Boss Better Now with Joe Mull

Joe Mull
  • 4.8 (85)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

A fun, energizing show for BossHeroes who can use a regular dose of advice, humor, and encouragement.

  1. 3h ago

    How to Coach an Employee Who is Condescending to Others

    When a team member is condescending, rude, or dismissive in meetings, most leaders hope it will blow over. It rarely does. Left alone, this behavior chips away at trust, silences good ideas, and creates a toxic workplace where people stop speaking up. In this episode of the Boss Better Now podcast, Joe Mull takes on one of the toughest parts of dealing with difficult employees: how to coach someone whose behavior makes others feel small. Joe walks through his Feedback Stack, a simple way of giving feedback to employees that names the specific behavior, explains its impact, and turns the talk into a two-way conversation. He explains how to tell a one-time slip from an ongoing pattern, how to respond when someone says "that's not what I meant," and how to use your organization's core values to hold people accountable. He also covers when to step in on the spot, how to coach team members to stand up for themselves when the person is a peer, and why keeping people safe at work may be a leader's most important job. In this episode, you'll learn: 🔹 Why words like "rude" and "mean" backfire, and how to describe specific behaviors people can't argue with. 🔹 How to use the Feedback Stack: say what happened, share the impact, and ask "Can you help me understand what that was about?" 🔹 How to acknowledge someone's intent while keeping the focus on the impact of their behavior. 🔹 How to tell when a private conversation is enough, and when the behavior needs to be addressed in the meeting itself. 🔹 How a simple "thank you" email documents the conversation and protects you if the behavior happens again. 🔹 How to change the story you tell yourself so tough conversations feel like a source of pride instead of dread. This episode is for managers, supervisors, and leaders who want practical ways to deal with difficult employees and toxic coworkers, stop workplace bullying before it spreads, and build a respectful culture where everyone feels safe to contribute. To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession. For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 00:00:00 Dealing With the Workplace Bully 00:02:20 Why Leaders Cannot Ignore Unsafe Workplace Behavior 00:03:28 Assessing Condescending Coworker Patterns Versus Outliers 00:05:07 Defining Specific Actions to Prevent Employee Defensiveness 00:06:56 Using the Feedback Stack Conversation Framework 00:08:39 Addressing Employee Intent Versus Harmful Impact 00:11:18 Tying Bad Behavior Back to Company Core Values 00:15:08 Documenting Manager Conversations With Follow Up Emails 00:16:52 The Escalation Path for Repeat Problematic Behavior 00:19:08 Handling Egregious Employee Actions in Real Time 00:22:22 Coaching Timid Team Members to Set Personal Boundaries 00:23:59 Summary of Tactics for Handling Rude Coworkers 00:25:15 Embracing the Discomfort of Leadership Conversations 00:26:19 Event Updates From Des Moines and Jackson Hole Wyoming 00:28:46 Booking Leadership Keynotes for 2027

  2. Aug 26

    The Accountability Tightrope: Accountability in Leadership Starts With One Question

    How do you stop employees from constantly relying on you for the answers and start building a team of independent problem solvers? The secret is adopting a mentor mindset and treating leadership as coaching instead of answer-giving. In this episode of Boss Better Now, Joe Mull concludes a special four-part series adapted from his live workshops on accountability in leadership. He reveals the hidden cost of giving employees the answers and the exact coaching questions to ask instead, so you build critical thinking skills and stop creating employee dependency. Too many managers prioritize speed and end up doing the thinking for their team. Joe shares the coaching tips and scripts that reverse this, including one question that shifts how employees think, owns problems, and activates their capability. He also breaks down a simple, science-backed way to give feedback to employees that makes them dramatically more receptive to constructive criticism, using high standards paired with a statement of belief in their potential. What to Expect in This Episode: The Conclusion of the Accountability Tightrope: Two mentor mindset techniques you can use today. Why Giving Answers Creates Employee Dependency: How constantly solving problems robs your team of the chance to feel capable. The Ultimate Leadership Coaching Question: Why asking "What options do you see?" shifts the brain and activates ownership. The Real Definition of Workplace Coaching: Helping people sort through what they already know instead of telling them the right way to do it. The 19-Word Feedback Script: A science-backed technique that makes employees more receptive to constructive criticism. Applying Wise Feedback at Work: Real stories of leaders pairing high standards with belief statements to fix performance issues without defensiveness.Tune in to master the mentor mindset, get your time back, and build a team that thrives on ownership. If you want to become a better leader, this episode gives you the exact scripts to start with. To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession. For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 0:00 Don't Give the Answer 1:44 Part Four of the Accountability Tightrope 2:09 The First Technique: Coaching 2:57 A Clip from Boss Hero School 4:20 What to Do When an Employee Asks for the Answer 6:53 The True Definition of Coaching 9:12 A Real-World Coaching Success Story 10:20 The Second Technique: Supercharging Feedback 10:36 The Middle School Feedback Experiment 12:54 What is Wise Feedback? 13:20 Adam Grant and Jennifer Garner on Wise Feedback 14:52 How to Apply Wise Feedback at Work 17:12 The One Caveat for Wise Feedback

