“You lead human beings and human beings have lives and sometimes those lives are going really well and other times are dealing with challenges. Recognize the humanity in the people that you lead… If we lean in with curiosity and lean in with compassion first and we make people feel like they are genuinely cared about and valued as part of our team, you will see people accomplish things that you just wouldn't imagine.”
~Brian Brault

We’re republishing one of our Culture Classics featuring Brian Brault, founder of Legacy of Significance and former Global Chair of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Brian has built award-winning companies and now dedicates his work to helping leaders create cultures rooted in compassion and accountability.

Brian Brault shares how leaders can transform organizational culture by shifting from positional authority to relational leadership. He explains why emotional intelligence, vulnerability, and genuine care are non-negotiable for high-performing teams. From scaling a company from 100 to 300 employees to mentoring global entrepreneurs, Brian’s insights show how compassion and accountability drive sustainable success.

📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: https://www.rethinkculture.co

Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.

Listen to this episode to discover:

• Why compassion and accountability are the foundation of high-performance culture
• How relational leadership changes team dynamics
• The three questions every leader must help their team answer
• Why vulnerability builds trust and accelerates growth
• How emotional intelligence sets great leaders apart
• Practical lessons from scaling businesses and mentoring global leaders

Further resources:

• Discover Your True North, by Bill George
• The Power of Vulnerability, by Brené Brown,

Episode Chapters:

00:00 — Introduction
01:51 — About the Legacy of Significance
04:21 — Becoming conscious about leadership and culture
13:16 — Lessons from the path of leadership in EO
21:37 — Vulnerability as a leadership strength
26:46 — Accountability in action
32:09 — The power of accountability
38:44 — The catalyst that shaped Andreas as a leader
42:47 — Embracing mistakes and leading with compassion
45:27 — Red Shoe moments
48:48 — What leaders should rethink about culture

“In the first 100 days in most organizations, employees feel overwhelmed. They feel unconnected... unseen, unheard, unappreciated… Lots of times leaders will say, "Well, it will be better if we're all back in the office." Why? What proof do you have? As we look at research data... the great majority of employees are happier working remotely than want to work in the office.”
~Joey Coleman

We're republishing one of our "Culture Classics" featuring Joey Coleman, bestselling author of 'Never Lose an Employee Again'. Joey brings a bold, data-backed perspective on employee retention, remote work, and the critical importance of the first 100 days. With experience spanning the CIA, law, academia, and global adventures, Joey’s insights challenge conventional leadership thinking and offer practical strategies for building cultures where people feel seen, heard, and valued.

📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: http://www.rethinkculture.co

Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.

Listen to this episode to discover:

• Why the first 100 days are make-or-break for retention
• How remote work can outperform office setups
• What leaders must rethink about HR and culture
• The power of values-driven leadership
• How to build loyalty without overwhelming your team

Further resources:

• Never Lose a Customer Again, by Joey Coleman
• Never Lose an Employee Again, by Joey Coleman
• Never Enough, by Jennifer Breheny Wallace
• A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles

Episode Chapters:

• 00:00 — Introduction
• 01:49 — Joey’s passion for retention
• 03:26 — About Joey’s second book
• 06:53 — Workplace shifts post-COVID
• 09:02 — The office vs. remote debate
• 10:40 — Making remote work, work
• 14:11 — Engagement and remote setups
• 16:01 — Other engagement factors
• 18:05 — The 100 days methodology
• 20:34 — Onboarding as a strategic tool
• 25:08 — Rethinking HR language
• 26:29 — Two Truths and One Lie
• 28:02 — Joey’s leadership role model
• 31:44 — Defining the ideal leader
• 34:53 — Living and leading by values
• 42:17 — Culture as a leadership priority
• 45:59 — Two Truths and One Lie: Reveal
• 48:56 — Book recommendations

"None of us will build great companies. We will lead incredible people who will build great companies. It's a choice. It's a conscious choice." ~Ron Lovett

We’re republishing one of our Culture Classics featuring Ron Lovett, Canadian entrepreneur, author of Outrageous Empowerment and Scaling Culture, and CEO of VIDA Living. Ron built and sold a 3500-person security company before launching VIDA to transform affordable housing across North America. In this episode, he shares how vulnerability, empowerment, and accountability became the cornerstones of his leadership and how they can shape yours.

📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: http://www.rethinkculture.co

Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.

Listen to this episode to find out:

• The moment Ron realized culture had to be intentional and personal.
• How “instimacy” and “funishments” build trust and connection fast.
• Why vulnerability is a leadership superpower.
• How Ron screens and coaches for values alignment.
• The power of daily huddles and Friday value calls.
• Why culture, not HR, is the future of performance.

Further resources:

• Outrageous Empowerment, by Ron Lovett
• Scaling Culture, by Ron Lovett
• The Song of Significance, by Seth Godin
• Nuts!, by Kevin Freiberg and Jackie Freiberg
• Uncommon Service, by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss
• Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil Knight
• Good to Great, by Jim Collins
• Principles: Life and Work, by Ray Dalio
• BE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0), by Jim Collins
• HBR's 10 Must Reads on Talent, by Harvard Business Review

Episode Chapters:

• 00:00 — Introduction
• 01:54 — When culture became important to Ron
• 07:41 — Writing Outrageous Empowerment
• 09:32 — Service-first mindset
• 11:42 — Measuring engagement
• 15:34 — Transparent feedback
• 18:48 — Leading misfits with love
• 21:51 — Instimacy: building trust fast
• 25:48 — Lifelines for connection
• 27:17 — Funishments: playful accountability
• 31:26 — Vulnerability & playfulness
• 33:05 — Leadership expectations
• 33:46 — Building someone’s best job ever
• 36:38 — Rethinking culture
• 40:18 — Peer accountability
• 42:57 — Ron’s book recommendations
• 46:42 — From HR to Culture