HRDQ-U In Review

Employee engagement is sitting near decade lows, and 1 in 5 employees worldwide say they feel lonely at work, according to Gallup. But the real problem isn't just burnout — it's disconnection. Long before someone hands in their resignation, they've already checked out mentally.

In this episode, organizational culture expert Devin C. Hughes joins us to unpack what's actually driving workplace disconnection today, why traditional engagement tactics (surveys, snacks, team-building days) fall short, and what leaders can do instead to rebuild trust, psychological safety, and real belonging on their teams — especially in hybrid and high-pressure environments.

Devin has worked with organizations ranging from Disney to the Department of Defense, is ranked the #23 Top Global Guru for Organizational Culture, and serves as Adjunct Faculty at San Diego State University's Fowler College of Business.

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Say goodbye to eye-roll-worthy icebreakers. In this episode of the HRDQ-U In Review Podcast, host Sarah sits down with Lenn Millbower — the Mouse Man™, Learnertainment® trainer, and former Walt Disney World training team member — to unpack the highlights from his popular webinar, 25+ Training Activity Ideas to Beat the Summer Blues.

Lenn shares why most training activities fall flat (hint: it's not the activity itself, it's where and how you use it), and how trainers can design experiences that learners actually want to engage with — even when the sun is shining and everyone's mentally halfway out the door.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Whether you attended the live webinar or are discovering Lenn's work for the first time, this episode is packed with creative, practical ideas you can bring back to your training room right away.

🎧 Watch the full webinar recording at HRDQU.com — available exclusively for HRDQ-U members.

In this episode of HRDQ-U in Review, host Sarah sits down with negotiation expert Laura Browne to talk about one of the toughest, and most important,career skills: asking for more money.

Laura shares the story of her first, unsuccessful attempt at requesting a raise—an experience that sparked her mission to help others confidently advocate for their worth. Since then, she’s authored Increase Your Income and A Salary Cinderella Story, guiding professionals (especially women) to approach salary conversations strategically and fearlessly.

Together, Sarah and Laura unpack the key principles behind effective salary negotiations, including how to research market rates, build a solid business case, and understand the timing of company raise cycles. Laura also offers practical advice for keeping the conversation professional, even when the answer is “not yet,” and explains how to turn that into a roadmap for future success.

Key Takeaways:

Action Items:

🎧 Tune in to learn how to confidently ask for what you deserve—and get it.

Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community.

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

In this episode of HRDQ in Review, host Sarah, Learning Events Manager at HRDQ, sits down with Marsha King to discuss one of the most relatable workplace challenges—gossip. Based on her webinar “Gossip in the Workplace: How to Spot It, Stop It, and Shift Culture,” Marsha shares insights into how gossip starts, why it spreads, and how leaders can take steps to shift workplace culture.

She also opens up about her own experiences with gossip—why it can feel good in the moment but ultimately harms trust, morale, and mental health. Drawing on her background in human resource and organization development, Marsha explains how emotions and communication dynamics drive gossip behavior and what organizations can do to address it effectively.

Action Items:

Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community.

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

In this episode of HRDQ In Review, host Sarah sits down with leadership expert Guy Harris to explore coaching for accountability beyond discipline and compliance.

Guy shares his journey from chemical engineering and naval nuclear service to a 24-year career in leadership development, focusing on conflict resolution, communication skills, and coaching new frontline leaders. Together, Sarah and Guy dive into the challenges leaders face with negativity bias—why we often notice what’s going wrong before what’s going right—and how shifting to a positive, future-focused coaching approach can create more accountable, high-performing teams.

This conversation is full of practical tools and quick wins, from recognizing and reinforcing positive behaviors to building coaching strategies that inspire growth and engagement. Guy emphasizes that effective coaching goes beyond correcting mistakes—it encourages behaviors that drive success and fosters stronger team dynamics.

Whether you’re a manager, team leader, or aspiring coach, this episode will help you guide your team toward accountability and performance without relying on discipline alone.

Chapters

‎00:00:00 – Introduction and Guest Background

Action Items for Listeners

Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community.

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

In this episode of HRDQ-U In Review, host Sarah sits down with Richard Goring, a presentation design expert from BrightCarbon, to explore what makes professional PowerPoint slides effective and engaging.

Richard shares how presentation expectations have evolved since COVID-19, with audiences demanding higher-quality visual storytelling and the growing role of AI in content creation. Together, Sarah and Richard dive into the core principles of great slide design—avoiding bullet-point overload, creating clear visual hierarchy, using contrast effectively, and placing images with intention.

This conversation is full of practical tools and quick wins, from using PowerPoint’s Convert to SmartArt and morph transition features to leveraging branding tools for consistency. Richard emphasizes that slides shouldn’t just decorate—they should tell a story, meet clear objectives, and keep the audience focused.

Whether you’re preparing for a big pitch, training, or executive presentation, this episode will help you design slides that stand out and connect.

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Chapters

‎00:00:00 – Introduction and Guest Background

Action Items for Listeners

Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community.

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

In this episode of HRDQ in Review, host Sarah sits down with Patti Massulo, a speaker and trainer specializing in personal and professional development, to explore the realities of imposter syndrome and how to overcome it.

