Colin on Culture

Colin D Ellis

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MANAGEMENT

On this podcast I'll be providing regular insights to help you to build a vibrant workplace culture. From fewer emails and meetings to more celebration of success and courageous conversations, I'll be covering it all. No endless waffle, just sensible, practical advice.

11/01/2025

Culture Speak: Part Seven - Putting it all together

In the final episode of Culture Speak: The art of talking about work, I summarise the six previous episodes and talk about what it takes to not only put the learning together but also how to positively evolve the culture. I emphasise the need for continuous feedback and engagement, advocate for pulse surveys over traditional yearly assessments and highlight the significance of redefining culture collaboratively and ensuring that all employees feel a sense of ownership in the cultural journey. Building a vibrant culture is one thing, staying there is another challenge entirely! Key takeaways: Sustained vibrant culture requires committed executive support. You can only have one skeptic in the team. Training managers is crucial for building culture. Culture is perpetual and constantly changing. Pulse surveys are more effective than yearly engagement surveys. People should rate their own culture for better insights. Engagement scores can significantly improve with ownership. Activities to maintain culture should be frequent and engaging. Everyone should have a say in defining culture. Creating a culture journey involves collective input. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Culture Speak 02:33 The Three Elements of Vibrant Culture 04:31 Defining and Measuring Culture 06:24 Engagement and Ownership in Culture

8 min
10/18/2025

Culture Speak: Part Six - Vibrant Culture

In episode 6 of Culture Speak: The art of talking about work I discuss the characteristics of a vibrant culture, where engagement is high, people are consistently able to bring their best selves to work and results are achieved. This is the kind of culture that everyone wants to work in! Key takeaways: Vibrant cultures are built on emotional intelligence and engagement. Management capability is crucial for fostering a vibrant culture. Culture must be actively maintained, not just defined. Leadership commitment is essential for a strong culture. Learning from failure is a key aspect of vibrant cultures. Investing in culture can take various forms, including time and creativity. Engagement scores can indicate the health of a culture. Changing a culture takes time and consistent effort. Defined cultural values must be upheld by all members. Vibrant cultures create an environment where anything is possible. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Vibrant Cultures 02:19 Defining and Maintaining Culture 05:33 The Role of Leadership in Culture 07:22 Engagement and Continual improvement

11 min
10/04/2025

Culture Speak: Part Five - Toxic Culture

If you only listen to one episode of this seven-part series of Culture Speak, make it this one. In episode 5 I discuss the characteristics of a toxic culture, where - if swift action isn’t taken - lives, results and reputations can be ruined. I discuss the three levels of toxicity (0-2), how to spot it and how to deal with it so that you don’t ever get to level two. Key takeaways: Toxic cultures are easily avoidable. Engagement is a two-way street between the organization and employees. Combatant cultures can lead to high stress and anxiety. Unconscious bias thrives in consistently combatant cultures. Persistent profanities and microaggressions are signs of toxicity. Cutting off toxic individuals is essential for cultural recovery. Corrosive cultures can cause genuine harm to employees. Toxic cultures have led to significant business failures historically. Emotional cruelty is as damaging as physical harm. Assessing your culture can guide necessary changes. Chapters: 00:00 Understanding Toxic Cultures 02:46 Identifying Combatant Cultures 05:29 Corrosive and Harmful Cultures 08:39 Moving Towards Vibrant Cultures

10 min
09/13/2025

Culture Speak: Part Four - Combatant Culture

In this fourth episode of Culture Speak I discuss the characteristics of a combatant culture, where engagement is high, but emotional intelligence is low, and every day is filled with anxiety, stress and busy-work. Key takeaways: Engagement is a two-way street between the organization and the employee. Combatant culture can be beneficial in small doses but harmful if prolonged. High engagement with low emotional intelligence can lead to toxic behaviors. Brilliant jerks can undermine team dynamics despite their skills. Combatant cultures often exhibit anxiety, stress, and burnout. Workplace culture oscillates between pleasant and combatant, leading to exhaustion. Engagement scores can be misleading if toxic behaviors are present. People often wear their busyness as a badge of honor in combatant cultures. Effective leadership requires addressing toxic behaviors promptly. Understanding your workplace culture is crucial for improvement. Chapters: 00:00 Understanding Combatant Culture 02:44 The Impact of Engagement and Emotional Intelligence 05:45 Navigating Toxic Behaviors in the Workplace

