ACHIEVE Workplace Culture
30 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsLooking for inspiration about how to create a healthy workplace culture? Listen to Wendy Loewen, Chris Downey, and Eric Stutzman share their insights about leadership and workplace culture. Their conversations are based on experiences from their workplace, articles and books they’ve read, current events, and the clients they serve. Together they are leaders at ACHIEVE Centre for Leadership and have co-authored several books including: The Culture Question and Don’t Blame the Lettuce.
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Episodes
Are silos a good thing?
March 13, 2024 14:38 - 47 minutes - 65 MBCan siloing team members in an organization have a positive impact? This week, we explore the impacts of information siloing on workplace culture, and we dig into the Sloan MIT article, Building Culture From the Middle Out. We also discuss the important role middle managers play in embodying a company’s values. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Are meetings a waste of time?
February 23, 2024 19:20 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBWendy, Chris, and Eric discuss the philosophy of getting rid of stupid stuff that are negatively impacting your bottom line and workplace culture. If a meeting doesn’t have a purpose or payoff, should you not go? They also discuss other lean methodologies and how to eliminate waste in your organization. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Succession Planning for Your Organization’s Future
January 25, 2024 20:23 - 1 hour - 43 MBWendy, Chris, and Eric decide if they can extract succession planning advice from the Queen of Denmark’s recent throne abdication to her son. They also explore Workplace Trends Leaders Should Watch in 2024. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Leadership and Taylor Swift
December 21, 2023 15:22 - 58 minutes - 80 MBWhat do workplace well-being and Swifties have in common? This week we explore Deloitte’s article, Six leader/worker disconnects affecting workplace well-being, as well as Daniela Devitt’s piece, What Leaders Can Learn from Taylor Swift. We also discuss the importance of continuous growth and learning as leaders. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Building a Culture of Curiosity and Executive Accountability
November 16, 2023 17:39 - 49 minutes - 67.9 MBWhat does a culture of curiosity look like, and why should you care? Episode 25 delves into Scott Shigeoka’s insights on fostering curiosity with 4 Phrases That Build a Culture of Curiosity. We also tackle FTX and the complex issue of executive accountability, along with a special announcement about our show's hosting. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Organizational Trust Is Earned
October 19, 2023 15:13 - 59 minutes - 82.1 MBOur hosts Wendy and Eric are joined by guest host Chris Downey to discuss Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss’ article, 10 Pitfalls That Destroy Organizational Trust. They also consider what lessons we can learn from the current political climate and how they relate to maintaining a healthy workplace culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
What to Do with Poor Performance
September 22, 2023 15:28 - 45 minutes - 62.6 MBPoor performance in the workplace affects more than just the bottom line – it can impact the entire organization. In this episode, we discuss the Let’s Grow Leaders article, Why So Many Managers Tolerate Poor Performance (and what to do instead), as well as Daniel Coyle’s book, The Culture Code. We also look at the impact of the back-to-school season on organizational culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Stagnant Wages are Costing You Money.
August 18, 2023 20:40 - 57 minutes - 65.3 MBCan your business afford to NOT give your employee’s a raise? In this episode, we look at the impact of inflation on wages, and it’s affect on staff and organizational culture. We also discuss HBR’s article [Getting Along: My Coworker is Sabotaging Me – and my Boss Won’t Help](). In this episode, we reference the books: Getting Along by Amy Gallo The Culture Question by Us and Mike LaBun Culture Shock by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter, Ph.D. For more resources on leadership and workplace cultu...
Quitting and Strikes
July 19, 2023 14:45 - 51 minutes - 1.1 GBHow do you keep people from quitting? And what’s with all the strikes in the news this summer? In this episode, we welcome guest host Joddie Walker, we discuss Inc. Magazine’s article How Can You Be Sure Your Employees Won’t Quit. We also analyze what is happening with all the strikes in the news and what that has to do with workplace culture. In this episode, we reference three books: Culture Shock by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter, Small Giants, by Bo Burlingham, and Satisfaction Guaranteed b...
