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What does it take to create an environment where people can thrive?
We close the quarter by connecting authenticity, creativity, and safety to the conditions people need to perform. Our guest, Scott Harvey draws on his experience in law enforcement and hostage negotiation to share his thoughts on rapport, clear feedback, and the conversations leaders sometimes avoid. He also shares his CALM framework: control emotions, ask good questions, listen actively, and motivate the desired action.
Choosing grace does not remove standards or consequences. It shapes how a leader responds when someone is learning, struggling, or has made a mistake.
The latest companion toolkit is available now. Request your copy at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers receive the monthly toolkit automatically, along with updates on new episodes, resources, and upcoming offerings from onetwentythree ltd.
Key takeaways
Timestamps
00:03 Choosing grace: authenticity, creativity, and safety
04:16 Meet Scott Harvey
08:28 Prevention, mistakes, and a gracious response
13:10 Why rapport matters
18:03 Relationships are leadership work
22:07 Physical, financial, and psychological safety
25:30 Choosing the awkward conversation
33:13 Scott’s CALM framework
45:41 Staying steady for someone else
48:30 Silence Kills and the meaning of silence
53:00 Care as a matter of respect
Keywords
choosing grace, leadership, thriving at work, rapport, psychological safety, difficult conversations, feedback, communication, authenticity, creativity, Scott Harvey, CALM framework, The Well-led Podcast
What does it take to make work safer for people? In this lesson for effectiveness, Kate Johnson closes the month’s discussion of safety with three lessons drawn from conversations with Stephanie Lemek, Dr. Benjamin Ritter, and Jessica Donahue. She considers physical, financial, and psychological safety, then offers a practical method leaders can use: name what a job or assignment requires, and make the employee’s available choices equally clear.
The latest companion toolkit is available now. Request your copy at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers receive the monthly toolkit automatically, along with updates on new episodes, resources, and upcoming offerings from onetwentythree ltd.
Key takeaways
Timestamps
00:01 — Safety as a leadership responsibility
05:18 — Three lessons about safety at work
10:50 — Making choice visible in everyday work
Keywords
workplace safety, physical safety, financial safety, psychological safety, leadership responsibility, employee choice, self-leadership, trauma-informed leadership, clear expectations, accountability
Safety is not simply a workplace benefit. It is a pre-existing condition that makes authenticity, creativity, critical thinking, and strong performance possible. In this episode, Kate Johnson talks with Jessica Donahue, founder of Adjunct Leadership Consulting, about what physical, financial, and psychological safety look like at work—and why all three are under pressure.
Drawing on Jessica’s experience as a trauma-informed workplace leader, they explore how past experiences shape present-day responses to uncertainty, organizational change, and the loss of choice. They also examine why authenticity should never require complete exposure, how autonomy helps people regulate their nervous systems, and why leaders must model the candor they expect from others.
The conversation offers practical ways to foster safety, including setting clear boundaries, explaining business decisions, acknowledging what you do not know, responding constructively to mistakes, advocating for employees’ financial needs, and planning support for managers responsible for delivering difficult news.
Listen for a thoughtful conversation about creating workplaces where people can learn, contribute, and do their best work without being asked to perform vulnerability or pretend that uncertainty does not affect them.
The latest companion toolkit is available now. Request your copy at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers receive the monthly toolkit automatically, along with updates on new episodes, resources, and upcoming offerings from onetwentythree ltd.
Key takeaways
Timestamps
00:00 Meet Jessica Donahue
01:10 A trauma-informed approach to work
02:23 Safety as a leadership skill
06:19 Authenticity can include holding back
11:40 Three forms of workplace safety
13:22 Why workplace safety is under pressure
21:21 Safety, stress, and performance
30:27 Restoring safety through choice
40:41 How leaders model psychological safety
50:33 Advocating for financial safety
Keywords
workplace safety, psychological safety, trauma-informed leadership, employee well-being, leadership transparency, workplace autonomy, financial safety, nervous system regulation, authentic leadership, organizational trust
What makes it possible for someone to admit a mistake at work?
