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(Originally Released: June 27, 2022) In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with multi-time best selling author, researcher and international Hall of Fame speaker Eric Chester on the ingredients to an on fire workplace culture that solves the employee retention problem and improves employee engagement. Eric shares his experience with... The seven pillars for a great workplace cultureHow the "Golden Rule" gets in the way of retentionThe challenges of creating a great cultureThe warning signs that you need to focus on cultureThree questions every organization needs to ask its employeesWhat employees want to be motivated (and motivation wasn't the word they used)A case study of what valuing employees looks likeAnd connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

(Originally Released: June 15, 2022) In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with management consultant, executive coach and speaker Liz Kislik on the importance of compassion in the workplace. Liz shares her experience with... The difference between compassion and empathyHow to be more compassionateWhere compassion fits depending on your generationHow workplace culture can benefit from compassionHow we can foster compassion in othersThe boundaries of compassionAnd connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

(Originally Released: May 30, 2022) In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author and keynote speaker Gregg Lederman on how being a good human through knowing your values and embracing your vulnerability can make you a better leader at work. Gregg shares his experience with... The balance between results and humanityThe importance of living your defined valuesWhere followers fit in good leadershipWhy you need to know who you are to be a good leaderHow trust is an outcome, not a value of leadershipFinding value-driven leaders And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

(Originally Released: May 8, 2022) In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with Neal Dlin, founder and Chief Human Experience Officer of customer and employee experience consultancy Chorus Tree, on intention and action alignment at work, including how it can impact culture, the role of leadership and employees, and how curiosity can help.   Neal shares his experience and expertise on... The impacts of words not matching intent and action.How leadership can help employee intention and supporting it.How actions might mislead intention.How employee experience can be hurt by misalignment.Where being a "detective" around intention and actions can help your relationships at work.Where to start in your organization if the culture doesn't align actions and intentions. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

(Originally Released: March 5, 2022) In episode ten of Relationships at Work, I chat with former emergency management director Ian Foss, on the dangerous impacts of stress on our health and the health of our organizations, and what we can do to identify and manage that stress at work. Ian shares his experience with... The dangerous impacts of stressWhere stress can come from to impact your workThings to look for as warning signs of stressWays to manage stress short-term and long-term And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

(Originally Released: April 24, 2022) In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with CEO and founder of global consulting firm Experience Investigators Jeannie Walters on the importance of employee journey mapping and its role in employee retention and engagement.  Jeannie shares her experience and expertise on... The scope of an employee journey map.How employee personas can help and what they should include.When you should review your employee journey map.Where mapping falls down.How maps can help with employee engagement.Why organizations don't do it as frequently as they should.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

(Originally Released: March 27, 2022) In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chat withs author and consultant Annette Franz, on company culture and how to put people-first in your organization to keep them engaged (and some of the red flags you might be going the wrong way). Annette shares her experience and from her new book BUILT TO WIN... What organizations don't understand about cultureHow corporate and personal values fit to build cultureHow you can check-in on how your culture is progressing (or not)Red flags and mistakes to a broken cultureHow outside-in, inside-in decision making can be impactful (for good and bad)And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

After almost 400 episodes of Relationships at Work, I’m pausing new conversations and taking stock of what the show has helped me understand about leadership. In this solo episode, I share nine lessons that have become clearer through years of leading, listening, questioning, and learning from hundreds of experts. We get into why clarity starts with shared meaning, why leadership and management are not the same thing, why relationships are organizational infrastructure, how intention and impact need to stay connected, why curiosity matters more as leaders gain authority, how trust is built long before it is needed, what culture really teaches people, why leadership is an ecosystem, and why stewardship may be one of the most important responsibilities of all. I also talk about why I’m pausing Relationships at Work, why I’ll be revisiting some standout conversations from the archive, and what I do — and don’t — know about what comes next. Mostly, this episode is a reflection on what almost 400 conversations have sharpened for me about better leadership — and a thank you to everyone who helped shape the show along the way. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

Feedback should help people grow, not make them defensive. In this episode, host Russel chats with HR expert and leadership coach Carolyn Troyan about what healthy feedback cultures look like, why trust and psychological safety matter, and how leaders can shift from giving advice to coaching better conversations. They also explore peer feedback, cultural differences, people leadership and why feedback works best when it becomes part of everyday work—not an annual event. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher speaks with executive coach and leadership expert Payal Nanjiani about what it really takes to build meaningful relationships at work. They explore why networking becomes ineffective when it is transactional, how trust is strengthened through consistency and vulnerability, and why leaders need relationships across every level of an organization. Payal also shares how self-awareness, boundaries and genuine curiosity can help people move beyond simply making contacts to building connections that support better leadership, stronger teams and long-term career growth. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher speaks with keynote speaker, author and workplace expert Joel Hilchey about why so many people become managers without being prepared to lead. Joel explains how accidental managers are created, the habits that can quietly damage teams, and why good intentions are not enough. They discuss feedback, career development, values, accountability, team performance and the importance of becoming more deliberate about how you lead. The conversation also explores what managers can do to remove barriers, support high performers, share credit and take responsibility when things go wrong. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher speaks with business communication expert, sports broadcaster, and author Jen Mueller about how leaders can communicate with more intention, clarity, and influence. Jen shares what decades in professional sports taught her about asking better questions, building trust through small moments, and making conversations easier for others. Russel and Jen explore why communication is often the difference-maker in high-performing teams, how leaders can be clearer about expectations and outcomes, and why everyday interactions can strengthen workplace relationships over time. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher speaks with leadership strategist and executive coach Andrea Wanerstrand about the role leaders play in making cultural transformation real. They explore how autonomy, accountability, trust, emotional regulation, and everyday leadership behaviours shape workplace culture—and why transformation succeeds or fails in the micro moments. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher speaks with HR executive advisor and People Leader Accelerator co-founder Andrew Bartlow about why clarity is essential to employee empowerment and organizational success. Andrew explains how vague goals create competing priorities, why leaders need to translate direction into meaningful choices, and how HR can help organizations communicate what matters most. They also explore the role of self-awareness, two-way communication, and personal agency in creating greater clarity at every level. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher speaks with leadership trainer, coach, and keynote speaker Barbara Boselli about how our worldview influences the way we lead, communicate, and respond to others. They explore how assumptions become stories, why curiosity helps prevent unnecessary conflict, how leaders can separate facts from interpretations, and what it takes to create greater psychological safety within a team. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on LinkedinFollow on InstagramFollow me on ThreadsFollow on TikTokEmail me anytime