Claim OwnershipRelationships at Work - a trust-driven leadership podcast
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© 2026 Russel Lolacher
Description
Relationships at Work - the leadership podcast helping you build workplace connection, improve culture, and avoid blind spots.
A relatable and honest show on leadership, organizational culture and soft skills, focusing on improving employee engagement and company culture to inspire people to apply, stay and thrive.
Because no one wants leadership that fosters toxic environments at work, nor should they.
Host, speaker and communications leader Russel Lolacher shares his experience and insights, discussing the leadership and corporate culture topics that matter with global experts help us with the success of our organizations (regardless of industry). This show will give you the information, education, strategies and tips you need to avoid leadership blind spots, better connect with all levels of our organization, and develop the necessary soft skills that are essential to every organization.
From leadership development and training to employee satisfaction to diversity, inclusivity, equity and belonging to personalization and engagement... there are so many aspects and opportunities to build great relationships at work
This is THE place to start and nurture our leadership journey and create an amazing workplace.
356 Episodes
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What really happens when you move up in an organization? In this episode, Russel Lolacher talks with Sabina Nawaz, leadership strategist, executive coach, and author of You Are the Boss, about the unseen pressures of leadership advancement. They explore why pressure—not power—changes how leaders show up, how advancement can quietly erode self-awareness, and the impact this has on teams and culture. A candid conversation for leaders preparing for promotion, navigating increased responsibility,...
We talk a lot about what leaders say — but rarely about where they say it. In this short episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores proxemics — the hidden language of personal space — and how distance, positioning, and physical presence quietly shape trust, power, and connection at work. From offices designed to elevate authority, to feedback conversations that unintentionally trigger defensiveness, this episode unpacks how space communicates long before words do. You’ll learn...
Presence at work isn’t about performance — it’s about awareness. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher talks with Ryan Carey, CEO of BetterOn, about what presence actually means in the workplace and why leaders often misunderstand it. They explore how self-awareness shapes trust, connection, and the employee experience — and why presence is a skill leaders can develop, not a personality trait. Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes ...
Mentorship is everywhere in leadership conversations — yet many leaders still feel stuck without the guidance they actually need. In this solo mini-episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher explores why so many mentorship attempts fall flat, what truly makes a mentor valuable, and how to stop searching for advice that sounds good but doesn’t help you grow. If you’ve ever wondered why mentorship feels harder than it should, this episode is for you. And connect with me for more great co...
Most organizations talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion at the executive level — or delegate it to HR. But that’s not where DEI actually succeeds or fails. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel speaks with Jonathan Njus about why middle managers are the real linchpin of DEI efforts — and why so many initiatives stall once they reach the middle of the organization. Jonathan breaks down: Why middle managers quietly shape hiring, performance reviews, and team cultureHow DEI oft...
Every leader has power—whether they acknowledge it or not. In this solo mini-episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher explores the often-overlooked reality of leadership influence and how even small words, actions, or moments of absence can leave a lasting imprint on people at work. Drawing from real leadership experiences and patterns he’s seen across hundreds of conversations, Russel breaks down why leadership impact is never neutral—and why intent doesn’t cancel out impact. F...
Most people can spot dysfunction at work. Bad bosses. Endless emergencies. Burnout masquerading as productivity. But the harder question is this: what role do we play in it? In this episode of Relationships at Work, author and executive leader Eric Charran joins Russel Lolacher to unpack how dysfunctional workplaces actually take hold — and why self-assessment is often the missing step in breaking the cycle. They explore how leaders reward busyness instead of outcomes, why bad behaviors get n...
What happens when doing your job quietly turns into managing your boss’s ego? In this Relationships at Work mini-episode, Russel Lolacher unpacks the real damage caused by bootlicking cultures — where praise is safer than honesty, silence is rewarded over truth, and employees spend more energy protecting leaders than improving the work. Through a simple story and clear leadership reflections, this episode explores how fear-based leadership erodes psychological safety, engagement, trust, and c...
Most leaders mean well. That doesn’t mean the impact lands well. In this episode of Relationships at Work, leadership coach and author Dr. Joel Pérez draws on insights from his book Dear White Leader to unpack why good intentions often fall apart at work — and what leaders miss about power, identity, and impact. A grounded conversation about how leadership actually shows up, especially when culture, trust, and accountability are tested. Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our gues...
