Team Lab

Angela Migliaccio and Cori Caldwell
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

Team Lab: Reimagining the Way We Work—a podcast dedicated to exploring the power of teams, the science and art of collaboration, and the magic of thriving relationships at work. Hosted by Angela Migliaccio and Cori Caldwell, who've spent years coaching and empowering leaders across the tech industry and beyond, Team Lab invites you to rethink teams—not as hierarchical machines, but as vibrant, living ecosystems. Each episode features relatable conversations, honest insights, and practical wisdom from pioneering leaders, systemic team coaches, and innovative changemakers. We'll uncover how successful teams build trust, foster alignment, navigate complexity, and unlock creativity. We even weave in listener submitted challenges and provide practical advice on how to move forward. Whether you're a team leader, team member, coach, or facilitator, you'll walk away inspired and equipped with fresh perspectives on teamwork and collaboration. **SUBMIT YOUR 'STICKY' TEAM DYNAMIC CHALLENGES HERE for a chance to hear us unpack it on one of our future episodes: https://form.typeform.com/to/SxbDaK2n **

  1. 2d ago

    Global Leadership & The Tipping Point of Workplace Transformation with Jillian J. Foster

    How do global teams maintain trust and connection when geopolitical shifts shake the ground beneath their feet? What does it take to lead across cultures, borders, and varying levels of technological access without relying on outdated hierarchies? How can leaders move from standard mentorship to active sponsorship that opens real doors for the next generation? In this episode of Team Lab we sit down with Jillian Foster, founder and lead researcher at Global Insight. With over 20 years of experience navigating global research projects and geopolitical complexity, Jillian brings a grounded perspective on what it means to lead international teams with empathy, sensitivity, and structural resilience. Join us for an insightful discussion on navigating cross-border tensions, why instituting durable organizational change takes a key tipping point of collaborators, and how human connection remains the ultimate anchor in a high-tech world. About Jillian J. Foster Jillian is a Gender, Peace & Security expert and doctoral researcher in Political Science at Yale University. With over a decade of experience spanning data science, political violence research, and mixed-methods fieldwork across 12 countries, Jillian sits at the intersection of rigorous academic inquiry and practical global strategy. She is the founder and principal investigator of Global Insight, an international consultancy specializing in empirical, gender-sensitive research in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Moving from measuring what happens to supporting leaders understand what the data means—and what they should do because of it. Jillian is also a Chief Member Advisory Council, a Fractional COO Connect with Jillian: LinkedIn Explore Jillian's advisory work: JillianJFoster.com Learn more about Global Insight: G-Insight.org Network & Executive Community: Chief Resources Recommended Reading: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi About Team Lab Team Lab explores the power of teams, the science and art of collaboration, and the magic of thriving relationships at work. Hosted by Angela Migliaccio and Cori Caldwell, this podcast brings you inspiring stories and insights to help you build trust, foster alignment, and unlock creativity in your teams. Follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to never miss an episode!

    Global Leadership & The Tipping Point of Workplace Transformation with Jillian J. Foster

