company culture Archives - Business RadioX ®

Jody daSilva, Leaders Team, on Breaking Growth Barriers

October 9, 2025 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Jody daSilva, Leaders Team, on Breaking Growth Barriers

00:00 /

Jody daSilva, Leaders Team, on Breaking Growth Barriers (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 907)

Early in her career, when a McDonald’s location she managed flooded with a foot of water, Jody daSilva didn’t shut it down. She fixed it, reopened it, and never looked back. That same instinct to figure things out has powered her entire career.

Now with Leaders Team, Jody helps executives do the same inside their companies: fix what’s really broken. In her conversation with host North Fulton Business Radio host John Ray, she explains why so many mid-market firms stall out: not because of weak systems or bad hires, but because of the stories leaders tell themselves.

Jody and John dig into how those hidden beliefs shape culture, create silos, and kill growth. She shares what “ontological coaching” really means, why it’s not just pep-talk psychology, and how companies transform when leaders stop managing content and start changing who they are being.

John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Why leadership transformation starts with who you’re being rather than what you’re doing
How personal stories and limiting beliefs can cap organizational growth
The role of ontological coaching in reshaping leadership effectiveness
How to recognize when a company culture or structure is holding back performance
Simple ways to begin dismantling silos and building alignment across teams

Topics Discussed in This Episode

00:00 Introduction to North Fulton Business Radio
01:52 Meet Jody daSilva: Leadership Insights
02:57 Jody’s Eclectic Career Journey
05:56 The Importance of Being in Business
07:32 Ontological Training and Its Impact
11:32 Transforming Company Culture
16:07 Exploring Company Silos
18:26 Identifying Symptoms of Dysfunction
21:38 Addressing Women Leaders’ Challenges
25:39 Success Stories and Transformations
27:50 Contact Information and Closing Remarks

Jody daSilva, Leaders Team

Jody daSilva is a senior manager and leadership consultant with more than 30 years of experience leading and advising across Fortune 500 companies and start-ups. Her career is defined by a track record of improving profitability, productivity, and organizational performance. Drawing on that experience, she now helps companies identify the unseen barriers that stall growth and performance.

Jody combines sharp business acumen with deep ontological training in the study of being and human nature to offer a distinctive approach to leadership development. Through her work with Leaders Team, she helps executives and teams uncover limiting beliefs, shift culture, and create alignment that drives sustainable results. Her clients credit her with breakthroughs that include doubling revenue, strengthening leadership teams, improving customer satisfaction, and building more cohesive, purpose-driven organizations.

Website | LinkedIn

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $17 billion in assets and more than 180 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from each banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way to better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Whether you’re a law firm, medical practice, or manufacturer, there’s one headline you don’t want to make: “Local Business Pays Thousands in Ransom After Cyberattack.” That’s where Beyond Computer Solutions comes in. They help organizations like yours stay out of the news and in business with managed IT and cybersecurity services designed for industries where compliance and reputation matter most.

Whether they serve as your complete IT department or simply support your internal team, they are well-versed in HIPAA, secure document access, written security policies, and other essential aspects that ensure your safety and well-being. Best of all, it starts with a complimentary security assessment.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

With over 900 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!

The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their markets, communities, and professions. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.

John Ray, host of North Fulton Business Radio, and Owner, Ray Business Advisors — **John Ray, host of *North Fulton Business Radio* and Owner, Ray Business Advisors**

John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, and it is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

You can find the complete archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

John is the author of the five-star rated book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.

Breaking Barriers: From Counseling to Entrepreneurship with Kelly Zaragoza

April 11, 2024 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Breaking Barriers: From Counseling to Entrepreneurship with Kelly Zaragoza

00:00 /

Breaking Barriers: From Counseling to Entrepreneurship with Kelly Zaragoza

In this engaging episode, Karen Nowicki chats with Kelly Zaragoza, the innovative mind behind Via at Work, to unravel Kelly’s fascinating journey from counseling to entrepreneurship. Kelly shares how her serendipitous encounters and personal experiences fueled her drive to break down barriers to accessing mental health services, leading to the creation of her groundbreaking business. She introduces the innovative concept of the five love languages as a tool to cultivate appreciation and connection within teams, envisioning workplaces that extend their positive influence beyond office walls, all through her pioneering initiative, Via at Work.

Via at Work collaborates with businesses and nonprofits that seek greater productivity and growth. They offer strategic solutions that align employees with their company’s vision and drive for profit, funding and expansion.

As loyal partners, Via works to strengthen leadership, identify blindspots and influence behavior for improved business outcomes. Using a skill set developed from years of working in the mental health field, providers from Via work collaboratively to define purpose, prioritize objectives and pursue passions.

Via at Work helps companies achieve alignment, culture, resilience, accountability, and success. The goal: nurture, lead, empower…succeed!

Kelly Zaragoza is a Licensed Professional Counselor turned Coach, or as her team calls her, “The Coaching Therapist.” As a therapist, she saw client after client come in with similar issues: not feeling appreciated, burned out, stressed, frustrated, and lacking confidence, just to name a few. She realized that many people were sharing similar experiences and that therapy was bringing about transformations. This led her to ask, “How can more people have access to this superpower?”

This is where Via at Work was born. Kelly recognized that she could inspire greatness, foster a culture of change, and equip whole teams with these same skills for sustained success, both in the workplace and at home, creating a ripple effect of wellness. She is passionate about empowering teams to ensure a future where everyone in an organization thrives.

Kelly is a loyal partner dedicated to making sure people feel seen and understood in the workplace, we spend so much of our time there, might as well make it a great place to be!

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn.

Unleashing Potential: Revolutionizing HR Strategies

April 5, 2024 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Unleashing Potential: Revolutionizing HR Strategies

00:00 /

Unleashing Potential: Revolutionizing HR Strategies

In this lively episode of Phoenix Business Radio, Karen Nowicki kicks off the conversation by inviting the Disrupt HR Tucson team to the mic, sparking a vibrant discussion on revamping workplace cultures and bringing HR into the modern age. Kindra Maples shares her journey with Culture Crush Business, stressing the need for resources to transform company dynamics. Tamica Sears and Holly Norton champion human-centered HR practices that prioritize employee well-being and trust. Ashley Bright shares her take on HR innovation, advocating for adaptation to meet workforce challenges head-on. Together, they unpack the unique format of Disrupt HR events, highlighting their role in building connections and sharing a tapestry of HR insights.

