Love as a DEI Strategy

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Jeff Ma
It's been over a year since businesses all over the world shifted their attention to addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion issues more seriously than ever before. commitments were made, processes were created, and change has been in the air, but have things really changed. In today's episode, we get together to discuss the reality of where DEI is in businesses today, and where it should go next. We obviously have a lot to say about how love fits into the picture. So enjoy the show.

Hello, and welcome to love as a business strategy, a podcast that brings humanity to the workplace. We're here to talk about business. We want to tackle topics that most business leaders shy away from. We believe that humanity and love should be at the center of every successful business. I'm your host, Jeff Ma, and I'm a director at Softway, a technology company that helps transform company cultures. I'm joined today by president CEO Mohammad Anwar. Hey, Mohammad, how you doing? Hey, Jeff. Hey guys. Chris Pitre vice president. Hi, Chris. Hey. And Frank Danna director. Hi, Frank. Hey, Jeff. Usual Suspects. So each episode, we dive into an element of business or strategy and we test our theory of love against it. As we all know, today, I wanted to talk about, I wanted to like take some time on air here to talk a little bit about a topic that's been floating just amongst even the four of us, personally, in our chats and our texts. Mohammad, you sent me an article, he said all of us an article that was really interesting, almost a month back came out for over a month that came out. And I'm sure we can put this in the podcast show notes for everyone check out. But it was it was is very interesting. It's very intriguing at the time, you just sent it, because it's interesting. But I think since then, we've also had a lot of thoughts of our own around now wanted to have a quick chat today, the four of us around the title, the article is corporate america promised to get more diverse, but it's still mostly white women making gains. And an article is not just about white women, I don't want to talk about just white women today. But it is about diversity inclusion and the efforts that have happened since really the murder of George Floyd to this point, and how it's been so center stage to be talking about DNI, the AI and these things in the in the corporate workplace. And, and yet stats and metrics and reality has shown that maybe we're not moving the needle, as far as, as we would expect. Right, Mohammad, can you tell us a little bit about that article and what we see in there?

Mohammad Anwar
Yeah, sure. So the article was meant to see how corporate America and their commitment to a more diverse environment, how had they fared over the last one year, since, you know, the murder of George Floyd and all the open commitments that corporate America made for more diverse and inclusive organizations. And what it saw was that while there was movement made, it was primarily for white women have seen most of the gains, especially on the board member seats, which is, you know, kind of representative of at leadership levels and board levels of Fortune 500 companies, how diversity is represented in them. And so while there were gains made, and I think that's a very good sign, it however, is not representative of the demographics of America, right, and it's still very underrepresented. Also, the rate of diversity growth really didn't change. year on year from 2004, the, you know, minority representation would grow by less than half a percent every year. While that hasn't changed, it's still less than half a percent between last year and this year. So there's far more to be done. And what we recognize is while commitments have been made, and there is some traction for one minority group, which is rightfully something we all should work on, which is the gender gap. But also it shows that it's not truly representative of all the minorities, as you know, in proportion to the representation of the whole population of America as a whole. So that was the essence of the article, Jeff.

Jeff Ma
Thanks. It was great. Yeah, I mean, it's almost like he wrote the article you're saying? No. So metrics, trends are showing, I guess, despite commitments, a lack of movement. I'm curious, Chris. What's your take on why that is? Like? I know, the article talks a little about it. From our perspective, why do you think that is?

Chris Pitre
Well, I think the is a great sort of movement and initiative to kickstart inside of an organization is to really get serious about the AI. The reality that we've seen and heard and, and, and I think anecdotally, I've heard so many stories about is that the starting place that those organizations went in with, which was anti racism was probably too much too soon, for where those organizations really were and the readiness they had around being a part of those conversations, no matter what side of the table you were on. And so when you think about starting in those really controversial, deep, deep seated discussions, it's likely going to lead to a polarization effect, right, and where people are going to walk in, sort of hungry for real change, and wants to be a part of something. And then what they hear are on one side guilt, guilt messages, and on the other side, you know, reliving trauma, and again, being in a room with just silence and people nodding their heads, or asking you how you feel about that, but, but not really changing systems, tools, process behaviors, interactions, all those things, right. And, you know, while I know that in many DEI efforts is typically I call it monkey see monkey do, or, you know, bandwagoning, where you you see someone else commit to I want to commit to it, and we're gonna do it better than they did, right. And in DEI can't really do that and be effective, you have to assess where is our organization, what is really the state of readiness from a leadership perspective, from a budget perspective, from a time perspective, right. And you have to be honest, right. And if there isn't a space yet, for honesty, in general, there definitely isn't a space for honesty about these types of topics. And so, the reason why so many of these organizations like we are still stalled out, or, you know, went all in and got nowhere fast is because they likely googled anti racism training brought that in, or unconscious bias training brought that in, and it didn't go over very well. Many folks who are successful naturally see themselves as inclusive, you know, supportive, enabling, and all those things. And like all the positive things that you associate with just leadership in general, people already see themselves doing those things. And so when you're told that you're not that, right, you can imagine sort of cold water being thrown over you. And again, this is not an indictment on leaders who might sort of be resistant or hesitant to wholly listen and accept and adopt those types of things. But, you know, we've learned that, you know, when you come in, and you just start the conversation off, you know, from a place of one self awareness, you avoid pushing people into that place where they turn off all listening ears to any topic around sort of inclusivity. Until, from my perspective, just the approach that so many people tried to just Google and copy and rinse and repeat, has probably led themselves, you know, finding themselves further from the starting line than where they wanted going in.

