Culture Talks

Why does Sunday night feel like Monday has already started? Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley unpack the Sunday Scaries, which a recent Wall Street Journal piece says are on the rise, and what leaders can actually do about them. They cover removing uncertainty (especially in the age of AI), boundaries that protect weekends, Monday rituals that build momentum instead of dread, and the courage to ask fo...

Is "loud working" just sucking up to your boss with better branding? Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley break down the performative-productivity trend, then get into the real question underneath it: how do leaders build fun at work without making it forced? Rock-paper-scissors championships at Harvard, a fake "I just need a hug" page to a hardcore Navy captain, a leg-wrestling showd...

What separates a leader who's just "busy" from one who actually delivers? After absorbing lessons from Truth and Reconciliation Day, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley unpack courage as the real engine of accountability. This means admitting mistakes matters more than admitting fault, how a dirty Kleenex in a hallway became a leadership lesson, and why Delta Airlines and Hilton Hotels bot...

A viral Hyrox moment becomes an uncomfortably accurate metaphor for leaders who chase wins and leave everyone else to clean up the mess. Lorne Rubis and David McCauley dig into what "winning" is really costing people, give FanDuel a brutal Culture Pizza Review over AI-driven predatory marketing, and unpack why so many organizations report "all green" while the actual experience...

AI can generate the ideas. Humans still have to choose the right one. Lorne Rubis and David McCauley talk judgment as the last real skill, why "using AI hard" should mean more human connection - not less - and a few Fenway Park stories along the way. 00:00 Fenway Park trip & Red Sox culture 07:52 Culture Pizza Review: rating the Red Sox 13:56 Middle management burnout — curators of t...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley explore why doing hard things builds capability that comfort never can — and unpack a critical distinction for leaders: the difference between being nice and being kind. Niceness protects your own comfort. Kindness means having the harder conversation because you actually care about someone's growth. They apply the lesson to FX&#3...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley break down what Ted Lasso gets right about leadership - and it's not soccer strategy. Then the conversation shifts hard into employee surveillance software — mouse-jiggling detection, Slack activity monitoring, and the arms race between employees and the tools built to watch them. The episode wraps with something bigger. Topics co...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley tackle a question more leaders are quietly facing: should AI agents handle performance reviews, difficult conversations, or even personal messages on your behalf? Dave makes the case that outsourcing hard conversations to AI is "a chicken-shit way to distance yourself from delivering bad information," while Lorne shares his...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley take on two urgent topics: extreme executive perks and the growing impact of wildfires on organizations and employees. Sparked by a Wall Street Journal report on executive compensation, Lorne and Dave dig into the widening gap between C-suite perks (six-figure wellness budgets, personal jets, "just because" bonuses) and fron...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley take their culture deep-dive to an unexpected place: a car wash. Crew Carwash, family-run since 1946 and staffed by 16-year-olds, holds a Glassdoor score nearly as high as tech unicorn Bending Spoons - proof that great culture isn't reserved for high-flying tech companies. Dave shares the story of a Sport Clips franchisee who brok...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley start with a deeply practical question: how do you show up for a difficult conversation when you're not at your best? Dave shares his technique - slowing his breathing and writing down how he wants the other person to feel afterward. Lorne connects it back to their "connect before content" principle, applied to yourself...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley tackle a question most leaders are afraid to ask: does employee retention actually matter anymore? They start with a wake-up call about workplace transparency - AI agents can now generate deeply detailed, unfiltered reviews of what it's like to work for a specific leader, going far beyond a simple Glassdoor score. Lorne demos this...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley take on two connected topics every leader needs to hear: continuous transformation, and how to handle layoffs with honesty and respect. Drawing on recent HBR and McKinsey research, Lorne and Dave explore why transformation is no longer a one-time project but an ongoing practice organizations must build into how they operate — and why...

On this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dave McCauley dig into two of the most debated topics in leadership today. First: Adam Grant's New York Times research on return-to-office mandates, and why the data suggests ego - not productivity - is often the real driver behind "everyone back in the office" policies. Lorne shares how he built a trust-based, flexible work policy at...

In this insightful episode of Culture Talks, Janice Taylor, a rising expert in emotional wellness and psychology, discusses the critical importance of emotional fitness in personal and organizational success. She explores the differences between mental health and emotional wellness, the impact of emotional injuries, and practical frameworks for leaders to foster emotionally healthy workplaces. Tak...

In this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis and Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett discuss the challenges of toxic leadership in the workplace and the insights from Laura's upcoming book, I Wish I'd Quit Sooner. They explore the impact of toxic bosses on employee well-being, the importance of understanding different leadership traits, strategies, and the need for organizations to create a safe and...

In this conversation, Kimberly Vaughn, VP of Claims at Amerisure Insurance, discusses the evolving landscape of leadership, emphasizing the importance of employee engagement, psychological safety, and the balance between caring for people and achieving business results. She shares insights on how to address negative friction in the workplace, the role of AI in enhancing workflows, and the signific...

What does it truly take to change an organization for the better? In the latest episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis sits down with Craig Hampson, Chief Business Enablement Officer at BURNCO, for a no-holds-barred conversation about the realities of organizational change . We dive deep into the critical role of leadership in this process and uncover why so many well-intentioned change efforts fai...

In this episode of the Culture Talks Podcast, Lorne Rubis sits down with Taarif (Tim) Jafferi, Chief Business Officer of Happily.ai , to uncover the direct link between employee happiness and your bottom line. Taarif, a former Google employee, shares his firsthand experience of the cultural shifts hurting modern workplaces and the simple, data-backed strategies that can fix them.

How do you MOVE AT THE SPEED OF A STARTUP? 🚀 In this episode of Culture Talks, Lorne Rubis sits down with Christie Lagally, the CEO and Founder of Rebellyous Foods, who made the leap from aerospace engineering to revolutionizing the plant-based meat industry. We dive deep into: ✅ The real challenges of food production & manufacturing innovation. ✅ Why company culture and dignified work are...

In the latest episode of Culture Talks , hosts Lorne Rubis and Wayne Suiter Matamoros, Partner and Head of Empathy in NYC, dive into a thought-provoking conversation about human-centered design, empathetic leadership, and the role of purpose in solving complex challenges . Why Empathy Matters in Leadership & Innovation.  Empathy isn’t just a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage. Lorne and Way...

In this insightful episode of Culture Talks, hosts Lorne Rubis and Les Gombik explore the shifting dynamics of executive recruitment, leadership effectiveness, and the growing influence of AI in the workplace. Their discussion sheds light on what makes a great leader, the importance of authenticity, and how organizations can build high-performing teams in an ever-changing business environment. Lor...

In this eye-opening episode of Culture Cast, host Lorne Rubis sits down with Dr. Orianna Bretschger, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Aquacycl, to explore her incredible journey from academia to entrepreneurship—and how she’s transforming wastewater treatment with cutting-edge, sustainable technology. 🔬 Why should you care about wastewater? Most people don’t think about what happens after wate...

In this Culture Talks episode, Lorne Rubis and leadership expert Dave McCauley dive deep into what makes organizations succeed—from psychological safety and trust to AI’s impact on workplaces. Whether you're a leader, HR professional, or team member, this conversation offers actionable insights to create a positive, high-performing culture. ✅ Psychological Safety – Why employees need to feel...

In the latest episode of Culture Talks, host Lorne Rubis sits down with Beverley Wright, CEO and founder of Wright Choice, to explore the essential qualities of impactful leadership, the power of community in business, and why investing in people is the ultimate competitive advantage. Drawing from her entrepreneurial roots (as the daughter of beloved beauty shop owners) and years of experience coa...