As the discussion flows, the team shifts gears to the importance of integrating HR into strategic business decisions and fostering a workplace that embraces personal challenges. This episode celebrates the evolving role of HR in shaping workplace culture, showcasing the transformative power of Disrupt HR events in redefining HR practices for the future.

DisruptHR is an innovative information exchange designed to energize, inform, and empower people in the HR field. It’s a series of fast-paced events where speakers get 5 minutes each to share their fresh ideas on how to shake up the traditional HR landscape.

Sears Coaching helps create inclusive, innovative, and authentic organizations through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, workshops, and retreats. Through their work, they create profitable organizations that welcome people as they are and treat people with compassion, empathy, and kindness.

Tamica Sears is an HR consultant and Executive coach as well as a volunteer for DisruptHR Tucson.

She has 20 years of Human Resources experience including organizational development, talent management, coaching, and training.

She has held HR leadership roles in organizations ranging from small veterinary hospitals to major media outlets like The USA Today Network.

As a PCC level Certified Executive Coach, she believes that the keys to leadership development are self-awareness, inclusion, and authenticity. She holds certifications in Change Management, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Everything DiSC, The Five Behaviors, and is a Human Resources Certified Professional.

Identifying self-esteem as a common issue with many leaders, Tamica published “You Are Enough”, a book of motivational quotes designed to increase self-esteem in 30 days and a leadership development book, “How to Tell if You’re an A**hole Boss”.

Connect with Tamica on LinkedIn.

Strunk Group, an employee benefit and HR consulting firm, providing a complete range of health insurance and employee benefit resources and services. They help business care for their people.

If you’re an organization with ten employees or thousands, and you’re tired of navigating the murky waters of employee benefits, compliance, and HR alone, Strunk Group is here.

Employers want to provide the best employee benefits customized to your company’s unique needs. They support that pursuit of providing the best for their people. Strunk Group provides their clients with corporate benefits, human resources, technology and payroll consulting, and 401(k)s.

Working in the best interests of people – and organizations

Strunk Group leads the way in committed advocacy – the practice of consistently acting in the best interests of an organization and their people. Committed Advocacy creates engaged environments by encouraging collaboration and openness. As a result, cultures flourish, health improves and happiness is increased – at work and in life.

Holly Norton is not your average HR Executive. As the driving force behind Strunk HR, a division of the Strunk Insurance Group, she is redefining what it means to be in human resources.

Gone are the days of cookie-cutter HR strategies; Holly is a visionary leader, constantly innovating and inspiring change in the people operations space. With over two decades in HR and top-tier industry certifications, she has discovered a better way in her relentless pursuit of revolutionizing HR.

Holly empowers and supports leaders and business owners to create a work culture that is nothing short of stellar. Her philosophy? Employees who feel valued don’t just work—they thrive, collaborate, and elevate the entire team’s performance.

Holly’s approach to hiring and onboarding isn’t just about filling positions. It’s about crafting lasting relationships from day one, fostering a work environment that transcends mere compliance. She’s not about ticking boxes; she’s about creating bespoke HR experiences that resonate deeply with every client. But Holly knows that a company’s true strength lies in its people.

As a key player in DisruptHR Phoenix and Tucson, Holly’s influence extends beyond her immediate sphere. She’s bringing together bold, innovative voices in HR from across the globe, reshaping the industry’s landscape.

Living in North Phoenix with her teenage son, significant other, and beloved dog. Holly’s life outside the workplace mirrors her professional ethos—dynamic, unconventional, forward-thinking, and infused with a blend of humor. This blend of wit and wisdom not only sets her apart but also exemplifies her belief that the workplace can be both a place of serious achievement and genuine enjoyment.

Connect with Holly on LinkedIn and follow Strunk Group on Facebook and Instagram.

The Message Fixer is on a mission to help purpose-driven leaders break through barriers and gain support for their ideas. We work with individuals, companies, and organizations at the intersection of technology, education, and community to make a positive impact.

Our IMPACT Speaking Method was designed to equip leaders with communication skills and stage presence to attract attention, resources, and allies to their cause. Our founder brings almost two decades of experience pitching ideas to Fortune 500 companies and we’ve distilled those learning into this methodology to ensure success for our clients.

We offer personalized 1:1 coaching to address individual communication challenges and group workshops on storytelling, public speaking, relationship building, and overcoming status quo bias. Whether starting a new business or launching a product, training a sales team, or pitching to an investor we ensure our clients gain the communication skills they need to get results.

Ashley Bright is The Message Fixer.

Clients hire him to bring clarity, boldness, and impact to their communication.

As a former Creative Director, presenting to companies like Apple, Target, and AT&T he knows how to leverage storytelling and empathy to break through listener resistance and status-quo thinking to get buy-in for life-changing ideas.

United Way, Kimberley-Clark, and the University of Arizona are among the many clients who rely on Ashley’s IMPACT Speaking Method to teach their people how to present with confidence, increase their influence, and build meaningful relationships to ensure they get results.

Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Culture Crush Business is your premier destination for building thriving company cultures. We are dedicated to revolutionizing the way companies approach their people and culture strategies.

At Culture Crush Business, we understand the importance of cultivating a workplace environment where employees thrive. Our three step approach is comprehensive, focusing on three levels of support and always focusing on our eight key areas that form the foundation of vibrant cultures. We have over 200 partners across the country that bring experience and expertise in the areas of:

Leadership/Professional Development
Employee Recognition/Employee Appreciation
Conscious Communication and Connection
Fundamentals: Pay and Medical Benefits
Mental Health and Wellness
Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Accessibility
Systems and Processes
Fun/Excitement in the Workplace

Kindra Maples, Founder of Culture Crush Business, brings a unique journey to the business world. With a background in animal behavior and over 15 years in the zoo industry, Kindra transitioned her passion from training animals to empowering people. From polar bears to individuals, she seamlessly blends diverse experiences.

Her skills encompass business relations, operations management, strategic planning, and team building. Dedicated to fostering growth, she is passionate about supporting leaders and cultivating exceptional company cultures.

Through the events, podcast, partnerships, and three levels of support for companies- Kindra connects businesses to the culture resources they need to build thriving cultures and thriving people.

Kindra is dedicated to revolutionizing the way companies approach their people and culture strategies and does this through assessments, events, and supporting companies in a Fractional Chief People Officer role.

