Thanks for checking us out and we hope to see you right here each Wednesday for a new episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast!

What if your company’s benefits package could do more than check a box—what if it could shape your culture, empower your people, and transform your bottom line?

In this energizing episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer is joined by Stacy Edgar, co-founder and CEO of Venteur, to explore the powerful connection between employee benefits and workplace culture. Together, they dive into how personalized, flexible healthcare options—like ICHRA—can signal core values, improve retention, boost morale, and even lower costs. With vivid stories from companies who are doing benefits differently and insights into how individual agency transforms employee wellness, this conversation is a must-listen for leaders ready to build vibrant, people-first organizations. Whether you're in HR or simply want to take control of your own healthcare journey, this episode will shift your thinking and inspire you to lead with intention.

Vibrant Highlights:

[00:03:00] How a benefits package sends a value signal to employees
[00:07:36] "Checkbox culture" vs. intentional benefits strategy
[00:10:39] Wellness perks as cultural signals that attract the right people
[00:17:22] The power of choice: how a 27-year-old redefined his benefits
[00:25:10] Real-life impact: a car dealership saves costs and boosts participation

Connect with Stacy:
Website: https://www.venteur.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyedgar/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@venteurhealth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venteurhealth/
X: https://x.com/VenteurHealth

Listen at vibrantculture.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts!
Learn more about Nicole Greer, The Vibrant Coach, at vibrantculture.com.

In this high-energy conversation, Nicole Greer sits down with Karen Ball, Senior Fellow at ProSci and author of The ADKAR Advantage, to uncover the secret to making change stick — in individuals, teams, and entire organizations. With over 40 years in change leadership, Karen shares inspiring stories, practical tools, and a proven framework for moving people from “Why change?” to “We did it!” Whether you’re leading a massive transformation or coaching one person through a shift, this episode delivers the clarity, process, and mindset you need to make change make sense — and make it last.

Highlights from this episode:
[00:06:00] Karen explains the ADKAR model — Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement — and why change success happens at the individual level first.
[00:12:00] Real-life success story: Graham’s journey from non-swimmer to confident swimmer using ADKAR as his personal roadmap.
[00:27:00] Why active and visible sponsorship is the #1 factor in change success — and how leaders can step into the role.
[00:33:00] Scaling change from one person to an entire organization by building capability and maturity in change management.
[00:42:00] Karen’s final nugget: “ADKAR makes change make sense” — creating a clear, adaptable framework for any transformation.

Connect with Karen:
Buy her book: https://a.co/d/dfEdiVs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenball26/

Listen today at vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast platform!
Learn more about Nicole Greer, the Vibrant Coach: https://www.vibrantculture.com/

Welcome to "The Best of Build A Vibrant Culture!" While Nicole takes a short summer break to receive her Certified Speaking Professional (CSP®) designation, please enjoy this vintage episode from 2023. We'll see you next week!

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Ever been told you’re “too sensitive” to lead? Think again!

In this throwback episode, Heather Dominick shows how highly sensitive leaders are reshaping the future of work. If you’ve ever felt “different” as a leader, this episode proves it’s your greatest strength! Heather reveals the 12 powerful traits of highly sensitive leaders and how to harness them to lead with empathy, vision, and impact—without burnout.

Being “different” isn’t a weakness—it’s the future of leadership. Learn how to lead with heart, harness your strengths, and inspire transformation in your team and organization.

Highlights from this episode:

[00:03:00] What It Means to Be Highly Sensitive – Heather explains how only 20% of people are born with this unique wiring and why it’s a hidden leadership advantage.

[00:08:00] The 12 Strengths of Highly Sensitive Leaders – From intuition to deep listening, discover the traits that turn sensitivity into a superpower.

[00:16:00] Creativity and Vision in Leadership – Heather shares how highly sensitive leaders bring innovative, out-of-the-box solutions to the table.

[00:24:00] Deep Thinking for Big Impact – Learn why quiet time and reflection are critical for effective, transformative leadership.

[00:33:00] Creating Cultures of Justice and Inclusion – How highly sensitive leaders champion fairness and belonging within their organizations.

Buy Heather's book, Different: The Highly Sensitive Leadership Revolution, here: https://a.co/d/1NS6XoW

Connect with Heather:
Website: https://www.businessmiracles.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/businessmiracles

Also mentioned in this episode:
The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron: https://a.co/d/hQdTqw6
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill: https://a.co/d/1QZ1WWM

Listen today at vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast app!

Welcome to "The Best of Build A Vibrant Culture!" While Nicole takes a short summer break to receive her Certified Speaking Professional (CSP®) designation, please enjoy this vintage episode from 2023. We'll see you next week!

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We’re throwing it back to November 2023 for an unforgettable conversation with Dr. Carrie Graham, Adult Learning Strategist, consultant, and champion for creating learning-driven workplace cultures.

In this lively episode, Nicole and Dr. Carrie dive deep into how organizations can transform their training from “check-the-box” sessions into engaging, retention-boosting, skill-applying learning experiences that stick. Whether you’re a leader, HR professional, or lifelong learner, this episode will ignite your passion for developing people and building a culture where learning thrives.

