CultureLab with Aga Bajer

Carolyn Butler Madden: Exploring the Link Between Purpose and Profit

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered what it would take to tackle some of humanity's most urgent challenges such as climate change, social inequality, armed conflic...

Andy Molinsky: Building Relationships Across Cultures

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt like you are not connecting with someone and the barrier that stands in the way is cultural? It might be that the jokes you crack d...

Gary Ware: Playful Rebellion at Work

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you were genuinely playful at work? If you are like most of us, it might have been a while. We've been conditioned to believe t...

Bob Sutton: On Making the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can you remember a time when it felt like things at work were unjustifiably and annoyingly hard? Maybe you had to read a 1000-word email that could ha...

Zoe Chance: Becoming a Master Influencer

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to be more influential? For most of us, the answer is yes. Greater influence often translates to more power, enabling us to achieve our go...

Brian Elliott - Unlocking Productivity at Work

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So, here's an interesting question: What does it take to actually build teams that are highly effective in this brave new world of work? And what's th...

Stacey Gordon - What DEI Is Really About

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Stacey Gordon is an expert on DEI and workplace bias and the author of "Unbias - Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work". In this conversation, she shar...

Amy Gallo - How to Work with Difficult People

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Work relationships can be hard. The stress of dealing with difficult people dampens our creativity and productivity, and degrades our ability to think...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: Deep Fun at Work

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this Deep Dive Aga and Shani delve deep into a topic that has fascinated Aga for almost a decade – what drives people to do their absolute best w...

Mauro Porcini - The Power of People in Love with People

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many companies aspire to be industry disruptors and innovation leaders, but only a handful can genuinely claim those titles. What sets them apart? We'...

Dana Chapman - Fueling Success: The Relationship of Nutrition, Mind and Culture

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a world where the relentless pursuit of productivity often overshadows well-being, it's easy to overlook the fundamental connection between what we...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: Intergenerational Synergies at Work

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The workplace landscape has transformed dramatically over the past few decades with 5 different generations now working side by side, each bringing th...

Chip Conley - The New Age of Wisdom: The Rise of a Modern Elder

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This month on the CultureLab podcast, we're diving deep into the intricacies of a multigenerational workforce. You know the scene: Boomers nostalgical...

Michelle MiJung Kim - Awakening to Equity and Justice at Work

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this compelling episode with Michelle MiJung Kim we explore how culture, diversity, inclusion, and equity intersect to create a thriving culture. M...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: DEI Initiatives That Work

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aga Bajer and Shani Persson as they explore the often-daunting world of DEI in the latest Deep Dive. With curiosity and humility, Aga and Shani n...

Minda Harts - Expanding the Table: Cultivating True Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

More people than we think feel like they don't belong at work. This leads to a range of concerning consequences, such as disengagement, diminished pro...

Rachel Botsman - Unlocking the Power of Trust

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You meet a new colleague for the first time, and… something clicks! You trust them, but you don't know why. Then, on another day, you're teamed with...

Lorne Rubis - The Path to True Belonging

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Belonging - a concept that speaks to the core of our human experience. We all yearn for acceptance, a place to belong, and the freedom to be our authe...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: Conversations That Matter

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We often leave workplace relationships to chance, hoping they'll simply fall into place. But healthy, productive relationships require intention and w...

Michael Bungay Stanier - Mastering the Art of Working with (Almost) Anyone

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The average person spends over 90,000 hours working throughout their career. That's a substantial amount of time building connections with colleagues,...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: Navigating Remote and Hybrid Work

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the tremendous success of many companies operating in a nearly fully remote setup during the pandemic, we are now experiencing a shift, with m...

Teresa Clark - The Path to Well-Being at Work

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Picture our ancestors, hunters and gatherers roaming the savannah. Various anthropological studies indicate that the early homo sapiens experienced wo...

Bretton Putter - Future-Proof Your Hybrid Culture

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let's be honest - hybrid work can be great, but it can also be quite annoying. In this episode, Bret Putter, the leading expert in hybrid work strateg...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: A Culture of Care - Prioritizing Mental and Physical Well-Being at Work.

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This Deep Dive focuses on how we can reclaim agency over our own well-being and that of our colleagues and cultivate an environment where people can t...

Cameron Herold - Scaling Culture: Navigating the Challenges of Growth

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As organizations grow, they often encounter unique challenges in building and maintaining a thriving culture. The very things that made a company succ...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: Rebuilding a Resilient Workplace Culture

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Deep Dive with Aga and Shani is your monthly episode about all things culture. This episode focuses on rebuilding a resilient workplace culture as...