Merging Cultures
June 26, 2023 22:22 - 47 minutes - 53.8 MBWe know mergers often tend to be difficult. From government departments to entire businesses. In this episode we look at the PGA Tour and LIV merger as an exploration for what happens when two radically different cultures meet practical steps to facilitate the merging process. We also spotlight the MIT Sloan article Take a Skills-Based Approach to Culture Change. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Coronating Culture
May 18, 2023 14:40 - 51 minutes - 58.8 MBIn this episode, we compare the coronation of King Charles III as it relates to senior leadership changes in organizations. We also discuss the UBC study, When employees leave their jobs, coworkers call it quits, and explore the impacts of employee turnover on workplace culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Trauma-Informed Workplaces
April 20, 2023 15:30 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBWhat does it mean to be a trauma-informed organization? With guest host and co-author of A Little Book on Trauma-Informed Workplaces Nathan Gerbrandt, we discuss how leaders can improve workplace culture by being trauma-aware, without needing a degree in social work or psychology. We also discuss how our organization is changing and what we are doing to manage this change effectively. And we spotlight PwC’s 2023 Trust Survey and CTRI’s Trauma-Informed Online Assessment. For more resources ...
Culture of Busyness & the SV Bank Collapse
March 23, 2023 14:38 - 1 hour - 83.2 MBHave you ever felt that the word “busy” has become synonymous with “I’m doing good?” In this podcast, we look at HBR’s article, Beware a Culture of Busyness, and talk strategy for making sure work is meaningful, not just busy. We also discuss the Silicon Valley Bank failure and what it might say about workplace culture when people aren’t ringing alarm bells early enough to prevent failure. We also spotlight the book, Nine Lies about Work, by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall. For more r...
Artificial Intelligence & Workplace Culture
February 16, 2023 15:19 - 53 minutes - 74 MBHave you been thinking about how AI will affect your workplace culture? Do you know what gets in the way of culture change? Listen as we discuss Inc.’s article, Eliminate These 5 Roadblocks to Build a Winning Culture in Your Business, and how ChatGPT and AI will affect workplace culture. We also reference two books: Culture Is the Way by Matt Mayberry and The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Quiet Firing and How to Prevent It
January 18, 2023 21:08 - 56 minutes - 77.7 MBQuiet quitting? How about quiet firing?! In this episode, your hosts Eric, Wendy, and Randy discuss the Gallup article “Quiet Firing: What It Is and How to Stop Doing It” and talk about the three common mistakes that lead to quiet firing as well as what to do about them. They also explore the FTX collapse and what it says about a leader’s role in setting an ethical tone for workplace culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Give Your Managers Some Love
December 14, 2022 17:28 - 52 minutes - 71.4 MBHow much attention does your organization give to middle managers? In this episode, we delve into Erica Keswin’s article, To Retain Your Best Employees, Invest in Your Best Managers, and talk about ways to give middle management the consideration and love they deserve as direct drivers of the employee experience. We also discuss Disney’s move to reinstate Bob Igor as CEO after Bob Chapek’s short run, and what we should all be learning about succession planning. We also reference Bob Igor’s b...
Leading through Uncertainty
November 16, 2022 21:45 - 55 minutes - 75.7 MBHow do rising interest rates, inflation, and job insecurity affect workplace culture? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss leading through uncertain times, and then dissect the MIT Sloan article, How to Fix a Toxic Culture. They also explore the importance of leadership’s role in detoxing their workplace. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Best Friends at Work?
October 27, 2022 20:36 - 55 minutes - 75.9 MBShould we encourage friendships to grow at work? What about best friends? In this episode, we’re joined by guest host Vicki Enns as we examine HBR’s article The Power of Work Friends. Then we dive into the use of software to monitor employees and ask whether organizations should be using this kind of software or if there’s a better way (spoiler alert: we are not fans of bossware). For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Quiet Quitting
September 21, 2022 16:13 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBIs “quiet quitting” something we should be paying attention to? And if so, how should we deal with it? In this episode, we explore the Forbes article, 5 Ways To Combat Quiet Quitting, and then we dive into MSNBC’s article, Firing of Canadian news anchor, reportedly due to gray hair, sparks controversy. Whether Lisa LaFlamme was let go due to her gray hair or not, we are certain that workplaces should be talking about fair standards in the ways they try to manage the appearance of their emplo...
What is Fair?
