experience with....High-performing cultures require intentionalityHigh-performing cultures do not equate to overworking employees.Proactive leadership is required and should focus on removing obstacles.The importance of transparency and measurementHigh-performing sustainability comes through prioritization, delegation, and incremental change.These cultures start with curiosity and fuels improvement with it.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W...2024-12-1742 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How Leaders Can Shift Our Unconscious Bias w/ Sara TaylorIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with speaker, author and DEI consultant Sara Taylor on how to shift our unconscious bias filters.Sara shares her insights and experience with key takeaways:Unconscious filters control most decisions and behaviors.Disconnect between intent and impact in workplace interactions.Bias isn't just negative—it can also be positive.Leaders set the tone for organizational cultural competence.Bias impacts organizations at multiple levels.Diverse teams perform best with cultural competence.Cultural competence requires a developmental process.Unconscious filters affect both leaders and organizational systems. Hey...2024-12-1048 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Embracing Leadership Humility and Crafting an Ego-Free Culture w/ Chris KingIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with CEO and author Chris King on embracing humility as a leader and crafting an ego-free culture for your employees.Chris shares her insights and experience with...Success is a team effort.Humility drives growth.Leveraging individual strengths, not titles.Humility is key to team building.Connecting individual contributions to the broader mission.Persistence overcomes ego-driven environments.The power to listen, adapt, and stay accessible.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed wi...2024-12-0346 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How to Inspire Employees from the C-Suite w/ Lyndsay DowdIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with coach, speaker, author Lyndsay Dowd on what it takes to inspire employees from the C-Suite of an organization.Lyndsay shares her experience and insights on...Inspiration comes from empowerment, not micromanagement.Tailoring leadership through listening.Power of vulnerability and transparency.Listening tours build trust and insight.Communication is key to to inspiring action.Informational interviews create cultures of trust, safety, and long-term loyalty.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with gu...2024-11-2651 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why It Is Time to Reinvent Leadership and Where To Start w/ Hamza KahnIt's the last week of Russel's vacation away to celebrate his 50th birthday, so we make one more stop into the Relationships at Work archives.In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with academic and best-selling author Hamza Khan on the importance of reinventing leadership to improve the workplace and the employee experience.Hamza shares his insights and experience in...Why essential skills are future-proof The reinvention history of leadershipHow crisis influences leadershipHow leaders are dropping the ball with return to officeThat S.I.D.E. is an answer to a...2024-11-1948 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why We Need To Take Accessibility More Seriously at Work w/ Stephanie CadieuxIt's week two (of three) of Russel's vacation away to celebrate his 50th birthday, so we dig once again into the Relationships at Work archives.In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with Canada’s first Chief Accessibility Officer Stephanie Cadieux on the importance and benefits of embracing an accessible workplace.Stephanie shares her insights and experience in...The definition of accessibility.What organizations are missing out on by not being accessible.Where to start for your organization.Where organizations go wrong.What she fears the most in trying to im...2024-11-1239 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How To Identify and Address Ageism in the Workplace w/ Patti Temple RocksWhile Russel is off celebrating his 50th birthday, we dig into the Relationships at Work archives. In this episode, Russel chats with author, speaker and age inclusivity advocate Patti Temple Rocks on ageism in the workplace, what it looks like and how to address it.Patti shares her insights and experience with:What is ageism and being ageist in the workplaceHow ageism can impact mental healthMisconceptions about age at workWhy we need to value older workersSome of the warning signs of ageismThe role of ageism and genderHey! If you're enjoying...2024-11-0547 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Addressing Disconnection Between The C-Suite And Frontline w/ Morgan WilliamsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Morgan Williams, co-founder and CEO of Peak HR, and founder of MWHR Consulting, to discuss the growing disconnect between executives and employees in today’s workplace. Drawing on her extensive experience in HR, psychology, and conflict management, Morgan dives into the real reasons behind the widening gap—post-pandemic priorities, employee motivations, and leadership’s failure to adapt. She offers powerful insights on how executives can reconnect with their teams by showing genuine empathy, understanding personal struggles, and leading with emotional intelligence. Morgan also shares actiona...2024-10-2248 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why Leaders Need to Invest in Stay Interviews w/ Matt VerlaqueIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with COO and entrepreneur Matt Verlaque on the necessity of stay interviews for the health of your organization.Matt shares his experience and insights on...Stay interviews assess personal and professional fulfillmentCandid communication builds strong teams.Frequent one-on-ones create continual growth opportunities.Frequent feedback prevents surprises.Stay interviews promote candid feedback and culture alignment.Organizations often deprioritize stay interviews due to short-term productivity focus.Leaders should inspect what they expect, but not as micromanagers.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll...2024-10-1550 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why Leaders Need To Join Their Employee’s Journey w/ Marc HaineIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher welcomes leadership and employee strategist Marc Haine to dive deep into one of the most important but overlooked aspects of leadership: guiding your team through their employee journey. Marc shares personal stories and invaluable insights on why leaders must shift from being mere managers to becoming true coaches, supporting their team at every milestone. From onboarding to creating workplace ambassadors, Marc explains how journey mapping and continuous support can transform your corporate culture and boost employee engagement. If you’re a leader looking to inspire and ret...2024-10-0145 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How to Avoid The Dangers of Pursuing Perfection w/ Michele MolitorIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with executive coach, author, and international speaker Michele Molitor on avoiding the dangers of pursuing perfection as leaders.Michele shares her insights and experience on...Perfection is personal and subjective.Embracing imperfections is healthier.Perfectionism as a trauma response.Striving for excellence vs. toxic perfectionism.Vulnerability as a strength.Self-awareness of personal motivators improves connection.