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The Culture Gap

Business & Economics Podcasts

Daniel Forrester, an expert in culture and strategy, is sitting down with leaders across industries—both commercial and not-for-profit—to learn how they are closing the gaps between their business visions and the culture of their organizations. From seemingly insurmountable turnarounds and mergers to the digitization and automation of business, Culture Gap will explore stories of leaders driving massive change and building movements through their purpose, values, and vision. As the world moves rapidly toward technology and automation, it is the health of organizational culture that will make or break the long-term success of every organization. In Culture Gap, you’ll hear the inside story from leaders facing tremendous business challenges and navigating the shifting culture both inside and outside of their organizations. They’ll share stories of their victories both large and small, as well as their lessons learned. You will also discover how purpose-built cultures can help close the gaps caused by employee turnover, lost customers, and other challenges. Culture Gap is produced by THRUUE, Inc.

Location:

United States

Description:

Daniel Forrester, an expert in culture and strategy, is sitting down with leaders across industries—both commercial and not-for-profit—to learn how they are closing the gaps between their business visions and the culture of their organizations. From seemingly insurmountable turnarounds and mergers to the digitization and automation of business, Culture Gap will explore stories of leaders driving massive change and building movements through their purpose, values, and vision. As the world moves rapidly toward technology and automation, it is the health of organizational culture that will make or break the long-term success of every organization. In Culture Gap, you’ll hear the inside story from leaders facing tremendous business challenges and navigating the shifting culture both inside and outside of their organizations. They’ll share stories of their victories both large and small, as well as their lessons learned. You will also discover how purpose-built cultures can help close the gaps caused by employee turnover, lost customers, and other challenges. Culture Gap is produced by THRUUE, Inc.

Language:

English

Contact:

1-866-602-9711


Episodes

New Podcast: Imagine What's Next

3/17/2023
Join Daniel for a new podcast: Imagine What's Next. IWN launches on March 30th, and you can find it wherever you listen to podcasts. IWN explores the mindsets, methods, and skills that leaders and product managers must employ to think long-term--also known as vision and strategic foresight. Ignoring the future and the confluence of trends, risks, opportunities, technologies, and systemic challenges coming at your organization produces blind spots that force reactive thinking and strategies. Join host Daniel Forrester, an author, entrepreneur, trusted advisor to CEOs, and massive open online course instructor through the University of Maryland, as he interviews leading strategists, futurists, CEOs, foresight experts, economists, psychologists, and authors from around the world. Daniel takes listeners far away from the tyranny of innovation-stifling “short-termism” as he unveils the art and science behind discovering the “big ideas” that inspire employees and stakeholders.

Duration:00:07:15

Daniel Coyle, Author and Culture Expert

5/10/2022
Daniel Coyle is a contributing editor for Outside magazine and the author of six books, including the New York Times bestseller, Lance Armstrong’s War. His book, The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, has defined for many what the world of high-performing cultures and teams looks like. His new book, The Culture Playbook, is his next chapter in helping organizations and leaders to think through how to effectively drive a high-performance culture into your organization. In this episode of The Culture Gap, Daniel talks about the intersection of high-performing companies and healthy culture, whether companies can overcome the negative impact of poor leaders, and the value of working through the difficulties within a company to create a stronger culture. Daniel also offers insights into the cultural differences between the Midwest and Alaska, where he splits his time. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Daniel Coyle. [2:39] How did Daniel Coyle become Daniel Coyle? [5:53] Uncovering the energy that drives culture. [6:26] What is Daniel’s working definition of the word “culture”? [9:10] What is the connection between a high-performing, healthy culture and the performance of a firm? [15:06] Key takeaways from examples of toxic company culture. [20:20] The role of “we” versus “I” — and pausing — in a healthy company culture. [24:29] Does the company culture have the potential to outperform the positive or negative performance of its leadership team? [28:57] Should companies hire for culture fits or culture adds? [32:51] Daniel’s advice for the challenges of culture activation. [38:14] Daniel explains Tip #23, Kill the Happy, Smoothness Fallacy. [42:22] How to approach ESG in a healthy work environment. Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Daniel Coyle Daniel Coyle on LinkedIn Daniel Coyle on Twitter

Duration:00:46:39

Dee Ann Turner, Veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. (Part 2 of 2)

5/21/2020
Dee Ann Turner is a retired veteran of Chick-fil-A who spent 33 years rising to be one of the first female officers of this iconic company. Dee Ann started in HR before eventually leading the talent and franchisee selection and the sustainability division, in the last part of her career at Chick-fil-A. She also helped to design the talent systems and processes of the culture of Chick-fil-A, and in July 2018, Dee Ann ventured out on her own to start her own company. Today, she is an author, speaker, consultant and coach at helping organizations globally strengthen their organizational culture and talent systems. In the second part of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, Dee Ann sheds light on how she helped Chick-fil-A to design an intentional culture in which every single customer experience went above and beyond expectations, and how principles rather than rules helped make this possible. She also shares her wisdom about accountability, scaling for growth, and the intersection of customer and employee experience. Find out more about some of the many lessons she has reflected on in writing her three books. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:45] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Dee Ann Turner. [1:26] People don’t get behind rules, they get behind principles. What are Dee Ann’s beliefs about rules and principles and how to balance them? [6:38] Dee Ann shares an anecdote about Chick-fil-A where putting rules over principles almost ended really badly. [10:54] What advice does Dee Ann have about knowing when to invest more effort into growing an employee vs. just calling it quits? [15:40] What distinguishes a customer experience from employee experience? What should CEOs know about the intersection of experience for customers and employees? [18:21] Dee Ann shares some anecdotes of how customer experience and employee experience were intertwined at Chick-fil-A. [23:25] What is Dee Ann’s next book going to be about? [25:40] What are some common questions Dee Ann gets asked about corporate culture? [29:18] What wisdom would Dee Ann impart to her younger self? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Dee Ann Turner Chick-fil-A Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture and Win the Hearts of Customers, by Dee Ann Turner It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture, by Dee Ann Turner S. Truett Cathy, Founder of Chick-fil-A The Culture Gap Podcast Episode: “Dee Ann Turner, Veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. (Part 1 of 2)”

Duration:00:31:53

Dee Ann Turner, Veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. (Part 1 of 2)

5/7/2020
Dee Ann Turner is a retired veteran of Chick-fil-A who spent 33 years rising to be one of the first female officers of this iconic company. Dee Ann started in HR before eventually leading the talent and franchisee selection and the sustainability division, in the last part of her career at Chick-fil-A. She also helped to design the talent systems and processes of the culture of Chick-fil-A, and in July 2018, Dee Ann ventured out on her own to start her own company. Today, she is an author, speaker, consultant and coach at helping organizations globally strengthen their organizational culture and talent systems. In the first of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, Dee Ann reveals some of her background and values that shaped her growing up, that she brought with her on her Chick-fil-A journey. She shares more about her 33-year journey through different departments in Chick-fil-A, and how culture played a part in the organization, from early on. Dee Ann also provides insights about finding the right big ideas, what it takes to keep alignment between strategy and culture, and what she learned from the founder of Chick-fil-A himself. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:43] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Dee Ann Turner. [1:43] Who is Dee Ann? [3:02] What are some of the values that were imprinted on Dee Ann that she still carries with her today? [7:09] How did Dee Ann end up as a part of the Chick-fil-A brand? [11:39] Culture now is everywhere, but back then, what was Chick-fil-A's approach to culture? [12:57] What was Dee Ann's experience as a part of Chick-fil-A as the big ideas and culture were starting to take shape? What does it take to get the right big ideas and culture? [17:26] What was it like to be one-to-one in a room with Truett Cathy and what advice did he give Dee Ann? [20:44] Alignment is hard. What has Dee Ann learned about keeping alignment between the strategy and the culture at Chick-fil-A through growth? [26:03] What is the difference between culture and strategy? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Dee Ann Turner Chick-fil-A Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture and Win the Hearts of Customers, by Dee Ann Turner It's My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture, by Dee Ann Turner S. Truett Cathy, Founder of Chick-Fil-A The Culture Gap Podcast Episode: “Ginger Hardage, Former Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines (Part 1 of 2)” The Culture Gap Podcast Episode: “Ginger Hardage, Former Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines (Part 2 of 2)”

