Rethink Culture

"None of us will build great companies. We will lead incredible people who will build great companies. It's a choice. It's a conscious choice." ~Ron LovettWe’re republishing one of our Culture Classics featuring Ron Lovett, Canadian entrepreneur, author of Outrageous Empowerment and Scaling Culture, and CEO of VIDA Living. Ron built and sold a 3500-person security company before launching VIDA to transform affordable housing across North America. In this episode, he shares how vulnerability, empowerment, and accountability became the cornerstones of his leadership and how they can shape yours.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: http://www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to find out:The moment Ron realized culture had to be intentional and personal.How “instimacy” and “funishments” build trust and connection fast.Why vulnerability is a leadership superpower.How Ron screens and coaches for values alignment.The power of daily huddles and Friday value calls.Why culture, not HR, is the future of performance.Further resources:Outrageous Empowerment, by Ron LovettScaling Culture, by Ron LovettThe Song of Significance, by Seth GodinNuts!, by Kevin Freiberg and Jackie FreibergUncommon Service, by Frances Frei and Anne MorrissShoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil KnightGood to Great, by Jim CollinsPrinciples: Life and Work, by Ray DalioBE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0), by Jim CollinsHBR's 10 Must Reads on Talent, by Harvard Business ReviewEpisode Chapters:00:00 — Introduction 01:54 — When culture became important to Ron 07:41 — Writing Outrageous Empowerment09:32 — Service-first mindset 11:42 — Measuring engagement 15:34 — Transparent feedback 18:48 — Leading misfits with love 21:51 — Instimacy: building trust fast 25:48 — Lifelines for connection 27:17 — Funishments: playful accountability 31:26 — Vulnerability & playfulness 33:05 — Leadership expectations 33:46 — Building someone’s best job ever 36:38 — Rethinking culture 40:18 — Peer accountability 42:57 — Ron’s book recommendations 46:42 — From HR to Culture

“The way we define happiness at work is that it's about how you feel in the workplace. Does work typically make you feel good or does work typically make you feel bad? And of course, nobody's happy at work every single day. If somebody's happy all the time, there's something wrong with them. We all have good days and bad days at work.”S04E09 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Alex Kjerulf, Chief Happiness Officer at Woohoo Inc., a global thought leader in workplace wellbeing. With a background in tech and a passion for happiness at work, Alex shares insights from over 20 years of experience helping companies like Microsoft, IKEA, and Hilton build cultures people love. From the dangers of toxic leadership to the power of emotional check-ins, Alex offers practical strategies for creating workplaces that foster joy, purpose, and performance. He also shares personal stories, from swing dancing to launching a comedy show, that reflect his belief in leading with humanity.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• Why toxic leaders harm people and kind leaders drive results• The two drivers of happiness at work: results and relationships• Why effort deserves recognition, not just outcomes.• How storytelling gives even routine jobs deeper meaning• Why emotions matter and how to check in with them• How peer accountability builds trust and performanceFurther resources:• Alex’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiefhappinessofficer/ • Woohoo Inc.: https://www.woohooinc.com • Blog: https://positivesharing.com • Comedy Show: https://becomedanish.com • Happy Hour is 9 to 5: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20642240-happy-hour-is-9-to-5 • Leading with Happiness: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36629449-leading-with-happiness Chapters00:00 — Introduction to Alex Kjerulf01:58 — Introducing Alex’s journey to Woohoo03:00 — Reflecting on a career turning point03:44 — Getting leaders to care about happiness04:52 — Toxic success stories in business06:54 — Comparing leadership styles09:32 — Who seeks help for toxic culture10:31 — Who drives change in organizations11:37 — HR’s limits in shaping culture13:16 — Defining workplace culture terms16:40 — Happiness as a performance driver17:07 — What leads to happiness at work18:16 — Actions that build results & relationships19:51 — Effort vs. results in recognition21:05 — Rewarding what truly matters24:38 — Creating purpose in any industry31:15 — Lessons from leadership mistakes32:43 — Exploring personal growth and impact34:35 — Leadership lessons from swing dancing37:18 — Building accountability through peers40:32 — Emotions as a workplace compass46:04 — Where to connect with Alex online

