The Behaviorist

Psychological Safety with Dr. Amy Edmondson

In this week’s episode, we welcome Dr. Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School and author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth. Dr. Edmondson is an expert on leadership, teaming, and workplace psychological safety. The Work Wisdom team frequently references and recommends her work to our clients. Psychological safety is believing one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. Listen to learn what the costs are when an organization ignores psychological safety (both tangible failures and intangible lost opportunities), as well as hear about some specific companies who are doing it right (what is Pixar’s “Brain Trust” and how does it guide peer critiques?). Dr. Edmondson also shares some concrete practices anyone can use to create psychological safety at home or work - setting the stage, inviting participation, and responding productively. You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.
 

Grit and Grace

When facing adversity, or knee-deep in the “messy middle” of progress, how do we know when to power through, versus when to tactfully cut bait and walk away? On this week’s Behaviorist podcast, Kedren is joined by longtime friends and mentors Laura Howell and Kathryn Ross to discuss how to hone the power and proper proportions of grit and grace. Listen to learn practical ways to help guide those “should I stay or should I go” decisions - like what three rulers you can use to measure whether a challenge is taking too much of a toll to be worthwhile. Find out how our guests activate and strengthen their grace in day to day interactions - and how admitting you’re wrong and working to find your “do-over” can be the greatest grace of all. You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.

A Conversation About Conflict

Do you know the five main ways we all respond to any given conflict? Avoiding, accommodating, competing, collaborating, and compromise. None of these types are singularly bad or good - each one has a time and place for its use. However, every individual has types that they rely on more heavily and ones they don’t.  On this week’s Behaviorist podcast, join Work Wisdom’s Kedren Crosby and Sarah Colantonio for a candid and personal conversation about how learning their conflict style preferences made a world-shifting change to their relationship, and how learning those styles can benefit you both personally and professionally. By taking the Thomas Killman Instrument (TKI), a 20-minute assessment of your conflict style, individuals and teams can learn their predispositions to use certain conflict styles and which styles they tend to avoid. Unlike IQ or personality types, your TKI score is not fixed - learning when each style is best used and how to be agile in switching between them is a skill that successful leaders need to navigate through differences to harness creativity and positive change. You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.
 
 

The Enneagram At Work

Do you know your Enneagram number? On this week’s episode, Sara (9, The Peacemaker) is joined by Partners for Sacred Places’ Chad Martin (6, The Loyalist) and Work Wisdom’s spiritual director Kimberlee Peipher (4, The Individualist) to explore how this ancient model of the human psyche can be harnessed for powerful self-discovery. Unlike other “personality tests” that categorize individuals based on their behavior, the Enneagram is based on a person’s innermost motivations and fears - it’s not what you do, it’s why you do it. Exploring your number and its complexity (what are triads and wings?) can bring to a simultaneously vulnerable and powerful level of understanding of your own core essence. This knowledge can be carried into your personal and professional relationships - which in turn can make everyone a more empathetic and perceptive partner, colleague, parent, friend, leader, and coworker. You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.

Organizational Forgiveness

What does it mean to work in a company that practices forgiveness on an organizational level? On this week’s episode of The Behaviorist, Work Wisdom’s Kedren Crosby is joined by Jess King, Chief of Staff of the Mayor’s office of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in a candid and heartfelt conversation about organizational forgiveness. Listen to learn what the research shows about groups that are able to collectively reframe traumas and offenses - including the three ways individuals and organizations respond to distress from failed expectation (Begrudging, Neutralizing, and Transcending). Kedren and Jess share personal stories - over a lot of laughs and perhaps even a couple of tears - that prove this is a subject that organizational leaders should be talking more openly about and practicing to benefit both their interpersonal relationships and the health of their company overall.
You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.

Leading With Strategy

“A vision without a strategy remains an illusion.” - Lee Bolman Have you ever found yourself in a position of leadership but sensed the organization was without a cohesive strategic plan? How do you thoughtfully and intentionally work towards creating a plan with your your team that they will not only believe in, but rally behind? This week, Work Wisdom’s Kedren Crosby and John Walker are joined by Stacie Reidenbaugh, President & CEO of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania to discuss their experiences with the process of strategy shaping. Listen to learn what concrete steps you can take to create a strategic plan that is not merely a to-do list, but truly a roadmap to winning that will energize your team with positive emotion and momentum. You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.

Purpose On The Planet

When you go to work every day, you more than likely know what the purpose of your organization is. But how about when you wake up in the morning - do you know what your purpose on this planet is? On this week’s podcast, Sarah chats with Work Wisdom research intern Hillary Schulze about unlocking the mystery of what our true purpose is. Seeking out this lighthouse can drive big choices, like your career path and smaller ones,  like your daily habits. Listen to find out what Hillary has learned about self-discovery in the office and in the spirit. You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.
 

Leading Through Transitions

Leading through Transition
How can leaders and change makers use their core values as a compass to navigate their own job transitions? This week, Kedren and Sarah are delighted to chat with Mike McKenna, who was recently named President of Tabor Community Services. Mike speaks candidly about his transition from COO at his previous company to President at Tabor, including the challenging dichotomy of becoming the most senior person in an organization - which can suddenly make you feel like a beginner all over again. Listen to learn how Mike thoughtfully and humbly moved into his new role, as well as his practical tips for leaders who are thinking about transitioning onwards and upwards.
You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.
 

Organizational Archetypes

Do you know your organization’s archetypes? Do you recognize how your personal archetype comes into play as a leader and team member? On this week’s Behaviorist, Kedren sits down with Ryan Martin, Co-Founder of Infantree, and Tracy Cutler, Executive Vice President of the Lancaster County Community Foundation to talk all things archetypes. Listen to find out how identifying your organization's archetype can serve as an invaluable “north star” and “guard rail” to help guide decisions, prevent mission creep, and create a shared language for your staff and your audience to grasp your message and purpose. You’ll hear how Infantree has used exploring personal archetypes as a beneficial tool for hiring, team building, and creating clear and revealing job descriptions. Kedren, Ryan and Tracey all share what concrete practices leaders can begin with to start uncovering and incorporating your archetypes to help move your organization forward.
You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website athttps://www.workwisdomllc.com.

Creativity For World-Changers

Everyone’s job history is a story. But the story of how how a fresh faced college graduate applying to an entry level job in Baltimore ended up Work Wisdom’s creative director two decades later has a special serendipity. Find out the whole tale as Sarah chats with Mary Alice Yeskey, who directs Work Wisdom’s creative, communications, and marketing. Listen to discover how inspiration can be spotted anywhere, and what advice she has for creatives in world changing organizations.  
You can follow Work Wisdom on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter at @workwisdom, and learn more at our website at https://www.workwisdomllc.com.