Leadership in Quarters: 15-Minute Culture Insights

"Too many people think that as a leader, they have to have an instantaneous answer, and most leaders don't. High-performance teams take that moment to reflect." Polymath, author, and turnaround strategist Norman Leach joins host Josh Seldin to break down how leaders can navigate periods of rapid change, chaos, and uncertainty without falling into the trap of desperate, knee-jerk decision-making. N...

"Survival mode leadership is reactive. It's not intentional. Decisions are made through urgency, scarcity, and fear of failure instead of bringing together the mission, the values, and the people around you." High-risk pregnancy physician specialist, Air Force veteran, and author Dr. Luissa Kiprono joins host Josh Seldin to explore what it truly means to lead beyond survival mode. Dr. Kiprono draw...

"Leaders often hinder team motivation by projecting their own logic and values onto others instead of using curiosity to uncover individual drivers." Communication coach and former actor Joel Silverstone joins host Josh Seldin to transform how leaders approach motivation and professional accountability. Joel pulls back the curtain on the psychology of human behavior, showing leaders how to move aw...

"It costs you nothing to be respectful, but it will cost you relationships if you assume the worst in other people every time." Former Salesforce Senior Director David Fung joins host Josh Seldin to tackle the ultimate challenge of matrixed organizations: how to get things done when you aren't the boss. David pulls back the curtain on the psychology of human behavior, showing leaders how to move a...

"People want to work with the people they want to have a beer or a glass of wine with." Television monologue writer, author, and clean comedian Jan McInnis joins host Josh Seldin to prove that humor isn't just for the comedy club: it's a critical tool in the executive toolkit. Jan shares her front-line secrets from speaking to organizations like the Federal Reserve and the Mayo Clinic, showing lea...

"The mind overcomplicates things. The heart simplifies." Corporate growth strategist and author Alison Kermode joins host Josh Seldin to pull back the curtain on a critical resource most executive spreadsheets completely miss: employee energy. Alison shares how she used energetic awareness to help scale a company by over $1 billion and details a staggering 200% revenue turnaround achieved simply b...

"We are human beings, not human doings." Ursula Pottinga joins host Josh Seldin to challenge high-achieving leaders who try to intellectualize every problem while completely ignoring the body. Did you know that 90% of the information processed by your system originates in the body before it ever reaches the brain? Josh and Ursula dive deep into the mechanics of nervous system regulation, the power...

"How do we work together?" While many leaders focus on working harder or working smarter, cultural strategist Ian Clawson joins Josh Seldin to argue that the most important question is how we co-create. Ian, the co-author of Brave Together, discusses why even high-performing teams can feel disconnected and how leaders can identify the "fear-based" behaviors—blame, complaining, and excuses&md...

"In order for your team to produce for you, you have to have that vulnerability as well." Dr. Mar joins Josh to dismantle the myth that vulnerability is a "soft skill" or a sign of weakness in positions of power. Instead, they discuss how showing humanity allows organizations to thrive during times of extreme disruption, such as the global challenges faced by the healthcare industry during COVID-1...

"A leader's job is not to get followers; it's to create more leaders." Greg Provance joins Josh to discuss the subtle traps that lead to the "babysitting mentality"—where leaders feel they have to repeat instructions a thousand times because their team lacks ownership. They dive into how to reframe these interactions to foster an environment where team members don't just follow orders, but b...

"Inaction is in itself a decision." Kevin Gaskell joins Josh to discuss how to lead when the pressure doesn't let up. Drawing parallels from the military and the Apollo space missions, Kevin explains why the best leaders remain calm by becoming the "Capcom" for their team—filtering noise and focusing on a single version of the truth. Josh and Kevin explore the "5% Genius Rule," the importanc...

"Authenticity is the highest vibration—it's even higher than love." Dr. Norma Hollis joins Josh to discuss the high cost of "losing yourself" in a corporate box. They dive into why many professionals face an identity crisis at retirement and how companies unknowingly design systems that kill the very diversity of mindset they claim to value. Josh and Dr. Hollis discuss the "Gifts Game" and t...