“I'm always surprised that nobody seems to be worried that we're investing since 70, 80 years, huge amounts of money in training and development, leadership courses... And despite that, we only have... 23% engaged employees around the world, 11% if you go to Europe... So either managers are stupid, or they do it on purpose, or we don't give them what they need... The managers... the ones that I thought were losing a lot of impact, were most of the time, ego-system driven... Those guys, however good they were, systematically got less than the managers... who were... actually putting the employee at the centre, looking for empowerment... the eco-system ones, the respectful, the servant leader kind of ones...”S04E08 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Reggy-Charles Degen to explore the intersection of HR, leadership, and scalable frameworks for people success. Reggy is the founder of Q7Leader, a professor at Solvay Business School in Brussels, and author of The People Model Canvas. With over 20 years in international HR and 12 years as an entrepreneur in HR tech, Reggy shares how his legal and academic background shaped his mission to bridge the gap between managers and employees. He introduces the seven dimensions of the People Model Canvas, explains why HR must evolve from theory to engineering, and challenges traditional views on leadership, performance, and culture. This episode is a masterclass in rethinking how organizations support their people.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• Why HR needs an engineering mindset, not just empathy• The 7 core elements every HR system must include• How the People Model Canvas helps managers scale support• Why competence is the true asset of an organization in the age of rapid change and AI• The difference between ego- and eco-system leadership• Why performance enablement beats performance evaluation• How to equip managers with simple, scalable frameworks• Why HR must prove value in attracting, developing, and retaining talent• How open-source tools can democratize great HR practices• Why HR must master the basics before leading culture workFurther resources:• The Q7Leader Website: https://www.q7leader.com/ • Reggy-Charles on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdegen • People Model Canvas: https://www.peoplemodelcanvas.com/Chapters:00:00 — Introduction to Reggy-Charles Degen01:58 — Reggy’s journey from law to HR03:18 — Transitioning from HR to entrepreneurship05:16 — Why HR fails to support managers effectively06:53 — Overview of the People Model Canvas10:41 — Aha moments from using the framework12:25 — Lessons from building the model over 12 years13:58 — How HR professionals can use the Canvas16:12 — Leadership mistakes and best practices18:17 — Ego-system vs eco-system leadership21:13 — The undervalued role of HR in strategy24:54 — HR vs culture: where the lines blur27:57 — Why managers need frameworks to scale31:33 — What students thank Reggy for35:13 — What Reggy had to rethink personally37:00 — What's stopping Reggy from the best work of his life38:36 — What CEOs should hear about people-first leadership

“A huge catalyst for growth, a huge accelerant, a huge way to improve the business on every dimension is to be a more people-oriented company… The more you support people and the things they want to do with their lives outside of work, the more people are going to cherish the relationship with their employer, the more loyal they're going to be, the harder they're going to work. It becomes this symbiotic harmonious relationship that makes the employee's life better, it makes the business more successful... Stop looking at your employees as a resource that you need to extract as much value out of as possible.”S04E07 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Geoff Roberts, co-founder of Outseta, an all-in-one membership platform and a company that puts people first. In this episode, Geoff shares how Outseta’s unconventional approach to compensation, equity, and organizational structure is rooted in a deep commitment to people-centric values. He explains why every team member earns the same salary, chooses their own work schedule, and receives equity on equal terms, creating a culture of ownership and trust. Geoff also reflects on the importance of life profitability, encouraging leaders to consider how work enriches life beyond financial gain. Geoff makes a compelling case for rethinking traditional business norms in favour of cultures that prioritize autonomy, transparency, and personal growth.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• Why everyone at Outseta earns the same salary and equity terms.• How flexible schedules, ranging from 1 to 5 days per week, support different lifestyles.• Why all team members, including senior staff, handle customer support.• Why Geoff believes in “life profitability” as a measure of success beyond financial metrics.• How open finances and shared ownership guide company decisions.• How quiet generosity and servant leadership shape the culture at Outseta.• How investing in people’s lives outside of work builds deep loyalty and long-term commitment.Further resources:• Outseta’s Website: https://www.outseta.com • Geoff Roberts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffrobertsmarketing/