In this Other Voices episode of The Well-Led Podcast, Stephanie Lemek and Dr. Benjamin Ritter explore how psychological safety shapes the employee experience. Stephanie explains why leaders create safety by acknowledging their own mistakes, uncertainty, and imperfection. Benjamin considers the relationship between a supportive environment and the responsibility each person holds for exercising self-leadership.
Together, their reflections show that psychological safety is more than avoiding conflict or telling people it is okay to fail. It allows people to speak candidly, take risks, ask questions, learn, contribute ideas, and work toward shared goals.
You’ll learn:
If you would like practical tools that accompany conversations like this one, you can request the current free leadership toolkit at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers to the onetwentythree ltd newsletter receive these resources automatically each month.
Guest Information, listed alphabetically
Stephanie Lemek is the Founder & CEO of The Wounded Workforce®, a consultancy reshaping how employers approach mental health, trauma, and resilience at work. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of The Wounded Workforce's Center for Construction Mental Health™. Stephanie is a nationally recognized speaker and trusted advisor on trauma-informed leadership, bringing together research, practical strategy, and deep organizational insight to help leaders, HR, and frontline teams move from well-meaning to well-equipped.
Dr. Benjamin Ritter is an executive leadership coach and keynote speaker based in Austin, Texas. For more than 15 years he has coached senior leaders at companies including Amazon, Google, DoorDash, Mayo Clinic, Pinterest, Coursera, Northwestern, and the CDC, along with next-generation leaders inside family-owned operating companies. He is the author of the Amazon best-seller Becoming Fearless, and The Uncrowned CEO, founder of Live for Yourself Consulting, and host of The Executive and Live Fearlessly podcasts.
Key takeaways
Timestamps
00:05 Safety as a leadership skill
01:52 Stephanie on three forms of safety
10:59 Benjamin on safety and self-leadership
16:28 Closing reflections and resources
Keywords
psychological safety at work, safety in leadership, how leaders create psychological safety, admitting mistakes at work, workplace culture, leadership vulnerability, employee trust, physical safety, financial safety, self-leadership, personal responsibility, employee engagement, workplace burnout, creativity at work, authentic leadership
What does workplace safety mean beyond preventing physical harm?
In this episode of The Well-Led Podcast, Kate Johnson examines safety as a leadership skill—and as the condition that allows authenticity and creativity to flourish at work. We explore three forms of safety that human leaders must consider: physical safety, financial safety, and psychological safety. Kate connects each one to a practical leadership responsibility, from recognizing hazards and understanding compensation practices to responding constructively when mistakes happen.
You’ll learn:
If you would like practical tools that accompany conversations like this one, you can request the current free leadership toolkit at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers to the onetwentythree ltd newsletter receive these resources automatically each month.
Key Takeaways
Timestamps
00:03 Choosing grace through safety
00:54 Defining workplace safety
02:33 Safety as protection from harm
04:31 Physical safety and human frailty
04:53 Financial safety and basic needs
05:32 Psychological safety and human error
06:49 Why authenticity and creativity require safety
08:15 Practical actions for physical safety
09:06 Learning about financial protections
09:53 Responding constructively to mistakes
Keywords
workplace safety, leadership safety, human leadership, physical safety, financial safety, psychological safety, choosing grace, authenticity at work, creativity at work, employee protection, psychological safety at work, leadership skills, workplace hazards, compensation practices, employee hardship, responding to mistakes, human error, team trust, Amy Edmondson, leading well
The Well-led Podcast is on a break! Enjoy this replay as a means of refreshing and staying grounded in the work of human leadership.
Clarity is one of the most practical leadership skills because it turns ideas into action. In this episode, Kate Johnson explores why clarity is the starting point for supporting employees and enabling performance. She explains how leaders create clarity in three key areas—purpose, communication, and relationships—and how doing so helps teams understand priorities, connect to their work, and move forward with confidence.
The latest companion toolkit is available to request at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits and subscribers receive new resources automatically each month via the one23ltd newsletter.
Key takeaways
Timestamps
[0:00:02] – Introduction of clarity as the “mother skill” in leadership.
[0:00:46] – Link between vulnerability (care) and clarity (support); preview of accountability and feedback.
[0:01:53] – Identification of the podcast: “This is the Well Led Podcast, and I’m your host, Kate Johnson.”