  3. Aug 12

    The Accountability Tightrope: The Mindset that Gets Teams Through Difficult Times

    Are you managing your team just for today's results, or are you investing in their long term career growth? The most effective leaders know how to do both by adopting a mentor mindset. In this episode of Boss Better Now, Joe Mull continues his special summer series on the accountability tightrope. Listen in as he breaks down part three of the framework, revealing how to perfectly balance high performance standards with high employee support. Many managers struggle with onboarding and feedback, often resorting to assigning grunt work or trying to prevent every mistake. Joe shares a powerful example of what a perfect first day conversation looks like to set the stage for success. He details exactly how to shift into a mentor mindset where you assign real work of consequence, reframe mistakes as growth, and build deep employee commitment through earned prestige. What to Expect in This Episode: What is the Accountability Tightrope?: Joe recaps the core challenge of balancing high standards with supportive workplace relationships. The Perfect First Day Conversation: How to script a welcome message that builds trust and sets a standard of excellence right from the start. Defining the Mentor Mindset at Work: Why the best managers see people for their potential and focus on long term career growth over daily tasks. Stop Giving New Hires Grunt Work: How assigning work of consequence builds skill, confidence, and early contribution. How to Reframe Mistakes and Failure: Why great leaders coach thinking and judgment instead of just handing out all the answers. The Script for Difficult Feedback: How to frame tough performance conversations around an employee's potential so they feel supported instead of attacked. Building Employee Commitment through Earned Prestige: The psychological building block that gives employees a sense of worth and turns a new hire into a highly committed team member. To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession. For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 0:00 The Employee Alliance 0:21 Welcome and Series Recap 1:35 The Perfect First-Day Boss Conversation 2:58 Setting a Standard of Excellence 3:52 Defining the Mentor Mindset 4:30 Stop Giving New Hires Grunt Work 5:05 The Script for Difficult Feedback 5:43 Managing for the Future and Working Alliances 6:40 Leadership as a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 7:11 Building Commitment Through Earned Prestige 7:44 Why High Standards Need High Support

  4. Jul 22

    The Accountability Tightrope: How to Hold High Standards Without Killing Team Morale

    How do you hold employees to high standards of performance while being a supportive leader? The answer is walking the accountability tightrope.In this episode of Boss Better Now, Joe Mull continues a special series adapted directly from his live leadership workshops on accountability in leadership. Listen in as he explains why driving results without adequate support kills team morale, undermines employee motivation, and exactly what you need to do to fix it.Many managers fall into an enforcer mindset where they expect immediate performance with minimal ramp up. Joe shares how these leaders often focus entirely on outcomes and ignore the journey required to get there. He details exactly how to shift away from a harsh management style where people end up feeling incompetent, and instead provide the meaningful support necessary for real employee performance management and leadership development.What to Expect in This Episode:The Accountability Tightrope: Joe continues the series focused on balancing high standards with supportive relationships.Recognizing the Enforcer Mindset at Work: What happens when impatient expectations meet an over-reliance on employee self-sufficiency.Why High Accountability Without Support Fails: The real costs of leaving employees to figure things out alone, resulting in fear, low energy, and a lack of creativity. This is also one of the fastest ways to damage workplace culture and hurt employee retention.The Problem with Fully Formed Expectations: Why expecting employees to walk through the door completely knowledgeable sets everyone up for failure.How to Build an On-Ramp for Success: Steps to use collaborative language and stand alongside your team to troubleshoot problems. This is the kind of practical manager training that actually changes behavior.Moving Beyond Pass or Fail Feedback: How to use performance feedback to praise progress and effort, normalize struggles, and build the psychological safety employees need to learn and grow.The Open Door Policy Trap: Why relying on an open door policy transfers responsibility to employees and fails to account for real workplace power dynamics.Shifting to a Go and Ask Mentality: How getting up from your desk to do rounding creates the specific conditions your team needs to thrive, and why this habit is central to lasting employee engagement and leadership coaching that actually sticks. To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 0:00 The Leadership "Open Door Policy" Trap 0:18 The Accountability Tightrope Summer Series 1:33 Are You an "Enforcer" Boss? 2:22 Defining the Enforcer Mindset in Leadership 3:46 The Danger of Accountability Without Support 4:15 How to Add Meaningful Employee Support 5:13 Collaborative Language for Better Leadership 6:22 How an Open Door Policy Can Fail Your Team 7:34 Shifting to a "Go and Ask" Management Strategy

