Relationships at Work - a trust-driven leadership podcast
Episodes
Stop Saying Yes To Work Like It's Leadership
24 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Saying yes isn’t leadership.In this episode, Russel Lolacher explores the hidden cost of constant agreement — and how it impacts your team’s cap...
Conscious Leadership Without Causing Harm
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does conscious leadership actually look like at work?In this episode, Russel Lolacher talks with coaches Trevor Stevenson and Dale Allen of Consc...
I Don't Have To. I Get To.
16 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A single phrase overheard on a podcast stopped Russel mid-step — and it's been on his desk ever since. In this episode, communications and lea...
Why Most Leaders Get Motivation Wrong
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What actually motivates people at work? In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher talks with leadership advisor, researcher, and The ...
You Can Over-Communicate
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We hear it all the time in leadership: “You can’t over-communicate.” But that’s not always true. In this solo episode of Relationships at Work...
Why Great Leadership Needs Better Systems
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher talks with Karl Staib, founder of Systematic Leader, about why leadership needs more than go...
Are You Measuring Leadership Wrong?
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if the way we measure leadership is completely off? In this solo episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher challenges the usual foc...
When Internal Communication Breaks Down
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher speaks with Alejandra Ramirez, founder of Ready Cultures, about why internal communication o...
Leadership Meetings vs Management Meetings (And Why You Need Both)
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most meetings focus on tasks, updates, and deadlines. Others focus on people, growth, and trust. Both are necessary—but they serve very different pu...
You Get the Team You Deserve
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Leaders often complain about their teams — disengaged employees, poor performance, difficult conversations.But what if the real issue isn’t the te...
The Most Dangerous Leaders Don’t Look Dangerous
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Some of the most damaging leaders aren’t the obvious tyrants. They’re the ones celebrated on stages, praised in boardrooms, and admired on LinkedI...
The Creative Power of Constructive Conflict
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if conflict isn’t the problem — but the engine of innovation?In this episode, innovation expert Jeff DeGraff joins Russel to explore why adap...
Values Over Feelings in Leadership
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are you leading from values — or reacting to emotions? In this solo episode, Russel Lolacher explores why values must anchor workplace decisions, c...
Toxic Positivity vs. Authentic Leadership
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Is workplace positivity building trust — or masking real problems?In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with author Jo...
Stop Calling Yourself a People Leader
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When did leadership stop being about people?The rise of the term “People Leader” sounds progressive — but it may reveal a deeper problem. If lea...
Building an Olympic Mindset at Work
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What can leaders learn from Olympic athletes?Former cycling champion and high-performance coach Lee Povey breaks down why winning is out of your contr...
Really Investing in Your Team Isn’t Optional — It’s the Work
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Putting time on a calendar isn’t investment. Sending a survey isn’t support.In this solo episode, Russel Lolacher challenges leaders to stop assum...
Busy Is a Leadership Problem (Not a Badge of Honor)
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with leadership expert and author Kishshana Palmer to unpack why being “busy” ...
Talking Is Not Walking: When Leadership Mistakes Dialogue for Action
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
“Let’s start the conversation” has become a comfortable way for leaders to delay real change.In this R@W Note mini-episode, Host Russel Lolacher...
Tying Motivation to Purpose at Work
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Motivation is often treated as something leaders can manufacture from the outside — incentives, goals, performance systems. But without purpose, mot...
Silence Isn’t Neutral: When Leaders Wait, Teams Drift
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Silence in leadership is rarely intentional — but it’s never neutral.In this short R@W Note episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher expl...
When Job Fit Fails ADHD at Work
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
ADHD in the workplace is often framed as a performance issue — but what if the real problem is job fit?In this episode of Relationships at Work, Rus...
Performative Leadership vs. Actually Doing the Work
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Many leaders say the right things about trust, empathy, and accountability—then quietly fail to follow through. In this short Relationships at Work ...
The Hidden Cost of Leadership Advancement
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What really happens when you move up in an organization?In this episode, Russel Lolacher talks with Sabina Nawaz, leadership strategist, executive coa...
What Your Personal Space Is Saying at Work
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We talk a lot about what leaders say — but rarely about where they say it.In this short episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores p...
