Authentic Energy: Recent Episodes
Wendy Brand
Join me on this journey to discover the balance between success and holding true to your authentic self. We will learn together from guests that understand the importance of creating and protecting that balance as they share insights into how they have found success on their own journey.
Send us Fan Mail
What if your employees are your most important audience?
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with marketing and culture strategist Lori Castillo to explore the powerful connection between internal culture and external brand. Drawing from her leadership experience at organizations including Procter & Gamble, CoverGirl, and NatureSweet, Lori shares why the world's strongest brands don't start with advertising—they start with the employee experience.
Together, Wendy and Lori discuss how culture influences customer trust, employee engagement, innovation, retention, and ultimately, business performance. They also unpack why culture isn't a "soft" initiative but a business strategy that leaders must intentionally design and reinforce every day.
Whether you're a CEO, business owner, HR leader, or people manager, this episode will challenge the way you think about culture—and leave you with practical ideas for building an organization where both people and business thrive.
Learn more about Lori's work at Venntion and connect with her on LinkedIn.
Website: https://venntion.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loricastillo/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
What does it look like to build a career that's more than one thing, and do it out in the open? In this episode, Wendy sits down with Jennifer Doty, a former Fortune 100 vice president who spent nearly 20 years at MetLife before her role was eliminated and she was forced to reimagine everything.
Today, Jennifer is thriving with a portfolio career that includes a leadership role at tech startup ThreeFlow, two published books, a speaking practice, and a growing business with LivePure. She shares what she learned about identity, reinvention, and what it really takes to lead with intention ...both for yourself and for your team.
Jennifer's Books
- Just Lead: What Your Boss Will Never Teach You, But Experience Will — A practical, easy-to-read guide to the leadership lessons that only come from experience. Think coffee table book meets leadership manual.
- Find the Right Now Role — Written from the moment Jennifer received the call that her role at MetLife was eliminated, this book walks readers through the emotional and practical journey of job loss and what to do next — from taxes and benefits to building a network from scratch and making a job out of looking for a job.
Connect with Jennifer Doty
- Website: https://threeflow.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-sierveld-doty/
- Instagram/Other: https://www.instagram.com/jsierveld/
Resources Mentioned
- ThreeFlow — Technology platform helping group insurance carriers and brokers exchange data more efficiently: https://threeflow.com
- LivePure — Supplement and nutrition company Jennifer partners with: https://livepure.com/
- Jennifer's Books — Available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jennifer-Doty/author/B0BGJT4FCX?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=a69d4aec-f1ca-47e7-ab2c-53c141c729a2
Enjoying the Podcast?
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you never miss an episode. We'd love to hear what's lighting you up — find Wendy on social and let her know!
The Culture Coach Podcast is dedicated to helping leaders and organizations build intentional, people-first cultures. New episodes drop (insert schedule).
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
Building a successful business is one challenge. Building one that maintains strong values, accountability, and a healthy culture as it grows is another.
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with Shannon Badger, co-founder of Badger CPA, to talk about what it really takes to grow a firm while staying true to the values that matter most.
Shannon shares how what started as a small side hustle in 2009 evolved into a thriving accounting and advisory firm serving complex industries—including construction, engineering, nonprofits, and government contractors. Along the way, she and her team learned how intentional leadership, clear expectations, and strong systems play a critical role in shaping culture.
Together, Wendy and Shannon explore the connection between core values, leadership standards, and operational systems, and why culture isn’t just about what organizations say—it’s about what they consistently reinforce.
This conversation is full of practical insights for founders and leaders who want to build organizations where people feel valued, expectations are clear, and teams can truly thrive.
About Shannon BadgerShannon Badger is the co-founder of Badger CPA, a San Antonio-based accounting and advisory firm specializing in outsourced accounting, fractional controller, and CFO services.
The firm serves organizations in high-compliance and complex industries including construction, engineering, nonprofits, and government contractors. Shannon and her leadership team are passionate about building a firm that combines high accountability, excellent client service, and a strong commitment to people and family.
Connect with ShannonWebsite
https://badgercpa.com
Email
Shannon.badger@badgercpa.com
Enjoying The Culture Coach Podcast?
If you enjoyed this episode:
• Follow the show so you never miss an episode
• Share it with another leader or founder
• Leave a review to help more leaders discover the podcast
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
What actually makes a culture real—not just aspirational?
In this episode, Wendy Brand sits down with Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software, to talk about what it takes to build an intentional culture that holds up through growth, change, and hiring challenges.
Sabrina shares the turning point that led her team to articulate their culture (after several “perfect resume” hires didn’t work out), and how they operationalized six culture tenets—like relying on data, solving for the customer, and transparency—to create a workplace where people have the autonomy to be awesome and the accountability to deliver.
If you’re a founder, CEO, or senior leader who wants culture to drive strategy (not sit beside it), this conversation will give you both clarity and practical takeaways.
Sabrina Parsons is the CEO of Palo Alto Software, a SaaS company headquartered in Eugene, Oregon with a mission to help people succeed in business. She has led the company since 2007 and guided major transformations while building a culture rooted in transparency, autonomy, and mission-driven work.
Connect + Links
Connect with Wendy Brand / The Culture Coach
- Join the Culture Strategy Lab: https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/strategylab
- Explore the Aligned Leader Collective: https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/aligned
Palo Alto Software
- Website: https://www.paloalto.com/about-us/culture
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
February is American Heart Month—a reminder of the importance of cardiovascular health and the signals our bodies send us every day.
In this deeply personal conversation, Wendy sits down with her dear friend Julie Habelmann—founder of Noble Tones, integrative sound healing practitioner, and women’s heart health advocate—to explore how a heart attack became a catalyst for profound life and leadership transformation.
After surviving a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in 2020, Julie was forced to slow down, listen to her body, and reevaluate everything. That experience ultimately led her to integrative sound healing and the creation of Noble Tones, a practice dedicated to helping others regulate their nervous system, restore balance, and reconnect with themselves.
Julie focuses on helping individuals move out of chronic stress and back into balance—supporting sustainable overall wellbeing of mind, body, and spirit.
Julie will also be facilitating mindset and nervous system sessions inside The Aligned Leader Collective.
Learn More About JulieInstagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nobletones/
Website:
https://www.noble-tones.com/
Substack:
https://substack.com/@juliehaberman
Join The Aligned Leader CollectiveThe Aligned Leader Collective is a 6-month leadership experience for high-achieving women who are ready to realign with themselves and their next chapter of leadership.
This is not traditional leadership development.
It’s a space to:
- Reconnect with your vision and direction
- Reset your energy and nervous system
- Gain clarity on what’s next
- Lead from alignment instead of obligation
Julie will be facilitating three dedicated mindset and nervous system sessions as part of the program.
The next cohort begins in March.
Learn more and apply here:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/aligned
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
There’s a moment in leadership that's that in-between phase where, on the outside, everything looks fine… but internally, something feels off.
In this solo episode, Wendy shares a personal story from her leadership journey—one where success, responsibility, and recognition continued to rise, while alignment quietly slipped away. She reflects on what happens when leaders sacrifice their own values, boundaries, and well-being in an effort to become what the organization needs—at the cost of who they are becoming.
This episode is for high-capacity leaders who are:
- Succeeding, but not feeling grounded
- Carrying increasing responsibility while losing clarity
- Feeling pressure, disconnection, or internal friction they can’t quite name
If you’ve ever felt successful but misaligned, this conversation will resonate—and may offer the permission you didn’t know you needed to pause, reflect, and realign.
Check out The Aligned Leader Collective
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with former CEO Barry Moline to explore what truly drives high-performing teams — and why connection, trust, and community matter more than strategy alone.
With nearly three decades of leadership experience, Barry shares real-world stories of early leadership mistakes, building intentional culture, strengthening collaboration, and guiding teams through crisis with clarity and trust.
Together, Wendy and Barry unpack how relationships are the foundation of strong culture — and how the same principles that build thriving teams also support leadership growth and transformation.
Here a link to Icebreakers for Team Building: https://barrymoline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ideas-for-Icebreakers-Team-Building-1-25.pdf
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-moline/
Website: https://barrymoline.com/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
Leadership isn’t supposed to feel this heavy.
Yet so many capable, driven leaders are exhausted. Carrying everything, fixing everything, and feeling constant pressure just to keep things moving. In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand breaks down the real root cause behind burnout, team friction, and fragile workplace culture: misalignment.
Drawing from her own leadership journey and years of consulting with organizations, Wendy explores how personal misalignment shows up in leadership behavior — and how it quietly shapes (and strains) organizational culture.
You’ll learn:
- What leading without alignment actually looks like day to day
- How misalignment fuels micromanagement, disengagement, and burnout
- Why culture initiatives stall even when values are clearly defined
- The connection between personal alignment and sustainable organizational culture
- What begins to shift when leaders realign with clarity, values, and intention
Wendy also shares what aligned leadership creates instead — clarity over control, ownership over dependence, and systems that reinforce culture instead of constantly fixing behavior.
If leadership feels harder than it should…
If culture feels fragile or exhausting to maintain…
If you know you’re capable of more clarity, impact, and ease…
This episode will help you understand why — and what to do about it.
🌿 Ready to go deeper?
Wendy is hosting a live Information Session for women leaders on February 6th to share more about the Aligned Leader Collective, a six-month experience focused on personal and organizational alignment.
👉 Learn more at: https://go.culturecoachwendy.com/aligned
The Culture Strategy Lab also opens the week of February 16th for leaders ready to begin operationalizing intentional culture.
⭐ Enjoyed the episode?
If this conversation resonated, share it with a fellow leader who might need it — and don’t forget to rate, review, or follow The Culture Coach Podcast. Your support helps more leaders find clarity and build cultures where people truly thrive.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
Fresh off a week in Reno and Lake Tahoe working with Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) leaders, Wendy reflects on conversations with founders, CEOs, and franchise leaders navigating growth, change, and transition—and why alignment, not reinvention, is the real work leaders are being called to do in 2026.
Building on her recent newsletter and Substack article, “2026 doesn’t need a new you—it needs an aligned you,” Wendy unpacks how misalignment quietly shows up inside organizations long before leaders consciously name it themselves.
She also weaves in her CORE Culture Framework—Clarify, Operationalize, Reinforce, and Evaluate—to explain how leaders can intentionally operationalize culture and prevent teams from carrying the weight of unspoken ambiguity.
This episode is especially relevant if:
- You’re successful but sensing that something feels “off”
- Decision-making feels heavier than it used to
- You’re tolerating behaviors that no longer align with your values
- Your culture feels inconsistent, even though your values are documented
Resources & Next Steps
✨ Free Resource:
Download Wendy’s alignment workbook to help you clarify what matters most right now and identify where misalignment may be showing up in your leadership and culture.
✨ The Aligned Leader Program:
If you’re a successful leader navigating growth, transition, or recalibration—and want a structured, supportive space to realign without reinventing yourself—learn more about Wendy’s Aligned Leader Program:
👉 https://go.culturecoachwendy.com/aligned
This is a collective for leaders who want clarity, alignment, and intentional culture—without forcing change that doesn’t fit who they are now.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
In this solo episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand is bringing awareness to leadership habits that may be quietly draining your culture — and holding your organization back.
If you feel like everything is urgent, you’re constantly stepping in to do work that isn’t yours, or every decision still has to run through you, this episode is for you.
Wendy breaks down three common leadership patterns that erode clarity and momentum inside organizations and explains how each one connects back to mission, vision, core values, and role clarity. Drawing on 30 years of leadership experience and culture consulting work, she shares practical ways leaders can simplify priorities, clarify ownership, and empower teams to make confident decisions.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why “everything feels urgent” is often a clarity problem — not a workload problem
- How unclear roles and responsibilities create burnout and role creep
- Why decisions bottleneck at the top when core values aren’t defined as behaviors
- How mission, vision, and values can become daily decision-making tools
- Where leaders can take immediate action to strengthen culture in 2026
Wendy also shares the different ways leaders can work with her this year — including culture consulting, leadership cohorts and retreats, and the Culture Strategy Lab, a monthly group experience for those responsible for building intentional culture inside their organizations.
If you’re a CEO, founder, executive, HR leader, or people manager who wants more clarity, alignment, and trust inside your organization, this episode will give you practical insight you can apply right away.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with Steven Puri —former senior executive at major motion picture studios, startup founder, and the creator of Sukha, a platform designed to help knowledge workers access flow state and protect deep work.
Steven makes a bold case: companies don’t win because TPS reports are filed on time or everyone hits inbox zero. They win because someone takes uninterrupted time to think, create, and solve meaningful problems—then brings back the insight that changes the trajectory of the business.
Together, Wendy and Steven unpack what “high-performing teams” really need right now: a culture that values deep work, clarity, and trust, not just busyness, meetings, and legacy processes.
Try these this week:
- Protect deep work: Block 60 minutes, 3x/week where no meetings and no interruptions are allowed.
- Normalize focus: Make it culturally safe to decline non-urgent pings during deep-work windows.
- Use the chronotype grid: Have your team track energy + output patterns for 5–10 days, then align deep-work time accordingly.
- Reward outcomes, not motion: Praise thinking, experimentation, and meaningful progress—not just responsiveness.
Connect with Steven
- Email: steven@thesukha.co
- Website (free 3-day trial): thesukha.co
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
Greetings! This is a replay of an episode from this past summer on my CORE Culture™ Framework. Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy.
____________________________
This week, I'm diving deep into my signature CORE Culture™ Framework, a proven model for helping leaders stop culture from happening by accident and start building one that drives retention, productivity, and purpose.
After a busy season of speaking at SHRM conferences in New Mexico and Alabama, I reflect on why I built the CORE Culture™ model and how it’s helping CEOs and HR leaders operationalize their culture in practical ways.
Whether you're building from scratch or refining what’s already there, this episode gives you the tools to make culture work for your business—not against it.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us Fan Mail
Today on The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with Erika Sinner, Founder & CEO of Directorie, a $15M healthcare commercialization company and two-time Inc. 5000 honoree. Erika also serves as the Chief Empathy Officer of TinySuperheroes, a nonprofit empowering critically ill children through play and courage, and is the bestselling author of Pets Are Family.
Erika is a powerful, fresh voice in modern leadership — championing pet-inclusive policies, psychological safety, and building cultures where people feel genuinely seen and supported.
🔗 Resources Mentioned
- Pets Are Family (https://www.erikasinner.org/buy-book) by Erika Sinner — available on Amazon and major retailers
- Directorie(https://www.directorie.com/) — Healthcare commercialization services
- TinySuperheroes (https://tinysuperheroes.com/)— Support, donate, or get involved: tinysuperheroes.com
- Erika’s website: https://erikasinner.org
- Follow Erika on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikasinner/), and other social platforms
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In today’s episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with tech executive and author Kae Williams for a candid conversation about the invisible barriers women and marginalized leaders face at work—and the strategies that actually help you navigate them with confidence, clarity, and impact.
Kae has spent decades leading in male-dominated environments across startups, scale-ups, and global tech companies. Throughout her career, she noticed a repeated pattern: women being spoken over, their ideas being dismissed or “hepeated,” their credibility questioned, and their contributions overlooked—regardless of company size or culture.
These patterns inspired her to write her book, Not Made for You Now, a powerful guide for women who want to succeed without having to shrink, smile more, or tolerate bias.
Kae Williams is a seasoned tech executive, marketer, and advocate for equity in the workplace. Her book, Not Made for You Now, offers practical tools for women navigating biased systems—and guidance for leaders ready to reimagine culture with intention.
👉 Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads
👉 Connect with Kae: https://www.kaewilliams.com/
👉 Follow Kae:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaekronthalerwilliams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaekwilliams/
🎧 Don’t Miss This Conversation If You Are:
- A woman in leadership (or aspiring to be one)
- A CEO or CHRO committed to building an intentional, inclusive culture
- A manager who wants to create more equitable team dynamics
- Someone who has felt dismissed, talked over, or undervalued at work
- An ally ready to understand and support underrepresented voices
✨ Continue the Conversation
If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend or colleague. These stories spark dialogue—and dialogue is where cultural transformation begins.
Ready to build a culture where clarity, belonging, and aligned leadership are the norm?
Join Wendy at CultureCoachWendy.com for tools, frameworks, and programs that help leaders operationalize culture—intentionally and sustainably.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this week’s episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with Farrah Mitra — executive coach, former Bain consultant, Cornell alum, and one of only fifteen Radical Candor™ coaches worldwide. Farrah's career has been built at the intersection of people, performance, and communication, and she brings a rare blend of strategic clarity and deep humanity to the conversations leaders fear most.
Together, Wendy and Farrah break down:
- Why communication is often the true bottleneck inside organizations — and how it silently shapes trust, culture, and retention.
- The thin line between “getting it right” and “getting it wrong” when messaging is high-stakes, emotional, or tied to people’s livelihoods.
- How two companies approached layoffs — one creating confusion and trauma, the other creating advocates even in the midst of hard decisions.
- Farrah’s 3-step Communicating Challenges & Change Framework used by executives across industries:
- Identify the facts
- Check your mindset
- Deliver with care
- Why mindset is the hidden variable — and how unspoken frustration or dread leaks into every message we deliver.
- A practical formula for empathy that leaders can use without diluting clarity, over-apologizing, or losing authority.
- How leaders can shift from fear of difficult conversations to skillful, confident delivery.
This episode is a must-listen for leaders navigating performance conversations, reorganizations, role changes, or any situation where the stakes are high and emotions are real.
Connect With Farra Mitra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-mitra-executive-coach/
Email: farrah@greenreedgroup.com
Links & Resources
✨ Sign up for The Culture Roadmap Workshop Series
A 3-part November experience for leaders who want clarity, energy, and ownership heading into 2026.
Register at http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
🎙️ Subscribe to The Culture Coach Podcast for weekly leadership and culture insights.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this week’s episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand unpacks the power of conscious leadership—a philosophy popularized by John Mackey (Whole Foods), Steve McIntosh, and Carter Phipps—and how it connects directly to the CORE Culture™ pillars of Clarity, Energy, and Ownership.
Wendy explores what it truly means to lead above the line—where fear is acknowledged but not in control—and how awareness, alignment, and accountability fuel intentional cultures. Drawing from The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, Dare to Lead, and her own coaching work with CEOs and leadership teams, Wendy breaks down three essential dimensions of conscious leadership:
- Vision & Virtue (Clarity): Defining purpose beyond profit and leading with integrity.
- Mindset & Strategy (Energy): Managing your inner world before you manage others—protecting focus, curiosity, and long-term perspective.
- People & Culture (Ownership): Empowering teams through trust, shared accountability, and continual growth.
This episode offers practical ways to integrate these concepts into your daily leadership practices—helping you move from reaction to intention, and from managing chaos to shaping culture consciously.
🔍 Key Takeaways
- Conscious leaders balance vision and virtue—they know where they’re going and why.
- Leadership energy sets the tone: grounded focus fuels creative, high-performing teams.
- The “above the line” framework helps you recognize and recover from reactive, fear-driven responses.
- Ownership isn’t control—it’s co-creation. Trust is the foundation of a self-sustaining culture.
- When clarity, energy, and ownership align, culture becomes your greatest strategic advantage.
🧭 Next Steps
If you’re ready to stop reacting to culture and start shaping it with intention:
👉 Join Wendy’s free 3-part Culture Roadmap Webinar Series — begins November 11.
Get the full experience (or access replays) at culturecoachwendy.com/webinarseries
And if you’re a CEO ready for deeper transformation, join the waitlist for The Empowered CEO, a 6-month coaching program designed to help you lead with confidence, clarity, and conviction.
🔗 culturecoachwendy.com/ceo
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
This week on The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with Dave McDonald, founder of the Better Together Group and host of the WTF Podcast, to talk about the unconventional path that led him from being “fired from every good job he ever had” to running a thriving family of staffing agencies dedicated to feeding families one shift at a time.
Dave’s story is full of humility, humor, and heart. Together, Wendy and Dave unpack:
- How early experiences shaped Dave’s people-first leadership philosophy
- The challenges of building culture across remote and on-site teams
- The importance of clarity, consistency, and communication in leadership
- Why understanding individuals — not just roles — is the key to sustainable culture
- How leaders can balance compassion with accountability
This is a must-listen for any entrepreneur or leader who’s ever questioned whether they were “cut out” for leadership — and a reminder that great cultures aren’t built by accident; they’re built through intentional connection and consistency.
🔗 Connect with Dave McDonald:
Website: https://wtftalks.work/
Email: dave@wtftalks.org
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
What’s the real difference between a strong leader and a tough one?
In this solo episode, I’m unpacking one of the biggest shifts in leadership today — moving from command-and-control to human-centered leadership.
After 30 years in corporate leadership, I’ve seen both styles up close. The truth? The leaders who build loyalty, trust, and high performance aren’t the ones barking orders — they’re the ones balancing clarity, accountability, and empathy.
