Building Better Cultures

The summer of 2020 brought a reckoning on race around the world that few anticipated, but we may have all needed. After the months of Black Lives Matter protests and racial reconciliation, organizations and individuals alike have been left to grapple with what it actually looks like to promote diversity in the workplace. On this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, host Scott McInnes s...

Our world was flipped upside-down when COVID-19 entered the vernacular in 2020, and virtually everything, including how and where we work, changed. Eighteen months into the pandemic has society adjusting to this "new normal" in ways few could have predicted. One of those adjustments? —working remotely has become much more of the rule than an exception. On this episode of the Building Better Cultur...

At this point in the pandemic, none of us are strangers to change. But for Kyoko Minegishi, change has been the one and only constants in a life full of cross-cultural moves, varied leadership positions, and now spearheading a startup with an eye on the convergence of living spaces and robotics. On this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, host Scott McInnes talks with Kyoko, the vice...

In this episode, Scott talks about why connecting your people to your strategy is so important and how an inspiring story can help you capture their hearts and their minds.   Key takeaways:   ➡️ Why strategy is a necessary evil. ➡️ How you can create a story that brings your strategy to life and connects with your people. ➡️ Why leaders are so critical in translating that strategy for teams across...

On this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, Scott McInnes welcomes Jonathan Reed of Paddy and Scott's coffee. A defining sense of purpose is the seed from which everything else at this disruptive, upstart coffee company grows. Hear Jonathan explain why he believes success starts with an alignment of core values. In the case of Paddy and Scott's, that means honouring the suppliers of t...

This week Scott talks about onboarding, how it's failing you and your new joiners, and how some communications and engagement thinking can maybe help.  Key to success is creating a more human connection with new joiners as quickly as possible.  Yes, the operational stuff is important, but more important is how you make people FEEL when they join your business.  It could mean the difference between...

Mark Edgar isn't a stranger to challenges; he's built a career teaching organizations how to thrive in spite of it all. As a people-centric, strategic and innovative consultant, facilitator, and coach he has global experience developing and delivering impactful and business focused people strategies. The HR expert and self-proclaimed optimist shares his passion for people and creating better workp...

Friends of the Building Better Cultures podcast, Ireland Together (www. IrelandTogether.ie) ran a series of mini-conferences focused on the next great reset—returning to the workplace. They asked Scott to facilitate a discussion on the Future of Work—what we will do, how we will do it and where we will work from. The panelists today are thought leaders in their own right, and during this discussio...

If it were up to Stuart Lancaster, he'd make emotional intelligence, communication and leadership core subjects starting early on in school. The nationally recognized rugby coach and high-performance leadership expert shares his experience and insights  -- on and off the field -- in this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast. Vision and purpose are the starting point for Stuart, whose on...

Some thoughts in this episode on the power of linking and labelling. It's something that we often don't focus on enough when it comes to internal communications and it's REALLY powerful! Key takeaways: ➡️ What linking and labelling is and why it's important  ➡️ How it can turbocharge engagement around your survey results ➡️ How it's critical in showing your team their role in delivering your busin...

Words matter - whether the goal is to promote buy-in among staff, save time on internal communications or create a more inclusive workplace culture. In this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, Scott McInnes invites Charli Nordone, group creative director at The Writer, to take a deep dive into the power of language. It has never been more important to be intentional and disciplined in...

This week a couple of thoughts on the idea that 'Awareness Precedes Action' - that if we don't take the time to realise that we can change the way we do things, nothing will ever change. 3 key takeaways: ➡️ Why it's important to take time to reflect. ➡️ Using your company values as a lens for decisions ➡️ Cultivating a culture of honest and open feedback -------------------------------------------...

Discover how to revolutionise ESG communication in your organisation. From empowering underrepresented associates to bridging communication gaps, learn actionable strategies for fostering sustainability champions.  Today we chat with Gihan Hyde, the CEO and founder of Communique; a London-based social enterprise startup dedicated to crafting communication strategies for ESG (Environmental, Social,...

Lived values are the foundation of a thriving culture.  In this Building Better Cultures Shorts episode, we discuss how to: Create better, more aligned values. Uphold and live your values daily. Embed your values into your culture. Recognise and reward employees who exemplify your values.  And, more! --- 'Shorts by Building Better Cultures' is a short-form podcast in which we share our tuppencewor...

In this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, Scott welcomes Pritesh Shah, Chief Commercial Officer at the oncology company Novocure. When it comes to the bio-science space, Novocure leads the way with an emphasis on empathy – not just for patients confronting cancer but also for employees tasked with driving breakthrough science. Pritesh explains how Novocure's workplace emphasis on em...

There's real power in doing something nice for someone else - someone in work, a relative or a friend.  But, like many things, we often don't take the time to stop and take action.  What we forget is that those actions only take a few minutes but could really make someone's day.  So what will you do to be nice to someone today?  Yep, go on, right now! :-) ------------------------------------- 'Sco...

On this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, Scott welcomes guest Jen Grogono to talk all things internal communications and why Jen believes every organization should start an internal podcast. Jen is the president and CEO of uStudio, an internal communications company that began as a video streaming platform. But with the launch of their app in 2018, uStudio took off to become the pr...

A key part of #internalcomms  success is knowing what people want and if what you're doing is meeting their (and your) needs. And the best way to find that out is to ask them. In this ep of 'Scott's Thoughts', he talks about considering how effective your communications are from three perspectives - company, team and individual. ------------------------------------- 'Scott's Thoughts' is a new sho...

In this episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, Scott explores the Five Pillars for a Human Workplace with his guest, Dr. Jerry Gule, who has devoted a rich human resources career to working in multiple capacities towards creating healthy, inclusive workplace cultures. As CEO of the Institute of People Management in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jerry has had a front seat on the huge challe...

Along with Zoom, email usage has grown exponentially as billions of people globally have been forced to work remotely.  Sadly, it's not all good email - too long, too short, too abrubt, unclear what the ask is, too many CCs, and so on and so forth. So in this episode a few hints and tips to ensure your emails hit the mark (and not the delete key!) 'Scott's Thoughts' is a new short podcast format i...

In this inaugural episode of the Building Better Cultures podcast, Scott invites listeners to consider the brave new world that has suddenly arrived, thanks to Covid19. While pandemic upended lives around the globe, it also has presented myriad opportunities on every level of society – and perhaps most especially among information and other workers whose "new normal" offers all kinds of positive c...

After 12 months of Covid, Zoom and Teams have become the go-to comms channel for many companies.  It isn't always the right answer but, when it is, Scott outlines some best practice for both organisers and attendees on calls. A new short podcast format in which Scott gives his tuppenceworth on subjects in the areas of leadership, employee engagement, organisational culture and internal communicati...

First up in this new series of short pods is the hot topic of hybrid working and a few thoughts on what Scott believes are key building blocks for success - cultures based on trust, agreed working practices to ensure good work-life balance and human leaders. A new short podcast format in which Scott gives his tuppenceworth on subjects in the areas of leadership, employee engagement, organisational...

This episode of Inspiring Change takes on a topic that is top of mind for businesses around the world: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Scott welcomes three women who are at the forefront of the conversation, offering insights on making people of all backgrounds feel welcome – and valuable – in the workplace. Hosts of the Calm Edged Rebels podcast, Advita Patel, Trudy Lewis and Jenni Field, share...

In the post-pandemic, work-from-home world, it can be especially hard to feel like your small tasks are having any impact on the overall strategic mission of your company. But this is where alignment comes in. The brands who make an investment in ensuring their workforce is in alignment—or on the same page, strategically—can ultimately bring about better cohesion of vision. To be in alignment is f...