Why Presence at Work Is Really About Awareness
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Presence at work isn’t about performance — it’s about awareness.In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher talks with Ryan Carey,...
The Mentorship Gap No One Talks About
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Mentorship is everywhere in leadership conversations — yet many leaders still feel stuck without the guidance they actually need.In this solo mini-e...
Why DEI Gets Stuck in the Middle
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most organizations talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion at the executive level — or delegate it to HR.But that’s not where DEI actually suc...
Leadership Isn’t Neutral: Understanding the Power You Hold
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Every leader has power—whether they acknowledge it or not.In this solo mini-episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher explores the ofte...
Are We Part of the Problem at Work?
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most people can spot dysfunction at work.Bad bosses. Endless emergencies. Burnout masquerading as productivity.But the harder question is this: what r...
When Managing Your Boss Becomes the Job
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when doing your job quietly turns into managing your boss’s ego?In this Relationships at Work mini-episode, Russel Lolacher unpacks the...
When Leaders Mean Well — and Still Get It Wrong
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most leaders mean well. That doesn’t mean the impact lands well.In this episode of Relationships at Work, leadership coach and author Dr. Joel Pere...
What a Christmas Table Taught Me About Employee Retention
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Employee retention isn’t built with perks, programs, or forced fun.It’s built in the moments where leaders choose to listen, trust, and let teams ...
How Influence Really Works at Work
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Influence gets thrown around like a leadership buzzword — but most people misunderstand what it actually is. It’s not authority. It’s not persua...
Fixing the Leadership Blame Game
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s easy to blame a leader. They’re visible. They’re the face of decisions. They’re the ones we point to when work feels confusing, frustrati...
Soul Health at Work: The Missing Layer of Leadership
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We talk a lot about mental health and physical wellbeing at work — but almost never about the part of ourselves that drives meaning, connection, ene...
Leaders vs. Managers: The Cost of Mixing Them Up
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Too many workplaces use “leader” and “manager” interchangeably — and it’s hurting their people and their culture. In this solo episode, Re...
Why Development Is a Relationship
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most leaders treat development like a checkbox — a course, a conference, an annual review. But what if the real key to growth and retention isn’t...
Why Leaders Must Celebrate Impact, Not Effort
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this solo episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher digs into a leadership trap that quietly damages culture, disengages teams, and de...
Beyond Busyness: Turning Time Poverty Into Time Wealth
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve been taught that being busy means being successful — but what if it’s actually holding us back? In this episode of Relationships at Work, ...
Why You Need to Speak Up for Your Results
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve heard it before — “let your results speak for themselves.” But in reality, results don’t talk — you do. In this solo episode, Rela...
How Leaders Inspire Accountability: Turning Ownership Into Trust
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Accountability in leadership isn’t about blame — it’s about ownership.In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher talks with ...
How Do You Know You've Even Taken a Break?
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We talk a lot about the importance of taking breaks — but how do you know when you’ve actually had one?In this solo episode of Relationships at Wo...
Getting Organizational Design Right
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most leaders think their organizational problems are structural — that if they just rearrange the boxes on the org chart, everything will flow bette...
How Leadership Can Stop Investing in Cultural Debt
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released: June, 2024In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher discusses the c...
Why Respect Outshines Professionalism in Today's Workplace
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released: August, 2024What if being 'professional' is actually holding your workplace back? In this episode, host Russel Lolacher...
Leadership Alert - Avoiding the Pitfalls of Change Management
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released: April, 2024In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher showcases comm...
Stop Babysitting, Start Leading - A Leadership Mindset Shift
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released: January, 2025Ever felt like you’re "babysitting" your team instead of leading them? You’re not alone. Many leaders ...
Leader Shout Out! - Stop Keeping Your Values All To Yourself
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released: May, 2024In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher recommends we sh...
Leadership Gap - What Leaders Believe and Employees Know
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released July, 2023. In this episode of Relationships at Work, communications and leadership nerd (and host) Russel Lolacher highlights th...
Stepping Back Before Burnout: Why Pausing Is Powerful Leadership
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this Relationships at Work mini-episode, host Russel Lolacher gets real about the warning signs of burnout and why stepping back is one of the most...