Employee retention isn’t built with perks, programs, or forced fun. It’s built in the moments where leaders choose to listen, trust, and let teams be themselves. In this mini-episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher shares a simple Christmas decorating story that explains why his team stayed together for nearly 12 years — and why high retention is never an accident or a “unicorn.” This episode breaks down: Why autonomy matters more than engagement initiativesHow leaders accidentally ...
Influence gets thrown around like a leadership buzzword — but most people misunderstand what it actually is. It’s not authority. It’s not persuasion. And it’s definitely not performance. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel sits down with author and former CIO Brad Englert to unpack the real mechanics of influence inside organizations — the kind that builds trust, shifts culture, and turns critics into advocates. Brad shares stories from his career at Accenture and the University ...
It’s easy to blame a leader. They’re visible. They’re the face of decisions. They’re the ones we point to when work feels confusing, frustrating, or overwhelming. But what if the problem isn’t just the leader—what if it’s the system that shaped them? In this mini-episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher breaks down the real reason so many leaders struggle: they were never given the clarity, tools, or support to lead well in the first place. Drawing from the R@W Note newsletter, ...
We talk a lot about mental health and physical wellbeing at work — but almost never about the part of ourselves that drives meaning, connection, energy, and authenticity. Enter soul health. In this episode of Relationships at Work, founder and CEO of Quantum Sense Pam Buchanan joins me to unpack why so many employees still feel unseen and unfulfilled, even in workplaces overflowing with perks. We explore why leaders default to ego-driven decisions, how energy (not time) shapes performan...
Too many workplaces use “leader” and “manager” interchangeably — and it’s hurting their people and their culture. In this solo episode, Relationships at Work host Russel Lolacher explains the real difference between leadership and management and why misunderstanding the two leads to frustration, disengagement, and poor decision-making. Russel explores how: Leadership focuses on people, growth, and purposeManagement focuses on tasks, timelines, and resourcesCalling every manager a “leader” hid...
Most leaders treat development like a checkbox — a course, a conference, an annual review. But what if the real key to growth and retention isn’t an event… but a relationship? In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel sits down with leadership and career development expert Julie Winkle Giulioni to rethink how growth actually happens at work — through trust, curiosity, and small, meaningful moments shared every day. Julie breaks down why: Development only happens when people feel ...
In this solo episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher digs into a leadership trap that quietly damages culture, disengages teams, and derails real progress: celebrating effort instead of impact. We hand out recognition for hard work, long hours, new initiatives, “busy-ness,” and well-packaged plans—but rarely pause to ask the only question that matters: Did any of this create meaningful change? Russel explores why organizations reward motion instead of momentum and how this lead...
We’ve been taught that being busy means being successful — but what if it’s actually holding us back? In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher talks with performance optimization expert and author Peggy Sullivan about how to escape “time poverty” and achieve more by doing less. Peggy shares how leaders can recognize the traps of constant hustle, eliminate low-value activities, and replace them with purpose-driven priorities. From tackling meeting overload to setting bett...
You’ve heard it before — “let your results speak for themselves.” But in reality, results don’t talk — you do. In this solo episode, Relationships at Work host Russel Lolacher breaks down why staying silent about your success can stall your career and how communicating your impact with clarity, alignment, and presence helps leadership truly see your value. Russel shares actionable ways to advocate for yourself and your team: Align with leadership priorities so your wins connect to what ...
Accountability in leadership isn’t about blame — it’s about ownership. In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher talks with leadership expert Michael Timms on how great leaders inspire accountability by modeling it first. Together they explore how to move beyond micromanagement, empower teams through clarity, and build trust that fuels performance. You’ll learn how to: Redefine accountability as ownership, not punishment.Model accountability to inspire your team.Build a c...
We talk a lot about the importance of taking breaks — but how do you know when you’ve actually had one? In this solo episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher shares what happened when he took a real pause from creating, producing, and strategizing — not because he stopped caring, but because he cared too much to keep going unsustainably. Through small grounding habits, reflection, and honest self-checks, Russel explores what it means to step away with intention — and how to retu...
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