RootsUp Podcast

GreenhouseCoaching.Co

The RootsUp Podcast is where entrepreneurial leaders and teams learn how to grow the life they want—starting at the roots. Hosted by Steve Perkins, Founder & CEO of Greenhouse Coaching, we go beyond surface-level advice to focus on the core habits and mindsets that drive real career and leadership growth. We go where you want to grow. What’s inside? ✔️ Conversations with coaches & clients on how they’re using the RootsUp approach to see real results in work and life. ✔️ Practical insights on time management, delegation, 1:1s, career pivots, leadership development, and more. ✔️ Candid discussions about non-linear career paths, personality quirks, and the realities of professional growth. Start your growth journey today. 🎯 Take the RootsUp Quiz → greenhousecoaching.co/quiz Looking for coaching & free tools? Get them at greenhousecoaching.co Follow Greenhouse: Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | LinkedIn *Formerly known as Career Sweetspot, now the RootsUp Podcast!

  1. 07/02/2025

    #252 - Active Listening, Parenting Adult Kids, and Empathetic Leadership

    Join host Steve Perkins and Greenhouse Team members Sundie Marquardt and Gabe Smith for a raw, relatable dive into active listening on the Roots Up Podcast. With humor, heart, and practical wisdom, this episode explores how to listen without pushing your own agenda. This applies to parenting adult kids, interacting with colleagues, our relationships, and so much more. Expect actionable takeaways to grow as a leader and human, rooted in Greenhouse’s mission to help you grow the life you want. Key Discussion Points: How active listening sets aside agendas to fully hear others, fostering deeper connections. Why unsolicited advice to adult children often backfires, and listening respects their autonomy. How body language and curiosity signal genuine presence, while zoning out creates disconnect. Why balancing your need to be understood with others’ need to be heard requires intentional deference. How acting like a listener, like pinching your leg to stay quiet, can shift underlying beliefs. How society’s obsession with efficiency prioritizes problem-solving over relational connection. Why prioritizing relationships motivates empathetic leadership, even in tough moments. Action Items for Listeners: Practice Silence: In your next conversation, pinch your leg or pause to resist interjecting; ask, “How can I help?” to stay listener-focused. Use Mirroring: Reflect back what you hear with, “What I’m hearing is… Did I get that right?” to ensure others feel understood. Check Assumptions: Before advising, ask yourself, “Am I assuming I know their path?” Let their perspective lead. Team Listening Exercise: Start a meeting with, “How are we showing up today?” to practice collective listening and build trust. Resources Mentioned: ⁠Grow the life you want with Greenhouse Coaching⁠ Parenting Coach: Kim Muench (⁠Becoming Me While Raising You: A Mother's Journey to Her Self⁠) Episode Quotes: “Listening actively with no intent—letting go of your agenda—is hard but changes everything.” – Sundie “People aren’t problems to be solved; they’re humans to be seen.” – Gabe “Sometimes behavior shifts before beliefs, and that’s okay—it’s how growth happens.” – Sundie Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (1:53) Cursing Stories (6:58) The Challenge of Active Listening (8:42) Listening as a Learned Skill (10:06) Body Language and Curiosity (12:33) Navigating Competing Needs (15:51) Parenting Perspectives (17:35) Growth Moments in Listening (21:15) Applying Listening to Leadership (24:29) Behavior vs. Beliefs (27:20) Motivations for Deep Listening Connect with Greenhouse: Subscribe on Spotify/Apple/YouTube or your favorite platform. ⁠Take the RootsUp Quiz to find your next steps⁠. ⁠Explore Free Resources from Greenhouse Coaching⁠. Share your listening journey with #RootsUpPodcast. Take Sundie’s challenge: In your next conversation, pause and ask, “How can I help?” instead of advising. Try mirroring with, “What I’m hearing is…” to make someone feel seen.

    33 min
  2. 06/18/2025

    #251 - Mindset, Awareness and the Path to Growth

    Join host Steve Perkins and Greenhouse Team members Gabe Smith and Chris Payne for a transformative dive into mindset on the Roots Up Podcast. Cutting through the buzzword noise, this episode explores how thoughts, emotions, and awareness shape leadership and personal growth. With humorous hiking anecdotes and raw insights, the trio unpacks the brain’s role in processing emotions, the shift from victimhood to agency, and practical tools to foster mindfulness. Steve challenges shallow positivity, Gabe advocates slowing down, and Chris offers strategies for navigating workplace challenges, empowering listeners to take control of their mindset and growth journey. Key Discussion Points: Mindset’s Physiological Roots: The brain processes sensory input through emotions before logic, shaping how leaders perceive and respond to challenges. Emotional Vocabulary Gap: Many lack language for emotions, leading to suppressed feelings or relational disconnect; tools like the Feelings Wheel bridge this gap. Thoughts to Beliefs Cycle: Daily thoughts form beliefs that drive behavior, making awareness of thought patterns critical for growth. Victim vs. Agency Mindset: A victim mindset blames external factors, draining energy, while an agency mindset embraces choice, fueling creativity and action. Energy and Mindset: High-energy states (playful, joyful) arise from agency; low-energy states (shame, fear) stem from feeling powerless. Beyond Growth vs. Scarcity: Workplace “growth mindset” narratives often oversimplify; true growth requires radical honesty and mindfulness, not forced optimism. Practical Mindset Shifts: Journaling, rituals (e.g., changing clothes to transition), and candid workplace conversations help leaders reclaim agency. Action Items: Self-Audit: Pause during daily transitions (e.g., morning routine, between meetings) to journal: How am I feeling? What thoughts are recurring? Use the Feelings Wheel for clarity. Team Check-In: Start a team meeting with, “How are we showing up today?” Use the Feelings Wheel or cards to foster emotional awareness. Find Agency: In tough situations, ask, “Where do I have choice?” Identify one step, like a candid conversation or renegotiating a role. Build Rituals: Create a small ritual (e.g., changing clothes after work) to trigger a mindset shift during transitions. Resources Mentioned: Greenhouse Coaching: Discover holistic coaching at Greenhouse Coaching. Feelings Wheel: Build emotional vocabulary at Feelings Wheel. Quotes: “Mindset is about reality—naming what’s true in the moment, not just seeing the positive.”  “Adults make agreements. If the agreement isn’t working, renegotiate it.”  Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:03) Hiking Stories (00:02:49) Why Does Mindset Matter (00:05:37) How Feelings Play Into Mindset (00:09:26) How Aware Are We of Thought Themes (00:10:15) The 2 General Mindsets (00:15:09) Growth vs. Scarcity Mindset (00:16:17) How to Shift Mindsets (00:23:45) Do We Always Have Agency? (00:29:02) Steve’s Takeaway Take Steve’s challenge: Pause during a daily transition to audit your mindset—how are you feeling, and what’s driving your thoughts? Use the Feelings Wheel to name emotions, and try a team check-in to spark connection. Share your experience with us!