“AI will put humanity in the centre, and we will value that. We'll value the connections, even for companies, the level of service, the attention that you pay off, that will be at the centre. And I'm convinced it's going to have a big effect.”S04E05 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on David Tomás, founder and CEO of Cyberclick, a successful digital marketing company and one of Spain’s most people-centric workplaces. David is an entrepreneur, author, and business angel with over 15 years' experience mentoring and investing in startups. In this episode, David shares the story of a life-changing skydiving incident that pushed him to reevaluate how he worked and led others. He highlights the importance of transparency, treating employees as adults, and involving them directly in decision-making, including goal-setting. David reflects on how AI, when used intentionally, can support more human, empathetic leadership by freeing up time to focus on people. His vision for the future is rooted in helping more companies adopt a people-first mindset and cultivating meaningful, purpose-driven work cultures.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here:www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:· Why workplace culture should start with a clearly defined purpose.· How participative leadership and transparency unlock motivation and performance.· What happens when employees are invited to co-create company goals.· How AI can enhance, not replace, human-centred leadership.· The long-term impact of treating employees as responsible adults.· Why David believes great cultures scale when leaders focus on people, not just profit.Further resources:· Cyberclick’s Website: https://www.cyberclick.net/ · David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-tomas/· The Happiest Company in the World, by David Tomás: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43077648· The Millennial Diary, by David Tomás: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43580064-diario-de-un-millennial· Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6828896-delivering-happinessChapters00:00 — Introduction to David Tomás01:43 — The Parachute Incident & Outlook Change03:58 — The Current Company Culture Wasn’t Fun04:51 — First Steps Toward Cultural Transformation06:46 — Rituals & Habits David is Proud Of10:42 — Creating Psychological Safety & Embracing Failure12:54 — Family Values Shaping David’s Leadership Style14:07 — Embedding Personal Values into Company Culture18:31 — Customer Reactions to Employee Happiness21:13 — Leadership vs. Team Responsibility23:33 — Micro-Cultures within Traditional Organizations24:11 — The Nonlinear Path to a Fulfilling Culture24:55 — Leadership Mistakes & Lessons Learned26:53 — Common Mistakes Founders Make28:17 — Adult-to-Adult Workplace Relationships30:53 — High Performers vs. Underperformers33:10 — The CEO’s Role in Driving AI Adoption36:55 — AI, Humanity, & the Future of Work39:12 — What CEOs Should Rethink About Culture40:41 — David’s Vision & Hopes for the Next 10 Years41:38 — Where to Find Out More about David