Duration:00:29:24

Susan Bratton, Founder and CEO of Savor Health

4/2/2020
Susan Bratton is the Founder and CEO of Savor Health, a start-up that harnesses the power of data and algorithms to provide an unprecedented service of personalization of nutrition for those dealing with multiple types of cancer. By leveraging data science, expert knowledge, and scientific literature, Savor Health delivers prescriptive nutrition interventions to cancer patients, helping them on their road to recovery. In this episode of The Culture Gap, Susan talks about her upbringing and past life in Corporate America that led her down the path of starting Savor Health. She shares more about the challenges she faced in getting funding for her enterprise, the team she has built to make this company a reality and the critical role of artificial intelligence in her business model. Susan has some insightful takeaways from her time as CEO of a startup, and how industry trends are shaping the future of her business. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Susan Bratton. [1:21] Who is Susan? [2:14] What are some of the values that shaped how Susan sees the world? [5:35] How did Susan decide to start Savor Health? [10:38] How did Susan get the funding to kickstart her idea? [15:25] What does Susan’s team look like now? [18:25] How is Savor Health using AI in the business? [23:17] What is the business model for Savor Health? [29:24] There are a lot of moving parts to Susan’s business. She explains some of the trends in the industry that are having an impact on it. [34:08] What is Susan’s advice to other CEOs who want to have the type of thinking, culture, and strategy that she has synthesized in her company? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Susan Bratton on LinkedIn Susan Bratton on Twitter Savor Health

Duration:00:42:29

Tracey Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association (Part 2 of 2)

3/5/2020
Tracey Brown is the CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and a dynamic and transformative leader. As the sixth CEO in five years for the ADA, Tracey had to deal with an organization in decline and one that had endured a lot of disruption caused by the frequent changes in leadership. She has risen to the challenge in an incredible way and is changing lives and impacting others with her work at the ADA. In the second of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, Tracey gives us an inside look into the transformation of this organization. She shares how focusing on the customer experience is taking a center stage at the ADA, and how she is reshaping her organization’s culture to reflect this. Tracey also shares more about her experience with collaboratively designing strategy, communicating with stakeholders, and building out a team that will tackle the challenges of the future. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:43] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Tracey Brown. [1:22] How did Tracey frame the case for change at the ADA in the first few months of her leadership? [9:05] The customer experience is taking center stage in a lot of organizations, including at the ADA. What are Tracey's thoughts on how this will play out in the future of the organization? [13:21] Tracey talks about how she started creating the values for the organization, why those values were chosen, and how they have shaped the activities of the ADA. [19:48] Quantifying the impact of different activities is important to determine which activities take priority. [23:58] Getting the right team together to lead a transformation can be tricky. Tracey shares her experience with getting the right people in the right roles. [27:57] Tracey explains why it is so important to maintain clear communication of the facts and data during a period of transformation. [32:00] Tracey breaks down her four-year blueprint for change for the ADA. [38:24] What would Tracey tell her younger self? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Tracey Brown American Diabetes Association The Culture Gap Podcast Episode: “Tracey Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association (Part 1 of 2)” Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek

Duration:00:43:24

Tracey Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association (Part 1 of 2)

2/27/2020
Tracey Brown is the CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and a dynamic and transformative leader. Prior to her current role at the ADA, Tracey was working with Sam’s Club and Walmart and made some significant strides during her tenure there. Today, she is changing lives and impacting others with her work at the ADA. In the first of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, Tracey shares a little about her childhood and how her parents shaped her value system from a young age, including her thoughts around what it means to be a leader. She also shares insights about what it takes to grow a membership model business like Sam’s Club and highlights some of the key principles of Walmart that are often overlooked but that influenced her decision-making process to join the ADA. Purpose, passion, and position have aligned for Tracey who continues to shine her light in the world and change the lives of others. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:41] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Tracey Brown. [1:33] Who is Tracey Brown? [2:53] What are some core values that shaped Tracey as a child? [6:34] Who is the first person Tracey thinks of when she thinks of a leader, and why? [9:23] What was Tracey’s time working at Walmart like? Tracey explains more about the concept of membership and how it played out at Sam’s Club. [17:39] Tracey shares how she moved from working with Walmart to joining the American Diabetes Association. [24:28] Tracey and Daniel discuss some of the social good that is done by Walmart and its subsidiaries, and how that influenced Tracey’s decision-making process. [26:42] Purpose, passion, and position have aligned for Tracey to do great work in the American Diabetes Association. [27:19] Tracey relates a life-changing moment with her daughter and how she turned her life around from that point. Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Tracey Brown American Diabetes Association Walmart Sam’s Club Doug McMillon John Ferner

Duration:00:33:24

Heather McGowan, Leader, Thinker & Future-of-Work Strategist (Part 2 of 2)