Ezra Bookman - Activating Company Values Through Purposeful Ritual Design

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rituals are a fascinating aspect of human behaviour. From ancient religions to the modern workplace, they play a significant role in shaping our cultu...

Kieran Snyder - How AI Can Shape Your Company Culture

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we dive deep into the power of language and how software can help businesses create more inclusive communication and culture. In a ti...

THE DEEP DIVE with Aga and Shani: Activate Your Values

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Deep Dive with Aga and Shani is your monthly episode about all things culture. This episode focuses on activating company values and creating a cu...

Kristi Herold - The Role of Play in Shaping Workplace Culture

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever wonder why some teams thrive while others struggle? According to recent studies, the secret sauce to success may lie in something unexpect...

Nikki Gatenby - Cultivating a Purposeful Culture

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible to make a difference and make money? Nikki Gatenby says yes! If you are looking to make a difference in the world while still running a...

Trier Bryant - Beyond Diversity - Building an Inclusive Workplace Culture

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to creating a truly just workplace, many companies today seem fixated on ticking off diversity metrics. But DEIB (diversity, equity, inc...

Dan Strode - The Culture Advantage

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we dive into the importance of innovation in the modern business world. Our guest, Dan Strode, shares insights on how a corporate cul...

Caitlin Walker - Drama-Free Culture

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drama in the workplace is a major drain on productivity, creativity, and collaboration. It manifests as emotional outbursts, unresolved disagreements,...

Charles Vogl - Belonging at Work

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Belonging is not a by-product of success - it's a necessary condition for any team. In this episode, I am joined by one of the most distinguished expe...

Jessica Zwaan - Transforming People Operations

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Zwaan has amassed quite a following among HR professionals frustrated with the old way of doing things and keen to develop an agile, evidence-...

Lynda Gratton - Redesigning Work

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There's a major positive side-effect to the pandemic - it presents us with the biggest opportunity we've had in the past 100 years to redesign the way...

Catherine Price - The Power of Fun at Work

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For many people, fun and work don't mix. We tend to think of work as the serious and virtuous stuff of life. Fun, on the other hand, is perceived as s...

Kim Scott - The Power of Radical Candor

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most people struggle with "constructive" feedback. It's hard to hear it and even harder to give it. We are neurologically hard-wired to avoid feedback...

Jeanette Bronée - Cultivating the Self-Care Mindset at Work

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"When's the last time you had a good chat with yourself? The kind of chat where you ask yourself, "How am I in there?" - this is one of the questions ...

Megan Reitz - How to Develop a Speak-Up Culture

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Megan Reitz, Professor of Leadership and Dialogue at Hult International Business School talks about creating spaces for dialogue that enable employees...

Robin Dunbar - Human Connections at Work

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Robin Dunbar is a professor of evolutionary psychology at Oxford University. He has spent most of his career trying to answer a deceptively simple: Ho...

Wendy Smith - Both/And Thinking; Embracing Creative Tensions

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We've all felt pulled in two seemingly opposite directions and faced tough dilemmas at work at times: Culture fit or culture add? Employees-first or c...

David McCraney - How Minds Change

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt frustrated by the fact that people tend to stick to their guns, even when presented with indisputable evidence that their beliefs a...

Best of the Archives: Culture & Strategy Have Breakfast Together | Max McKeown

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This month we are sharing some of the best episodes from our archive and this episode with Max Mckeown is a must-listen and a great place to start whe...

Heiko Fischer - Reinventing HR

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What would happen if you got rid of traditional HR? Listen to this episode where Heiko Fischer, the CEO of Resourceful Humans, talks about how he move...

The 4 Deadly Sins of Work Culture | Adam Grant - WorkLife

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you avoid joining a company with a toxic culture—or build a healthy one when you are already a part of the organization? These are just a cou...

Best of the Archives: Building a Fearless Organization |Amy Edmondson

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a society, we've certainly made some progress in honoring the contribution of the LGBTQ workforce. But, there are still minds, hearts, teams, and c...

Mark Rickmeier - MindShift: From Office-Centric to Remote-First

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you know that it's time to update your views on what's best for your team and your business? Our guest, Mark Rickmeier, the CEO of  TXI, belie...

Jamie Dixon - The Story Habit

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Storytelling is the very stuff of culture. It's also the language of the mind. Stories bridge the gap between the past and the future, create shared i...