Outside the business realm, Kindra finds joy in paddleboarding, conquering Spartan races, and embarking on adventurous pursuits to continually embrace new challenges.

Connect with Kindra on LinkedIn and follow Culture Crush Business on Instagram.

Company Culture and Diversity E22

February 21, 2024 by Karen

Changing the Perception of Blindness

Company Culture and Diversity E22

00:00 /

Company Culture and Diversity E22

Kicking off this episode of “Changing the Perception of Blindness,” host David Steinmetz shares insights from his 19-year journey at Arizona Industries for the Blind, underscoring the importance of challenging misconceptions about blindness and promotes inclusivity in the workforce.

Joined by Kindra Maples, president of Culture Crush Business, they delve into the evolving landscape of work culture, emphasizing the necessity of understanding individual needs and tailoring inclusive environments to diverse abilities. The conversation highlights the positive impact of remote work on accessibility and productivity while emphasizing the importance of personalized approaches to inclusion, recognizing the unique needs of individuals with disabilities in the workforce.

Throughout the episode, Steinmetz and Maples explore the shifting perception of blindness and disability in professional settings, advocating for a paradigm shift towards embracing diversity and promoting inclusivity. Their discussion underscores the value of recognizing and accommodating individual abilities, challenging traditional norms, and prioritizing inclusivity as a cornerstone of modern work culture.

As they navigate through these topics, they emphasize the ongoing need for dialogue, reflection, and action to create truly inclusive work environments that empower individuals of all abilities to thrive professionally and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

As an enterprise nonprofit organization, Arizona Industries for the blind is a role model for the business community. Emphasizing the importance of understanding team members’ needs and providing the right training, right technology and the right attitude that allows individuals who are blind to be successful in the workplace and in the community.

Listen to this episode to gain valuable insights on fostering inclusivity, challenging misconceptions, and navigating the evolving landscape of work culture to empower individuals of all abilities in the workforce.

At Culture Crush, culture isn’t just a corporate buzzword. It’s a key factor that can either boost your company or lead to its failure.

With deep cultural insights and years of expertise, we evaluate your company’s needs and connect you with the precise resources to cultivate a thriving culture.

We work with CEOs, founders, HR Directors, or Culture Leaders of companies or teams, who value company culture and understand its impact on their business success.

ASSESS: Gain insights into your company’s culture by identifying gaps and areas that need improvement through a comprehensive assessment.
PLAN: Kindra and her team will tailor a unique strategy for your company, connecting you with the right resources based on your specific needs.
THRIVE: Experience a transformed workplace where everyone flourishes, powered by the successful implementation of culture-enhancing strategies.

Your company culture plays a pivotal role in its success. Whether you’re trying to address high turnover and low productivity, or seeking to enhance an already positive environment, nurturing your culture is crucial.

As a leader, you may have tried team activities, incentives, and strategies to address this, but it’s not easy coming up with the right solution.

With Culture Crush you’ll learn how to transform your workplace into a place of unity, efficiency, and growth. Don’t just fix your company culture – transform it with Culture Crush.

Kindra Maples, Founder of Culture Crush Business LLC and dynamic host of the Culture Crush Business Podcast, brings a unique journey to the business world.

With a background in animal behavior and over 15 years in the zoo industry, Kindra transitioned her passion from training animals to empowering people. From polar bears to individuals, she seamlessly blends diverse experiences.

Kindra’s expertise spans various audiences, including animals, children, adults, veterans, and elders. Her skills encompass business relations, operations management, strategic planning, and team building. Dedicated to fostering growth, she is passionate about supporting leaders and cultivating exceptional company cultures.

In October 2020, Kindra launched the Culture Crush Business Podcast, channeling her experiences into a valuable resource. Celebrating its one-year mark, she established Culture Crush Business LLC in October 2021—a central hub for company culture resources, dedicated to enhancing workplace environments and supporting leaders.

Connect with Kindra on LinkedIn and follow Culture Crush on Facebook and Instagram.

About Your Host

As the manager of Community and Public Relations, David Steinmetz uses his expertise, education, and personal experiences to “change the perception of blindness.”

Diagnosed with RP, a blinding retinal disease, at the age of 19, David uses his personal story to drive change that leads to improved employment outcomes and community integration for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Mr. Steinmetz graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Economics. Additionally, Steinmetz has continued his education by graduating from the Business Management Training (BMT) program provided by Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia.

In 2008, David was the national recipient of the National Industries for the Blind Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement award. This prestigious award recognized Mr. Steinmetz for his career achievements and community service work.

David Steinmetz is a member of the Governors’ Council on Blindness & Visual Impairments, is a Board Member at the Arizona Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired (ACBVI) and serves his community through the Chandler Lions Club.

Connect with David on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About the Show

Changing the Perception of Blindness; One Conversation at a Time is dedicated to breaking down barriers, de-mystifying blindness and promoting real world solutions that empower people who are blind to live a full and inclusive life.

Host, David Steinmetz connects with organizations, industry professionals and thought leaders who are working to bridge the gap that creates a world accessible for all.

About Arizona Industries for the Blind

Arizona Industries for the Blind is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating employment opportunities for people who are blind. It’s employees, more than half of whom are blind, deliver a variety of products and services, including a full-service Warehousing and Distribution Center, confidential Digital Data Scan (DDS) services for private businesses and government and the operation of Base Supply Centers located at each of Arizona’s three military bases under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Labor’s AbilityOne program.

Follow AIFB on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Growing a Process-oriented IT Company: Insights from Gurmeet Judge, President and CEO, Encompass Solutions

December 26, 2023 by John Ray

Business Leaders Radio

Growing a Process-oriented IT Company: Insights from Gurmeet Judge, President and CEO, Encompass Solutions

00:00 /

Growing a Process-oriented IT Company: Insights from Gurmeet Judge, President & CEO, Encompass Solutions

On this edition of Business Leaders Radio, host John Ray spoke with Gurmeet Judge, President and CEO of Encompass Solutions, about the crucial role of IT services in small and large businesses. Judge shares his journey from software development into establishing and leading his own IT firm. He highlights the importance of understanding client goals, the impact of company culture, and the evolving role of AI in businesses. He also talks about the importance of setting up IT processes that allow for measurable results and how Encompass Solutions addresses talent challenges in its forward-looking growth plans.

Gurmeet Judge, President & CEO, Encompass Solutions

Gurmeet Judge is the President and CEO of Encompass Solutions. Gurmeet founded the company in 2015.