  2. Aug 4

    The Coherent Leader: Jack Swift on Clarity, Trust, and the Human Edge

    When the pace of change feels multi-directional and unpredictable, how do leaders cultivate internal clarity before stepping into the room? And when legacy control models fall short, how can leaders create the systemic coherence needed for human-and-machine teams to thrive? In this episode, Jack Swift, author of Level 7 Leadership: The Blueprint for the Human + Machine Era, joins Angela and Cori to unpack the necessary shift from central control to organizational coherence. Jack shares how individual clarity ripple-effects across teams, why radical truth and trust are non-negotiable advantages in an AI world, and how leaders can move from intellectual knowing to somatic sensing when navigating high ambiguity. Big questions we tackle What happens to the human in the age of AI? Jack explains why machines excel at precision, scale, and speed, leaving humans to focus on their distinct superpowers: imagination, broad-scale creativity, adaptability, and performance under pressure. What is the difference between clarity and coherence? How individual internal clarity creates an anchor point that brings entire teams into alignment through "rhythmic entrainment". Why are "I don't know" and "I made a mistake" leadership advantages? How aligning with truth builds psychological safety, accelerates trust, and speeds up learning loops when collaborating. How do leaders move from thinking to sensing? Why linear planning is too slow for exponential change, and how somatic sensing—drawing on practices from nature, elite sports, and special operations—helps leaders navigate ambiguity. How do you shift from Ego to Eco? Why letting go of rigid identities and title attachments allows leaders to hold outcomes lightly and foster authentic innovation. What you can do right now Start with individual clarity. Check in with your own operating system before entering a meeting; your grounded coherence sets the tone for the entire room.Distill objectives down. When faced with ambiguity, shrink the team size, shorten the timeline, and focus on getting clear on the what, allowing the how to emerge organically.Say "I don't know" or "I made a mistake." Use radical truth to remove shame and cultivate the psychological safety needed for rapid experimentation.Practice a "murmuration walk." Take a 10-minute walk side-by-side with team members without speaking to practice non-verbal, somatic synchronization.Hold outcomes lightly. Shift from a framework of "winning vs. losing" to "winning vs. learning," viewing mistakes simply as data feedback. About Jack Jack Swift is a founder, CEO, board member, leadership advisor, and author. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a former U.S. Airborne Ranger, Jack has held executive roles across asset management and tech, including helping grow Janus Henderson, co-founding Pacific Current Group, serving as CEO of TIFIN, and leading Liminal Collective. He currently serves on corporate boards, advises high-growth technology companies, and guides executive teams navigating the shift into the human + machine era. Website: jackcswift.com Level 7 Leadership Platform & Agent: L7leadership.com Sangha Community: sangha.one Additional Resources Book: Level 7 Leadership: The Blueprint for the Human + Machine Era by Jack SwiftBook: Leaders Eat Last - Simon Sinek About Team Lab Team Lab explores the power of teams, the science and art of collaboration, and the magic of thriving relationships at work. Hosted by Angela Migliaccio and Cori Caldwell, this podcast brings you inspiring stories and insights to help you build trust, foster alignment, and unlock creativity in your teams. Follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe/follow here to never miss an episode!

    The Coherent Leader: Jack Swift on Clarity, Trust, and the Human Edge

  3. Jul 21

    Stuck in the Middle: How Polarity Thinking Unsticks Team Tension

    What if the "either/or" problems you are trying to solve in your organization cannot be fixed? It may be because they aren't problems to be solved after all, but polarities to be managed and navigated! The Big Questions We Tackle: What is a polarity, anyway? Angela explains the difference between a technical problem (which has a right/wrong answer) and a polarity—two interdependent poles in opposition that both need to be integrated. How do teams get stuck in pendulum swings? Learn why organizations continuously bounce back and forth between extremes (like rushing decisions vs. over-analyzing) and how unaddressed fears drive vicious cycles. What is the "Third Way"? Discover how to move past mere compromises and use a Greater Purpose Statement (GPS) to map values and downsides on both sides of a polarity. How do we navigate acquisitions and cultural friction? Angela shares real-world insights from her time at IBM on how acquired companies and leadership teams can blend legacy values with corporate evolution without losing their identity. What You Can Do Right Now: Spot the polarity. Recognize when an ongoing team struggle is actually an interdependent tension rather than a simple right-or-wrong decision. Map the four quadrants. Bring your team together to openly map the upsides (values) and downsides (fears) of both poles to build alignment. Look for early warning signs. Agree upon collective indicators so that when your team begins drifting too far toward one extreme, someone can call it out constructively without finger-pointing. Combine a sharp mind with a soft heart. Balance critical analytical thinking with deeply human perceptions, contextualization, and empathy About Angela Angela Migliaccio is a certified systemic team coach, consultant, and co-founder of Distinctive Teams. With over two decades of high-performance leadership and individual contributor experience within complex, matrixed technology organizations—including her background in leadership development at IBM—Angela specializes in helping corporate leaders and middle managers navigate persistent organizational tensions, decision-making bottlenecks, and systemic team dynamics. As an expert in polarity management, somatic awareness, and adaptive leadership frameworks, she guides teams away from destructive "either/or" thinking toward collaborative "third-way" solutions. More Resources Get the Polarity Map referenced in this episode Barry Johnson's work on polarity thinking Website: Distinctive Teams Connect with Angela & Cori Website: Distinctive Teams

