"I'm going to enjoy my life now. If there is no golden goose at the end of this, no pot, there's no money at the end of this rainbow, I'm just going to enjoy my life now." - Tess Brigham speaking about the Gen Z perspective on work ** Join Jason Lauritsen for an insightful episode featuring Tess Brigham, licensed therapist, certified coach, and TED…

Most people avoid silence, it feels uncomfortable. But what if silence is actually where the most meaningful conversations begin? In this episode, join Jason as he shares a simple but powerful practice called spacious listening, the art of using silence to build deeper connection, trust, and understanding. You will learn how to: Use silence as a le…

"The essence of what we do is making sure that people all over the country, in all 50 states, when they're in a moment where they need care, medical care, there are the right caregivers in the right place at the right moment." - Shane Jackson ** Join Jason for a compelling conversation with Shane Jackson, President of Jackson Healthcare, a dynamic …

"𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳?" - Jessica Adams ** Join Jason for an invigorating conversation with Jessica Adams, Chief People and Culture Officer at The Krazy Coupon Lady, a forward-thinking HR leader recognized for her expertise in scaling te…

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯." - Joe Dicianno ** Join Jason for a compelling conversation with Joe Dicianno, Director of Talent Management and Organizational Development at UPMC and a Professor of HR People Analytics at the University of Pittsburgh. Joe shared how leaders can creat…

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘱𝘶𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤." - Ross Hecox *** Join Jason Lauritsen for a compelling episode as he welcomes Ross Hecox, Chief People Officer at Synergy ECP. Ross discussed innovative approaches to building people-centric wo…

“Oftentimes in HR, we are looking at and supporting others. We don’t pay attention to kind of what we need for ourselves... So I would say ask for what you want.” - Kathy Claytor *** In this episode, Kathy Claytor, a long time CHRO at multiple organizations, opens up about her career journey from her “origin story” as an accidental HR pro to leadin…

Join Jason for an eye-opening and hopeful conversation with Will Matthews, the Director of Learning and Engagement (aka “Team Hearts and Minds”) at G Adventures. Will shares offers fresh insights on how we can better recognize and activate the hidden leaders on our teams. Together, Jason and Will dive deep into the origins and nuances of “reluctant…

Join Jason for a provocative episode as he welcomes Jessica Winder, Senior Vice President of People, Colab Software. She brings a fresh, no-nonsense perspective to employee experience and workplace culture. Jason and Jessica explore what it means to lead with fairness. Together, they unpack why fairness isn’t about treating everyone the same, how t…

Join Jason for a dynamic conversation with Carolina Terrazas, Vice President of Talent Management and Development at Schneider Electric, global HR leader, and host of the “Leading Yourself” podcast. Carolina provides an illuminating view into the organization’s innovative group mentoring program. Moving beyond traditional one-to-one mentorship, the…

Join Jason for a thoughtful and deeply moving conversation with Dr. Jenna Sage, Director of Organizational Wellness and Well Being, Ultimate Medical Academy, and executive coach, author, and passionate advocate for whole-person employee support. Jenna discusses how organizations can truly support employees navigating grief, loss, and caregiving. Ha…

Join Jason to learn about building an award-winning culture through storytelling in this episode with John McHugh, Vice President of External Affairs at Kwik Trip. John shares how Kwik Trip has harnessed the power of storytelling to create low turnover, high morale, and exceptional customer experiences, all in an industry notorious for high attriti…

In this mini-episode, Jason announces the launch of the Human Connection Study, a new research initiative created in partnership with Ingenuity Design. This ambitious project aims to understand how people today are experiencing connection and disconnection at work and in everyday life. Jason shares why he feels this study is both necessary and vita…

Join Jason for a powerful conversation with Wendy Rummler, Chief People Officer at Credit Acceptance. Wendy shares the inside story of how their organization transformed from a conventional, in-office workplace to a high-performing, remote-first organization, while earning multiple workplace awards year after year. The secret, she says, is fosterin…

Join Jason for an enlightening conversation with Mike Ferone, Vice President of Organizational Development and Performance Excellence at Benchmark Gensuite, as they explore how his company has created a “culture of opportunity”—one where promotions are based on demonstrated competencies and potential, not rigid timelines. Together, they examined ho…

Join Jason for a deeply engaging conversation featuring Karen Rieck, the Vice President of Human Resources at Farm Bureau Financial Services, as she shares her journey on building “presence with a purpose” work. Karen’s inspiring approach to employee connection, especially through their innovative “Real Stories” internal podcast, offers real-world …