Encompass Solutions is an innovative provider of powerful, practical, and cost-effective technology and consulting services focused on “Aligning Technology with Business Process” and the belief that technology should deliver consistent, expected business results.

Working closely with their technology partners, Encompass’s staff is on a mission to become a world-class IT service provider, delivering excellent customer service, improving business performance, and controlling technology costs for our clients. Their strong history of building and supporting large infrastructure means they have the experienced teams necessary to deliver on the toughest of problems. Our commitment to optimizing IT processes for business means we solve problems efficiently.

Encompass has decades of experience building mission-critical IT infrastructure across a variety of industries. Their strengths primarily exist in designing, building out, supporting, and solving problems around large-scale IT infrastructures. Key to their skill sets has been the creative integration of new technologies into the customer environment and our focus on drastically controlling costs. Their depth of experience in municipal and financial environments illustrates a partner who understands the integration of various technologies in the public sector.

Connect with:

Gurmeet Judge: LinkedIn

Encompass Solutions: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook

Topics in this Interview

00:02 Introduction and Welcoming Guest

00:25 Understanding Encompass Solutions and Its Services

01:27 Gurmeet’s Journey to Becoming a CEO

03:17 Transition from Software Developer to Entrepreneur

05:32 Challenges and Surprises in the Business Journey

07:42 Understanding Client Base and Their Mindset

12:44 Aligning Personal Goals with Company Goals

27:52 The Role of AI in Business

31:15 Future Plans and Challenges for Encompass Solutions

32:46 Conclusion and Contact Information

Business Leaders Radio is hosted by John Ray and produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. The show can be found on all the major podcast apps and a full archive can be found here.

Building Culture Through Human Connection E29

February 3, 2023 by Karen

Building-Culture-Through-Human-Connection-feature

Phoenix Business Radio

Building Culture Through Human Connection E29

00:00 /

Building Culture Through Human Connection E29

Do you ever feel like you are moving through the motions at work and not really connecting with the people there? You want to know them more and truly connect but you aren’t. Do you ever feel this same way when you are at a networking event? As if it is a competition for how many names and business cards you can share?

This is because you are not finding the real connection with people.

True human connection and communication is what really builds culture and relationships. True connection with others helps good leaders to become the best leaders. We discussed this with Craig Forman with CultureAmp and Bobi Seredich with Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence on this episode of the Culture Crush Business Podcast.

When we reflect on this podcast, we have so many topics that were discussed.

Self awareness
Military culture and influence
Emotional intelligence for the workplace
Ways to inspire people through culture
Having the courage to be vulnerable
The fitbit affect with culture
Leveraging data to grow culture
Stop, Breath, Ask

If you are curious about these topics then you will have to listen to the podcast to hear more from Bobi and Craig about them.

In the meantime, we do have a few other quick takeaways from the podcast about shifting your attitude and actions.

Intent versus impact: We all have good intentions but others judge us by our actions. When you are forming a relationship or bond with someone, be curious instead of judgemental. Love human beings, not human doings. Let’s try to be more intentional.

Transformational versus transactional: Let’s try to be less transactional and more transformational. When it comes to connections and relationships, it does not need to be a tit for tat game. If we come at relationships with the want and need to help support and transform, then the relationship has the opportunity to build in a more unique way.

Culture Amp is a culture-first software company that is building a survey and analytics platform for people and culture.

The Culture Amp team combines deep knowledge in psychology, statistics, user experience and engineering into a platform that is transforming organizations worldwide.

Craig Forman is a Lead People Scientist at Culture Amp, an employee experience platform used by over 6000 organizations worldwide. He both supports organizations in building effective people and culture strategies along with building the world’s largest community of people focused on building a better world of work. Behind all of his work is a mission to help the world work better by improving the places we work.

He holds a Masters degree in Industrial / Organizational Psychology, and is a proud veteran of the US Air Force.

Connect with Craig on LinkedIn.

The vision at the Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence is to enhance life and leadership through Emotional Intelligence (EI) mastery. They have a proven approach to teaching EI skills that are immediately applied to business growth.

They teach influencers and leaders to connect confidently with each other in more meaningful and productive ways – to better collaborate, communicate, express empathy, perform under stress, adapt to change, and drive results.

The Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence offers keynotes, workshops, online courses, coaching, and consulting.

Bobi Seredich is the Co-Founder & President of The Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence. She is a certified coach and trainer in Emotional Intelligence from the Institute for Health and Human Potential. She is a recognized speaker, author, trainer, and successful entrepreneur specializing in leadership development.

Her passion is to guide individuals and organizations to a higher performance level through her own business knowledge, inspirational stories and leadership emotional intelligence training. She has spent over 25 years of her career dedicated to creating, directing, writing and presenting leadership programs for top companies in the U.S. and around the world.

In 2001 she founded Equanimity, Inc. also known as EQ Speakers, a speakers bureau, and leadership training company. It fast became a top speaker bureau that booked hundreds of speakers with large Fortune 500 clients. EQ Speakers was sold in 2012 and continues to be a leader in the industry.

Her book, Courage Does Not Always Roar Ordinary Women with Extraordinary Courage, was published by Simple Truths in the spring of 2010. The book is a collection of her experiences and stories of women who have had the courage to overcome very difficult life events. She is a mother of twins, Alex and Gia.

Follow Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Culture Crush

Culture is not just a tag word to be thrown around. It is not something you throw in job descriptions to draw people to applying for jobs within a company.

According to Marcus Buckingham and Ashely Goodall in their book Nine Lies About Work, “Culture is the tenants of how we behave. It’s like a family creed. This is how we operate and treat each other in the family.”

As a growing company- Culture Crush Business Podcast is THE culture improvement resource that supports companies and leaders. Our Mission is to improve company cultures so people WANT to go to work. Employees and leaders should like where they work and we think this is possible.

Within the company: Culture Crush has Vetted Resources and Partnerships with the right people and resources that can help improve your company culture.

On this podcast: We focus on everything surrounding businesses with good company culture. We will talk with company leaders to learn about real-life experiences, tips, and best practices for creating a healthy work environment where employees are finding joy and satisfaction in their work while also striving and growing within the company. We also find the companies that offer resources to help improve company culture and showcase them on the show to share their tips and tricks for growing culture.