    Stuck in the Middle: How Polarity Thinking Unsticks Team Tension

  4. Mar 31

    Human First, Employee Second: Leading Through Global Chaos

    In this solo session, Cori and Angela dive into the "new normal" of leadership—where project plans and deadlines often collide with emotional distractions and global crises. They explore how the Efficiency Paradox can seep into all areas of teamwork and leadership decisions, often increasing individual productivity but inadvertently eroding team trust. Plus, the rise of the "Octopus Organization" model, a peek into the reality of why most leadership offsites fail to create lasting change, and a roundup of super action Monday morning actions to help move your team from "spinning in circles" to "creating a ripple effect". Key Takeaways Acknowledge the Elephant: Leadership starts with recognizing the person before the role. Use low-stakes "check-ins"—like picking a color or a "rubber duck"—to gauge how teammates are arriving without hijacking the entire meeting. The AI Trust Test: Why AI integration mandates and workstreams aren't necessarily breaking trust; they're essentially testing it. The Octopus Organization: Modern companies should mimic the octopus: highly adaptable, curious, and possessing "intelligence in the arms" (departments) that can move independently yet stay synchronized toward a common goal. The "Dishwasher" Problem: Offsites are often the corporate version of a "marriage-saving vacation". Real change doesn't happen at a resort; it happens when teams are coached in the flow of their daily challenges. Resources Your Monday Morning Checklist Designed to help you transition from "business as usual" to a more human-centered, high-performing team dynamic. 1. Conduct a Structured "Arrival" Check-in Before jumping into project updates, acknowledge the human beings behind the roles. The Question: Ask every team member, "How are you arriving today?" The Constraint: Limit responses to one or two minutes per person to respect the meeting schedule. The Vibe Check Tool: If the team is hesitant, use a "palette" like colors or "rubber ducks" to help them express their emotional state quickly and safely. The Rule: Respect confidentiality; if someone isn't ready to share details, a simple "I'm a deep blue today" is enough. 2. Convert AI Friction into "Empowered Requests" Use the "efficiency paradox" as a catalyst for trust rather than a source of erosion. Acknowledge Frustration: When a teammate hits a "dead end" with an AI tool, normalize the discomfort instead of ignoring it. Promote Transparency: Dedicate five minutes for teammates to share "successes, lack of success, and dead ends" from the previous week. Reframe Complaints: Turn criticisms into learning moments by asking, "What did we learn from this, and what will we do differently next time?". Build Collective Intelligence: Use these shared insights to ensure no one feels "left behind" by the pace of technology. 3. Audit the Team "Operating System" Recognize when your team's "wheels are wobbly" and prioritize "going slow to go fast". Focus on Outcomes: Re-center the conversation on the actual value the team creates to support the end goal, rather than enforcing rigid hierarchies or "the way we've always done it". The "Thought Jar" Exercise: If you sense unresolved friction, have everyone anonymously write down what is getting in the way of their work. Review and Address: Read these items aloud and have the team collectively acknowledge and address them to clear the air. Synchronize the "Arms": Ensure every team member (or "arm" of your octopus) has the agency to move independently while staying connected to the ultimate goal. Connect with US! Submit an anonymous sticky team dynamic story you'd like to hear unpacked on a future episode. Angela Migliaccio - Follow & Connect on LinkedIn Cori Caldwell - Follow & Connect on LinkedIn

    Human First, Employee Second: Leading Through Global Chaos

  5. Mar 17

    Soul at Work: The Three Elements Every Leader Needs to Build a Team Worth Showing Up For

