ACHIEVE Workplace Culture

What does it really mean to feel a sense of belonging at work—and how do you create that without sacrificing individual identity? In this episode, Eric Stutzman, Chris Downey, and Wendy Loewen dive deep into the role of shared identity in cultivating a healthy workplace culture. From whiteout parties in Winnipeg to personal stories about visual markers and onboarding rituals, the team explores how people thrive when they feel like they're part of something bigger—without losing what makes them unique. You'll learn: Why belonging is essential for well-being and workplace performance How to use stories, symbols, and shared purpose to foster connection The importance of onboarding, accountability, and visual identity What remote and hybrid teams can do to intentionally create belonging How moments of challenge or success can build stronger teams Try our free Culture Transformation Starter Kit!

In this episode, Eric Stutzman and Chris Downey are joined by special guest and podcast producer Scott McKay—long-time listener and first-time co-host—to answer real questions gathered from middle managers across their organisation. The team dives deep into the realities, challenges, and responsibilities of middle management, including how to lead with care and clarity when you're not the one making the big decisions. Key topics include:

In this episode of the ACHIEVE Workplace Culture Podcast, Chris Downey and Wendy Loewen explore the often-overlooked topic of power dynamics in the workplace. With special guest Jeff Couillard, co-CEO and Chief Learning Architect at The Ally Co, they dive into how power—both seen and unseen—affects culture, leadership, and organisational change. Key takeaways include: The five different types of power in the workplace How leaders unknowingly misuse power—and how to correct it The connection between power, burnout, and engagement Why self-awareness isn't enough—leaders need other-awareness Practical strategies for leaders to foster psychological safety and feedback Plus, hear Jeff's powerful insights on why self-care is ethical, not optional, and how leaders can balance authority while fostering collaboration. Resources & Links: • Fixable Podcast (Frances Frei & Anne Morriss) • At Work with The Ready Podcast • All About Love by Bell Hooks Try our free Culture Transformation Starter Kit!

In this episode, we dive into a crucial question: How do you know if you need to assess your workplace culture? We explore the warning signs of cultural misalignment, share real-world stories of organizational challenges, and provide actionable strategies for leaders at all levels. Here's what we cover: The importance of continuous culture assessment Recognizing the subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs of culture breakdown How values, behaviours, and systems must align for long-term success The role of leadership and middle management in shaping culture Try our free Culture Transformation Starter Kit!

Change is inevitable in the workplace, but how it's managed can make or break your organization's culture. In this episode, we unpack the concept of “socializing change”—an approach that transforms uncertainty into opportunity by putting people at the center of the process. Here's what we cover: • The impact of rapid technological and societal changes on workplace dynamics. • Why engaging employees early in the change process fosters trust and collaboration. • Lessons from real-world examples: a salary shift that failed and a digital transformation that created resistance. • Actionable strategies for leaders, including transparent communication, empathy-driven problem-solving, and creative storytelling. We also spotlight Humans Are Underrated by Geoff Colvin, exploring the human traits—empathy, collaborative creativity, and storytelling—that are essential for shaping a positive workplace culture during times of change. Whether you're a leader navigating transformation or someone passionate about workplace culture, this episode is packed with insights to help you lead with purpose and build a stronger, more connected team. Try our free Culture Transformation Starter Kit!

In this episode, we break down how to plan intentional team-building events that go beyond your average trust fall. Go from fun-for-fun's-sake to real results—this is about creating experiences that: Strengthen workplace culture Foster meaningful connections Align with your organization's values and goals We'll show you how to make team-building a powerful tool for growth, collaboration, and culture transformation. Try our free Culture Transformation Starter Kit!

In this episode, we explore polarizing topics in the workplace and the leader's role in equipping a team to navigate these discussions in productive ways. With actionable insights and practical tips, discover how to turn challenging conversations into opportunities to build a stronger workplace culture. Try our free Culture Transformation Starter Kit!

What happens when employees don't feel safe owning up to their mistakes? We explore the risks organizations face when trust is lacking and how team safety plays a crucial role in creating a growing and thriving culture. Join us as we break down practical strategies to foster openness, accountability, and resilience in teams when mistakes happen. Try our free Culture Transformation Toolkit!

In this episode, we talk about the paradox of leadership wellness—how taking time off can actually be one of the most productive things a leader does, but that wellness comes from many sources including our approach to work itself. We argue that leaders who prioritize their own well-being play a vital role in shaping positive workplace culture, fostering a more engaged and productive environment for their teams. We also reference Time Off by Max Frenzel, discussing how intentional rest and balance can empower leaders to bring their best selves to work. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

In this episode, we dive deep into a topic that every business leader, middle manager, and HR decision-maker needs to hear: employee wellness. But we're not just talking about your typical wellness programs. We're exploring how to build a thriving workplace culture that truly supports your team's well-being. True employee wellness is the result of a healthy, values-driven workplace culture, not just a series of programs. Leaders play a pivotal role in setting the tone and supporting holistic well-being. Don't miss this insightful episode that promises to equip you with the knowledge and tools to create a workplace where everyone thrives. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

