Want to close the skills gap on your team without a four-year degree or a six-figure training budget? This episode breaks down how flexible, human-centered professional development builds stronger leaders at every level.

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with three leaders from UNC Charlotte's School of Professional Studies: Anna Mullen (Business Development Director, Corporate Training and Executive Education), Taylor Faulkner (Program Director, HR and Learning & Development), and Krystle Kunnathur (Program Director, Leadership Development). Together, they dig into how certificate programs, corporate training, and a lifelong learning mindset help leaders and organizations close the skills gap, beat burnout, and build a vibrant culture.

This conversation covers work culture, organizational culture, leadership development, communication, career growth, AI in the workplace, and the flexibility adult learners need to actually thrive.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why communication and emotional intelligence are still the biggest skill gaps in the workplace, no matter how advanced the technology gets
• How flexible, human-centered programs help adult learners push past fear, financial barriers, and busy schedules
• Why AI should be a tool, not a crutch, and how human judgment keeps it in check
• What UNC Charlotte's new Certified Financial Planner certificate means for organizations building out financial planning talent
• How one fire and EMS system built leadership development directly into its promotion process
• The two qualities Anna, Taylor, and Krystle each believe future leaders need most

This episode is for HR leaders, learning and development professionals, and anyone building a team of lifelong learners who wants to invest in their people (and in themselves).

Topics covered include: Work culture, organizational culture, leadership development, professional development, certificate programs, workforce development, career growth, AI in the workplace, and burnout.

Connect with Anna Mullen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-mullen-88921a81/

Connect with Taylor Faulkner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-faulkner-a80552260/

Connect with Krystle Kunnathur: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystle-kunnathur/

Bonus: Nicole is co-hosting a free live webinar with UNC Charlotte, Leading Without Authority: How to Influence, Inspire, and Lead From Where You Are, September 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern. Register: https://charlotte-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/7217827384850/WN_GsHNcxOSRTGv6zqxXS4eJA#/registration

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

Michael J Lopez helps organizations make change actually stick, which is one of the hardest problems in business
In this episode, Nicole Greer sits down with Michael, founder of Michael J Lopez Consulting and author of Change: The 6 Science-Backed Strategies to Transform Your Brain, Your Body, and Your Behavior, to unpack the neuroscience behind why change is so hard and what it actually takes to build habits and culture that last.

Michael has spent over 20 years guiding Fortune 500 leaders at companies like Entergy, Clorox, Vanguard, and Meta through major transformations. He is also the lead researcher behind Rethinking Change Management 2026, a national workforce study on why change initiatives keep failing.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why roughly 47% of what you do every day is habit, and what that means when you want to change
• The six science-backed strategies behind lasting change: Shift environment, initiate movement, embrace stress, create focus, generate repetitions, and reward effort
• Why "Quitter's Day" happens every January, and how to avoid it
• How the anterior midcingulate cortex (the brain's "air traffic control center") grows stronger every time you do something hard
• Why culture designs itself, whether you're intentional about it or not

This episode is perfect for leaders, business owners, and teams who want to build habits and culture that actually stick.

Topics include change management, the neuroscience of habits, organizational culture, leadership development, resilience, and employee motivation.

 The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Learn more about training, coaching, and courses at https://vibrantculture.com

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

Selecting the words you use and how you use them can make a huge difference in building more trust and loyalty on your team. This episode breaks down why your chosen words shape how people feel, perform, and why they stay.

Nicole Greer welcomes Genice DeCorte, President and CEO of HealthShare Credit Union in Greensboro, North Carolina, to explore how intentional communication builds trust, loyalty, and a stronger workplace culture. With nearly four decades of experience leading credit unions, Genice shares hard-won lessons on feedback, consistency, and connection that any leader can apply.

This conversation dives into key topics like leadership communication, employee feedback, organizational culture, and team accountability. You’ll learn how words shape how people feel about their work and their leader.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why a two-minute text or handwritten note can outlast a paycheck in people's memory
• A simple feedback framework Genice calls the Celebratory C3
• Why one-on-one lunches with her team changed how she leads
• How to communicate consistently across a growing organization
• Why explaining the "why" behind policies builds buy-in instead of resentment

This episode is for leaders, managers, business owners, and professionals who want to improve communication, strengthen organizational culture, and build a workplace where people feel valued.

 The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

Struggling with burnout on your team, or in your own work? In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with entrepreneur and author Mitch Russo to share the simple mindfulness method he used to turn around a burned-out team, plus lessons on resilience, ethics, and purpose-driven leadership.

Mitch built a software company in his garage and sold it for eight figures, then went on to build a $25 million company alongside Tony Robbins and Chet Holmes. He is a two-time Inc Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year nominee and the author of four books, including his latest, Sacred Profits: From Meditation to Domination.

In this conversation, you will learn:

• The simple mindfulness method Mitch used to fix burnout on his sales team 
• The real difference between resilience and stubbornness 
• Mitch's framework for building organizational culture from the ground up 
• Why embracing your uniqueness is key to sustainable success 
• How ethical decision-making and heart-based leadership build trust

This episode is for leaders, business owners, and teams who want practical tools to fight burnout and build a stronger, more resilient culture.
Connect with Mitch:

Website: https://mitchrusso.com/

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

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

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

Want to improve team communication, training retention, and workplace culture without losing your credibility? This episode breaks down how humor builds psychological safety, strengthens leadership, and makes mandatory training actually stick.

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with commercial pilot, comedian, and Highbrow Safety Werks co-founder Robb Patton to explore how intentional humor transforms serious industries like aviation into environments where people learn faster and speak up more.

