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

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.What are early warning signs of apathy.How coaching is a solution to employee apathy.When do we know we’re successful at diminishing apathy.What it looks like to tackle our own leadership apathy.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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 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 examples of passive leadership, why it could have bigger impacts to the culture than we might believe and steps to be more proactive in how we lead.  If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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 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 power can prevent an organization from innovating.Why understanding power balance is key to improving the organization.The vital role of continuous learning.Where to start in obtaining power and influence at work.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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 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 workplace.The misconceptions of positivity.How newer generations are more apt to fight for a positive workplace.The first steps on our road to being more positive.Rethinking culture starting at the top of an organization.Why honesty could be your positivity weapon in a tough environment.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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 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 you know?" to challenge those leaders who make assumptions, dismiss data they don't agree with or have far too small of a network to know what's really going on. He also offers ideas on how to embrace employees and the challenges they face.  If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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 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.What are the leadership qualities necessary to support intrapreneurship.How intrapreneurship helps employee retention.What you need to do to sell intrapreneurship.How to cultivate intrapreneurship.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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 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 cultures but rarely are they defined as to what they mean for the organization. If we aren't clear, others assume. And that can only cause further problems at work.  If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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, 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 starts with ourselves.The importance of communication to build trust in an emergency.What the language of distrust feels like.Remote work offers new challenges to build trust.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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 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 we can focus on to ensure we better understand the impacts we have. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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, 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 negotiations.The problems with onboarding.How the "broken rung" can be addressed.The added challenges of bullying and harassment for women.Why women don't speak up in exit interviews.What needs to happen for gender equity to move forward.If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and share with others.For more, go to relationshipsatwork.ca 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