    32 min
  3. 06/04/2025

    #250 - Influence, Posture, and How Leaders Shape Their Impact

    Join Steve, Gabe, and Greenhouse Coach Erik Borggren, for a dynamic discussion on leadership postures in this episode. This fresh perspective goes beyond traditional leadership styles, focusing on how you show up—your presence, energy, and influence in any environment. From a spirited ode to Chicago’s vibrant culture to a deep dive into intentional leadership, the trio explores how postures like curiosity, generosity, and vulnerability shape team dynamics and workplace culture. Erik shares insights on embodying values authentically, while Steve wrestles with the concept of influence, and Gabe ties it to the holistic nature of leadership. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own postures and try a team exercise to boost trust and collaboration. Key Discussion Points Chicago’s Hidden Gem Status: Erik and Steve celebrate Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods, creative energy, and world-class food scene—from Michelin-star dining to iconic hot dogs. Defining Leadership Postures: Erik introduces postures as the how behind actions, emphasizing that culture is shaped by both what you do and how you do it. Embodied Leadership: As whole beings—mind, body, and soul—leaders bring their full selves to work, with postures like decisiveness or vulnerability reflecting their values. Reframing Influence: Steve questions whether influence equals manipulation; Erik redefines it as the natural way we shape spaces through authentic presence. Why Postures Matter: Your posture impacts your own leadership experience and your team’s engagement, fostering connection and a thriving culture. Shifting Postures: Erik suggests reflecting on what’s not working, envisioning desired postures, and drawing inspiration from past leaders. Benevolent vs. Malevolent Postures: Feigned curiosity breeds distrust, while genuine, attentive postures create positive, authentic environments. Team Application: Steve proposes a team exercise to discuss default and aspirational postures, enhancing trust, vulnerability, and collaboration. Resources Mentioned Greenhouse Coaching: Explore holistic coaching at Greenhouse Coaching. Seven Leadership Postures: Decisive, Generous, Curious, Teachable, Vulnerable, Caring, Authentic Episode Highlights “Culture is what people say about their workplace to their friends at dinner.” – Guest from Work Vibes “You’re already influencing the space—be intentional about how.” – Erik “Postures are how you direct your power and influence as a leader.” – Gabe Timestamps (0:00) Intro (1:02) Celebrating Chicago’s Unique Vibe (4:08) Introducing Leadership Postures (5:33) Erik’s Journey to Postures (7:27) Leadership as Whole-Person Presence (10:21) Experiencing Work Through Postures (12:35) Why Your Posture Matters (14:15) How to Shift Your Posture (17:57) Wrestling with “Influence” (24:08) The Role of Postures in Leadership (27:21) Benevolent vs. Malevolent Postures (31:58) Steve’s Key Takeaway Connect with Greenhouse Subscribe to RootsUp on your favorite podcast platform. Follow Greenhouse Coaching for leadership insights. Share your thoughts on leadership postures using #RootsUpPodcast. Take Steve’s challenge: Gather your team to discuss default and desired leadership postures. See how it transforms your collaboration and share your experience at with us!

    36 min
4.9
out of 5
69 Ratings

About

The RootsUp Podcast is where entrepreneurial leaders and teams learn how to grow the life they want—starting at the roots. Hosted by Steve Perkins, Founder & CEO of Greenhouse Coaching, we go beyond surface-level advice to focus on the core habits and mindsets that drive real career and leadership growth. We go where you want to grow. What’s inside? ✔️ Conversations with coaches & clients on how they’re using the RootsUp approach to see real results in work and life. ✔️ Practical insights on time management, delegation, 1:1s, career pivots, leadership development, and more. ✔️ Candid discussions about non-linear career paths, personality quirks, and the realities of professional growth. Start your growth journey today. 🎯 Take the RootsUp Quiz → greenhousecoaching.co/quiz Looking for coaching & free tools? Get them at greenhousecoaching.co Follow Greenhouse: Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | LinkedIn *Formerly known as Career Sweetspot, now the RootsUp Podcast!