Episodios

  • Building Belonging with One Simple Ritual

    Building Belonging with One Simple Ritual
    Sep 25 2025
    Culture isn’t a memo—it’s a rhythm. In this final segment, Amber shares one small ritual that makes a big difference in team belonging.
    Amber’s Insight:
    Belonging is built in the small, consistent moments—and leaders don’t need to wait for HR to create them.

    Dr. Anita’s Post-Podcast Prescription:
    Start doing:
    Introduce a “5-Minute Share” in your team meetings.
    Each week, someone leads by asking a thoughtful or fun question.
    Rotate the leader. Keep it light.
    Create a rhythm of connection.

    Why It Matters:
    Culture lives in your calendar. And rituals like this create psychological safety, deepen connection, and boost retention—without requiring more time. Try This:
    Add “5-Minute Share” as the first bullet on your next meeting agenda. Then let the team take it from there.
    Be sure to stay in the FLO:
    ✅ Follow
    ✅ Like
    ✅ Overshare with your network
    …and repost with your own insight. I want to hear your voice in this community of practice!
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    5 m
  • Reframing Feedback Through a Leadership Lens

    Reframing Feedback Through a Leadership Lens
    Sep 23 2025
    In this bite-sized episode, Amber shares how leaders can shift from delivering feedback that causes defensiveness to offering feedback that inspires growth and engagement. The key? Clarity and intention. Amber’s Insight:
    Leaders who frame feedback through a lens of opportunity foster stronger, more trusting teams. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, focus on what’s possible. Dr. Anita’s Post-Podcast Prescription:
    Start doing this month:
    Next time you give feedback, open with a growth-centered phrase like: “I see an opportunity for you to…”
    Notice how your team becomes more open, engaged, and ready to rise. Why It Matters:
    Framing feedback well isn’t just good communication—it’s good leadership. And it’s a core move toward building teams that trust faster and perform better. Try This:
    Before your next one-on-one, write down one opportunity-based feedback phrase. Use it. Watch what happens. Be sure to stay in the FLO:
    ✅ Follow
    ✅ Like
    ✅ Overshare with your network
    …and repost with your own insight. I want to hear your voice in this community of practice!
    Más Menos
    7 m
  • Bite-Sized Leadership for Big-Time Impact

    Bite-Sized Leadership for Big-Time Impact
    Sep 22 2025
    Hello Community!
    This week marks the continuation of our new format—5 to 7 minutes of real talk designed to fit your busy schedule and still leave you with actionable insights about leadership, influence, and culture. Because transformation shouldn’t be time-consuming.

    In this series, I welcome Amber Micala Arnold, powerhouse messaging strategist, who shares how to:
    · Reframe leadership feedback to inspire action—not resistance
    · Influence inclusively by making room for all voices
    · Build connection with simple, consistent team rituals

    At the end of each episode, you’ll get Dr. Anita’s Post-Podcast Prescription—a practical takeaway to help you:
    · Stop what’s not working
    · Start something that will
    · Do more of what builds trust
    · Do less of what drains team culture

    This week’s insight? Change your frame. Change your focus. Change your future.

    If you’re ready to lead with more intention, influence authentically, and shape a culture that’s resilient and effective—then this series is for you.

    Be sure to stay in the FLO:
    ✅ Follow
    ✅ Like
    ✅ Overshare with your network
    …and repost with your own insight. I want to hear your voice in this community of practice!

    Listen now and let’s keep it real—together.
    Más Menos
    4 m
  • Dr. Mayra Austin is Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita, Part 3

    Dr. Mayra Austin is Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita, Part 3
    Sep 18 2025
    Guest: Dr. Mayra Austin, Founder & CEO of Management Cues
    Topic: The Strategic Value of Workplace Culture
    In today’s episode, we explore Perspective #3: Culture—and debunk the myth that workplace culture is just a “feel-good” concept. In truth, it’s a mission-critical asset that directly affects your bottom line, operations, and long-term growth.

    🔍 Key Insights from the Conversation:

    📊 Financial Impact

    Companies with happy employees outperform the S&P 500 by 20% and Nasdaq by 30%
    Organizations with strong culture report 30% more innovation and 40% higher retention
    Investing in workplace mental health delivers a 370% ROI

    ⚙️ Operational Impact
    Disengaged employees cost companies 34% of their salary in lost productivity
    Highly engaged teams experience 41% less absenteeism and 17% higher productivity
    Organizations with strong engagement see 57% more discretionary effort

    🏢 Organizational Impact
    Employees aligned with company culture are 3.7x more likely to be highly engaged
    Disengaged team members are 2.6x more likely to leave for better culture
    Turnover costs range from 30% to 200% of an employee’s annual salary—culture helps reduce that risk

    ✅ Culture isn’t fluff—it’s fuel. The companies that win are the ones who treat culture as a competitive advantage.

    💊 Dr. Anita’s Post-Podcast Prescription
    Choose ONE action to take from today’s episode:
    Stop what’s not working
    Start something that will
    Do more of what builds trust
    Do less of what drains team culture

    🛑 Today’s Post-Prescription:
    Stop sending mixed messages about your company’s values.
    Inconsistency undermines trust and weakens culture from the inside out.