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my ow...2024-09-2449 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Write Like a Leader: How To Be More Impactful In Our Written Communication w/ Grace Aldridge FosterIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with senior instructor and principle at Bold Type consultancy Grace Aldridge Foster on how leaders can be more impactful writers and build connection with their teams.Grace shares her insights and experience with...Thoughtful communication in leadership writing.Writing as a model for expectations.Audience awareness is essentialThe ART tool for writing and strategic communication.Impact of writing on relationships.Jargon and complexity can alienate.The power of storytelling.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes...2024-09-1754 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Building A Sales Team Through A Sports Philosophy w/ Dre BaldwinIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author, speaker and former pro athlete Dre Baldwin on the benefits of having a sports philosophy when engaging a team in the workplace.Dre shares his insights and experience on...Team dynamics mirror sports teams.Caution against "family" culture.The role of competition in the workplace and driving performance.Sports mentality in sales.Functional diversity is the right kind of diversity.Importance of feedback and adaptability in a rigid sports mentality.Balancing intensity and sustainability.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our...2024-09-1046 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Immigrant Leadership: The Key to Innovation and Cultural Transformation w/ Ukeme Awakessien JeterIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author, mayor and lawyer Ukeme Awakessien Jeter on the importance of embracing immigrant leadership in the workplace.Ukeme shares her insights and experience in...The unique leadership skills of immigrants.Intersectionality in DEI and bias.ImmiGrit as a concept.Transformative resilience over traditional resilience.Positional leadership in immigrant success.Why we need to revamp leadership development programs.Authentic networking for immigrants.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, th...2024-09-0344 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How To Harness The Emotional Power of Change Enthusiasm w/ Cassandra WorthyIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with speaker, author and change enthusiast Cassandra Worthy on how we can embrace difficult emotions and harness the power of change enthusiasm.Cassandra shares her experience and insights in...Emotional awareness as a foundation for change.Opportunity for change in adversity.Resilience is not just persistence, it requires rest and reflection.Emotional awareness and communication are key to change.Addressing resistance to chance across generations.Role modeling emotional awareness.Self-awareness as the foundation for relationships and connection.And connect with me for more great...2024-08-2028 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How to Establish and Build Connection in the Workplace w/ Morag BarrettIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author, executive coach and leadership expert Morag Barrett on how to establish and build workplace connections.Morag shares her insights and experience in..The importance of trust in work relationships.Building and recognizing connection.Loneliness in leadership is a real issue.Intentional relationship management.Power of an abundant mindset.Addressing diversity in communication styles.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow o...2024-08-1344 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Breaking Barriers: Mastering Change in Resistant Industries w/ Tim LupinacciIn this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with the chairman and chief executive officer of Baker Donelson, Tim Lupinacci on managing change in a traditionally change-resistant industry.Tim shares his insights and experience in...Leadership through relationshipsChallenging traditional structuresOpportunistic change managementBalancing tradition and innovationCultural shift through continuous communicationImportance of accountability and executionNavigating resistance to changeAnd connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime 2024-08-0652 min
Movie Nerds with Kyle and RusselComing of Age: the Kyle and Russel EditionIn this episode of Movie Nerds, hosts Kyle, and Russel blossom from prepubescence into adulthood as they discuss coming of age moviesUsing 1985's Better Off Dead and 2007's Superbad as their tentpoles for the discussion, we discuss what defines coming of age films, how these movie fit the theme, how they've changed over the years, how diverse they can be while still sticking to a formula, what we hate/love about them and so much more. And of course, we wrap it all up with movies we'd recommend if someone had never seen a c...2024-07-1140 min
Price. Sell. Paint.Setting the Table & Addressing Pain-Points to Close Onsite // Russel GodoyIn this episode, Jon Bryant & Michael Murray interview Russel Godoy, one of the top painting sales reps in the PaintScout database. Russel shares his journey and success in the painting industry, emphasizing the importance of having a growth track and his goal-setting strategies, including setting monthly and yearly goals and breaking them down into smaller, manageable targets. Russel also shares his approach to achieving a high closure rate, which includes setting Next Step agreements with clients and following up consistently. Russel’s focus on setting the table and understanding the client's pain-points has contributed to how he builds trust an...2024-06-1237 min
An Agency StoryCommunicate - Method and Metric SEO AgencyWere you inspired by this story? Got an idea, thought or otherwise? Let us know, send us a text!Company: Method and Metric SEO AgencyOwners: Jesse RingerYear Started: 2017Employees: 1-10 (Emerging)Welcome to An Agency Story podcast, I’m your host Russel.On this episode, we have Jesse Ringer, Founder of Method and Metric and SEO agency based in Vancouver, Canada. When asked about the one piece of advice he would give himself before starting the agency, Jesse sa...2024-02-0520 min