Relationships at Work - a trust-driven leadership podcast

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with productivity expert and author Mike Vardy on our relationship with time management in the workplace and how we can look at it differently. (Originally published: Oct. 17, 2022) Mike shares his thoughts and experience with... How productivity has changed with the pandemic Why "time management" is the wrong term The relationship b...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the importance of proactively reassessing ourselves as leaders, whenever we want. Russel tells the story of how we look to established dates like New Years, or fiscal year end, to learn and refocus our efforts. To reinvest in what's working and address any failures. But it's imp...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with executive coaches and consultants John Volturo and Peter Gandolfo on the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community at work and steps needed to be more inclusive. John and Peter share their thoughts, stories and experience with... The challenge of the rainbow glass ceiling. Who is responsible for diversity and equity in an organization. W...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher asks us to see one word answers as a red flag for employee disengagement. Russel tells the story of how employees and colleagues using one word answers to questions and requests can be a sign of a cracked relationship. And the opportunity it offers leaders to proactively investigate the issue an...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with executive consultant and keynote speaker Amii Barnard-Bahn on how our awareness of ourselves and our environment can help with our promotability. Amii shares her thoughts, stories and experience with... Defining awareness as it relates to promotability. Why you should embrace awareness at work. How to determine our own self awareness. The...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares a story of how dismissive language can happen at work and how we can stop using it. Russel tells the story of how leaders can dismiss employees, even when those employees are being honest and vulnerable, and what that dismissal can actually communicate to the larger organization. Curiosit...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with leadership development consultant Janet Livingstone on creating connection and culture with remote and hybrid teams. Janet shares her thoughts, stories and experience with... The challenges created by remote and hybrid work. Is resistance to remote work generational? The connection of mental health and remote work. Where to start when lea...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares a story of leadership being comfortable with being uncomfortable. And how we can too. Russel demonstrates one of his favourite moments at a recent keynote, where an executive publicly shared their discomfort to their peers, demonstrated vulnerability and modelled great leadership in doing...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with keynote speaker, consultant and analyst  Justin Robbins on addressing employee apathy in the workplace - as a leader, as an organization and as an individual. Justin shares his thoughts, stories and experience with... How legacy checks support organizational values. Setting up for success in onboarding. The key driver of employee apathy....

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the problem with passive leadership, what it looks like and how to change it in ourselves. A survey from State University in New York found passive leadership led to employee role overload, role conflict and role ambiguity, which negatively impacted mental health. Russel shares exampl...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author and leadership coach-mentor  Dr. Stephen Barden on how we can learn to balance power to improve the workplace and the dangers of its misuse. Stephen shares his thoughts, stories and experience with... The definition of power. How authority and influence play a role in power. Why "leading from the front" is nonsense. How p...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with executive coach and author Rita Ernst on showing up with positivity at work, why that's so important and what that looks like. RIta shares her thoughts, stories and experience with... Positivity as being your authentic self at work. How confirmation bias gets in our way. Showing up positively includes standing up for a better workpla...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the gap between leadership assumptions and employee reality. Numerous surveys have been conducted by SHRM, Deloitte, Forrester showing executives have a very different perception of their organizational culture than those who work for them. Russel asks the question, "but how do y...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with intrapreneur and entrepreneur Kareem Rahaman on why intrapreneurship needs to be embraced in the workplace. Kareem shares his thoughts, stories and experience with... What is intrapreneurship and what does it look like. Who is best suited in an organization to be an intrapreneur. How intrapreneurship can work in a traditional organization...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the importance of defining the words we use at work. Miscommunication in the workplace can cost millions of dollars, but it can also cost employee connection. Defining terms we deem important can help with that. Leadership, diversity, innovation... all words overly used in our work cultur...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author, speaker and entrepreneur Ingrid Christensen on the role language and communication have in building trust in the workplace. Ingrid shares her thoughts, stories and experience with... How trust is defined so personally for each of us. What does trust-based communication look like. How do you know if trust is established. Why trust...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares a term that former guest Amber Naslund left him with - emotional aftertaste. Do leaders understand the impact and the emotional residue they leave, for good or bad, that can stay for years and even decades? Rarely. Russel shares what that emotional aftertaste can look like and the areas w...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author, global trainer and CEO Bonnie Low-Kramen on the challenges and work needed to be done for gender equity in the workplace. Bonnie shares her thoughts, stories and experience with... Gender equity still doesn't exist in the workplace. How equity is a family and human issue, not a gender one. How women should prepare for job neg...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher talks on the importance of being heard at work for employee engagement. According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review, employees who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to perform their best work. Additionally, a Gallup study found that employees who feel their voice is heard at...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with award-winning organizational leader and Senior VP Penny St. Antoine on the importance of continuous improvement and how it looks different for every employee. Penny shares her thoughts, stories and experience with... When is the best time to foster continuous improvement. What continuous improvement looks in a remote workplace. The differ...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher declares that no meeting should ever happen without an agenda. A lack of agenda equals a lack of respect. According to a studies by the Harvard Business Review, meetings with clear agendas are 80-150% more productive than those without. Russel shares why it's important to have an agenda and...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with SkillsCamp and #SafeSocial founder Bailey Parnell on how we need to look at creating digital culture for remote work. Bailey shares her thoughts, stories and experience with... Should employers be free to review employee social media. The mental health impacts to those working in social media. What is the employer's role in keeping s...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher talks the importance of words leaders use and understanding their meaning in that workplace. A 2014 Salesforce report found that 86% of employees and executives believe that lack of collaboration and ineffective communication are responsible for workplace failures. Russel shares why it's im...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with CEO, keynote speaker and cabinet maker Neil Pretty on the ingredients to building a resilient workplace culture and where we get it wrong. Neil shares his thoughts, stories and experience with... The definition of resiliency. Where intention for resiliency needs to start in an organization. How resiliency should work for a healthy culture...

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher talks about the need to prioritize curiosity over assumption when entering a new work environment or connecting with a new team.  According to a 2018 survey conducted by Gallup, employees who demonstrate curiosity in the workplace are more likely to be innovative, adaptable, and high-performing....