Join Jason for an enlightening conversation with Jessica Jones, Executive Vice President of People and Culture at Emprise Bank. Jessica reflects on her evolution from being a strong advocate for remote-first work to recognizing how hybrid and in-person work, when grounded in intention and clarity, can enhance belonging, innovation, and team trust. …

Join Jason for an insightful episode with Halai Shukran, Chief Operating Officer of Pluribus Digital. Known for her strong background in HR leadership and people strategy, Halai offers an engaging, real-world perspective on how HR can become a true driver of business value. In this episode, Halai shares her extraordinary journey from HR and corpora…

Join Jason for a thought-provoking conversation with Ben Brooks, Founder and CEO of Pilot, an award-winning culture and leadership development firm. In our discussion, we challenged traditional definitions of leadership and unpacked why organizations often get leadership development wrong. Jason and Ben explored how making leadership accessible to …

Join Jason for an insightful conversation with Chrisanne Christ, Senior Partner, Human Resource Development at Centier Bank, as they discuss what it means to foster a "servant heart" culture to create a truly associate-first organization. In this episode, Chrisanne shares her journey into HR, driven by a background that equipped her with empathy an…

Join Jason Lauritsen for an enlightening conversation with KeyAnna Schmiedl, the Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman. KeyAnna is a wealth of knowledge about creating inclusive, human-centered workplaces that thrive in today's dynamic environment. In this episode, Jason and KeyAnna dive deep into the transformative potential of AI in HR and …

Join Jason for a solo episode on the power of active listening in leadership. He shares four practical tips to help leaders build trust, improve communication, and foster connections with their people. Jason explores why active listening is often overlooked in leadership and how it impacts team dynamics and workplace culture. He dives into the comm…

In this solo episode, Jason shares the five best check-in questions for leaders, offering invaluable advice on fostering more meaningful and impactful conversations with your team. He reminds you that an effective check-in starts with a great question. He then shares how to use these questions to create conversations that matter with your people. K…

Join Jason Lauritsen for a captivating conversation with Josh Allan Dykstra, a Future of Work keynote speaker and CEO of The Work Revolution, as they demystify the interplay between artificial intelligence and the human workplace. In this episode, Jason and Josh explore the evolving landscape of AI in the workplace, uncovering its impact on organiz…

Join Jason for an enlightening episode as he sits down with Maggie Gough, Chief Operating Officer at Bright Arrow. In this episode, Jason and Maggie discuss the evolving challenges of leadership in today's uncertain landscape. Maggie shares some of the challenges their CEO clients are facing today and how they are coaching them to cultivate clarity…

Join Jason in an insightful conversation with Erin Corr Miller, the Chief People Officer at Terra Dotta. In this episode, Erin shares her approach to taking on an under-developed HR function in need of reputation repair and how she's rebuilt trust with the organization. This episode delves into practical strategies for creating effective HR process…

Join Jason for an inspiring conversation with Greg Pryor, the Co-founder at Connected Commons. In this episode, Greg explains the powerful applications of social network science to fuel organizational success and employee engagement. Greg shares strategies for leveraging Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) to improve onboarding, accelerate career…

Join Jason for an enlightening conversation with Steph Ryter, Creative Culture Leader at Arity, as they discuss how to intentionally build a culture of connection. In this episode, Steph shares her journey from television news to shaping organizational culture at Arity. With her unique perspective, Steph has used innovative methods for building emp…

Join Jason in an insightful conversation with Sarika Lamont, the Vice President of People and Culture at Vidyard. Sarika delves deep into the nuances of career growth, management challenges, and the critical role HR plays in shaping today's workforce. Sarika also highlights the concept of job architecture and emphasizes how structuring roles and ca…

Join Jason for an inspiring conversation with Rebecca Weaver, the founder and CEO at HRuprise and a seasoned veteran of multiple HR leadership roles throughout her career. Rebecca delved into innovative workplace practices and the quest for meaningful work. Rebecca also shares her unique experiences from her time with the Downtown Project and the c…

Join Jason and his daughter, Bailey, as they reflect on work experiences, generational perspectives, and tips for starting the new year right. In this special holiday episode of Check-In with Jason Lauritsen, Bailey reflects on her experiences as a working teenager and explores how she thinks her generation might impact the future workforce. She al…

Join Jason and his son, Colton, for an inspiring and fun conversation exploring how work looks through the eyes of a teenager. In the special holiday episode of Check-In with Jason Lauritsen, Colton shares what it means to him—and potentially his peers—to start their careers and the aspects he believes will characterize the future workforce. As a 1…

