The BetterCulture Podcast

BetterCulture
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Management

Welcome to the BetterCulture Podcast, where we make the clear connection between better culture and better business. This podcast is for leaders seeking to build stronger teams, grow thriving companies, and actually enjoy their leadership role along the way. Join host Brett Hoogeveen—BetterCulture co-founder and Certified Speaking Professional—every other Tuesday for insights that make the world a better place to work. Ready to kick off your company's journey toward a better culture? Schedule a free 15-minute culture call with Brett today here: https://betterculture.com/freecall/ For an extensive library of free BetterCulture leadership and culture-building resources, visit https://betterculture.com/insights/ Follow us on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetBetterCulture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterculture/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterculture/

  1. Sep 29

    #36: Let Stars Be Stars: Challenging the Management Promotion Myth

    In this episode of The BetterCulture Podcast,  Brett Hoogeveen focuses on the common business practice of promoting top individual performers into management roles, regardless of whether management actually suits their skills or desires. One concept discussed is the important distinction between "stars"—those who create value through their own performance—and "leaders," who generate value by helping others excel. It's important to recognize that management is not a reward or a trophy, but a different job requiring a unique set of skills such as coaching, delegating, motivating, and holding people accountable. Brett discusses how promoting a great technical performer into management can sometimes result in losing both a top performer and failing to gain an effective leader. He also challenges the assumption that advancement and increased pay must involve people management, arguing instead that value should determine compensation, not just hierarchy.  Listen to learn why organizations can, and should, ask better questions when considering how to help top performers grow. Instead of defaulting to traditional promotion paths, organizations should explore ways to increase these individuals’ impact, compensation, and influence—while carefully considering whether they truly want, and are suited for, a management position. The import lesson is to let leaders lead and let stars continue to be stars.

  2. Sep 15

    #35: Tackling Professionalism and Connection: Culture Solutions for the Modern Workplace

    On this episode of the BetterCulture Podcast, we sit down with Miriam Blair, Director of Inclusive Engagement at Kutak Rock, to unpack how the firm tackled its most pressing challenge: reviving professionalism, communication, and collaboration across every layer of the workplace. Miriam candidly shares the struggles Kutak Rock faced with changing workplace norms post-pandemic, from the erosion of social niceties to the challenge of onboarding new talent into a culture fractured by isolation and evolving expectations. Discover how BetterCulture’s “20 Tenets” became their not-so-secret weapon for onboarding, leadership calibration, and even performing “surgery” on struggling teams. Whether you’re leading a law firm or any organization where people and performance matter, you’ll want to hear how these practical, people-first habits are transforming not just companies, but lives—on and off the clock. Packed with real stories, actionable ideas, and a few surprising personal takeaways, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

  3. Sep 1

    #34: The Difference Between Recognition and Appreciation and How to Use Both to Build Culture

    If you think employee recognition is just feel-good fluff, well, think again. In this fast-paced episode of the BetterCulture Podcast, discover why recognition isn’t just a nice-to-have—it's a powerful driver of behavior, team engagement, and business results. This episode focuses on the difference between recognition and appreciation, offering practical tips for turning cultural values into everyday actions. Learn how specific, genuine, and timely recognition can fuel motivation, boost retention, and create a culture where people want to give their best. Brett shares the critical role leaders play in reinforcing the right behaviors—and the risks of letting great work go unnoticed. The episode also explores common pitfalls like generic or delayed recognition, and provides simple strategies to make praise truly impactful. Tune in to walk away with actionable advice and a challenge you can put to use immediately. Transform your team’s culture—one authentic "thank you" at a time!

  4. Aug 18

    #33: The Anatomy of a Great Employee Engagement Survey: Dos, Don’ts, and Best Practices

    In this episode of the BetterCulture Podcast, Brett and his brother, Blake Hoogeveen, have a conversation focused on the complexities of employee engagement surveys and the surprising ways organizations can either boost or damage their culture through the survey process. Their discussion explores why seemingly simple tools like engagement surveys often fail to produce actionable insights and how bad questions, poor communication, low trust, and weak follow-through can erode employee trust and morale. Listeners will learn best practices for designing effective surveys, the importance of using normative data, and how critical it is to follow up on survey results with clear communication and concrete action plans. This episode also unpacks common mistakes organizations make, the risks of DIY survey tools, and offers actionable steps for leveraging surveys to drive real cultural improvement. Whether you’re an HR leader, a culture driver or a business owner, this episode provides expert advice to ensure your next survey strengthens—not weakens—your workplace culture.