  5. Jul 8

    The Accountability Tightrope: How to Give Feedback to Employees Without Losing Their Trust

    How do you hold employees to high standards of performance while being a compassionate leader? The answer is walking the accountability tightrope. In this episode of Boss Better Now, Joe Mull kicks off a special four-part series adapted directly from his live leadership workshops on accountability in leadership. Listen in as he explains why equating caring with leniency leaves teams frustrated and exactly what you need to do to fix it. Many managers fall into a protector mindset where they prioritize comfort and underestimate employee capability. Joe shares real stories from his own career about being overly delicate and nervous about giving feedback to employees because he wanted to be liked. He details exactly how to shift away from rescuing struggling employees and instead provide the productive struggle necessary for growth. What to Expect in This Episode: Why Feedback is the Most Important Leadership Skill: Why vague, subjective language triggers defensiveness and how to avoid it. What is the Accountability Tightrope?: Joe introduces the summer series focused on balancing high standards with supportive relationships. Why "Soft" Leadership Causes Employee Frustration: The real costs of avoiding uncomfortable conversations and letting employees coast. Recognizing the Protector Mindset at Work: How avoiding meaningful work and lowering expectations prevents teams from reaching peak performance, and what the mentor mindset looks like instead. Overcoming the Need to be Liked as a Manager: Joe's personal story about walking on eggshells and how it harms team development. How to Raise Standards When You Already Offer High Support: Steps to articulate clear expectations rooted in culture and values. The Viral Teacher Hack for Correcting Behavior: Stop targeting the person and start naming the standard. Using the Feedback Stack Framework: How to give feedback to employees using objective, behavior-based language that lands without triggering defensiveness. To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 0:00 Why do vague performance reviews trigger defensiveness? 0:30 How do you navigate the accountability tightrope? 1:54 Why does a soft leadership style backfire? 3:01 What is the protector mindset in management? 4:06 How to stop rescuing your struggling employees 5:39 Overcoming the manager's need to be liked 6:30 How do highly supportive leaders raise standards? 9:14 How to correct behavior by naming expectations 10:28 How to use the feedback stack methodology 11:36 How to bring accountability training to your team

  6. Jun 24

    Why Your Best Employees Stop Believing You (And How to Close the Gap) with Henna Pryor

