In this feel-good episode of Chat the Chief, Bert Bean (CEO), Steve Wasik, and Katie Hillary unpack one of the most powerful drivers of workplace culture: recognition. Why does praise matter so much? How does it impact performance, belonging, and even brain chemistry? We explore the art and science behind recognition and share practical leadership tips for giving authentic praise that sticks.

What You’ll Learn:

Why recognition is foundational to culture and performance

Public vs. private praise: which matters more?

The neuroscience of praise (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins)

How to give authentic, specific recognition

Why systems like awards matter—but spontaneous moments matter more

Key Moments:

00:00 Intro

01:00 The foundation of culture

05:00 Public vs. private praise

10:00 The science behind recognition

19:00 Praise vs. monetary rewards

24:00 How to give authentic praise

30:00 Titan

39:00 Bert's Spotify Wrapped

44:00 Looking ahead to 2026

About the Podcast:

Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a multi-billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

📩 Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]