Mohammad Anwar
agreed to totally agree, Chris, and they think, I think the intent is there, all of the organization's commitments, and everything. And I think we saw those open commitments. And I think, in the moment, the intent was great, I think it's just the approach that they may have taken to build upon that commitment is where maybe the outcomes that they had hoped for having been achieved. And we've observed, as Chris rightfully mentioned, that, I think a lot of them went too hard with the angle of anti racism training or unconscious bias training. And I think, to be honest, in a state where society is polarized, these kinds of initiatives probably furthered the polarization and did not help. Because ultimately, I think, the way you approach and I believe the way to approach and we've seen this inside of our own organization, ourselves is to start with a commonality start to use love as a way to get people to the table to start having the conversation. But if we start with differences, let alone starting with almost accusation or type initiatives, even though it's not directly accusation, but it can infer that guilt. I think it doesn't help people even come to the table to listen, to even explore to be curious. And so we believe that The approach is to first start with love, get people to the common table from the left or the right, you know, from whichever side you sit on. And then once you have people at the table, then we can start to speak about our differences and learn about our differences. But then we look at it from a lens of really getting to know the other person out of love, and not from an accusation or opposition. So it helps you then truly take your organization through education and information where they are keen to learn. Because at the core, we're all human. And if you can share stories and empathic storytelling, and share lived experiences, from another person's perspective, that may not be from the group I represent, it's far more inviting for me to get to learn and educate myself so that I can embrace and appreciate the differences. So that's what we believe, is the right way to go about making organizations especially leaders, getting them to truly embrace DNI initiatives, and, you know, change their behaviors and mindsets around these types of topics and realities that exists in the world.

Frank Danna
Yeah, for me, it's, it's interesting, because Mo hammad, you talked about building relationship, right. And there's this great quote by the director of Finding Nemo, named Andrew Stanton, he says, frankly, there isn't anyone you couldn't learn to love once you've heard their story. And I think that's such a powerful testament to the right approach for organizations to take, not like Chris Chris mentioned, not jumping into the anti racism training upfront, but rather, beginning from a place of empathy, learning the stories of the people that are part of your organization, building real relationships. And that's really how it starts, when we're able to see other people not as the different socio economic components that make them up. But actual human beings that have lives that have families that have cares that have desires that have ones that have needs, that have struggles, when we start seeing each other as human. That's when we actually get a chance to learn about how our differences make us special, and what those differences can bring to the table. And so, you know, I think it's, I want to go back, there's this, there's this quote that Ted lasso says, that I love, he says, taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse. If you're comfortable while you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong. And I feel like what's ended up happening over the course of the past year is, these organizations of companies have said, we're committing to this, but they take on this challenge. And it's uncomfortable. Because let's be honest, this is not a comfortable topic. This is not something that's easy for us to have these discussions are challenging naturally. And so organizations have, from what we've seen, taken their foot off the gas a little bit or diverted into other opportunities that are a little easier. But I think what's ironic to me is just building real relationships is the core fundamental starting point. And while it's, it's uncomfortable, to have conversations that are outside of what you typically have, it's still far easier than trying to ram a new diversity and inclusion initiative down people's throats and trying to force them into these discussions about things that will polarize them and actually push them further into their unwillingness to to learn and grow and explore. So

Chris Pitre
I got to drop out I mean, to draw and when you when you think about just like, the history around business initiatives, and the the, the ways in which they have stripped initiatives of the human factors, right, so when you think about HR, you think about policies, you think about systems, you think about benefits, you think, but you don't think about training, you don't think about, you know, the people side of things. First, you always think about the systems that incorporate the function of the business, as well as the processes associated. And DEI is one of those where you can't fix a system, you can't create a process, you can't start with those things that are stripped of human factors you actually have like it's all in majority about the human factors. And those are the things that go back and influence the systems, the policies, the process. And so, you know, the business world has just done a fantastic job of, you know, removing the humanity from a number of things. Right. Right. And this and it's not again, this is not an indictment on sitting leaders who are probably like Well, of course, you got to operationalizing it's like that's, that's the that's the challenge is like delaying that mindset and starting with the mindset, but before we operationalize it, who? Who is like, you have to figure out the who, right. And, and that is typically the last thing in most business, most business strategy development is who always is last, whereas with DEI who has to be first, and if you can't answer who, and that starts with leaders like figuring out who they are, you know, how they lead, why they lead, you know, why they behave, the way they behave, and figuring out that stuff. And then changing their mindset, looking at how they are, you know, doing things maybe not the best how they are, you know, you know, failing at certain things, how they are, maybe overreacting to other things, and taking that time to really think about that. Because if they're not embracing a new mindset, they're only going to replace a failing system with another failing system, right? Like you're, you're, you're bound to repeat the same mistakes if you're going to take the same approach with the same mentality towards it. And so with DEI, you can't approach it the same way as you would any other business strategy. Let me Google a competitor or an aspirational competitor, see what they did. And then I'm gonna go and find the same vendors, the same processes, the same tools. And then I'm gonna bring that here, which works in literally just about every other function. But then with DEI when you try and Google someone else's strategy, like they have a different set of humans, they have a different context, they have different sort of, you know, situations that are going on. While there may be patterns that are similar, like you rarely hear in case studies, like the behaviors of the groups that are being sort of touched by these solutions or these processes, right? You don't hear about the mindset, you don't hear about the the baggage and the resentment that is that has built up like I have yet to read a case study where they actually outlay Oh, leaders are super arrogant. And so therefore it made everything right. Like, you don't get that you don't get those realities. If you want to try and copy what they did. And you get you know, mesmerized by the numbers and the stats and the results and the cool things I did. Right, but you don't hear way. Were there problems and situations one for one with me? Am I trying to replicate something that won't work for me? Have I done the hard work of looking at myself looking at my team looking at the whole business? And actually looked at how ready are we for this? Where is our starting line? Do we start with antiracism? Or do we start with just building better self awareness? And what does that look like for our team? Do we start looking at our commonalities? First, we start understanding what is it that makes us all tick? Why are we all here? What are all of our goals? What behaviors should we all be exhibiting? Right? Coming from that place first, typically is one easier two safer. And three, it allows for the right conversations to happen up front. So that when we get into the hard conversations, you have sort of that Lifeline that you can go back to insulin to weight, remember, goals were the behaviors that we said we want, and we got to get back to that place. Right. But when you don't have home base setup, it's really hard to to know how to move forward or let alone repair, potentially, you know, hazards that can actually happen when you go into those deep, deep issues that, you know, you know, can be traumatic for some are polarizing for others.

