Relationships at Work - the leadership podcast helping you build workplace connection, improve culture, and avoid blind spots.

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher digs into "soft skills" and why calling them soft couldn't be further from the truth. Though language around "soft skills" is changing, the importance we put on these essential skills continues to struggle. Russel shares multiple reasons why these skills are so important and why organizations need to take them more seriously in order to create a healthy and successful organization. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with researcher and work stress and burnout prevention consultant Nina Nesdoly on how understanding neuroscience is the key to addressing stress and burnout.Nina shares her insights and experience with...Understanding stress and burnoutImpact of stress on cognitive abilitiesOverwhelming stress and cognitive functionNeuroplasticity and burnoutWork-Life balance and recoveryMasking and emotional exhaustionImportance of training and developmentHealthy stress vs. hindrance stressDopamine misconceptionsAnd connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights the importance of what do as much as how we do it in our leadership. No leader wants to hurt or fracture their team culture, but if we don't better align our intentions with our actions, we could do far more damage than we realize. Russel shares real world examples of how well-intended leaders missed the mark from what they wanted to achieve vs how they went about executing it, as well as a few things we should consider if we want to lead better. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with leadership communication consultant John Bates on how understanding neurobiology helps us connect through communication.John shares his insights and experience with...Effective communication is not just logical but biological.Importance of trusting gut feelingsThe value of sharing leadership stories to for promotion.Small talk is really big talk and foundational to trust.Align your mental state with your message.Reflective practices for self-awareness.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares more effective job interview questions to understand leadership.Interview questions are extremely formulaic, regardless of industry. Almost all are focused on productivity, with very few determining the applicants leadership experience and quality. Russel shares why organizations stick to the formula, and various questions (provided by the Relationships at Work community) that applicants would prefer were asked to better understand leadership levels. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with master facilitator and executive coach Paul O'Beirne on what a first-time leader really needs to know and so does the organization they work for.Paul shares his insights and experience in...Transition challenges for new leaders.Importance of support systems.Leadership vs. management.Understanding role and relationships.Asking for help and adapting.Building networks and managing relationships.Importance of feedback structures for self-awareness.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher explains the importance of regular leadership tests to ensure we're on the right track.As a leader, how do we know we're any good? That comes from regular check ins in how we react to circumstances at work. We need to proactively be curious about ourselves and take a daily interest in understanding our impact on our teams and the culture. Russel shares four areas we can assess on a regular basis to determine the quality of our leadership and the one stakeholder group we need to hear from, more than our colleagues and bosses. Join us as we discuss. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with author and executive coach Mark J. Silverman on understanding and approaching leadership ambition.Mark shares his experience and insights on...The root of true ambition.Reckoning with ambition's impact at work.Self-awareness and authentic ambition.Generational shifts in ambition.Balancing ambition with authenticity.Organizational support for sustainable ambition.Personalized ambition.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher shares the importance of not prioritizing productivity over humanity. The ends can not justify the means. As a leader, it's vital that we provide a service or product, and deliver countless things along the way. The problem is when leaders achieve those results without regard for the human impact along the way just to make the boss happy. The long-term impacts can be devastating.Russel shares a personal story and provides of areas we can invest our time and leadership in to avoid losing that humanity for the sake of results. Join us as we discuss. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with authors and Edelman Executive Vice-Presidents Elena Grotto and Felicia Joy on understanding leadership influence and its impact on teams and workplace culture.Elena and Felicia share their experience and insights on...Continuous learning and adaption as leaders.Balancing humanity and productivity.The modern workplace as a laboratory for co-creation and experimentation.Changing employee expectations and involvement.Bridging the executive-employee gap.Importance of relationships and flexibility.Intentional relationship building.And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime