Relationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.
Relationships at Work - your leadership guide to building workplace connections and avoiding 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 work
This is THE place to start and nurture our leadership journey and create an amazing workplace.
Episodes
258 episodes
Flip the Script: What’s Your Five-Year Plan for Me?
We’ve all heard the classic career question: “What’s your five-year plan?” But in this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher flips it on its head—asking leaders to consider their five-year plan for...
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Episode 249
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6:30
Leading Through Complexity: Rewriting the Narrative of Work w/ Graham Abbey
What if the way we talk about work is limiting how we lead it?In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Graham Abbey—Chief Executive of Farleigh Performance and Professor in Practice at the Un...
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Episode 248
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47:22
The Cost of Caring Too Much: How to Lead Without Losing Yourself
Caring makes you a better leader. But what happens when it starts to hurt?In this solo episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher explores the emotional toll of leadership when we care too much. While...
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Episode 247
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7:44
Design the Work, Empower the People: Human-Centered Leadership w/ Derrick Mains
In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Derrick Mains — speaker, consultant, and CEO of The Process Fixer — to dive into the power of building human-centered systems at work. Derrick shares why mos...
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Episode 246
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46:18
Are Your Values Still Yours? A Leadership Gut Check
You’ve defined your values. But are you still living them — or just assuming you are?In this episode of Relationships at Work, we unpack the overlooked side of values in leadership. Not the usual “define your top five” — but the...
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Episode 245
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8:26
Character Counts: Rethinking How We Hire and Lead w/ Sean Vassilaros
In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with Sean Vassilaros, CEO and co-founder of Kanny, about what’s missing from hiring—and it’s not experience or skills. It’s character.Sean dives deep into how charact...
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Episode 244
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46:53
Is Curiosity Missing from Your Workplace Culture?
In this episode, we explore the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways curiosity gets shut down in organizations—and the cultural cost of those missed questions. From assumptions that mask deeper issues to leadership habits that stifle innovation, Rus...
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Episode 243
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7:30
Cracking the Viking Code of Leadership w/ Anders Indset
In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with renowned business philosopher and bestselling author Anders Indset to unpack the leadership philosophy behind his book The Viking Code: The...
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Episode 242
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50:37
The Leadership Test: Can You Handle Being Challenged?
As leaders, we often talk about the power of curiosity—but what happens when that curiosity is turned on us? In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher explores what it really means to be open t...
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Episode 241
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6:32
Authenticity Is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait w/ Pete Steinberg
Leadership isn't about checking boxes — it's about showing up with intention, clarity, and connection. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel chats with Pete Steinberg — executive coach, speaker, former national rugby coach, ...
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Episode 240
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50:20
The P.E.R.F.O.R.M. Playbook: How to Build a Team That Stays
Retention is often seen as an elusive workplace metric, but what if it wasn’t? In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher shares his firsthand experience of leading and retaining the same team for 12 years. H...
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Episode 239
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13:26
Leading with Respect: The Key to Trust, Engagement, and Culture w/ Dr. Gena Cox
Respect isn’t just a workplace buzzword—it’s the foundation of trust, engagement, and culture. Yet, too many leaders overlook its impact, mistaking civility for true respect. In this episode, Dr. Gena Cox joins Russel Lola...
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Episode 238
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51:40
Half-Assed Vision, Half-Assed Motivation
A vision and mission statement should be more than just corporate wallpaper—they should inspire, align, and drive meaningful action. Yet, most employees can’t even recall theirs. In this episode of Relationships at Work, we...
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Episode 237
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9:56
Incentivizing Leadership: Are We Rewarding the Wrong Behaviors? w/ Nigel Thurlow
In this thought-provoking episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Nigel Thurlow, co-creator of The Flow System and former Chief of Agile at Toyota, to break down the hidden...
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Episode 236
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43:02
Is Leadership Speaking or Actually Communicating at Work?
Every job is a communication job. Every leader is a communicator—whether they realize it or not. But too often, organizations mistake speaking at people for real communication. In this episode, we break down the difference ...
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Episode 235
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8:00
Building Better Work Relationships Through Systems, Not Guesswork w/ Trevor Timbeck
Leaders often think relationships are built on instincts, but what if they’re actually built on systems? In this episode, executive and leadership coach Trevor Timbeck challenges the idea that relationship-building is ...
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Episode 234
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50:05
Taking A.I.M. at Bad Leadership: Admit, Identify, Manage
In this mini-episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher dives into a tough but necessary conversation—why organizations need to stop passing the buck on bad leadership. Russel explores the hidden dangers of shifting problem...
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Episode 233
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8:26
How to Practice Trauma-Informed Leadership w/ Danielle Smeltzer
In this episode of Relationships at Work, Danielle Smeltzer, founder and CEO of Awarely Embodied Leadership, dives deep into the transformative power of trauma-informed leadership. She challenges conventional leadership narratives, rev...
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Episode 232
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43:52
Curiosity Over Criticism: How Leaders Can Foster Innovation
New ideas need curiosity, not immediate criticism. As leaders, our role isn’t to shut down innovation but to guide and refine it. In this episode, we explore how the right questions can turn ideas into opportunities, while the wrong...
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Episode 231
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9:21
How to Truly Operationalize Work Culture w/ Garrett Delph
Culture isn’t just a set of values on a website—it’s the daily actions, behaviors, and processes that shape how an organization truly operates. In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with G...
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Episode 230
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52:15
Why One Leadership Style Will Fail You and Your Team
What’s your leadership style? It’s a common question, but the real answer shouldn’t be just one. In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher challenges the idea of rigid leadership styles and explains why...
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Episode 229
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8:21
Breaking the Fear of DEI: Why Inclusion is a Business Imperative w/ Toby Mildon
Fear, hesitation, and resistance—why do so many leaders struggle with DEI? In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher sits down with Toby Mildon, diversity and inclusion architect and autho...
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Episode 228
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53:58
Why “Bring Me Solutions, Not Problems” Is Not Good Leadership
Many leaders believe they’re fostering critical thinking and empowerment when they say, “Don’t come to me with problems, come to me with solutions.” But in reality, this approach can stifle innovation, discourage vulnerability, and cre...
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Episode 227
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6:53
Confidence Gap: Why Leaders Must Embrace What They Don’t Know w/ Bill Lennan
Confidence in leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about knowing when you don’t. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Bill Lennan, leadership consultant and founder of 40 Percent Better, breaks d...
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Episode 226
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42:20