Relationships at Work - a trust-driven leadership podcast

Russel Lolacher
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Relationships at Work - the leadership podcast helping you build workplace connection, improve culture, and avoid blind spots. A relatable and honest show on leadership, organizational culture and soft skills, focusing on improving  employee engagement and company culture to inspire people to apply, stay and thrive. Because no one wants leadership that fosters toxic environments at work, nor should they.Host, speaker and communications leader Russel Lolacher shares his experience and insights, discussing the leadership and corporate culture topics that matter with global experts help us with the success of our organizations (regardless of industry). This show will give you the information, education, strategies and tips you need to avoid leadership blind spots, better connect with all levels of our organization, and develop the necessary soft skills that are essential to every organization.From leadership development and training to employee satisfaction to diversity, inclusivity, equity and belonging to personalization and engagement... there are so many aspects and opportunities to build great relationships at workThis is THE place to start and nurture our leadership journey and create an amazing workplace. 

  1. 3D AGO

    Busy Is a Leadership Problem (Not a Badge of Honor)

    In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with leadership expert and author Kishshana Palmer to unpack why being “busy” has become one of the most damaging habits in modern leadership. They explore how busyness blocks clarity, weakens relationships with teams, fuels burnout, and quietly erodes organizational culture. Kishshana shares how leaders can shift from constant reactivity to intentional strategy, why clarity is a leadership responsibility, and what it really costs when productivity replaces care. If you’ve ever worn “busy” as a badge of honor, this conversation challenges what that habit is doing to you, your team, and your culture. Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human. Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.  Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Sign up today to keep your leadership journey on the right path.  And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    50 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Talking Is Not Walking: When Leadership Mistakes Dialogue for Action

    “Let’s start the conversation” has become a comfortable way for leaders to delay real change. In this R@W Note mini-episode, Host Russel Lolacher explores why talking about improvement isn’t the same as starting it — and how conversation without follow-through quietly damages trust, morale, and credibility at work. Leadership isn’t measured by what’s said in the meeting.  It’s measured by what happens after it ends. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    8 min

  3. FEB 2

    Tying Motivation to Purpose at Work

    Motivation is often treated as something leaders can manufacture from the outside — incentives, goals, performance systems. But without purpose, motivation rarely lasts. In this episode, Ryan Rigterink breaks down why purpose is personal, contextual, and constantly evolving — and why leaders get motivation wrong when they assume it’s one-size-fits-all. We explore how identity, experience, and intention shape engagement, how trust underpins any meaningful motivation strategy, and why shared purpose isn’t about conformity, but alignment. This conversation challenges inherited leadership assumptions and reframes work as a place for becoming — not just performing. Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human. Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.  Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Sign up today to keep your leadership journey on the right path.  And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    54 min

  4. JAN 29

    Silence Isn’t Neutral: When Leaders Wait, Teams Drift

    Silence in leadership is rarely intentional — but it’s never neutral. In this short R@W Note episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores how delayed communication, hesitation, and “waiting until we know more” can unintentionally create confusion, anxiety, and cultural drift on teams. Leaders often hold back for good reasons: they want clarity, the right answer, or more information. But while leaders are thinking, teams are interpreting — filling gaps with assumptions, stories, and uncertainty. This episode reframes leadership presence as communication in progress — not perfection — and offers practical ways to lead with clarity even when decisions aren’t final. Because leadership isn’t about speaking last.  It’s about speaking when it matters most. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    8 min

  5. JAN 26

    When Job Fit Fails ADHD at Work

    ADHD in the workplace is often framed as a performance issue — but what if the real problem is job fit? In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher sits down with ADHD career coach Shell Mendelson to unpack why capable, skilled ADHD employees struggle in roles that were never designed for how they think, focus, and work. Together, they explore why performance improvement plans miss the point, how workplace expectations quietly erode confidence, and why creativity and innovation only show up under the right conditions. This conversation challenges leaders to stop pathologizing behavior and start examining environments — and helps ADHD professionals better understand when a role is working against them. If you’re a leader trying to support neurodivergent employees, or someone with ADHD questioning whether work “just isn’t clicking,” this episode offers clarity without clichés. Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human. Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.  Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Sign up today to keep your leadership journey on the right path.  And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    59 min

  6. JAN 22

    Performative Leadership vs. Actually Doing the Work

    Many leaders say the right things about trust, empathy, and accountability—then quietly fail to follow through. In this short Relationships at Work episode, Russel Lolacher unpacks the difference between looking like a leader and performing as one. You’ll learn how performative leadership erodes trust, why optics often get rewarded over impact, and how to audit your own actions to ensure your leadership shows up when it actually matters. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    7 min

  7. JAN 19

    The Hidden Cost of Leadership Advancement

    What really happens when you move up in an organization? In this episode, Russel Lolacher talks with Sabina Nawaz, leadership strategist, executive coach, and author of You Are the Boss, about the unseen pressures of leadership advancement. They explore why pressure—not power—changes how leaders show up, how advancement can quietly erode self-awareness, and the impact this has on teams and culture. A candid conversation for leaders preparing for promotion, navigating increased responsibility, or questioning how leadership has changed them. Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human. Want more from our conversations on the show? Subscribe to the R@W Notes Newsletter! It’s where I share top takeaways from our guests, the resources that fuel their success, and my personal insights on how we as leaders more human. And we need more human.  Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Sign up today to keep your leadership journey on the right path.  And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    51 min

  8. JAN 15

    What Your Personal Space Is Saying at Work

    We talk a lot about what leaders say — but rarely about where they say it. In this short episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores proxemics — the hidden language of personal space — and how distance, positioning, and physical presence quietly shape trust, power, and connection at work. From offices designed to elevate authority, to feedback conversations that unintentionally trigger defensiveness, this episode unpacks how space communicates long before words do. You’ll learn the four zones of proxemics, why they matter for leaders, and how even virtual settings carry unspoken spatial cues. And connect with me for more great content! Sign Up for R@W Notes Subscribe on Youtube Follow on Linkedin Follow on Instagram Follow me on Threads Follow on TikTok Email me anytime

    10 min
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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Relationships at Work - the leadership podcast helping you build workplace connection, improve culture, and avoid blind spots. A relatable and honest show on leadership, organizational culture and soft skills, focusing on improving  employee engagement and company culture to inspire people to apply, stay and thrive. Because no one wants leadership that fosters toxic environments at work, nor should they.Host, speaker and communications leader Russel Lolacher shares his experience and insights, discussing the leadership and corporate culture topics that matter with global experts help us with the success of our organizations (regardless of industry). This show will give you the information, education, strategies and tips you need to avoid leadership blind spots, better connect with all levels of our organization, and develop the necessary soft skills that are essential to every organization.From leadership development and training to employee satisfaction to diversity, inclusivity, equity and belonging to personalization and engagement... there are so many aspects and opportunities to build great relationships at workThis is THE place to start and nurture our leadership journey and create an amazing workplace. 

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