2/13/2020
Heather McGowan is an extraordinary leader, thinker, and future-of-work strategist. She is an author and speaker who has a lot of insight about the future of work, the future of our relationships with one another, and the skills it will take to thrive in the fourth industrial revolution. Heather is not one to tout a dystopian future but believes that humans need to think differently about how we prepare for work and how we work in order to thrive in the future of it. In the second of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, Heather shares more about the culture needed to survive and thrive in this modern context, as well as the role of technology and machines in influencing corporate culture. She shares some insights about her new book coming out in spring, The Adaptation Advantage, and some advice for the leaders and the youth of today. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:43] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Heather McGowan. [1:28] What kind of culture should a new company adopt in order to survive and thrive in this new global context? [3:26] What would be one value or behavior that would be the linchpin to achieve the goals and vision Heather has for her hypothetical company? [6:17] What are the relationships between the workforce and machines, and how does that play out in the company's culture? [9:05] What is Heather's advice to help them and their workforce move past the fear that technology will take over your job one day? [13:43] Heather's new book, The Adaptation Advantage, comes out in spring. Why did Heather write it and what is the biggest reason CEOs should read it? [16:55] What would Heather's advice be to her younger self? [17:29] What are some things Heather would advise a future president to say at her inaugural address? [19:09] What advice does Heather have for a young girl? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Heather McGowan Parasite [Movie] Start with Why, by Simon Sinek “The Top 20 Business Transformations of the Last Decade,” HBR The Adaptation Advantage, by Chris Shipley and Heather McGowan

Duration:00:23:33

Heather McGowan, Leader, Thinker & Future-of-Work Strategist (Part 1 of 2)

1/30/2020
Heather McGowan is an extraordinary leader, thinker, and future-of-work strategist. She is an author and speaker who has a lot of insight about the future of work, the future of our relationships with one another, and the skills it will take to thrive in the fourth industrial revolution. Heather is not one to tout a dystopian future but believes that humans need to think differently about how we prepare for work and how we work in order to thrive in the future of it. In the first of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, Heather shares how her own upbringing shaped her as a thinker and leader, as well as some of her key observations about the changes that are taking place at an individual, organizational, and societal level. Heather explains why our current structures do not support our human needs for connection and community, how social media might provide a solution, as well as how leaders should be approaching strategy in their organizations to adapt to the future of work. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Heather McGowan. [1:38] Who is Heather? [2:25] What are some of the values that have shaped Heather as a person and a leader? [5:58] What is the moment of change that individuals, organizations, and institutions are living through? [8:27] What happens to the psyche of the worker when the structures we have do not support our needs for membership, belonging, and a sense of community? [12:48] What is Heather optimistic about in relation to what is possible in building up authentic human connections? [15:09] What are Heather’s thoughts on how leaders should be approaching strategy and strategic planning? [20:35] Cognitive diversity and psychological safety are two essential elements to a competitive and successful organization. What is Heather’s advice to leaders to cultivate these in their organizations? [24:26] Knowing vs. learning mindset — Heather breaks down the differences and explains why it is so important for us to adopt a learning mindset to move into the future of work. Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Heather McGowan Articles by Thomas Friedman (NY Times) Between Two Ages: The 21st Century and the Crisis of Meaning, by William Van Dusen Wishard Alone Together, by Sherry Turkle Brené Brown The Two Traits of the Best Problem-Solving Teams, by Alison Reynolds and David Lewis (HBR) Peter Senge

Duration:00:29:06

Adrienne Penta, Executive Director at Brown Brothers Harriman

7/31/2019
Adrienne Penta is the Executive Director for the 200-year-old company and oldest private bank on Wall Street, Brown Brothers Harriman and their Center for Women and Wealth. A lawyer by training, Adrienne joined Brown Brothers in 2008, and in 2014, spearheaded the launch of the Center for Women & Wealth, dedicated to serving women and the wealth that they control. In this episode of The Culture Gap, Adrienne and Daniel dive deep into the topic of values, values-based investing, and why this is becoming more and more important as more women enter the industry of wealth management as clients. Adrienne reveals some of the key trends in the wealth management space that are bringing women to the forefront of the discussion, and also why inclusiveness and diversity are the way forward. Tune in to find out where the culture gaps exist in an industry that is valued at over $40 trillion. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:42] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Adrienne Penta. [1:28] Who is Adrienne, and what are the values that have shaped her as a person? [4:39] Adrienne shares a little about Brown Brothers Harriman, its history, and how she ended up there. [6:04] The wealth management industry is transforming, as is every other industry. Adrienne explains more about the industry and the trends within the customer base right now. [9:34] Adrienne stresses the importance of thinking in a more inclusive way and being more deliberate about how they serve clients to create a trusted adviser relationship. [10:55] How does Adrienne approach the idea of influencing and cultivating the supply chain of future leaders that represents that client base of the future? [16:13] What is the Center for Women & Wealth, and who is its target audience? [22:16] How did Adrienne make the case for change in Brown Brothers Harriman around topics like diversity and inclusion? [26:01] How has the Center for Women & Wealth intersected with the Me Too movement? [29:37] What have been some of the most eye-opening insights Adrienne has had from running the Center for Women & Wealth? [32:30] What does Adrienne anticipate and predict for the future of the wealth management industry? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Adrienne Penta Brown Brothers Harriman Center for Women & Wealth Ray Dalio Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Women’s Philanthropy Institute Center for Talent Innovation

