Human Capital

In this episode, Jeff and his guest Sumeet Salwan dive deep into how to identify and create value in an organization, while building a truly innovative and inclusive organizational culture. Sumeet is a co-founder of CEO Works, and he helps public-company CEOs make better value-creation decisions when leveraging talent. Previously he was Global Head of HR for the Johnson & Johnson consumer and medical device companies. He was also with Unilever for over 20 years, rising from intern to Senior VP, of HR. Sumeet shares how to build cultures that move beyond the numbers when improving diversity. Sumeet and Jeff discuss how to improve diversity awareness, improve decision-making, and why alternate viewpoints can result in improved outcomes.

This week Jeff and his guest talk about something that feels counter-intuitive to many; reducing workplace stress while also achieving higher productivity. Jeff's guest Chris Bailey is a best-selling author and lecturer on both productivity and calm. In their conversation, Chris shares with Jeff about the science behind living a deeper, more intentional life. They discuss the link between calmness and productivity, the impact of dopamine on our ability to be calm, and simple strategies that can not only reduce anxiety and home and work, but lead to a greater sense of peace.

Chris helps listeners understand what the six factors are that lead to burnout, how to do a dopamine fast, and how to make better decisions about dividing our time between the digital and analog worlds.

In this episode, Jeff and his guest help us unpack how we can approach uncertainty through a lens of opportunity. This week's guest is Chris Scalia, he is Senior Vice President and CHRO at The Hershey Company, overseeing 16,000 employees. Chris is a C-suite executive with a rare combination of HR expertise, commercial business acumen and experience practicing HR law. Jeff and Chris show us how HR can play a pivotal business role in converting VUCA to opportunity. They talk about how leaders can not only plan better during times of uncertainty, but make better strategic decisions that benefit employees, customers, and stakeholders when things seem to be volatile and complex. Jeff and Chris talk about how to avoid overcorrection when managing in the face of risk and economic pressure, and the power of empathy when connecting with others.

Jeff is back from his short sabbatical to welcome Gloria Mark, Chancellor’s Professor at UC Irvine. Jeff and Gloria discuss the relationship between our digital and offline behavior. They talk about technology at work, and how stress and mood are affected by our computer usage. Gloria shares research on how we are easily overloaded with information, and as a result get overwhelmed — especially in the workplace.

Jeff and Gloria debunk the fallacy of multitasking and reveal the benefits of monotasking. They talk about the 4 myths of using technology at work. Gloria shares how meditation and mindfulness can improve our ability to focus, helping us to achieve goals, communicate better, make better decisions, and dramatically improve efficiency and safety.

Gloria's New Book:

This week Jeff revisits his interview with Dr. Amer Kaissi. Amer is an author of several books, an executive coach, a keynote speaker, and a professor at Trinity University. Jeff and Amer discuss the meaning of humility in a leadership context, including knowing and reflecting on your own strengths and weaknesses.

During this insightful interview, Amer shares how humility comes from a place of strength, not weakness. He shares how he arrived at combining the terms humble and ambitious in the title of his new book “Humbitious.” Jeff and Amer discuss the relationship between competency and humility and they talk about whether it's possible to learn to be humble. Amer reviews the benefits of mindfulness at work, reveals three blocks to humility in leaders, and shares how to apply this knowledge everyday.

Jeff kicks off the new year with some tips on goal-setting, including how to ensure your vision and values are aligned to goals, and reviewing common goal-setting mistakes. As he takes a pause on producing new episodes for 6-weeks, Jeff revisits his interview with Xavier Naville, Author of “The Lettuce Diaries: How A Frenchman Found Gold Growing Vegetables in China.” Xavier is the Principal at Vision Management Consultants, and was CEO of the Creative Food Group, a key supplier to major restaurant chains in China, like McDonald's, KFC, and Starbucks. Xavier grew the company to one that now has nine factories serving 6,500 restaurants a day and over $150MM in revenue.

Jeff and Xavier discuss how his business experiences in China were vastly different than what is typical in most western companies. They talk about which leadership principles are universal, regardless of the country or industry. Xavier shares his personal stories about managing a Chinese team as a foreigner, trying to work with Chinese farmers to improve how they conducted agriculture, all while navigating investor demands. He and Jeff discuss the five ingredients that make up the “Complete Leader.”

Xavier shares vulnerably from his leadership journey, which included some nail-biting experiences of being an expatriate in China, almost failing at his business, and his eventual successful exit.

On this episode Jeff revisits his interview with Ginger Lapid-Bogda, PhD, she is an expert in using the Enneagram personality typing system in business. Jeff & Ginger discuss how 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality tests to assess employees and potential candidates. Ginger shares how the Enneagram, with its 9 types is inexpensive or free, and can help people not by putting them "in a box," but helping them "get out of the box." Together they explore her book “Transform your Team with the Enneagram. Build trust, decrease stress, and increase productivity.” Ginger helps us take a pragmatic look at team dynamics and shows us how the different Enneagram types relate to the “forming, storming, norming, and performing" model. Jeff and Ginger discuss the difference between a group and a team, and why impatience is the greatest enemy of becoming a high-performing team. Ginger shares with Jeff the benefits of using assessment tools which include improved self-awareness, understanding candidates better, shortening the recruitment cycle, reducing bias, spotting dark personality traits, and learning to work better together. And they also talk about the other side, the problems, that include inaccuracies, unintended recruitment bias, and interpretation problems.

On this episode Jeff interviews Gena Cox, about how leaders can build inclusion into workplace culture. Gena in an expert in inclusion, and has her PhD in Industrial & Organizational Psychology. Jeff and Gena discuss her new book, "Leading Inclusion, Drive Change Your Employees Can See and Feel.”

Jeff and Gena explore why is it difficult for many C-Suite executives to understand and focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that creates long-lasting change. They discuss the lack of education about black history in the United States among business leaders, and how can leaders can better understand the impact of racial trauma at work. Jeff and Gena explore the concept of REDI and how it is different from DEIB. Gina shares why some commonly used terms are not helpful when referring to disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.

Jeff explores the topic of uncertainty with guests Susannah and Nathan Furr, authors of "The Upside of Uncertainty." Nathan is professor of strategy at NSEAD University in Paris, and Susannah's formerly owned an apparel company. Together they explore the difference between risk and uncertainty, how creativity and uncertainty are interwoven, and how reframing, preparing, doing, and sustaining can lead us to the upside of uncertainty. Susannah and Nathan share with Jeff about what uncertainty balancers are, and how to better navigating the emotions that come with uncertainty to produce positive outcomes.

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday in the U.S., Jeff goes back to an insightful conversation with Chester Elton a top expert in workplace culture and employee wellbeing. Chester is the author of 14 books, including "Anxiety at Work" & "Leading with Gratitude".

Jeff and Chester unpack the nuances of anxiety in the workplace and how it affects individuals and organizations. Chester talks about key strategies that lead to work environments with the best chance of reducing workplace anxiety. Jeff and Chester discuss how the strategies companies implement either increase or decrease anxiety at work, and how to create workplace cultures that combine high productivity with psychological safety.

Where to find Chester Elton:

Anxiety at Work Podcast –

The Culture Works -