“The number one thing that I hear business owners complain about is my employees don't think, care, or work like I do… The profit-sharing program that I use is for the leadership and the people making the decisions every day that affect profit the most... the goal is to bridge that gap… the thinking, caring, and working like an owner. An owner is going to be… very effective with his time because he's extremely motivated for the success.”S04E03 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Rob Gallaher, a dynamic entrepreneur leading five companies across diverse industries with innovative profit-sharing schemes he designed.In this episode, Rob unpacks how effective profit sharing can cultivate ownership thinking, unity, and motivation in leadership teams. He reflects on past mistakes and shares how shifting to a $1,000 monthly threshold made rewards feel substantial and transformative. Rob emphasizes that true culture-building happens when leaders align incentives with decision-making responsibility and avoid using profit sharing as a substitute for fair wages. He also champions teamwork, communication, and recognition as essential levers in shaping a culture where people push the boulder forward, together. Rob challenges us as leaders to take full responsibility for whether our people act and think like owners.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• Why profit sharing only works when it's designed to truly change lives.• The power of linking financial incentives to decision-making roles, not just job titles.• How over-rewarding individual performance can harm team unity.• Why base pay must be competitive before layering on culture-driven incentives.• How clear communication and shared goals unify a leadership team like a winning sports team.• Why a strong culture means leaders take the blame and share the glory.Further resources:• Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-gallaher-42489374/ • ProfitX Website: https://profitx.phonesites.com • Profit Sharing: The Power of Shared Success, by Rob Gallaher: https://www.amazon.com/Profit-Sharing-Power-Shared-Success/dp/B0DSSTNR3LChapters:00:00 — Introduction to Rob Gallaher01:39 — Rob’s Journey to Entrepreneurship05:52 — Early Reactions from the Team07:52 — The Impact of Profit Sharing on Behaviour09:34 — Real-Life Examples of Cultural Shifts12:38 — When Profit Sharing Is a Good Fit15:02 — Teaching Financial Literacy in the Workplace18:02 — Key Steps to Implementing Profit Sharing21:59 — Balancing Delegation with Validation25:52 — Allocating Profit in a Practical Scenario29:43 — Equal vs. Tiered Profit Distribution34:20 — Inclusion of Lower-Level Roles in Profit Sharing39:12 — The Unintended Signals of Incentive Structures45:14 — Where to Learn More About Rob and His Work

“Your team will always only perform to right here. They're never going to perform above you. They're not going to run faster around the track than you are. They're only going to run as fast as you're running. If you're showing up early, they're going to show up early. If you show up late, they're going to show up late. If you do two extra calls, they're going to do two extra calls… So if we want a higher and higher and higher performing team, then we have to have higher and higher and higher performing leaders of that particular team.”S04E01 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Andy Bailey, bestselling author and founder/CEO of Petra Coach and Boundless.me that inspire, transform, and scale teams and organizations through a no-nonsense entrepreneurial coaching approach. In this episode, Andreas and Andy explore why people, not products or capital, are the true bottleneck to growth and how unlocking individual potential drives collective success. Using “rock-to-rock” mountaineering metaphors, Andy shows how small, focused wins overcome comfort-seeking and build belief. He also explains why leaders must manage both performance and cultural fit in real time, and defines leadership as the ongoing art of setting clear goals, owning outcomes, and inspiring others to join the climb.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• Why people are the true growth engine and how limiting beliefs block organizational scale• The “rock-to-rock” philosophy for conquering big challenges through micro-wins• How immediate, balanced feedback fuels high performance and strengthens culture• The importance of dual grading scales: measuring both output and core-value fit• How servant leadership and genuine appreciation notes drive significance and engagement• Practical steps to define clear expectations, own results, and inspire teams to follow Further resources:• Boundless’ Website: https://boundless.me/ • Boundless Farms’ Website: https://boundlessfarm.com/ • Andy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andybailey/ • No Try Only Do: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34895649-no-try-only-do • Vitamin B (For Business): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50347786-vitamin-b-for-business • Boundless Journal & Guide: https://boundless.me/journal/

“I think that when your people really believe that you care for them, they show up every single day, and they give you 110%... Your people are your business. At the end of the day, as a leader or owner you're just one person. Your people are the face of your company. And if you really breathe life into them and you support them and you actually care for them and see them as more than just a worker, I think it can completely change the experience of your customers or clients.”S03E20 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Tracy Marlowe, CEO and founder of Creative Noggin, a purpose-driven marketing agency that provides women a meaningful career and the support of a family-first culture. Tracy, an avid horseback rider and firm believer of the mind-empowering benefits of meditation and visualization, believes that nurturing has an exponential impact of positive change, as women support so many around them. In this episode, we unpack how Tracy forged Creative Noggin’s culture rooted in authenticity, both in marketing and in treating team members like family. She reflects on launching the company as a six-month-old-baby mom, a journey that transformed her into a servant leader who values clear standards and utilizes the EOS framework to keep her crew aligned, motivated, and accountable. Tracy also shares how volunteering together, celebrating personal dreams, and leading with intentionality fuel both her team’s fulfilment and the company’s success, and inspires leaders to put people first.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• Tracy’s journey from six-month-old mom to confident steward of a growing team.• How authentic marketing and family-first values can coexist and reinforce each other.• Why clear standards and EOS rituals fuel accountability without sacrificing care.• The impact of giving back together on team pride and purpose.• Creative Noggin’s unique practice of dreaming big and celebrating every win.• The role of intentionality in crafting a high-performance, high-fulfilment culture. Further resources:• Tracy’s Website: https://www.tracy-marlowe.com/ • Creative Noggin Website: https://www.creativenoggin.com/ • Tracy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-marlowe/