Mohammad Anwar
So Chris, I know we've looked at a lot of organizations making, you know, policy changes and procedural changes, and you know, recruitment changes and so forth. And it's been great to see efforts made over there. I think you touched briefly on this. But how behaviors are not the foundations of the change initiative, they're starting with processes and policies. I know you had some interesting points of how data can be misleading when it comes to DNI. Would you share that example you shared with us the other day about employee engagement data and how sometimes corporate leaders can mistake that information and how it doesn't help, please?

Chris Pitre
Yeah, so traditionally, we look at data, especially when it comes to like market share, or, you know, the traditional things that we review for business reasons. We see like, Oh, 80 or 80%, higher, oh, we have like, you know, 80% of market share. Great, we're doing great. And then when with engagement surveys, we tend to take that same mentality, right? And it's the right mentality in certain places. But here you can see, or I hope you see how it can be problematic. But you take that and you see like, oh, wow, 80% of our team is super engaged. We're doing great. You guys. Like our DNI efforts are gonna be easy. We don't have to do that much. It's great. Like 80% of the people are enjoying it here and I having an issue and we have the 3% like, yeah, they're right. And you sort of dismiss the 20%. If you're really committed to DNI or DEI or diversity, equity inclusion, if you want me to say it out full right, full stop. We set out to JeVon, we miss you, JeVon. If you're listening to this and have not heard the podcast we've done with JeVon McCormick from scribe media go back and listen, and all of this will make sense. But if that's if you're really committed to DEI, from that perspective, you do have to lean into that 20%. And that is where your focus and attention has to be, you can't dismiss the 20%, you have to maintain what's going on with the 80%, and figure out ways to improve the experiences for the for the 20%. And so many leaders miss that. And so when they get those engagement results, they can easily find themselves quieting or dismissing the 20%. Like, oh, that's only a minority, and it's like, well, DEI is about the marginalized experiences, right? Like, so. You know, it's it's, it's a really interesting paradigm to shift that line of thinking and that line of analysis to go in and say, why do we have 20% of our team having a different experience from the 80%? And when you just stop and ask yourself that question, hopefully, there's a curiosity there that will drive you to want to learn, understand, and not be offended, if it comes back that you are contributing, potentially, to that cross screen experience. And, you know, what I will tell everyone is that you can be a marginalized person or in the minority or person of color or a woman and still be contributing to the bad experiences of another marginalized group. So this is universal. And many times there's, there's leaders that I've met and spoken to that, that this that they believe is just a certain group that is contributing to this experience. And that's not true, right. And when you think about all the different dimensions of diversity and identity, it goes beyond just race and gender, you have socioeconomic status, you have education, and pedigree, you have neuro diversity, you have physical diversity, physical ability, veteran status, right? You have all sorts of slices and dices that can change who's dominant and who's not in the room. And when you are in a room where you are the one who doesn't have what everyone else has, you feel it, and you sense it and the conversations happening around you. And you're just like, no, this is I can't do anything, can't say anything. Nobody's counting on me and supports me, right. And it's very easy for those types of experiences to happen. And they go unseen, unnoticed, and underreported, of course.

Mohammad Anwar
And I think our approach to solving a lot of this is through behavior change, building inclusive behaviors. And many times whenever we've proposed our solution to start with behaviors, a lot of leaders and, you know, stakeholders that corporate organizations struggle with understanding the connection between behaviors and DNI. And you've always caught ourselves with cross question examination of wait, what does behaviors and behavior training have to do with DNI? You know, so it kind of shows the immaturity in understanding what it really takes to build a diverse era, you know, equitable and inclusive environments. Because it we believe it starts with behaviors, behaviors at the bottom line. In fact, I know Chris, Jeff, and Frank, just saw this article on BuzzFeed about the Sony employee who sued Sony for discrimination. And when you look at that article, and you read through everything, everything that is outlined as what was done to her in terms of discrimination comes back to behaviors. And, and when you really come to think about it, a behaviors that we might be demonstrating to anyone, potentially. But if it does happen with a minority represented group or an individual from a minority group, it could become a cause for an EEOC claim or a legal lawsuit. And so our approach is we start with behaviors, let's work on changing the behaviors and the mindsets of leaders and the individuals in your organization. If you really want to make a difference in the dei efforts, you have to start with behavior change. And so if we really think about it, a lot of the EEOC claims could have been avoided had we just were able to train our talent, how to have the right behaviors to be inclusive, regardless of who the person on the other side of the table is.

Jeff Ma
Like a lot of times they they asked like, oh, what why? Why do they treat black people this way? And the question is, why do you treat anybody that way? Why would you treat right anybody that way? Like why the behavior exists.

