Vibecast

PeopleForward Network
  • 4.9 (24)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The vibe we feel at work has a significant impact on culture. Vibecast shares real stories from exceptional leaders and host Kristi Skutvik, offering key takeaways to improve engagement and elevate the vibe at work.

  1. 3D AGO

    Replay: Fostering a Lifelong Learning Culture with Karen Alter

    What happens when vulnerability becomes your leadership superpower? Kristi sits down with Karen Alter to unpack what it means to lead from the heart in an industry often driven by metrics and deadlines. From stepping into leadership in a post-founder era to fostering a culture where creativity and connection thrive, Karen shares how relational leadership has shaped every corner of her organization. She opens up about her journey, from receiving the vibe to becoming the one who creates it, including the powerful personal story of how a colleague became a surrogate and lifelong friend. Karen gets real about hiring for culture fit, designing intentional hybrid spaces, having hard conversations with clients, and why she'll never lead with fear. This episode is a masterclass in showing up as your full self, and how that choice impacts everything from morale to results. If you're ready to build a culture where trust, transparency, and real human connection fuel your team, this one's for you.   Additional Resources: Connect with Karen on LinkedIn Learn more about Borshoff Subscribe to Kristi's YouTube for more Vibecast content! Learn more about Skutvik Consulting Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Vulnerability builds trust and deepens team connection Culture thrives on intentional relationships and shared values Physical space impacts creative energy and collaboration Hire for diversity, align on core values Great leadership starts with listening, not talking

    32 min

  2. JAN 21

    The Energy Behind Culture and Hiring Right | Tony Ferraro

    What if the "vibe" of your workplace isn't created by perks or policies, but by the people you allow into the room and the energy they bring with them? ⚡️ In this episode, Kristi sits down with executive coach Tony Ferraro to unpack what vibe really means inside an organization and why culture is something you protect, not manufacture. Tony draws a powerful connection between vibe and culture, explaining how great teams feel different because they are free from "energy drains" like misalignment, drama, and unclear purpose. Tony shares his winding journey from teaching physics to leading a growing school, and eventually into executive coaching, revealing how moments of failure, tension, and unexpected endings shaped his philosophy on leadership. Through personal stories, he shows how even one misaligned hire can quietly crack an otherwise healthy culture.   Additional Resources: Tony Ferraro, Senior Executive Coach/Director of Training Services at Floyd Consulting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyferraro-floyd/ Floyd Consulting - https://www.floydconsulting.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/floyd-consulting/ Subscribe to Kristi's YouTube for more Vibecast content! Learn more about Skutvik Consulting Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: A strong vibe is closely tied to having A players who energize the people around them. Culture weakens when energy is spent on drama instead of the mission. There are no neutral hires. Every person either adds to or detracts from the culture. Great hiring starts with clarity around role, outcomes, and core values. Leaders often sabotage interviews by falling in love too early.

    1h 11m

  3. JAN 7

    The Power of Vibes in the Workplace | Shelby Miller

    What if the real strength of a team isn't found in productivity tools or meeting rhythms, but in how seen and supported people feel while doing the work together? 🌿 In this thoughtful episode, we sit down with Shelby Miller to explore the deeper heartbeat of workplace culture, the human connections, shared values, and subtle "vibes" that shape how people show up, especially in remote environments. Shelby takes us through her unexpected career path from health education into project management, revealing how each step strengthened her belief that great cultures are built through intention, care, and hiring for genuine team fit rather than just skill alone. She reflects on the power of human-centered leadership from meaningful parental leave and honest communication to the magic that happens when remote teams finally meet face-to-face at in-person retreats. Additional Resources: "Creating Compiler's Parental Leave Policy: How a small, scrappy, California-based LLC created parental leave and wage replacement policies for its remote, multi-state team." Follow Shelby on LinkedIn Follow Compiler on LinkedIn Learn more about Compiler Subscribe to Kristi's YouTube for more Vibecast content! Learn more about Skutvik Consulting Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network Key Takeaways: A vibe is intangible and open to individual interpretation. It's important for organizations to bridge the gap between aspirations and individual perceptions of vibe. Creating a human-centered workplace enhances employee satisfaction. Parental leave policies should be prioritized, regardless of company size. In-person retreats foster connection and strengthen team dynamics.

    46 min

  4. 12/17/2025

    Building Energy People Want to Follow | Eliza Jackson

    What if the secret to a thriving workplace isn't perks or policies, but the energy people feel the moment they walk in? 🔋 In this eye-opening episode, Kristi sits down with Eliza Jackson, Chief People & Operations leader at ButcherBox, to explore what she calls "the vibe" that powerful blend of energy, emotional connection, and environment that determines whether people feel like they belong or want to run for the door. Eliza takes us through her non-linear journey: from high-pay finance roles to a drastic pivot into education after one life-changing moment inside a community school circle in Brooklyn. That experience taught her how culture can ignite purpose even when it comes with a 75 percent pay cut and 4 a.m. alarm clocks. This episode challenges leaders, builders, and teammates everywhere to rethink what culture really is: not a program or a policy, but the everyday energy we bring to each other, one collision, one conversation, one human moment at a time.   Additional Resources: Eliza Jackson - Chief People & Administrative Officer @ ButcherBox LinkedIn Learn more about Skutvik Consulting Learn more about workvibes Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Culture is an energy people instantly feel through belonging and connection. In-person collisions create the strongest relationships and team momentum. Core values must be practiced daily in hiring, feedback, and recognition. Coaching and continuous learning help people lead with confidence and resilience. Great culture requires trust, autonomy, and tough calls when the fit isn't right.