9 min
08/30/2025

Culture Speak: Part Three - Pleasant Culture

In this third episode of Culture Speak I discuss the characteristics of a pleasant culture, where emotional intelligence is high, but everything is just, well, a bit ‘nice’. Key takeaways: Emotional intelligence and engagement are key workplace factors. Pleasant cultures can lead to stagnation despite empathy. Respect is crucial in team dynamics, even without friendship. Gossip and backbiting can arise in pleasant cultures. Pleasant cultures often lack the challenge needed for growth. Blind optimism can hinder progress in organizations. Risk aversion is common in pleasant cultures. Culture change requires engagement and skill development. Organizations must align their engagement levels with employee expectations. The Five Cultures quiz can help assess workplace culture. Chapters: 00:00 Understanding Pleasant Cultures 06:18 The Challenges of Pleasant Cultures

8 min
08/16/2025

Culture Speak: Part Two - Stagnant Culture

In this second episode of Culture Speak I discuss the importance of emotional intelligence and engagement in work culture and highlight the detrimental effects of stagnant cultures, where individuals prioritise personal interests over teamwork Key takeaways: Emotional intelligence and engagement are crucial for a positive work culture. Stagnant cultures are characterised by individuals prioritising personal interests. Low engagement leads to high attrition rates and poor performance. Feedback and accountability are essential for team success. A lack of consequences for poor behavior fosters stagnation. Teamwork requires collective agreement and commitment. Cultural stagnation can be more frustrating than toxic environments. Generational shifts have changed perceptions of teamwork and individualism. Organisations must address poor performance to improve culture. Optimism is often lacking in stagnant work environments. Chapters: 00:00: Understanding Emotional Intelligence and Engagement 02:41: The Impact of Stagnant Cultures 05:42: Consequences of Poor Performance in Organisations

8 min
08/14/2025

Culture Speak: Part One - Context (Why culture conversations are important)

In this first episode of Culture Speak, I introduce the concept of organisational culture, emphasising its importance and talking through the elements that shape a work environment. I discuss the necessity of committed leadership, capable management, and a common language to foster a vibrant culture. The episode also highlights the significance of emotional intelligence and engagement in creating a positive workplace culture, setting the stage for further exploration in subsequent episodes. Chapters: 00:00: Introduction to Culture Speak 02:55: Understanding Organizational Culture 04:44: The Three C's of Vibrant Culture 07:04: The Role of Middle Managers in Culture 10:23: Emotional Intelligence and Engagement in Culture Takeaways: Culture is the shared values, behaviours, and practices. You get the culture that you choose to build. Culture is perpetual and requires ongoing effort. Committed executive support is essential for cultural change. Middle managers play a crucial role in shaping culture. A common language around culture is necessary for feedback and accountability. Emotional intelligence helps build strong relationships at work. Engagement is a two-way street between the organisation and individuals. Culture is built at a team level, not just top-down. The goal is to create fantastic places to work. To take the culture quiz head to www.fiveculturesquiz.com #culture #communication #leadership #motivation

15 min
07/19/2025

How to build an AI-ready culture

The jostling between consulting and training organisations for AI transformation programmes has begun. However, rather than the 'technology agility' approaches that they're selling to implement AI, what's required is a change in culture, or 'emotional agility.' On this episode of the Colin on Culture podcast I provide 5 behaviours that employees need to adopt in order to build an AI-ready culture.

18 min

TRAILER

Colin on Culture (Trailer)

Colin on Culture

07/29/2021

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1 min

On this podcast I'll be providing regular insights to help you to build a vibrant workplace culture. From fewer emails and meetings to more celebration of success and courageous conversations, I'll be covering it all. No endless waffle, just sensible, practical advice.

Creator

Colin D Ellis
Years Active

2021 - 2025
Episodes

125
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Colin D Ellis
Show Website

Colin on Culture