In this episode, you’ll learn the five key shifts that separate strong leaders from tough ones — and how to apply them to your own leadership style:
- Empathy is a strength, not a softness
- Clarity and accountability are non-negotiable
- Dependability builds trust
- Flexibility drives results
- Fallibility fuels growth
We’ll explore how these traits define modern leadership — especially as we move into a more technology-driven, AI-powered workplace where human connection matters more than ever.
If you’re leading a team, running a company, or shaping culture from any seat — this episode will help you lead with strength that inspires, not fear that controls.
💡 Join the FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series kicking off November 11: culturecoachwendy.com/webinarseries
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this episode of The Culture Coach, Wendy sits down with Janelle Miller Moravek, a nonprofit leader and mental health advocate who has led Youth & Family Counseling as Executive Director since 2009.
Janelle’s leadership journey offers a masterclass in balancing compassion with strategy. She shares how trust is built over time — and how that trust becomes the foundation for psychological safety. Together, Wendy and Janelle unpack what it looks like to create a manageable workload, support your team’s well-being, and model what it means to care for yourself while caring for others.
One of Janelle’s most powerful reminders?
“Mental health is your health.”
Whether you lead clinicians, a small business, or a growing team, this conversation will help you pause, reflect, and lead with more clarity, empathy, and intention.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- How to build trust over time and create psychological safety
- Why protecting your energy helps you lead with greater impact
- The importance of setting boundaries and creating manageable workloads
- How mental health awareness strengthens teams and organizations
- Ways to model healthy leadership in emotionally demanding environments
🧭 Ready to Create a Healthier Culture in 2026?
Join Wendy for the FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series — a 3-part live training designed to help you stop reacting to culture and start shaping it.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Protect your energy and eliminate workplace drains
✅ Bring clarity to chaos with a proven framework
✅ Reset your values, rituals, and habits for a strong start to 2026
👉 Save your seat at: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this episode of The Culture Coach podcast, I sit down with Grant Harris to explore neurodiversity and inclusion in the workplace. Grant shares his journey of discovering his own neurodistinct identity, the strengths that come with it, and how leaders can create more inclusive cultures that unlock hidden brilliance on their teams.
We cover:
-
The difference between being neurodiverse, neurodivergent, and neurodistinct
-
Why curiosity is one of the most powerful leadership tools
-
Simple, cost-free adjustments leaders can make to support employees
-
The RACE framework (Recognize, Acknowledge, Cultivate, Engage) and how it helps organizations move from awareness to action
-
How communication, transparency, and empathy can transform your culture
Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, or manager, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to make your workplace more inclusive and high-performing.
Connect with Grant Harris
Website: compliancetocommunity.com
Email: grant@compliancetocommunity.com
Resources & Next Steps
Want to start building a more intentional culture in your organization?
👉 Join me inside The Culture Strategy Lab—a monthly membership where CEOs and HR leaders get access to research, frameworks, and live strategy sessions to operationalize culture in 30 days or less.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries
FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/
Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
What does it really take to lead with confidence in the age of AI? And how can leaders embrace innovation without burning out themselves—or their teams?
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with Victoria Mensch, Founder and CEO of the Silicon Valley Executive Academy, to explore the intersection of AI, leadership, and workplace culture.
Victoria shares her perspective on why AI adoption isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a leadership competency. She explains how executives can cultivate agility, emotional intelligence, and a culture of experimentation to help their organizations thrive in times of disruption.
You’ll also hear Victoria’s practical strategies for preventing burnout, including her Micro Joy Method for bringing more energy, resilience, and balance into daily life.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why AI transformation is less about technology and more about people and culture
- How to embrace a culture of experimentation without fear of failure
- The leadership traits that will matter most in the next 5 years
- Why boundaries, gratitude, and micro-joys are essential to fighting burnout
- How leaders can model self-leadership to create burnout-proof organizations
Resources & Links
- Learn more about Victoria Mensch and the Silicon Valley Executive Academy: SV Executive Academy Website
- Check out Wendy's CEO RESET, a FREE mini-course to help you experience a leadership reset.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
What can leaders learn from comedians? As it turns out—quite a lot.
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with Kevin Hubschmann, founder of Laugh.Events and author of the Laugh Rx newsletter, to explore how laughter and improv translate into powerful leadership and culture skills.
Kevin shares his journey from being one of the first employees at a SaaS company to building a career in comedy—and eventually creating team-building experiences that blend fun and professional development. Along the way, he discovered that the very skills comedians use on stage—listening, curiosity, collaboration, and resilience—are the same ones that help leaders and teams thrive.
You’ll learn:
- How laughter and improv build trust and psychological safety on teams
- Why active listening and curiosity are essential leadership superpowers
- What comedians can teach us about failing forward and building resilience
- Simple improv-inspired exercises you can bring into meetings to energize your team
- The connection between laughter, stress reduction, and improved workplace wellbeing
Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, or team manager, this conversation will inspire you to see humor not as a distraction, but as a tool for culture transformation.
Connect with Kevin Hubschmann
- Website: https://www.laugh.events/
- Newsletter: https://laughrx.laugh.events/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hubschmannn/
✨ If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a leader who could use both a laugh and a new perspective on culture. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Culture Coach Podcast.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
What does it take to keep your people’s fire alive—and build organizations where everyone can thrive?
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with Telle Whitney—computer scientist, co-founder of the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, former CEO of the Anita Borg Institute, and author of Rebooting Tech Culture: How to Ignite Innovation and Build Organizations Where Everyone Can Thrive.
Telle brings decades of experience leading in technology and building communities for women in computing. Together, we explore:
💡 Why so many employees enter organizations with passion and leave a few years later feeling burned out or undervalued
💡 Telle’s Six Cs of Culture—creativity, courage, confidence, curiosity, communication, and community—and how leaders can bring them to life
💡 How to move beyond the numbers and create environments where people’s best ideas can flourish
💡 The critical role of storytelling, collaboration, and belonging in driving innovation
💡 Practical ways leaders can model curiosity, encourage courage, and design more inclusive workplaces
If you’re a leader who wants to build an intentional culture that keeps people engaged, inspired, and performing at their best, this conversation is for you.
Connect with Telle Whitney
🌐 Website: tellewhitney.com
📖 Book: Rebooting Tech Culture
Connect with Wendy Brand
🌐 Website: culturecoachwendy.com
📧 Subscribe to the Culture Compass Newsletter for weekly strategies on intentional culture
🎙️ Follow The Culture Coach Podcast on your favorite podcast platform
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this episode, Wendy Brand unpacks why clarity and focus are the quickest wins for CEOs and culture leaders. Without them, even the best teams slip into misalignment, decision fatigue, and constant firefighting. With them, leaders reclaim their energy, teams align around what matters, and culture becomes the system that drives results.
You’ll hear:
- Why clarity is the foundation of every thriving culture
- The difference between clarity and focus—and why you need both
- The hidden costs of operating without clarity (and how to stop paying them)
- A simple 3-step practice to reclaim clarity and focus in just 30 days
If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of your business alone, this episode will show you how clarity creates momentum and focus protects it.
✨ Ready to put this into action?
At the end of September, I kick off two programs designed to help you operationalize culture and lead with energy, clarity, and confidence.
Sign up today!
- The Empowered CEO – A 6-month accelerator for women CEOs ready to stop being the bottleneck and start building a self-managing culture. https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
- Culture Strategy Lab – A quarterly implementation community for CEOs, HR leaders, and founders who are done talking about culture and ready to build it into their systems. https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
This week, I break down each of the five biggest reasons culture transformations fail—straight out of the latest Harvard Business Review article and echoed in my own work with organizations.
Learn practical ways leaders can avoid these pitfalls and build an intentional culture that actually sticks.
And if you’re ready to go deeper:
👉 Join the Culture Strategy Lab ($57/month community launching Sept. 29) for coaching, frameworks, and real-world solutions. https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/
👉 Explore Culture Strategy Sprints (3-month group intensives) if you want to map and execute your next culture initiative. https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysprints
👉 Or, for CEOs ready to lead from the front, The Empowered CEO opens in September with a strategy retreat in Texas Hill Country this January. https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture isn’t a side project. It’s your strategy.
How are you making sure yours doesn’t fail?
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on three powerful programs I’ve created to help leaders design intentional cultures that prevent burnout, increase performance, and create thriving organizations.
All three programs officially open on September 29th, but you don’t have to wait—when you sign up now, you’ll start receiving updates and get immediate access on launch day.
Here’s what I cover in this episode:
- Why I created these three programs and how they work together
- The difference between community, sprint planning, and CEO-level support
- How to choose which path is right for you or your organization
✨ The Programs:
Culture Strategy Lab – A community designed for leaders who want research, frameworks, and live support each month to build culture intentionally.
🔗 culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab
Culture Strategy Sprints – 3-month sprint programs where you’ll create and implement a clear, actionable culture plan that aligns with your business strategy.
🔗 culturecoachwendy.com/strategysprints
The Empowered CEO – A 6-month program for CEOs who want to grow their own leadership capacity while building an intentional culture that scales.
🔗 culturecoachwendy.com/ceo
Whether you’re a CEO ready to lead with confidence, or an HR leader building culture strategy, there’s a place for you to start.
🎧 Listen in to decide which program is right for you—and get ready to take action on September 29th!
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
As 2025 winds down and 2026 approaches, it’s the perfect time to make sure your workforce is ready for the year ahead—not just your business plan. In this solo episode, Wendy Brand shares why workforce planning should go hand-in-hand with your strategic objectives, and how to make sure your people plan supports your business plan.
Tips on how to:
- Align your workforce with your top business objectives
- Identify and close skill gaps for future success
- Conduct a “culture gap” analysis alongside your skills assessment
- Use a simple grid tool to evaluate individuals, teams, and engagement
- Forecast talent needs and build your leadership pipeline
- Ensure new hires and promotions are true culture champions
Wendy also explains how integrating culture into your workforce plan can boost productivity, profitability, and innovation—and why HR leaders and CEOs need to be at the same table from the start.
If you’re ready to put the right people with the right skills and the right behaviors in the right roles, this episode will give you the framework to get there.
Resources & Links:
- Learn more about The Empowered CEO program for small group CEO coaching: culturecoachwendy.com/ceo
- Join the free Culture Strategy Planning Session for HR leaders: culturecoachwendy.com/strategy-sessions
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this solo episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy dives into a common but critical leadership crossroads: realizing that the leadership style, team structure, and culture that got you this far… may not be what gets you to your next level.
Inspired by a real coaching conversation with a new CEO, Wendy walks through the process of stepping into a broader, more strategic leadership role. She explores questions every senior leader should be asking themselves mid-year:
- Is my leadership philosophy still serving me and my team?
- Do my mission, vision, and core values still align with where we’re headed?
- Does my team have what they need—clarity, direction, support—to truly thrive?
- Am I showing up with the energy, intention, and strategy required for what’s next?
Wendy also shares practical ways to reset your leadership approach, reengage your team, and recalibrate your goals for the back half of 2025—so you don’t just finish the year strong, but with alignment and purpose.
Plus, get a sneak peek into her upcoming programs launching in September:
👉 The Empowered CEO™
👉 Free Culture Strategy Session – Aug 19
Whether you're a CEO stepping into a bigger role or an HR leader shaping the future of your culture, this episode is a timely reminder that growth requires evolution—and intentional leadership is the key.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
At just 19 years old, Carson Wagner founded Lifetime of Love Nannies with a mission to provide purpose-driven, high-quality care for families and children. What began as a bold leap into entrepreneurship has grown into a nationally recognized agency with three thriving locations and a team of over 75 dedicated employees.
Carson’s unwavering commitment to inclusive, ethical, and relationship-centered childcare has earned her numerous awards and accolades, recognizing her leadership, innovation, and impact on the childcare industry.
In this episode, you’ll hear how she creates a sense of belonging among employees, including those working directly with clients and those working in their corporate office. She discusses her hiring practices which are tightly connected to core values and how she leads in a multi-generational workplace.
If you want to contact Carson and her team, you can visit their website at:
https://lifetimeoflovenannies.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carson-wagner-17a96b197/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Hello culture fans!
In this week’s episode of The Culture Coach, I’m joined by Linda Carlisle—
Linda is a fractional corporate communications partner, helping business leaders, VCs, private equity firms, and their portfolio companies solve communication and culture challenges in the Moments that Matter™, including mergers, acquisitions, organizational restructuring, leadership changes, turnarounds, business process redesigns, technology implementations, and workforce reductions.
From employer branding and hiring practices to 30-day new hire interviews and intentional exit interviews, Linda shares how to create a culture where people feel seen, heard, and valued—right from the start.
If you're a CEO who’s tired of hiring for skills and firing for fit—or wondering why your team isn't quite clicking—this episode will give you the tactical strategies and deeper mindset shifts to help your internal culture reflect the brand promise you're making to the world.
If you want to connect or work with Linda, you can find her here:
Website: https://www.lcarlisle.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindakcarlisle/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Tired of putting a Band-Aid on your people problems? 🩹
🎙️ On this week’s episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, I sat down with Ted Whetstone—executive coach, systems thinker, and former left-brainer turned whole-brainer.
Ted helps senior leaders stop reacting and start redesigning the way they think, lead, and collaborate.
Here’s a taste of what we covered:
🔁 Why systems thinking is a leadership superpower
⚡ The difference between incremental improvement and breakthrough change
🌱 How to unlock your team’s full potential—without micromanaging
If you’re a CEO or executive ready to move from control to clarity, this one’s for you.
Ted is an exceptional executive coach who helps senior leaders unlock greater influence, innovation, and impact by transforming how they think, lead, and collaborate.
Ted has coached clients across industries, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies, working with leaders at every stage—from emerging executives to seasoned C-suite veterans.
Prior to founding his coaching practice, he ran companies and held broad operational roles both domestically and internationally, building a global perspective that fosters trust and results across diverse communities. Ted holds a B.S. from Cornell University and is an ICF-certified professional coach.
If you want to work with Ted you can find him here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedwhetstone/
Website: https://www.tedwhetstone.com/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
This week, I'm diving deep into my signature CORE Culture™ Framework, a proven model for helping leaders stop culture from happening by accident and start building one that drives retention, productivity, and purpose.
After a busy season of speaking at SHRM conferences in New Mexico and Alabama, I reflect on why I built the CORE Culture™ model and how it’s helping CEOs and HR leaders operationalize their culture in practical ways.
Whether you're building from scratch or refining what’s already there, this episode gives you the tools to make culture work for your business—not against it.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Adam built his first business as a kid, and today he helps leaders like you identify real strategies for exponential growth and sustainable success This week on The Culture Coach, I’m joined by Adam Strong—a former elite athlete turned successful business strategist who now works with founders and CEOs around the world to help them scale—and exit—on their terms.
In our conversation, Adam and I discussed the importance of purpose and clarity. He shares some of his experience working with leaders
If you're running a growing business and want to build something that thrives beyond you—this conversation will change how you think about strategy, legacy, and leadership.
If you're interested in working with Adam, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong/
And, if you're interested, you can get onto the waitlist for his community HERE.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Kym Insana is a multi-million dollar business owner, digital marketing expert, and founder of AlwaysOn Digital, a women-owned agency helping brands like the U.S. Air Force, Enfamil, and Johnston & Murphy scale through impactful campaigns.
With over 20 years of experience, Kym left her demanding NYC advertising career to build a company that offers flexibility and balance—values she champions as a wife and mother of four. AlwaysOn Digital thrives by empowering talented working parents to blend career success with family life.
A sought-after speaker, Kym has shared her journey and expertise on national stages, including The Big in San Francisco and iMedia Brand Summit.
When Kym Insana left the corporate world to start her own business, she didn’t just want flexibility for herself — she wanted to create it for others.
In this episode of The Culture Coach, we explore how Kym built a thriving 9-year-old advertising business rooted in flexibility, family-first values, and a people-centered culture.
If you’re a CEO or CHRO reimagining what the workplace can look like — especially for working parents and high-performing professionals who don’t want to choose between career and family — this conversation is for you.
🎧 Tune in to learn:
✔️ How flexibility became Kym’s business advantage
✔️ The culture she created to attract and retain talent
✔️ Why your next best hire might be someone looking for a different kind of workplace
Culture isn’t just what you say — it’s how you build.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
You don’t “roll out” belonging. You build it—one intentional choice at a time.
In Part 2 of my conversation with Greg Morley, we move past DEI buzzwords and into the real work of creating connection and psychological safety at work.
Greg shares the lessons behind his new book Bond: Belonging and the Keys to Inclusion and Connection, and why true inclusion starts with how leaders show up.
👥 We cover:
- The connection between storytelling and trust
- How to create space where every voice matters
- What inclusive leadership actually looks like in practice
If you’re leading a team in 2025, this is not optional listening.
Greg Morley is most recently Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Moët Hennessy, a division of LVMH. Greg brings a personal and professional passion to the development of talent and to helping others achieve more than they believe they can. Greg led the HR function for the company’s operations across the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining Moët Hennessy, he was Vice President, Human Resources Asia Pacific for Hasbro, Inc. and was Vice President, Human Resources for the Shanghai Disney Resort based in Shanghai. He has been based in Hong Kong, Paris, and the US for The Walt Disney Company, starting his career in General Electric.
Greg played a leading role in the team that brought the Gay Games, a global
participant sports, culture, and diversity event, to Asia for the first time in its 40 years history, specifically to Hong Kong.
Get his book, Bond: Belonging and The Keys to Inclusion and Connection: https://www.gregmorley.com/books
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregcmorley/
Check out his website: https://www.gregmorley.com/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
My guest this week is Greg Morley. Greg was most recently Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Moët Hennessy, a division of LVMH. Greg brings a personal and professional passion to the development of talent and to helping others achieve more than they believe they can.
Greg led the HR function for the company’s operations across the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining Moët Hennessy, he was Vice President, Human Resources Asia Pacific for Hasbro, Inc. and was Vice President, Human Resources for the Shanghai Disney Resort based in Shanghai. He has been based in Hong Kong, Paris, and the US for The Walt Disney Company, starting his career in General Electric.
Greg played a leading role in the team that brought the Gay Games, a global
participant sports, culture, and diversity event, to Asia for the first time in its 40 years history, specifically to Hong Kong.
Get his book, Bond: Belonging and The Keys to Inclusion and Connection: https://www.gregmorley.com/books
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregcmorley/
Check out his website: https://www.gregmorley.com/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
This week on The Culture Coach, I’m joined by none other than Garry Ridge, Chairman Emeritus and former CEO of WD-40 Company. Over 25 years as CEO, Garry transformed a global household brand not just by growing the business—but by building a culture so strong, it became a competitive advantage.
Now, Garry shares the leadership lessons from what he calls his “CEO apprenticeship,” turning decades of real-world experience into wisdom for today’s business leaders.
In this episode, we go beyond the usual culture conversation. I mean, of course we talk about mission, vision, and values. But we also dive into:
- Why forgiveness and love are key to creating a sense of belonging in your organization
- How rituals like 'Learning Moments' and the Maniac Pledge created psychological safety and high performance
- What it really takes to develop a leadership culture that drives retention, engagement, and bottom-line results
Whether you’re a CEO trying to align your team or a leader driving culture transformation, this conversation will give you powerful insights you can use today.
Trust me—you don’t want to miss this one.
Connect with Garry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge/
Purchase his latest book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2ePUrZb
Visit his website: https://thelearningmoment.net/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Are you interested in creating a sense of belonging in your organization? If so, I think you are going to enjoy this episode.
If you are familiar with my THRIVE Culture framework, you know that creating inspiring inclusivity and belonging is one of the six key pillars that allow organizations to own their role in employee burnout.
And, my guest today is an expert on the topic.
Lola Adeyemo is just an incredible individual, born and raised in Nigeria and came to the U.S. as an adult. She is the CEO and lead facilitator at EQImindset, a management consulting firm, and the Executive Director and Founder of a non-profit called Immigrants in Corporate Inc., a membership platform empowering immigrant professionals to thrive in corporate America.
But wait, that’s not all. Lola is also the co-founder and COO at an IT consulting firm, Sapient Logic, a rapidly growing government contracting firm with 21 full-time employees.
Drawing from almost two decades of experience across Fortune 250 Global STEM companies, she partners with organizations to increase their business goals through employee engagement and retention and scale their inclusion programs through business-aligned and optimized Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
She is a TEDx speaker and San Diego Equal Opportunity Commissioner, and her impact has been recognized through multiple awards, including 40 under 40 recognitions and the 2024 Women in Business Awards. She hosts the 'Thriving in Intersectionality Podcast' and is the author of the award-winning book "Thriving in Intersectionality: Immigrants, Belonging, and Corporate America.
I asked a lot of questions, because I had a lot of questions about ERGs and Lola did not disappoint.
And, if you’re a small business owner and think the ERG topic is not for you, fear not…I asked questions about that too.
Connect with Lola on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolaaadeyemopm/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Morag Barrett is founder of SkyeTeam, best-selling author, and was hand-picked from over 16,000 candidates to join Marshall Goldsmith’s prestigious 100 Coaches group.
As I was listening back to this episode before producing I actually took out a notepad and started taking notes!!
Morag is dedicated to proving that success in business isn't just about what you know - it's about who you know, and how you connect. And, we talk about how you can create connection and belonging in the workplace, a much needed skill for you as leaders, building teams and shaping organizations.
And, you’ll hear insights from her latest book "You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work."
Interested in connecting with Morag directly, you can find her here:
https://skyeteam.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moragbarrett/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
What started as an idea to spark deeper conversations about workplace culture has now hit a major milestone—the 100th episode of The Culture Coach podcast is live! 🙌
This special episode is a heartfelt compilation of some of my all-time favorite moments—conversations that challenged the status quo, inspired action, and reminded us all why culture isn't just an HR thing... it's a leadership strategy.
To every guest who said “yes” to joining me—thank you for your insights, your stories, and your generosity.
To every listener who’s tuned in on commutes, walks, or between meetings—thank you for growing with me.
I hope you enjoy the episode!!
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Part 2 of this conversation!! With recent Gallup data showing engagement at its lowest point in a decade, my guest Sarena Diamond and I explore one of the key drivers behind this troubling trend—rapid organizational change.
To connect with or contact Sarena you can find her here:
Website: https://diamondsolutionsgroupllc.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarena-diamond
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
With recent Gallup data showing engagement at its lowest point in a decade, my guest Sarena Diamond and I explore one of the key drivers behind this troubling trend—rapid organizational change.
Stay tuned next week for part 2 of this conversation
To connect with or contact Sarena you can find her here:
Website: https://diamondsolutionsgroupllc.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarena-diamond
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
If you’ve ever struggled to find the right people in a labor-driven industry—or felt the pressure of filling high-turnover roles while still protecting your company culture—this episode is for you.
This week, I sat down with Hannah Dannecker, Managing Partner at The Better Together Group, a staffing agency that specializes in connecting skilled workers with companies that truly value their people.
Hannah is on a mission to bridge the gap between previous working generations and Gen Z to create an open environment where we can work Better Together.
In this conversation, we talk about multi-generational workplaces and dive in to leading Gen Z employees. And you’ll hear a little bit about my parenting style, and also my leadership style which I believe helps regardless of your generational identity.
Whether you're a CEO trying to scale responsibly or a CHRO navigating the complexities of frontline staffing I think you’ll enjoy Hannah's real-world lessons and experience that she shares.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Culture Strategy Session Calls: https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
I’m thrilled to bring you a special conversation with Elena Wells, Executive Director for the San Antonio Local Organizing Committee for the 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four. And, Vice President of National Events at San Antonio Sports.
With just days to go until tipoff, Elena shares what it takes to lead a high-performing team under pressure — and how to build culture in fast, dynamic environments. We explore how her journey has come full circle from her early days supporting the Final Four to now leading one of the most impactful sporting events in the country.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
✅ Take the Culture Compass Quiz: https://culturecoachwendy.com/quiz/
📅 Join me for a free Culture Strategy Session: https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
If you’ve ever wondered how to scale a purpose-driven brand without compromising your culture, this episode is for you.
This week on The Culture Coach Podcast, I sit down with Shane Evans, Co-Founder of Massage Heights (now Heights Wellness Retreat), who shares her incredible journey from solving her own back pain to building a national wellness brand with 115 locations in the US and Canada.
But this episode isn’t just about business growth—it’s about the intentional culture decisions that made it possible.
Shane pulls back the curtain on:
- How her brand is evolving to meet today’s demand for holistic wellness
- What it takes to stay rooted in values while expanding across the country
- How wellness and culture are now inseparable for modern businesses
Whether you're a CEO navigating growth or a Chief People Officer shaping culture at scale, Shane’s story will challenge and inspire the way you think about brand, leadership, and employee well-being.
🎧 Tune in and discover why culture is your most strategic advantage.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Join the conversation & sign up for the FREE Culture Check-In Strategy Sessions: culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions
In this solo episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, host Wendy Brand dives into the pressing issue of declining employee engagement and what leaders can do about it. With recent Gallup data showing engagement at its lowest point in a decade, Wendy explores the key drivers behind this troubling trend—rapid organizational change, remote and hybrid work challenges, and shifting employee expectations.
She breaks down how leaders can use the THRIVE Culture Framework to combat disengagement, improve workplace culture, and drive business success. Wendy walks through each of the six pillars—Tribal Values, Helpful Processes & Systems, Responsive Listening, Inclusivity & Belonging, Visible Career Paths, and Empowering Rewards & Recognition—offering actionable insights for CEOs and HR leaders looking to create a more connected and motivated workforce.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Today, I sit down with Chuck Salvo, former Disney Institute veteran and self-proclaimed "Chief Happiness Architect," to discuss his new book "RAVE: How to Respect and Value Everyone." Drawing from his 15 years at Disney and extensive experience working with organizations worldwide, you’ll hear Chuck share practical insights on building authentic workplace connections and creating a culture where every voice matters.
Here are a few of my takeaways:
-
Culture isn't just about mission and vision statements - it needs a clear, intentional structure that includes a common purpose and well-defined standards that everyone can understand and embrace.
-
The most effective organizational culture is uniquely yours - while you can learn from other companies, your culture needs to reflect your organization's specific identity and values.
-
Understanding personality types (like being expressive, analytical, or amiable) helps build better relationships, but it's more important to be genuine than to perfectly mirror others' styles.
-
The "Detective Badge" tool provides a practical 5-point framework for building relationships.
-
The golden rule still applies - treating others the way you want to be treated remains a fundamental principle for building respectful workplace relationships.
Grab a copy of Chuck's book R.A.V.E.: How to Respect and Value Everyone!—A Journey of Life Lessons From Disney and Beyond
https://a.co/d/7sIpNKA
Or connect with Chuck and his team here: https://salvoinnovativesolutions.com/
I hope you’ll join us again next week for more intentional culture conversation. If you’d like a free Culture Consultation, message me on LinkedIn or email me at wendy@culturecoachwendy.com.
See you next week.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
High-performing teams don’t happen by accident—they’re built intentionally. In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, I break down Wiley’s Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and give you actionable strategies to strengthen trust, encourage healthy conflict, drive commitment, reinforce accountability, and focus on results.
If you’re a CEO or C-suite leader struggling with employee engagement and retention, this episode will give you practical steps to create a more aligned, motivated, and high-performing team. You’ll also hear key stats and insights on why culture is a competitive advantage and how leaders can directly influence team success.
Key Takeaways:
Why trust is the foundation of a thriving workplace—and how to build it
The secret to getting team buy-in and commitment on key decisions
Why peer accountability is more effective than top-down pressure
Want to assess your organization’s culture and find out where you stand? Take the FREE Culture Quiz now at culturecoachwendy.com/quiz.
🎧 Listen now and start building a stronger, more engaged team today!
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Today, I’m sitting down with Dr. Deborah Heiser, an applied developmental psychologist and aging specialist, to explore a topic that every business leader should care about—how aging impacts leadership, career transitions, and workplace culture.
As a CEO, you’re not just growing a business; you’re also evolving as a leader, navigating different stages of personal and professional growth.
Dr. Heiser brings a fresh perspective on aging, showing us how to reframe it as a time of wisdom, reinvention, and impact, rather than decline. We also dive into why mentorship is a game-changer for both seasoned executives and rising talent, and how understanding the emotional stages of life can help you lead with more confidence and clarity.
Here are a few of my takeaways:
- Instead of stagnation, midlife can be a time of reinvention, expansion, and higher-impact leadership.
- Mentorship should not be a burden. It should be organic, behind the scenes and embedded in your culture.
- Everyone is a mentor. And, Mentoring doesn’t have to be work-related, but is usually value-related.
- The Mentor Project takes the top 1% and connects them with students aged K-College graduates for free, impacting more than 100k people in over 7 countries.
- Lateral mentorship is the most impactful type of mentorship in organizations.
If you’d like to get a copy of The Mentorship Edge, we’re putting the link in the show notes and as she mentioned you can also listen for free on Audible.
https://www.amazon.com/Mentorship-Edge-Unlocking-Potential-Nurturing/dp/1394267118
Learn more about The Mentor Project here: https://mentorproject.org/
As usual, if you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing a rating on Apple Podcasts and if you know someone else that you believe would benefit from hearing this episode. Please share it with a friend.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
If you’re a CEO or leader looking to build a high-performing, engaged team, this episode is full of game-changing insights. Dr. Neal’s journey is proof that hiring isn’t just about filling seats—it’s about building a thriving, scalable, and values-driven business with the right people in the right seats. If you’re struggling with hiring or want to level up your team, this episode is a must-listen!
Here are some of my takeaways from the episode:
- The culture of your company isn’t built after hiring—it starts with hiring. Bringing in the right people ensures your workplace reflects your values.
- Companies with world-class cultures (think Disney, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton) hire with precision. Studying their methods provided a blueprint for success.
- If you’re getting high turnover or poor engagement, it might not be the talent pool—it’s possible it’s your process.
- Shifting how you recruit and onboard can create a drastic improvement in team dynamics and productivity because it allows you to attract and hire more A and B+ players.
If you are interested in working with Dr. Neal and his team, you can visit his website at www.buildmyteam.com.
And, if you’re interested in a customized culture assessment to find out where in your business you may have some quick wins for your culture. You can find me at culturecoachwendy.com or email me directly at wendy@culturecoachwendy.com.
As always, thank you for listening and I hope you’ll share this episode with a friend and join us next week for another look at Culture.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
In this episode of the Culture Coach podcast, I sit down with Eric Charran, author of an upcoming book about workplace leadership archetypes. Through painfully relatable stories, Eric breaks down the various "boss types" we've all encountered (or been guilty of ourselves) and provides practical strategies for not just surviving but thriving under different leadership styles.
Whether you're an early-career professional or a seasoned executive, this conversation offers both comfort and practical wisdom for navigating the sometimes choppy waters of workplace relationships.
Here are a few of my takeaways:
-
Success in dealing with challenging managers requires moving past the initial emotional reaction to perceived injustice and understanding the pressures and motivations behind their behavior.
-
Having workplace confidants can be valuable for processing and navigating challenging leadership dynamics - it helps confirm you're not alone in your experiences.
-
Many managers exhibit multiple archetypes of behavior
-
Modern organizations are increasingly recognizing that how results are achieved is as important as what is achieved.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Rose Ann Garza, is the Chief Human Resources Officer for Kerbey Lane. Kerby Lane is a restaurant that was started in 1980 in Austin, Texas. If you’ve been to Austin, you’ve probably been to Kerbey Lane. During Rose Ann’s time at Kerbey Lane, the organization has more than doubled in size and has won several prestigious awards related to their impact on the community and on team members.
In this episode, I sit down with Rose Ann to explore what it truly takes to build and sustain a thriving company culture. With 18 years of leadership experience in a fast-growing, family-owned restaurant brand, Rose Ann shares practical strategies for scaling culture, fostering team engagement, and ensuring core values remain strong—even as a business expands.
So, whether you're leading a growing team or looking to refine your company’s culture, this conversation is packed with insights on how to operationalize your values, create meaningful employee benefits, and lead with both strategy and heart.
Here are some of my takeaways!
- Culture Scales with Intentionality – As your business grows, maintaining core values requires consistent leadership and clear cultural guardrails.
- Benefits Should Reflect Employee Needs – Customizing benefits, like food allowances or flexible perks, ensures your team feels valued in ways that matter most to them.
- Community-Driven Leadership Creates Loyalty – Kirby Lane’s Kirby Kindness initiative strengthens both internal culture and brand reputation by investing in local nonprofits.
- Mentorship Can Be Agile – Instead of long-term, formal mentorship, project-based or short-term guidance can be more effective for skill development and leadership growth.
- You can think of different teams or locations as a Microculture – Just like each Kirby Lane location reflects its local community, your teams may need tailored approaches to engagement and leadership.
If you know any CEOs or founders who are currently building a people-first business that attracts top talent and creates lasting impact I’d love to have them as a guest on this podcast.
And, if you have not gone onto Apple Podcasts and followed the show please do that now. I appreciate you each so much. Thank you for listening and I’ll talk to you next week!
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Emily Witko is a people-obsessed engagement specialist with master’s level DEIB training. In their current role at Hugging Face, they source, recruit, hire, develop, and retain top AI talent, with a dedicated focus on team happiness and growth. Emily thrives in people-centric spaces that prioritize community and belonging.
Here are some of the takeaways:
- Hugging Face’s flat structure empowers teams to set their goals and innovate autonomously, fostering ownership and agility.
- Employees at Hugging Face succeed by promoting their work and actively engaging in the organization’s culture.
- Emily’s efforts to increase diversity include dismantling echo chambers and embedding DEI discussions across all teams to ensure inclusive growth.
- Hugging Face focuses on engaging women in open-source communities and creating supportive environments through strong ERGs.
- With employees from over 35 countries, Hugging Face integrates diverse perspectives into their workplace culture.
You can find Emily on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilywitko/
Engage with Hugging Face at https://huggingface.co/
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Happy New Year!!
This week I look back at 2024 (and 2023) and look toward the future, sharing my vision and areas of focus for the new year.
One significant part of my mission, which I intend to prove this year is the connection between culture and increased revenue.
In this episode, I highlight a Harvard Business Review article written by CEO Tarang Amin of e.l.f. Beauty on "Maintaining a Startup Culture While Scaling." I break down their Mission, Vision, and Values, the alignment with THRIVE Culture framework, and applaud their mantra, “One team, one dream”
In the article, Amin shares that they measure success based on employee engagement scores, not share price growth or revenue. And, by that measure (and others) they are successful. 90% of employees say they are very or extremely engaged and 98% say they would recommend e.l.f. as an employer.
This team has gone from $40M to 1B in annual revenue from 2022 to 2024 and their employee engagement score has not changed. They have posted 22 consecutive quarters of net sales and market share growth, exceeding $1B in their 2024 fiscal year!!
Kudos to this team and the success they are seeing by putting focus and intention on their culture.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
The C.E.O. Reset - FREE Online Mini Course:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout
The Empowered C.E.O.: https://culturecoachwendy.com/ceo/
Culture Strategy Session Calls:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategysessions/
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Our episode this week wraps up my interviews during my time at CultureCon in Las Vegas this past November. These were 4 great conversations with leaders who are making a difference in the culture space.
My final guest from the event is Shauna Geraghty. Shauna is the Senior Vice President and Head of People and Talent at Talkdesk.
As the first U.S. employee at Talkdesk, Shauna initially helped scale Talkdesk’s Marketing team, infrastructure, and activities from the ground up. In 2016 Shauna was tapped to build Talkdesk’s Talent Acquisition function and since then has helped to scale Talkdesk to over 1,500 employees and to achieve $10B+ valuation. Today, Shauna runs Talkdesk’s global Talent Acquisition and HR functions.
With a doctorate in clinical psychology, she uses her applied foundational knowledge from the field of psychology to help propel Talkdesk along its hypergrowth trajectory.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
The Culture Coach Podcast guest this week is Chief People Officer, Nicci Arsenault. This episode was recorded at CultureCon West in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and it is a great conversation. If you are leading culture at a start-up or fast-growth company, you'll appreciate these learnings.
Here are some of my top takeaways:
-
Take the culture pieces from headquarters and make them special to the locations where you’re hiring.
-
In a high-growth company, think through how you operationalize the value system and North Star (the mission and vision statement) so that it is the foundation and through-line for your culture.
-
Culture is not set it and forget it, it’s like a product, you should continue to iterate and improve as you would your business' product.
-
Culture should not be considered secondary, it can be the driver of revenue and should be prioritized.
-
Startups, don’t wait too long to create opportunities for feedback. Places to start include 1:1, face-to-face feedback, a predictable cadence of onsite/offsite events, communication channels, remote ERGs, and training opportunities.
-
ERGs should be employee-driven with employee buy-in.
-
Monthly manager meetings are a cheap and easy way to help build employee engagement.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
This week’s podcast is episode 2 of 4, recorded at CultureCon in November. You may hear some of the background noise as we were seated right outside the conference hall at the Planet Hollywood Hotel in Las Vegas and there was an event setting up behind us.
My guest is Gianna Driver. Gianna has nearly two decades of experience as a human-centric people leader passionate about the intersection of culture and performance. Gianna has been the Chief People Officer of Lattice, which is a People Platform where over 5,000 of the world’s most strategic HR teams run their performance, engagement, career development, goals, compensation strategies, and people operations. She also served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Exabeam, a global cybersecurity company, managing the strategy and processes related to building, investing in, and retaining talent.
Gianna is a recognized HR industry speaker and is frequently quoted in the media, including publications such as Fortune, Forbes, US News and World Report, Insider, and The Wall Street Journal.
Here are a few of my top takeaways:
-
Staying interviews are where you interview long-tenured employees who are generally high-performing to understand what keeps them at the organization.
-
When people truly feel connected to the company and its culture they stay.
-
Engagement surveys, smaller focused groups in person or on Zoom, and partnering with ERGs can be a great way to listen and receive feedback from employees.
-
It’s important to follow up on annual engagement surveys. You should circle back and repeat back what you heard, introduce an action plan, and then follow up in a quarter or two to share progress.
-
Change is the only constant. Lean into humanity and culture. Culture is not static. Culture should be shifting and evolving.
-
Seek out the culture ambassadors, those that have the heart and soul of the company. And, create a mechanism for hearing from these ambassadors.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Take the FREE Culture Quiz HERE.
Black Friday SALE Ends Friday 11/29.
This week I take you through my THRIVE Culture Maturity Model. Want to test the maturity of your organizational culture?
There are four levels in the maturity model, and I will discuss each of them in detail in this episode.
LEVEL 1 - REACTIVE: Your organization is in the early stages of culture development. There is little structure or focus on creating a cohesive culture, and work often feels fragmented.
LEVEL 2 - EMERGING: Your organization is starting to pay attention to culture, but efforts are inconsistent. You have some key elements in place, but there’s much work ahead to build a stronger culture.
LEVEL 3 - INTENTIONAL: Your organization is actively building a strong, cohesive culture. You’re making strides in aligning values, systems, and employee engagement, but there’s still room for growth.
LEVEL 4 - THRIVING: Your organization has a mature, thriving culture. Your values, systems, and people strategies are aligned, and your employees are fully engaged, productive, and thriving.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
Grab my Black Friday specials through Friday, November 29th.
From the conference halls of CultureCon West in Las Vegas last week, I bring you my interview with the Principal Modern Work Coach for Atlassian, Mark Cruth.
Listen to the episode for the full conversation, but here are some of the highlights:
-
Culture is the manifestation of behaviors and ways of working. If you don’t have the underlying foundation it doesn’t happen.
-
You can never look at culture directly. You can look at your ways of working and behaviors but not the culture.
-
Your values shouldn’t necessarily change as you grow. But, leaders have to continue to show what good looks like as the organization changes.
-
Organizations reflect what leaders tolerate, both the best and the worst behaviors.
-
Relying on process and policy alone will not create the culture you want. Behaviors, processes and tools all need to be present to help accelerate your culture.
-
Sometimes you have to be ruthless to create the culture you want.
-
Creating intentional togetherness can create a sense of belonging. And should probably be refreshed every three months.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
If you don’t create your culture intentionally, it will create itself, and you might not like the result. But when you define culture thoughtfully, you’re not only enhancing your organization’s internal health, but you’re also building a brand that people want to be part of—a place where employees, clients, and partners feel genuinely connected and engaged.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
On October 31, 2022, I walked into my boss' office in my black-eyed pea costume and announced that I was leaving. Today, my THRIVE Culture Framework allows me to meet organizations where they are and help them create a culture where their employees have an opportunity to thrive, without burning out.
I hope you enjoy this episode.
I'd love to hear your feedback on the framework or what is working for you when it comes to your organizational culture. Email me directly at wendy@culturecoachwendy.com.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
This week as we look at organizational culture, my guest and I talk about how an employer has the opportunity to look more at the whole person and meet them where they are in the workplace. This approach can only help your productivity and profitability. During our conversation, we talk about two important topics. Financial Wellness and Inclusivity.
A former Deputy Mayor of Indianapolis and former Director of Human Services in two large urban jurisdictions, Irma Neal has over 30 years of experience in managing human services programs in state and local government and corporate America.
And, she now has over 15 years of experience as a private business owner
Irma and I connected on several of our experiences from our childhood to life in the corporate world.
Here are my top 5 takeaways:
-
There is a direct correlation between your mindset about money and your level of success.
-
You are more likely to take risks if you have an abundance mindset.
-
Nobody wakes up and says “what kind of mistakes can I make today”
-
You have to embed inclusivity and belonging or it can go away with a leadership change.
-
Respect is the key. Understanding that it takes the whole of the team and not just the individual.