    52 min

  5. 12/03/2025

    The Strengths-Based Shift Every Leader Needs with Brandon Miller

    What if the key to better leadership isn't fixing people, but finally seeing them? 🔍 In this eye opening episode, Kristi sits down with Brandon Miller, CEO and founding partner of 34 Strong, to explore how a strengths-based approach can transform workplaces, families, and the leaders at the center of them. From surviving a damaging work culture early in his career to building one of the largest strengths-focused coaching firms in the world, Brandon shares raw, powerful stories of how pain shaped his purpose. He opens up about confronting a toxic leader, rebuilding his life after the 2008 financial crash, and discovering the strengths philosophy that not only changed his career trajectory but completely reshaped his relationship with his kids. Brandon explains why public humiliation is the most destructive leadership tactic, why culture change requires deep work at the supervisor level, and how strengths create grace, clarity, and sustainable high performance. This episode gives leaders, parents, and humans a new lens on what it really means to help people thrive, not by forcing them into who we want them to be, but by honoring who they actually are. Additional Resources: Brandon Miller - Founding CEO and Chairman of the Board 34 Strong 🔗 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-miller-34strong/)  🔗 (https://www.34strong.com) 🔗 (http://www.ChurchillLeadershipGroup.com)  🔗 (https://incrediblefamily.com/) 🔗 Subscribe to Kristi's YouTube for more Vibecast content! (https://youtube.com/@kristiskutvik?si=ZzyIX7yyCRukXgNy) 🔗 Learn more about Skutvik Consulting (https://www.skutvikconsulting.com/) 🔗 Learn more about workvibes (https://getworkvibes.com/) 🔗 Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/) Key Takeaways: Toxic leadership creates deep trauma and long term dysfunction. Strengths reveal a person's tendencies, not guaranteed superpowers. Parenting and leadership dramatically improve when you honor how people are wired. Culture change starts with people leaders, not perks or programs. Sustainable excellence comes from blending accountability with genuine care.

    47 min

  6. 11/19/2025

    The Creative Spark Culture Needs with David Mizne

    What if a puppet could say what your team is afraid to? 🎭 In this unexpected and wildly creative episode, Kristi sits down with David Mizne, creator of Culture Puppets, to explore how humor, vulnerability, and a little felt can transform workplace vibes. From early days at a remote-first startup to launching a full-blown puppet-powered cultural movement, David reveals how bringing his full, quirky self to work didn't just entertain, it created space for honesty, trust, and human connection. He shares the story behind Little Ginger (the blue puppet with main-character energy), how 15Five made breathwork part of team meetings, and why creativity isn't a luxury, it's a culture-shaping necessity. This episode is a masterclass in ditching the corporate mask and embracing the weird, the real, and the resonant. Whether you're leading a team or just trying to survive another Zoom meeting, you'll walk away inspired to rethink how culture really scales.   Additional Resources: Connect with David on LinkedIn Learn more about Culture Puppets Subscribe to Kristi's YouTube for more Vibecast content! Learn more about Skutvik Consulting Learn more about workvibes Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Vibes are energetic signals shaping workplace culture. Creativity at work reduces stress and boosts morale. Psychological safety enables authentic team connection. Shared experiences deepen trust and team engagement. Puppetry can surface unspoken truths safely and humorously.

    49 min

  7. 11/05/2025

    The Neuroscience of Respect with Gregg Ward

    What if the real reason your workplace is struggling isn't performance, but a lack of respect? Kristi sits down with Gregg Ward, bestselling author of "The Respectful Leader" and founder of the Center for Respectful Leadership, for a conversation that starts with tragedy and ends with transformation. From losing his high school sweetheart in a devastating accident to creating breakthrough leadership trainings using improv and storytelling, Gregg's path is anything but linear. He shares how understanding moral injury reshaped his mission, why Gen Z refuses to tolerate toxic leaders, and how a simple mindset shift can change your workplace vibe forever. This isn't just another leadership chat. It's a masterclass in empathy, science, and the soul-deep need we all have to feel respected. If you're leading people and want to keep them, this episode is a must.   Additional Resources: Connect with Gregg on LinkedIn Learn more about The Center for Respectful Leadership Get your copy of "The Respectful Leader" Watch Gregg's TEDx Talk Subscribe to Kristi's YouTube for more Vibecast content! Learn more about Skutvik Consulting Learn more about workvibes Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Respect is a feeling, not just a concept. Practice the "platinum rule," not the golden one. Moral injury impacts leadership behavior and empathy. Neuroscience proves respect influences brain chemistry. Listen first! Respect begins with understanding others' perspectives.

    55 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    Stop Overcomplicating Work! Fresh Ways to Lead with Mark Cruth

    What if the secret to better teamwork wasn't another system or software, but simply keeping it super simple? 💡 Kristi vibes with Mark Cruth, Modern Work Coach at Atlassian, to uncover how simplicity and intentionality can completely reshape how teams work together. From his early days coding in cubicle farms to leading global transformation at one of the world's most collaborative companies, Mark shares how overcomplicating work kills momentum, and why the magic happens when teams align on just a few core habits. They dive into how tools should support people, why one hour of intentional reflection can change everything, and how creating cadence and rituals keeps culture alive in both remote and in-person teams. 💬   Additional Resources: Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Learn more about Mark's work Learn more about Atlassian's Team Playbook Learn more about Skutvik Consulting Learn more about workvibes Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Start simple; over-engineering kills progress. Intentional communication drives true collaboration. Tools should serve people, not processes. Cadence and rituals sustain team alignment. Connection is the foundation of great teamwork.

    55 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
24 Ratings

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The vibe we feel at work has a significant impact on culture. Vibecast shares real stories from exceptional leaders and host Kristi Skutvik, offering key takeaways to improve engagement and elevate the vibe at work.

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