Daniel Coyle - The Culture Playbook

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What on Earth is frontalis? And why is it the most important part of human anatomy when it comes to forging authentic connections in the remote work e...

Best of the Archives: People Like Us Do Things Like This | Seth Godin

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This month we are sharing some of the best episodes from our archive and this one is very special as our guest is none other than the honorary godfath...

Best of the Archives: Unleashing Your Team's Potential | Frances Frei & Anne Morriss

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This month we will be sharing some of the best episodes from our archive and we are starting with one of our biggest blockbusters - an interview with ...

LaTonya Wilkins - Creating Cultures of Belonging

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In many companies, the approach to shaping culture can be quite superficial. Our guest, LaTonya Wilkins, suggests it's time to go "below the surface" ...

Dr. Donte Vaughn - Helping Leaders Become Culture Champions

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A bit like the operating system on their PCs, culture is something most leaders rarely think about - until it starts causing them problems. When cultu...

Jay Van Bavel - Social Identity and Company Culture

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From neurons to social networks, Jay Van Bavel's research investigates the psychology and neuroscience of implicit bias, group identity, team performa...

Rodney Evans - Getting Ready for the Future of Work

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rodney Evans is a pioneer in adaptive organization design and the future of work. She has taught new, better ways of working in dozens of complex envi...

Rohini Anand - Leveling the Playing Field: How to Lead Global DEI

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rohini Anand draws on her experience as the former Chief DEI Officer at Sodexo and shares insights from her book, Leading Global Div...

Leandro Herrero - The 5 Principles of a Viral Culture Change

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Leandro Herrero is the pioneer of  Viral Change™ - a methodology that delivers large-scale behavioural and cultural change in organizations. In thi...

Charlie Sull - Using AI to Understand Your Culture

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Charlie Sull developed a groundbreaking AI tool to understand and assess organizational culture through the use of big-data processing. The tool mines...

Timothy Clark - The Four Stages of Psychological Safety

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Timothy Clark is an expert on psychological safety in the workplace. He is recognized as a global authority in the fields of senior executive develop...

Kevin Oakes - It's Time for Culture Renovation

17 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin Oakes is CEO and co-founder of the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), the world's leading human capital research firm focusing on peop...

Pim de Morree - Corporate Rebels, Unite!

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pim De Morree, co-founder of Corporate Rebels talks about what he and his partner, Joost Minaar discovered traveling the world and researching innovat...

Tom Chi - Cultivating a Culture of Innovation

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Chi is one of the founding members of Google X who served as head of product experience at developing technology such as Google Glass and Google's...

Tom Chi - Cultivating a Culture of Innovation

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Chi is one of the founding members of Google X who served as head of product experience at developing technology such as Google Glass and Google's...

Gina Bianchini: Communities at Work

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Community and social belonging are fundamental human needs, hardwired into our DNA. Gina Bianchini, the founder and CEO of Mighty Networks has had a f...

Yvette Pasqua: Cultivating a High-Performance Culture

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With hybrid and remote work, building diverse teams that collaborate well together is more challenging than ever. So, how do you go about creating an ...

Katarina Berg: Culture at Spotify - Lessons in Scaling

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Spotify's CHRO, Katarina Berg, knows how to maintain a thriving culture while scaling from a successful startup to a global giant. She shares some of ...

Brian Robertson: Getting Rid of Managers

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

People don't leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers. So here is a radical idea: What if we got rid of managers altogether? What if we could do it wit...

Giff Constable: Talking to Humans

29 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Giff Constable is a product leader, entrepreneur, and author who has sold three companies and helped build many others. In this wide-ranging interview...

Bretton Putter: Building a Remote Culture

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Bretton Putter is the CEO of CultureGene and he helps companies build and develop strong, functional company cultures. He recently published his secon...

Frances Frei & Anne Morriss: Unleash Your Team's Potential

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The world's top leadership and culture whisperers - Frances Frei and Anne Morris joined me for a fun, wide-ranging, and insightful conversation about ...

Tommi Forsström: Building Product and Culture during the Weird Middle Part

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Growth. We all crave it. Both in our personal lives and in business. But what we often forget is that the biggest growth spurts inevitably come with g...

Dorie Clark: Reinvent Yourself

21 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today, Dorie Clark, suggests we need to make things easier for ourselves in 2021 and embrace the lowercase "r" reinvention: small, subtle cha...

