Have the Conversation Anyway: Trust, Vulnerability & Culture Change

Welcome back to Beneath the Transaction.

This week we sit down with Alix Prassas — an organizational effectiveness leader with more than two decades of experience in People & Culture, global organizational development, DEI, and change management.

But this conversation isn’t about frameworks.

It’s about the moments that shape culture quietly and powerfully.

Alix shares her journey from working in a family business to leading large-scale transformation efforts, and what she’s learned about trust, vulnerability, and accountability along the way.

Together, we explore:

• Why culture is formed beneath the surface

• How small leadership moments shape belonging

• Why vulnerability is a prerequisite for trust

• What accountability looks like when it’s rooted in relationship

• Why conversations around diversity require courage and openness

• And what it means to “have the conversation anyway”

This episode is honest. It’s practical. And it reminds us that transformation isn’t about bold declarations — it’s about consistent courage.

It takes a Tribe to practice transformation.

Let’s practice this together.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Culture Change

01:58 Alix's Background and Journey

06:32 The Importance of Culture in Retail

14:34 Building Trust and Vulnerability

20:25 Navigating Difficult Conversations

30:58 The Role of Accountability in Leadership

40:28 Personal Stories and Lessons Learned

50:11 Final Thoughts on Culture Transformation