Frank Danna
Exactly. So like part part of our approaches is to build self awareness, right to help us understand our surroundings, the impact we're having on others and how others are impacting us like, and when we're able to build self awareness of our behaviors, we start to recognize the fact that that is where the inclusion piece of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion actually plays, right, because if you have representation across your organization, most people consider diversity covered, right? Like I have a strong diversity and inclusion program. But if behaviors are not considered, you'll never unlock the value of different dimensions of diversity. So in order to get to that point, you have to create behavior that is actively seeking opportunities to not just give a voice to people, but also create opportunities for people. And that's where we a year into this right a year into these massive commitments. That's where corporate america still needs to move and progress into the recognition and understanding that inclusion is unlocked as a result of our behaviors as a result of the self awareness of how we're treating others. And finding and making sure that we use our positions, to make sure that there are people that need to be in the right positions, the right places. So I mean, it's, it's, it's nice to see, like you said, Mohammad, the progress that's happened over the past year, but there's so much more work that needs to be done. And I feel like, it's it's not as hard as people have made it out to be when it comes to a starting point. But a lot of folks just haven't recognized that it starts with building real relationships and building that self awareness.

Mohammad Anwar
Agreed. And, you know, I think there's a incredible focus systemic issues, right? And when you really think about it, how did these systems come into existence, it's not like they just miraculously just appeared, it started with people's mindsets and behaviors, because the some people in positions of power, instituted those processes and systems that are discriminatory, right. And they may have done it unintentionally or unconsciously, whatever the reason might be, the solution isn't to go, try to tackle the systems, you have to start with tackling the behaviors and the mindset of the very people who are responsible for instituting policies and systems Otherwise, you will never break out of the cycle of changing systemic issues, if you don't start with building self awareness, and changing behaviors and mindsets. And, you know, there might be situations where people do behave differently towards minority representation. So very no way saying that people may not treat, you know, minority represent groups differently, it's just that they may not just have the self awareness that they're doing it. So to help them with that, we have to start with behaviors and mindset, you know, awareness and training. And from there, you are able to fix the root cause to then change the systems, which is a symptom of people's mindsets and behaviors. So if you started systems, but don't address the root cause, are we really going to make a you know, path forward? And that's where the question becomes. And so the answer to solving people's problems is to start with the people. And the people here is in mindset, not with systems.

Jeff Ma
And not to sound hokey. But it starts with love, right. And it starts with our culture of love. Obviously, we're biased, but this is everything we talked about on this podcast in the book. Because when you're able to see people as humans, and start from that space, start from humanity, even with biases, even with other issues that may be present, you're able to work through it and get to a place and utilize moments of vulnerability and trust and forgiveness to get through this, because that's what it's going to take to really get uncomfortable and really get through these things, which is where the real change happens. And, you know, there's no magic wand to just say, here's the new process, here's a new policy that we all follow. And all of a sudden, these real human issues and conflicts and pains and struggles just disappear. It has to be a human solution to a human problem. And so love is kind of, you know, the most powerful weapon if you will, to to addressing these, right.

Mohammad Anwar
Yeah, I totally agree. And the other benefit is, if you are looking at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the lens of humanity and love and like say, hey, if we can help the most minority or marginalized groups, you're actually going to benefit everyone. And Chris, I'd love for you to share case study of how Looking, you know, working towards helping minority groups how it helps the majority of the groups? If you don't mind sharing that story, that'd be awesome.

Chris Pitre
Yeah. So this was back in what the 60s or 70s. I am not a historian and dates are not my thing. But the stories are. So way back before I was born, the the community, for people with disabilities, were really trying to advocate to governments locally and federally around building in curb cutouts into sort of sidewalks. So that way, crossing streets became easier if you were in the wheelchair. And, you know, they got pushed back, you know, people were, you know, thinking about the budgetary impacts, of course, and, you know, all sorts of finding all sorts of reasons why it might not be ideal. Nevertheless, they got it approved, moved ahead, curb cut outs were a thing became a thing. And they did studies afterwards to see how like the impact of those. And what they noticed was that it wasn't just people with disabilities, who are now able to move easily and freely around cities and street corners. But it was also women with strollers or men with strollers, it was people who were moving things on wheels, such as delivery men, etc. Right? Like anybody who had additional things that they were pushing or carrying, actually made it easier or made it easier for them. So they benefited. And then the other interesting thing was that, you know, deaths for pedestrians dropped, right, who were crossing streets, because now they had somewhere to stop to signal that they were walking into oncoming traffic. Right. So like all of these things, just like blossomed after those curb cutouts. That would have never happened had that community not advocated for, for those things to be implemented. And now we will find it weird to go to a curb but where, where do I start? Why is this right like that? Would we all be frustrated. And so the idea behind that story in that, you know, example is to show everyone that when you take care of the most marginalized group, you solve problems for everybody. And so I know that sometimes when people hear diversity, equity and inclusion, when they hear DEI and they hear culture, they hear, potentially, you know, something is being taken away from me, or opportunities are not going to be there for me, or I have to give up something now so that someone else can win and I lose, right they it's a natural human thing, right. And there's a thing, that's not a bad thing, it's just a thing. But when you hear that type of story, you can see like wait, everyone benefits from mentorship programs. Everyone can benefit from ally ship, everyone benefits from sponsorship, everyone benefits from being able to be their whole selves inside of the office, right. And so there isn't anything that you give up, even though it might feel that way. Because some of the efforts initially might be focused on enlivening, or at least enriching the experiences for those who might be starting from a different place than you are.

