In episode 64 of the ACHIEVE Workplace Culture Podcast, Eric, Chris and Wendy discuss the difference between being “nice” and being “kind” at work, arguing that niceness can become people-pleasing driven by insecurity while kindness prioritizes others through clear, helpful conversations. They emphasize Brené Brown’s idea that “clear is kind,” noting leaders often avoid feedback even though everyone wants to know when they’re not meeting expectations. The hosts explore how clarity helps people perform and prevents them from feeling “lost,” and they distinguish kind clarity from unkind bluntness by focusing on observable behaviour and impact rather than assumptions about motives. They advise leaders to pay attention, have the conversation despite discomfort, assume people want to know and do good work,… Read More

In Episode 63 of the ACHIEVE Workplace Culture Podcast, Eric, Wendy and Chris explore why treating people equally doesn’t always produce fair or effective results at work. They discuss how different employees need different levels of direction, autonomy, and support to perform well. They also address how fairness concerns can arise when one person receives additional supports, recommending leaders ask what the concerned person needs rather than defending another employee’s accommodations. The episode emphasizes noticing differences, leveraging strengths, avoiding over-reliance on policies, and creating workplaces where people’s talents are seen and supported. Read More

In episode 62 of the ACHIEVE Workplace Culture Podcast, Wendy and Chris discuss why leadership is central to workplace culture. Chris shares being pushed into leadership too early, initially copying flawed models that misused power, and later being challenged with the question, “What kind of leader do you want to be?” He describes leadership as an ongoing practice, notes his continued challenge with providing clarity, and emphasizes that leaders affect people beyond work, encouraging leaders to take responsibility, grow incrementally, and go easy on themselves. Read More