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
If you are already familiar with my THRIVE culture framework then you know that the H in THRIVE stands for Helpful Processes and systems. This is the second episode that I’ve had a guest that has built a business around the use of tools like Asana, but I feel so strongly about the benefits to culture when you have processes in place and if there are tools that can help with that then I’m all for it.
What is unique about my guest today though is that she is a serial entrepreneur, passionate leader, and a high-growth founder. Alane Boyd is inspiring and passionate known for her ballsy, get-to-the point candor about overcoming obstacles that life throws at you.
She is the Co-Founder of Workday Ninja, an operations and growth strategy expert specializing in AI and automation to enhance client efficiency. Her entrepreneurial success includes scaling her first business, a hybrid agency and software company, to 8 figures and successfully selling it in 2018.
In our conversation today we talk about processes as you would suspect, but we dive more into the culture she built in her three companies and she shares a fun tip about an Onboarding tool that you’re not going to want to miss.
Connect with Alane on LinkedIn or on her website https://www.workdayninja.com/
Thank you so much for listening and I’ll see you here next week!
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
My conversation this week was with Corey Spitzer and it was SO good. Corey is a Fractional CTO (or Chief Technology Officer) with over 20 years of software engineering expertise and a decade of startup experience.
Today Corey specializes in providing companies with strategic technical guidance and leadership, ensuring they navigate the complexities of growth and innovation with confidence.
Here are a few of my takeaways:
1. Just like the first customers drive what the product will look like in a start-up, the first set of employees will help shape what the culture of the organization will look like.
-
The mission, vision and core values serve as your culture compass and are so important when starting your organization.
-
Culture is not a one-time event. It’s the other 364 days of the year, it’s how we work, how we interact, how we execute on processes, and it’s the language, the meetings and how we frame the work itself.
If you want to work with Corey you can find him here:
LinkedIN
Fly High Ventures
____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.
CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy
The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/
Send us a text
I had such a great conversation with my guest Ken Schmidt this week. One of Ken’s great career successes came from his formerly held leadership role in Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s against-all-odds turnaround from the brink of financial ruin to global dominance during the 1990s. That transformation was based on his highly unconventional re-positioning of the motorcycle icon’s marketplace presence. Ken shifted the company’s culture from a “product-first” mindset to one that prioritized being memorable for how they connect with people. The company swiftly grew to become the most successful player in the fiercely competitive worldwide motorcycle industry with the highest levels of customer loyalty of any consumer hardware brand in existence.
Ken is also the author of Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance, ghost-author of “100 Years of Harley-Davidson” (the best-selling motorsports book of all time), host of the Tailgating with Geniuses podcast and co-founder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training. Ken has seen the world on two wheels, partied with rock stars and movie legends, met presidents and royalty, and can’t stand still. He lives by a personal and professional philosophy that states, “Never do what’s expected, always make yourself as noticeably different as possible and have a lot more fun than you’re supposed to.”
Here are some of my takeaways:
1. You put a face on a business before it becomes humanized and competitive.
2. People support what they helped to create.
3. Leading with humanity trumps leading with product and service.
4. If the behavior doesn’t match the language, there is an immediate disconnect.
5. You’re not passionate about what you do until other people tell me that you are.
6. We are a joy-seeking species. We return to a source of delight until it fails to delight us.
7. We are not loyal to a company; we are loyal to the people. All that we can do is relate to things on human terms.
8. If the first thing you do is launch into your business speak, you’ve created a counter-human experience for me. You made the conversation about you instead of about me.
9. Think about the people that are going to call you for help, remember it is not your job to tell them what to do, you need to say and do things that are going to cause them to Remember and Repeat.
Send us a text
Excited to share my FREE Workshop on September 26 at 1 PM ET. Sign up here:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/freeworkshop/
I believe that Purpose drives Performance. A clear mission gives meaning and direction to the team’s efforts.
First, it offers a compelling “why” And, as we’ve discussed knowing your ‘why’ is so important to connecting to purpose. When you are connected to purpose, it adds value to the things that possibly would have felt insignificant. With an expected outcome in mind, every action you take to achieve that goal is meaningful. Those actions compound over time, increasing the value of your performance.
Purposeful action not only drives performance but also improves your mood. When you know your actions are working toward achieving a positive outcome, you feel better about what you're doing--you know that it has meaning and value.
Want a sneak peek of the THRIVE Culture Framework that will be covered in the workshop? Listen to episode #062
#https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-culture-coach/id1667018119?i=1000660527817
Send us a text
Sign up for my FREE Culture Check-In Workshop on Thursday, September 26th at http://CultureCoachWendy.com/freeworkshop
My guest today is Gaby Neves. Gaby has over 17 years of experience running Factory360, one of the top award-winning brand activation agencies in the U.S. with clients such as Meta, Amazon, Lacoste and Spotify.
Gaby has a passion for tech and has adapted growth-hacking techniques to drive business for clients. Gaby is also a leader in the industry at large, creating the first ever incubator program with Florida International University and serving on the DE&I advisory board for Event Marketer magazine.
Here are my takeaways:
-
You can become intentional with your culture even if you’re already years in. Start with who you already are and create a common language.
-
DEI shouldn’t be just about the diversity, but also about being inclusive and making everyone feel more at home.
-
Culture is more complex than picking three words that describe it. It can be a story or a sentence.
-
What remote work took away was the ability to be spontaneous in building relationships at work. They now need to be intentional.
-
Take the time to celebrate weekly things like birthdays, special events and even topics that the team come together on ..in Gaby’s company it is sustainability.
-
Culture is not a superficial measure or three words on your wall, it’s a compass.
Send us a text
Garrett Delph is Founder and CEO of Clarity Ops. He is a serial entrepreneur and inspiring leader with a remarkable track record. He has founded three successful businesses, collectively generating over $40 million in revenue. As Founder, CEO, and Managing Operating Partner, he has guided leadership teams of over 500 employees. His expertise in empowering leaders, rapid scaling, culture protection, and operational simplification is unparalleled.
This one ranks in my top 5 conversations over the las year and a half of hosting this podcast. I hope you enjoy!!
Here are some of my takeaways:
-
In-fighting, confusion, frustration, anger, dissatisfaction, dissention…these are symptoms of a broken culture.
-
Core values are a set of beliefs you value that convert into thinking and behavior.
-
Making a culture unstoppable requires Leadership investing in career-pathing for their individuals. Mapping out how they can get from point A to point B.
-
The requirements of the team need to be measurable and objective. They need to measure the output at every individual. Then you have to infuse accountability.
-
Sometimes leaders are just inundated with the messy-middle
-
Protecting the culture requires protecting the values that made it successful in the first place.
-
Your people don’t have to live in a high-stress low happiness environment at the cost of you having to win. When you let your people live in chaos and in a high stress environment in your org, that high-stress permeates into the rest of their life when they live every day.
Send us a text
Episodes are moving to Wednesdays!!
Join the Culture Compass newsletter for culture tips and the latest updates on The Culture Coach events and programs at https://culturecoachwendy.com/
Here are four signs that you may need to work on your culture:
- One of the most obvious signs is lack of engagement by your employees. Maybe even some of your leaders. And, lack of engagement can show up as poor performance, higher than usual turnover..and just a generally negative work environment. Does that sound like your place of employment?
- Second, is Toxic Behaviors: Negative attitudes, gossip, and other toxic behaviors can spread, damaging morale and productivity.
- Siloed Departments: Departments working in isolation and that shows up as lack of collaboration, inefficiency getting things done across the organization
- Resistance to Change: When you have a culture that is firing on all cylindars change is a lot easier. But, when you are seeing consistent resistance to change that is a sign that your culture may need some work.
Send us a text
My guest this week is Will Scott. Author of The Culture Fix and founder of The Culture Fix Academy, Will has helped hundreds of businesses around the world fulfill their corporate culture dreams. He leads workshops and speaks regularly using his Alive, Thrive & Drive methodology and is host of The Culture Fix podcast. His 25 year span as an entrepreneur includes five start-ups, 2 exits and several Inc. 5000 appearances before focusing on Culture Fulfillment™ using his proprietary 9 deeds in 90 days. He is a yoga devotee, avid traveler, and loves everything outdoors.
Here are a few of my takeaways from the episode:
-
The role of the CEO in culture is important but involving the entire organization and creating a culture team is what creates long term success in creating a culture. The bigger the company, the less influential the role of the CEO.
-
A great definition of culture is an organization where people lead with values.
-
On the journey of creating a strong culture, there will be bumps along the way but there is always something even better on the other side.
-
Creating theme songs, karaoke, dance routines, telling stories, playing charades are some ways that Culture Fix integrate and embed a culture that tap into all the senses.
Listen to the full episode to get all the great takeaways!
Connect with Will and The Culture Fix
Email: Will@theculturefix.works
Website: https://www.theculturefix.works/
His new edition of his book The Culture Fix comes on on August 20, 2024 on Amazon.
Send us a Text Message.
Today we are talking about employee retention. As a business owner or leader, you know the cost of losing employees.
There’s the financial cost…Some studies predict that every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs six to nine months of their average salary. So, as an example, if you lose an employee that you are paying $60,000/year that an average cost of 30-45,000 in recruiting and training expenses.
And, then there’s the culture cost. If you lose a good employee, the ripple effect can impact your cultural ecosystem.
Which makes this conversation with Emily so special. The tools that Emily will share with us today are invaluable and can help you really connect with your employees to keep them engaged and hopefully keep them as productive members of your organization.
Here are a few of the takeaways from this episode:
-
Employers use compensation for retention, but it’s not always the best way. It may resolve it in the short term, but not fully engage someone in the long term.
-
A signature experience is something that matters most to someone that is hard to be duplicated or can’t be duplicated somewhere else.
-
People leave their role due to burnout, leadership trust, career opportunity and compensation.
-
Managers can talk to their own employees to determine what matters most to them.
-
If you think it is compensation, dig in further. It could be feeling valued, being recognized, etc.
Send us a Text Message.
This is part 2 of a 3-part series with Emily McQueen. If you missed the first episode, you can go back and listen at anytime..it was #067.
Emily is currently the Vice President of Talent Enablement, Development, and Employee Experienceat New Rocket. She was recently the 2024 recipient of the ATD Global BEST Award, recognized for excellence in Talent Development and leveraging L&D as a strategic business tool that drives exceptional results. She is a collaborator and strategic partner to the C-suite.
What makes this conversation about the manager’s role in change and in culture such a special one are the examples and tools that Emily will share with us today are invaluable and something that you can walk away from this episode and use TODAY. Whether you are a leader of leaders or a front line manager, there is something for everyone!
Here are some of my takeaways:
1. When going through a transformation, the most important thing that leaders can do is give clarity, elevate connections, and communicate, communicate, communicate.
-
Change is about unfreezing employees and getting that forward movement.
-
Communication can look like open forums, Ask me anything meetings, 1:1 touchpoints, “you matter” conversations, coffee talks, and more. Get creative.
-
Culture enables, supports, reinforces the strategy the missions, imperatives and direction.
-
Culture touchpoints are things like your website, your core values, employee value proposition, talent management practices, communication, policies, Create a culture recalibration team and bring a team together to look at all of the culture touchpoints to determine what might need to change.
-
There are 3 types of empathy, emotional empathy, cognitive empathy, and compassionate empathy.
Send us a Text Message.
My guest for this conversation is Emily McQueen. Emily is currently the Vice President of Talent Enablement, Development, and Employee Experience at NEW ROCKET. New Rocket is a global tech company with just over 500 employees. But, Emily has also worked for much larger organizations with as many as 40,000 global employees. Her expertise in this area is decades deep. She was working in the talent transformation space before it was cool or at least before I knew it was cool.
In her day-to-day, Emily partners with executive leadership on things like strategizing and executing performance, learning and development, career planning, talent reviews, promotion cycles, engagement, and company culture plans. She leads a team of more than 25 HR professionals and she helps leaders leverage talent strategies, employee experiences, and organizational culture to enable hyper growth, business transformations, mergers and acquisitions, and turn-arounds.
Here are a few of my takeaways:
1. The purpose of culture is to retain, engage, attract, and be a great place to work, but it has to be directly designed to enable your specific company strategy. A culture should be tailored to your organization.
-
Fit for purpose talent is the talent needed to achieve your business imperatives.
-
If employees aren’t aligned with your business objective ..if they express lack of clarity, low engagement scores, poor company performance this indicates that one or more of your culture touch points aren’t aligned.
-
When shifting your organizational structure or if you’re making large transformational change, you have to shift your culture at the same time. You have to let employees know what expectations you have of them in this new way of doing things.
-
Shifting your vision means redefining your strategy and sometimes changing a core value or two.
Send us a Text Message.
Embedding your core values across the organization is critical to your future success and the creation of your thriving culture.
Access my FREE Download to help you define your core values HERE.
Brene Brown had this to share on organizational values: “If you’re not going to take the time to translate values from ideals to behaviors—if you’re not going to teach people the skills they need to show up in a way that’s aligned with those values and then create a culture in which you hold one another accountable for staying aligned with the values—it’s better not to profess any values at all. They become a joke."
So, here are some questions for your to ask yourself when it comes to the integration of your care values:
-
Are your core values actionable and relevant to daily work?
-
Is Leadership embodying the vision and values?
-
Are you involving employees in discussions and initiatives related to the vision and values.
-
Are you Recognizing and rewarding behavior that aligns with the values?
Send us a Text Message.
Stacey Olson is a Leadership and Positive Psychology Certified Coach with more than 15 years of corporate and business experience. She works with leaders and teams who want to create more balance, stress less, and perform even better. Stacey is the Founder of The Balanced Leader™ program, offers coaching, workshops, speaking, and is the author of Your Balanced and Bold Life: Work Less, Live More, and Be Your Best.
Here are a few takeaways from the show:
-
Finding balance in your life is not a one-size fits all. It’s about having awareness and getting really clear on what matters to you and then determine what boundaries make you feel your best.
-
Noticing where your attention is, is a great first step. The more present we are the less stressed we are.
-
Shift your perspective for a more empowering belief. We can actually be more effective when we work less. Boundaries force you to make better decisions on what you say yes or no to.
-
Make sure you have an end time in place, Or block time on your calendar to simply focus and think. There will always be more to do.
Find Stacey on
LinkedInWebsite
Get her book on Amazon: Your Balanced and Bold Life: Work Less, Live More, and Be Your Best.
Send us a Text Message.
Access my FREE Download to help you define your core values HERE**.
STEP ONE:** Define your Mission and Vision
Step TWO: Identify your Core Values.
Step THREE: Determine the behaviors that define your Core Values.
Step FOUR: Issues test your Core Values.
Step FIVE: Create your core value descriptors.
Send us a Text Message.
My guest today is Dawn Ellery. Dawn spent 25 years in Human Resources, specifically leading Total Rewards teams across multiple industries. Dawn is wrapping up her book coming out in the Fall: Dirty Little HR Secrets: Why employers are losing billions on engagement and how you can turn it around. She is also a strong advocate for mental health awareness in the workplace.
You’ll hear some statistics in this interview that are really astounding and bring to light the value of listening to your employees to understand what might be going on. There will be a future episode on implementing a responsive listening strategy, but Dawn and I do touch on it in today’s episode.
Here are the first 5 takeaways from the episode:
1. Only 20% of employees globally are engaged and 30% US employees are engaged. So there’s a good chance that you have employees that are not engaged.
-
Engaged employees feel valued, have a good relationship with their manager, and give you an extra 12-20%.
-
Sometimes you need to bring in a coach or consultant to help bring awareness to where there are engagement opportunities.
-
Relationships are important to productivity and engagement.
-
Dealing with difficult relationships at work. Coaching, it is usually about open communication and our own stories that we may bring
Contact Dawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnellery/
Send us a Text Message.
SummaryIn this episode, Wendy discusses how to operationalize a culture that benefits both employees and the organization as a whole. She defines culture as the shared norms, values, attitudes, and practices that form the collective identity of a company.
Wendy introduces her Thrive Culture framework, which consists of six key areas: tribal core values, helpful processes and systems, responsive listening strategy, inspiring inclusivity and belonging, visible career and development paths, and empowering rewards and recognition.
She emphasizes the importance of defining core values, creating clarity in processes, listening to employee feedback, promoting inclusivity, providing growth opportunities, and recognizing and rewarding employees.
Keywords
culture, operationalize, employees, organization, shared norms, values, attitudes, practices, collective identity, Thrive Culture, tribal core values, helpful processes, systems, responsive listening strategy, inclusivity, belonging, career paths, development paths, rewards, recognition
Takeaways
- Culture is about the shared norms, values, attitudes, and practices that form the collective identity of a company.
- Operationalizing culture involves focusing on six key areas: tribal core values, helpful processes and systems, responsive listening strategy, inspiring inclusivity and belonging, visible career and development paths, and empowering rewards and recognition.
- Defining core values and ensuring they are lived and breathed by the organization creates a tribal culture.
- Having clear processes and systems promotes consistency, improves morale, and impacts the bottom line.
- Implementing a responsive listening strategy, including surveys and interviews, allows leaders to gather feedback and make improvements.
- Creating an inclusive environment through language, safe spaces, and employee resource groups fosters a sense of belonging.
- Providing visible career and development paths, along with leadership competencies, helps employees grow and prepare for future roles.
- Recognizing and rewarding employees in a way that aligns with their preferences and values boosts morale and makes them feel valued.
Grab your FREE Download: 5 Easy Steps to Create Engaging Core Values
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Definition of Culture
02:02 The Framework: Thrive Culture
05:38 Chapter 2: Creating a Culture of Clarity with Helpful Processes and Systems
07:28 Chapter 3: Implementing a Responsive Listening Strategy
09:10 Chapter 4: Inspiring Inclusivity and Belonging in the Workplace
10:07 Step Five: Career and Development Paths
12:08 Chapter 6: Empowering Rewards and Recognition
Send us a Text Message.
My guest today is Shane Spraggs.
Shane Spraggs' resume is chocked full of accomplishments from co-founding and acting as COO of Acro Media a web development company that earned a Mid-Sized Company of the Year award from the local Chamber of Commerce in 2007. Overseeing studio operations at Disney Interactive, Serving as VP of Product at Minga, now a successful social platform across many Canadian schools. And, More recently, Shane worked as the Director of Operations at Komixstream, a startup bringing interactive comic books to the mobile platform.
Shane joined Virtira in early 2020 to challenge and scale its operational capabilities, strengthen team building and implement more robust Lean/Agile methodologies. As COO, he transformed all solution and practice areas, Operations, HR, IT, and the PMO.
More recently, Shane’s vast experience in project management, entrepreneurship, and team leadership has made him an in-demand speaker on productivity and engagement.
Shane lives in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia with his wife, two daughters, and two cats: Pancake and Bagel. (I love the breakfast theme)
Here are the first 5 takeaways from the show:
-
Motivation is actually intrinsic and powered by autonomy, competency, and relatedness
-
You can build relatedness and focus on relatedness as opposed to social, then you can build a team that never has to meet in person.
-
Team building activities It helps to have someone or a piece of software to facilitate. Have a topic or theme to talk through or a game. Icebreakers can be used by taking the first 5 to 10 minutes to share something simple about themselves or play a quick game.
-
Work isn’t about having a strong social relationship with someone, it’s about having enough of a relationship with them that you can trust them. So when you feel like someone is competent and you have a relationship with them you can begin to trust them.
-
Having autonomy, competency to do the work you are assigned and relatedness to your team or co-workers are also connected to preventing burnout.
LinkedIn: Shane Spraggs
Website: Virtira.com
Amazon: The Power of Remote: Building High-Performing Organizations That Thrive in the Virtual Workplace
Send us a Text Message.
In this episode we discuss the impact of culture on your business, potential benefits of culture, and I share my definition of culture:
A shared set of workplace beliefs, values, attitudes, standards, purpose and behaviors. Think of it as a brand's personality: It encompasses how employees interact with each other, with customers, and with other stakeholders.
We also discuss my current addiction to the Netflix series, Welcome to Wrexham, the correlation between sports teams and organizational teams, and examples of positive cultures in other organizations.
Follow me on
Instagram
LinkedIn
Website
In case you didn’t know, June is National Employee Wellness Month. June is about ensuring that we are taking a holistic approach to our wellness. This episode shares some statistics around mental wellbeing in the workplace and a conversation with a leader in the mental wellbeing and resilience space.
Having managers who are trained to model positive behaviors, have conversations around health, create an environment of psychological safety and effectively refer employees to resources can be the difference between an effective and ineffective strategy.
Here are some of the takeaways from our guest, Michelle E. Dickinson:
Takeaways:
-
Why are we not talking about burnout before it happens? Why are we not talking about the preservation of our wellbeing?
-
Boost your resilience and become aware of where you have agency.
-
We need more leaders to go first. When a senior leader is courageous enough to tell their own story it helps the rest of the population. There’s a silent permission that’s given when we hear our leaders go first and share their stories that make them more human.