Patti breaks down what imposter syndrome really is—confidence running on outdated software—and shares her own personal stories of self-doubt, including speaking to 650 people at her first engagement and turning down a major opportunity in Washington, D.C. Together, Sarah and Patti discuss why high achievers are particularly prone to imposter syndrome and provide listeners with actionable strategies to reframe negative thoughts, track progress, and build lasting confidence.

This conversation is full of practical tools, from the three-column journaling exercise to the power of mentorship and accountability partners, designed to help you stop questioning your worth and start owning your success.

Watch the webinar

Chapters

Action Items for Listeners

Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community.

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

In this episode, Sarah sits down with leadership coach Carlann Fergusson to unpack key insights from her webinar, QShatter Hidden Beliefs Sabotaging Your Self-Confidence. They explore how survival-oriented beliefs from childhood—often buried deep in the subconscious—can quietly limit leadership effectiveness, decision-making, and career growth.

Carlann shares practical strategies for spotting these patterns in yourself, from recognizing “always/never” thinking to catching overused strengths that backfire under stress. You’ll learn how to track judgmental mind chatter, test your assumptions with a simple two-step truth check, and use early physical cues to stop fight-or-flight reactions before they take over.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in self-doubt despite your accomplishments, this conversation offers a path to rewiring the beliefs holding you back—so you can lead with confidence, clarity, and presence.

Resources & Links:

Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community.

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

Leadership Potential: Leadership Potential collaborates with small to mid-sized HR and business leaders, providing tailored coaching, training, and consultation services to elevate their strategic approach. Explore their "Mastering Difficult Conversations: Developing Confident Communication Skills for Challenging Situations" course and save 10% with code HRDQU at leadershippotential.teachable.com/p/mastering-difficult-conversations-how-to. Seize this opportunity to refine your skills, transcend obstacles, and propel your career to new heights.

In this episode of the HRDQ-U In Review Podcast, host Sarah sits down with leadership and organizational culture expert Devin C Hughes to unpack the power of emotional intelligence (EQ) in team dynamics. Drawing on 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and educational institutions, Devin shares why technical skills alone aren’t enough to succeed in leadership—and how understanding emotions is the real game-changer.

Devin defines emotional intelligence as the ability to recognize, understand, and manage both our own emotions and those of others. He challenges the myth that we’re “thinking machines that feel,” asserting instead that humans are “feeling machines that think,” and explains why this matters for leaders who want to build high-performing, connected teams.

Together, Sarah and Devin break down the five key components of EQ—self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills—and show how each one contributes to trust, communication, and psychological safety at work. They also dive into the red flags of low EQ, like chronic miscommunications, conflict avoidance, and blame-shifting, which can erode team morale.

Listeners will walk away with practical strategies for staying emotionally regulated under pressure, including the five-second pause technique, naming emotions to tame them, and micro-moments of recovery to recharge throughout the day.

Chapters:

Action Items:

Tune in for an eye-opening conversation that will help you harness the power of emotional intelligence to lead more effectively and create a healthier, more connected team culture.

Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community.

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

Leadership Potential: Leadership Potential collaborates with small to mid-sized HR and business leaders, providing tailored coaching, training, and consultation services to elevate their strategic approach. Explore their "Mastering Difficult Conversations: Developing Confident Communication Skills for Challenging Situations" course and save 10% with code HRDQU at leadershippotential.teachable.com/p/mastering-difficult-conversations-how-to. Seize this opportunity to refine your skills, transcend obstacles, and propel your career to new heights.

In this episode of the HRDQ-U In Review podcast, host Sarah welcomes Bill Ryan to discuss his powerful framework for effective delegation: The Clear Method. With over 25 years of experience as a CIO, CLO, and now principal strategist at Ryan Consulting, Bill brings insight into how leaders can build clarity, trust, and accountability—especially in today’s remote and hybrid work environments.

Bill kicks off the conversation by identifying four major trends shaping the learning and development landscape: the return of just-in-time learning, a focus on leadership development at all levels, the growing role of AI in learning design, and the renewed importance of mentorship.

He then introduces listeners to the five pillars of his Clear Method:

Throughout the conversation, Bill shares practical strategies to help leaders implement these concepts in real-world settings, build trust without losing oversight, and strengthen their teams through intentional delegation.

Chapters

Action Items

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Episode Sponsors:

HRDQ-U: Unlock your potential with HRDQ-U memberships! Gain exclusive access to top-tier training resources, webinars, and tools that elevate your team's performance. Use code HRDQUSAVE10 at checkout for 10% off your first year of your annual membership. Visit hrdqu.com to learn more and join the HRDQU community. 

HRDQ: Providers of research-based, soft skills, training resources since 1977. Assessments, online learning, experiential hands-on games, customizable course content. Over 200 resources to improve performance, increase job satisfaction, and cultivate essential skills in your organization. Use code HRDQUPOD10 for 10% off your purchase today at hrdqstore.com.

Leadership Potential: Leadership Potential collaborates with small to mid-sized HR and business leaders, providing tailored coaching, training, and consultation services to elevate their strategic approach. Explore their "Mastering Difficult Conversations: Developing Confident Communication Skills for Challenging Situations" course and save 10% with code HRDQU at leadershippotential.teachable.com/p/mastering-difficult-conversations-how-to. Seize this opportunity to refine your skills, transcend obstacles, and propel your career to new heights.