  5. Aug 4

    #32: Making Kindness a Workplace Advantage: Lessons for Leaders and Teams

    In this episode of the BetterCulture Podcast, Brett Hoogeveen explores why kindness is among the most powerful forces for building healthy, resilient, and high-performing teams. The message focuses on breaking down common misconceptions, showing how kindness isn’t about being soft or lowering expectations—instead, it requires real strength and awareness. Through relatable scenarios and practical advice, Brett challenges listeners to notice moments where a little humanity can transform pressure into connection, mistakes into growth, and accountability into opportunity. Learn why the best leaders know how to pair kindness with high standards, and discover easy steps to put kindness into action at work. Ready for a fast, uplifting burst of insight? Tune in for actionable tips that will help you build a culture—and a career—where people remember how you made them feel, not just what you achieved. Don’t miss this episode about the real power at the heart of Better Culture's 20 Tenets: Kindness is not weakness—it's strength.

  6. Jul 21

    #31: From Startup to Scale: The Role of Clear Values and Communication (with Rick Knudtson)

    Get an inside look at what it takes to build and scale a powerful workplace culture in today’s fast-moving business world. In this episode of the BetterCulture Podcast, Rick Knudtson, co-founder and CEO of Workshop (and previously Flywheel) joins Brett Hoogeveen to share hard-earned lessons from building high-performing teams—and the modern tools that make employee communication a true driver of engagement and results. Hear why most large organizations still struggle to connect with their people, how Workshop changes the game with smarter internal comms, and the non-negotiable role of core values, hiring standards, transparency, and meaningful rituals in shaping culture. With practical stories, leadership insights, and a peek behind the curtain of a fast-growing tech company, this episode is a must for leaders aiming to unite, inspire, and elevate their teams.

  7. Jul 7

    #30: The Micro Mentoring Revolution: Small Steps, Big Impact

    In this dynamic episode of the BetterCulture Podcast, Brett Hoogeveen welcomes back co-founder and leadership expert Dr. Kim Hogeveen to uncover the hidden potential of both formal and informal mentoring and how it's a powerful, yet often misunderstood, engine for growth in the workplace and beyond Discover why most mentoring programs fall flat—and how to avoid common pitfalls that can hinder the success of your people and your organization. From strategic frameworks for effective mentor-mentee pairings to the game-changing concept of "micro mentoring," you'll learn actionable tactics to supercharge professional development without heavy investment or complex processes. Whether you're an executive shaping culture or an individual eager to accelerate your own growth, this episode will equip you with practical insights to harness the power of mentoring at every level.

  8. Jun 23

    #29: Stop Playing it Safe: Unmasking & Overcoming Hidden Barriers to Innovation

    Are you unknowingly shutting down creativity in your organization? In this episode, we get straight to the heart of why innovation often stalls—not because of budgets, but because of subtle habits and mindsets that leaders tolerate every day. Discover the three invisible behaviors that are killing new ideas faster than you realize, and learn the practical, powerful shifts you can make to bring innovation back to life. It’s a high-impact dose of insight designed to spark change—all in 10 minutes or less. Tune in to find out if you’re fueling progress or quietly putting out the spark.

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5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Welcome to the BetterCulture Podcast, where we make the clear connection between better culture and better business. This podcast is for leaders seeking to build stronger teams, grow thriving companies, and actually enjoy their leadership role along the way. Join host Brett Hoogeveen—BetterCulture co-founder and Certified Speaking Professional—every other Tuesday for insights that make the world a better place to work. Ready to kick off your company's journey toward a better culture? Schedule a free 15-minute culture call with Brett today here: https://betterculture.com/freecall/ For an extensive library of free BetterCulture leadership and culture-building resources, visit https://betterculture.com/insights/ Follow us on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetBetterCulture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterculture/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterculture/

Information

  • Creator
    BetterCulture
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 BetterCulture

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