[0:02:21] – Etymology: clarity / claritas = brightness, metaphor of a leader “turning on a light.”
[0:03:29] – Introduction of clarity of purpose and the question: “the purpose of what?”
[0:05:15] – Practical exercise: three questions to clarify leader, company, and team purpose.
[0:06:14] – Shift to clarity of communication and the two kinds of consistency (internal and experienced).
[0:10:09] – Introduction of clarity of relationships (boundaries, connections, channels).
Keywords
leadership clarity, clarity in leadership, leadership communication, leadership purpose, employee engagement, leadership transparency, organizational communication, leadership effectiveness, workplace relationships, leadership development
Leadership creativity is more than generating novel ideas. It is the thought work behind effective choice-making. In this Lesson for Effectiveness, Kate Johnson shares three practical activities leaders can use to strengthen creativity, examine problems from different perspectives, anticipate challenges, and make better-informed decisions.
If you would like practical tools that accompany conversations like this one, you can request the current free leadership toolkit at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers to the onetwentythree ltd newsletter receive these resources automatically each month.
Key takeaways
Timestamps
00:03 Leadership Creativity and Critical Thinking
01:18 Put Yourself in the Picture
02:55 Conduct a Pre-Mortem
04:25 Try Corporate Time Travel
05:01 Change Your Hat to Change Your Mind
06:29 Evaluate the Quality of Your Choices
07:18 Conduct a Personal Choice Audit
07:55 Use Journaling and Regular Reflection
08:38 Seek Guidance From a Mentor
09:31 Rational, Reasonable, and Empathetic Creativity
Keywords
leadership creativity, creative thinking, critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, pre-mortem exercise, Six Thinking Hats, perspective-taking, leadership development, reflective practice
Creativity is often misunderstood as artistic talent or spontaneous inspiration, but effective leaders know it is something much more practical. Creativity is the ability to imagine new possibilities, solve problems, adapt to uncertainty, and create environments where innovation can flourish. In this episode, Kate Johnson is joined by Glory Lichon, Melissa Norcross, and Kristen Pavle and Dave Gorum of Play Into Being to explore what creativity looks like in everyday leadership.
Together they discuss the role of self-trust, self-awareness, psychological safety, experimentation, collaboration, and play in creating workplaces where people feel safe enough to think differently. Rather than treating creativity as an individual talent, they describe it as something leaders intentionally cultivate through the environments they create, the questions they ask, and the freedom they provide for others to contribute their best ideas.
Whether you're leading a department, building a business, or simply trying to think more creatively about the challenges in front of you, this conversation offers practical ideas for creating the conditions where better thinking—and better leadership—can emerge.
Guest Information, listed alphabetically
Dave Gorum is the Co-founder of Play Into Being, who has turned his aspirations of being an animator into a business designed to support creative founders. He describes his role as that of a Producer, informed by a core belief: Your project is alive and it chose you to come into being. The way you treat it is the way you treat yourself. Together with partner Kristen Pavle, Dave runs workshops, incubators, and 1:1 producing engagements to help founders navigate that vulnerable space where vision meets reality, without losing what makes the work alive in the first place.
Dave Gorum | LinkedIn
Play Into Being
Play Into Being | LinkedIn
Glory Lichon is a founder, speaker, veteran, and mentor devoted to redefining how women lead. She is the co-founder and CEO of Glow Bright Therapy, a multi-state pediatric therapy organization, and the founder of Elevate Beyond Boundaries, where she guides women founders and leaders through embodied leadership, nervous system regulation, and aligned expansion. Glory also hosts The Embodied LeadHer podcast, where she shares honest conversations and reflections on leadership, identity, capacity, and self-trust for women who are ready to lead from a more grounded and aligned place.
Glory Lichon - Glow Bright Therapy, LLC | LinkedIn
Glow Bright Therapy
Elevate Beyond Boundaries
The Embodied LeadHer - Podcast
Melissa Norcross is the co-founder of Ad Lucem Group, an Executive Moderator at Collaborative Gain,, and co-author of The Intentional Executive, a purpose-driven playbook to transform leadership. She leverages her 20+ years as a strategy executive to coach and develop leaders who deliver extraordinary results while building highly engaged, collaborative teams.