Duration:00:35:17

David Mead, Igniter at Start With Why (Part 2 of 2)

3/8/2019
David Mead is an Igniter with and is tied to one of the great minds of our time in the world of culture, purpose, mission — Simon Sinek and his company. David is globally recognized as the How guy to Simon’s Why, and co-authored Find Your Why. He also has years of practical experience working with organizations in different roles and uses this expertise in his current position to help other companies discover and articulate their ‘why.’ In the second of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, David and Daniel expand the conversation beyond just the purpose and why of an organization. David puts culture into context, relating it to vision and values, and explains why the CEO plays a critical role in driving that vision. David also makes the case for culture change driven by the CEO and shares his thoughts on how people across different generations and countries value purpose. Tune in also for a sneak peek into Simon Sinek’s new book, The Infinite Game. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — David Mead. [1:35] What is the difference between a ‘why’ and a vision? [3:26] David shares the distinction between purpose and vision with the example of his company, Start with Why. [4:57] It can be very difficult for people to make the leap from mission to vision in a single day. What are David’s thoughts on this, and what is the role of the CEO in driving that vision? [8:20] What are some of the surprising things that David has been asked by audiences around the world at his speaking events? [10:18] David and Daniel discuss how they deal with public dissent or differing opinions that they’re afraid to bring up in front of the group. [12:55] How would David make the case for culture change driven by the CEO? [16:54] What is special about the Millennial generation, and how are Millennials and the next generation after them pushing for these ideas of purpose and vision? [19:32] Simon Sinek is releasing a new book soon — The Infinite Game. David gives us a short preview of the book and its message. [23:31] What advice would David give his younger self? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: David Mead Simon Sinek, The Infinite Game

Duration:00:25:58

David Mead, Igniter at Start With Why (Part 1 of 2)

2/22/2019
David Mead is an Igniter with and is tied to one of the great minds of our time in the world of culture, purpose, mission — Simon Sinek and his company. David is globally recognized as the How guy to Simon’s Why, and co-authored Find Your Why. He also has years of practical experience working with organizations in different roles and uses this expertise in his current position to help other companies discover and articulate their ‘why.’ In the first of this two-part episode of The Culture Gap, David and Daniel discuss David’s core values that shape him and why his experiences in business school led him to the conclusion that what was being taught was contributing to poor leadership. David also elaborates on how his partnership with Simon Sinek began and blossomed. They discuss why purpose matters, why culture matters, and why it’s so difficult for individuals and organizations to understand and articulate their ‘Why,’ so be sure to tune in. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — David Mead. [1:32] Who is David Mead? [2:29] What are some of David's core values that he has held from his earliest days that shape him as a leader? How did he come upon these values? [4:02] What was David being taught at business school that was contributing to poor leadership? [6:39] What happened to David the day that he was in the audience and heard Simon Sinek speak? What happened for Simon that moved him to approach David? [9:32] Why does ‘the why’ matter? [12:31] Why is it so difficult for people and organizations to understand and articulate their ‘why’? [14:52] David shares an example to illustrate why it's so difficult to articulate ‘why.’ [17:25] Daniel and David discuss the example of the mission statement of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: David Mead Simon Sinek, Start with Why Simon SInek, David Mead, and Peter Docker, Find Your Why Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Duration:00:20:09

Ginger Hardage, Former Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines (Part 2)

