Relationships at Work - a trust-driven leadership podcast
Russel Lolacher
Relationships at Work - the leadership podcast helping you build workplace connection, improve culture, and avoid blind spots. A relatable and honest show on leadership, organizational culture and soft skills, focusing on improving employee engagement and company culture to inspire people to apply, stay and thrive. Because no one wants leadership that fosters toxic environments at work, nor should they.Host, speaker and communications leader Russel Lolacher shares his experience and insights, discussing the leadership and corporate culture topics that matter with global experts help us with the success of our organizations (regardless of industry). This show will give you the information, education, strategies and tips you need to avoid leadership blind spots, better connect with all levels of our organization, and develop the necessary soft skills that are essential to every organization.From leadership development and training to employee satisfaction to diversity, inclusivity, equity and belonging to personalization and engagement... there are so many aspects and opportunities to build great relationships at workThis is THE place to start and nurture our leadership journey and create an amazing workplace.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 3, 2025 • 14min
From Friction to Flow: How Teams Thrive Together
Part 3 of our 4-part conversation on shifting our leadership from friction to flow..What does a team in flow actually look like? In this Relationships at Work episode, host Russel Lolacher is joined by Margaret Graziano to unpack how leaders can shift their teams from defensive, draining dynamics into collaboration and empowerment. Discover why the “magic number” for team problem-solving is five to eight people, how laughter and trust fuel flow, and what leaders can do to unlock their team’s best work.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
Sep 2, 2025 • 12min
Leadership Starts with Self-Awareness: Moving from Friction to Flow
Part 2 of our 4-part conversation on shifting our leadership from friction to flow..Flow begins with you. In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher talks with Margaret Graziano, culture transformation expert and bestselling author of Ignite Culture, about how ego, triggers, and old patterns affect leadership. Learn why personal awareness is the first step toward flow, and why leaders can’t move their teams forward without first moving themselves.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
Sep 1, 2025 • 28min
Friction vs Flow at Work: Leadership Clarity for Better Results
Part 1 of our 4-part conversation on shifting our leadership from friction to flow..What’s the difference between friction and flow in the workplace? In this episode of the Relationships at Work podcast, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Margaret Graziano — CEO of KeenAlignment and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Ignite Culture. Together they define friction in leadership, explore how it wastes energy and productivity, and explain how clarity helps leaders shift their people and organizations into flow.Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.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
Aug 29, 2025 • 10min
How a Team Credo Builds Trust and Alignment
In this solo mini-episode, host Russel Lolacher shares a leadership tool that helped him retain a team for more than a decade: the team credo. Drawing from his own experience, Russel explains how a short, clear set of guiding principles can improve communication, build trust, and align your team around what matters most. You’ll also get seven practical steps to create a credo that inspires and strengthens workplace culture.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
Aug 28, 2025 • 15min
Building Wellness into Organizational Culture
Part 4 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..Wellness isn’t just an individual practice — it has to be operationalized into the culture of the workplace. Host Russel Lolacher speaks with Stephen Kohler, founder of Audira, about how organizations can prove they value wellness through their calendars, budgets, and workload trade-offs. This episode explores how embedding wellness into culture improves retention, engagement, and the overall employee experience.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
Aug 27, 2025 • 7min
How Leaders Can Model Wellness for Their Teams
Part 3 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..Teams don’t believe in wellness because of posters — they believe in it because of their leaders. Host Russel Lolacher is joined by executive coach Stephen Kohler to discuss why role modeling matters, how leaders can reinforce wellness with consistency and empathy, and why even small actions — like encouraging a teammate to take a walk — build trust and resilience across a team.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
Aug 26, 2025 • 16min
Why Wellness Starts with the Leader
Part 2 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..The most important relationship a leader has is with themselves. In this conversation, host Russel Lolacher talks with Stephen Kohler — CEO of Audira and author of The Leadership Anthem — about how stress shows up in the body, what cortisol and fight-or-flight do to leadership, and how leaders can hold themselves accountable with a simple mind–body–spirit check. Protecting your own wellness first sets the stage for leading others well.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
Aug 25, 2025 • 19min
What Workplace Wellness Really Means for Leaders
Part 1 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..Workplace wellness is more than perks, programs, or posters on the wall. In this episode, host Russel Lolacher explores how leaders can define wellness with clarity alongside executive coach and author Stephen Kohler. Together they look at why wellness requires alignment with your values, your relationships, and your community — and how clear definitions can shape healthier workplaces and stronger cultures.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
Aug 22, 2025 • 8min
The Wrong Tone in Leadership
In this Relationships at Work episode, host Russel Lolacher explores one of leadership’s most overlooked skills—tone. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. From quick emails to team meetings, the wrong tone can undermine intent, damage relationships, and weaken trust. Russel shares a real-world example of how three simple words—“Perfect, for now”—changed the dynamic of a working relationship, and offers practical actions leaders can take to ensure their communication lands as intended.Learn how to adapt your tone to your audience, balance clarity with empathy, and use feedback to build stronger workplace connections. Because leadership isn’t just about delivering information—it’s about ensuring your message supports trust, psychological safety, and culture.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
Aug 21, 2025 • 14min
Transforming Workplace Culture with the Superloop Framework
Part 4 of our 4-part conversation on the Superloop framework.What does a healthy, human-centered workplace really look like? Susan Leger Ferraro — executive coach, speaker, and bestselling author of Superloop joins Russel Lolacher to reveal how her framework can transform organizational culture. From equity audits to leadership accountability, Susan shares proven strategies to align beliefs, biology, and behavior at every level, creating workplaces where people and performance thrive.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