About the Host

Kindra Maples is spartan racer, past animal trainer, previous magician’s assistant, and has a weakness for Oreo cookie shakes. Her journey working with people actually started working with animals as a teenager (don’t worry we won’t go that far back for her bio).

She worked for over 15 years in the zoo industry working with animals and the public. Her passion of working with animals shifted into working with people in education, operations and leadership roles. From there her passion of leadership and helping people develop has continued to grow.

Then came the opportunity for leading the Culture Crush Business Podcast and she jumped on it. Leadership, growth, and strong company cultures are all areas that Kindra is interested in diving into further.

Shout Outs

We want to thank a few people for their behind the scenes effort in helping this relaunch to come to life. James Johnson with Tailored Penguin Media Company LLC.– It is a small, but powerful video production company with a goal to deliver the very best by articulating the vision of your brand in a visually creative way. Gordon Murray with Flash PhotoVideo, LLC. -Flash Gordon has been photographing since high school and evolving since then with new products that will equip, encourage, engage, and enable. Renee Blundon with Renee Blundon Design – She is not only one of the best free divers (that’s not how she helped with the podcast) but she is great with graphics design and taking the direction for the vision that you have while also adding creative ideas to bring to your vision to life.

These are just a few of the folks that supported the relaunch of the podcast. If you would like to be part of the Culture Crush team or would like to support underwriting the show- please reach out: info@culturecrushbusiness.com

Workplace MVP LIVE from SHRM 2022: Greg Hawks, Hawks Agency

August 2, 2022 by John Ray

Minneapolis St. Paul Studio

Workplace MVP LIVE from SHRM 2022: Greg Hawks, Hawks Agency

00:00 /

Workplace MVP LIVE from SHRM 2022: Greg Hawks, Hawks Agency

Speaker and culture specialist Greg Hawks of the Hawks Agency joined Jamie Gassmann live from SHRM 2022. He shared the mission of his firm, his impressions on the culture shifts from the pandemic, the key points of his presentation at SHRM, and much more.

Workplace MVP is underwritten and presented by R3 Continuum and produced by the Minneapolis-St.Paul Studio of Business RadioX®.

This show was originally broadcast live from the 2022 SHRM Annual Conference held at the New Orleans Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Greg Hawks, Hawks Agency

Greg is on a mission to shape environments where everyone gets to contribute their best daily! For two decades he has mentored leaders, developed teams, crafted culture, and empowered employees. His approachable personality and vibrant demeanor are useful attributes for attacking mediocrity. Motivated to grow high-capacity performers who serve, sell and lead with excellence, Greg is relentless in discovering ways for individuals, teams, leaders, and organizations to grow.

LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Hawks Agency

Hawks Agency values a relentless spirit, retaining an amusing attitude while creating distinct experiences that provide consistent excellence in every encounter.

They create content that sticks in the mind and hearts of audiences, compelling them towards action! Whether consuming online or in-person, they fashion experiences that move individuals and organizations forward.

They are here at this time in history to impact humanity in a significant way. They believe words, ideas, beliefs, and the spaces they occur in matter. They know partnership and collaboration is the best way to make an impact!

Company website | LinkedIn | Facebook

About Workplace MVP

Every day, around the world, organizations of all sizes face disruptive events and situations. Within those workplaces are everyday heroes in human resources, risk management, security, business continuity, and the C-suite. They don’t call themselves heroes though. On the contrary, they simply show up every day, laboring for the well-being of employees in their care, readying the workplace for and planning responses to disruption. This show, Workplace MVP, confers on these heroes the designation they deserve, Workplace MVP (Most Valuable Professionals), and gives them the forum to tell their story. As you hear their experiences, you will learn first-hand, real-life approaches to readying the workplace, responses to crisis situations, and overcoming challenges of disruption. Visit our show archive here.

Workplace MVP Host Jamie Gassmann

**Jamie Gassmann, Host, “Workplace MVP”**

In addition to serving as the host to the Workplace MVP podcast, Jamie Gassmann is the Director of Marketing at R3 Continuum (R3c). Collectively, she has more than fourteen years of marketing experience. Across her tenure, she has experience working in and with various industries including banking, real estate, retail, crisis management, insurance, business continuity, and more. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Communications with special interest in Advertising and Public Relations and a Master of Business Administration from Paseka School of Business, Minnesota State University.

R3 Continuum

R3 Continuum is a global leader in workplace behavioral health and security solutions. R3c helps ensure the psychological and physical safety of organizations and their people in today’s ever-changing and often unpredictable world. Through their continuum of tailored solutions, including evaluations, crisis response, executive optimization, protective services, and more, they help organizations maintain and cultivate a workplace of wellbeing so that their people can thrive. Learn more about R3c at www.r3c.com.

Company website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: [00:00:02] Broadcasting live from SHRM 2022 at the New Orleans Convention Center, it’s time for Workplace MVP. Brought to you by R3 Continuum, a global leader in helping workplaces thrive during disruptive times. Now, here’s your host.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:19] Hey, everyone. You’re host, Jamie Gassmann here, at the SHRM 2022 Exhibit Hall. And I am in our show sponsor, R3 Continuum’s booth. And joining me is Greg Hawks.

Greg Hawks: [00:00:31] Yes, I am.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:32] Welcome, Greg.

Greg Hawks: [00:00:32] It is a pleasure to be here. I love your booth set up. The colors are fabulous. Location is delightful. People are all over the place. Thanks for letting me sit down.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:40] Yeah. Well, I’m glad you sat down. And I love your energy.

Greg Hawks: [00:00:44] Thank you so much.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:44] And thank you for the compliment on the booth. You worked so hard to design those, so I appreciate that.

Greg Hawks: [00:00:49] Absolutely. It’s a great color. It really is.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:00:50] Yes. Yes. It’s inviting.

Greg Hawks: [00:00:52] It’s distinct. And I love green, but it’s like a teal but it’s a little minty. It’s a lovely minty flavor. Yes, indeed.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:01:02] So, I’m really excited you sat down. So, I know you own your own agency.

Greg Hawks: [00:01:06] I do.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:01:06] So, tell us a little bit about what your agency does and what you do for HR Leaders.

Greg Hawks: [00:01:11] Well, for HR Leaders, we work in culture. That’s what we do. So, we have three, I’ve got myself and two other folks, on our team that are culture specialists. So, we do a lot of speaking. So, I do a lot of keynote speaking at organization events, at HR conferences, state conferences around the nation. And then, we serve some consultancy around how they’re shaping an ownership culture.

