What if the most powerful leadership skill isn’t speaking but listening?

In this episode of Build a Vibrant Culture, Nicole Greer sits down with listening expert and author Oscar Trimboli to unpack how deep listening can transform workplace culture, improve communication, and even save organizations time and money.

Drawing from research with over 36,000 workplace listeners, Oscar reveals why most leaders aren’t actually listening and how that creates systemic cultural challenges across teams.

You’ll discover:

• Why listening is a skill, strategy, and daily practice
• How poor listening leads to wasted time, rework, and disengaged employees
• The 5 levels of listening and why most people never get past level one
• Simple, practical ways to improve communication in meetings immediately, and make them more efficient (and shorter)
• How better listening reduces resistance to change and builds trust
• Why employee feedback systems fail and how to fix them

If you’re a leader, manager, or anyone responsible for building a healthy workplace culture, this conversation will challenge how you think about communication and give you tools you can use right away.

Remember: People don’t resist change. They resist not being heard.

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Learn more about training, coaching, and courses at https://vibrantculture.com

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to podcast@vibrantculture.com

What if the skills we’ve been calling “soft” are actually the most powerful skills a leader can have?

In this episode, Nicole sits down with leadership expert Nanci Appleman-Vassil to break down the essential power skills that separate average leaders from truly impactful ones. With over 25 years of experience in organizational development, Nanci shares real-world insights on feedback, communication, self-awareness, and the subtle behaviors that shape workplace culture.

Together, they unpack why traditional approaches to leadership often fall short—and how mastering these 8 power skills can transform your team’s engagement, performance, and trust.

From reading the energy in a room to giving feedback that actually drives change, this conversation is packed with practical strategies leaders can start using immediately.

If you want to build a culture where people feel seen, heard, and motivated to grow—this episode is your playbook.

💡The 8 Power Skills Every Leader Needs

1. Reading the Room – 00:04:04
   Picking up on energy, body language, and engagement the moment you walk in
2. Giving Meaningful Feedback – 00:13:51
   Why telling isn’t feedback—and how to show you actually care
3. Addressing Issues in the Moment – 00:14:23
   “I’ll get to it later” vs. handling things in real time
4. Adapting Your Communication Style – 00:30:53
   The danger of “this is just how I am” leadership
5. Creating Psychological Safety – 00:32:26
   How rigid leadership styles push people to disengage or leave
6. Building Self-Awareness – 00:24:15
   Using tools like DiSC to understand yourself and others
7. Staying Curious Instead of Judgmental – 00:17:25
   The “Ed” story: engaging instead of labeling behavior
8. Connecting Strategy to People – 00:36:19
   Why strategic planning must include people—not just process

Connect with Nanci:

• 18 Common Mistakes Small Business Owners Make: https://a.co/d/069ec1Zw
• Nanci's Website: https://www.nanciapplemanvassil.com/
• APLS Group Website: https://aplsgroup.com/
• Nanci's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanciapplemanvassil/
• APLS Group LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/281681/admin/dashboard/
• FREE DOWNLOAD: You're on the Workplace Stage https://talk.ac/nanci (Code: KIND)

Listen at vibrantculture.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts!

Book Nicole to help your organization ignite clarity, accountability, and energy through her SHINE™ Coaching Methodology.
Visit vibrantculture.com
Email: nicole@vibrantculture.com
Watch Nicole’s TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/SMbxA90bfXE

Disruption isn't something to survive—it's something to leverage.

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with leadership expert and co-author of Disrupt Everything and Win, Patrick Leddin, to unpack how leaders can stop reacting to change and start using it as fuel for growth.

At the center of the conversation is a powerful idea: Great leaders don’t just respond to disruption—they choose the role the moment requires.

You’ll be introduced to the 5 roles every leader must play in times of disruption:

• The Trailblazer, who takes initiative and moves toward change
• The Torchbearer, who brings others along and builds momentum
• The Firefighter, who protects focus by saying “not now”
• The Fire Chief, who anchors the team in purpose and stability
• The Tinder Gatherer, who slows things down to create clarity and better decisions

Along the way, you’ll learn how to tap into your inner “fire” (purpose), apply the Positive Disruptor Loop, and build the kind of resilience that allows you—and your team—to thrive in uncertainty.

If you’re leading through change, navigating challenges, or simply trying to make smarter decisions in a fast-moving world, this episode will give you the mindset and tools to not just handle disruption… but win through it.

Vibrant Highlights:

[03:28] Why Disruption Isn’t About Changing Everything - Sometimes the most powerful move is saying no and doubling down on what matters most.

[13:58] The Positive Disruptor Loop - Disrupt → Discern → Behave → Achieve → Refine — the cycle that builds resilience and results.

[28:31] The Anatomy of a Positive Disruptor - 16 behaviors across mindset, communication, courage, and action.

[44:00] Reset the Room - One simple leadership move that can instantly shift energy and engagement.

[48:42] A Personal Story on Disrupting Relationships - Why small intentional changes can deeply transform your most important connections.

Connect with Patrick:

Disrupt Everything and Win book: https://a.co/d/0hCqJePI
FREE Download: jamespatterson.com/disrupt-downloads
Websites: patrickleddin.com • jamespatterson.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickleddin/

Also mentioned in this episode:
The Path by Laurie Beth Jones https://a.co/d/03nMdLWN

Listen at vibrantculture.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts!

Book Nicole to help your organization ignite clarity, accountability, and energy through her SHINE™ Coaching Methodology.
Visit vibrantculture.com
Email: nicole@vibrantculture.com
Watch Nicole’s TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/SMbxA90bfXE