-
Leaders can create a space that feels safe to speak up about their challenges. Be aware of the barriers of care in your own organization. Is there a barrier that prevents them from getting care.
-
Highlighting your own practices for wellbeing can show others the benefits of structure in your life that can create wellbeing.
-
Model the way for your teams. Cultivate more empathy and compassion in the workplace. It takes something for us to model for other people. Show them what work/life balance looks like. Set boundaries. It gives permission for your people to do the same thing.
You can find Michelle on her website or LinkedIn:
https://www.michelleedickinson.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-e-dickinson-mm-%F0%9F%A7%A0%E2%99%A5%EF%B8%8F-7882013/
I am so excited to share the new format of my weekly podcast. Formerly Authentic Energy, now The Culture Coach Podcast
This podcast is evolving from helping individuals find their "Authentic Energy" to helping leaders build a culture that they can be proud of. "The Culture Coach" reflects the mission of WMB Coaching and Consulting, which is to help leaders build an environment where their employees can thrive and their productivity and profits naturally rise. I’m sharing weekly content specifically for leaders of small businesses and non-profit organizations who want to build a company culture that makes them proud.
Welcome to The Culture Coach Podcast! Whether you’re a CEO of a small business or non-profit, a CHRO or simply a people-first-leader determined to make a difference in your company, this podcast is your resource for creating a culture where your employees can thrive.
I’m Wendy Brand, Your Culture Coach, dedicated to supporting people-first leaders. Each week we dive into strategies and insights to help you build a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and inspired. From fostering tribal values and improving core processes to developing inclusive communities and responsive listening strategies, we cover it all.
Join me weekly for practical tips, expert interviews, and real-world examples to help you boost productivity, extinguish burnout and cultivate a vibrant organizational culture that reflects your mission, vision and values.
My guest today is Josefine Campbell, an author and executive coach who lives in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Josefine draws on her academic expertise, 25+ years of professional experience, and her martial arts background in jiu-jitsu, where she practiced to focus on thriving in unpredictable situations and was a four-time Danish Champion.
Josefine is the author of two books, which you’ll hear about in our conversation, and has written a number of articles on leadership and collaboration in the modern work life that has been published in the international press.
Access her website and some freebies at https://josefinecampbell.com/freebies
Here are my takeaways:
-
Inner Strength needs to be cultivated in modern work life
-
We are designed for survival and the brain does not know the difference between being chased in the jungle or being high-jacked in a meeting.
-
The first step in preventing being highjacked is Awareness. Become aware of the signals your body is telling you.
-
Awareness Matrix looks at personal energy and cognitive capabilities to determine whether you are in the Red Zone and highjacked or Green Zone where you are ready.
-
Release the energy tension in order to be your authentic self. Make small changes to find what works for you.
-
Everyone knows the feeling of leaving a meeting completely drained. That is what it feels like to have your energy impacted.
-
Energy is inside us, outside of us and between us.
In this episode, I’ll share the components that make up emotional intelligence. But it’s one thing to learn about emotional intelligence, and it’s whole other thing to take the time to become aware of what impacts and elevates your emotional intelligence. I’ll give you a hint, it takes self-awareness!
EQ is broken into five categories:
Internal motivation
Self-regulation
Self-awareness
Empathy
Social awareness
I hope you enjoy the episode!
Inspiring Communication: Be Clear and Concise, practice active listening and be aware of your energy. How you show up comes across in your communication.
Communication can take many forms: a casual conversation with a colleague, a strategic planning session with the team, a presentation to the board, or emails back and forth with clients. And just as much as communication is words, spoken or written, communication is also something felt. Think about it. We feel the energy of the message and are impacted temporarily or permanently by this energy. Whether the communication is given or received, our energy may or may not shift as a result. We may be inspired to take action, become angry or upset, retreat, or we may stay where we are and continue on our existing path.
So, how can we bring emotions into the conversation in a meaningful way. Don’t confuse being emotional with expressing emotions clearly. Here are three things that you can do in the work environment when you are faced with emotions.
Step 1: Acknowledge the Emotion: Take a step back and acknowledge your emotion. What emotion are you experiencing (name it) and what could it be telling you (what value or need do you have that is in conflict)?
Step 2: Remove Judgement: Emotions are not good or bad.
Step 3: Share the Emotion. If you have had a conflict with someone and you feel like it has not been resolved, discuss the emotion without judgement or blame. Ask for a conversation where you both are not trying to problem solving and neither is monopolizing the conversation, but you both share the emotions that you experienced without judgement. And, then you can move into solving how to move forward together.
Erik Darmstetter is a business growth expert who has founded and led several businesses of his own and helped other organizations dramatically increase sales for companies and organizations of every size. Today, Erik is the CEO of Office Furniture Liquidations of San Antonio approaching 10 years in business and recently winning #1 Furniture Store in San Antonio, I believe for the third year in a row.
What you’ll hear from Erik is a culture that is built around FUN, both for the employees and customer-centric at the same time. And, as the CEO he is living that, because as we all know it starts at the top!
When I consider guests for this podcast now, I’m really looking for leaders that are building business with intention and that might embody some of the THRIVE culture principles.
- Tribal Values
- Helpful Processes and Systems
- Responsive Listening Strategies
- Inspiring Inclusivity and Belonging
- Visible Career and Development Opportunities
- Empowering Rewards and Recognition
When I was creating my list of ideal guests I immediately thought of Erik. While he could probably speak to each of the principles, we spend our time today discussing "helpful processes and systems".
Here are some of my takeaways:
-
A way to create a system can be as simple as paying attention to anything that causes pain, discomfort, or friction. And creating a solution for that friction.
-
Turn friction (things you don’t like to do) into fun
-
You can use an Autopsy on things that go right AND go wrong. Find the root cause and look for ways to either repeat if it was positive or not repeat if it was negative
-
Listen to the voice of the customer
-
Huddles should be 15 minutes or less and cover news, priorities, and hurdles. Use this with your team daily to provide a regular cadence of communication.
-
Ask yourself why is your business “good”? When things are good in your business find out WHY so you can repeat it.
You can Find Erik and his company on https://www.officefurnituresa.com/ AND they are a lot of fun to watch on social media. You can find them on facebook and Instagram as officefurnituresa. And, if you’re in San Antonio, come hopscotch in or experience the dance circle.
And, if you liked this episode, please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you are listening. And, if you have a friend that is an entrepreneur, CEO of a non-profit or small business that may benefit from hearing this episode, please share it with them.
Ever felt the sting of being bypassed for a promotion, or trapped in a cycle of negative energy at work? I've been there, but in this episode, we're discovering the perception that leads to a profound shift in energy and perspective. I'm diving into the brain's inner mechanics, showing how the reticular activating system, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex can become our greatest allies in the pursuit of authentic energy. Learn how to rise above the victim mentality and open yourself up to possibilities that positively charge every aspect of your life.
We'll dissect the six key energy influencers in the workplace and their ripple effect on team dynamics, motivation, and overall success. Whether you're a leader looking to rekindle the spark in your team, or an individual seeking to elevate your professional energy, this episode promises actionable insights and inspiration to harness and amplify the energy that drives us all.
Download your FREE Workbook to take notes and follow along HERE.
Today, I’ll walk you through a change framework that a colleague and now very dear friend of mine, Deanna Rutland, and I created about 6 years ago. We created this framework for the Tech company that we worked for at the time and rolled it out to the organization with some success. I’m not sure if they still use the framework today, but I’ve used it in other organizations since and it has been really impactful.
The CHAIR Model provides a framework that can be used throughout the change curve experienced by individuals in both professional and personal applications. You can download a workbook to take notes and follow along HERE.
These Tuesday episodes are designed to give you insights that can help you navigate your week at work, at home or wherever it is you spend your time.
Daily we are faced with stressors. Things that detract from our energy. Things that distract us from becoming the best version of ourselves.
My hope is that these episodes will help you discover your own authentic energy and learn how to tap into it. It’s about becoming aware of where you may have energy detractors or depletors and how to turn them into energy ignitors!
Last week we talked about catabolic and anabolic energy and different types of energy influencers. Today, I explain the seven different energy levels.
This episode features a conversation on Inclusivity, the "I" in my THRIVE Culture framework that I use to work with non-profit and small business CEOs to create an environment where their employees can thrive.
My guest today is an author, podcast host, and CEO, dedicated to shining a light on DEI through various mediums. Bernadette Smith is Founder and CEO of the Equality Institute and an award-winning author of four books, including her latest, the bestseller Inclusive 360: Proven Solutions for an Equitable Organization.
Here are my top takeaways from the episode:
- Successful DEI requires training and change management, with a cross-functional lens.
- Cancel Culture has made us afraid of ‘getting it wrong’ and sow we often go around making assumptions about others, but the ARC Method (Ask. Respect. Connect) was created to bring people together and allow them to bridge differences.
- It takes humility and an ability to admit what you don’t know. But, starting with humility can help break the ice.
- Inclusivity is not rocket science and we all have a role to play in it.
- If you are an organization that is new to this, start by assessing where you and your teams currently are in the journey. Use culture surveys and other data to determine how inclusive your environment is to determine the solutions that may be needed within your organization.
- Psychological safety is a driver for inclusivity and creates high performing teams. Psychological Safety is the belief that you will not be humiliated or punished by speaking up with your questions, concerns, ideas, or mistakes.
- Psychological safety happens on the team level. Every team member has the ability to contribute to psychological safety at work.
- The leader’s role requires humility and vulnerability
You can find Bernadette on her website at https://www.theequalityinstitute.com/
Or to subscribe to her weekly Five Things newsletter, go to https://www.theequalityinstitute.com/5-things.
To learn more about the work I am doing with organizations, visit my website at https://wmbcoaching.com/.
Welcome to our first Transformation Tuesday!
These Tuesday episodes are designed to address the things you can control. In a world where we are overworked, have higher levels of anxiety, depression, you get the drill, these episodes are bringing you nuggets to help you tap into your own energy. Becoming aware of where you may have energy detractors and focus on how you can turn them into energy ignitors!
A leader’s overall energy is affected and influenced by: :
· Spiritual factors that create attitude, confidence, purpose, and drive motivation.
· Mental ability to have clarity, focus, and concentration in all situations and conditions, including when under pressure.
· Emotions that arise during the course of any day, any performance, or any interaction.
· Physical health and wellbeing factors that create vitality.
· Social factors involving the energetic influence of others.
· Environmental factors that are encountered in each and every moment.
Reach out to me directly and let me know what you want to learn more about on these Transformation Tuesday episodes: wendy@wmbcoaching.com
In this episode I share some behind the scenes things happening with my personal and professional mission AND some changes to the Podcast format.
I am also excited to share a very important framework with you in this episode. It is the foundation for the consulting work that I am doing on culture and organizational health.
A THRIVE Culture addresses employees feeling work overload, lack of control, and experiencing insufficient rewards, a breakdown of community, absence of fairness, and value conflict within their organization.
The acronym highlights the six pillars that guide organizations to provide a healthier organization overall and to cultivate a more aligned culture.
T = Tribal Values
H = Helpful Tools and Processes
R = Responsive Listening Strategies
I = Inspiring Inclusivity and Connection
V = Visible Career and Development Opportunities
E = Empowering Rewards and Recognition
You can also find more information about this framework on my website at https://wmbcoaching.com/thrive/
HERE is the link to the article I referenced from the National Library of Medicine and the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine making the connection between food and burnout.
My guest today is Michelle Adams. Michelle is a former medical litigator and food entrepreneur, who now shares her stories, recipes and passion for intentional eating and food sustainability. She has taken her background in law and her training in the food industry to advocate for greater awareness about what we eat. She believes that conscious choices can only be grounded in knowledge.
To learn more from Michelle, connect with her here:
Website: https://foodstoic.com/michelle-adams/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodstoic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefoodstoic/
Thank you so much for listening today. I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did like it, please leave a review or follow the show so you can follow along each week. And, please share this episode with someone that you think may find it beneficial.
Over the last 30+ years, few of San Antonio’s most prestigious and substantial projects and events have not been touched by the expert hand of Janet Holliday. Janet embodies a rare combination of strategic vision, entrepreneurial spirit, tremendous leadership skills, and the “can-do” attitude that it takes to plan, position, promote and produce some of the most successful large-scale marketing events in San Antonio and around the world.
As a passionate businesswoman with decades of creative bravery, Janet has grown her company, The CE Group, to offer five core services of experience-based marketing expertise: events, destination management, communications, venue consulting and creative. This depth and breadth of services, combined with the style, organizational skills, positive work ethic, and radical customer dedication that are the foundation of the company culture, has long positioned The CE Group as the leader in their industry.
Driven by a dedication to civic leadership, Janet and the CE Group have played a leading role in some of San Antonio’s most significant milestones and hallmarks, such as the grand openings of the Alamodome, San Antonio International Airport, The Witte Museum, The DoSeum, and The Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge. Janet’s talent and creative resources have been a force in notable projects, such as San Antonio’s 300th Anniversary, Luminaria, Siclovia, the National Conference of State Legislatures, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center’s expansion and transformation,
NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four, five San Antonio Spurs national championship parades and celebrations, and the San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & Half Marathon. Janet’s ongoing relationship with Pearl Brewery has encompassed everything from venue consulting to small and large-scale event executions throughout the years. She has delivered countless campaigns and signature projects for leading Texan companies and organizations including the City of San Antonio, Frost Bank, Embrey, SouthStar Communities, Zachry Hospitality Group, Broadway Bank, the Spurs, and H-E-B. Janet is also a certified Destination Management Company Professional and an active member of the DMC Network. As San Antonio’s only Accredited Destination Management Company, the CE Group acted as project managers for the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2023, a conference of over 5,000 travel professionals from over 60 countries.
At the core of her unshakeable values are mentorship, stewardship, and leadership. Janet has ensured the CE Group is committed to diversity, community service, and supporting nonprofits through the CE Group’s Champions of Experience initiative. Her ability to find, lead, and keep the best talent has earned the CE Group a San Antonio Business Journal Best Places to Work 2022 Award. As a pillar of her community, Janet consistently encourages others to live healthy, happy, and eventfull lives. As President and CEO of the CE Group, Janet Holliday is a highly sought-after expert in events and marketing in Texas and throughout the country.
Here are my takeaways from the episode:
-
Success is about living a life of significance and value.
-
Creative Bravery is having the vulnerability to not always be perfect, to take risks, and to be ok to fail and find the freedom in that. Having the ability to ask for forgiveness and give the same to others.
-
Vulnerable Trust is a foundation for building a strong team.
-
Love what you do! If you love excel spreadsheets or accounting, go for it. Don’t give hours of life away to things that you don’t enjoy. And, Lean in with passion.
-
Make sure there are no woulda, coulda, shoulda’s in your life. Embrace not where you’re going, but stand on the road you are on and embrace the journey!!
My guest this week is Marquis Murray.
Marquis is a Business Process Consultant on a mission to eliminate team burnout and to empower teams so they can focus on the work without the issue of not knowing where or how the work is happening. With over 15 years of experience Marquis has gained extensive expertise in improving processes and driving revenue growth. He successfully scaled and sold his previous consulting company to a competitor within two years after launching. And is now CEO and founder of his next venture, Cirface.
In addition to helping clients optimize their processes and technology, Marquis is also an accomplished speaker and host of a popular podcast, "In Systems We Trust." He also speaks at in-person conferences, virtual webinars and his own YouTube Channel, where he shares process improvement methodologies and how to get the most out of software applications.
When he's not working, Marquis enjoys reading, photography, kayaking, playing bass, and spending time with his family and dog, Taco.
I’m excited for you to hear how Marquis is helping eliminate workplace burnout by enabling teams to optimize the way they work.
Here are some of my takeaways:
-
Learn how to say no. If it doesn’t have a positive impact on your vision you can say no.
-
Create boundaries for yourself, even as a leader or business owner. Know when to delegate or even allow things to be done the next day.
-
Values matter. Do things that are in alignment with your values.
-
Standards around how your work can improve your culture
-
Loom.com and Tango.com are two tools you can use to document your processes as you do the work.
-
Leaders – look for the signs and listen to employees that may be burning out. You can be the change that impacts their health.
Welcome back! I am Wendy Brand your host and creator of the Authentic Podcast and we have such a sweet conversation today that I think you will enjoy.
Prior to starting her own business, Marybeth Gregg had a wonderfully successful career — first as a Human Resources (HR) executive with international consumer products, luxury goods, retail, pharmaceutical, and financial services companies, and then later with her own HR consulting firm. She has more than 25 years of experience providing HR consulting to companies in the US, UK, Europe, Sweden, and China.
And then, she decided she was ready for something different, and she launched the International Center for Women’s Leadership. And, she is the author of “How to Soar With a Broken Wing: finding tiny moments of joy every day.
In our conversation we talk a little bit about grief, but mostly about Joy. This episode is chocked full of takeaways that Marybeth shares about her experiences and guidance she provides in her coaching with leaders.
I hope you enjoy it…
Here are a few of my takeaways:
-
You can find tiny moments of joy throughout your day, even in times of grief.
-
Laughter is a key to finding joy
-
When you are vibrating at a high level of energy, like when you are feeling joy, you attract that same energy.
-
Fight the urge to continue stuffing your negative emotions inside, down deep. allow yourself to experience your emotions, even fear and anger,
-
Finding tiny moments of joy in the workplace requires knowing your values and finding a place where you can be authentic those, so working for an organization or a leader where your values align.
If you would like to work with Marybeth, pick up a copy of her book, or just connect with her you can find her on her website for the International Center for Women’s Leadership at https://ticwl.com/
Thank you so much for listening! If you enjoyed this show it would really help me out if you went to Spotify or Apple Podcasts and liked it or provided a comment. One of my goals in 2024 is to expand the reach of the podcast so that others can hear these amazing stories of positive women and men who are finding joy and authenticity and possibly inspire others.
I am so excited to share this episode with you today. I could not have asked for a better guest to kick off Authentic Energy’s 2024 Season! The conversation is amazing and the work that my guest is doing is so aligned with my mission that I was just hanging on his every word in agreement and acknowledgment.
T. Mark Meyer is a psychotherapist and consultant for the world’s largest corporations, leading workshops on conflict resolution, authenticity, and authentic management. He coaches professional athletes in discovering their purpose and counsels both couples and individuals.
After founding and spearheading several successful companies, T. Mark connected with his authentic self and refocused his professional aspirations. He is a business coach and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner who uses his personal experience to help others live their most authentic lives. He is also the author of the Amazon best-selling book The Art of Being Authentic.
Here are some of the episode takeaways:
-
Authenticity is being true to ourselves and who we are. It is aligning with our purpose.
-
Things that keep us from being authentic are the fear of judgment and isolation from others.
-
Ask yourself: What if money was not an object, then what would I do? What if there were no expectations from others around me? What if I made no judgments of my own?
-
When we are allowing ourselves to be authentic, this gives us energy. When we surround ourselves with people whom we are not able to be authentic, this drains our energy.
-
Your happiness comes from expressing your authenticity.
-
Instead of thinking what do I want to accomplish or worrying about getting promoted, ask yourself “who do I want to be right now”
-
It is the role of Leadership to create the framework or environment where their teams can be authentic.
-
Being authentic is not about the ego. It is about me being me AND allowing others to be who they are.
-
Maybe your happiness doesn’t lie in a goal, but rather in their authentic self
-
You can be guided by your purpose. Goals in themselves are meaningless if they are not tied to your purpose.
Find his book "The Art of Being Authentic" on Amazon
Instagram: AuthenticTMarkMeyer
LinkedIN:
Website: Tmarkmeyer.com
Welcome back to the Authentic Energy podcast! I am your host Wendy Brand and I am feeling extra grateful and reflective as we reach the end of 2023. I am extremely grateful to those of you who have taken the time to listen to every episode this year and to those of you who have tuned in for specific episodes.
I am EXTREMELY excited for the episodes that I will be bringing you in 2024. For the first quarter of the year, I will be focused on introducing my THRIVE Culture framework and interviewing guests who are making a difference in the workplace by creating a place where employees can thrive.
My mission is two-fold, helping individuals and organizations prevent burnout in 2024. And, one of the first things I’ll be doing for individuals in the month of January is co-hosting the Reveal Retreat with my colleague Jeshanna Forrester. At the end of this episode, you’ll receive more information, but I want to remind you that there are only a few days left to receive the $100 discount off the price of the retreat.
The retreat will be held in Gruene, TX on January 20th & 21st at the Gruene River Hotel and Retreat for 2 full days of inspiration, introspection, and relaxation. You can stay at the hotel or commute to Gruene each morning if you live nearby. There is a special room rate at the Retreat hotel, but rooms are limited, so if you are interested book your room now and get signed up for the retreat at https://wmbcoaching.com/retreat/.