August 17, 2022 16:04 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIs your organization fair? What are you doing in addition to DEI efforts? In this episode, we examine the HBR article, How Fair Is Your Workplace, and debate what it means to be a fair organization. We also reference the Verge article, Zuck Turns Up the Heat, and ask whether Mark Zuckerberg could have dealt with his workplace stressors more effectively in front of his employees. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com
Find Power in Purpose
July 21, 2022 15:47 - 53 minutes - 49 MBWhat’s so powerful about clearly articulating our organization’s purpose? In this episode, Wendy, Randy, and Eric dive into this topic as they discuss MIT Sloan Management Review’s article, Unlock the Power of Purpose. Then they ask the question, “When is it time to revisit your organization’s values?” Also referenced in this podcast are the following books: The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni Looptail by Bruce Poon Tip The Culture Question by Randy Grieser, Eric Stutzman, Wendy Loewen, and Mi...
Performance Management Must Change
June 15, 2022 19:36 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBDo our performance management systems need to change? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss Gallup’s new article, “Performance Management Must Evolve,” and then debate Elon Musk’s new mandate for staff to return to the office. Also mentioned in this episode are Marcus Buckingham’s book, The Nine Lies about Work, and Small Giants by Bo Burlingham.
What to Do About “Toxic” Coworkers
May 18, 2022 16:45 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MBWhat should we do about “toxic” coworkers? Is it even helpful to use labels like “toxic”? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric debate the Inc. article, The 5 Most Toxic Co-Workers or Employees and How to Deal with Them, and then discuss the role of workplace climate assessments and the impact of how leadership responds to their findings.
The Great Resignation
April 20, 2022 20:47 - 52 minutes - 35.8 MBAre we really facing a great resignation? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss the HBR article, The “Great Resignation” Is a Misnomer. They also tackle how to deal with the impact of high inflation on our staff and workplace cultures.
Supporting Staff During an International Crisis
March 23, 2022 19:58 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBHow should we support our staff during an international crisis? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss how to lead others when war is top of mind. They also review the article, 10 Things Your Corporate Culture Needs to Get Right, and talk about Amy Edmondson’s book, The Fearless Organization.
Overcoming Return-to-Work Resistance
February 23, 2022 14:54 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MBWith COVID restrictions loosening and organizations asking their staff to return to the office, we ask the question, What’s the best way to manage employee resistance? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss the HBR article, How to Overcome Return-to-Office Resistance, and talk about how to say goodbye to an employee who has chosen to leave for other opportunities. Also highlighted are the following books: Leading Change, Our Iceberg Is Melting, and Small Giants.
Lessons from "Partygate"
January 19, 2022 18:21 - 49 minutes - 22.8 MBWhat’s the right way to take ownership for a mistake and apologize? Randy, Wendy, and Eric explore what leaders can learn from Boris Johnson’s “Partygate” and share insights from their new book, Don’t Blame the Lettuce. Also highlighted is Robert Iger’s book, The Ride of a Lifetime.
Throw Away the Holiday Party?
December 22, 2021 16:54 - 42 minutes - 19.5 MBShould we stop having work holiday parties? Listen as Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss this question and review Inc. Magazine’s article, Forget Throwing a Holiday Party. They also discuss the importance of hiring as it relates to workplace culture. Highlighted are ACHIEVE’s new workshop, COVID Conversations – Strategies for Polarizing Interactions, and the book, Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress.
COVID's Impact on Workplace Culture
November 18, 2021 14:51 - 47 minutes - 64.6 MBWe all felt the immediate impacts of COVID-19 back in 2020, but how has it affected workplace culture nearly two years later? Listen as Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss this question and Harvard Business Review’s new article, How Companies Can Improve Employee Engagement Right Now. They also highlight the ACHIEVE blog, 4 Steps for Recovering from a Mistake at Work and talk about the Leadership Development Survey Summary from their upcoming book, Don’t Blame the Lettuce.
Welcome to Our Show
October 26, 2021 14:18 - 4 minutes - 5.79 MBIn this short episode, co-host Randy Grieser reviews three questions people are asking about this new podcast: “Why workplace culture?” “What can you expect from this show?” and “Why listen to us?” http://achievecentre.com/