Relationships at Work - a trust-driven leadership podcast
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 work
This is THE place to start and nurture our leadership journey and create an amazing workplace.
Episodes
368 episodes
The Creative Power of Constructive Conflict
What if conflict isn’t the problem — but the engine of innovation?In this episode, innovation expert Jeff DeGraff joins Russel to explore why adaptability isn’t about reacting to change — it’s about embracing ambiguity, practicing parado...
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Episode 351
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56:09
Values Over Feelings in Leadership
Are you leading from values — or reacting to emotions? In this solo episode, Russel Lolacher explores why values must anchor workplace decisions, culture, and accountability. Empathy matters. But without clear values, leadership...
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Episode 350
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10:16
Toxic Positivity vs. Authentic Leadership
Is workplace positivity building trust — or masking real problems?In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with author Johanna Laurent to unpack the difference between authentic positivity and the kind...
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Episode 349
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54:28
Stop Calling Yourself a People Leader
When did leadership stop being about people?The rise of the term “People Leader” sounds progressive — but it may reveal a deeper problem. If leadership needs a qualifier, something’s already broken.In this solo episode, Russel cha...
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Episode 348
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8:38
Building an Olympic Mindset at Work
What can leaders learn from Olympic athletes?Former cycling champion and high-performance coach Lee Povey breaks down why winning is out of your control — and why focusing on process, feedback, and adaptability is what truly drives perfo...
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Episode 347
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1:03:00
Really Investing in Your Team Isn’t Optional — It’s the Work
Putting time on a calendar isn’t investment. Sending a survey isn’t support.In this solo episode, Russel Lolacher challenges leaders to stop assuming and start asking: What does meaningful investment actually look like for my team?
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Episode 346
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7:38
Busy Is a Leadership Problem (Not a Badge of Honor)
In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with leadership expert and author Kishshana Palmer to unpack why being “busy” has become one of the most damaging habits in modern leadership.They explor...
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Episode 345
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49:40
Talking Is Not Walking: When Leadership Mistakes Dialogue for Action
“Let’s start the conversation” has become a comfortable way for leaders to delay real change.In this R@W Note mini-episode, Host Russel Lolacher explores why talking about improvement isn’t the same as starting it — and how conver...
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Episode 344
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7:51
Tying Motivation to Purpose at Work
Motivation is often treated as something leaders can manufacture from the outside — incentives, goals, performance systems. But without purpose, motivation rarely lasts.In this episode, Ryan Rigterink breaks down why purpose is personal,...
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Episode 343
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53:50
Silence Isn’t Neutral: When Leaders Wait, Teams Drift
Silence in leadership is rarely intentional — but it’s never neutral.In this short R@W Note episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores how delayed communication, hesitation, and “waiting until we know more...
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Episode 342
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7:38
When Job Fit Fails ADHD at Work
ADHD in the workplace is often framed as a performance issue — but what if the real problem is job fit?In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with ADHD career coach Shell Mendelson to unpack why capa...
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Episode 341
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59:21
Performative Leadership vs. Actually Doing the Work
Many leaders say the right things about trust, empathy, and accountability—then quietly fail to follow through. In this short Relationships at Work episode, Russel Lolacher unpacks the difference between looking like a leader ...
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Episode 340
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7:11
The Hidden Cost of Leadership Advancement
What really happens when you move up in an organization?In this episode, Russel Lolacher talks with Sabina Nawaz, leadership strategist, executive coach, and author of You Are the Boss, about the unseen pressures of leade...
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Episode 339
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51:16
What Your Personal Space Is Saying at Work
We talk a lot about what leaders say — but rarely about where they say it.In this short episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores proxemics — the hidden language of personal space — and ho...
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Episode 338
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9:56
Why Presence at Work Is Really About Awareness
Presence at work isn’t about performance — it’s about awareness.In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher talks with Ryan Carey, CEO of BetterOn, about what presence actually means in the workplace and why leader...
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Episode 337
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55:45
The Mentorship Gap No One Talks About
Mentorship is everywhere in leadership conversations — yet many leaders still feel stuck without the guidance they actually need.In this solo mini-episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores why so many mentorship...
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Episode 336
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9:44
Why DEI Gets Stuck in the Middle
Most organizations talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion at the executive level — or delegate it to HR.But that’s not where DEI actually succeeds or fails.In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel speaks with...
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Episode 335
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52:50
Leadership Isn’t Neutral: Understanding the Power You Hold
Every leader has power—whether they acknowledge it or not.In this solo mini-episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher explores the often-overlooked reality of leadership influence and how even small words, actions, ...
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Episode 334
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9:18
Are We Part of the Problem at Work?
Most people can spot dysfunction at work.Bad bosses. Endless emergencies. Burnout masquerading as productivity.But the harder question is this: what role do we play in it?In this episode of Relationships at Work<...
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Episode 333
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59:59
When Managing Your Boss Becomes the Job
What happens when doing your job quietly turns into managing your boss’s ego?In this Relationships at Work mini-episode, Russel Lolacher unpacks the real damage caused by bootlicking cultures — where praise is safer than ...
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Episode 332
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9:15
When Leaders Mean Well — and Still Get It Wrong
Most leaders mean well. That doesn’t mean the impact lands well.In this episode of Relationships at Work, leadership coach and author Dr. Joel Pérez draws on insights from his book Dear White Leader to u...
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Episode 331
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59:36
What a Christmas Table Taught Me About Employee Retention
Employee retention isn’t built with perks, programs, or forced fun.It’s built in the moments where leaders choose to listen, trust, and let teams be themselves.In this mini-episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolache...
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Episode 330
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9:25
How Influence Really Works at Work
Influence gets thrown around like a leadership buzzword — but most people misunderstand what it actually is. It’s not authority. It’s not persuasion. And it’s definitely not performance.In this episode of Relationships at Work, ...
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Episode 329
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50:09