Building Cultures That Learn from Failure
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 4 of our 4-part conversation on turning adversity into opportunity.Organizations often say they embrace failure — but do they really? Executive...
Leading Teams Through Setbacks with Confidence
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 3 of our 4-part conversation on turning adversity into opportunity at work.When adversity hits, teams look to their leaders for guidance. Executi...
Resilience and Self-Awareness: Turning Setbacks into Strength
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of our 4-part conversation on turning adversity into opportunity at work.Failure feels personal — but it doesn’t have to define you. In thi...
What Adversity Really Means for Leaders
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 1 of our 4-part conversation on turning adversity into opportunity at work.Setbacks are part of every workplace — but how do we define adversit...
Corporate Speak Is Killing Connection – Here’s How to Fix It
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Corporate jargon might sound polished, but it’s destroying trust, relationships, and humanity at work. In this Relationships at Work mini-episode, ...
Building a Culture Inspired by Leadership Design
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 4 of our 4-part conversation on leadership design.What does a workplace look like when leadership design is at its core? Host Russel Lolacher is ...
Keeping Teams Aligned Through Vision, Not Just Strategy
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 3 of our 4-part conversation on leadership design.Leaders often mistake strategy for identity, creating rigidity and disconnection. In this conve...
Why Leadership Design Starts with Self-Awareness
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can leaders design their impact if they don’t know themselves first? Host Russel Lolacher sits down with Georgi Enthoven — a seasoned entrepre...
Defining Leadership Design for the Future of Work
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher explores what “leadership design” really means. Guest Georgi Enthoven — entrepren...
Two-Way Communication: A Leader’s Path to Connection
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this solo episode of Relationships at Work, host and leadership communication expert Russel Lolacher challenges a common leadership blind spot: tre...
Turning Workplace Friction Into a Flow-Based Culture
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 4 of our 4-part conversation on shifting our leadership from friction to flow.Culture is built on behaviors, moods, and systems that either fuel ...
From Friction to Flow: How Teams Thrive Together
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 3 of our 4-part conversation on shifting our leadership from friction to flow..What does a team in flow actually look like? In this Relationships...
Leadership Starts with Self-Awareness: Moving from Friction to Flow
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of our 4-part conversation on shifting our leadership from friction to flow..Flow begins with you. In this episode of Relationships at Work, ho...
Friction vs Flow at Work: Leadership Clarity for Better Results
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 1 of our 4-part conversation on shifting our leadership from friction to flow..What’s the difference between friction and flow in the workplace...
How a Team Credo Builds Trust and Alignment
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this solo mini-episode, host Russel Lolacher shares a leadership tool that helped him retain a team for more than a decade: the team credo. Drawing...
Building Wellness into Organizational Culture
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 4 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..Wellness isn’t just an individual practice — it has to be operati...
How Leaders Can Model Wellness for Their Teams
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 3 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..Teams don’t believe in wellness because of posters — they believe...
Why Wellness Starts with the Leader
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..The most important relationship a leader has is with themselves. In t...
What Workplace Wellness Really Means for Leaders
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 1 of our 4-part conversation on embracing wellness as a part of leadership..Workplace wellness is more than perks, programs, or posters on the wa...
The Wrong Tone in Leadership
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this Relationships at Work episode, host Russel Lolacher explores one of leadership’s most overlooked skills—tone. It’s not just what you say...
Transforming Workplace Culture with the Superloop Framework
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 4 of our 4-part conversation on the Superloop framework.What does a healthy, human-centered workplace really look like? Susan Leger Ferraro — e...
From Conflict to Connection: Superloop Practices for Better Teams
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 3 of our 4-part conversation on the Superloop framework.Strong teams aren’t built by accident. In this episode, Russel Lolacher sits down with ...
Breaking Patterns: Triggers, Self-Awareness & the Superloop at Work
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of our 4-part conversation on the Superloop framework.Your relationship with yourself determines how you show up as a leader. Susan Leger Ferra...
Clarity in Leadership: Understanding the Superloop of Beliefs, Biology, and Behavior
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 1 of our 4-part conversation on the Superloop framework.In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher and Susan Leger Ferraro, a...
The Real Role of HR Governance in Your Workplace
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Governance isn't just paperwork and policy—it shapes how employees are hired, managed, and treated every single day. In this episode of Relatio...
