Is workplace positivity building trust — or masking real problems?

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with author Johanna Laurent to unpack the difference between authentic positivity and the kind that shuts people down.

They explore:

• Why leaders focus on what’s wrong instead of what’s working
• The self-work required before you can lead others well
• How to create space for honesty without sliding into negativity
• Why you can get results and build a great environment

This isn’t about pretending everything’s fine.

It’s about being honest in the light — and leading from there.

Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.

Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.
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When did leadership stop being about people?

The rise of the term “People Leader” sounds progressive — but it may reveal a deeper problem. If leadership needs a qualifier, something’s already broken.

In this solo episode, Russel challenges the language we use and what it says about how we actually lead.

Because leadership without people… isn’t leadership.

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What can leaders learn from Olympic athletes?

Former cycling champion and high-performance coach Lee Povey breaks down why winning is out of your control — and why focusing on process, feedback, and adaptability is what truly drives performance.

This episode challenges hustle culture, fixed leadership styles, and ego-driven management.

Because the Olympic mindset isn’t about medals.

It’s about becoming better — every day.

Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.

Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.
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Putting time on a calendar isn’t investment. Sending a survey isn’t support.

In this solo episode, Russel Lolacher challenges leaders to stop assuming and start asking: What does meaningful investment actually look like for my team?

Because if they don’t feel it — it doesn’t count.

Curiosity. Consistency. Personalization.

That’s the work. 

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In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with leadership expert and author Kishshana Palmer to unpack why being “busy” has become one of the most damaging habits in modern leadership.

They explore how busyness blocks clarity, weakens relationships with teams, fuels burnout, and quietly erodes organizational culture. Kishshana shares how leaders can shift from constant reactivity to intentional strategy, why clarity is a leadership responsibility, and what it really costs when productivity replaces care.

If you’ve ever worn “busy” as a badge of honor, this conversation challenges what that habit is doing to you, your team, and your culture.

Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.

Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.
 Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Sign up today to keep your leadership journey on the right path. 

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“Let’s start the conversation” has become a comfortable way for leaders to delay real change.

In this R@W Note mini-episode, Host Russel Lolacher explores why talking about improvement isn’t the same as starting it — and how conversation without follow-through quietly damages trust, morale, and credibility at work.

Leadership isn’t measured by what’s said in the meeting.
 It’s measured by what happens after it ends.

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Motivation is often treated as something leaders can manufacture from the outside — incentives, goals, performance systems. But without purpose, motivation rarely lasts.

In this episode, Ryan Rigterink breaks down why purpose is personal, contextual, and constantly evolving — and why leaders get motivation wrong when they assume it’s one-size-fits-all. We explore how identity, experience, and intention shape engagement, how trust underpins any meaningful motivation strategy, and why shared purpose isn’t about conformity, but alignment.

This conversation challenges inherited leadership assumptions and reframes work as a place for becoming — not just performing.

Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.

Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.
 Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Sign up today to keep your leadership journey on the right path. 

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Silence in leadership is rarely intentional — but it’s never neutral.

In this short R@W Note episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores how delayed communication, hesitation, and “waiting until we know more” can unintentionally create confusion, anxiety, and cultural drift on teams.

Leaders often hold back for good reasons: they want clarity, the right answer, or more information. But while leaders are thinking, teams are interpreting — filling gaps with assumptions, stories, and uncertainty.

This episode reframes leadership presence as communication in progress — not perfection — and offers practical ways to lead with clarity even when decisions aren’t final.

Because leadership isn’t about speaking last.
 It’s about speaking when it matters most.

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ADHD in the workplace is often framed as a performance issue — but what if the real problem is job fit?

In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with ADHD career coach Shell Mendelson to unpack why capable, skilled ADHD employees struggle in roles that were never designed for how they think, focus, and work.

Together, they explore why performance improvement plans miss the point, how workplace expectations quietly erode confidence, and why creativity and innovation only show up under the right conditions. This conversation challenges leaders to stop pathologizing behavior and start examining environments — and helps ADHD professionals better understand when a role is working against them.

If you’re a leader trying to support neurodivergent employees, or someone with ADHD questioning whether work “just isn’t clicking,” this episode offers clarity without clichés.

Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.

Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.
 Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Sign up today to keep your leadership journey on the right path. 

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Many leaders say the right things about trust, empathy, and accountability—then quietly fail to follow through. In this short Relationships at Work episode, Russel Lolacher unpacks the difference between looking like a leader and performing as one.
You’ll learn how performative leadership erodes trust, why optics often get rewarded over impact, and how to audit your own actions to ensure your leadership shows up when it actually matters.

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