“People are always looking for three things. They look for something to believe in, which is the vision. They look for someone to believe in, which is a leader, and then they're looking for someone to believe in them, which is their self-worth.”S03E18 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Shivani Gupta, engineer-turned-entrepreneur-turned-educator, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and mentor for female entrepreneurs and leaders. In this episode, Shivani dives deep into how conscious leadership and self-awareness form the bedrock of a thriving workplace culture. Shivani shares how balancing ego with clear values and even meditative rituals helps leaders stay connected to their teams and foster trust. She outlines the power of “tough love” conversations and the 4:1 praise-to-constructive-feedback ratio for fast-tracking cultural health. Finally, she emphasizes the manager’s coach mindset, teaching that regular, direct feedback and empowering employees to own decisions breaks down bottlenecks and scales high-performance cultures.📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• How self-awareness and self-management anchor authentic leadership• Why “tough love” conversations rooted in care, not fear strengthen team bonds• The 4:1 feedback ratio for catching people doing things right and accelerating cultural buy-in• How shifting from authority to a coaching mindset unlocks team autonomy and growth• Balancing masculine and feminine energies for more nuanced leadership• Turning passion into discipline with Shivani’s ASK framework for goal-aligned culture buildingFurther resources:• Shivani’s Website: https://www.askshivani.com/ • Shivani on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askshivani/ • Passion Institute: https://www.passioninstitute.global/ • You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise L. Hay: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129603.You_Can_Heal_Your_Life• Atomic Habits, by James Clear: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40121378-atomic-habits • Leaders Eat Last, by Simon Sinek: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16144853-leaders-eat-last • Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/318431.Long_Walk_to_Freedom

“If you think your team or your organization are not working well, are not doing things, are not to be trusted, are not ready for this, there's something in you here that is all of that. So what in you needs to change, so this space appears for the rest of the team to rise? Be hungry for the collective intelligence to arise. Be happy when you join a meeting and the outcome from it is different from what you envisaged it was going to be. Go with the curiosity of seeing what the solution will be, as opposed to “how am I going to convince everybody that my solution is the one.” If you don't get too attached to your solutions, that's when the magic happens.”S03E16 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Dunia Reverter, co-founder of Krisos, a company that buys and transforms businesses into a force for good, and co-founder of JobsWithNoBoss.com, a job board for self-managed organizations. In this episode, Dunia shares her journey from corporate disillusionment at GE to pioneering radical workplace transformations through self-management, transparency, and distributed leadership. She discusses how Krisos acquires companies and restructures them into self-governing, profit-sharing models, proving that autonomy and trust drive both financial success and employee fulfillment. The conversation dives into decision-making by consent, conflict resolution through emotional intelligence, and liberating meeting structures that foster collective wisdom. Dunia leaves us with actionable insights on how leaders can rethink hierarchy, embrace vulnerability, and cultivate cultures where people thrive. 📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.coProduction, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• Why self-managed organizations without bosses outperform hierarchical structures • The financial and cultural benefits of employee-owned, autonomous workplaces• How collaborative decision-making integrates objections for stronger outcomes• How to build high-trust cultures through conflict resolution and emotional intelligence• Meeting tools like Liberating Structures that boost inclusivity and effectivenessFurther resources:• Krisos’s Website: https://krisos.eu/ • Dunia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethdixonspeaks/ • Reinventing Organizations, by Frederic Laloux: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20787425-reinventing-organizations • Brave New Work, by Aaron Dignan: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40338432-brave-new-work • Moose Heads on the Table, by Lisa Gill and Karin Tenelius: www.goodreads.com/book/show/55048428-moose-heads-on-the-table

