CEO Daily Brief with Dr. Jessica Kriegel

Steve Pruett, Executive Chairman of Cox Media Group, shares his remarkable journey from a humble upbringing to leading one of the largest media organizations in the United States. With insights drawn from his book The Gain Principle, Steve reflects on personal and professional growth, the power of radical inclusion, and the hard-won lessons from navigating corporate culture. He also opens up about...

In today's episode: An organization should have a clear, simple purpose. "Our purpose is to..." followed by six words or less. When this purpose permeates an organization, it inspires employees and helps them feel fulfilled with the knowledge that they're working toward a clear mission. A clear purpose serves as a measuring stick for thousands of strategic decisions. If it doesn't align with the p...

In today's episode from Merit Street: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy plan to use return-to-office mandates to convince large portions of government workers to quit. Controversy aside, they're more transparent than many private-sector CEOs, who claim RTO is about culture. Culture doesn't just happen within the four walls of the office: it's about experiences, beliefs, and actions, which also happen...

In today's episode: While tomorrow is Thanksgiving for Americans, it's just another Thursday for the rest of the world. Global companies often keep that in mind when communicating with employees. We tend to react poorly to changes in language based on sensitivity--but it's not about us. Everyone has something going on. To be truly global, a company has to put in effort to see all the different pop...

In today's episode: The new Jaguar ad has seen backlash that claims it's "too woke"-- but we can't know the ad's effectiveness until we see the sales numbers on their new line of cars. For now, it's the most buzz Jaguar has seen in a while. Advertisements tell a specific story. Jaguar's ad is banking on that story resonating with the subset of customers that are likely to buy their cars. A company...

In today's episode from Merit Street: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have promised "large-scale firings" in the federal workforce, partly through return-to-office mandates. Most RTO mandates have the same purpose, but private companies are less transparent about the reason. The federal government is inefficient, but that's a problem of accountability and culture rather than size. Disruption at this...

In today's episode: AI tools are promising the ability to rephrase our messages in ways that better-suit their recipients. There's some hope that this "AI-powered empathy" will smooth workplace communication, but it's actually disconnecting us more than ever. The reality is that relationships and culture are messy. Building real human empathy is the way to achieve long-term satisfaction and result...

In today's episode from Merit Street: Microsoft has plans for widespread use of AI agents, but AI still represents more hype than capability at this point. In the near future, we'll probably see AI replace a lot of people--but when the bots cause a liability problem, companies will bring the people back. Regardless of AI's future, CEOs need to make sure the hearts and minds of employees are along...

In today's episode: Women experience health issues that men don't. In their fifties and sixties, that includes hot flashes as a part of menopause. Sometimes, that means needing to step out of a meeting for a moment. It isn't a sign of weakness; it's a normal occurrence that everyone in the workplace should be aware of. Everyone is going through different things, even if they haven't shared the det...

In today's episode: Both personal and professional problems can be opportunities for personal growth; when employees experience that growth, it's also good for business. Great leader hire people who are better than them. They get other people to take a new level of action that benefits both the employee and the organization. When employees can be themselves, they can assess their strength and weak...

In today's episode from: President-elect Trump has been unclear about his position on union regulation, but very clear on an immigration crackdown. CEOs should plan to have their ducks in a row on documentation and visas. The best way to get ahead of strikes is to solve problems before they snowball. That means listening to employees sooner in the process. Strategic planning should center on the k...

In today's episode: In today's economy, information is cheap and skills can be learned. The new competitive edge is an honest, accountable mindset. People want to follow accountable leaders. Bosses who lack accountability will never get the best from their employees. See it: what's going on? Own it: what about it can I control? Solve it: what else can I try? And then do it. Culture Leaders Daily i...

In today's episode: People think of their future selves as entirely different people. That makes realistic long-term goal setting difficult. Goals and outcomes are two different things. Goals are aspirational; outcomes are tangible consequences. Instead, work backwards. To achieve an outcome now, what needs to have been true one, five, or ten years ago? Often it's more than expected. Culture Leade...