"Culture doesn't just happen; if you let it grow from the bottom, you're going to get weeds." Manny Palachuk joins Josh to explain why leadership must be the gardener of organizational culture. They dive into the "mutiny" that happens when communication breaks down and why keeping a high-performer with a toxic attitude is a mathematical mistake for your business. Josh and Manny explore the "Human...

Is your "niceness" actually a survival tactic? Erica Bonham joins Josh to reveal why niceness is often a performance used to mask anxiety, while true kindness is a "muscle" built through honesty and direct feedback. They discuss the "soup of society" we all swim in and how old traumas can turn leaders into rigid, "power-over" bosses. Erica explains the biology of leadership—how your vagus ne...

Are your "nice" habits actually hurting your team? Tucker Miller joins Josh to reveal why being "likable" isn't the same as being "respected." They explore how leaders unconsciously signal a lack of trust—like doing the work themselves after delegating it—and how to move from reactive "Lizard Brain" responses to intentional, high-level leadership. Tucker shares a striking story about a...

Are you leading from your values, or are you just following the rules? Stephanie Ramirez joins Josh to discuss why "Self-Leadership" is the foundation of effective management. They dive into why high achievers fear "disappointing others" by choosing themselves and how this sacrifice eventually drains the very energy needed to lead. Whether you're a fresh college grad or a 20-year veteran, Stephani...

Many leaders assume that company culture is something that just "happens"—a byproduct of the team they hire. But as Katherine Robinette points out: culture happens whether you plan it or not. The real question is whether you are intentionally designing it to support your goals, or letting it evolve by accident. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin sits down with leader...

Are you a high performer who suddenly found yourself managing people — without any real leadership training? You're not alone. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin sits down with strategic advisor and fractional Chief People Officer Lisa Friscia to break down the "accidental people leader" phenomenon — and what to do about it. Whether you're a founder, subject ma...

Are you leading on autopilot — reacting to everything instead of responding with clarity? In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Selden sits down with leadership aperture coach David Cicerchi to explore one of the most powerful — and underrated — frameworks in modern leadership development. From navigating volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environme...

Do you know who is really working on your team? Often, some of your most talented employees are "masking" their neurodivergence—ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more—just to survive the workday and meet traditional expectations. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin welcomes safety and risk expert Nicola Knobel to tear down the stigma surrounding neurodiversity in the...

Can work actually be fun? Not in the "pizza party" sense, but in a way that drives real productivity? In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin sits down with Dr. Christie McMullen, founder of the Intentionality Group and host of the Productive Joy podcast, to debunk the myth that professional results require a joyless environment. Dr. McMullen breaks down her proprietary framewo...

We all have habits—some serve our teams, others silently erode them. But how many of these habits are you actually aware of? Research suggests that while most leaders believe they are highly self-aware, only a fraction actually are. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin welcomes leadership strategist Jaime Mann to discuss the micro-habits that define high-performing cul...

We often hear about the habits successful leaders add to their routine, but what if your growth is actually being stunted by what you refuse to leave behind? Most leaders know exactly where they want to go, but they remain trapped by psychological patterns that keep them exactly where they are. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin sits down with Dr. Rosenna Bakari, author of...

Are you leading from a place that wasn't built for you? Whether you're the only woman in the boardroom, a leader in a male-dominated industry, or simply someone who refuses to mirror the "traditional" leadership mold, you've likely felt the pressure to sit down and be quiet. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin sits down with Toni Will—General Manager of the Kalamazoo...

True leadership isn't about the title on your business card or how charismatic you are in a boardroom—it's about the observable actions that create momentum. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, Josh Seldin sits down with high-growth operator and coach Kurt Uhlir to discuss why so many organizations fail to bridge the gap between their "culture statements" and their daily reality. Kurt...