So, my episode today takes you one last time into the Let’s Goal workshop that Jeshanna Forrester and I hosted a few weeks ago. This final episode is focused on goal setting and you’ll hear different clips of the 3-hour workshop. If you want to follow along and do the work that is being done in the workshop you can access the Let’s Goal – Goalsetting workbook from my website at WMBCoaching.com/Goalsetting
The episode and workbook guide you through..
· Creating 5 goals and a stretch goal for the year ahead
· Applying the SMART framework to your goals
· Breaking your goals into Quarters
· And then breaking them down into monthly goals
· And, finally, creating Tiny Habits to form new behaviors daily that will get us closer to our goals.
Thank you so much for listening. I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! I am so fortunate to be able to connect with so many of you and I can’t wait to connect with many more in the year ahead!! Have a great New Year and we’ll see you in 2024!
THIS EPISODE:
If you’ve been listening you know that this is episode 2 of 3 from our Let’s GOal workshop that my colleague Jeshanna Forrister and I facilitated a few weeks ago. Last week I shared clips from the Values work that we did in the workshop to lay the foundation and ensure that once you create your vision and goals, they are aligned to what is important to you. And, reflect what is true and authentically who you desire to be.
So in this "Vision" episode, there are 3 parts. First, I share the neuroscience that supports the importance of setting a vision and writing down and voicing your goals. We prepare for a mindfulness exercise, and then I skip to the vision-setting exercise. Finally, we’ll hear from Valkyrie, one of our participants as she shares her success with setting a vision in a workshop that I facilitated this time last year.
REVEAL RETREAT:
Before we get into the episode I just want to remind you that Jeshanna and I are hosting a Retreat on January 20 & 21 in Gruene, TX At the Gruene River Hotel and Retreat. And, if you sign up before the end of December you get $100 off your retreat and you only need to pay $100 to hold your spot.
And, if you’re looking for a special gift for someone who may enjoy this type of retreat, we can provide you with a gift card with your purchase to put in their stocking.
We have a special room rate at the hotel if you’d like to stay with us in Gruene, but that is not mandatory. Our agenda will run from 9-5 on Saturday and Sunday to allow participants who live in San Antonio or Austin to drive home if they want to save on a hotel.
The Reveal Retreat has time allocated for rest and integrating what you learn, and there are opportunities to connect with like-minded people who are also looking to set a vision for 2024 and remove any barriers that may be stopping them from their success.
Check out the page on my website at https://wmbcoaching.com/retreat/
And, if you’d like to learn more about Jeshanna and the work she is doing, you can visit her site at https://whitefallcoaching.com/
For those of you who have been listening or following me on social media, you are aware that my colleague Jeshanna Forrister and I hosted our Let’s Goal workshops last week for two different audiences!
And, because the feedback that we have received from the participants was so positive and they shared that it caused them to think a little differently when setting their goals this year I did not want to pass up the opportunity to share some of the content with YOU! SO for the last 3 episodes of the year, I’m going to share the impactful excerpts from our workshop with YOU!!
The workshop was 3 hours and included 3 components: Values, Visioning, and Goals setting. The workshop really only scratched the surface, so you can imagine what only 3 20-minute segments are going to do. But, I want to share the framework with you so that if you are setting your own goals for the new year, this may add value to your process.
Download the Values Assessment to follow along in this episode (optional):
https://wmbcoaching.com/values-assessment/
Here are my 5 quick takeaways from the episode:
-
Goals need to align with what you value in order to achieve success
-
When we live according to our values consistently and over time we get the satisfaction we are seeking in life.
-
When you are prioritizing your values, you are able to achieve more because you have motivation.
-
Satisfaction, peace, and confidence come from living in integrity with your values.
-
Our beliefs and our lived experiences influence our values.
That’s it! Stay tuned next week for Visionining and some of the neuroscience that I share on the impact of visioning and goal setting.
Also, if you are interested in attending our retreat in January, you can save $100 by signing up before the end of the year. And, you only have to pay $100 to save your spot.
Check out the page on my website at https://wmbcoaching.com/retreat/
And, if you’d like to learn more about Jeshanna and the work she is doing, you can visit her site at https://whitefallcoaching.com/
Caroline Pennington is a seasoned Executive Recruiter bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. She is passionate about connecting talented individuals with top-tier organizations and thrives on finding the perfect match. Caroline has partnered with companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 and in all types of industries throughout the United States.
Here are the takeaways from the show
-
Companies that are winning in the talent war are following these steps:
-
For candidates with less than 5 year’s experience: 1 Phone interview + 1 Zoom or Onsite interview
- For candidates with 5-10 year’s experience: 1 Phone Interview + 2 Onsite or Virtual meetings, for example one with the Hiring Manager and one with the Team
-
For Executive Level candidates: 1 Phone Interview and No more than 4 in-person interviews
-
Showcasing employer branding and culture is so important in the hiring process.
-
Look at the candidate's resume before you meet with them, prepare some interview questions in advance, and be present. Show them you are invested in their hiring process.
-
When it comes to employer brand, candidates are looking at company culture, compensation, and flexibility.
-
Skills-based hiring is when the skills are weighted very heavily. Depending on the role, skills can typically be learned more easily than the softer skills which are better for long-term fit.
-
Having an online presence with regular content creation is a good way to communicate the employer brand and highlight culture.
You can find Caroline on LinkedIn HERE and subscribe to her weekly newsletter HERE for all of the best practices and tips on how to hire top talent.
https://howtohiretoptalent.com/
My guest today is Michele Thomson. Michele is a registered nurse turned leadership development coach and consultant who has worked in healthcare for more than 25 years before becoming an entrepreneur. Michele helps organizations avoid crisis leadership and transforms workplaces using the basis of psychological safety.
She helps leaders shift from feeling burned out and frustrated to aligned and authentic so they can enjoy their work again and be the leader they wish they had, the leader everyone needs and the leader they know they can become.
After experiencing the traumatic effects of a dysfunctional work environment, Michele developed her own leadership approach which she has incorporated into an 8-week online leadership program. She believes that leadership has become more complicated than it needs to be.
Michele is a daughter, wife, step-mom, dog mama and lover of all things lemon. She currently resides in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Here are the takeaways from this episode:
1. A psychologically safe workplace means you can show up as your authentic self without fear of retribution or having to question your own morals and values, showing up as all parts of yourself. And, even on the days when you are only able to show up as 75% you are still valued for your contribution.
-
The book and author that I mentioned from the Culture First podcast is Susan David and her book is Emotional Agility, which reached #1 on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list in 2016. Highly recommended.
-
Core Values are the things that we all agree are going to be the playing field for how we’re going to show up for each other.
-
Communication is powerful. How we set the stage for safe conversations in the workplace is critical.
-
Soft skills are not weak.
-
A leading cause of burnout is a mismatch between an employee and an organization’s values. Organizations should integrate their values and individuals should be aware of their personal core values to ensure there’s not an underlying mismatch.
-
6 Approaches to shift your relationships regardless of what your role is at work or at home.
-
Be visible. In order to be trusted you need to be seen.
-
Approach situations with curiosity and humility. Ask deeper questions.
-
Approach all situations with a growth mindset.
-
Words matter. Avoid using, “but”, “should” and “try”.
-
Try to do at least one kind thing a day.
-
Stop playing the “if only” game. Just take action!
Want to work with Michele, learn more here https://www.curisconsulting.ca/
And, if you want to apply some of the things that we talked about in this episode, this is a reminder that Jeshanna Forrester and I are hosting a FREE online workshop where we teach you how to identify your values, create a vision statement and set your goals for the year ahead.
Sign up for the workshop here: https://wendyandjeshanna.ck.page/acfb8f2fc2
I love planning for the new year!! And, this year, I am partnering with one of my new friends, to share our framework for planning to experience the most amazing year.
Jeshanna Forrester is my guest today and she is an amazing human who has experienced so much in her life and has now turned to helping others transition through difficulty in their lives. Jeshanna and I are excited to offer a FREE, online goal and mind setting workshop in December. In addition, we will be hosting a retreat in January that will take the goal and mindset planning to the next level.
So, in today’s episode, Jeshanna and I will take you through the 3 phases of the workshop and share a little more information with you that will help you decide if this workshop is something you’d like to attend.
Thank you for listening today! I hope you will join us for the workshop on either December 5-7 at 12noon Central Time or on Saturday, December 9th from 9am – 12noon.
SIGN UP TODAY: HERE
If you have enjoyed listening, please subscribe to this podcast on the platfom of your choice, whether that’s apple, spotify, or one of the many others, and then give us a review. We’d love to know how we’re doing!!
Find out more about the work that Jeshanna is doing:
https://whitefallcoaching.com/
Or, to connect with me and my work:
https://wmbcoaching.com/
This episode wraps up the Sow Series with the final step in our change process to make the decision to become who you want to be.
We first looked at the awareness of change in our Seeds Series, then as we entered the Sow Series we found our desire to change by looking at opportunities and risks, then focused on our Knowledge and Ability and articulating our uniqueness. At the end of it all, it’s about making the decision to be who you want to become. What does your future self act like, what are the attributes of that person that you want to become and start living like her or him. Decide to be who you want to become.
Before we jump into the episode, I wanted to let you know about a FREE workshop that I am hosting with a coaching colleague of mine, Jeshanna Forrester. In December we will be facilitating a free, online Goal and Mindset workshop to get you ready for the new year. As you’ll learn in this episode, it’s not just about setting goals and the things you DO it also about who you want to BE which often requires a shift in mindset. That’s why the workshop is not just a GOAL Setting workshop but also a MIND setting workshop.
Here is the link to sign up if you would like to join us for one of these FREE workshops. https://wendyandjeshanna.ck.page/acfb8f2fc2
Here are my takeaways from the episode:
-
Try introducing yourself without describing what you do for a living. Lose the identification of a role you are playing and connect with your values to describe yourself.
-
Who you are being is more important than what you are doing. Who you are being is best observed by your behaviors.
-
Ask yourself; What do I want the outside world to see me embodying? What characteristics do I want people to see? We can show up authentically in the world, regardless of what we DO by aligning to our values.
-
Starting first with a mindset shift, going first with your decision and then your behaviors follow. I go first and then my actions follow that’s what deciding is about.
-
The distance between the feedback that you’ve received and who you want to BE may be different, but once you have that awareness you can make up the difference in that gap to become the person you want to be.
Homework: Self-reflection. Decide who you are being, not based on what you DO try using that I AM statement to introduce yourself, similar to the Simon Sinek example
YOU’VE GOT THIS
Thank you so much for joining us again this week and for following along in this series.
If you have enjoyed listening, please subscribe to this podcast on the platform of your choice, whether that’s Apple, Spotify, or one of the many others, and then give us a review. We’d love to know how we’re doing!!
Want to work with either Whitney or me, learn more here:Wendy: https://wmbcoaching.com/
Whitney: https://innersagecoaching.com/
This episode is 4 of 6 in our Sow Series taking us to the next step in our change curve. We first looked at the awareness of change in our Seeds Series, then as we entered the Sow Series we found our desire to change by looking at opportunities and risks. Now we focus on our Knowledge and Ability and articulating our uniqueness.
I hope you enjoy this episode! Here are my takeaways:
-
What do we need to do to make the change? It’s the skills, ability, and how you articulate what makes you unique.
-
Skills can be trained, and ability is more natural to you.
-
Ask yourself, “What do I want and who do I talk to, to get it.”
-
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, because it makes others feel good to provide help. It is empowering to them to empower you.
-
Know what you want. Be clear on your ask for help so that the helper knows how to help you.
-
Knowing who to ask. Ask someone you trust and value their feedback.
-
You can use ChatGPT to review your bio, elevator pitch, or dating profile. Drop it in and ask if a 3rd Grader would understand it.
Homework this week: to find your unique ability:
· List 2-3 kills
· List 2-3 abilities
· Ask a few friends or colleagues to describe your uniqueness in 1-2 adjectives.
Next week we talk about deciding to make the change!
Please subscribe to this podcast on the platform of your choice, whether that’s Apple, Spotify, or one of the many others, and then give us a review. We’d love to know how we’re doing!!
Want to work with either Whitney or me, learn more here:Wendy: https://wmbcoaching.com/
Whitney: https://innersagecoaching.com/
We are back for another episode in the Sow Series with Whitney Kinservik and I. Today we are talking about Opportunity. I think this episode provides a pretty good recap of where we are in the series so I won’t be redundant and rehash that here.
If you are just joining us in the Sow series you may want to go back and listen to the first 2 episodes of this series. And, the Seeds series is the prequel to this series, so if you really want to get up to speed, go give those episodes a listen.
Here are the key takeaways:
-
Opportunity is not just happenstance it is creating the circumstance.
-
It’s not about believing what you can see, it’s about believing what you can be.
-
You should not be dependent on the outcome of an opportunity, instead, expand your thinking to consider if that opportunity is available and what are ALL of the opportunities that could be possible.
-
Opportunity is not finite. It is continuous and all around us. Don’t let the car salesman convince you otherwise.
-
There is not a scarcity of opportunities, opportunities are abundant.
-
Bounce the opportunities you are considering off of your values to evaluate if the opportunity is right for you.
HOMEWORK:
Abundance Ideation
- Spend 5 minutes and consider What opportunities can we see and what opportunities can we not see that are available to us. Think Big, really push the limits, let nothing hold you back.
- So take a minute to write down the answer to this…If there were no limits, what would the opportunities be?
Want to work with either Whitney or me, learn more here:Wendy: https://wmbcoaching.com/
Whitney: https://innersagecoaching.com/
Last week Whitney and I talked about having the desire to change. And, we assigned some homework. Hopefully, you’ve thought about what change you want to make and you tried it on for size…asking yourself “What IF”…what would it look like if I made this change?
This week, Whitney Kinservik and I tackled our second episode in the SOW series by addressing the importance of assessing risk before making a change. We’ll walk you through a few examples and then, of course, assign some homework.
I hope you got something out of this episode…here are my takeaways:
-
Going through a change curve includes having awareness of the need to change, the desire to change, Knowledge of how to change, skills and ability to perform in the newly changed state, and some type of reinforcement to keep you from backsliding into old ways of doing things.
-
Making a change is not just about what you want but what would it take to make the change
-
Analyzing the risk isn’t just looking at the negative side, it’s actually responsible.
-
Comparing where you are to where you want to be can help you define your goals.
-
Change can come in all forms. From changing attitudes and mindsets to changing careers, relationships, etc.
-
Assessing Risk is asking yourself: What is the distance between average and great and what is the cost to get there vs. the cost of not getting there?
So your homework is to take some time and consider the change that you want to make and ask yourself: What is your current state and what is the risk of doing nothing? Vs making a change.
I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you like it, please take the time to follow and like us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.And, if you know somene that may benefit from hearing this episode, please share it with a friend.
Want to work with either Whitney or me, learn more here:
Wendy: https://wmbcoaching.com/
Whitney: https://innersagecoaching.com/
This is a sequel to the Seeds Series with Whitney Kinservek and I.
Through this series, we are first going to Identify the seeds of change, and really understand what it means to have the desire to change. That is the intent of this first episode. Then we’ll seek to understand the landscape by assessing risk, next, we’ll select a location to plant the seeds by taking a look at opportunities in front of us, we’ll prepare the soil and then let nature take its course
Here are some takeaways from the episode:
-
Two ways that a desire to change may be sparked in you: Either Something isn’t quite right in your life OR there is something persistent, delightful, and intriguing calling to you to make a change.
-
Sometimes even if you bump up against a negative feeling when you are considering trying something it doesn’t necessarily mean it is bad. Sometimes it’s not about a RISK, it’s about a judgment you are making about that thing.
-
Ask yourself what if this felt good? How could I benefit by trying this thing?
-
Career changes and relationship changes are probably the two largest changes we typically face. We can think about how we could reframe the place we are or we can uncover what values may be in friction with the situation. How could you add more
-
Before making a change we may need to listen to our gut, a higher power, the universe, whatever it is that
-
How do you know if you should pursue something new? In addition to checking your thoughts and feelings (head and heart), you can also start checking your intuition (and that can be gut, prayer, or asking the universe for signs).
-
You can also engage the right brain and play it through. Can I achieve this, will it work out for me? Don’t process the risk but just see how it feels or think through what it would look and feel like to be in that new situation.
-
Homework for today is to try on some of the changes. What is the desire trigger that you are having and why would it be good to make this change?
Thank you for joining us today and always.
Want to work with either Whitney or me, learn more here:
Wendy: https://wmbcoaching.com/
Whitney: https://innersagecoaching.com/
Welcome to Season 2!
If you are feeling overwhelmed at work, at home, in relationships, start with understanding those thoughts that sabotage you and the core values that are at the root of what brings you joy and passion. These are the first steps of awareness and uncovering your authentic energy.
I encourage you to complete a values assessment, take the saboteurs survey, and learn a little more about yourself. The environment in which we live is always going to have stressors. But, we can choose how we react to situations and the type of energy that we bring.
Create awareness and choice by learning more about yourself:
Saboteurs
https://www.positiveintelligence.com/saboteurs/
Values Assessment
https://wmbcoaching.com/values-assessment/
If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, please share it. And, if you enjoyed it please go rate and comment on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Today my guest is Dr. Marie-Hélène (MH) Pelletier. MH is an in-demand speaker who applies business and clinical expertise for leaders and professionals to build unshakable resilience in the workplace.
She has her first book coming out in February titled, The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health.
The premise of the book is that professionals are fabulous. And, at risk.
Because of the inherent demands, professionals often assume they are naturally resilient due to their ability to handle more than the average person.
However, Dr. MH Pelletier challenges this assumption, highlighting that resilience is a skill that can be cultivated intentionally.
This is a great conversation and I hope you’ll enjoy it!!
Here are my takeaways:
-
You are Fabulous AND at Risk. Regardless of your tank, everyone will reach the bottom of their tank at some point. We need to take deliberate action to create a resilience plan. As you move through your career, the demands will keep increasing, but the supply stays the same (at best) or goes down, creating an imbalance.
-
Components of your resilience plan include your core values, the context of your current situation, and forces impacting the situation.
-
Creating a habit of self-care contributes positively to your resilience plan. This looks different for every individual, based on their context.
-
Burnout is not in the individual it is in the relationship with the workplace.
-
We need to shift the belief that we don’t need to do anything about our resilience, and be aware of our positive bias that “I’m so strong and I don’t need to do anything” there may have been another time in our career that we didn’t need it, but now things may be different and we need to be proactive and create a plan of resilience.
-
Self-awareness will allow us to look at our behaviors, how are we feeling, and how are we thinking. Unhelpful thoughts eat your best intentions for breakfast.
-
Listening is the first step to understanding what your team or organization needs in order to create an environment that does not contribute to burnout.
-
Prioritizing work with the team can help with Workload, which is one of the contributing factors of burnout.
-
Recognition is another tool to help with burnout in your organization.
-
Create a strategy of resilience, keeping in mind that it will need to adapt over time. This will lead to concrete actions that can benefit you and help prevent burnout.
Visit MH’s website at to sign up for the book launch team and receive the first chapter of the book, digitally.
Join the Book Launch Team: https://drmarie-helene.com/join-the-book-launch-team/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmhpelletier/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmhpelletier
Website: https://drmarie-helene.com/
Pre-Order the Book: https://theresilienceplan.com/
Anna K Morris spent her 20’s in NYC living an enviable life. She had a great sales job, an expense account, a refined boyfriend. She traveled. And, had all the things that were supposed to make her happy. But, they didn’t.
Much like I have spent the last year reconciling decades of time spent working toward something only to find once I got it, it did not fill my bucket like I thought it would. Anna discovered what makes HER happy.
Anna has been in coaching for over 15 years now and defines herself as a mindset and journaling coach.
Anna is transparent and real, and I think you’ll enjoy our conversation! Here are some of the takeaways:
-
Definition of Success changes with age and life experiences
-
Hard work is not the definition of success and although we may start out thinking that you have to work hard to make money, once you find your passion it is easier to make money without it feeling like you are working hard.
-
Integrity is holding true to what you say you are going to do.
-
Sometimes you have to face your own dark side and be really honest with yourself before you can be truly authentic with others.
-
How you do one thing, is how you do all things
-
Listen to your body. That is where your intuition lives.
Here’s how you can find Anna:
Website: https://www.annakmorris.com/
The Reconnect 12-Week Coaching Program: https://www.annakmorris.com/reconnect
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@annakmorriscoach?si=aXkeL5SH9oZNpIdY
IG: https://instagram.com/annakmorris_?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
FB: https://www.facebook.com/anna.kauppila.morris
My very special guest today is Brenda Harrington.
Brenda is a certified Executive Coach, author, and facilitator of leadership development experiences. She works with leaders across a variety of business sectors, non-profit, government, and intergovernmental organizations to help them enhance their leadership competencies and build capacity. Her partnership with clients is centered on the development of professional habits that will enable them to have the greatest possible impact.