Highlights from this episode:

[00:04:15] From Average Student to Learning Strategist – Dr. Carrie shares her journey from struggling student to champion of adult learning and how anyone can change their relationship with learning.

[00:18:30] Why People-First Training Wins – Discover how putting employees at the center of learning drives buy-in, attention, and long-term results.

[00:27:00] The ERA Model Unpacked – Engagement, Retention, Application: Dr. Carrie reveals her 3-step approach for creating training that actually sticks.

[00:36:50] The CEO Who Showed Up – A powerful story of a leader who transformed a mandatory training into a meaningful cultural moment just by being present.

Connect with Dr. Carrie Graham:
Website: https://www.drcarriegraham.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarriegraham/

Listen today at vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast app!

This episode is a celebration—literally! Joel Zeff brings his signature humor and insight to the mic, showing us why fun isn’t a frivolous extra—it’s a fundamental part of vibrant leadership and team success. Nicole and Joel dive into what it really means to lead with passion, how celebration fuels performance, and why your workplace desperately needs more "Ta-Da!" moments. From his unforgettable "magic harmonica" story to his formula for sparking creativity and connection, Joel shares why choosing fun might just be the smartest decision a leader can make.

Whether you’re managing a team or managing yourself, this episode will have you laughing, learning, and thinking differently about what makes a workplace truly thrive.

Highlights from this episode:
[00:03:52] The Ta-Da Principle: Why celebration at work builds confidence, sparks motivation, and leads to better performance—no confetti required.
[00:06:41] Appreciation + Opportunity = Magic: Joel reveals his winning formula for creating team engagement and eliminating "Bye-Bye People."
[00:17:02] The Magic Harmonica Moment: How losing a job (with a harmonica in hand) led Joel to discover his purpose—and the power of choosing your attitude.

[00:30:38] Defining YOUR kind of fun – (hint: it’s different for everyone)

FREE DOWNLOAD from Joel:
Visit www.joelzeff.com and sign up for his email list or send him a quick note, let him know you were listening to the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast, and Joel will send you a free chapter of his book!

Connect with Joel:
Buy his book: https://a.co/d/9IRSv4N
Website: https://www.joelzeff.com/
YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCHHkzviQLQB9wSiQx4zuf0Q
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelzeff/

Listen today at vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast platform!
Learn more about Nicole Greer, the Vibrant Coach: https://www.vibrantculture.com/

In this powerful episode of Build a Vibrant Culture, Nicole Greer welcomes Jim Collison—CliftonStrengths Community Manager at Gallup—for an energizing and practical conversation about building strengths-based cultures. Jim shares real-world insights from his journey, coaching advice, and why focusing on what’s right with people is a game-changer for engagement, wellbeing, and performance.

Together, Nicole and Jim unpack the philosophy behind CliftonStrengths, why it's more relevant than ever, and how leaders and individuals can name it, claim it, and aim it in life and work. They also discuss:

[00:01:07] The difference between talents and strengths—and how to use both. Jim explains the origin of CliftonStrengths and how talent themes become strengths through awareness and application.

[00:03:00] How to create psychologically safe environments for strengths to thrive. Jim emphasizes the importance of safe spaces where strengths can be honored, beyond just understanding them.

[00:14:06] Why leaders and followers must take responsibility for culture.
Jim discusses why culture-building isn’t just on leaders—everyone has a role in creating engagement and collaboration.

[00:21:31] Ways to integrate your strengths into life—even if your organization isn’t on board. Jim shares how individuals can apply their CliftonStrengths personally, including practical tools like journaling and coaching.

[00:29:13] How to reframe and work around your bottom 5 strengths. A story about a woman upset about her #34 theme—and Jim’s advice for building systems and support around lesser talents.

[00:22:37] Practical tools and habits to keep your strengths top of mind daily.

From post-it notes and wall art to project planning and feedback loops, Jim gives easy ways to embed strengths into daily life.

Connect with Jim:
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jimcollison
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimCollison

Listen at vibrantculture.com/podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts!
Learn more about Nicole Greer, The Vibrant Coach, at vibrantculture.com.

What if your team’s best innovation is stuck behind a lie - like “I’m not creative”? In this episode, Nicole Greer sits down with Melissa Dinwiddie, author of The Creative Sandbox Way: Your Path to a Full-Color Life, to smash that myth and uncover the truth: creativity is your birthright—and it’s the key to building a vibrant, energized culture.

Melissa shares her personal journey from self-doubt to singing jazz, thriving as an artist in Silicon Valley, and coaching leaders at Google, Facebook, and Salesforce. She introduces her 10 transformative guideposts to unlock innovation, break through fear, and help people across all industries build their own “Creative Sandbox.” Whether you lead a team, launch ideas, or build culture, this episode will give you the tools—and the mindset—to turn possibility into reality.

Vibrant Highlights:

[00:06:54] – The lie of “I’m not creative”—and how most people are wounded out of creativity in childhood.