In this episode, we debate whether filling positions from within or outside your organization is best. We consider the potential impacts this decision can have on your workplace culture and discuss how to safeguard your employees' well-being when making these choices. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

In this episode, we discuss the validity of the idea that “nobody wants to work anymore” and why the fast-food industry needs their employees to find purpose in their work. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

How do you talk about performance in your organization? What happens when people don't perform? This week, we discuss the connection between performance and culture, the leader's role, and how to facilitate a happy and high-performing workplace. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Does your organization suffer from a culture of overwork? This week, we look we dig into the HBR article, How to Fix your Company's Culture of Overwork. We also discuss the danger in assuming your high-performing employees aren't struggling. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Can siloing team members in an organization have a positive impact? This week, we explore the impacts of information siloing on workplace culture, and we dig into the Sloan MIT article, Building Culture From the Middle Out. We also discuss the important role middle managers play in embodying a company's values. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Wendy, Chris, and Eric discuss the philosophy of getting rid of stupid stuff that are negatively impacting your bottom line and workplace culture. If a meeting doesn't have a purpose or payoff, should you not go? They also discuss other lean methodologies and how to eliminate waste in your organization. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Wendy, Chris, and Eric decide if they can extract succession planning advice from the Queen of Denmark's recent throne abdication to her son. They also explore Workplace Trends Leaders Should Watch in 2024. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

What do workplace well-being and Swifties have in common? This week we explore Deloitte's article, Six leader/worker disconnects affecting workplace well-being, as well as Daniela Devitt's piece, What Leaders Can Learn from Taylor Swift. We also discuss the importance of continuous growth and learning as leaders. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

What does a culture of curiosity look like, and why should you care? Episode 25 delves into Scott Shigeoka's insights on fostering curiosity with 4 Phrases That Build a Culture of Curiosity. We also tackle FTX and the complex issue of executive accountability, along with a special announcement about our show's hosting. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Our hosts Wendy and Eric are joined by guest host Chris Downey to discuss Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss' article, 10 Pitfalls That Destroy Organizational Trust. They also consider what lessons we can learn from the current political climate and how they relate to maintaining a healthy workplace culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Poor performance in the workplace affects more than just the bottom line – it can impact the entire organization. In this episode, we discuss the Let's Grow Leaders article, Why So Many Managers Tolerate Poor Performance (and what to do instead), as well as Daniel Coyle's book, The Culture Code. We also look at the impact of the back-to-school season on organizational culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Can your business afford to NOT give your employee's a raise? In this episode, we look at the impact of inflation on wages, and it's affect on staff and organizational culture. We also discuss HBR's article [Getting Along: My Coworker is Sabotaging Me – and my Boss Won't Help](). In this episode, we reference the books: Getting Along by Amy Gallo The Culture Question by Us and Mike LaBun Culture Shock by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter, Ph.D. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

How do you keep people from quitting? And what's with all the strikes in the news this summer? In this episode, we welcome guest host Joddie Walker, we discuss Inc. Magazine's article How Can You Be Sure Your Employees Won't Quit. We also analyze what is happening with all the strikes in the news and what that has to do with workplace culture. In this episode, we reference three books: Culture Shock by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter, Small Giants, by Bo Burlingham, and Satisfaction Guaranteed by Micheline Maynard. We also reference Gallup's article, How Important Is Time in the Office?, by Jim Harter. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

We know mergers often tend to be difficult. From government departments to entire businesses. In this episode we look at the PGA Tour and LIV merger as an exploration for what happens when two radically different cultures meet practical steps to facilitate the merging process. We also spotlight the MIT Sloan article Take a Skills-Based Approach to Culture Change. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

In this episode, we compare the coronation of King Charles III as it relates to senior leadership changes in organizations. We also discuss the UBC study, When employees leave their jobs, coworkers call it quits, and explore the impacts of employee turnover on workplace culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

What does it mean to be a trauma-informed organization? With guest host and co-author of A Little Book on Trauma-Informed Workplaces Nathan Gerbrandt, we discuss how leaders can improve workplace culture by being trauma-aware, without needing a degree in social work or psychology. We also discuss how our organization is changing and what we are doing to manage this change effectively. And we spotlight PwC's 2023 Trust Survey and CTRI's Trauma-Informed Online Assessment. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Have you ever felt that the word “busy” has become synonymous with “I'm doing good?” In this podcast, we look at HBR's article, Beware a Culture of Busyness, and talk strategy for making sure work is meaningful, not just busy. We also discuss the Silicon Valley Bank failure and what it might say about workplace culture when people aren't ringing alarm bells early enough to prevent failure. We also spotlight the book, Nine Lies about Work, by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Have you been thinking about how AI will affect your workplace culture? Do you know what gets in the way of culture change? Listen as we discuss Inc.'s article, Eliminate These 5 Roadblocks to Build a Winning Culture in Your Business, and how ChatGPT and AI will affect workplace culture. We also reference two books: Culture Is the Way by Matt Mayberry and The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Quiet quitting? How about quiet firing?! In this episode, your hosts Eric, Wendy, and Randy discuss the Gallup article “Quiet Firing: What It Is and How to Stop Doing It” and talk about the three common mistakes that lead to quiet firing as well as what to do about them. They also explore the FTX collapse and what it says about a leader's role in setting an ethical tone for workplace culture. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

