Episode #46: The Case for Workplace Civility: How Psychological Safety and Clear Standards of Behavior Drive Team Success: A Conversation with Ellen Burton

Want a more generous, high-performing team? Create a culture and environment where your people feel safe. In this sharp and energizing episode, Ellen Burton joins Amy Vodarek and Lynette Winter for a conversation every leader needs to hear. Ellen is an executive leadership coach, keynote speaker, and author of The Civility Project, which raises awareness of old patterns of unhealthy and harmful behaviors in the workplace and opens pathways to a more reverent and civilized culture. Her gift for changing minds and hearts is evident as she shares her insights on the staggering cost of toxic culture to the quiet power of clearly communicated standards of behavior. Whether you're hiring, setting expectations, or navigating conflict, her wisdom will help you build a culture where humans—and results—truly thrive. Key Moments You’ll Want to Hear: 03:01 – Why psychological safety leads to generosity, and how leaders can foster it. 05:16 – The real secret to motivating your team. 07:09 – The hidden costs of toxic culture—lost talent, broken trust, damaged partnerships—and why unaddressed conflict drains your bottom line. 12:35 – Why your interview process should already be modeling the standards of behavior you expect inside your organization. 16:52 – What today’s high performers want from leadership—and what they won’t tolerate. 19:20 – The difference between “call-in” and “call-out” culture and how each impacts team trust and growth. 23:24 – Practical ways to set standards of behavior that help everyone succeed—starting now. 27:27 – The #1 teambusting behavior—and how to spot it before it spreads. 28:20 – Hiring smarter starts with better questions. What to ask before you make a costly mis-hire. 31:33 – How to navigate conflict based on the type of trust that’s (actually) present. 36:34 – Your team’s biggest opportunity? Slowing down. 42:13 – What leaders in high-stakes environments can teach the rest of us about working better together. 45:03 – Conversations that count. What presence looks like—and why it matters. 48:19 – Practices to show up as your best self—even on hard days. Leadership is not about telling, it's about teaching. It's about coaching. Sit back, slow down, and enjoy this wonderful conversation with our newest team member, Ellen Burton. Listen now. 🎧 About Ellen Burton An inspirational leader and catalyst for change, Ellen is an Executive Coach, business lecturer, and motivational speaker. Formerly an Executive Sales Consultant with pharmaceutical corporations, she founded her Executive Coaching firm in 2004. Ellen authored The Civility Project and contributed to Professional Leadership. She enjoys golf, tennis, and community service. You can find her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-j-burton-she-her-0702289/ About the Book Growing Groups Into Teams: How do you turn a group of individuals into a highly effective, productive team? Growing Groups Into Teams is an unusually useful book written by a team of generative consultants and coaches who have helped thousands of groups become effective teams. Through real-life stories combined with pragmatic advice, this book strengthens your ability to see what’s needed and take effective action: What two promises turn a group into a team. How to engage people to make those promises. How to invite responsibility and accountability. How to include and inspire people across differences. How to build and rebuild trust, and more! Regardless of how productive your teams are today, the insights in this book will help you grow to the next level to drive your business or organization forward. Order your copy today! Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Groups-into-Teams-Real-life-ebook/dp/B0CJLC23VS Order directly: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?l8SxF4Aexn9gq08iz7jFBbwutleujrftoZ2wAOFzCVH If you're looking to expand your leadership influence, shift your results, and develop a highly engaged, accountable team, we’d love to talk to you. Schedule a conversation with an Altus Team Member here: https://calendly.com/prollin-altusgrowth/zoom-video-30-min Follow us on social media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners https://www.facebook.com/AltusGrowth https://www.instagram.com/altusgrowthpartners/ Keywords: #Leadership #TeamDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety #CivilityProject #WorkplaceCulture #ConflictResolution #Trust #Communication #Generosity #EmotionalSafety