Mohammad Anwar
Yep. And that would agree in that same vein, the way that we've taken an approach for inclusive behavior training, is while there are visible things by the eyesight, that you can see differences from physical identity, gender, ethnicity, and race, our focus is, don't just stop there, you need to be inclusive of things that are invisible to you, maybe the way people think maybe the way they manage time, how they make decisions, what they value more in life. And when you are able to make space and be inclusive in your behaviors, towards every you know, even the invisible aspects of elements or diversity, you are now creating a better environment and place for every human at the workplace, because now the leaders and the co workers demonstrate inclusive behaviors, that's not just needed to treat, say, a person of color better, but also anyone who is human and interacting. And, you know, being able to experience those behaviors, benefits serve it. So by teaching inclusive behaviors, you're not just making space for the minorities and the marginalized communities, but also you're making space for everyone, no matter what their situation is, what background they have, and even the things that are invisible to us in terms of how they are different. You're making space for all differences to come together different perspectives to come to the table, and you're able to become a much better high performing innovative organization that is resilient. And so, you know, I think that's the real solution that corporate America has to jump on is start with behaviors to see a true long lasting change in all of corporate America. To truly become diverse, equity, diverse, equitable and inclusive, if we started processes, we're going to probably not make a lot of traction might do short term traction, but it's not going to be sustainable. And secondly, if we even start having education and training, starting from the lens of, you know, polarizing conversations, or maybe borderline accusation or type positions, you're going to distance the people from the people to have those conversations. So that's our approach. That's how we like to take our customers. And that's what we strive to practice inside of our own organization. And so we're hoping that we can bring about this awareness and spread this information and message for those leaders out there who are really looking to who are committed to a change, but don't know how to go about it. Hopefully, this, this, this discussion of ours is going to bring value and helps you guys with your commitments out there.

Jeff Ma
Absolutely. Thanks for that most perfect close to this conversation. Thank you, Chris. Frank, Mo, of course, for having this talk about this uncomfortable thing. I know there's more to dive into. I'm looking forward to some future conversations as we talk about getting really tactical around this stuff. But as Mohammad mentioned, this is our entire mission. It's built around, bring humanity back to the workplace. That's why we do what we do. And it is possible. So you know, anyone out there feeling like they're losing hope losing confidence in what's going on. It's not all bad. We've seen it work. We've made it work. And we want to make it work for more people. So opening that conversation, come talk to us, check out our book. You know, keep keep on the podcast and those things. Hopefully, the message will get through and grow from there, this movement will grow. So with that, you know, we do post new podcast episodes every Wednesday. And if you like what you're hearing you like to have any suggestions or topics you'd like us to cover, let us know it softway.com/laabs and be sure to leave us a review and share with your friends. We appreciate all that support. With that. We will see you all next week.

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04 Mar 2025

Love as a Self-Acceptance Strategy with Laura Gallaher

Dr. Laura Gallaher is a best-selling author who’s worked with everyone from NASA to Disney. While you’ll find her featured in Forbes or TEDx, she stops by the podcast to drop some wisdom on introspection, fear, and self-acceptance. There’s so much to learn here, so make sure to listen up!

Laura's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-gallaher-phd

Self Acceptance Quiz: https://selfacceptancequiz.com/

Website: drlauragallaher.com

EPISODE 183

19 Feb 2025

Love as an Anti-Racism Strategy with Jill Wener

Dr. Jill Wener is an anti-racism educator, DEI consultant, trauma specialist, allyship coach, and Co-Founder of Conscious Anti-Racism, LLC. She’s helped countless clients learn practical tools to take self-improvement to the next level - and she joins the podcast to share her perspective and approach.

EPISODE 182

10 Feb 2025

Love as a Relationship Strategy with Jonathan Rosen

Now, more than ever, in a world full of transactions, relationships are the most important thing to foster. Jonathan Rosen brings his expertise to the podcast, and helps us understand the impact of relationships, and how to build them with customers and teams.

Find Jonathan onLinkedIn or connect with himdirectly:

EPISODE 181

23 Jan 2025

Love as a People-Centered Strategy with Kristi Pittman

As the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Daikin, Kristi Pittman is at the helm of a very unique and impactful workplace culture. In this episode, she shares exactly what “people-centered management” means, and what it takes to really make it work at Daikin.

EPISODE 180

09 Jan 2025

Love as a Revolution Strategy with Karl Pettersen

Karl Pettersen spent over 30 years as a recognized leader in finance, and today he is a thought leader and advisor for Fortune 100 companies. He joins the podcast to talk about the disruption needed in the workplace - centered around humanity.

http://pettersenonline.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-pettersen-95990b45

EPISODE 179

11 Dec 2024

Love as a Care Strategy with Rose Ann Garza

Rose Ann Garza is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Kerbey Lane, one of the most iconic restaurants in Austin, TX. Kerbey Lane is definitely known for its food and its vibes, but more than that, it’s known for its people and culture. We sit down with Rose Ann to hear about how the culture of this restaurant is at the center of its success.

EPISODE 178

27 Nov 2024

Love as a Way out of Chaos Strategy with Irma Neal

Irma Neal believes that every person has worth. In her career and experiences, she has learned a lot from the chaos that surrounded her - an she brings those learnings to this episode. Listen in as she shares those stories, and how she overcame the chaos through love.

EPISODE 177

13 Nov 2024

Love as a Team Health Strategy with Katie McLaughlin

Katie McLaughlin has a unique approach to her speaking, facilitation, and consulting. In addition to her original method of teaching, she’s also developed a method for leaders to reflect on their “team health”. She joins the podcast to share all about it.

Find out more:

EPISODE 176

04 Nov 2024

Love as a Psychological Safety Strategy with Dr. Jonathan Thorp

We talk about Psychological Safety a lot here on the podcast - but Dr. Jonathan Thorp really gives a new and different perspective on it. This episode will help you better understand what real psychological safety looks like, and why accountability is at the center of it all.

Check out more from Dr. Jonathan Thorp here

EPISODE 175

17 Oct 2024

Love as a Gen Z Strategy with Hannah Dannecker

Think you understand the generational divide? Think again. In this episode, Hannah Dannecker shares her insights on Gen Z and how they’re showing up in the workplace. As a Gen Z entrepreneur herself, Hannah has built a business focused on helping organizations and leaders bridge the generational gap. Tune in to hear her wisdom and expertise on navigating this ever-evolving dynamic.