Greg Hawks: [00:01:31] So, our mission is shaping environments where everyone gets to contribute their best daily. So, we’re really focused on this idea of how do we cause people to get better every day. And so, that’s the way kind of metrics are best, how are you the best version of you. That’s what people talk about. I’m like, “Today is it, baby.” You don’t get any better than this because today is last year’s future. And so, everybody’s like, “I’ve got this idea of what I’m going to be.” And so, we really work with leaders and teams on really shaping the environments where people can bring their best daily.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:02:00] Yeah. And I got to imagine, with the change in work environments across the country, where you’ve got a hybrid or you’ve got full remote work or they’re bringing people back and there’s that hesitation, talk to me about how has culture evolved in organizations?

Greg Hawks: [00:02:18] Here’s what I have found with culture and organizations that immediately shifted to the remote workforce that didn’t have it before, is that, in that initial season, it magnified who they already were. So, the organization had cultures that were literally people first. You know, the language that people use about we respect our people, we care for our people, COVID magnified it.

Greg Hawks: [00:02:41] So, I’ve got a client in Atlanta, they sent everybody home, and immediately they replicated their desk environment at home, in both places, and they said, “Whenever we come back, you’ll have your stuff here, and you’ll have your stuff there, and we’ll just work, whatever.” They just immediately. Whereas, other people were, like, stingy or they just didn’t care. They just didn’t have it in their culture that they really did respond to challenges that kept their people first, if you will.

Greg Hawks: [00:03:10] And so, in the initial season, I’d say the first year or so, it really magnified it. Now, we’ve been through the transformation of it, what we see is people who really value innovation and the thoughtfulness of always keeping their people first is how they’re structuring their conversations.

Greg Hawks: [00:03:26] Because culture isn’t within a building anyhow. When people think of culture not in a workplace, they think of Paris, they think of New York City, they think of Minneapolis. Every location has a culture and it’s not based on what happens inside of a building. It’s based on the traditions, and the communication, and the look. There’s so many elements that create culture for a people group. And so, just because people are distributed, it doesn’t make it more difficult if those values are entrenched in the hearts and minds of people.

Greg Hawks: [00:03:58] And so, the challenge leaders are having is they’re so used to having a physical structure to fashion that in. That now being mindful of, whether we’re Zooming or we’re just having phone calls more or everybody’s just distributed and we’re no longer hiring in a geographical location, all over the nation is now our place, and people don’t have to move, it’s how do we instill our heart, how do we instill our way of thinking, how do we instill the way we communicate. Because those things aren’t contained in a building, but they really reflect a lot about who we are as an organization. I mean, really the values that we have.

Greg Hawks: [00:04:36] So, for me, the remote world has really magnified if people really align with their values. It’s really exposed what the culture is because you can’t lie about it. We see how people are as a collective in our teams or organizations in these companies. And it’s just not as well hidden when everybody comes together and they got the words on the wall and this is what we’re about, but didn’t really have to play it out every day.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:05:02] So, with that, exposure to the true identity or the true culture of the organization, do you think that for some that’s contributed to that Great Resignation or that great reshuffle that we’ve experienced over the last year?

Greg Hawks: [00:05:15] I’ve got a friend, Ben, who calls it the great reprioritization. He’s like, “It doesn’t flow well,” but it is that.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:05:21] Yeah. I keep hearing different names.

Greg Hawks: [00:05:22] I know. I mean, resignation is the one that got it because that was the actual activity. I absolutely think so, you know, there’s a combination because people recognized that they weren’t as cared for as maybe they thought they were. And they also recognized, “I want to give my life every day in an organization and a place with people that my own personal values align with.” And so, I would definitely say it’s exposure. People don’t talk about it in that language, but that what was exposed on who the company really is, what values really mattered.

Greg Hawks: [00:05:56] Because as people and as teams, because we’re made of people, we act out of our beliefs. Like, however anybody is acting, it’s because there’s a belief structure within their own internal value system. And so, that plays out true in an organization. And so, when that was revealed and keeps being revealed, honestly, it was a collective courageousness that was like, “I just don’t want to do this anymore in life.”

Greg Hawks: [00:06:17] So, that’s my thought on it. The exposure definitely did give people a sense of at least the playing field level on how people really think about me here. And then, What do I want to do with that? What’s acceptable to me? What’s not acceptable to me?

Jamie Gassmann: [00:06:31] Yeah. And I know you presented here at SHRM. I heard your presentation was amazing.

Greg Hawks: [00:06:36] It was fabulous this morning. So much fun. Thanks for saying that.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:06:38] You know, they got me chained in the booth here talking about work culture, right? I’ve got lots of things to do. But, no, I heard your presentation went really, really well. Talk to us about what you presented on.

Greg Hawks: [00:06:50] I did my ownership culture message because I’ve owned single family properties, so I do this idea of kind of a comparison. Because people, as you know, they’re like, “We need people to buy in around here. We just need you to own it.” And it’s a very subjective idea. And I own single family properties, and so I talk about how renters perceive living in a home and how owners perceive it differently. And so, I’ve got these five attributes what an ownership spirit looks like, whether it’s around commitment, or increasing value, or reach for responsibilities, or being inclusive, and then valuing the whole house.

Greg Hawks: [00:07:24] And so, I give HR professionals, and really leaders and organizations, some clarity on if you want people to buy in, then be very specific about what that entails. And if you create a place, you shape the culture, you shape this environment where people can bring their best daily around what commitment looks like. Because here’s what you find, people want to do a good job at work. People are fulfilled when they feel like they’re succeeding. And when they don’t feel like that, it’s as much to do with the environment that they’re doing it in, the leadership that’s leading, and then their own sense of ability to do it.

Greg Hawks: [00:08:00] And, oftentimes, it seems to reflect so much on the individual instead of the culture that they’re in. And so, I’ll talk about contribution, because one of the characteristics is people who have an ownership spirit want to contribute. And yet, oftentimes, we create an environment where we say, “We don’t want to hear that. No, no, no.” You know want to say they’ll crush your spirit. Then, you go in, start out really eager and really excited, and then they just, like, squash your spirit. And they’re like, “Fine. I’m not going to share anything more.”

