Shows
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.Why One Leadership Style Will Fail You and Your TeamWhat’s your leadership style? It’s a common question, but the real answer shouldn’t be just one. In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher challenges the idea of rigid leadership styles and explains why adaptability is key to leading effectively.Different situations call for different approaches—whether it’s authoritative leadership in a crisis, transactional leadership for goal-driven teams, or servant leadership for collaboration. Sticking to just one limits your impact.Russel explores how leaders can assess their default style, develop new approaches, and build a more dynamic leadership...2025-02-1308 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 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.Why Embracing Past Legacies is Essential for Leading a New TeamHow can new leaders earn trust from day one? In this episode of Relationships at Work, host and leadership expert Russel Lolacher dives into the importance of honoring past legacies when joining a team. Whether you're stepping into a new role or leading an established group, understanding the history behind their successes and challenges is key to effective leadership. Russel shares practical steps for respecting the past, engaging with the present, and shaping the future.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for...2024-08-2907 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership's Quiet Sabotage: How Inaction Shapes the WorkplaceWhat happens when leaders do nothing? In this episode, host Russel Lolacher exposes the silent damage caused by leadership inaction and its profound impact on workplace culture.Though it is often said that work culture is the sum of words said and actions taken, it is actually missing the bigger picture. Inaction has as much impact on our workplace, with devastating results. Russel shares real world examples of leadership inaction looks and and the impacts it can have on the larger organization. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others....2024-08-2207 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.Why Respect Outshines Professionalism in Today's WorkplaceWhat if being 'professional' is actually holding your workplace back? In this episode, host Russel Lolacher challenges the traditional norms and reveals why respect, not rigid professionalism, is the key to a thriving, diverse workplace.The idea of professionalism is usually about aligning behaviours, dress codes, communication styles and work ethics around the norms of the dominant culture. This is a barrier to diversity and innovation, while promoting uniformity. Let's be respectful instead.Russel shares real world examples of what we can do as leaders to encourage a respectful workplace and remove the roadblocks associated with...2024-08-1508 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.Showing Respect - Everyone's Time Is ValuableIs your leadership style disrespecting your team's time? In this episode, host Russel Lolacher reveals the subtle ways leaders overlook others' time and offers practical tips to show genuine respect, regardless of hierarchy.We all have work to do and deadlines to do them by. But as leaders looking to build connection and relationships, it's vital that we treat others with respect when asking for their time. In a busy world, this can get lost for leaders. Russel shares real world examples of how leaders can disrespect others by believing their time is more valuable than t...2024-08-0810 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 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Do Not Forget The OTHER Executive PresenceWhat if executive presence is less about fitting a mold and more about how leaders truly show up? In this episode, host Russel Lolacher challenges the traditional view and offers fresh insights on crafting a meaningful and impactful executive presence.Executive presence is always seen as whether staff fit the mold of their C-Suite, when it also could mean something as equally important - how executive shows up and is thought of within the organization. Russel shares real world suggestions we should consider if we want our executive to have an impactful and meaningful presence in t...2024-08-0108 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Stay on Track: The Power of Setting Leadership GuardrailsWhat if leadership guardrails are the secret to staying on track? In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership expert Russel Lolacher explores the crucial role these boundaries play in challenging leaders and offering perspectives they might otherwise miss. Russel shares real-world questions that effective guardrails should raise and reveals how they can transform both your leadership and workplace culture.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube...2024-07-2509 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Human Skills, Leadership Skills Are Anything But SoftIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher digs into "soft skills" and why calling them soft couldn't be further from the truth. Though language around "soft skills" is changing, the importance we put on these essential skills continues to struggle. Russel shares multiple reasons why these skills are so important and why organizations need to take them more seriously in order to create a healthy and successful organization. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for mor...2024-07-1809 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leaders, It Is Not What We Do But How We Do ItIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the importance of what do as much as how we do it in our leadership. No leader wants to hurt or fracture their team culture, but if we don't better align our intentions with our actions, we could do far more damage than we realize. Russel shares real world examples of how well-intended leaders missed the mark from what they wanted to achieve vs how they went about executing it, as well as a few things we should consider if we...2024-07-1108 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.The Leadership Questions We Actually Want In A Job InterviewIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares more effective job interview questions to understand leadership.Interview questions are extremely formulaic, regardless of industry. Almost all are focused on productivity, with very few determining the applicants leadership experience and quality. Russel shares why organizations stick to the formula, and various questions (provided by the Relationships at Work community) that applicants would prefer were asked to better understand leadership levels. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me fo...2024-07-0406 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why We Need Daily Leadership TestsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher explains the importance of regular leadership tests to ensure we're on the right track.As a leader, how do we know we're any good? That comes from regular check ins in how we react to circumstances at work. We need to proactively be curious about ourselves and take a daily interest in understanding our impact on our teams and the culture. Russel shares four areas we can assess on a regular basis to determine the quality of our leadership and the o...2024-06-2709 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.The Ends Should Not, Can Not, Please Don't Justify The MeansIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the importance of not prioritizing productivity over humanity. The ends can not justify the means. As a leader, it's vital that we provide a service or product, and deliver countless things along the way. The problem is when leaders achieve those results without regard for the human impact along the way just to make the boss happy. The long-term impacts can be devastating.Russel shares a personal story and provides of areas we can invest our time and leadership in t...2024-06-2008 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How Leadership Can Stop Investing in Cultural DebtIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher discusses the causes and answers to cultural debt.Technical debt is a common term in software development to explain growing issues caused by not properly addressing problems. By only implementing "band-aid" solutions, the root problems only continue to grow and fester. Cultural debt is the same in that organizational issues unaddressed or avoided, will just poison the company little by little over time until it's not something that can be fixed anymore. Russel provides examples of how we invest in cultural d...2024-06-1309 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Hypocrisy in Hiring Feedback and How to Fix ItIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the hypocrisy of organizations not asking applicants for feedback and why they should. Leadership often talks about the importance of feedback, including for applicants (successful or not) to ask for debriefs after their hiring experience. So why don't organizations take their own advice? There are so many benefits to listening to applicants to improve the hiring process. Russel provides real-world examples of what we can applicants are asking for and experiencing and spotlights the benefits of taking a development ap...2024-06-0608 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Megaphone Your Values, To Really Create ConnectionIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher recommends we share our values publicly to build better connection.Knowing our values is vital to our self-awareness and in helping us make decisions and setting boundaries that help our career and our employee experience. But they are too valuable to keep to ourselves. Share them. With everyone. It'll benefit us as leaders, our teams and the organization. Russel provides real-world examples of what sharing our values looks like and the many benefits to doing so to help our teams be more...2024-05-3009 min
CX Storytime, Tales from the Customer JourneyBig Leadership Moments Must Be Earned Through Small GesturesIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the importance of prioritizing small gestures before big moments at work. Big events at work are great. It's an opportunity to bring everyone together, connect in new ways, hear from leadership, have presenters sharing new ideas. They're awesome. But without a foundation built through small gestures and regular connection, these efforts will ring hollow. And further hurt the workplace culture. Russel provides real-world examples of why that effort matters and the benefit it can have on the entire organization. Join us as...2024-05-2709 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Big Leadership Moments Must Be Earned Through Small GesturesIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the importance of prioritizing small gestures before big moments at work. Big events at work are great. It's an opportunity to bring everyone together, connect in new ways, hear from leadership, have presenters sharing new ideas. They're awesome. But without a foundation built through small gestures and regular connection, these efforts will ring hollow. And further hurt the workplace culture. Russel provides real-world examples of why that effort matters and the benefit it can have on the entire organization. Join us as...2024-05-2309 minCX Storytime, Tales from the Customer JourneyGreat Leaders Know Change Does Not End Great RelationshipsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us to maintain relationships even through significant change.Change is a part of the work world, whether it's as big as a merger or reorganization of a company or as traditional as moving teams or getting a new job. Great leaders understand that relationships are integral to the employee experience so we have to keep nurturing those connections even if our environments change. Russel provides real-world examples things we can do to ensure our relationships at work remain strong and resilient...2024-05-2008 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Great Leaders Know Change Does Not End Great RelationshipsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us to maintain relationships even through significant change.Change is a part of the work world, whether it's as big as a merger or reorganization of a company or as traditional as moving teams or getting a new job. Great leaders understand that relationships are integral to the employee experience so we have to keep nurturing those connections even if our environments change. Russel provides real-world examples of what we can do to ensure our relationships at work remain strong and...2024-05-1608 minCX Storytime, Tales from the Customer JourneyHow Leadership Needs to React to a Tragedy TestIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher explores how leadership should and shouldn't respond to tragedy from their teams.Not so long ago, Russel experienced a personal tragedy, which inspired his curiosity on how leaders and workplace cultures handle those moments. He provides real-world examples of good and bad experiences before highlighting some of the steps great leaders take to pass this tragedy test. Join us as we discuss. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca...2024-05-0910 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How Leadership Needs to React to a Tragedy TestIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher explores how leadership should and shouldn't respond to tragedy from their teams.Not so long ago, Russel experienced a personal tragedy, which inspired his curiosity on how leaders and workplace cultures handle those moments. He provides real-world examples of good and bad experiences before highlighting some of the steps great leaders take to pass this tragedy test. Join us as we discuss. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca...2024-05-0910 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.A Measure of Leadership and Employee RelationshipsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks the question, "would you tell your manager you were looking for a new job" and how the answer illustrates our relationship quality. Recently, Russel posed this question to his community online and the answers were... sad. What does it look and feel like when we don't have a great relationship with our leaders, and what can we as leaders do to ensure our employees trust us? Join us as we discuss. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and sh...2024-05-0210 minCX Storytime, Tales from the Customer JourneyLeadership Lessons from Workhuman LIVEIn this episode from the Relationships at Work podcast, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher provides a recap of attending Workhuman LIVE in Austin and his favourite takeaways.Russel shares the future of work leadership from Brene Brown, the lessons Baratunde Thurston learned when he discovered his mom wasn't perfect, the importance of intention and impact with considering A.I., how Issa Rae embraces fit for herself and her colleagues, and the frustration of having insight you can't use. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For mo...2024-04-2913 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Lessons from Workhuman LIVEIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher provides a recap of attending Workhuman LIVE in Austin and his favourite takeaways.Russel shares the future of work leadership from Brene Brown, the lessons Baratunde Thurston learned when he discovered his mom wasn't perfect, the importance of intention and impact with considering A.I., how Issa Rae embraces fit for herself and her colleagues, and the frustration of having insight you can't use. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to...2024-04-2513 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Great Leadership Includes The Power To Say NOIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher illustrates the importance of saying NO and not always saying YES.To be a great leader, we need to advocate for and defend our teams. To do that effectively, we'll need to be prepared to say No to our Executive, other business areas, other colleagues. Which is saying YES to team advocacy. Russel shares examples of YES statements leaders may use, the NO responses we should say instead, and the impacts of saying either one. If you enjoy the podcast, p...2024-04-1108 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Alert - Avoiding the Pitfalls of Change ManagementIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher showcases common resistances to change at work and how leaders can avoid these pitfalls. Change is a constant in the workplace, but so is resistance to it. The success and failure of change will be found in how leadership introduces, leads, implements and follows up on that change, and in how they respect what's come before. Russel shares five common pitfalls that leaders encounter when implementing change and ways in which we can think differently in how we approach them.I...2024-04-0409 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.The Dangers of Empathy for LeadershipIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the dangers of being an empathetic leader. Empathy is a vital ingredient to good and great leadership. However, it can also be a double-edged sword in how it can impact our ability to lead and the culture we're creating. Yes, there are tons of benefits in being an empathetic leader, but it can also lead to burn out and avoidance. Russel breaks down how empathy can be a burden at work, and the many ways being too empathetic and not knowing ho...2024-03-2108 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Where Oh Where Are Our Leadership Reviews?In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us to stop only focusing on performance reviews and prioritize leadership reviews as a way to help leaders and work cultures. Performance Reviews continually are used as a checklist check-in to ensure work is being done to help with productivity. Why not also check-in on leadership quality, cultural impact and the employee experience? If we say we want a healthy culture, we have to. Russel breaks down the importance of Leadership Reviews and the questions we can ask to better understand h...2024-03-1408 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Curse of Knowledge - Leadership Needs To Take Off Its Comfy ShoesIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the problem with our curse of knowledge.In every industry and role, we get comfortable in our work. This leads to embracing unique ways of talking and expressing ourselves that might be a barrier to inclusivity. Russel will define what the curse of knowledge looks and feels like, as well the steps we can take to better communicate and connect with others through this challenge. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For mo...2024-03-0708 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How to Make Work Values Valuable for Employee EngagementIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights how putting more value into our corporate values will help employee engagement.We talk about values, we put them on posters and on websites but they have absolutely no meaning to staff if they aren't demonstrated and rewarded, every day. Russel will walk through an example of how to operationalize values, some areas to focus on and how to get started to make those values valuable. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.Fo...2024-02-2909 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.What Leadership Needs to Consider Before Conducting Employee InterviewsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us to consider employee interviews from the viewpoint of the employee and how a leader can help.Onboarding interviews, Stay (or better yet, Thrive) Interviews and Exit Interviews are not always great experiences for the employee. And it has nothing to do with how productive they may or may not be but everything to do with their psychological safety, workplace culture and relationships. Russel will walk through the questions employees should ask themselves and their organization and the things we as...2024-02-2210 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Proximity Bias vs Remote Work - Addressing the Leadership StruggleIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher challenges us as leaders to acknowledge and address our own biases, specifically proximity bias as it pertains to remote work. Proximity Bias is the tendency of leadership to show favouritism or preferential treatment to employees that are close to them physically. With the rise of remote work and hybrid work and employee expectations around this way of working, this bias could be on the rise. Which only reduces our organization's ability to embrace diversity, equity and inclusivity. Russel will walk through the...2024-02-1508 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why It's Important Leadership Defines The Pursuit of Power at WorkIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher illustrates the importance of defining power and our pursuit of it in the workplace.What is power? More importantly, what is power to US? Us, as individuals? As we move along our leadership journeys, it's important that we understand the path we want to follow and what our idea of success and power might look like. Russel will walk through multiple steps to consider to set us up for our own success. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and s...2024-02-1110 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.The Dangers of Leaders Dismissing Duality at WorkIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the importance of embracing duality at work. Two things can be true. And, to be good leaders, we need to embrace that duality even if the those experiences are contradictory to each other. Having this understanding will allow us to find issues we may ignore and improve the health of the workplace. Russel will walk through why duality can be dismissed and what we can do to embrace it. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with oth...2024-02-0109 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Sin #7: Cognitive Dissonance DanceIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the last in his seven deadly sins of leadership ecosystems: Cognitive Dissonance DanceIn this seventh in a series of seven, Russel discusses how even though leaders are well intended, they can cause more harm than good doing the cognitive dissonance dance. He provides real-world examples of what this can look like, the impacts of ignoring bad leadership even though we know better, and what we can do as leaders to address this issue.If you enjoy the podcast, p...2024-01-2510 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Sin #6: Responsibility Without AccountabilityIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the sixth of the seven deadly sins of leadership ecosystems: Responsibility Without AccountabilityIn this sixth in a series of seven, Russel discusses the difference between responsibility and accountability, how a lack of accountability allows for bad leadership to flourish and a few areas to focus on to foster better accountability. He provides real-world examples of what this can look like, the impacts of ignoring accountability, and what we can do as leaders to address this issue.If you e...2024-01-1809 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Sin #5: Ignoring the Words Said and Actions Taken GapIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the fifth of the seven deadly sins of leadership ecosystems: Ignoring the Gap - The Space Between Words Said and Actions TakenIn this fifth in a series of seven, Russel discusses how the divide between the words we say at work as leaders and the actions we take or don't take to demonstrate them, can have significant effects on our work cultures. He provides real-world examples of what this can look like, the impacts of ignoring this gap, and what...2024-01-1310 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Sin #4: Follow Up ForgetfulIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the fourth of the seven deadly sins of leadership ecosystems: forgetting to follow up.In this fourth in a series of seven, Russel discusses how not following up with action and intent can hurt employee trust and faith in leadership. He provides real-world examples of where leaders can take the opportunity to follow up and how best to make it part of our operations and culture. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.F...2024-01-0409 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.A Leadership New Year Reminder - Be Curious In Our Reflections and IntentionsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher poses questions to help us be curious in our reflections and intentions in the year ahead.Russel shares questions we need to ask ourselves to better understand how effective we were in our journey and for our team this passed year. He asks us to use those questions to fuel our leadership intentions for 2024. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca And connect with me for mor...2023-12-2811 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Holidays Are Not The Time for Leadership and Employees UnwindIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares his thoughts on taking a break this holiday.Russel discusses why suggesting employees should self-care and relax this holiday season actually does more harm than good, some of the impacts of not prioritizing self-care and how we need to rethink "taking a break" as leaders.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W...2023-12-2108 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Sin #3: The Curiosity VoidIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the third of the seven deadly sins of leadership ecosystems: having no curiosityIn this third in a series of seven, Russel discusses how a little curiosity can have a huge impact and actionable insights, how harmful a lack of curiosity can be, what curious leadership should look like, common excuses and steps we can take to activate our curiosity. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca ...2023-12-1411 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Sin #2: Conflicted With ConflictIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the second of the seven deadly sins of leadership ecosystems: being too conflicted with conflict.In this second in a series of seven, Russel discusses why leaders might be afraid of conflict, the impacts of not addressing conflict, why lack of training has a role to play and things we can do to make us more comfortable in uncomfortable situations. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca ...2023-11-3011 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership Sin #1: Too Much of Too BusyIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights one of the seven deadly sins of leadership ecosystems: being too busy. In this first in a series of seven, Russel how busy leaders allow for bad leadership to thrive, the impacts it has on the workplace culture and some of the shifts they can make to diminish this issue. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca And connect with me for more great content!...2023-11-2310 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Assume Leadership Is Part of the Problem, Even If We Are NotIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us as leaders to assume we're part (even in some small way) of any problem or issue that arises. It leaders to improving our impact.Issues and difficulties will always come up in our careers. As leaders, it's essential that we don't immediately assume we aren't a part of the problem. It's actually better for us and the organization if we just assume we always are. Russel will walk through why that is and five ways we can better self assess...2023-11-1607 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Don't Like it? Leave! (The Silent Version) - A Leadership LessonIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares how the phrase "If you don't like it, you can leave" has changed in recent years but still exists. The phrase was heard a lot, back in the day. It's something leaders would use as a stick to stay at an organization even if they didn't agree with how things were done or how employees were treated. Though it was explicitly said back then, it's implied now. And Russel highlights how it now shows up and how we as leaders can m...2023-10-2606 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.The Hiring Process is the Real First Impression in Employee EngagementIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares why the hiring process and application submission are missed opportunities for organizations to make a great first impression.Inspired by a recent conversation with author Joey Coleman, Russel highlights the importance of taking the hiring process more seriously as the first step in an employee's journey and their impression with us as employers. He shares some areas to reassess so that we can put our best foot forward for current and future applicants.If you enjoy the podcast, please...2023-10-1907 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Four Horsemen of the Leadership Relationship ApocalypseIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the signs that we could be destroying a work relationship.Based on the work shared on Adam Grant's Re:Thinking podcast of John and Julie Gottman, Russel digs into the four patterns in conflict that predict the end of relationships. He shares what those patterns look like at work and what we can do to mitigate them. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca And connect wi...2023-10-1209 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.MILESTONE! 10 Leadership Lessons in 100 EpisodesIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher celebrates the show's 100 episode milestone with 10 lessons and takeaways. After almost two years of digging into leadership, workplace cultures and employee experiences with brilliant guests from around the word, Russel shares his experiences, what stood out for him and what we can make note of in our own work. Happy 100, Relationships at Work!!! Here's to another 100. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca And connect with...2023-10-0521 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Employee Engagement Insight - For the Love of Our Night OwlsIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us to embrace night owls, and their way of working, to further support diversity and inclusivity. We don't all work the same. We aren't all productive and energize at the same points in the day. So why do we treat all employees like they are? Night owls and their productive energy shows up differently. It peaks differently. In this traditional model, we’re never getting their best work. We’re never helping them be seen. In this episode, Russel explor...2023-09-2808 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Hey, Leadership - Avoid the Urge to Weaponize LanguageIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights how organizations weaponize language, intentionally or not.Words matter and how we use those words matters more. Language we use everyday in emails, posters, meetings, etc. can have negative impacts in the workplace. Words like leadership, professionalism, resiliency, when used or understood in a particular way, can actually hurt workplace cultures more than support and inspire them. Russel takes this episode to highlight those issues and what we can do to address them.If you e...2023-09-2107 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Don't Ignore the Relationship in Employee RecognitionIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks leaders to consider their relationship with their team when providing employee recognition. The challenge is understanding that not all kudos are created equal. Russel shares the dangers of assumption when it comes to good relationships and multiple steps to consider in ensuring employee recognition has the impact and benefit we as leaders intend. Rather than hurting the relationship further. