The Called to Flourish Podcast

What makes people truly want to follow a leader — not out of obligation, but out of trust and belief? In this episode of Called to Flourish, Jim Brown, Founder of OrgHealth and leadership coach, challenges the myth of perfect leadership and shares why authenticity, humility, and curiosity are the real foundations of influence. Drawing from decades of coaching executives and leadership teams, Jim explains how trust deepens when leaders stop pretending, invite honest conversation, and prioritize people over image. This conversation offers practical wisdom for leaders who want to build cultures where trust grows and leadership becomes worth following. You'll gain insight on: • Why "perfect leadership" undermines trust • How vulnerability and authenticity strengthen influence • Why great leaders ask better questions instead of having all the answers • How healthy culture multiplies organizational performance 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/becoming-the-kind-of-leader-people-want-to-follow

What does it take to build a workplace culture where people genuinely trust leadership—and want to stay? In this episode of Called to Flourish, Dr. Larry Taylor, President & CEO of ACSI, shares how ACSI strengthened organizational trust through intentional listening, leadership transparency, and faith-centered culture practices. Larry offers practical insight on turning employee feedback into action, involving executive leadership, and sustaining long-term culture momentum. You'll gain insight on: • Why trust is foundational to a healthy workplace culture • How leaders can move from feedback to meaningful action • What it takes to sustain engagement over time • How faith-informed leadership shapes organizational health 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/how-acsi-built-a-high-trust-culture-that-people-want-to-stay-in

What if your business is more than profit — or even social good? In this episode of Called to Flourish, Barry Slauenwhite and Robert Wachter explore how Christian leaders can see the marketplace as a mission field, using daily business decisions to advance eternal purpose. From "return on eternity" to leading with integrity, generosity, and kingdom lenses, this conversation reframes what faithful leadership looks like in the workplace. You'll walk away with practical insights on: integrating faith and work, leading with purpose beyond profit, and making a lasting spiritual impact through business leadership. Guest: Barry Slauenwhite, Canadian Regional Director at Best Christian Workplaces & former President of Compassion Canada. 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Find full show notes and listening links at workplaces.org/podcast

What does it truly mean to flourish—and why does Scripture present flourishing as God's original design, not a modern ambition? In this opening episode of Called to Flourish, Robert Wachter, Global Marketing Director, sits down with Jay Bransford, President & CEO of Best Christian Workplaces, to explore God's heart for human flourishing. Drawing from Genesis and the words of Jesus, Jay reflects on how true flourishing flows not from striving, but from abiding in Christ—and how leadership is ultimately a shepherding calling shaped by humility, integrity, and trust in God's work. You'll gain biblical insight on: • God's original design for flourishing • Why flourishing begins with abiding in Christ • How grace—not self-effort—leads to lasting fruit • What faithful leadership looks like in God's economy 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Find full show notes and listening links at workplaces.org/podcast

A new chapter is beginning at Best Christian Workplaces. In early January, we're launching the Called to Flourish Podcast—a new conversation space designed to equip Christian leaders to build healthy, Christ-centered workplace cultures across churches, ministries, nonprofits, and faith-driven businesses. In this short teaser, host Robert Wachter shares why we're launching Called to Flourish, what leaders can expect, and how this podcast will inspire and equip you to create a workplace where people and mission flourish. What you can expect from Called to Flourish: Insightful conversations with seasoned Christian leaders Research-backed guidance grounded in our FLOURISH model Practical tools to strengthen trust, engagement, and leadership Real stories of transformation from workplaces around the world If you're committed to cultivating a thriving, Christ-centered culture, this podcast will encourage, challenge, and equip you for the journey. 👉 Subscribe today so you don't miss the first episode in January!

Join us for this encore episode with Ruth Haley Barton, founder of the Transforming Center, as she explores the critical question every leader must face: 'How is it with your soul?' Discover why leaders who neglect their inner spiritual life risk losing themselves, and how cultivating spiritual disciplines can transform both your leadership and your organization's culture. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/458-how-is-it-with-your-soul-strengthening-leadership-from-the-inside-out Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

What if the way we give and receive feedback could unlock healthier relationships and stronger workplace cultures? In this conversation, Sheila Heen—Harvard Law School lecturer, co-author of Thanks for the Feedback, and expert on negotiation and communication—shares powerful insights into why feedback is so hard and how leaders can navigate it with wisdom and grace. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/457-moving-through-the-tunnel-a-harvard-experts-guide-to-difficult-conversations Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