Melissa Norcross | LinkedIn
Ad Lucem Group
Kristen Pavle is Partner and Co-founder at Play Into Being where she blends producing, community, and education to help creative leaders bring their visions to life. As a relational designer, her background is in co-creating community ecosystems that prioritize collaboration, innovation, and meaningful connections. The throughline is finding play in your work, leading from the spark within you.
LinkedIn profile: Kristen Pavle | LinkedIn
Play Into Being
Play Into Being | LinkedIn
Key takeaways
Timestamps
00:00 — creativity beyond artistic ability
01:25 — self-trust and creative leadership
03:08 — creating the conditions for creativity
06:27 — why innovation requires failure
09:08 — designing creative workplaces
12:00 — psychological safety and vulnerability
15:09 — balancing creativity and business goals
20:19 — the leader's role in creative culture
22:26 — invitations, prompts, and psychological safety
26:58 — final reflections on creative leadership
Keywords
leadership creativity, creative leadership, creativity at work, critical thinking, innovation, innovation leadership, psychological safety, creative problem solving, workplace creativity, leadership development, self-trust, self-awareness, experimentation, learning from failure, organizational creativity, team innovation, leadership skills, creative culture, psychological safety at work, emergent design, enabling constraints, studio mindset, collaboration, workplace innovation, employee engagement, leadership podcast, The Well-led Podcast, Kate Johnson, choosing grace, creative teams
What does creativity have to do with leadership? More than you might think.
When many people hear the word creativity, they picture artists, musicians, or designers. In reality, and in leadership, creativity is something much broader and much more essential. Rather than artistic talent, leadership creativity is an expression of critical thinking: the ability to generate ideas, recognize the right ideas, and create the conditions where people can think, experiment, and solve problems well.
Throughout the episode, you'll discover practical leadership behaviors that make creativity visible in everyday work, through thoughtful decision-making, wise problem-solving, and the willingness to give people room to learn and grow.
If you would like practical tools that accompany conversations like this one, you can request the current free leadership toolkit at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers to the onetwentythree ltd newsletter receive these resources automatically each month.
Key takeaways
Timestamps
00:00 Why creativity belongs in leadership
01:45 Creativity as critical thinking
03:05 Rational creativity: asking better questions
05:52 Protecting time to think
06:32 Reasonable creativity: experimentation and learning
08:02 Saying no to the first idea
08:39 Empathetic creativity: designing for people
10:05 How creativity becomes grace
Keywords
leadership creativity, creativity in leadership, critical thinking, critical thinking for leaders, creative leadership, leadership innovation, workplace creativity, creative problem solving, creative thinking, leadership skills, innovation in the workplace, leadership development, empathetic leadership, employee creativity, psychological safety, employee engagement, problem solving, rational creativity, reasonable creativity, choosing grace, leadership podcast, leadership effectiveness, workplace innovation, innovation culture, strengths-based leadership
Authentic leadership is not about revealing every emotion or lowering expectations. It is about accepting your humanity while remaining accountable for results.
In this episode, you'll learn why grace is a leadership discipline rather than leniency, how psychological safety supports learning instead of comfort, why accountability and grace strengthen one another, and three practical habits that help leaders create cultures where people can learn, improve, and perform at a high level.
If you would like practical tools that accompany conversations like this one, you can request the current free leadership toolkit at https://www.one23ltd.com/toolkits Subscribers to the onetwentythree ltd newsletter receive these resources automatically each month.
Key Takeaways
Timestamps
00:00 Grace is a leadership responsibility
00:50 What authentic leadership really means
02:08 Why psychological safety matters
03:17 Normalize experimentation and learning
04:11 Self-compassion improves leadership
04:57 Accountability and grace work together
05:55 Professionalism and imperfection belong together
06:53 Three habits of authentic leaders
08:02 Replace perfectionism with learning
09:58 Choose grace without lowering standards
Keywords
authentic leadership, leadership authenticity, psychological safety, accountability, leadership grace, self-compassion, continuous improvement, leadership development, workplace culture, human leadership
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