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on...2023-09-1406 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Hey Leadership, It's Time to End the Passion TaxIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares ways we can stop the passion tax and support the mental health of our team."The reward for good work is more work." We've heard that before and it's a common problem in many organizations. But what's forgotten is the impact, the tax, of taking advantage of those who are passionate about the work they do - anxiety, stress, burnout. Russel shares how leaders/employers can prevent their organization from inflicting the passion tax and employees can defend themselves f...2023-09-0711 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leadership and Performance Reviews - Does Our Employer Care About Our Success?In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the questions we need to ask to know if the organization we work for cares about us.It's important to understand that our success is our responsibility, but that doesn't let company's off the hook when it comes to investing in its employees. How do we know that the organization that we invest our time and effort into isn't just looking at us as a means to an end but rather as a partner in growth, productivity and creating...2023-08-3108 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Always a Great Time to Reset Our LeadershipIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the importance of proactively reassessing ourselves as leaders, whenever we want.Russel tells the story of how we look to established dates like New Years, or fiscal year end, to learn and refocus our efforts. To reinvest in what's working and address any failures. But it's important to understand the power in not waiting.As leaders, we have the power to take in information daily and use it frequently to improve our leadership, our teams and our organization. We...2023-08-1708 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Soft Skills Suggestion - Really Listen to the One Word AnswerIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us to see one word answers as a red flag for employee disengagement.Russel tells the story of how employees and colleagues using one word answers to questions and requests can be a sign of a cracked relationship. And the opportunity it offers leaders to proactively investigate the issue and create a safe space to the disengagement together. Curiosity, empathy and proactive leadership are key in mending a broken relationship, we just have to be ready to listen to...2023-08-1007 minCX Storytime, Tales from the Customer JourneyStop Dismissing Dismissive LanguageIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares a story of how dismissive language can happen at work and how we can stop using it.Russel tells the story of how leaders can dismiss employees, even when those employees are being honest and vulnerable, and what that dismissal can actually communicate to the larger organization.Curiosity and awareness can be incredibly helpful in preventing leaders from being dismissive and better supporting those they are in charge of. Russel breaks down how we can take steps to avoid...2023-08-0309 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Stop Dismissing Dismissive Language - A Leadership ReminderIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares a story of how dismissive language can happen at work and how we can stop using it. Russel tells the story of how leaders can dismiss employees, even when those employees are being honest and vulnerable, and what that dismissal can actually communicate to the larger organization. Curiosity and awareness can be incredibly helpful in preventing leaders from being dismissive and better supporting those they are in charge of. Russel breaks down how we can take steps to avoid...2023-08-0309 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Why Leaders Need to Get Comfortable with Being UncomfortableIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares a story of leadership being comfortable with being uncomfortable. And how we can too. Russel demonstrates one of his favourite moments at a recent keynote, where an executive publicly shared their discomfort to their peers, demonstrated vulnerability and modelled great leadership in doing so. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is difficult for many leaders, so Russel shares a few tips on how to take those first steps in embracing those moments, learning from them and becoming a better leader. 2023-07-2707 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leader's Lead: The Problem With Passive LeadershipIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the problem with passive leadership, what it looks like and how to change it in ourselves. A survey from State University in New York found passive leadership led to employee role overload, role conflict and role ambiguity, which negatively impacted mental health. Russel shares examples of passive leadership, why it could have bigger impacts to the culture than we might believe and steps to be more proactive in how we lead. If you enjoy the podcast, please s...2023-07-2008 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.What Leaders Believe and Employees Know - A R@W NoteIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the gap between leadership assumptions and employee reality. Numerous surveys have been conducted by SHRM, Deloitte, Forrester showing executives have a very different perception of their organizational culture than those who work for them. Russel asks the question, "but how do you know?" to challenge those leaders who make assumptions, dismiss data they don't agree with or have far too small of a network to know what's really going on. He also offers ideas on how to embrace employees...2023-07-0607 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Our Influence On That Lingering Emotional AftertasteIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares a term that former guest Amber Naslund left him with - emotional aftertaste.Do leaders understand the impact and the emotional residue they leave, for good or bad, that can stay for years and even decades? Rarely.Russel shares what that emotional aftertaste can look like and the areas we can focus on to ensure we better understand the impacts we have. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go...2023-06-2208 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.The Feels of Being Heard Lead to Better Employee EngagementIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher talks on the importance of being heard at work for employee engagement.According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review, employees who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to perform their best work. Additionally, a Gallup study found that employees who feel their voice is heard at work are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged.Russel shares why it's important to feel heard, ways we can show we aren't listening and the ways we can show we are.2023-06-1509 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Hey, Leadership - No Agenda, No RespectIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher declares that no meeting should ever happen without an agenda. A lack of agenda equals a lack of respect. According to a studies by the Harvard Business Review, meetings with clear agendas are 80-150% more productive than those without. Russel shares why it's important to have an agenda and the negative impacts of not having one, as well as how to better prepare for your meetings. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with o...2023-06-0806 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Leaders Don’t Know the Meaning of the WordIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher talks the importance of words leaders use and understanding their meaning in that workplace.A 2014 Salesforce report found that 86% of employees and executives believe that lack of collaboration and ineffective communication are responsible for workplace failures.Russel shares why it's important to know what your words mean, what questions to ask to make sure you do and how vital it is to understand your audience. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For m...2023-06-0107 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.Curiosity Beats Assumption Every TimeIn this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher talks about the need to prioritize curiosity over assumption when entering a new work environment or connecting with a new team. According to a 2018 survey conducted by Gallup, employees who demonstrate curiosity in the workplace are more likely to be innovative, adaptable, and high-performing. Specifically, the survey found that highly curious employees were more likely to generate new ideas and solutions, adapt to change, and find innovative solutions to problems. Russel shares the questions we should ask ourselves and ask ou...2023-05-2509 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.How to Get Leadership to See Your Value at Work - A R@W NoteIn this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher talks about how to get leadership to see your value - whether it's executive or anyone with influence in your organization. You have more power than you know.After a recent experience where an employee diminished themselves and their influence within their organization, Russel shares how that is the wrong outlook and the steps you can make to improve how your value is perceived at work. When we talk about Relationships at Work on this podcast, we’re not just talking about the ones you make with yo...2022-04-1123 minRelationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.The Problem With Leaders Yelling at WorkHost Russel Lolacher discusses the impacts and problems with yelling at work.We all get a little frustrated at others at work. Could be about them, more likely it’s about us. That’s ok. It happens. BUT how we react to that frustration is a whole other thing. And yelling at others, is never OK. For this show, Russel cites interviews with Stanford University professor and author of THE ASSHOLE SURVIVAL GUIDE Bob Sutton, shares real world stories from his own experience and those shared in his community, and provides tactics you can take to address this...2022-01-3119 min
CX Storytime, Tales from the Customer JourneySneak Peek of Relationships At Work - the Employee Experience and Workplace Culture PodcastCheck out this sneak peek episode of the new podcast RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK - the Employee Experience and Workplace Culture Podcast.Host Russel Lolacher will be discussing important employee engagement, leadership, workplace culture, communication and related topics as it relates to the employee experience. He'll be chatting with amazing guests and digging into the latest research. All to help you learn how best to approach your staff, coworkers, colleagues and day to day life. In this episode, Russel talks to plain language advocate Leslie O'Flahavan on how simplifying your communication can improve your workplace co...2022-01-1335 minCX Storytime, Tales from the Customer JourneyCX Storytime: Podcast PrologueHost Russel Lolacher introduces the CX Storytime Podcast. The customer experience is an emotional experience. Through narrative storytelling of customer experience case studies, the CX Storytime podcast host Russel Lolacher will provide entertainment, education and inspiration on how businesses can build better long-term customer relationships, inspire loyalty and improve retention. As customer expectations continue to grow while brand trust drops, discover new ways of thinking and discuss strategies to ensure your business or non-profit is an organization customers want to make friends with.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with...2018-07-1505 min