Leaders often complain about their teams — disengaged employees, poor performance, difficult conversations.

But what if the real issue isn’t the team?

In this episode, Russel sits down with leadership expert David Dilger to explore how leaders shape the behavior, performance, and culture of their teams — often without realizing it.

They discuss why avoiding tough conversations hurts everyone involved, how focusing on observable behaviors changes the way leaders manage performance, and why trust is built through consistent everyday interactions, not one big moment.

Because the truth is simple:
 The culture you experience as a leader is often the culture you’ve created.

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Some of the most damaging leaders aren’t the obvious tyrants. They’re the ones celebrated on stages, praised in boardrooms, and admired on LinkedIn.

In this solo episode, Russel Lolacher explores how performative leadership can hide behind recognition, results, and a polished public image. He challenges leaders to look beyond awards and social media presence to examine the real impact leaders have on their teams.

Because leadership isn’t defined by the story a leader tells — it’s defined by the experience of the people they lead. 

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What if conflict isn’t the problem — but the engine of innovation?

In this episode, innovation expert Jeff DeGraff joins Russel to explore why adaptability isn’t about reacting to change — it’s about embracing ambiguity, practicing paradox, and creating constructive conflict inside your teams.

They discuss:

• Why over-alignment kills innovation
• The difference between reacting and adaptive thinking
• How small experiments build momentum
• Why culture isn’t a “thing” — it’s how leaders lead
• The role of vision in holding chaos together

If you’re leading through uncertainty, AI disruption, or organizational tension, this conversation reframes how real innovation actually happens.

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Are you leading from values — or reacting to emotions?

 In this solo episode, Russel Lolacher explores why values must anchor workplace decisions, culture, and accountability. Empathy matters. But without clear values, leadership becomes mood management.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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