[00:25:48] – “Think Quantity, Not Quality”: Why messy first drafts and crappy pots are the secret to innovation.
[00:29:38] – Tiny and daily wins: how 15 minutes a day changed Melissa’s creative life—and can spark your next big thing.
[00:33:21] – “Take the riskier path” — If you’re not risking, you’re not innovating. Even Coca-Cola took big swings!
[00:36:57] – Dismiss the Gremlins: How to spot the sneaky voices of fear and self-doubt—and send them off for a pedicure.
[00:43:22] – Self-awareness + self-compassion = the key to everything good. (Golden formula alert!)

Melissa's Book: https://a.co/d/76rgugO

FREE Download -  Impact Innovation Checklist: https://bit.ly/bvcpthankyou

Connect with Melissa:
Website: https://melissadinwiddie.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadinwiddie/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MelissaDinwiddie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_creative_life/

Also mentioned in this episode:
Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland: https://a.co/d/bJJ5Q9Y
Taming Your Gremlin by Rick Carson: https://a.co/d/arACGUq
The Human Condition by Thomas Keating: https://a.co/d/6wNXGqU
Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff: https://a.co/d/4tyG8Ie

Listen at vibrantculture.com/podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts! 
Learn more about Nicole Greer, The Vibrant Coach, at vibrantculture.com

In this exceptionally vibrant episode of The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Taylor Scott—author, keynote speaker, and former Disney leader—to explore how hospitality principles can transform leadership. With decades of experience at Disney, Gaylord, and The Cosmopolitan, Taylor shares practical wisdom from his bestselling book, Lead with Hospitality, and previews his upcoming leadership fable, Give Hospitality. Together, they discuss the emotional power of connection, the practice of empathy, and the critical difference between doing and leading. Taylor’s insights are a masterclass in how to make people feel seen, valued, and inspired at work. 

You’ll learn:

• Why the best leaders think like hospitality pros
• How to build emotional connection before offering feedback
• Why empathy is a learnable skill every leader needs
• How kindness, time, and significance create a contagious culture

Highlights from this episode:
[00:05:02] – Why emotional connection—not instruction—is the true start of leadership.
[00:12:00] – Taylor explains how emotional resonance drives behavior.
[00:22:47] – Why leaders can (and should) learn how to practice empathy & create connection.
[00:30:33] – Unpacking Taylor's LEAD acronym, a practical framework for servant leadership from the front lines of hospitality.
[00:38:14] – Taylor reveals the true power of encouragement, significance, and being "seen" at work.

Taylor's book: https://a.co/d/eUZYFmm

Connect with Taylor:
Taylor's website: https://leadwithhospitality.com/
Email: [email protected]
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tscott1502/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/tscott1502

Also mentioned in this episode:
Authors Chip Heath & Dan Heath: https://heathbrothers.com/
Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath: https://a.co/d/d0Hh8cx
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt: https://a.co/d/bM2UA13
The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn: https://a.co/d/abZnJ3D

We are grateful to T Scott for bringing his passion for leadership and workplace culture to the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast! 
Listen today at vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast app!

Buckle up—this week's episode lights the fuse on culture-changing conversations, showing you how a single powerful question can ignite an entire organization! In this episode, Nicole Greer sits down with powerhouse duo Cheri Torres and Jackie Stavros, co-authors of Conversations Worth Having, to explore how the practice of Appreciative Inquiry (the other AI) can transform your workplace culture—one conversation at a time.
Together, they share practical tools like the SOAR framework and the 5D cycle, explain how to “flip and frame” any problem into a growth opportunity, and reveal the neuroscience behind positive conversations. Packed with real-world stories from healthcare, manufacturing, and education, this episode shows you how to shift meetings from draining to energizing—starting with a single generative question.
Whether you lead a team, run a business, or want to communicate more effectively, this episode will equip you with simple but powerful practices that create clarity, connection, and real results.

Highlights from this episode:
[00:03:10] What Is Appreciative Inquiry? Jackie defines Appreciative Inquiry as "the other AI"—a strength-based approach that focuses on what's working, what was, and what could be.
[00:14:14] Generative Questions Unlock Human Potential. Learn what makes a question “generative” and how it invites energy, ideas, and inclusion.
[00:22:21] Name It, Flip It, Frame It. The core technique for reframing challenges into conversations worth having, illustrated with a hospital case study.
[00:39:05] Introducing SOAR. The SOAR model (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) is presented as a practical alternative to SWOT analysis.
[00:46:52] The Neuroscience of Conversation
Cheri explains how threat-based conversations shut down the brain—and how positive engagement lights it up.

Get the book here: https://a.co/d/hNaQysC

CWH Foundations Course: https://www.conversationsworthhaving.today/foundations
**Use coupon code VIBRANTCULTURE and get 30% off the course! Expires 8/31/25**

Also mentioned in this episode:
FeedForward concept, Marshall Goldsmith: https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/post/try-feedforward-instead-of-feedback
Appreciative Inquiry, David Cooperrider: https://a.co/d/esUdQ3x

Connect with Cheri & Jackie:
Website https://www.conversationsworthhaving.today/
Cheri LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbtorres/
Jackie LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-stavros-0b45824/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cwhtoday/

Listen today at www.vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast platform!
Learn more about Nicole Greer, the Vibrant Coach: https://www.vibrantculture.com/