Greg Hawks: [00:08:26] And so, all of a sudden, they want people to give their best, but their environment actually produces renters in the workplace instead of people with the spirit of ownership. And so, that was a little bit where I talked about. I love this message. It’s a good language for people. Everybody who’s owned or rented understands that. And it just really gives a construct for organizations to think about what they’re inviting their employees to bring and what that can look like in an organization.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:08:51] Yeah. It sounds like there’s some interesting kind of new approaches of thinking about that environment.

Greg Hawks: [00:08:56] Absolutely.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:08:57] So, if there was one or two key takeaways that you wanted that audience to leave with, what would they be?

Greg Hawks: [00:09:04] There are several key takeaways, but one of my favorite things, because I talk about increasing value, and oftentimes people will say, “Well, I don’t have access to a budget. I’m not in charge of anybody.” And so, the offering is, the way you increase value is through encouragement that you can use free words to become more valuable and to cause others to feel valuable.

Greg Hawks: [00:09:26] And so, I’ll interact with somebody in the audience and I’ll say really positive, specific things to them, and appreciate them in a way. And I don’t know them, but I can assume I get to know them a little bit what they’re doing, and I’ll just say to them. And one of the takeaways is, people like people who like them. So, I’ll say it again because some people don’t understand that, people like people who like them. So, I’m always an advantage. Jamie, I like you. I start out liking you before I know you, not based on who you are, but based on who I am.

Greg Hawks: [00:09:54] And most leaders, most people go, “I’m going to get to know you. I’m going to see what you’re like. I’m gonna figure you out. And then, I don’t know if I’ll like you or not.” And what that does is, you’re going to be more different than me than like me. And differences create distance.

Greg Hawks: [00:10:05] But if I start out saying, “I like you.” I’ll start from the place of I already give that to us in a relationship, it creates this reciprocity that really engages people. And it’s not so that you have people like each other. It’s so that trust is accelerated. Because once we trust each other, then we can have really meaningful conversations and we get right to the heart of things that oftentimes people dance around, even because they just have personality differences and they don’t have the capacity within themselves to go, “I choose to like you based on me, not based on you. Because of that, we’re going to grow a better relationship.” So, that’s one that increase my value and your value in an organization.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:10:41] Yeah. I love that. I actually felt that. And you’re like, “I like you.” I’m like, “Oh. I like you too.”

Greg Hawks: [00:10:46] That’s exactly what happens.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:10:48] You instantly feel that.

Greg Hawks: [00:10:50] You instantly feel that. And it’s transformational. And, literally, just those words, when you say that to somebody, all the guard drops. It’s this weird connection thing that happens. Just what happened here.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:01] It’s like a human connection.

Greg Hawks: [00:11:02] It’s, literally, the best of the human connection.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:04] It’s like you have been accepted. It’s different.

Greg Hawks: [00:11:05] Yes. And you can start that out. Because most people are like, “Let me get a feel for you. Let me get to know you a little bit.”

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:11] You have one opportunity.

Greg Hawks: [00:11:12] And it’s all a defensive position. And when I start out liking you, I’m on the offense. I’m intentionally going to build rapport with you so we can really deal with things that need to be dealt with. And so many leaders don’t do that.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:24] I love that. You’re setting them up to bring their best selves to work because they can bring themselves to work.

Greg Hawks: [00:11:28] Yes. Exactly.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:30] That’s so cool. How powerful.

Greg Hawks: [00:11:31] It’s potent. Yeah, it really is.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:33] So, if anybody wanted to learn more from you, or just kind of get a little bit more information, or explore your agency –

Greg Hawks: [00:11:40] Come on. That would be just fabulous. I wish they would do that.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:43] … how do they get a hold of you?

Greg Hawks: [00:11:44] They can go to hawksagency.com, H-A-W-K-Sagency.com. It has all the information. It has our little team on there. It has video. All kinds of great resources on there. It’s just a great website. So, hawksagency.com. Thank you.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:11:58] Fascinating. Well, thank you so much for joining us.

Greg Hawks: [00:12:00] My pleasure.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:12:00] It’s been an absolute pleasure to have you on the show.

Greg Hawks: [00:12:03] Good, good, good. I hope people benefit from it. Let me know how I can help you guys.

Jamie Gassmann: [00:12:07] Perfect. Thank you.

Greg Hawks: [00:12:07] Okay. Thank you.

Outro: [00:12:12] Thank you for joining us on Workplace MVP. R3 Continuum is a proud sponsor of this show, and is delighted to celebrate most valuable professionals who work diligently to secure safe workplaces where employees can thrive.

Building Trust, Honesty and Cohesion – One Soul at a Time E22

May 27, 2022 by Karen

Building-Trust-Honesty-and-Cohesion-One-Soul-at-a-Time-feature

Phoenix Business Radio

Building Trust, Honesty and Cohesion - One Soul at a Time E22

00:00 /

Building Trust, Honesty and Cohesion – One Soul at a Time E22

We had a wonderful open conversation about culture, transparency, honesty, trust, and leadership. We knew this conversation would be powerful with Andrew Kolikoff and Christine Rogers.

Here is a bit of story that started off the conversation:

During the planning of this particular Culture Crush Business Podcast episode, there was a different team member from Aspireship that was supposed to be on the podcast as our guest. As we were approaching the show date, she informed our team that she was in the process of transitioning and leaving the company so it made sense to bring Christine on the show instead.

Our team wanted to make sure that this original guest was not leaving the company because of the culture and in reality we found out the complete opposite. Not only is that individual leaving the company on positive terms, but they are leaving with grace, transparency and the support of Christine, the company COO, and the rest of the team. This should be an example that we all live by. Now this story was not the entire conversation of the show, but it gives you a taste of where we started.

This podcast was not only full of stories, but it was full of examples. There are numerous examples in this podcast of ways that leaders can improve the culture, in baby steps, within their organizations.

What does that look like:

Be intentional.
Be human.
Own your mistakes.
Be transparent.
Power of pause. Pause and take a moment if you need it.
Think- how can you show up at that moment?
Build cohesion with your team.
Create space for your staff to be vulnerable.
Be curious.

Take a listen and hear the stories and examples that can help you improve your team culture, trust, and connection. As Andrew says, “It takes one soul at a time.”

Aspireship is an industry recognized reskilling and job placement platform that helps motivated individuals pivot their career into SaaS sales.

Christine Rogers is a seasoned sales and marketing leader with over 15 years of recruiting, hiring, training, and managing high-performing sales teams. Extensive background is complemented by individual experience owning a small business, giving a unique perspective to managing and growing organizations of any size.