Check out more from Hannah at: https://xtoz.org/

EPISODE 174

01 Oct 2024

Love as an Empathy Strategy with Ravi Singh

Ravi Singh is an expert in UX, UI, Marketing, Development, Product and User Research - but he comes on the show in this episode to help demystify the concept of Empathy. What does practicing empathy look like? How do you empathize with people around what they need vs what they want? He shares his answer to all this and more!

EPISODE 173

19 Sep 2024

Love as a Difficult Conversation Strategy with Michele Phillips

Michele Phillips has over two decades of experience working with some of the biggest companies, guiding leaders with her expertise in happiness and performance. She sits down with the show to zoom in on a topic that many leaders struggle with. This was a great conversation… about difficult conversations.

Check out her book: https://a.co/d/4cSDt4x

EPISODE 172

04 Sep 2024

Love as a Feedback Strategy with Meredith Bell

Meredith Bell is an author, podcast host, and expert in transforming how humans connect with one another. And when it comes to personal interactions, few topics are more discussed and overanalyzed than FEEDBACK. We sit down with Meredith on this episode and pick her brain on what the key to giving and receiving feedback is. You’re gonna love this one.

Check out more of Meredith’s work, along with her books and her podcast: https://growstrongleaders.com/

EPISODE 171

21 Aug 2024

Love as a BizLove Strategy with Diane Hare

Diane Hare founded BizLove to solve problems in a different way, and she believes that business and love go hand-in-hand. (imagine that!) She joins the podcast to share her story, her approach, and her success - and it’s an amazing perspective that reinforces everything Love as a Business Strategy believes in.

EPISODE 170

07 Aug 2024

Love as a Life Strategy with Jacob Baadsgaard

Jake has had a long and winding road to success, and through it all he’s learned how to completely transform his perspective on life, work, and relationships. In this episode, he shares his story of having to break down before breaking through, and talks about how you can’t help others if you’re not working on yourself.

EPISODE 169

24 Jul 2024

Love as a Listening Strategy with Noah Asher

Noah’s story is filled with highs and even more lows. He joins the podcast to share his journey, personal and business - and offers his perspective on what it means to truly listen to others.

EPISODE 168

11 Jul 2024

Love as a Belief System Strategy with David Greer

David Greer is a lifelong entrepreneur who specializes in helping other entrepreneurs overcome challenges and obstacles in their lives. At the core of so much of his work is the concept of our belief systems, and how our beliefs drive our mindsets and behaviors. David breaks it down expertly for us in this episode.

EPISODE 167

27 Jun 2024

Love as a Mental Strength Strategy with Scott Mautz

Scott Mautz literally wrote the book on Mental Strength. If you’re looking to level up your self-awareness, and better understand your mind vs your heart - this is the episode for you.

Be sure to get Scott’s free PDF download here: http://www.scottmautz.com/mentallystronggift

EPISODE 166

13 Jun 2024

Love as a Conversational Strategy with David Bell

David Bell is the Chief Encouragement Officer of Discovery Zone Coaching, and in this episode, he shares what he’s learned (and what he helps others learn) about having meaningful conversations.

EPISODE 165

30 May 2024

Love as a Culture Transformation Strategy with Jasmine Bellamy

Jasmine Bellamy is a pioneer in applying LOVE to business. She is not only a scholar, but also a practitioner - creating the “Courageous Conversations” platform, founding Love 101 Ministries, and being named among Sports Illustrated’s Top 100 Influential Black Women in Sports. In this episode, she shares her LOVE framework, and how to apply it for ourselves.

EPISODE 164

15 May 2024

Love as a Disney Strategy with George Kalogridis

Oh boy are we excited about this one. Frank is back, and he joins the show to talk about his favorite thing in the world: Disney. We are joined by the former President of Walt Disney World Resort, George Kalogridis. George shares his amazing journey from busser to president, and let’s us in on how love plays a role in creating the magic at Disney.

EPISODE 163

02 May 2024

Love as a Wellness Strategy with Kathy Gregory

In honor of mental health awareness month, we’ve invited Kathy Gregory to the show. Kathy is a workplace wellness specialist, and she focuses on instilling a culture of health, well-being, and positive transformation in the workforce. In this episode, we dive into the many aspects of wellness, and how we can improve our mindsets around it.

EPISODE 162

17 Apr 2024

Love as a Stepping Through Fear Strategy with Megan Billnoske

So much of our life, from daily decisions to big moments, is controlled or affected by fear. It’s a natural and unavoidable part of being human, but how we decide to address and face our fear can really change the way we understand love as a business strategy. Megan Billnoske is no stranger to fear, as she shares her story with us in this episode.

EPISODE 161

01 Apr 2024

Love as a Self-Discovery Strategy with Jesse Hernandez

Jesus “Jesse” Hernandez brings a perspective we haven’t had on the show yet - he started his career as a plumber and has worked his way up through the construction industry. And today, he applies his own brand LOVE to help revolutionize the industry.

EPISODE 160

18 Mar 2024

Love as an Unconscious Bias Strategy with Amber Ontiveros

Amber Ontiveros has a one-of-a-kind story, and a unique perspective that has helped her understand the neuroscience of unconscious bias in a totally different way. In this episode, she takes us on a journey that travels through spirituality, science, and life.

EPISODE 159

07 Feb 2024

Love as a Purpose Strategy with Jonathan Bennett

How do you find purpose in your life and in your work? Jonathan Bennett is a leadership coach who specializes in helping people do that. In this episode, he shares some incredible perspective and insights that are sure to help you think about your purpose in a brand new way.

EPISODE 158

23 Jan 2024

Love as a Narrative Strategy with Guillaume Wiatr

Guillaume has been sharing his expertise with CEOs and entrepreneurs to help them build successful businesses that they love. In this episode, he dives into how narratives impact our mindsets, and ultimately our behaviors.