You'll learn:
✔️ How humor builds psychological safety on any team
✔️ Why baking levity into training beats hiring a funny facilitator
✔️ The rule of three and the callback, two easy tools anyone can use
✔️ How emotional intelligence and radical candor work together with humor
✔️ Why AI is opening new doors for leaders who aren't naturally funny

This episode is for leaders, trainers, and HR professionals who want to build a stronger organizational culture and make learning stick.

Topics covered include work culture, psychological safety, leadership development, team communication, and training and development.

Connect with Robb Patton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-patton-49a3b310 

And on his website, Highbrow Safety Werks: https://www.highbrowsafety.com/team

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

What if compensation wasn't just about spreadsheets and salary surveys, but about trust, communication, and leadership?

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Brenna Fitzsimmons, a compensation and HR leader with 18 years of experience, to explore how strong leaders build fair pay systems that people actually trust.

This conversation dives into key topics like compensation philosophy, pay transparency, leadership communication, and organizational culture. You'll learn how to align compensation strategy with business goals, build a career ladder that retains talent, and have honest conversations about pay.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to define and communicate your organization's compensation philosophy 
• A better approach to preparing managers for difficult pay conversations
• What most leaders get wrong about pay transparency and employee motivation
• Practical strategies to use AI as a tool in compensation decisions, not a decision-maker

This episode is for leaders, managers, HR professionals, and business owners who want to build a stronger organizational culture through fair, transparent compensation practices.

 The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

Want to know how leaders should utilize AI without losing their critical thinking skills? In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with organizational scientist and author Adrian Wolfberg to explore his book, Who Leads When AI Thinks?

This conversation dives into leadership and business strategy, organizational culture, and the human judgment skills that AI cannot replace. Adrian explains why AI is not just a tool but a relationship, how leaders can use framing and reframing to make better decisions, and why curiosity may be the most underrated leadership skill of all.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to think about AI as a relationship instead of a tool
• A better approach to framing and reframing decisions as reality changes
• What most leaders get wrong about delegating critical thinking to AI
• Practical strategies to protect curiosity and judgment on your team

This episode is for leaders, managers, business owners, and professionals who want to strengthen decision-making, protect organizational culture, and lead well in an AI-enabled workplace.

🌐 Connect with Adrian Wolfberg 

Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Who-Leads-When-Thinks-Decisions/dp/3032197163
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianwolfberg

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

Want to lead with more confidence when the path forward isn't clear? This episode breaks down how great leaders navigate uncertainty, manage ego, and build the self-awareness needed to grow.

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Pete Behrens, founder and CEO of the Agile Leadership Journey and author of Into the Fog: Leadership Stories from the Edge of Uncertainty, to explore what it really takes to lead when there is no clear right answer.

This conversation dives into key topics like leading through uncertainty, self-awareness, ego in leadership, and building alignment across teams. You will learn how to distinguish between courage and recklessness, why title alone does not make a leader, and how to create the kind of presence that earns trust rather than demands compliance.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to lead with confidence when you don't have all the answers
• A better approach to managing ego and blind spots as a leader
• What most leaders get wrong about control and letting go 
• Practical strategies to build alignment and self-awareness on your team

This episode is for leaders, managers, business owners, and professionals who want to lead through uncertainty, strengthen self-awareness, and build more aligned, stronger teams.

Connect with Pete Behrens: https://www.petebehrens.com/about

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

What if you could see through your own blind spots at work? In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with author and AI strategist David Dean to explore how artificial intelligence is changing accountability, judgment, and the everyday dynamics of organizational culture.

This conversation dives into key topics like AI in the workplace, accountability, self-realization, and the hidden behavioral patterns that shape how work actually gets done. You will learn how to use AI as a tool for self-discovery, why culture change starts with understanding human behavior, and what leaders get wrong when they roll out new technology without addressing the human side first.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How the "inbox" reveals the unofficial contract inside every organization
• A better approach to using AI as a companion instead of a replacement
• What most leaders get wrong about accountability and decision-making
• Practical ways AI can help individuals and teams discover their own blind spots

This episode is for leaders, managers, business owners, and professionals who want to understand how AI is reshaping accountability, judgment, and organizational culture without losing the human element that makes teams work.

Connect with David Dean on LinkedIn and on davidchristopherdean.com and buy his book An Inbox Between Us https://www.davidchristopherdean.com/book/

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]

Want to improve employee retention and build a culture of trust in your organization? This episode breaks down how one construction company uses talent optimization to keep its people engaged, growing, and loyal.

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Jonathan Ribskis, Director of Talent Optimization at Builtech Services, to explore how transparency, career development, and behavioral insight combine to lower turnover and build a genuinely vibrant workplace.

This conversation dives into key topics like employee retention, talent optimization, organizational culture, leadership and business strategy, and effective management practices. You will learn how to build trust through transparency, develop career paths that keep good people engaged, and use behavioral tools to improve team communication.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to build employee trust through open communication and transparency 
• A better approach to career development that keeps top talent engaged 
• What most leaders get wrong about retention and turnover 
• Practical strategies to create a Best Place to Work culture 
• How behavioral assessments improve team collaboration

This episode is for leaders, managers, business owners, and HR professionals who want to improve employee retention, strengthen organizational culture, and build stronger teams.

Connect with Jonathan at builtechllc.com

The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast helps leaders improve work culture, communication, and business performance through real-world leadership strategies and practical insights.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/

For speaking inquiries: https://vibrantculture.com/speaker-kit-request/

Download our training catalog: https://vibrantculture.com/catalog-request/

Want to be a guest? Send your request to [email protected]