Inspirational leadership has the power to shape culture, energize teams, and move an organization toward its mission with renewed passion. In this episode, RightNow Media president Brian Mosley shares how his multigenerational ministry story and commitment to using media for God’s purposes offer fresh insights for building a flourishing workplace. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/456-how-to-move-your-team-from-63-to-81-engaged-in-12-months Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

Join Mark Maxwell, President of Prairie College, as he shares the inspiring story of how a struggling campus culture was transformed into a thriving, engaged community. In this conversation with Al Lopus, Mark reveals practical leadership lessons on building trust, valuing employees, and multiplying impact in Christian higher education. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/455-from-crisis-to-culture-change-how-prairie-college-reversed-a-downward-spiral Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

How does a culture of prayer, intentional strategy, and Christ-centered care transform not just an organization—but the lives of vulnerable children? In this encore episode, Kevin Enders, former president of 4KIDS, shares how sustainable strategy and a flourishing workplace culture came together to bring hope, homes, and healing to families across Florida. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/454-how-sustainable-strategy-unlocked-a-thriving-workplace-culture-at-4kids Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

In this special encore episode, two trusted voices from Best Christian Workplaces, Giselle Jenkins and Cary Humphries, reflect on standout moments from the podcast series focused on the FLOURISH Model. They revisit powerful stories and practical strategies that continue to equip leaders in building healthier, more effective workplace cultures. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/453-stories-of-culture-transformation-from-courage-to-flourishing Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

What happens when a president leads with intentional communication and a heart for spiritual impact? In this encore episode, Troy Meachum, President of ACR Supply Company, shares how trust, stewardship, and a people-first approach have shaped a flourishing workplace culture. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/452-how-one-companys-culture-transformation-drove-engagement-and-revenue Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

Compensation is one of the most tangible ways organizations demonstrate value and care for their people. In this encore episode, we revisit a conversation with Susan Griffith Byers, Founder of Church Compensation Services, to explore how fair, strategic pay practices can strengthen culture and support a flourishing workplace. Find full show notes: https://workplaces.org/podcast/451-3-keys-to-developing-a-rewarding-compensation-program Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

In this episode, Al Lopus and Giselle Jenkins unpack the eight-factor FLOURISH Model—a powerful framework for building a Christ-centered workplace where people truly want to stay. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/450-eight-drivers-of-a-flourishing-workplace-culture Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

What if the most effective, transformative workplaces in the world were led by Christians? In this final episode as host of the Flourishing Culture Leadership Podcast, Al Lopus reflects on over a decade of powerful conversations with Christian leaders who have turned that vision into reality—through intentional leadership, culture change, and the redemptive work of Christ in the workplace. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/449-why-flourishing-workplaces-still-matter-a-final-word-from-al-lopus Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

In this episode, as Al Lopus, host of the Flourishing Culture Leadership Podcast, closes his time as the host, he welcomes back one of his very first guests, Doug Mazza. From leading Hyundai Motor America to expanding the global reach of Joni and Friends, Doug shares how Christ-centered leadership can shape a flourishing workplace culture that leaves a lasting legacy. Find full show notes here: https://workplaces.org/podcast/448-thank-god-its-monday-building-a-ministry-culture-employees-love Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

If you’re feeling the weight of leadership, this episode offers a timely reminder: your most effective strategy may not be something new you do, but someone deeper you become. Join us as Tami Heim, President and CEO of the Christian Leadership Alliance, shares how personal spiritual formation is the foundation for lasting impact in Christian leadership. Find full show notes here: https://bit.ly/447tamiheim Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

If you’ve ever second-guessed a hiring decision—or worried about choosing the wrong person—this episode will give you a practical path forward. Chad Carter, the principal chair for C12 forums in East Tennessee and author of The Predictive Hiring Model, shares six key disciplines that can help you reduce turnover, avoid costly mistakes, and consistently hire the right people for your team. Find full show notes here: https://bit.ly/446chadcarter Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

When leaders let go of image management and embrace authenticity, transformation follows. In this powerful conversation, Peter Greer, President and CEO of HOPE International, shares honest insights on identity, humility, and what it means to lead with faith and integrity. Find full show notes here: https://bit.ly/445petergreer Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org

What’s one of the biggest risks to the health of Christian ministries that often gets ignored? In this episode, Al Lopus sits down with Michael Martin, President of ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability), to explore how trust, governance, and leader well-being are deeply connected—and why boards play a critical role in sustaining healthy, Christ-centered leadership. Find full show notes here: https://bit.ly/444michaelmartin Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2 By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on X https://twitter.com/allopus | Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ | Email our host at al@workplaces.org