    What if the antidote to Sunday Scaries isn't a better job — but a more soulful team? In this episode, we welcome back Jardena London for a deeper dive into what it actually looks like when soul is present in an organization. Jardena is a business transformation and agile consultant, author of Cultivating Transformations: A Leader's Guide to the Soulful and the Practical, and a member of the Org Design Forum conference committee. In this episode, we get into what it looks like when soul IS present in the workplace — and what leaders can do to cultivate it, even inside complex, change-resistant systems The Big Questions We Tackle: What are the three elements of a soulful workplace? Jardena breaks down dignity, creativity, and connection — and why dignity is the one most leaders are unknowingly undermining every day through common management practices like performance reviews, carrot-and-stick incentives, and poorly handled layoffs. Why does the "hub and spoke" leadership model quietly kill teams? When every conversation flows through the leader, the team stops talking to each other. That's when the leader becomes the bottleneck without ever meaning to. Jardena shares how she coaches leaders to redesign the dynamic so the whole team activates, not just the person whose turn it is to report. How do you make it safe to ask for help, especially in cultures where everyone values 'perfection'? Jardena shares how simply reframing "do you need help?" into "is there an obstacle I can knock down for you?" can break through cultural resistance and unlock the kind of cross-functional collaboration that actually moves the needle. What's the real cost of blunt-instrument decision-making? Whether it's layoffs, restructuring, or budget cuts, Jardena makes the case that leaders have more precision tools available than they're using, and that imprecise decisions don't just hurt people, they quietly destroy the business case for moving forward. Resources in this episode: 📘 Cultivating Transformations: A Leader's Guide to the Soulful and the Practical by Jardena London — available on Amazon and all major booksellers 🗓️ Org Design Forum Annual Conference — Pittsburgh, April 28–30 | Theme: Transforming in Motion: Designing for Continuous Change 🔗 Find Jardena on LinkedIn, Substack, JardenaLondon.com, or RosettaAgile.com

    Soul at Work: The Three Elements Every Leader Needs to Build a Team Worth Showing Up For

  6. Mar 3

    Who's Looking After the Relational Layer? Navigating AI Implementation with Your Team

    What if the biggest hurdle to your team's AI adoption isn't the technology at all, but what it reveals about the cracks in your human workflows? In this episode, we sit down with Yadin Porter De León, a marketing leader at Salesforce and co-host of The AI Edge for Enterprise Marketing podcast. He established one of the industry's first Global Marketing AI Councils to drive generative AI adoption and efficiency across organizational workflows. Yadin is a voice of reason in the "madness" of the current AI wave, moving past the hype to discuss how AI impacts team culture, the necessity of documented processes, and why cracking the code on the "human relational layer" remains the holy grail of business. Big Themes We Tackle: The Importance of Explicit Communication When introducing new tools, it's crucial to be explicit about expectations. For instance, if you're implementing a tool promising to reduce workload, clarify whether you expect increased productivity or simply a more efficient workflow. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and fosters an environment of trust. Managing Uncertainty with AI Yadin points out that the most disruptive element of AI is not the technology itself, but the uncertainty it introduces into teams and decision-making processes. The Impact of AI on Leadership and Culture As AI technologies become more integrated into business processes, the role of leadership evolves. Leaders are no longer just decision-makers; they must also be cultural architects who guide their teams through uncertainty. The Relational Layer: As we tinker with job roles and AI workflows, Yadin asks the critical question: Who is looking after the relational layer? We dive into why trust remains the "holy grail" of business At its core, this conversation is about the "critical core"—the idea that AI is a tool to collapse the boring tasks so that humans can double down on what actually matters: empathy, creativity, and connection. Connect with Yadin LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/porterdeleon Podcast: The AI Edge for Enterprise Marketing

    Who's Looking After the Relational Layer? Navigating AI Implementation with Your Team

  7. Feb 17

    The Game-Changing Assist: Leadership Lessons from the Court to the Boardroom

    What if the secret to a high-trust, highly collaborative, results-driven corporate team is hidden in the drills of a Division I basketball practice? And what if the key to resilience isn't just "bouncing back" to where you were, but "bouncing forward" into something better? In this episode, we sit down with Angela Lewis, a former professional basketball player and coach turned corporate leadership advisor and author. Angela brings the intensity and discipline of the court into the workplace, helping teams understand how to leverage their "game-changing assists" to drive growth, harmony and high performance. Big Themes We Tackle: The Culture of Winning: Angela breaks down why honesty in feedback and a shared vision are the bedrock of successful teams. Confidence vs. Competence: Why it's okay (and even healthy) to NOT feel confident in every area of your role. The "Go-For-It Muscle": Practical advice for young women entering leadership. Feedback Loops: What corporate teams can learn from the "micro-doses" of feedback used in sports. The 6V Framework At the heart of Angela's coaching is the 6V Framework, a roadmap for moving teams from a state of struggle to a state of success: Valley: Conducting an honest assessment of how you got to a challenging point. Vision: Defining exactly where you want to go next. Voice: Managing the mindset and communication style of the team. Value: Aligning your daily actions with the ultimate goal. Volunteering: Sharing knowledge and helping teammates grow. Victory: Tracking the "small wins" that build the confidence needed for the big goal. Connect with Angela LinkedIn: Angela R. Lewis Website: angelarlewis.com Book: The Game Changing Assist Upcoming Book! A Ball and A Chance - Children's book releasing in March

