The Team Engagement Podcast

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Anya Cheng , Founder and CEO of Taelor, about communication, psychological safety, and growth mindset. Anya shares leadership lessons from her experience at Taelor, Meta, eBay, Target, and McDonald’s. She explains why leaders should help people use their strengths, communicate openly, and stop creating stories based o...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Mike Toguchi , Chief Strategy Officer at Tectonic, about psychological safety, leadership communication, and why great leaders stay in the foxhole with their teams. Mike shares how transparency, accountability, and healthy dialogue help create stronger workplace cultures. He also discusses why leaders should encourage...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Yosi Amram , psychologist, executive coach, entrepreneur, and author of Spiritually Intelligent Leadership , about the role curiosity plays in leadership growth and team development. Drawing on decades of experience as both a CEO and coach, Yosi explains how leaders can foster psychological safety through trust, vulne...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with David Grau Sr. , author and consultant, about leadership growth, succession planning, and creating businesses that can thrive without depending on a single individual. David shares insights from his latest book, The Founder's Treadmill , and explains why leaders must continue developing themselves if they want th...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Natalie Spiro , CEO of Drum Cafe North America, about leadership, belonging, and the power of Ubuntu. Natalie explains how leaders can strengthen psychological safety by creating environments built on trust, vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and connection. Drawing on lessons from Nelson Mandela and her South Afr...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Dr. Paul White , Founder of Appreciation at Work, about communication, appreciation, and creating stronger workplace relationships. Drawing from his work with The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace , Dr. White explains how leaders can foster trust, engagement, and growth through intentional communication and...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Shaun Mader , Founder and Creator of Teamware, about leadership, psychological safety, and creating space for growth. Shaun explains how leaders who admit uncertainty and encourage experimentation help teams become more engaged, creative, and resilient. What you’ll learn: • Why psychological safety starts with leader...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Sue Schuster , Executive at Bizfi.io, about leadership, stress management, and psychological safety. Sue explains how leaders can create healthier and more productive environments by reducing unnecessary stress, encouraging growth, and modeling balanced leadership. What you’ll learn: • Why leadership behavior shapes p...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Deborah Coviello , CEO and Founder of Illumination Partners, about leadership, patience, and building psychologically safe teams. Deborah shares lessons from her journey from corporate leadership into entrepreneurship and explains how leaders can better support their teams through listening, empathy, and intentional c...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Emilee Tucker from Authentic Leadership Consulting about emotional wellness, leadership communication, and executive presence. Emilee explains how leaders can strengthen psychological safety through intentional one-on-one conversations, curiosity, and emotional regulation practices like Box breathing. What you’ll lear...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Dr. Lani Jones , Founder and CEO of HBL Advisory Group, about leadership, curiosity, and intentional growth. Lani shares how leaders can build psychologically safe teams by being authentic, understanding individual needs, and maintaining consistency in their leadership approach. What you’ll learn: • Why curiosity stre...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Erin Treacy , leadership coach, about authenticity, reflection, and growth in leadership. Erin explains how leaders can build trust by showing up consistently and adapting their communication to meet the needs of their teams. What you’ll learn: • Why authenticity builds trust in leadership  • How individualized commun...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Joseph Lujan , Founder of Reflective Resonance, about leadership, self-awareness, and intentional presence. Joseph shares insights from his book Reflective Resonance and explains how leaders can build psychologically safe environments through vulnerability, listening, and steady leadership. What you’ll learn: • Why se...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Bianca Riemer , Executive Coach, about leadership, emotional well-being, and creating psychologically safe teams. Bianca shares how leaders can use reflection, growth mindset, and a blameless approach to help teams learn and improve while maintaining trust and resilience. What you’ll learn: • How psychological safety...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Greg Mohr, Franchise Maven, about leadership, communication, and the value of different perspectives. Greg shares lessons from his journey into entrepreneurship and explains how leaders can create psychologically safe environments through open communication and continuous learning. What you’ll learn: • Why communicatio...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Tom Mitchell , Winning Spirit Coach, about leadership, mindset, and supporting others’ success. Tom shares lessons from decades of coaching across sports and business, explaining how trust, empathy, and a focus on others help build strong and resilient teams. What you’ll learn: • Why leadership begins with wanting suc...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Kevin Hubschmann , Founder of Laugh Dot, about how humor and communication can strengthen team engagement. Kevin shares how leaders can use the “Yes, AND...” approach to foster collaboration, support emotional well-being, and create environments where people feel heard and valued. What you’ll learn: • How humor can su...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Natasha Skolny , Founder of The Leadership Cabin, about the importance of listening in building psychologically safe teams. Natasha shares lessons from her corporate leadership and coaching experience, explaining how authenticity, emotional awareness, and open communication help leaders create stronger connections and...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Robin Goad , speaker and author, about leadership, mentorship, and creating psychologically safe environments. Robin introduces her Show, Share, and Observe framework and explains how leaders can foster growth by modeling behavior, sharing knowledge, and learning from their teams. What you’ll learn: • How the Show, Sh...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Daniel Tataje , Founder and CEO of Mercy Dental Group, about leadership grounded in service, gratitude, and character. Daniel shares insights from his book The Leader Humanity Needs and explains how leaders can create psychologically safe environments by valuing people and leading with empathy and purpose. What you’ll...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Angela Lewis, Founder of Lewis Consulting Group, about the role of genuine care in building psychologically safe teams. Angela shares lessons from her experience as a former Division I and professional basketball player and leadership consultant. She explains how leaders can foster open communication, promote a growth...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards sits down with Bethany Rees, leadership coach and author of Leadership on the Rocks, to explore why leadership is an ongoing journey rather than a fixed destination. Bethany shares her leadership framework, including understanding strengths and constraints, building relationships, delegating effectively, and committing to continuo...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards sits down with Alfredo F. Borodowski , consultant and author of The Human Upgrade , to explore leadership in times of uncertainty and transformation. Alfredo explains how positive psychology helps leaders focus on strengths, foster growth mindsets, and support mental health while navigating rapid change and innovation. He also sh...

In this episode, Alistair Frost, a leadership consultant, discusses the importance of adapting to a fast-paced world to avoid premature obsolescence. He emphasizes humility in leadership, admitting uncertainty to foster a collaborative environment. Frost highlights the significance of trust, sharing a personal story from his first job at Microsoft, where trust empowered him. He advocates for a fut...

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast , host Shawn Richards speaks with Diane Hartz Warsoff , President of Exit Factor, about the role encouragement and support play in strong leadership. Diane shares perspectives from her work guiding business owners through growth and exit planning, along with insights on empathy, learning, and values-driven leadership. What you’ll learn: Why encouragem...