Join Jason for this inspiring conversation with Sheryl Battles, the recently retired Vice President of Global Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement at Pitney Bowes Sheryl delved into the transformative power of storytelling, particularly in times of crisis, and how it acts as a bridge to connect diverse perspectives within an organization. Sheryl share…

Join Jason for this insightful conversation with Steve Browne, Chief People Officer at LaRosa's, Inc. Steve dives into HR innovation and explains how putting employees first can shape a holistic, relationship-driven organization that moves beyond traditional hierarchies. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲: 👉 The power of direct, ge…

Join Jason for this important conversation with Tara Fournier, Interim Chief People & Culture Officer at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Tara explored the evolution of workplace flexibility, the role of HR in boosting productivity, and how to design spaces for "heads up, heads down, and heads together work." Key lessons highlighted in our conversati…

Join Jason for this important conversation with Andrea Herron, VP of Human Resources at WebMD and author of the book, “There’s an Elephant in Your Office.” Andrea shares her insights on the evolving landscape of workplace culture, especially how she and her team are helping employees to feel connected in a hybrid and remote workplace. Andrea also t…

"I believe boundaries are kind of the user manual to me. Here's how to be in relationship with me. Here are my preferences, my desires, my limits, my non-negotiables." — Cy Wakeman *** In this episode, I’m joined by drama researcher and NY Times best selling author, Cy Wakemen. In our conversation, Cy shares stories of both a great friend and a gre…

"The one thing that we absolutely have control over is how we show up in the world." — Sarah Mann *** In this episode, I’m joined by leadership and executive coach, Sarah Mann. Together, we explore the power of asking for what you need as a means to building stronger relationships. Plus, we explore the many ways we sabotage our relationships with o…

"The reason there is a lack of acceptance in teams is because there's usually a lack of clarity about what the team is there to do.’" - Tegan Trovato *** In this episode, I’m joined by CEO and executive team coach, Tegan Trovato. Our conversation dives deep into the power of radical acceptance within relationships and teams. Tegan breaks down how h…

In this episode, I’m joined by culture expert, Craig Forman. We discuss the importance of having clear agreements to building safe, trusting relationships both individually and in groups. We also unpack how these agreements must be accompanied by a process for how we hold each other accountable to them. We also talk about the power that leaders hav…

In this special episode of Better Relationships: Better Work, I am joined by my wife Angie. Together, we discuss what lessons we’ve learned through 20 years of marriage about making a relationship work. We explore how mutual respect and trust are the foundation of the relationship and the vital role of listening has played in laying that foundation…

In this episode, Jason shares why he started this podcast and why he feels this work is more important than ever. He shares how he discovered that he’d become closed off to connection in some important ways and the steps he’s taken to “re-open” himself to it. He also shares a relationship lesson from his childhood–if you want better relationships y…

"You think it's about love. It's love and your ability to navigate change, because that picture on the wedding cake, right? You're going to have job issues, kids, health issues, death, hopefully death in the proper order. How do you stay aligned?" - Russell Robinson *** In this episode, we have some real talk about what it takes to have a good marr…

"It's okay to set a boundary to protect your own serenity if you need to, and you're valuable enough and you're worth it enough." - Lindsey Rai Kortan *** In this episode, we delve into the complex relationship between trust, boundaries, and self-worth. Guest Lindsey Rai Kortan shares her journey of discovering that boundaries are really about prot…

Relationships can’t be rushed. It takes time, commitment, and patience to cultivate great relationships at work and beyond. In this episode, Jason and guest, Dawn Burke, explore what it means to prioritize your relationships with others. Dawn also shares a great story of how taking in a feral cat taught her that sometimes you just have to be patien…

“Lead with curiosity sounds like 'Help me understand if I'm observing it correctly or if there's something that I missed.'" - Bob Norman *** A key to maintaining positive, healthy relationships is addressing frustrations and issues early and openly. In this episode, Jason and his guest, Bob Norman, delve into the intricacies of positive intent and …

We’ve all heard that psychological safety is important, but you may not know why or how to create it with others. In this episode, Jason is joined by John Baldino, who shares practical insights into psychological safety from both his personal relationships and his extensive experience in human resources consulting. In particular, we explore the imp…

"I think we just have to know how to respect each other and be in relationship with each other and value each other with reciprocal amounts of care, meaning one's not better than the other. We both have gifts to offer." - Jamie Griffin *** How do you know when a relationship has run it’s course? Jason digs into this question and more with his guest…

“Building those relationships will sometimes smooth over things like that, where it allows you the space to send a more direct email or communication.” - Amber Rios Flores *** In this episode, a conversation with Amber Rios Flores highlights the importance of authenticity and prioritizing relationship building to achieve success at work. We also ex…