How much attention does your organization give to middle managers? In this episode, we delve into Erica Keswin's article, To Retain Your Best Employees, Invest in Your Best Managers, and talk about ways to give middle management the consideration and love they deserve as direct drivers of the employee experience. We also discuss Disney's move to reinstate Bob Igor as CEO after Bob Chapek's short run, and what we should all be learning about succession planning. We also reference Bob Igor's book, The Ride of a Lifetime. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

How do rising interest rates, inflation, and job insecurity affect workplace culture? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss leading through uncertain times, and then dissect the MIT Sloan article, How to Fix a Toxic Culture. They also explore the importance of leadership's role in detoxing their workplace. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Should we encourage friendships to grow at work? What about best friends? In this episode, we're joined by guest host Vicki Enns as we examine HBR's article The Power of Work Friends. Then we dive into the use of software to monitor employees and ask whether organizations should be using this kind of software or if there's a better way (spoiler alert: we are not fans of bossware). For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Is “quiet quitting” something we should be paying attention to? And if so, how should we deal with it? In this episode, we explore the Forbes article, 5 Ways To Combat Quiet Quitting, and then we dive into MSNBC's article, Firing of Canadian news anchor, reportedly due to gray hair, sparks controversy. Whether Lisa LaFlamme was let go due to her gray hair or not, we are certain that workplaces should be talking about fair standards in the ways they try to manage the appearance of their employees. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

Is your organization fair? What are you doing in addition to DEI efforts? In this episode, we examine the HBR article, How Fair Is Your Workplace, and debate what it means to be a fair organization. We also reference the Verge article, Zuck Turns Up the Heat, and ask whether Mark Zuckerberg could have dealt with his workplace stressors more effectively in front of his employees. For more resources on leadership and workplace culture visit achievecentre.com

What's so powerful about clearly articulating our organization's purpose? In this episode, Wendy, Randy, and Eric dive into this topic as they discuss MIT Sloan Management Review's article, Unlock the Power of Purpose. Then they ask the question, “When is it time to revisit your organization's values?” Also referenced in this podcast are the following books: The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni Looptail by Bruce Poon Tip The Culture Question by Randy Grieser, Eric Stutzman, Wendy Loewen, and Mike Labun The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo The Education of a Value Investor by Guy Spier

Do our performance management systems need to change? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss Gallup's new article, “Performance Management Must Evolve,” and then debate Elon Musk's new mandate for staff to return to the office. Also mentioned in this episode are Marcus Buckingham's book, The Nine Lies about Work, and Small Giants by Bo Burlingham.

What should we do about “toxic” coworkers? Is it even helpful to use labels like “toxic”? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric debate the Inc. article, The 5 Most Toxic Co-Workers or Employees and How to Deal with Them, and then discuss the role of workplace climate assessments and the impact of how leadership responds to their findings.

Are we really facing a great resignation? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss the HBR article, The “Great Resignation” Is a Misnomer. They also tackle how to deal with the impact of high inflation on our staff and workplace cultures.

How should we support our staff during an international crisis? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss how to lead others when war is top of mind. They also review the article, 10 Things Your Corporate Culture Needs to Get Right, and talk about Amy Edmondson's book, The Fearless Organization.

With COVID restrictions loosening and organizations asking their staff to return to the office, we ask the question, What's the best way to manage employee resistance? Listen to Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss the HBR article, How to Overcome Return-to-Office Resistance, and talk about how to say goodbye to an employee who has chosen to leave for other opportunities. Also highlighted are the following books: Leading Change, Our Iceberg Is Melting, and Small Giants.

What's the right way to take ownership for a mistake and apologize? Randy, Wendy, and Eric explore what leaders can learn from Boris Johnson's “Partygate” and share insights from their new book, Don't Blame the Lettuce. Also highlighted is Robert Iger's book, The Ride of a Lifetime.

Should we stop having work holiday parties? Listen as Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss this question and review Inc. Magazine's article, Forget Throwing a Holiday Party. They also discuss the importance of hiring as it relates to workplace culture. Highlighted are ACHIEVE's new workshop, COVID Conversations – Strategies for Polarizing Interactions, and the book, Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress.

We all felt the immediate impacts of COVID-19 back in 2020, but how has it affected workplace culture nearly two years later? Listen as Randy, Wendy, and Eric discuss this question and Harvard Business Review's new article, How Companies Can Improve Employee Engagement Right Now. They also highlight the ACHIEVE blog, 4 Steps for Recovering from a Mistake at Work and talk about the Leadership Development Survey Summary from their upcoming book, Don't Blame the Lettuce.

In this short episode, co-host Randy Grieser reviews three questions people are asking about this new podcast: “Why workplace culture?” “What can you expect from this show?” and “Why listen to us?” http://achievecentre.com/