    In today's hybrid and digital workplaces, the instinct for many busy managers is to rely on quick tech tools like AI or generic emails to communicate care. Henna Pryor argues this approach is actually backfiring. She challenges leaders to recognize that we are living in an "age of doubt" where skepticism is the default posture, urging them to close their "signal gaps" by aligning what they say with how they actually show up. Joe Mull sits down with Henna for a conversation about workplace trust and leadership skills. As a workplace performance expert, speaker, and author of Good Awkward and the upcoming book The Signal Gap, Henna brings a wide-ranging career background. From surviving the grueling hours of Big Four public accounting to spending fourteen years in executive search, she uses her front-row seat to team dynamics to help leaders build trust at work and become more believable and impactful. Henna breaks down the difference between cheap and costly signals, explaining why simply expressing gratitude is no longer enough to make employees feel valued. She shares stories from her own career (including her first job at a diner and the sting of being ignored as a high-achieving employee) to illustrate the importance of leadership communication. She also warns against "intent smuggling" and the dangers of public microclaims in the digital age. In this episode, you'll learn: 🔹 The difference between gratitude & appreciation.🔹 Why leaders need to move past "cheap signals". 🔹 What a "signal gap" is & how it destroys a leader's believability in the modern verification era. 🔹 Why relying on AI to send quick, personalized responses can lead to "intent smuggling".🔹 The reason you need to "choose your channel" carefully when recognizing & retaining high achievers. 🔹 How to avoid the "blast radius" of missing the mark on your searchable, public microclaims. This episode is for managers and leaders focused on employee retention, employee engagement, and team building who want to foster genuine workplace trust, believability, and connection in an increasingly skeptical world. Episode Resources: Check out Henna's website: https://hennapryor.com Pre-order her upcoming book The Signal Gap: How to Boost Believability and Influence in the Age of Doubt: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1646873092 To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 0:00 The Age of Doubt 0:22 Introducing Henna Pryor 2:03 Maximizing Bad First Jobs 4:29 Loving the Telemarketing Grind 8:06 The Public Accounting Crucible 9:37 Genuine Leadership Availability 11:00 Ignoring High Achievers 14:09 Gratitude vs. Appreciation 16:33 Choosing Your Communication Channel 19:58 Mastering the Career Pivot 22:18 Navigating the Signal Gap 26:51 AI & Intent Smuggling 31:13 The Danger of Microclaims 36:44 Secretive Workplace Rules 38:04 Banning Corporate Platitudes 38:53 Nobody Is Watching You 40:13 Micro Shifts for Leaders

  7. Jun 10

    How Authentic Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams: Trust, Vulnerability & Engagement with Mike Robbins

    When a workplace is moving a million miles an hour, the natural instinct is to rely solely on technology and efficiency to get things done. Mike Robbins believes this is a missed opportunity. He challenges leaders to prioritize human connection, leaning into the "analog" skills of authentic leadership and vulnerability to build high-performing teams. Joe Mull welcomes Mike to the Boss Better Now podcast for a heartfelt conversation about building stronger and more connected teams. As a former professional baseball player, renowned speaker, and author of five books, Mike draws on a lifetime of teamwork experiences to help leaders cultivate environments where people perform at their best because they feel psychologically safe, valued, and connected. Throughout the discussion, Mike outlines his Authenticity Equation and explains why giving people the space to be honest and imperfect is vital for driving trust in the workplace. He also shares compelling stories from his own life, from getting drafted right out of high school by the New York Yankees to a defining moment with his high school basketball coach, to illustrate the importance of celebrating effort over outcome and modeling the behavior you want to see. In this episode, you'll learn: 🔹 The Authenticity Equation and how honesty, self-righteousness, and vulnerability interact to build trust. 🔹 Why "thawing" the virtual room is essential for fostering connection within remote and hybrid teams. 🔹 How leaders should navigate deep political and sociological divisions by finding common ground below the "waterline of the iceberg". 🔹 The two distinct ways you can influence others as a leader. 🔹 Why taking "baby steps" with vulnerability is a crucial part of developing a growth mindset. This episode is for managers and leaders focused on leadership development and team building who want to build teams that thrive through authentic leadership, connection, and trust. Episode Resources: Mike's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mikerobbinsvideo Mike's website: https://mike-robbins.com/ To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 0:00 Introducing Mike Robbins 2:33 First Jobs, Paper Routes and Restaurant Lessons 6:54 From Baseball Prospect to Career Ending Injury 10:06 Starting Over After Baseball 13:14 Discovering a Calling in Speaking 15:28 Authenticity Equation For Leaders and Teams 17:55 Why Vulnerability Feels Risky For Leaders 20:11 Baby Steps To Practice Vulnerability at Work 21:37 How Leaders Model Trust And Give Effective Feedback 24:22 Hustle, Effort, and Encouragement 26:32 Leading Hybrid And Remote Teams with Intention 29:21 Making Virtual Meetings More Human 32:28 Navigating Political and Social Division at Work 35:42 Setting Standards for Respectful Workplace Communication 38:40 Rapid Fire Workplace Wisdom 42:39 The Power of Voice Notes 46:19 Closing Thoughts

