Relationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.
Relationships at Work - your leadership guide to building workplace connections and avoiding blind spots.
A relatable and honest show on leadership, organizational culture and soft skills, focusing on improving employee engagement and company culture to inspire people to apply, stay and thrive.
Because no one wants leadership that fosters toxic environments at work, nor should they.
Host, speaker and communications leader Russel Lolacher shares his experience and insights, discussing the leadership and corporate culture topics that matter with global experts help us with the success of our organizations (regardless of industry). This show will give you the information, education, strategies and tips you need to avoid leadership blind spots, better connect with all levels of our organization, and develop the necessary soft skills that are essential to every organization.
From leadership development and training to employee satisfaction to diversity, inclusivity, equity and belonging to personalization and engagement... there are so many aspects and opportunities to build great relationships at work
This is THE place to start and nurture our leadership journey and create an amazing workplace.
Relationships at Work - The Leadership Guide to Building Workplace Connections and Avoiding Blind Spots.
Leadership Lessons Learned From 200 Episodes
We’ve hit a major milestone—200 episodes! Since launching Relationships at Work in January 2022, it's been an incredible journey, evolving from a weekly interview show to twice-a-week episodes, including mini solo episodes every Thursday. Whether you've listened, watched, or supported us through this newsletter, thank you!
In this special episode, I reflect on some of the most important lessons learned along the way, from the power of defining leadership terms, to the profound impact daily, small actions have on building trust, and why leadership’s true influence can be life-changing. I’ve had the privilege of learning from global experts on leadership, and the insights gained have been both inspiring and sobering.
Tune in for my top takeaways on leadership’s ripple effect across the workplace, why the “missing middle” of employees deserves more attention, and how incorporating more humanity into leadership—kindness, empathy, curiosity—can truly transform workplace culture.
Let’s reflect on what we’ve achieved and look forward to even more impactful conversations.
And connect with me for more great content!
Welcome back to Relationships At Work – Your guide to building workplace connections and avoiding leadership blind spots. I’m your host Russel Lolacher
I’m a communications and leadership nerd with a couple of decades of experience and a heap of curiosity on how we can make the workplace better. If you’re a leader trying to understand and improve your impact on work culture and the employee experience, you’re in the right place.
This mini-episode is a quick and valuable bit of information to set you up for the week ahead.
Inspired by our R@W Note Newsletter, I’m passing on to you…
Insights from 200 Episodes of Relationships at Work
Milestone achieved! This week we hit the 200 mark of the podcast. Since we launched a weekly interview show in January of 2022 and moved to a two episode a week schedule adding mini solo-episodes every Thursday to now, it's been a hell of a ride.
Thank you for your support of the show, whether through this newsletter or listening to the podcast or watching the videos on Youtube, I can't tell you how much it's been appreciated.
And in all honesty, the show has kind of been a selfish opportunity for me to support my own professional development. I have the pleasure of inviting on global experts on leadership impact on the show and learning from them with you, while crafting my own insights and research along the way. Win win win.
So what have I learned that's really stood out in all that time? Here's just a few that I wanted to share.
1) Definitions matter - Organizations use words all the time. Words like "Diversity" "Leadership" "Teamwork" but very rarely ever define them. If we don't define them, we will all have our own definitions and be singing from different song sheets in what success looks like and feels like. Defining things is not only essential, it's good leadership.
2) Small, daily effort is the connection key - Grand gestures mean nothing with out the small moments every day. A smile, remembering a birthday, taking the time to really listen, learning about someone's kids... these moments build trust far more than a once a year workshop or one-way town halls.
3) Leadership Foundations - every good to great leader invests in self-awareness, situational awareness and communication and works to improve at every opportunity through reflection and intent. EVERY good to great leader. Without an organization recognizing and rewarding these foundations, leadership will and is failing.
4) The missing middle need leadership - when I hear leaders only talking about their "rockstars" and "high performers" or dealing with their problem staff, I fear for the middle 60% of employees. Those that might not be getting the training or opportunities because they aren't extroverts or model the idealized version leaders might have in their head. Rockstars don't need leaders and problems need management. Real leadership is demonstrated in the missing middle.
5) Leadership impact is life changing - when I ask my guests at the beginning of every episode, what is their best or worst employee experience, it's usually from decades ago. If it's good, it's been inspirational and modeled their journey. If it's bad, it's trauma they've kept with them for 20 or 30 years. Leadership's impact isn't just an exchange, its life altering.
If anything, in 200 episodes, I've been inspired and broken hearted at the progression of leadership. Some people might want me to be more optimistic. That's great for them, but I'm a realist with aspirations of optimism. I believe we need to be super honest, and not blind, about the problems leadership has so we can work to address them with intention and impact.
In 200 episodes, if anything I've learned about the impact of leadership and our relationships at work, it's adding humanity will really improve the employee experience and our workplace culture.
The kindness, the empathy, the compassion, the patience, the curiosity, the care, the connection that we can bring at all levels, especially at the top will help create the workplaces we want to join and the leaders we want to follow.