EPISODE 157

11 Jan 2024

Love as an Imposter Strategy with Tiffany Houser

We’re kicking off 2024 with a topic that many can relate to: Imposter Syndrome. Except, Tiffany Houser, an expert on that very topic, doesn’t like to use that term. Listen in to find out exactly why.

Learn more about Tiffany at http://selfworthadvantage.com

The HBR article she references in the episode: https://hbr.org/2021/02/stop-telling-women-they-have-imposter-syndrome

EPISODE 156

20 Dec 2023

Love as a Self-Awareness Strategy with Joni Goodman

As we’ve so often said, self-awareness is the key to transforming ourselves and our behaviors. But what does the journey to self-awareness look like, and how do we embark on that journey? Joni Goodman specializes in exactly that topic, and joins the show to share her thoughts and perspectives.

EPISODE 155

06 Dec 2023

Love as a Core Value Strategy with Jay Steinfeld

Jay Steinfeld is the founder and former CEO of the legendary business blinds.com - one of the most successful e-commerce businesses of all time. Today, he takes the learnings from his success and shares that secret with the world through his book, “Lead from the Core: The 4 Principles for Profit and Prosperity”. In this episode, he joins the show to break down what “core values” really mean, and to share the 4 principles that every business should aspire for.

EPISODE 154

02 Dec 2023

Love as a V.A.L.U.E. Strategy with Chellie Phillips

Chellie Phillips has developed Culture Secrets - secrets any leader can use to build a V.A.L.U.E. Culture. Listen in as she shares what each of these letters stands for, and how you can use them to build the right kind of culture around you.

EPISODE 153

09 Nov 2023

Love as an Inspirational Strategy with Ally Stone

Ally Stone has an incredible story to share. Founder of “The Inspired Leader”, Ally takes the experience of her own life, along with her learnings in developing numerous successful businesses and teams, to help other leaders understand what it means to go beyond, to lead from a place of presence and connection, creating an opportunity to experience their careers in ways that previously had not been deemed possible. Learn more here.

EPISODE 152

26 Oct 2023

Love as a Green Beans and Ice Cream Strategy with Bill Sims Jr.

Green beans? Ice cream? Love? If none of this makes sense, you’ll just have to listen to the episode to find out what Bill Sims has to say about the NUMBER ONE driver of employee engagement.

EPISODE 151

11 Oct 2023

Love as a Fearless Strategy with Cedric Bertelli

So much of what motivates us in the workplace, and even in our lives, is driven from a place of fear. Cedric Bertelli has dedicated his career to helping people overcome stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other negative emotions using powerful tools and techniques - and today he joins the podcast to talk about the fear that manifests at work, and how to face these fears and grow from them.

Learn more about Cedric’s work: http://cedricbertelli.com

Find out more about the Emotional Health Institute: http://Emres.com

EPISODE 150

27 Sep 2023

Love as an Adversity Strategy with Robin Osborn

Robin Osborn knows a thing or two about facing adversity. From the challenges in her youth, to removing a baseball-sized tumor - she has channeled her adversity into what she calls the "Frustration to Freedom Framework." In this episode, she share her story, and her philosophy.

EPISODE 149

21 Sep 2023

Love as a Human Resources Strategy Strategy with John Baldino

John Baldino has been in the Human Resources game for over 30 years, and he sits down with the podcast to share about what he’s seen change over time, what hasn’t worked, and how to do it right. This isn’t just for HR professionals, with all the wisdom he shares, there’s something here for everyone.

EPISODE 148

13 Sep 2023

Love as a Purpose-Driven Strategy with Gayle Lantz

In the workplace, love and purpose go hand-in-hand. But what does it mean to be truly purpose-driven? Gayle Lantz specializes in shaping cultures and igniting transformation - and she shares her expertise around finding and understanding purpose within ourselves.

EPISODE 147

07 Sep 2023

Love as a Forgiveness Strategy with Dena Patton

For 22 years, Dena Patton has been coaching and training leaders on her world-class Greatness Methodology. She joins the show in this episode to dive into one of the most important (and yet rarely discussed) aspects of leadership: Forgiveness.

EPISODE 146

01 Sep 2023

Love as a Marketing Strategy with Christina Frei

Christina Frei is a branding and marketing professional that specializes in what she calls “marketing for humans.” In this episode, she shares about the different marketing archetypes that people fall under, and how to harness the humanity in us all for great marketing results.

Take Christina’s free marketing archetype assessment here: https://www.innatemarketinggenius.com/archetype/

EPISODE 145

24 Aug 2023

Love as a Faith-focused Strategy with Precious Azuree

Precious Azuree wants you to know that you are worthy, you are intelligent, and you are necessary. She authored “The Faith Focus Formula” to help people unlock their full potential and create a life of purpose, fulfillment, and abundance. In this episode, Precious shares her journey and perspective with us - and connects faith, love, and business together.

Learn more about Precious Azuree: https://www.theclaritycoach.co/

EPISODE 144

16 Aug 2023

Love as an Indigenous Tech Strategy with Jeff Ward

Jeff Ward is the founder and CEO of Animikii Indigenous Technology, a leading digital agency that pioneers social innovation through Indigenous technology. In this episode he shares his vision and passion with us, and highlights the amazing impact that can be made when love and purpose come together.

EPISODE 143

10 Aug 2023

Love as an Equal Opportunity Strategy with Marina Guerra

While many businesses prefer not to have a run-in with the EEOC, (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) many people don’t understand what the EEOC actually does. Marina Guerra talks to us about all of the ways the EEOC works to truly help people and businesses, especially when it comes to the prevention of negative workplace experiences.

EPISODE 142

02 Aug 2023

Love as a Success Strategy with Bessi Graham

Bessi Graham specializes in a very important concept: Bringing “doing good” and “making money” together. In this day and age, where greed and profit drive so much of our decision-making process, Bessi helps us understand what real success could look like - and how doing good is at the center of it.