In today's episode: As workers fight for more expensive packages, automation starts to look more and more appealing for management. The promise is that we'll upskill workers when automation takes their jobs--but this doesn't happen. Thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs are still open because people don't have the aptitude or appetite for them. A portion of the workforce isn't looking for more r...

From leading IKEA, one of the world's largest furniture brands, to championing sustainability and innovation, Jesper Brodin's journey is a remarkable tale of leadership and forward-thinking. As CEO, Brodin has been instrumental in steering IKEA towards a future-oriented business model, emphasizing the importance of long-term investments, embracing change, and the delicate balance between profitabi...

In today's episode: Creativity isn't just art and poetry; it's fundamentally about problem-solving and creating novel solutions. Companies are looking for ways to solve problems for themselves and for customers in order to create market share. The world works because of numbers and spreadsheets; even though they're not in museums, they're still crucial. Culture Leaders Daily is a daily, five-minut...

In today's episode: The call is out for a mass, simultaneous strike in 4 years; it would effect hundreds of thousands of workers across industries. Workers are fed up with the cultures at their organizations and the perceived disconnect with executives. They want to feel valued, useful, and recognized. Modern leaders must be willing to give of themselves; listening and offering feedback, recognizi...

In today's episode: Nowadays, investors prioritize explosive growth over everything else--even profit is a secondary concern. The result is companies constantly searching for new, bigger ways to expand past their core product--the thing they were good at in the first place. With the constant need for growth comes innovation. On the downside, culture is hard to maintain, management is overextended,...

In today's episode: The cost of living continues to rise; people who make minimum wage have been priced out of one-bedroom apartment rentals in most major cities. Politicians are seizing on this data in different ways. Consumer sentiment is a powerful factor that's based mostly on emotion. Despite high debt loads and interest rates, people are spending more and more. That tension can't last foreve...

In today's episode: Companies are analogous to societies: they work best when the organization strives to work for everyone, regardless of ambition, skill, and education. The human cost of layoffs is immense. When an arm of the business is failing, it may be worth redeploying and redeveloping employees: it shows faith and gives them a sense of confidence. Democratic processes can be slow, but they...

In today's episode: Small businesses and entrepreneurs need to know their numbers: where they stand and what they need to succeed. Don't run from resources. The tough times are when mentors are most important. Entrepreneurs need to learn to manage their time. Say no to some projects and building in personal time will help avoid burnout. Culture Leaders Daily is a daily, five-minute podcast for CEO...

In today's episode from: The new CEO of Starbucks plans to bring all employees into the office for three to five days a week--part of a larger trend in return-to-office policies. Ultimately, the pace of technology is pushing us toward virtual/flexible work. Companies pushing for strict RTO will lose top talent who now demand flexibility. Culture Leaders Daily is a daily, five-minute podcast for CE...

In today's spooky episode, three bad leadership practices to avoid: The Poisoned Apple of Favoritism. Don't gravitate toward people who are visible or like you--neither is a good metric for who is doing the best work. The Silent Curse. Don't avoid giving feedback and holding your teams accountable. Conflict is not something to be avoided. The Spell of Micromanagement. Don't get caught up in the ac...

In today's episode: A lot of companies are pushing return-to-office mandates as if COVID was just a blip; in reality, culture has fundamentally changed workers' relationship to work. Activity-based management requires employees to be visible at the desk, but outcome-based management is far more effective--and can be achieved without the office. The key questions: What are the results you're trying...

Josh Bersin, industry analyst and founder of The Josh Bersin Company, joins Dr. Jessica Kriegel to dive into the evolving role of HR and its influence on business performance. With 25 years of expertise, Josh shares why HR professionals are essential to organizational success and how companies can transition HR from a cost center to a strategic partner. This insightful conversation covers the chan...