12/14/2018
Ginger Hardage is the just-retired Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications from an iconic American company with one of the most celebrated cultures of all time, Southwest Airlines. With her background in marketing, Ginger started her career in the oil industry, then moved to the insurance industry before serving for 25 years at Southwest. Her latest venture is Unstoppable Cultures, an organization dedicated to helping build and sustain brands that are truly unstoppable. In this episode of The Culture Gap, Ginger shares more about her time at Southwest Airlines and the mission, vision, values, and purpose of the organization. As a company well-known for their culture and ethos, she shares more about how Southwest formulated their vision statement and an interesting personal anecdote illustrating the core values of the organization. She also dives into her thoughts on navigating the post Me Too movement landscape, and her newest venture, Unstoppable Cultures. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Ginger Hardage. [1:25] Daniel and Ginger discuss the mission, vision, values, and purpose of Southwest Airlines. What is the distinction between mission and purpose? [5:46] Vision is critical to a company. Why does it matter, and why is it so difficult for companies to formulate their vision statements? [8:18] Ginger relates the experience of formulating the company’s vision statement. [10:15] Ginger shares an unexpected example of the core values of Southwest Airlines. [13:23] How did Ginger measure the culture of Southwest Airlines? [15:50] As a leader and an expert in culture, what is Ginger’s approach to navigating the post Me Too movement landscape? [20:27] Ginger’s new venture is Unstoppable Cultures. She explains more about the mission of the organization. [23:03] What advice would Ginger give her younger self, with all the wisdom that she has now? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Ginger Hardage on LinkedIn Southwest Airlines Gary Kelly

Duration:00:26:05

Ginger Hardage, Former Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines (Part 1 of 2)

12/7/2018
Ginger Hardage is the just-retired Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications from an iconic American company with one of the most celebrated cultures of all time, Southwest Airlines. With her background in marketing, Ginger started her career in the oil industry, then moved to the insurance industry before serving for 25 years at Southwest. In this episode of The Culture Gap, Ginger shares more about the earliest days of her life that shaped her personal values, and how she thinks about corporate culture. She discusses her time and experiences at Southwest Airlines, giving some insights into how Southwest connects with its employees. She also shares a powerful case for culture that would convince the most skeptical CEO, so be sure to tune in. Welcome to Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Ginger Hardage. [1:49] Who is Ginger Hardage? [2:40] What were some of Ginger's personal values that were instilled her as a child? How did that help her navigate inside a company like Southwest Airlines? [5:07] How would Ginger define ‘corporate culture’? [7:15] There is no way to really import the culture of another organization. [7:34] Southwest only hires about 2% of all applicants. What is it like to be part of the 2%? [9:45] How would Ginger make the case for the power of culture to a skeptical CEO? [11:55] What are Ginger’s thoughts on the gaps between the strategy of a firm and the culture of a firm, particularly at Southwest Airlines. [14:36] The CEO should be the Chief Culture Officer. What is Ginger’s perspective on that? [17:17] Ginger speaks to the importance of leaders supporting and engaging with their employees. Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Ginger Hardage on LinkedIn Southwest Airlines Gary Kelly

Duration:00:19:18

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Retired Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (Part 2 of 2)

11/30/2018
Gen. Stanley McChrystal is best known for his command of Joint Special Operations in the mid-2000s, in the context of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a nationally and internationally known speaker and thinker on the subject of leadership, with multiple best-selling books, including a new book, Leaders: Myth and Reality. In 2011, he founded McChrystal Group, a leadership advisory services firm that helps organizations navigate leadership challenges. Leadership, Vision, and the Role of Followers In this episode of The Culture Gap — the second of two episodes featuring Gen. McChrystal — he and Daniel discuss his best-selling book Team of Teams, and how the team dynamic plays out in boardrooms across the world. Gen. McChrystal has also recently launched a brand new book, Leaders: Myth and Reality. He shares more about his inspiration to write the book and his insights on how Coco Chanel and Margaret Thatcher were similar. He has some surprising revelations about the importance of reflection in leadership, and how leaders can best handle criticism. Welcome to The Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:44] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode - Gen. Stanley McChrystal. [1:28] As the author of Team of Teams and with a wealth of expertise serving on boards, what are Gen. McChrystal's observations on boards as teams? [5:30] What kind of questions does Gen. McChrystal ask CEOs in a boardroom? [7:33] Gen. McChrystal has recently launched a new book, Leaders: Myth and Reality. What inspired him to put it out, and why now? [12:16] Gen. McChrystal sheds some insights about choosing to compare Coco Chanel and Margaret Thatcher as leaders. [19:35] What is the role of reflection in leadership? [22:18] What is a healthy way for a leader to handle criticism? [25:55] What advice would Gen. McChrystal give to his younger self, and the next generation of leaders today? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Gen. Stanley McChrystal McChrystal Group Team of Teams, by Gen. Stanley McChrystal Leaders: Myth and Reality, by Gen. Stanley McChrystal My Share of the Task: A Memoir, by Gen. Stanley McChrystal

Duration:00:28:56

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Retired Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (Part 1 of 2)

