96: The Hidden Cost of Fear: Building a Culture That Engages | Tom Willis

Are You Leading a Disengaged Team?  

According to Gallup, 70% of employees are disengaged at work, with over half actively looking for new jobs. For a 600-person company, that means 420 people don't really care about what they're doing. This sobering reality costs the US economy $500 billion annually in stress-related absences alone. In this episode, Tom Willis, co-author of "The Great Engagement" and former CEO of Cornerstone, examines how leaders can transform their organizational culture from fear-based to purpose-driven. He explores the crucial connection between engagement and personal aspiration, explains why traditional engagement initiatives often fail, and provides practical strategies for creating a coaching culture that unlocks human potential. 

 This Episode Covers: 

• Why asking "Are you open to feedback?" triggers the same brain response as hearing footsteps in the dark 
• How unconscious "cultural mindsets" sabotage engagement and what leaders can do about it 
• The paradox of slowing down to speed up organizational effectiveness 
• Why engagement without personal aspiration is meaningless 
• The critical difference between having "a high need for perfection" versus being "a perfectionist" 
• How to "listen the greatness" out of people instead of trying to force development 
• The power of switching from fear-based to "agape love" leadership 
• The importance of creating psychological safety for authentic coaching relationships 

Episode Highlights:  

(00:00) Introduction to Tom Willis – Damon and Darren introduce Tom Willis, leadership consultant and culture expert, to discuss building exceptional workplace cultures. 

(02:00) The Cost of Disengagement – Tom shares alarming statistics about workplace disengagement and how leaders can take immediate action to address it. 

(05:30) Culture Eats Everything – Tom explains why culture is the most powerful tool a CEO has and how leaders can actively shape it. 

(08:33) Engagement Equals Action Plus Empowerment – Tom introduces his formula for engagement and shares why empowerment and alignment are key. 

(12:00) Overcoming Unconscious Purpose – Tom discusses how fear-based mindsets derail leadership and how leaders can shift to purpose-driven decision-making. 

(17:00) Coaching and the Role of Listening – Tom emphasizes the power of listening in leadership and how it unlocks potential within teams. 

(21:30) The Elevate System – Tom introduces his behavioral model, Elevate, designed to help leaders assess and adapt their leadership approach. 

(33:18) Practical Advice for CEOs – Tom shares advice for CEOs on creating a culture of trust, vulnerability, and accountability. 

(40:00) Final Thoughts on Leadership – Tom reflects on the importance of serving others and fostering agape love in the workplace. 

About Tom: 

Tom Willis brings unique insights to leadership development, having served as both a school superintendent and CEO of Cornerstone. The co-author of The Great Engagement and creator of the Elevate System, Tom combines his education experience—including teaching in Africa—with business acumen from PricewaterhouseCoopers consulting. A graduate of Michigan and Notre Dame, he helps organizations build stronger cultures through conscious leadership practices. 

Resources Referenced: 

The Great Engagement: How CEOs Create Exceptional Cultures by Tom Willis 

Phoenix Performance Partners 

The Elevate System Assessment 

The Interchange CEO group 

Tom Willis on LinkedIn 

Podcast Contact Information: 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: podcast@learnit.com 

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