Building a Culture of Authenticity at Work
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 4 of a 4-part conversation on authentic leadership.You can’t fake authenticity — and culture knows when you try. In this episode, au...
Authenticity Starts with Who You Hire
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 3 of a 4-part conversation on authentic leadership.Team culture begins before day one. In this episode, executive coach, author, and for...
The Inner Work of Authentic Leadership
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of a 4-part conversation on authentic leadership.Self-awareness isn’t optional if you want to lead authentically. In this episode, au...
What Authentic Leadership Really Looks Like
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 1 of a 4-part conversation on authentic leadership.Authenticity is often used as a leadership buzzword — but what does it actually mean...
How Recognition Shapes Workplace Culture, Belonging and Leadership
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Relationships at Work, we explore how recognition is more than praise — it's a cultural signal that defines values, fosters ...
Culture Won’t Change Without Leadership Development
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 4 of a 4-part conversation on the context we need for improving leadership development.If your workplace culture isn’t evolving, your l...
Leadership Development Is a Shared Journey
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 3 of a 4-part conversation on the context we need for improving leadership development.Great leadership development isn’t done in isola...
Leadership Development Starts With Self-Awareness
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of a 4-part conversation on the context we need for improving leadership development.You can’t develop as a leader if you don’t und...
Why Leadership Development Fails Without Clarity
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 1 of a 4-part conversation on the context we need for improving leadership development. Leadership development starts with understanding ...
What Inclusion Really Means at Work (And Why We’re Still Getting It Wrong)
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Inclusion is one of the most talked-about values in the modern workplace—but also one of the most misunderstood. We say the word, we build strategie...
Belonging Isn’t HR’s Job—It’s Everyone’s Responsibility
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 4 of a 4-part conversation on the work leaders need to do to incorporate belonging in the workplace with author and research Dr. Beth Kap...
Leading with Care: The Everyday Actions That Build Team Belonging
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 3 of a 4-part conversation on the work leaders need to do to incorporate belonging in the workplace with author and research Dr. Beth Kap...
You Can’t Create Belonging for Others If You Don’t Have It Yourself
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of a 4-part conversation on the work leaders need to do to incorporate belonging in the workplace with author and research Dr. Beth Kap...
What Belonging Really Means at Work (And Why Most Get It Wrong)
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 1 of a 4-part conversation on the work leaders need to do to incorporate belonging in the workplace with author and research Dr. Beth Kap...
How to Speak Boldly at Work (Without Burning Bridges)
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Relationships at Work, we explore what it truly means to speak boldly in the workplace—and why it’s more about connection than ...
You Can’t Rely on Culture to Save You (But You Can Still Lead Change)
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 4 of a 4-part series on leading through high pressure at work, with licensed psychologist Dr. Janna Koretz. Each episode explores a diffe...
Leading in High Pressure Without Burning Out Your Team
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 3 of a 4-part series on leading through high pressure at work, with licensed psychologist Dr. Janna Koretz. Each episode explores a diffe...
When Success Feels Empty: Realigning Values in High Pressure Careers
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of a 4-part series on leading through high pressure at work, with licensed psychologist Dr. Janna Koretz. Each episode explores a diffe...
What High Pressure Really Means at Work (And Why We Keep Getting It Wrong)
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 1 of a 4-part series on leading through high pressure at work, with licensed psychologist Dr. Janna Koretz. Each episode explores a diffe...
Communicating Change Without Losing Trust
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Change is constant—but connection doesn’t have to suffer.In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores how leaders can build ...
How Principles Drive Culture Change
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Forget the posters and buzzwords—real culture change starts with behavior, not branding. In this Relationships at Work episode, Kyle McDowell share...
Building Trust and Accountability in Teams
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Great teams don’t just work together—they challenge each other, support each other, and hold each other accountable. In this episode of Relationsh...
Leadership Starts with Self-Reflection
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leadership isn’t a title—it’s an inner journey. In this Relationships at Work episode, Kyle McDowell shares why self-reflection is the essentia...
What Is Principle-Based Leadership?
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is principle-based leadership—and how is it different from values or mission statements? In this episode of Relationships at Work, Kyle McDowe...