Darius Mirshahzadeh: Start with Core Values

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"I hate this company," I said to myself, sitting in the office in San Francisco. "I can't believe I created this." This is how my guest today, Dariu...

Ethan Mollick: Beyond the Startup Myth

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What does a successful startup founder look like?  You probably have a vivid picture in your head – two supercharged recent college graduates burst...

Peter Rabey: Growing During a Pandemic

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, my guest is the co-founder and CEO of X4 Group, Peter Rabey. Peter and his team managed to scale and grow their business through extremely chal...

An Audio Postcard from Wendy Smith

07 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Wendy Smith is an associate professor of organizational behavior at the Alfred Lerner School of Business at the University of Delaware. She earned her...

Bobby Herrera: The Gift of Struggle

24 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To say that 2020 has been a challenging year would be an understatement. But there are many ways to look at our struggles and Bobby Herrera, the found...

Max McKeown: Culture & Strategy Have Breakfast Together

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Max McKeown is a visionary, and influential presenter who reveals insider knowledge, gleaned from twenty-five years' experience consulting for Pfiz...

An Audio Postcard from Garry Ridge

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Garry Ridge is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the WD-40 Company, a billion-dollar business with a 93% employee engagement index. W...

An Audio Postcard from Bobby Herrera

15 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This audio postcard comes from Bobby Herrera, from Michigan. Bobby Herrera is the co-founder and CEO of Populus Group - one of the fastest-growing...

Aaron Dignan: Brave New Work

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, on the CultureLab podcast, we welcome Aaron Dignan - the author of one of my favorite business books of the past few years - Brave New Work...

An Audio Postcard from Melissa Agnes

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's in times like these that our values and ethical standards are put to the test. COVID-19 emergency and its aftermath will call for empathy, compas...

Amy Edmondson: Building a Fearless Organization

26 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When people don't speak up, the organization's ability to innovate and grow is at great risk. A culture of silence is a dangerous culture. A culture o...

An Audio Postcard from Thimon De Jong

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It looks like we might be in a pretty long tunnel. And while there's certainly light at the end of it, why wait? We can create some light right now by...

An Audio Postcard from Ron Carucci

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have a new postcard - this time from Ron Carucci. Ron says that we are currently in an odd, liminal space, in between chapters. And while it's undo...

An Audio Postcard from Aga Bajer

08 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have created the Audio Postcards series to help you tackle the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic in a calmer and wiser way. This week, the postcard c...

Simon Sinek: Embracing an Infinite Mindset in Times of Crisis

04 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As time goes by, we all realize that the Coronavirus outbreak is, first and foremost, a human tragedy. But it has also become increasingly clear that...

An Audio Postcard from Liane Davey

27 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have created the Audio Postcards series to help us tackle the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic in a calmer and wiser way. This week we have a...

Mary Abbajay: Managing Up

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The quality of the relationship with your boss has a major impact on your career, satisfaction and even your overall wellness and health. And yet, it'...

An Audio Postcard from Michael Bungay Stanier

15 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have created the Audio Postcards series to help us tackle the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic in a calmer and wiser way. The tricky thing wi...

An Audio Postcard from Cy Wakeman

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have created the Audio Postcards series to help us tackle the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic in a calmer and wiser way. This postcard is se...

An Audio Postcard from Seth Godin

30 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In difficult times, we all need some guidance, some inspiration and... an occasional kick in the butt. To help leaders, entrepreneurs and soloists nav...

Nikki Gatenby: Putting People and Purpose First

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Nikki Gatenby. Nikki is a business consultant and best selling author, specializing in the field of culture and engagement at work,...

Siobhan McHale: Disrupting Dysfunctional Patters

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Siobhan McHale, a culture change specialist, EGM People, Culture & Change at DuluxGroup and the author of The Insider's Guide to ...

Kirsty Bashforth: Culture Shift

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Kirsty Bashforth,  the founder and CEO of QuayFive Ltd. Her new book on managing organizational culture (Culture Shift) was publis...

Jitske Kramer: The Making of a Corporate Tribe

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jitske Kramer is a Dutch anthropologist. She travels the world to learn from traditional healers, leaders, surprising innovators, and random passersby...

Mike Ganino: How Stories Shape Culture

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Mike Ganino. He is a storytelling and communication expert who helps executives, teams, and thought leaders communicate, connect, a...

Melissa Agnes: Crisis Ready - How to Build an Invincible Brand

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Melissa Agnes. Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa is a leading authority on crisi...