    💡 Ready to lead with cultural clarity and conviction? This episode is your blueprint.
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    9 m
  • Dr. Mayra Austin is Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita, Part 2

    Dr. Mayra Austin is Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita, Part 2
    Sep 11 2025
    Guest: Dr. Mayra Austin, Founder & CEO of Management Cues
    Topic: The Power of Inclusive Influence
    In this episode, we tackle Perspective #2: Inclusive Influence—a leadership approach that goes far beyond representation.

    ✨ What is Inclusive Influence?
    It’s the active shaping of culture and decision-making so that diverse voices are heard, valued, and integrated into the DNA of the business.

    🔑 Why it matters:
    Financially → Drives innovation, expands market reach, and reduces costly turnover
    Operationally → Builds collaboration, strengthens problem-solving, and reduces friction
    Organizationally → Creates belonging, boosts engagement, and positions your company as an employer of choice
    When leaders embrace inclusive influence, DEI stops being performative and becomes a sustainable competitive advantage.

    💊 Dr. Anita’s Post-Podcast Prescription
    Choose ONE action from today’s conversation to commit to:
    Stop what’s not working
    Start something that will
    Do more of what builds trust
    Do less of what drains team culture

    ✅ Today’s Post-Prescription:
    Do empower managers and leaders at every level with the language, tools, and mindset to champion inclusivity in daily interactions—ensuring influence cascades throughout the organization.

    If you’re ready to lead with influence that inspires and sustains, this episode is for you.
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    6 m
  • Dr. Mayra Austin is Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita

    Dr. Mayra Austin is Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita
    Sep 4 2025
    Guest: Dr. Mayra Austin, Founder & CEO of Management Cues
    Topic: Reframing the DEI Conversation in a Shifting Landscape
    Today’s episode takes a bold look at the dismantling of DEI efforts under the current administration—and why many businesses are responding to headlines rather than facts.
    Dr. Mayra Austin joins me to clarify a critical point: There are no federal laws forcing companies to abandon DEI. So why the panic?
    We explore this question from three angles, beginning with Leadership:
    💡 Perspective #1: Leadership Clarity Over Fear-Based Decisions
    Too many executive teams are reacting to perception rather than reality. When that happens, organizations risk:
    Wasted resources from misaligned investments
    Operational strain from internal confusion
    Eroded trust across teams and culture
    ✅ Leadership takeaway: Ground your decisions in facts—not fear. That’s how you protect your business, preserve morale, and prepare for growth.
    💊 Dr. Anita’s Post-Podcast Prescription
    Choose ONE action to implement from what you heard today:
    Stop what’s not working
    Start something that will
    Do more of what builds trust
    Do less of what drains team culture
    🛑 Your Post-Prescription:
    Stop framing DEI as optional or “nice to have.”
    ✅ Reaffirm it as essential to leadership excellence and long-term competitive advantage.
    If you’re ready to lead with more clarity and courage, Dr. Anita On Call is in session.
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    7 m
  • Culture and Workforce Demographics

    Culture and Workforce Demographics
    Jul 24 2025
    There’s a lot of buzz about workplace culture these days—and for good reason. In this week’s episode of Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita, I’m diving into the importance of culture and how shifting workforce demographics are making inclusive leadership not just a nice-to-have, but a business imperative. With projections showing that by 2050, half the workforce will be racially and culturally diverse—including a rise in neurodiversity and people with disabilities—organizations must rethink how they lead, engage, and foster belonging.
    A strong, inclusive culture isn’t just about doing the right thing—it’s about building environments where people want to stay. When employees feel seen, valued, and empowered, they’re more loyal, more productive, and more invested in your mission. This episode is full of insight and energy, and if you’re a leader who cares about the future of work, you won’t want to miss it. Tune in and let’s talk about what it really means to lead in a way that embraces difference and builds belonging from the inside out.
    #WorkplaceCulture #Culture #FutureofWork #WorkplaceBelonging #TalentRetention #KeepingItReal #DoctorAnita
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    3 m
  • The Potential Impacts of AI in HR

    The Potential Impacts of AI in HR
    Jul 17 2025
    As a C-Suite Trusted Advisor, I often say: just because something is efficient doesn’t mean it’s equitable. In this week’s episode of Keeping It Real with Dr. Anita, I take a detour from our usual focus on belonging to explore a timely topic—Artificial Intelligence in HR. While AI can streamline processes like hiring and performance reviews, it can also unintentionally reinforce existing biases, especially when the data it’s trained on isn’t equitable to begin with.
    AI should support—not replace—human decision-making. When it comes to people’s dignity, advancement, and sense of belonging, we can’t afford to get this wrong. This episode unpacks how leaders can use AI responsibly, why transparency and human oversight are non-negotiable, and what it really takes to foster fairness in a tech-driven workplace. If you're serious about inclusive leadership and building a culture that thrives in the future of work, I invite you to tune in and join the conversation.
    #ExecutiveCoaching #InclusiveLeadership #FutureOfWork #AIinHR #WorkplaceEquity #DoctorAnita #KeepingInReal #BelongingAtWork #LeadershipDevelopment
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    4 m