Leaderhood & Parentship

#71 - Welcome back! This week we’re talking about the science of happiness. First, we banter about marketing trends and how they relate to Shane’s work with leaders. Then, we dive into what the “science” of happiness is. Can happiness really be measured? Is it what we think it is? What does it mean for those of us who don’t experience it deeply? And, can it be disordered? Then, Shane breaks down the key distinction between eudaemonic and hedonic happiness. If you have follow-up question...

#69 - A lack of motivation, increased negativity about the self and others, a lack of pride in work… These are all common symptoms of burnout that we’ve normalized in today’s society. And, we don’t need to. In this episode, Shane breaks down what burnout is, which industries it shows up most in, how leaders can determine if an employee is facing burnout, and how to remedy the condition based on your Cognitive Colour. If you have follow-up questions, you can always reach us at podcast@cu...

#67 - What does it cost you to be kind? No, really. There is a cost associated with kindness that often we aren’t willing to pay. Why? That’s the focus of this episode. Shane first breaks down the defining components of kindness. Then, we explore why kindness is important, how it is viewed in both neuroscience and psychology, and common misconceptions leaders have about kindness. Shane explains why kindness needs to go both ways in the workplace (it is not only the responsibility of the leade...

#65 - When’s the last time you received praise for something and it really made you feel a surge of pride? We’re guessing it’s less often than you’d think. Most of us never learned how to use praise effectively, making it feel more like a “nice to have” than an effective leadership strategy. But, the importance of praise should not be discounted. In this episode, Shane breaks down the model CultureSmith Inc. uses to deliver impactful, high performance praise. First, Shane explains the importa...

#63 - Over this past year there were 6 key occasions that changed the way Shane and CultureSmith Inc. framed coaching. Inspired by clients, Shane’s own experiences, and stories, this episode breaks down these 6 “aha” moments in easy to understand terms for quick application. From incorporating sensory language, to using storytelling as an accountability driver, consider this your emotional intelligence trend report for 2023. If you have follow-up questions, you can always reach us at po...

#61 - If you’ve been listening for some time, you’ve likely heard Shane mention the enormous impact a 360 review had on his life and career. But, what we haven’t discussed is how these reviews are performed. This episode breaks that process down. First, we talk about a negative podcast review we got (this review was removed by the poster before this episode aired) as an example of feedback. Then, we transition into the role of 360 reviews and why they’re a crucial way for leaders to get feedb...

#59 - There’s this perception that anyone who wants to be a leader needs to be a manager. Or that managers naturally will become leaders. In this episode, Shane breaks down the reality of these two distinct roles and why they don’t exist on a linear trajectory. Shane explains the method CultureSmith Inc. uses to identify leadership and management traits in employees and how they help companies fill their leadership gaps. On the home front, Shane answers the question, “is there such thing as a...

#57 - Previously, we talked about the different stages of organizational change. This time, we’re taking a deep dive into the 6 why's leaders need to address with each team member in order for change to happen effectively. Shane explains what the 6 whys are and how to address each one with team members, how our Cognitive Colours factor-in. Then, we flip things to the home and talk about how change shows up and strategies to handle it. If you have follow-up questions, you can always rea...

#55 - The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is a business book written by consultant and speaker, Patrick Lencioni. In it, he breaks down 5 issues teams face: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. CultureSmith follows a similar structure where conflict, accountability, and commitment rank extremely high as culture builders. However, Shane takes a unique approach to these dysfunctions to suit them to a modern workplace. In th...

#53 - Does the word “confrontation” evoke some feelings in you? Maybe negative ones? A confrontation doesn’t need to be a negative thing, but so many people avoid them because they don’t know how to have them effectively. In this episode, we’re breaking down the stereotypes and misinformation about confrontations. We discuss what a confrontation actually is, how it differs from a conflict or a fight, positive confrontations, and how to do this consciously at the workplace. Shane explains why ...

#51 - Has there been more anger in the world over the past few years? How about in the workplace? In a way, we’ve lost practice with how to interact with each other in space, and this is becoming increasingly apparent as companies continue to roll out return-to-office plans. In this episode, we start off by explaining the definition of anger. We then walk through the spectrum of anger, how to help someone experiencing anger, if “anger issues” are really that prevalent, and how the emotion sho...

#49 - Do you feel like there has been an increase in unreasonable asks at work? It’s likely coming from entitlement – but before you take that term and run with it, it’s important to understand what entitlement actually is. In the first 10-minutes of this episode, Shane debunks the common misunderstandings about entitlement. Then, we discuss what entitlement actually points to and how leaders can identify and approach the response from an emotionally intelligent lens. Shane shares dos and don...

#47 - What does the future of work look like? For decades we have operated in rules-based organization cultures. On paper, they look good. Everyone knows their role and what will happen if they don’t do it properly. However, as we move into a world where employees increasingly have choice around where they work and who they work for, can we expect these outdated models to still attract top talent? Shane argues no. In this episode, Shane breaks down the 5 pillars of a choice-based organization...