Leadovation

Andrea Wanerstrand: Why Being Nice at Work Breaks Trust

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Is “being nice” quietly damaging your culture? Discover why kindness, not niceness, is the real superpower of modern leadership, and how it transforms trust, accountability, and performance.

 

In this episode, Dean Newlund and Andrea Wanerstrand discuss:

  • The critical difference between being nice and being kind in leadership
  • How “nice” cultures create false harmony, passive-aggressive behavior, and broken trust
  • The importance of authenticity, autonomy, and accountability in building high-performing teams
  • Belonging vs. fitting in and how it impacts trust, engagement, and connection
  • The shift toward human-centric leadership and its impact on engagement and workplace expectations

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    Key Takeaways:

    • Prioritize kindness over niceness by having honest, constructive conversations that support growth and build trust.
    • Foster authenticity, autonomy, and accountability to create consistent leadership and stronger team performance.
    • Focus on belonging rather than fitting in to build genuine connections and reduce isolation within teams.
    • Design team structures are intentionally created with clear roles, responsibilities, and collaboration models to avoid dysfunction and repeated reorg cycles.

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      "Nice is like icing on the top, whereas you can get the depth with true kindness.” — Andrea Wanerstrand

       

      About Andrea Wanerstrand:

      Andrea Wanerstrand is a seasoned leadership strategist, executive coach, and founder of A3 Culture Lab, with over 25 years of experience inside global giants like Microsoft, Meta, T-Mobile, and Hitachi. She helps leaders shift from burnout to bold influence through her Mindset Maven Method and A3 philosophy: Authentic, Autonomous, and Accountable. Andrea has designed programs that have impacted leaders from more than 100 countries. She blends neuroscience, behavioral strategy, and sharp business insight to drive powerful cultural change. Her work enables organizations to build high-performing, human-centric workplaces where people truly thrive.

       

      Connect with Andrea Wanerstrand:  

      Website: https://a3culturelab.com

      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawanerstrand/

      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreawanerstrand/

       

       

      See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I

       

      Connect with Dean:

      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw

      Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/

      The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/

      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/

      X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund

      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/

      Email: [email protected]

      Phone: 1-800-926-7370


       

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      LeadovationBy Dean Newlund, Mission Facilitators International
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