11/16/2018
Gen. Stanley McChrystal is best known for his command of Joint Special Operations in the mid-2000s, in the context of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a nationally and internationally known speaker and thinker on the subject of leadership, with multiple best-selling books, including a new book, Leaders: Myth and Reality. In 2011, he founded McChrystal Group, a leadership advisory services firm that helps organizations navigate leadership challenges. Leadership, Vision, and the Role of Followers In this episode of The Culture Gap — the first of two episodes featuring Gen. McChrystal — he shares his definition of leadership, and its relationship to vision, strategy, and culture. He also highlights the role of followers as part of the leadership equation, and why the concept of agency is so powerful and important in leadership. Gen. McChrystal shares examples from his own experiences, including deconstructing a famous vision statement from President Trump. He also speaks to the role of corporate culture as it relates to leadership and agency within an organization. Welcome to The Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:41] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Gen. Stanley McChrystal. [1:45] Who is Gen. Stanley McChrystal? [2:22] What are Gen. McChrystal’s core values? Was it nature or nurture that brought them forth? [4:36] Can leadership be defined? What is Gen. McChrystal’s definition of leadership? [6:24] What is the chemistry for followers in the formula of leadership? [8:51] Gen. McChrystal shares some insights on vision, and how leaders can bring vision to even chaotic situations. [11:28] Gen. McChrystal highlights why President Trump’s vision in 2016 was so effective. [14:36] How does the concept of “agency” relate to leadership? [18:06] What is the connection between corporate culture, leadership, and agency? [24:11] What would Gen. McChrystal’s approach be going into a company in an uncomfortable and difficult situation? [27:17] How does Gen. McChrystal see closing the gap between strategy and culture? [29:39] CEO turnover is becoming a bit of a national crisis. Why is CEO turnover at an all-time high, and how can this trend be reversed? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Gen. Stanley McChrystal McChrystal Group The Culture Gap Podcast Season 1 Episode 2: “Colonel David Sutherland, Former Military Leader and Founder of Sutherland Partnership” Leaders: Myth and Reality, by Gen. Stanley McChrystal

Duration:00:33:45

Jillian Grennan, Assistant Professor of Finance, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University (Part 2 of 2)

9/21/2018
Jillian Grennan is an academic with a specialty in corporate finance and she teaches at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She has produced some incredible work about looking at and measuring corporate culture without even being inside the firm. She has done a lot of research on culture to try and understand the value added by culture for firms and also has a strong corporate background that lends itself to her areas of expertise. In this episode of The Culture Gap — the second of two episodes featuring Jillian — she explains more about some of the foundational ideas of her research and what some of her colleagues are working on in the same field. She also shares some insights about why so many CEOs see culture as important yet the gap between what they see and what they make happen is vast, and her thoughts on the Me Too Movement and its impact on corporate culture. Welcome to The Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:43] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Jillian Grennan. [1:26] Jillian explains more about the technology behind computational linguistics and how she applied it to bring data to life in her study of external culture measurement. [4:09] Daniel and Jillian discuss the gap between the values of the company that are proclaimed and what employees are really seeing as the values in the company. [7:01] Who are some of Jillian’s colleagues focused on this same area of study? How does their work tie in with hers? [11:13] Why do some CEOs not believe that having a healthy corporate culture is important, particularly when the evidence points to great benefits companies will reap from it? [14:50] You can study other cultures but you can’t import another culture into a firm. [16:27] What is Jillian’s perspective on not hiring based on culture fit to avoid creating a monolithic organization that is essentially an echo chamber? [19:34] What are Jillian’s thoughts on the Me Too Movement and how that plays into companies’ cultures? [23:47] Are there alternative models to the hierarchical pyramid structure that most companies tend to adopt and seems to be the tyranny of business? [27:29] If Jillian were asked to be the Chief Culture Officer at Nike, what would her advice be to the C-suite? [29:40] What research is Jillian working on next? [31:41] What advice would Jillian give her younger self, prior to starting her career? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Jillian Grennan Jillian Grennan on LinkedIn Me Too Movement on Wikipedia “The Economic Implications of Corporate Financial Reporting,” by John R. Graham, Campbell R. Harvey, and Shiva Rajgopal “Corporate Culture: Evidence from the Field,” John R. Graham, Campbell R. Harvey, Jillian Popadak, and Shiva Rajgopal Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, by Adam Grant

Duration:00:33:31

Jillian Grennan, Assistant Professor of Finance, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University (Part 1 of 2)