Recognized as a passionate people leader who maximizes team performance and drives results by multiplying talents for success.

Specializations include: Leadership development, strategic planning, organizational management and design, recruiting and hiring, sales process & methodology, training, on-boarding, and customer experience.

Connect with Christine on LinkedIn.

Aurelius is creating cultures of empowered leadership (and teams) to execute innovative growth strategies through both authentic trust building and behavior transformation.

Andrew Kolikoff is a multiple time C-Level executive/company founder, one time landing him on the Cover Page of USA today for a product he invented and received licensing from the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL in 2003.

Since that time, Andrew has dedicated his life to behaviorally elevating and transforming leaders’ lives. Now, Andrew is an inspirational speaker, author, leadership and culture transformation guru/coach.

While he brings with him his additional, wonderfully diverse experiences: 10+ years of not-for-profit board chairmanship, former chief science officer, university adjunct professor, and national director of business development,

Andrew’s true gift has always shown up in HOW he delivers the change and growth. As he says, before you can authentically create a culture of accountability, authenticity and scaled profitability… each leader first has to “see themselves for who they truly are and align themselves with themselves”.

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About Culture Crush

Culture is not just a tag word to be thrown around. It is not something you throw in job descriptions to draw people to applying for jobs within a company.

Within the company: Culture Crush has Vetted Resources and Partnerships with the right people and resources that can help improve your company culture.

About the Host

Shout Outs

Your Resources, Messaging, and Buy-in that Grows Company Culture E20

March 2, 2022 by Karen

Your-Resources-Messaging-and-Buy-in-that-Grows-Company-Culture-feature

Phoenix Business Radio

Your Resources, Messaging, and Buy-in that Grows Company Culture E20

00:00 /

Your Resources, Messaging, and Buy-in that Grows Company Culture E20

On the podcast, we love matching a great company with a company or individual that supports company culture. This time we went the route of just focusing on resources to help improve company culture. Stephanie and Larry both dedicate their careers to supporting companies to improve their company culture and they do so both in person and virtually around the world!

When it comes to improving company culture and finding the right person to help (either Larry or Stephanie possibly?) it all starts at the same place- the CEO and leadership HAS to WANT to improve the company culture. Ask the CEO what they want and this will help lead the conversation so they realize that improving company culture is at the root of all of their answers.
They want to make more money? Well, their staff can help increase sales.
They want less turnover? Well, taking care of your staff that are already with the company can help that.

Once you have the leader on board, there are a few first steps on where to look to start improving the company culture;

How diverse and inclusive is the company?
Is there a purpose in the company that the employees can stand behind?
How is the communication within the company?
Is it a physiologically safe place for conversation?
These are just a few of the first places to look.

Not only did the conversion talk through many of the areas of improvement for companies when they first decide to focus on improving their culture, but it also included some tidbits and takeaways for the listeners as well. Here are just a few to give you an idea, but you really should just listen to the podcast to get the full context on these tips for growing your company culture.

Get over yourself.
What is the message that you (as the leader) are sending without words.
Get a vision and live it.
Develop a culture of learning.

Larry and Stephanie are great resources to help leaders improve their company culture. Larry does so through understanding the brain’s role in accelerated performance and coaching leaders through his knowledge and experience Stephanie is an amazing resource and “jacqueline of all trades” when it comes to company support and the use of her Company Culture game (a game which can be played both in person and virtually). These two resources are great for growing your company culture BUT they also gave plenty of tips in the podcast that a listener can grab on to first!

Stephanie Angelo works with organizations that want to create a great Company Culture to outlive, outlast and outperform their competition.

With her training, speaking and consulting she helps her clients develop strong cultures by establishing customized in-house programs to create Traction not Transaction™ which helps employees do better on their jobs, decrease turnover and create a high engagement organizations.

In 2020 Stephanie invented the popular board game Company Culture – a Game of Workplace Traction not Transaction® which is an exclusive element in her company culture workshops in analog and digital versions.

Clients include companies like CopperPoint Mutual, Faist GreenTec, Intel and Raytheon and has spoken to numerous conferences and associations such as IFMA and ASIS and SHRM.

Stephanie has been interviewed on all five Phoenix TV channels and has been featured in publications including the Arizona Republic and The Phoenix Business Journal.
Stephanie is an eSpeakers Certified Virtual Presenter, a professional member of National Speakers Association and a member of Society for Human Resource Management. She has served in several leadership roles.

In 2014 she co-created the first-ever board game to address domestic violence – OUTrage™ – A Game to Recognize and Change Abusive Behavior. Stephanie cowrote the true-crime memoir, Serrated, and has spoken all across the U.S. and in Europe. She has won several awards for her work.

Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Aperneo is an AN ACHIEVEMENT ACCELERATION COMPANY. Since 99% of people think about what’s ever on their mind and less than 1% know how they think they are in the ‘know how you think’ business. Providing the knowledge, experience, and education on how the brain processes information thus how we think, creates the small difference that makes all the difference.

By understanding the brain’s role in accelerated performance and capitalizing on the recent scientific breakthroughs of the new brain/result paradigm, Aperneo unleashes one’s innate ability to achieve record-breaking performance while living what most are only seeking.

They evaluate, educate, and establish the desired outcomes to unprecedented performance simply by educating associates on how to change their minds. Their workshops, presentations and one-on-ones create a change in performance literally overnight.

Once the entire organization has the knowledge behind how we think and its impact on performance they provided leadership with the how-to-kit on unleashing the creativity and desire within every empowered associate to accomplish company’s new and bodacious vision by accomplishing their personally driven visions.

An advisor to Fortune 500 executives, Larry Olsen has invested the last 40 years researching, adapting, and teaching developments in the field of performance-driven neurology.

As a recognized international speaker, best-selling author, executive coach, and Mindset’s Playbook podcast host, Larry’s expertise is based on the hands-on achievement drawn from professional success within major corporations as well as entrepreneurial businesses.

Larry understands that if an organization is to succeed, its people must come first – no shortcuts, no excuses. He tells us, “It’s not the size of the organization that makes it successful, but rather the size of the vision within each individual that makes or breaks a company.”

Connect with Larry on LinkedIn.

About Culture Crush

Culture is not just a tag word to be thrown around. It is not something you throw in job descriptions to draw people to applying for jobs within a company.

Within the company: Culture Crush has Vetted Resources and Partnerships with the right people and resources that can help improve your company culture.