The Buy-In Advantage: Why Employees Stop Caring and How Great Leaders Reignite Engagement with Dave Garrison

In this powerful episode, host Alan Briggs sits down with Dave Garrison—former multinational CEO and author of The Buy-In Advantage—to unpack one of the workplace’s biggest hidden threats: employee disengagement. Drawing from decades of experience and real-world data, Dave shares why disengagement is accelerating, what’s really behind it, and how today’s leaders can reverse the trend and re-engage their teams.

About Dave

Dave has over 25 years of experience as a CEO and independent board member of public and private companies both in the U.S. and internationally. Dave has spent his career rebuilding and exponentially growing organizations in a strategic and sustainable way. His success throughout his career organically led him to his encore work in supporting other CEOs in experiencing the same success he did.

Dave holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and is Certified as a DISC and Emotional Quotient consultant for individuals and teams. Additionally, he is a certified facilitator in a system based on Verne Harnishes’ Rockefeller Habits and the book Traction. He’s an avid sailor, accomplished pilot and fierce yet mediocre golfer!

 

 

Key Takeaways:

• Disengagement is a systems issue, not a people issue.

• Gen Z and younger managers are demanding purpose—not just paychecks.

• Culture beats compensation: engaged employees rarely leave for small raises.

• Better alignment on purpose and priorities can slash turnover and boost performance.

• Meetings should be a catalyst for engagement—not a drain on energy.

Notable Quotes:

“Disengagement is the enthusiasm we leave in the parking lot Monday morning.” – Dave Garrison

“All of us are smarter than any of us. Leaders must learn to draw out that collective genius.” – Dave Garrison

“People don’t burn out when they care deeply about what they’re doing.” – Dave Garrison

Learn More:

Grab your copy of The Buy-In Advantage and explore tools, assessments, and resources mentioned in the episode at buyinbook.com.