People often don't speak up in meetings out of fear, a sense of futility, a lack of confidence, or because they just can't be bothered. But active participation and speaking up can significantly advance visibility and career prospects. So leaders and participants alike need to take responsibility for making meetings meaningful and encouraging open communication. Betina Szkudlarek is a professor in International Management at the University of Sydney Business School. Betina has conducted extensive research on why people often do not voice their opinions and what can be done to encourage people ..read more

How much responsibility do leaders have for the psychological safety of their teams? Aren’t psychological hazards an HR issue? Recent changes in Australian law require employers to take steps to ensure not only the physical but also the psychological safety of their employees. This includes identifying and mitigating psychosocial hazards in the workplace, which can have a profound impact on employees' mental health. But what is “reasonable”? This week's guest is Ian Bennett, a legal expert specialising in employment and safety law. He lends his expertise to discussions on workplace safety, sp ..read more

Imposter syndrome is a common psychological pattern many of us experience. It makes us doubt our achievements, or feel like we’re going to be exposed as a fraud. Imposter syndrome iis usually only experienced by high performers, but there are techniques and mindset shifts that can help us, if not “cure” imposter syndrome, then at least manage it. Clem Pickering is a coach and specialist in the area of imposter syndrome. He has a background in tech, and focuses on supporting leaders in the tech space enhance their people skills and increase their impact. Dan and Pia share their personal experi ..read more

The shift to working from home during the pandemic has significantly altered the way businesses operate, with many finding a balance between in-person and remote work. This change seems to be persisting even as lockdowns end, suggesting a long-term shift in our approach to work. This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Jose Maria Barrero, an assistant professor at ITAM Business School in Mexico City. He leads one of the world's biggest research studies on working from home, and how businesses are reacting to the shift to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three reasons to listen Learn ab ..read more

A successful transition to leadership calls for a significant shift in mindset. Not only do you need to enhance your existing skills, but also adopt new ones and lett go of habits that may have earned you you success in the past. A transitioning leader understands the importance of team dynamics, makes space for collaboration, evolves their leadership style, and embraces continuous learning. This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Iain Gauld, the Chief Information Officer at Contact Energy in New Zealand. With a background in computer science, Iain started his career in tech with the intention ..read more

Salience (or what we choose to focus our attention on) has a big impact on our perceptions and actions within a group. Understanding this can help us reconsider what we’re ignoring or overlooking, which can lead to more innovative and inclusive team dynamics. This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Greg Radick and Tom McClelland, a professor and lecturer respectively, who study the history and philosophy of science. They discuss the concept of salience, which points to the ideas that grab our attention, and how salience impacts scientific enquiry and teams. In their professional work, they exam ..read more

Kitchens – like any professional environment – need effective leadership. This means staying calm, promoting clear communication, and creating a learning environment where team members feel valued and motivated. Professional kitchens run well are the epitome of the We Not Me philosophy. This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Simon Zatyrka, a former executive chef who’s spent most of his career in professional kitchens around the US. He’s the founder of the Culinary Mechanic, where he coaches chefs on leadership and building a positive culture in the kitchen, offering a mix of on-site and virtua ..read more

What happens when you grow a company from the ground up, and are then asked to leave? For entrepreneur Bart Foster, it meant reassessing his identity, and ultimately redefining himself. After years spent as an intrapreneur within the corporate world, Bart founded his own health and wellness company and became an entrepreneur. Now he leads a company that helps teams think differently, get out of their comfort zones and into nature. Key takeaways Pay attention to the 70% of the bell curve in conversations. We can make an intentional choice to pick the place we have for our conversations. It do ..read more

For the first time in over a thousand days of Squadify and forty episodes of the podcast, Dan and Pia are in the same room, and are joined by Dan’s wife Juliet, to discuss findings from a recent analysis on Squadify data. Squadify works by asking team members to fill in a survey at the start and end of a particular period. Participants rate the importance of a series of conditions for team success, and then later return to record the presence of those conditions. Key findings Teamwork is a more important condition for hybrid teams than it is for those that work face-to-face. Hybrid teams te ..read more

Community policing runs on trust, no matter the location. That trust flows both ways, and can have its basis in something as simple as a common interest. New Jersey police officer Adam Verducci and his squad are so well-connected that he knows when a situation is in progress just from the sound of a fellow officer’s voice on the radio. In his conversation with Dan and Pia, Adam walks us through a day in the life of a US police officer serving a relatively small town, where trust and connection come together to keep people safe. Takeaways from Dan and Pia Keeping a cool head can help keep a v ..read more