9/14/2018
Jillian Grennan is an academic with a specialty in corporate finance and she teaches at the Fuqua School of Business at the Duke University. She has produced some incredible work about looking at and measuring corporate culture without even being inside the firm. She has done a lot of research on culture to try and understand the value added by culture for firms and also has a strong corporate background that lends itself to her areas of expertise. Economics, culture, culture measurement In this episode of The Culture Gap — the first of two episodes featuring Jillian — she shares more about why she approaches culture from the CFO’s perspective, rather than the CEO’s perspective. She also has some insights into how economics and mathematics contribute to culture and culture measurement, and about economics as a driving force in corporate culture. Jillian also discusses the topic of culture risk and the role of technology in shaping and driving culture in companies today. Welcome to The Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:43] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Jillian Grennan. [1:29] Who is Jillian? [2:20] Jillian approaches culture from the CFO’s perspective, not the CEO’s perspective. Why is that? [4:09] What are some of Jillian’s personal values and how has her upbringing and background shaped them? [5:57] Why did Jillian choose economics and mathematics as her areas of study? [8:21] What is Jillian’s definition of corporate culture? What does it take for a person joining a new organization to fit in? [10:09] What is Jillian’s perspective about the levers of economics in driving corporate culture? [13:03] The topic of culture risk is very pertinent today. [16:55] A company’s culture is live on the internet right now. How much faith does Jillian have in data sets presented on the internet about companies? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Jillian Grennan Jillian Grennan on LinkedIn

Duration:00:22:51

Karen Wawrzaszek, Certified Financial Planner and Community Activist (Part 2 of 2)

9/7/2018
Karen Wawrzaszek is a Certified Financial Planner, a social entrepreneur, and a community activist. She has over 20 years of experience operating at the intersection of business, wealth management, commerce, and social impact and has dedicated her career to connecting the professional space with the community. In this episode of The Culture Gap — the second of two episodes featuring Karen — she shares more about millennials and how their mindset is driving culture change in organizations, as well as what millennials demand of the organizations they work for and how they impact other generations. Karen also gives her perspective on the #MeToo movement, what it takes to be a leader and the problems she hopes to solve through the Pomona Society, so be sure to tune in. Welcome to The Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:42] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Karen Wawrzaszek. [1:13] What is social impact investing? [2:58] Karen shares more about the cultural shift in the mindset of millennials, as it relates to wealth transfer. [6:50] What would it be like as a millennial working for Karen? [9:05] Karen and Daniel discuss how millennials have adapted to the challenges heaped upon them with resilience. [11:13] Millennials crave feedback, not necessarily validation. How can companies incorporate this demand into their culture? [14:46] What is Karen’s perspective on the #MeToo movement? [17:05] What is Karen’s definition of leadership? What is a leader? [18:17] What is the problem the Pomona Society solves, and why was Karen attracted to solving this problem? [21:00] How will Karen measure success over time? [24:10] What advice would Karen give her younger self? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Karen Wawrzaszek on LinkedIn Pomona Society Me Too Movement on Wikipedia

Duration:00:25:39

Karen Wawrzaszek, Certified Financial Planner and Community Activist (Part 1 of 2)

8/31/2018
Karen Wawrzaszek is a Certified Financial Planner, a social entrepreneur, and a community activist. She has over 20 years of experience operating at the intersection of business, wealth management, commerce, and social impact and has dedicated her career to connecting the professional space with the community. In this episode of The Culture Gap — the first of two episodes featuring Karen — she shares more about her background in finance and what sparked her passion for community activism. She sheds light on the cultural norms in the finance industry, particularly with regard to wealth management, and how culture has changed as a result of the 2008 financial crisis. Karen and Daniel also discuss the role of collaboration and teamwork in the finance industry, and how organizations can move towards instilling these values. Welcome to The Culture Gap. Key Takeaways: [:43] Daniel introduces his guest for this episode — Karen Wawrzaszek. [1:22] Who is Karen? [1:58] Did Karen’s passion for community activism start at an early age? [3:11] Who were some people who shaped Karen’s values? [5:52] What drew Karen to the field of finance? What was her experience as a woman in a male-dominated field? [9:17] Who were some people who “took chances” on Karen that made all the difference? [13:30] What is the culture like in the finance industry, specifically with regard to wealth management? [16:14] What has Karen learned about the role of collaboration and teamwork, and how to instill that value in organizations? [20:00] How did the financial crisis of 2008 bring about culture shifts in the financial industry? Brought to You By: The Culture Gap Podcast THRUUE Podfly Productions Learn more about: Karen Wawrzaszek on LinkedIn The Culture Gap Podcast “Episode 1: Carly Fiorina, American Businesswoman and Political Figure (Part 1 of 2)”

Duration:00:24:50