    The Game-Changing Assist: Leadership Lessons from the Court to the Boardroom

  8. Feb 3

    Blow up the Hierarchy: Why Building Teams Around Value Creation is the New Competitive Advantage

    In this episode of the Team Lab Podcast, we sit down with Greg Petroff to discuss why traditional hierarchies often hinder work and how leaders can transition toward value-driven, outcome-oriented teams. Greg is a veteran design and technology leader who has driven major organizational transformations at companies like GE Digital, Google, ServiceNow, Compass, and Cisco Secure. He's a founding member of Design Executive Council, and advises organizations of all sizes on how to rethink workflows and team agency through the lens of new technological capabilities. In his public work – from Substack essays to podcast interviews – he's a leading authority on how the nature of work is evolving. In this conversation, a common theme emerged: there's no more important task than removing obstacles and friction from your team's path, and that includes helping to optimize focus and time management. Greg shares his insights on everything from protecting your team's "organizational calories," and the importance of flow states, to how Gen AI is shifting the boundaries of product development. Conversation Highlights Outcome vs. Output: Customers buy outcomes (goals accomplished), not outputs (lines of code or feature velocity). Teams that own an outcome have more agency to satisfy customer needs with the "least number of most useful things". The "One More Thing" Trap: Leaders must publicly declare what they are not doing. Adding "one more thing" to show performance consumes vital organizational "calories" and prevents the completion of higher-priority work. Above the Line Prioritization: Borrowing from the Amazon model, teams should prioritize outcomes and assign resources until capacity is reached. Anything "below the line" is not touched until a higher priority is completed. The Power of Flow States: High-quality creative and technical work requires uninterrupted blocks of time—ideally two-to-three-hour periods—to reach a "flow state". Constant meetings disrupt this state and leave teams exhausted rather than accomplished. AI as a Boundary Disruptor: GenAI tools are allowing roles to merge; designers can write front-end code and engineers can draft requirements. This requires a new "social contract" where teams are adaptive and collaborative rather than protective of their specific silos. Reversing the Double Diamond: Historically, organizations spend too little time on discovery and too much on execution. Greg argues for a large first diamond (discovery) and a small second diamond (execution) to ensure you are solving the right problem in the simplest way. Connect with Greg LinkedIn: Greg Petroff Substack: Improbable Futures — Greg's newsletter exploring the intersection of design, technology, and the future of work Threads: @gpetroff Resources Two-Minute Fridays: Have each employee and leader record a two-minute video detailing what they did, what they planned to do, and what they were proud of. Leadership Club: Set up a structured monthly meeting for "leaders of leaders" to set their own agenda and discuss what they want to learn, giving senior leadership visibility into "facts on the ground". Career Mapping: Actively help employees identify what gives them energy, explore how those interests, skills or strengths map to their existing growth path or another path within the organization that might better align.

    Blow up the Hierarchy: Why Building Teams Around Value Creation is the New Competitive Advantage
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Team Lab: Reimagining the Way We Work—a podcast dedicated to exploring the power of teams, the science and art of collaboration, and the magic of thriving relationships at work. Hosted by Angela Migliaccio and Cori Caldwell, who've spent years coaching and empowering leaders across the tech industry and beyond, Team Lab invites you to rethink teams—not as hierarchical machines, but as vibrant, living ecosystems. Each episode features relatable conversations, honest insights, and practical wisdom from pioneering leaders, systemic team coaches, and innovative changemakers. We'll uncover how successful teams build trust, foster alignment, navigate complexity, and unlock creativity. We even weave in listener submitted challenges and provide practical advice on how to move forward. Whether you're a team leader, team member, coach, or facilitator, you'll walk away inspired and equipped with fresh perspectives on teamwork and collaboration. **SUBMIT YOUR 'STICKY' TEAM DYNAMIC CHALLENGES HERE for a chance to hear us unpack it on one of our future episodes: https://form.typeform.com/to/SxbDaK2n **

Information

  • Creator
    Angela Migliaccio and Cori Caldwell
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Angela Migliaccio and Cori Caldwell
  • Show Website
    Team Lab