  8. May 27

    How Leaders Increase Trust and Connection with Chad Littlefield

    When leading a team, the natural instinct is to rely on efficiency, quick answers, and speaking more than you listen. But doing so erodes trust and productivity over the long haul. Joe Mull welcomes Chad Littlefield, co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of We and Me, to the Boss Better Now podcast for an insightful conversation about the transformational power of asking better questions. From his early days working with teenagers in a group home and counseling in adult solitary confinement, to leading global conversations in conflict zones, Chad draws on a unique background to help leaders how to build trust and access each other's humanity. Throughout the discussion, Chad explains why leaders must shift their focus from presenting information to actively inviting employee engagement strategies. He shares practical leadership tips for navigating remote team management, avoiding the trap of efficiency over connection, and leveraging curiosity to build psychological safety at work. He also shares compelling insights on AI in the workplace and the future of work without replacing genuine human care. In this episode, you'll learn: 🔹 Why phenomenal bosses design meetings for "contribution, not consumption". 🔹 The magic of the second question and how it instantly builds rapport with your team. 🔹 Why "efficiency is the enemy of connection" in remote team management and how to genetically modify your meetings to fix it. 🔹 The reason you should ban the phrase "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions" forever and replace it with facilitation skills. 🔹 How to use AI tools to augment your work without losing the vital human element of "care". This episode is for managers and leaders pursuing leadership development who want to move beyond superficial interactions and build deeply connected, engaged teams with strong workplace culture and psychological safety at work. Episode Resources: Chad's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chad.littlefield We and Me website: https://weand.me/ We Connect Cards: https://shop.weand.me/ To subscribe to Joe Mull’s BossBetter Email newsletter, visit https://BossBetterNow.com For more info on working with Joe Mull, visit https://joemull.com For more info on Boss Hero School, visit https://bossheroschool.com To email the podcast, use bossbetternow@gmail.com #leadership #management #toxicworkculture #teambuilding #workplaceculture #conflictmanagement #employeeengagement #motivation Joe Mull is on a mission to help leaders and business owners create the conditions where commitment takes root and the entire workplace thrives. A dynamic and deeply relatable speaker, Joe combines compelling research, magnetic storytelling, and practical strategies to show exactly how to cultivate loyalty, ignite effort, and build people-first workplaces where both performance and morale flourish. His message is clear: when commitment is activated, engagement rises, teams gel, retention improves, and business outcomes soar. Joe is the founder of Boss Hero School™ and the creator of the acclaimed Employalty™ framework, a roadmap for creating thriving workplaces in a new era of work. He’s the author of three books, including Employalty, named a top business book of the year by Publisher’s Weekly, and his popular podcast, Boss Better Now, ranks in the top 1% of management shows globally. A former head of learning and development at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., Joe has spent nearly two decades equipping leaders—from Fortune 500 companies like State Farm, Siemens, and Choice Hotels to hospitals, agencies, and small firms—with the tools to lead better, inspire commitment, and build more humane workplace cultures. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and more. In 2025, Joe was inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame (CPAE). This is the speaking profession’s highest honor, a distinction granted to less than 1% of professional speakers worldwide. It’s awarded to speakers who demonstrate exceptional talent, integrity, and influence in the speaking profession For more information visit joemull.com. Timestamps 0:00 Introducing Chad Litttlefield 2:21 Chad's First Work Experiences 7:02 Working In Group Homes And Juvenile Prisons 12:23 Discovering The Power Of Questions And Everyday Connection 15:01 Creating We Connect Cards 17:05 Designing Meetings For Contribution Not Consumption 20:18 Psychological Safety And How We Ask About Mistakes 21:51 Flipping PowerPoint to Real Engagement 24:12 The Magic Of Asking A Second Question 27:45 Building Connection In Remote And Hybrid Teams 32:44 Collaborative Journaling 34:21 AI Tools And Protecting Authentic Human Connection 38:10 Why Caring At Work Beats AI 39:00 How Adding "So That" Can Change Your Management Interactions 42:51 The Workplace Phrase Leaders Should Stop Saying 45:07 Career Advice About Following Your Curiosity 47:15 Closing Thoughts

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