Brenda is also a Black woman and In her book, Access Denied, released last summer, Brenda addresses workplace disparities and discrimination through brave storytellers who shared their stories with her.
I am not a black woman and can not begin to understand what black women experience, or have experienced in the workplace. But, I do strongly believe everyone should feel a sense of belonging and safety when they show up for work. At the very least, they should not feel isolated or made to feel less than for any reason. Not for the color of their skin, not for a disability, not for their age (younger or older).
There is so much opportunity for us to continue to learn from each other in this area. I hope this episode provides you with some nugget that you can take back to your day-to-day, inspires you to purchase Brenda’s book to learn more from her or to have a conversation with someone that creates awareness and better understanding of one another.
Here are some of my takeaways:
-
When you don’t see yourself in the "family portrait" or you don’t feel there’s a place for you or acknowledgment of the value you bring it is difficult to be engaged.
-
Misunderstanding, judgment, and fear are barriers to inclusivity.
-
There are really just two emotions fear and love.
-
A more inclusive workplace begins with paying attention and being aware. The world is not colorless and no one wants to be invisible.
-
Hold managers accountable for standards. We may not be able to change the hearts and minds of others, but we should have certain standards and accountability in the work environment.
-
Schemas are mental shortcuts that we take. We rely on shortcuts to interpret the world around us. They are embedded in the psyche and they create assumptions. So we have to be willing to question those shortcuts and reconsider them.
-
Once you are aware, you have the ability to make changes in your beliefs, thoughts, and actions.
-
Think about where you can have an impact, small or large. What can you do in your immediate environment? If you see something call it out and if you have agency in a certain space, what steps can you take to make a change?
You can find Brenda Harrington’s work on her website at Adaptiveleadershipstrategies.com and you can contact her via email at bharrington@adaptiveleadershipstrategies.com and on Instagram at authorbharrington. She is also on Linked In.
If you have enjoyed this episode I hope you will share it with a friend or go on and rate the show on your favorite podcast platform.
Thank you so much for listening. Check in next week for another authentic energy episode.
Today’s episode is a recap of the Seeds series. We talk briefly about some of the learnings we shared along the way, but then we talk about what to do with those learnings. And, finally, Whitney and I decided that it might be helpful to share information about what a coach is, what it isn’t, what to expect and what it could cost.
Here are our takeaways from the episode:
1. You are not obligated to respond in any particular way to a circumstance. You have a choice. Creating awareness around your Values, Beliefs Thoughts, Emotions and Behaviors can help you to understand your choices.
- What do you want to do with what you’ve learned in the series? Here are some options:
A. Live in the new awareness and if that gets you to the goal you want, you don’t have to do much more.
B. Deepen the experience. Pick up some of the books we’ve read or really apply the homework that we’ve shared.
C. Chart a course. Not just solving the issue at hand, but making a plan for how you want to be and getting to your future state. Try the values assessment, plan a play date with yourself, journal. Or go back and listen to one of the episodes in the series
-
Value of coaching is that you can gain greater perspective
-
Therapists and consultants focus on problems and looking in the past, while Coaching and mentoring look to the future. Consultants and mentors tell or give advice and therapists and coaches ask or pull out a solution from the client.
-
Coaching provides increases positivity, improved self confidence, communication skills, work life balance. And, increased productivity through work performance, business management, team management, team effectiveness and culture.
-
Based on a Harvard Business Review article, Coaching can cost anywhere from $200 - $3,500/session depending on the level of experience and specialty
Find Whitney at SageCoaching.com or Whitney@sagecoaching.com or myself on WMB Coaching.com or wendy@wmbcoaching.com
And, stay tuned for our next series called GROW. So, you’ve planted the seeds but now what. How can you continue to “grow where you are planted”?
I have a few upcoming episodes with some amazing guests before we launch the next series, so I hope you’ll continue to listen and if you liked our episodes, please go on the platform where you listen and rate the podcast. And, if you know someone who might want to hear it, please share it with a friend.
Thank you so much for continuing to listen. And, we’ll see you next week!
1. Thought is the point at which you can change in real-time, and the more that you create the awareness the less that you feel friction in your life.
2. 3 layers of behavior change: Changing your outcome, Changing your process, Changing your identity (the deepest layer of behavior change)
3. Awareness is the first step in providing you the opportunity to choose a different path
4. Change is a choice.
5. Tie a reward or positive thought to the behavior that you want.
6. Mel Robbins 5 Second Rule – says that when you have the thought that you want to do something and then the time comes around to do that thing and you don’t feel like doing it, Just do it. This action disrupts the process of thoughts that are convincing you not to do it.
7. Reframing your thoughts to a place of scarcity can allow you to see what you have and allow you to practice gratitude, and take action from that place.
8. Homework: If you want to try to create awareness of your behaviors you can access the Behaviors Reflection Worksheet on WMBcoaching.com/behaviors or if you just want to disrupt those thoughts and take action, try using the 5-second rule from Mel Robbins this week and just do it!
Thank you so much for listening it means so much to Whitney and I! If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you will go in and leave a comment and share it with a friend
Another great conversation with Whitney Kinservik this week!
Here are the takeaways:
-
Emotions are the way our brain gives meaning to bodily sensations based on past experience.
-
As we think something, we feel emotion, and chemicals are released in our body to prepare us to take action.
-
Assigning a new thought to someone’s behavior can create acceptance or peace and therefore, change our potential reaction to a stressful situation.
-
Taking a Deep breath can give you space to think a different thought, which changes the feeling, and therefore changes your chemical make-up.
-
Focusing on gratitude rather than judgment can change your mindset and your reactions.
-
It can be more difficult to change your state of mind when you have been in that state for a long period of time. Creating a mindset of possibility for the future can help you begin to change your mental state. If it took you a while to get into the state you are in, it can take you a while to get out of that state.
-
If you are feeling stuck in your own emotions, Challenge your thoughts and determine if there are other
-
Homework: Pick an emotion that you would like to have more of or an emotion that you would like to have less of and start journaling whenever you experience that emotion and bring awareness to the frequency of those emotions.
Thank you so much for listening it means so much to Whitney and I! If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you will go in and leave a comment and share it with a friend!
Join us next week as we talk about behaviors!
Here are the takeaways from Episode 3 in our Seeds Series.
1. Our brain produces approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. 90% of those thoughts are repetitive throughout the day and from previous days. That breaks down to about 35-48 thoughts per minute.
-
There are 100 Billion neurons that connect 500 trillion synapsis in our brain, which travel 300 miles per hour.
-
Retrenching our thoughts throughout the day and over time reinforcing our beliefs, which we learned in episode one could be helpful or could be holding us back.
-
We have the opportunity to choose our own adventure in life when we are able to identify our own thoughts and begin adjusting the thoughts that aren’t serving us to experience the life that we want.
-
85% of our decisions are made by our emotional self and the right side of our brain.
-
We are taught to lean into our linear, logical brain in our work life, but balancing out with right brain activities is healthy for holistic brain function.
-
For brain balance, try an ecstatic dance class, take a walk without listening to your podcast or music, bring a dog to work, go to a show, make changes in your workplace, spend time in nature, create a motivational mural, or go to a pottery class.
-
Your homework this week is to plan a play date with yourself. Plan something unique that you would not normally do that will put you in your creative, right brain. The purpose is to disrupt our brain patterns to build new neurological pathways and create your new adventure.
Thank you so much for listening! Whitney and I are having so much fun creating these episodes and sharing our coaching insights with you. If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you will go in and leave a comment and share it with a friend.
Interested in working with Whitney, you can find out more at https://innersagecoaching.com/
And, of course, you can always find me at https://wmbcoaching.com/
Welcome Back to Authentic Energy, this is the SEEDS Series, episode 2.
For those of you just joining this series, I encourage you to go back and listen to episode 1 from last week. These are short, less than 20-minute episodes with my coaching colleague, Whitney Kinservik. https://innersagecoaching.com/
Each week we will be planting seeds to help you take your life to the next level. After all, we have the ability to control how we live our lives so why not elevate? And, each episode gives you something that you can take away and put into action immediately.
If you listened in last week we talked about Values and if you completed the values exercise, congratulations!! Yay YOU! For those of you that did not complete it you can still access the assessment on my website at WMBCoaching.com/values-assessment.
Takeaways from this episode:
-
Understanding your Beliefs can help you define your possibilities.
-
Your beliefs may be limiting or they could be inspirational.
-
Examples of Limiting Beliefs are: I’m not good enough, I don’t have enough time, I’m not smart enough
-
Limiting Beliefs can be good if they bring your awareness to something that you may not do well and you are able to course correct or fix, but they can also cause fear that may cause you to hold back.
-
You may require some disruption to help you alter beliefs that are wired in and holding you back so that you can replace them with more inspirational beliefs.
-
Pick a Goal that you have been trying to achieve and answer these 4 questions for your goal:
a. I’m afraid if I reached this goal I would ___________
b. In order to achieve this goal ________________
c. People who achieve this goal are usually ________________
d. People who can’t achieve this goal are usually ____________
- If you have achieved a goal and you’re still not satisfied, think about the reason why you wanted to achieve that goal. What did you think achieving that goal was going to give you? Seek more of those things, because that is what you are truly after.
Homework: WMBCoaching.com/values-assessment
Welcome to the Seeds Series with Wendy & Whitney.
Whitney Kinservik will be my guest for the next few weeks as we introduce ideas and concepts to help lay the groundwork (or plant the seeds) for development and growth.
Whitney is an award-winning business leader and loves creating massive, scaled solutions, which is where she was able to make the greatest impact in her corporate experience.
As an example, two notable contributions were creating the largest content moderation workforce in the world for Meta and prior to that building the largest full rack integration operation in the world for Dell.
Whitney is a Wife, Mother of 2 + a bonus kid, 3 cats, and a dog
Her Current passion is coaching and recently started her Coaching company, Inner Sage Coaching. https://innersagecoaching.com/
Each episode in our SEEDS series will bring you a concept that we hope you will find valuable and actionable.
This week’s concept is centered around VALUES…I hope you enjoy.
Here are my takeaways:
-
Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking.
-
If someone can’t play or laugh, you probably aren’t experiencing their authentic self.
-
Creativity can help you find an elegant solution to a problem.
-
Courage can show up in leadership, bold decisions you make in your own life, and “what you do when people ARE looking”. When someone falls short on their courage they are not living to their full potential.
-
Holistic living is fully living in each part of your life.
-
Personal Growth is about always investing in yourself and continuing to develop and grow.
-
Self-expression requires courage, being honest with yourself and with others.
-
Surround yourself with people who share your same values but also those that you admire.
-
Values can be used as a gauge in making big decisions AND they can also be important in checking in with yourself to make sure you are living your values.
-
Visit WMBCoaching.com/values-assessment and assess your own values. Rate them on the worksheet and then rate how you are living those values.
Today, my guest is Sheevaun Thatcher. Sheevaun is a storyteller and guide, a leader and a learner. Her jungle gym career in sales, marketing, IT, solution engineering, and professional services, gave her all the relevant experience to create powerful sales enablement teams.
Sheevaun builds sales enablement programs from the ground up based on her commitment to arming her organization’s sales force with access to the insights, experts, and data that will ultimately increase revenue.
She is a universal translator; she speaks the language of engineers, marketers, product, sales and executives.
Today, Sheevaun is Vice President of Slack Strategic Enablement at Salesforce.
Here are my takeaways:
-
Instead of calling experiences failures, look at those experiences as
“ending up in a place you didn’t plan on being”. -
Saying “need” implies an exterior source. Change “Need” to “want” and it can change the way that things come to you.
-
When you are working “in service” you have a tendency to give it all away and this can lead to overpromising and under-delivering. It is ok to be in service and still say no.
-
Coach your team to ask for personal development, find mentors in the business, and become aware of your own EQ and how you show up for your team and others.
-
Being transparent with your team about what you have learned along the way can be part of how you coach your team.
-
Be ruthless with your own personal time by paying attention to your values. Your values may change or the priority of each may change over time, but being aware of your values can help you be ruthless with your time.
-
Don’t try to create an artificial harmony where everything is “just fine”…Be as honest as you can about what is happening.
-
Every time you want to say “but” replace it with “and” see what happens.
-
Coaching as a leader is willingness to put yourself out there, be truly vulnerable, leaning on others, delegating the work. It’s about letting people know who you are.
My guest this week is a dear friend and the first one to point out that I might be on the brink of burnout at least 6 months before I left my corporate job last October. Julie Habelmann and I have been friends for almost 15 years.
In 2020 she suffered a heart attack and had to be resuscitated TWICE. Today, she has found a new way of living that includes launching her company Noble Tones which provides integrative sound meditation to individuals, groups, companies, and retreats. She facilitated sessions at my workshop in December and will be at my retreat on July 27 – 30, to share her talents, which we discuss in detail on this episode.
I hope you’ll enjoy our conversation….
We’ll only have the retreat open for booking for a few more weeks, so if you are interested in attending, please visit my website at WMB Coaching.com/retreat.
If you enjoy listening to the podcast, rate an episode and share it with a friend.
Interested in attending my Authentic Energy Retreat in July at the CIVANA Resort in Carefree, AZ? Check out my website at https://wmbcoaching.com/retreat.
I’m so excited for you to meet my amazing guest, Jo Dockrey. Jo is an experienced executive with a focus on operations and moving strategies into execution. She has worked at a number of high-growth tech companies, including Dell, Inc, Rackspace, SMS Assist, Alight, and Applied Systems. At each company, her impact of operational excellence along with clear communication & authentic leadership has enabled her teams & departments to excel.
I have worked with Jo and I know what a fierce and talented leader she is. And, I know that she has been given some amazing opportunities throughout her career because of her talent. So, when she told me that she was taking an intentional hiatus from the corporate world to help move her family across the Atlantic to London, I was a little bit surprised but now even more impressed than before. Jo is patient and confident and knows that when she wants to go back she will pick right back up where she left off. So while this is not a story of someone experiencing or recovering from burnout, I believe it's a story about a solid leader that understands balance and is choosing her priorities as they change, which they will continue to do throughout our lives.
So, After unpacking all boxes and ensuring the family, which includes her husband, 2 sons and a dog, adjusts {and has the best summer of their lives in Europe}, Jo looks forward to finding her next career stop that will utilize her talents & passions appropriately. And, those passions include travel, coffee, tacos, and naps... usually in that order ;)
-
Sometimes it’s easier to find success and stay motivated when you create smaller goals and balance them with the other parts of your life. For example, putting on a great quarterly board meeting, having a date night with your husband AND chaperoning your child’s field trip.
-
To quote Spanx Founder, Sara Blakely, “Stop thinking about success and start thinking about value.
-
Refocus on the value you are bringing to any situation rather than what you are getting out of it.
-
Schedule your time in a way that works for you. Depending on if you are a morning person or a night person. Block your calendar to allow for that important time needed to start your day right or get organized in the evenings, depending on your preferred schedule type.
-
Protecting your energy can be difficult. For fellow introverts, make sure you schedule quiet, alone time to refill your bucket. Even if that just means not turning on the radio when you’re in the car.
-
Let your team know what your boundaries are and then find out what boundaries are important to them and respect that so that they feel supported
-
Promote Time Off.
-
Keep your 1:1’s with your team and provide your undivided attention where they bring the agenda. The higher up the ladder you climb the more difficult it can be to find time, but it is equally as important and maybe even more so.
-
Invite your team into the work you are doing. Collaborate with them and allow them to contribute to the work. This gives you visibility to their strengths and skills and allows them to feel valued.
Visit my website for online group programs, workshops and retreat opportunities at https://wendybrandcoaching.com/retreat.
Beth Ochoa is the CEO of GDC Marketing and Ideation. When I was considering my guests for the culture series, I immediately thought of GDC. I have worked with them on several different projects over the years and something that has always stood out to me is how talented AND happy their employees are. And, that as we know, is a sign of a good leader and a good culture.
Beth's ability to lead, construct and manage teams is matched only by her vast knowledge and experience in the marketing and advertising industry. She is a leader in every sense of the word.
She has been a proud member of GDC for over 20 years. Beth’s abilities as a communicator and a leader as well as her superior work product have singled her out as a dedicated team member and an expert in her field. Through hard work and persistence, Beth worked her way up the GDC ladder until, in 2019, she was made GDC’s chief executive officer.
Here are some takeaways from our conversation:
-
Continued success for small businesses really is about the Planning and how you are able to adjust and then revisit the plan along the way.
-
Goals at the company, department, and individual level are key. Employees thrive when they know what is expected of them.
-
Genuinely caring about your people is the key to a strong culture. As simple as that is it can still be a unique concept.
-
Consider providing employees something to look forward to
-
Instead of Win or Lose, reframe your lens to be Win or Learn
-
As long as the team is operating well and you have the bandwidth to do something else, employees should be able to work on other projects.
-
Trust and Communication are key to building a culture.
-
When your team is working well and getting the deliverables complete there can be more flexibility.
-
StrengthsFinders provides the ability to create an environment where employees are recognized by their Strengths and can therefore feel comfortable showing up as their true authentic selves.
-
Adding a Leadership Development program for leaders benefits the employees and the organization. It allows employees to grow and develop and provides succession planning for the organization.
-
When stepping into a leadership role, it is helpful to understand your own leadership style, assess where you have had leaders in your past that were impactful, and listen to your people.
-
Be confident in the decisions you’re making, and others will follow.
Check out my website for more information on my workshops and retreats at www.wendybrandcoaching.com/retreat
Great conversation with Virgninie Raphael!
Virginie Raphael is the Founder and Managing Partner of FullCircle, a NY-based pre-seed fund investing in a more equitable and sustainable workforce where fulfilled individuals regain pride and agency over their work.
Here are the takeaways:
1. The Full Circle Fund is a $10M pre-seed Fund with a goal to invest in a more sustainable equitable workforce. Getting people into jobs that they would normally get into and preventing people from falling out of jobs that they love due to financial security, healthcare, or childcare. Companies need to have an impact on the structural composition of the workforce to be funded.
-
There has been a shift in the workforce in the past 10-15 years from the top down into the V.2 of the workforce that includes the gig economy. But, V.3 Workforce is about addressing what type of gaps those recent changes have created.
-
There is an opportunity in helping kids as early as possible identify their skill set and how they get to where they want to be. For example, helping kids as early as high school figure out their skills and help those hiring look more at skills and not just where people went to college.
-
Capturing lived experiences as you go and getting better at capturing what you feel when you do something it is more indicative than sharing where you went to college. And, giving them opportunities to experience different types of
-
How do we fund platforms to flip the model of freelancers competing against each other, with a race to the bottom when it comes to the pay. Wethos allows freelancers to team up around a project without competing on price.
-
Whatever mode of work that works best for the person should be available to them. Let’s allow people to truly fulfill their potential to the max and in the process create a more prosperous workforce in the future.
-
Zaya Care is bringing new providers to the market because the patients are pooled and can take insurance. and prevent women from dropping out of the workforce because of poor pre or post-natal care.
-
We still do not have the data to show what benefits packages will most benefit our employees. Companies can continue to add to the packages, but
Thank you again for listening, visit my website for more information on our Authentic Energy program at wendybrandcoaching.com/retreat and tune in Next week for another culture series episode.
Join us at one of our workshops or retreats this summer! wendybrandcoaching.com/retreat
Great conversation with culture and communications expert, Pam Nemec. Here are my takeaways:
-
Communication is critical to culture. It includes a host of things informing people, making sure they understand the goals of the organization and performance expectations, AND it’s about caring and connecting to those on our team.
-
Three boxes of communications that impact culture:
Performance and Goal Setting: these meetings are happening daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Care and Connection: What are you doing daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly to touch base and care and connect with your team? This could be team-building outings, 1:1’s, or training.
Respect & Appreciation: This is where communication REALLY fits in. Employees feel respected when they feel informed, collaborated with, etc. And, be sure to include appreciation …spotlight those that are doing it right, representing the culture the way that you really want it represented. This is really where you are bringing your brand to life from a communications standpoint.
-
Leaders that aren’t as connected tend to just focus on one box.
-
If you lead through all three of these boxes, employees feel connected and informed and start leading their own team that way. And, they start performing beyond your expectations.
-
Culture is built from the inside out. Take remarkable care of your employees and they will take remarkable care of your customers.
-
Get clear on who you want to be: Establish your core values, understand your purpose, set your vision, and create your guiding principles. Then you can start telling your brand story and setting brand standards to create your brand strategy.
-
If you are asking, How do I communicate who we want to be, use the 3 M’s: What is our message, what is the method used to deliver the message, and who is going to be the messenger that will be delivering the message.
-
The Message: Get really clear on the message. What do I want to share with the audience and how do I want them to feel when they walk away?
-
The Method: Is it going to be face-to-face? Is it going to be a big meeting? Is it live or over video? Is it an email? What is the most respectable way to share the message. A consistent communication cadence is also important.