“What really changed was the experience during the pandemic. The pandemic, in my view, put a very bright spotlight on things that are not working in society as well, put a spotlight on inequalities that exist in society. But it also put a stark spotlight on what is not working in the workplace, why people are actually quitting, why they're frustrated, and why engagement levels are so low.”S03E14 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Stephan Meier, leading expert at the intersection of behavioural economics, corporate strategy, and the future of work, whose journey from humble beginnings to becoming a renowned professor at Columbia Business School illustrates his deep expertise in human behaviour and organizational strategy. In this episode, Stephan delves into the transformative power of an employee-centric approach and the critical role of trust and intentional leadership in building thriving cultures. He explores the challenges and opportunities of hybrid work, emphasizing the balance between autonomy and effective teamwork. Stephan also reflects on how data-driven insights and AI can be leveraged to create personalized and engaging employee experiences. He advocates for leadership that shifts from micromanagement to empowered coaching, ultimately driving sustainable business success through enriched workplace culture.The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Score provides an X-ray of your organisational culture, allowing you to measure and manage it.Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to discover:• The impact of employee-centric leadership on business success.• Balancing autonomy with collaboration in a hybrid work environment.• Treating employees as the new customers to drive innovation.• Leveraging data and AI for personalized employee experiences.• The importance of trust and intentional social interactions at work.• Real-world examples of transformative cultural practices.https://youtu.be/i8jLV8IjJbUFurther resources:• Stephan’s Website: https://www.stephanmeier.com/ • Stephan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephan-meier-cbs/

"The best organizations will win the battle for talent by creating cultures that allow people to be their best more frequently. And that means one of your practices as a leader needs to be gathering stories that tell you when your people are at their best."We're republishing one of our "Culture Classics" with Spencer Harrison, a professor of organizational behaviour at INSEAD Business School and TED speaker. Spencer's expertise and research are widely recognized in the field, and his work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Money, and Inc. magazines. He co-founded The Creative Collaboratorium, the world's largest working group of creativity researchers, and serves as a culture advisor to some of the world's fastest growing companies, including Google, Salesforce, and Deloitte.Spencer shares his journey from English to business professor and provides insight into ways of identifying outstanding management and leadership. He describes the differences and relationships between big C culture and small C culture, and highlights the value of a healthy work-life balance for employees. Despite their unpopularity, he stresses the role of office meetings in maintaining company culture and explains why leaders should take an interest in story-gathering and storytelling.The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.Listen to this episode to find out:· Spencer's journey from wanting to be an animator and a poet to becoming a business professor.· How to identify the excellent managers and the high-performing leaders.· What is big C culture and what is small C culture.· What anthropologists discovered conducting research on tribes sharing a sack of rice.· The role of meetings in building a culture supported by visual information.· How high-performing leaders transform meetings into cultural moments.· Why leaders need to be story-gatherers and storytellers.· How to give a sense of meaning to your team through stories.· Why culture should not be abstract values and impersonal behaviours, but personal and relatable stories.· Why culture needs to meet strategy, not just for breakfast but also for lunch, dinner and the after party.· What you can do to create a better work-life balance for the people in your organisation.· If we need the office to maintain culture.Further resources:· Spencer Harrison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curiosityatwork/· INSEAD: https://www.insead.edu/· Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda: https://www.amazon.com/The-Book-of-Questions/dp/1592703224· Odes to Common Things, by Pablo Neruda: https://www.amazon.com/Common-Things-Bilingual-Pablo-Neruda/dp/0821220802