-
The Messenger: Who is the best messenger to deliver the message. It should be the closest person to the message and the person that is receiving the message. It may not be the easiest path, but that is not always the right way.
-
Communication methods across different generations in an organization is really about listening and working to understand what they want or need. We are all humans, and we all want the same thing. We want respect, our opinion to be considered, and to feel heard.
-
The same applies to allowing other diversity of thought and voice from different cultures, genders, backgrounds, perspectives. The only way to get that is to ask and to bring people to the table.
-
Leaders can create an environment for employees to bring their true authentic self to work by bringing their authentic selves to work.
If you want to learn more about the programs I have coming up you can check out wendybrandcoaching.com/retreat.
We continue our Culture Series with fractional CHRO, Heidi Hauver.
Heidi is an innovative and strategic people leader who partners with companies as a fractional Chief People Officer. She provides executive leadership, advisory, coaching and mentorship to CEOs, Founders, Executive Directors, and HR leaders at all stages in their career journey.
With over twenty years of experience in multiple industries, including the technology and not for profit sector, she is passionate about transforming the human resource function and demonstrating its strategic business value. Since 2007 she has founded an HR practice, built three HR departments for companies from the ground up, and became the first HR Executive for three companies. Heidi’s energetic leadership and constant innovation have earned her several awards, including the 2022 WBN Businesswomen of the Year Award for Community Impact, the 2020 Alumni of the Year Award (Business) with Algonquin College, the inaugural nationally recognized 2018 Leadership Agency Award for Woman of Distinction, a 2017 Top 25 HR Professional, the 2012 Ottawa Business Journal/Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Forty Under 40 Award, and the 2012 CATA Information Technology Strategic HR Leadership Award.
Heidi is a Certified Human Resources Executive, a Chartered Professional in Human Resources, a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional, and a Certified Coach Practitioner. She is a dedicated volunteer and community builder who supports a variety of organizations including Algonquin College, Code Youth, Hire Immigrants Ottawa, Women in Communications & Technology, Women’s Business Network, Women In Leadership Foundation, and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).
I can not think of a better guest to kick off the Authentic Energy Culture Series. Delise Simmons’ full-time job is to help organizations improve their cultures.
Delise started her work in organizational culture when she helped found the Southwest Airlines’ Leadership University, where she developed and delivered leadership training to more than 1,000 leaders every year, during the time when Southwest Airlines was rated as one of the Top Ten Companies to work for in America.
Today, Delise is the Chief Culture Officer at The Culture Think Tank, a research and consulting firm that designs the programs and tools that executives and senior leaders need to move the needle on culture and monitor performance.
If you want to have further conversations with Delise you can reach her at dsimmons@theculturethinktank.com.
Here are just a few of the takeaways from the show.
-
Even if you have one person in your organization, you can still have a culture of One.
-
A collection of the behaviors of the people within a team group or organization. What you can see are the behaviors or the results of the behaviors. Everything from the way an organization is decorated, to the way employees behave within their environment. The way we’re greeted, brought in, the way the employees are treated.
-
Culture Points: Where the organization intersects with the employee or the customer. A point for us to improve and enhance the culture through behaviors.
-
You can’t “build a culture” A culture exists whether you’ve done something to work on it or not.
-
Culture ThinkTank can provide you with a culture snapshot which gives you a well-being score, an anxiety rating, and an action plan.
-
What are the behaviors right now that are working to enhance or detract from performance for our employees and our customers? Leadership should amplify the behaviors they want to see more of. Communicate, reward, recognize, etc. then the culture will coalesce around the behaviors.
-
The best place to anchor your behaviors is through your organizational values.
-
The stronger we can coalesce around who we are, what we’re about, what we believe in, and how those behaviors manifest, the more we attract customers and employees for life, and we become more profitable.
-
The culture is not the leadership’s responsibility. They are leading the culture, but everyone participates in the culture. It is everyone’s behavior. Toxic cultures are narrowed down to the arrogance of leadership.
The Burnout Challenge by Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter has been a foundational reading for me as I've been learning about burnout since leaving my corporate job. In this episode, I share the ways that they suggest individuals prevent burnout and what organizations can do to create an environment for employees to find success.
In addition, I share the various ways that Wendy Brand Coaching is providing support on this topic through workshops, retreats, a group coaching program, and 1:1 coaching opportunities.
To learn more about my programs visit wendybrandcoaching.com/retreat.
The Burnout Challenge offers 6 areas that would create positive conditions for the employee's relationship with the job and they are:
1. Sustainable workload
2. Ample choice and control
3. Gratifying recognition and rewards
4. Supportive work community
5. Norms of fairness, respect, and social justice
6. Well-aligned values and meaningful work.
And, here are 7 elements that individuals can use to approach burnout prevention:
1. Stay healthy
2. Get enough sleep
3. Relax
4. Understand oneself
5. Develop new skills
6. Get away from the job.
7. Get social support
Check out the upcoming retreats that I'll be hosting at wendybrandcoaching.com/retreat.
My guest this week, Gifty Enright, is a highly regarded speaker, writer, and coach. In addition to her book, Octopus on a Treadmill, she is regularly published in newspapers and magazines.
I hope you'll listen to this inspiring conversation with Gifty, here are some of the takeaways:
- Get your priorities straight. We should be prioritizing our lives in a way that prioritizes our well-being.
a. Mental health
b. Close personal relationships
c. Physical health
d. Income
Prioritizing in this way allows us to make decisions in a different way and potentially prevent burnout.
-
You can have it all. It takes skills to have it all and not burn out. But, HAVING it all does not mean DOING it all.
-
Part of avoiding burnout is being comfortable asking for help. You must give people the privilege of helping you.
-
It takes a village, but we have to build the village. Develop the relationships that can build your village. Having close relationships helps you feel supported and safe and creates oxytocin, which can help with burnout prevention.
-
You have to live equitably. Research shows that at least 75% of the work in the household is done by women. Those in these relationships think they are in an equitable relationship. You have resources at your disposal, in addition to building a community to support you, Make sure that everyone in the family has a job. If the kids can stand up straight and walk, they need a job.
-
While you’re busy doing everything on your own, trying to prove to everyone that you’re a badass, what you’re doing is alienating people, creating a distance, letting people in, let in the support. Build those relationships, it’s good for you, it’s good for the hormones and it’s good for the community.
-
You are responsible for setting your own boundaries and in order to set your own boundaries, you have to have strong self-esteem.
-
You are responsible for your own well-being. You can’t pawn that off on someone else. It is up to you to get your priorities straight.
-
The fact that you can work 12 hours doesn’t mean you should.
-
How do you effectively promote yourself? Understand your worth, know what you bring to the table, and then make sure others know what you bring to the table. When you know it and build that confidence, it starts to ooze out of you.
-
Know what makes you happy and figure out a way to earn a living with that.
If you found this episode valuable, I hope you will go on and rate it and make sure that you subscribe to the podcast, so you are notified each week when a new episode drops.
And, if you know someone that might benefit from this episode, I’m thinking of working moms and working women that think they have to DO it all, please share this podcast with them.
Finally, if you are looking to connect with Gifty directly, you can find her at www.giftyenright.com and on
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/giftyenright
Dr. Alessandra Wall is the founder of Noteworthy, an executive coaching firm focused on elevating and empowering senior and executive, leading women in STEM & finance. She has spent thousands of hours working with hundreds of women leaders the world over, helping them to be wildly successful and deeply fulfilled.
Here are some of the takeaways from our amazing conversation:
1. Success is the marrying of Achievement + Fulfillment + Impact
-
Create small breaks for yourself throughout the day to experience “the Art of Nothing”. This does not include meditating, checking emails, playing Candy Crush, etc. Just sit and stare into space to reset your brain. Removing external noises gives you an opportunity to listen internally. Check-in with yourself to think about how you are feeling, acknowledge what is happening to make you feel that way, and decide what you want to do about it.
-
Walk the Talk – As a leader, you need to set the example. If you are going to be on Slack or sending emails at 1am, use Delay Send!
-
“Productivity” is how can I get as much work done in the time that I have in a day vs. Being effective is how can I get the work done well in the least amount of time possible so that I can do more of what I enjoy.
-
Boundaries are what you must set when people don’t respect your expectations.
-
It is critical to learn how to own, set and maintain your expectations. First, determine what expectations you want to set (in other words, what needs do you have in order to reach your version of success) AND, what expectations you need to set for others. Then, what boundaries will you put in place if the expectations are not respected?
-
The Glass Cliff is when you are put in charge of a project that is doomed to fail, you are given the task to fix it and if you fail it is all your fault, but nobody could have been successful at this project.
-
Be a Powerhouse instead of a Workhorse.
-
If you say “yes” to everything it is not ‘strategic’. Setting boundaries can help you be more strategic in your career, be more impactful in the work you do, and advance more quickly to the places you want to go.
Find Dr. Alessandra Wall on LinkedIn and learn more about what her company Noteworthy is doing and how to work with her at www.noteworthy.org.
This is Part 2 of the original episode (episode 7) where I introduced the three levers that can help you build and maintain authentic energy at work. This episode puts a little "meat on the bones" by bringing forward conversations with previous guests that help to flesh out the three levers.
The 3 Levers to obtain and retain your Authentic Energy require asking yourself these three questions:
1 What is my definition of success?
2 What are my non-negotiables?
3 What is my unique purpose?
If you are looking for a coach to help you through a career or life transition, book a free introductory session with me at wmbcoaching.com/free.
You can also connect with me in the following ways:
Email: wendybrandcoaching@gmail.com
Website: wmbcoaching.com
Instagram: wendybrandcoaching/
LinkedIn: wendybrand/
My guest on this episode is Carissa Thomas. While her title labels her a Revenue Enablement Leader at a hyper-growth SaaS company, she is also a collaborator, coach, strategist, mentor and lifelong learner. Her personal mission is to not just leave her mark on the world, but for her work to impact and amplify excellence in others. Which, we have heard from her team, she is doing just that!
Outside of her corporate gig, she enables others on their individual journeys. This shows up in ways of wellness retreats and one to one connection and coaching. She was labeled as “The Enabler” as early as her childhood and now has that title in her job. Helping others is what fulfills her.
If you want to learn more about the retreats she hosts with her friend Lauren, you can find it here: https://www.laurenrosella.com/ or if you want to reach out to Carissa directly you can email her at carissa.b.thomas@gmail.com.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Carissa, and I think you will too. Here are some of the key takeaways:
-
Success can be defined as a feeling of fulfillment in your personal and professional life. Reaching milestones and achieving goals may go into that feeling, but helping others is really the thing that gives that feeling of fulfillment.
-
100% of what we do is about mindset. Intentionally showing up and putting your best foot forward and finding the good in the situation
-
Become a fierce protector of your team. Coaching, developing, offering feedback, listening, and holding space for them to vent builds mutual respect. When that energy is put forward you will attract that same energy.
-
Building trust is a foundational component to any relationship, personal or work. And, the most important person to trust is yourself. Making commitments and following through on that is what builds trust and a mutual respect.
-
Listen to your gut. You always know whether you’re making a right or wrong decision, it’s just whether you’re willing to listen or not. If something doesn’t align with your values, doesn’t feel safe or allow you to be your authentic self, it’s probably not the right place for you.
-
Burnout can seem inevitable, but it comes in cycles. In order to recognize and reduce burnout it is important to be aware and understand “what compromises am I making for this project, work, company, etc.” and then make sure you take action.
-
To ensure you’re not depleting your energy, prioritize specific time just for you each day.
-
And, take adequate time off from work every quarter. Disconnect, find the space and time for yourself and let yourself have that time and recoup your energy. Even for those of us that LOVE to work, we have to recognize that there is also a time and
-
It’s important to have a solid network and support system. They can often point out before you see it, that you are out of balance.
This episode summarizes some of the lessons I've learned from my previous 6 guests and my 3.5 decades of building a relationship with work. In addition, I introduce three levers that can help you build and maintain authentic energy at work.
The 3 Levers to obtain and retain your Authentic Energy require asking yourself these three questions:
1 What is your definition of success?
2 What are your non-negotiables?
3 What is your unique purpose?
If you are looking for a coach to help you through a career or life transition, book a free introductory session with me at wmbcoaching.com/free.
You can also connect with me in the following ways:
Email: wendybrandcoaching@gmail.com
Website: wmbcoaching.com
Instagram: wendybrandcoaching/
LinkedIn: wendybrand/
Such a FUN conversation with Strengths Coach, Kathy Kersten
Here are a few of my takeaways from the show:
-
StrengthFinders is a Positive Psychology Assessment. Organizations can use it as a common language to understand your talent. Add it to your tool kit to describe what’s right with people.
-
Understanding someone’s Top 5 Strengths can give you insight into how someone makes decisions, gets things done, builds relationships, and negotiates the world around them.
-
29 Million people have taken the StrengthsFinder assessment
-
If you obey your strengths, you can avoid energy depletion and burnout. And, Success can come at a cost if you don’t obey your strengths.
-
Success can be defined by “Getting Paid to do what you are made to do”. Being able to feel the value that you are providing by bringing what is specifically magical about you to the table.
-
Your Strengths aren’t necessarily “what you’re good at” and Weaknesses aren’t necessarily “what you’re bad at”. Sometimes your Strengths can weaken you and others around you.
-
Areas of Service is a great way to bring energy back around to you.
If you liked this show or any of the others, please follow/subscribe and give us a rating.
Here's how to connect with Kathy:
Website: kathykersten.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathykersten/
Podcast: Obey Your Strengths with Kathy Kersten
And, I am still looking for 10 HR leaders to receive a free coaching session from me in Q2. Sign up at wmbcoaching.com/free.
Thank you so much for joining me on this journey and listening in to the show. It means so much to me.
Talk to you next Friday!
Kelly Hopping is currently the Chief Marketing Officer for HYCU where she is responsible for increasing brand presence and accelerating acquisition and conversion of potential customers.
On this episode, you will learn what makes Kelly a great leader, a phenomenal mother and a woman that understood from the beginning her non-negotiables and was not afraid to insist on them.
-
Being happy at work can lead to being happier at home, which makes you a better spouse, parent, friend, etc.
-
The softer skills just can’t be rushed. They get better over time. It takes more than checking a box that you’ve learned a skill. It takes experience.
-
Cultures that don’t welcome an outside idea, creates a lot of “yes” people and kills innovation and creativity.
-
Speak your mind and hold true to yourself. It can only go one of two ways. It doesn’t make you a “quitter” if you speak your mind and they make the choice to let you go. Some times you have to leave because it’s a lose, lose battle.
-
Paraphrasing from the One Minute Manager: If you’re all competence and no confidence you are a waste of talent and if you’re all confidence and no competence then you’re just destructive. Competence and Confidence combined is what can make you successful.
-
As an achiever on Sabbatical it can take a while to stop checking the phone, emails, LinkedIn all the things and just relax.
-
If you are able to meet expectations without compromising on your non-negotiables that can be your superpower. A good leader will see the value in you and help you protect your non-negotiables.
-
Leaders, It’s about trusting your team that they’ll get the job done. Sometimes it takes iteration to understand your team’s style in completing the work. Getting to know your team, building that trust and then operating from that place of trust is where the magic happens.
-
Set the example for your team and be very clear about the expectations.
-
If we make everything urgent and are always operating from an “I need this now mentality” ALL the time, that is where we experience the pain.
Thank you so much for listening. I know that I am learning so much from our guests and I hope that you are too. If you know someone that you think can benefit from listening to the show please share. And, if you like it, please give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.
wendybrandcoaching.com
My conversation with Pam Nemec is real and full of truth nuggets on how to elevate energy within, for your team, and your organization. If you are working on your organization’s culture you are going to love this episode! If you know someone that you think might also like it, please share!
You can find Pam on social media here:
LinkedIn: linkedIn.com/in/pamnemecculturecoach/
Instagram: @pam_nemec_
Website: https://pamnemec.com/
To sign up for a free coaching session with Wendy visit https://wendybrandcoaching.com/free
Here are just some of the takeaways from our conversation:
1. Complete balance may not be achievable. Focus on being present. Focus on the people that matter most to you and give them quality time.
-
You have to say no to certain things, so you can say yes to the important things.
-
Success is about the life you build, the relationships you form along the way, and the way you have treated people.
-
Successful leaders care about Connection and Consistency.
-
Create connection with your employees at a deeper level. Don’t just KNOW about what’s happening in their life, CARE about what’s happening in their life.
-
Consistency in leadership is about knowing who you’re going to get when they walk in the door. Nobody wants to guess who they’re going to be working with that day.
-
Show up in authenticity. When we try to be the great pretender, it’s a turn off. Employees may look up to you for a time, but eventually they’ll see through it.
-
There is no perfect culture. But, a great culture is where leaders consistently listen to their people, put people above profit, continuously seek to improve, and when they stumble they work to fix it.
-
Companies with toxic cultures have forgotten that the reason for their success IS their People. If they sacrifice people for profit too many times, they will see the impact on their culture and their brand.
-
There is a powerful and tangible connection between internal culture and your customers’ experience. It can either help your business performance or hurt your business performance.
-
Don’t ever lose sight that there are humans on the other side of those numbers.
-
3 Steps to building a healthy Culture:
1 Become intentional and thoughtful about the culture you want to create.
2 Determine if you have the right leaders on your team to support your vision.
3. Don’t leave culture to chance. Just like you have a business plan for growth, you need a plan for building a strong culture.
Jessica Harris is Founder and CEO of Inzencity and she started the organization because she saw a broader need for tools and resources that help people lead more holistic, fulfilling and satisfying lives. She recognized that both individuals and corporations were looking for personalized and customized wellness plans that would incorporate the fields of functional medicine, nutrition, psychotherapy, physical fitness, coaching, and other wellness practices.
She’s now committed to helping as many people as possible connect with their true selves and live a life of well-being, joy, fulfillment and satisfaction; recognizing that this way is possible.
Here are some takeaways from our conversation:
1. Everyone has a highest and best self and it is everyone's birth right to have access to their highest and best self.
-
Working toward that connection to the highest version of yourself is ongoing, because we gain more insight as we age and as we experience things. Access is attainable but never perfect.
-
The road to betterment requires work and sometimes it's really great work and sometimes it's difficult work.
-
Burnout can happen not just by doing things you don't enjoy, but even with things you do enjoy. No matter where you are we are all susceptible to it.
-
It is essential that the employer takes responsibility for the wellbeing of their employees. We spend more time working than in our personal lives and we are human beings having real experiences with our colleagues and with our managers.
If you have any questions for Jessica you can reach out to her directly at jessicaharris@inzencity.com.
If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to the podcast and share with anyone that you think may enjoy it. And, if you really liked it please rate it and provide a review.
If you want to reach me directly, you can find me at wendybrandcoaching@gmail.com and wendybrandcoaching.com. I would love to hear what you think about the show or work with you directly if you’re looking for someone to partner with on creating a life at the intersection of success and happiness.
My guest, Dr. Sara Brand, shares her career journey from a male-dominated industry in tech to starting a venture capital firm that not only supports women owned companies but creates funds that are primarily funded by women investors. Here are some takeaways from the episode:
1. Success can be found in doing what you are uniquely put on this planet to do.
2. Making a conscious effort to decide the types of people you want to work with and the problems you want to solve, can lead to a fulfilling career doing what your soul wants vs what your ego wants.
3. Leaders should show up in transparency and share a little of their personal side. This helps to build trust and allows their team to do the same.
4. Wellbeing routines can change over time, but it is important to carve out time for yourself. Meditate, exercise, read, listen to podcasts, do what works with your current lifestyle.
Interested in learning more about Sara and True Wealth Ventures, visit their site: https://truewealthvc.com/
Thank you so much for listening! If you liked the show, please leave us a rating and share it with friends. If you'd like to learn more about Wendy Brand Coaching, check out https://wendybrandcoaching.com.
My conversation with Mary Stich is full of tips and tricks for navigating your career and finding balance along the way. It's about finding the things that bring you energy and doing more of those things.
And, here's a sneak peek at some of the takeaways from our conversation.
The hamster wheel is not plugged in with someone else at the controls. You can control how fast you run or when you get off and take a break.
Pivots can be important steps along our journey to re-pace ourselves.
Try your best to build a financial safety net so that you’re prepared if you need to get off the hamster wheel and take a breather.
Success is finding the right role, team and community that allows us to be helpful and bring our best energy.
Energy depletion = Burnout
Be kind to yourself with your words.
Keep an energy journal. Log what gives you energy and what depletes your energy. Do more things that give you energy.
Know your limits. Instead of saying “no”, you can say “I wish I could”
Thank you for listening! If you liked the show, please leave us a rating and share it with friends. If you'd like to learn more about Wendy Brand Coaching, check out wendybrandcoaching.com.
Join me on this journey to discover how other women are navigating the balance between success and holding true to their authentic self. We will learn together from guests as they share their insights and provide guidance for how they have maintained and protected balance in their career (or haven't) and what they've learned along the way.