EPISODE 141

27 Jul 2023

Love as a Career Development Strategy with Beth Ridley

We all want to be the very best version of ourselves, especially at the workplace - but that’s often easier said than done. Beth Ridley is an expert in just that, and in this episode she highlights what it takes to find and achieve success in our careers by tapping into our best authentic selves.

EPISODE 140

19 Jul 2023

Love as a Non-Negotiable Strategy with Paul ter Wal

Joining us from the Netherlands, Paul ter Wal shares with us his concept of “Non-Negotiables” in the workplace - and why our individual core values are the key to passionate, creative, and engaged employees.

EPISODE 139

14 Jul 2023

Love as an Authentic Leader Strategy with Candice Hung

What does it take to become an “Authentic Leader”? Why does it matter? Candice Hung helps us explore this concept, and really dives deep into the elements that make up true self-awareness. If you’re looking to start really owning your own story, you won’t want to miss this conversation!

EPISODE 138

05 Jul 2023

Love as a DEI Strategy with Maria Morukian

DEI continues to be an important topic, but it’s reached a point where so much of it is assumed, overlooked, or performative. This refreshing conversation with Maria Morukian takes a closer look at why DEI should still be focused on - and thought about differently.

EPISODE 137

28 Jun 2023

Love as a Sustainability Strategy with Dieter Schultz

In this episode, Dieter Schultz helps connect the dots between sustainability, leadership, behaviors, and love. He not only helps define what sustainability means, but really paints the picture of what it should look like.

EPISODE 136

21 Jun 2023

Love as a Psychological Safety Strategy with Janine Hamner Holman

Janine Hamner Holman’s mission is simple: to create the world of work where everyone can thrive. Well that sounds a lot like bringing humanity back to the workplace - so we had to get her on the show to find out more! This episode is full of incredible perspective and wisdom - you won’t want to miss it.

EPISODE 135

07 Jun 2023

Love as a Time Management Strategy with Miriam Meima

This episode finds the intersection between business and psychology, where we explore the workplace from a culture and psychological angle. Miriam Meima is a passionate and energetic executive coach, who shares with us some valuable perspective and advice around how to manage our mindsets and approaches in the workplace.

EPISODE 134

25 May 2023

Love as an Ego Management Strategy with Christie Garcia

Christie Garcia works with leaders every day on building authentic confidence. Many of us may have some preconceived notions about “ego”, and in this episode, Christie breaks down what our egos really are and how we can begin to understand and address them better.

EPISODE 133

10 May 2023

Love as a Generational Strategy with Lata Hamilton

While the generation you were born into doesn’t completely define you as a person, today’s workplace has shown some undeniable trends in how different people from different generations interact. Lata Hamilton is a Change Leadership and Confidence expert, and her experience in working with teams across global transformations has taught her a thing or two about the trends and gaps in workplace generations.

EPISODE 132

29 Apr 2023

Love as a Possibility Strategy with Darrin Tulley

Darrin Tulley’s perspective completely changed at one point in his career, when he discovered a new world of possibilities for himself. Since then, he’s been hard at work, sharing his message of “Live Your Possible” with the world, and in this episode, he tells his tale and talks about how we can all find possibilities in ourselves.

EPISODE 131

19 Apr 2023

Love as a Generosity Strategy with Sarah Fontenot

Sarah Fontenot is a CFP (Certified Financial Planner), but what she does is unique: Sarah helps people manage their wealth with generosity in mind. Her focus is not just on building and maintaining wealth, but also on how to maximize the amount of good that wealth can impact on the world. In this episode, she shares her story and the role that love plays in her business.

EPISODE 130

12 Apr 2023

Love as a Purposeful Growth Strategy with Mark Mears

Best-selling author Mark Mears is no stranger to building and growing people and teams in business. After a whole career helping major brands and companies build innovation and value, he now channels his experience and knowledge into helping people fulfill their true growth potential while making a positive, lasting difference in the world. Listen in as he explains how you can find and fulfill your purpose.

EPISODE 129

05 Apr 2023

Love as a Local Government Strategy with Paulina Valero

Love as a Business Strategy is important across all kinds of workplaces - especially in government. Paulina Valero is the Community Engagement Manager for the City of Sugar Land, and she shares her story and perspective about what workplace culture looks like for public servants in local government.

EPISODE 128

29 Mar 2023

Love as a Leadership Strategy with Diane Maben

Diane Maben is the Chief Operating Officer at Amegy Bank. As a self-made leader, she’s learned and developed her style as a leader through her years of experience. In this episode, she shares her story, her journey, and her philosophy, and gives insights on how she leads her team to success.

EPISODE 127

23 Mar 2023

Love as a Financial Industry Strategy with Kasia Siwosz

As a former professional tennis player turned investment banker and entrepreneur. Her experience in professional sports has actually played a huge role in her understanding of how the financial industry needs to evolve today. She shares her unique story and perspective in this episode.

EPISODE 126

15 Mar 2023

Love as an Honesty Strategy with Steven Gaffney

You might think that “honesty” is a pretty simple and straightforward concept, but in practice, true and genuine honesty might look a little different from what you’d expect. Steven Gaffney has been helping leaders and teams build high-achieving teams for over 25 years, and in this episode, he shares his powerful approach and philosophy with us.

EPISODE 125

08 Mar 2023

Love as a Belonging Strategy with Paul Haury

What is the difference between “feeling a sense” of belonging, and actual belonging? This is a must-listen episode with Paul Haury, who is an executive coach that specializes in belonging. Paul shares an incredible mind-expanding perspective on what belonging is, and what it looks like when it’s truly practiced.

EPISODE 124

01 Mar 2023

Love as a Safety Strategy with Nat Beuse (Aurora Tech)

Nat Beuse is the Vice President of Safety at Aurora, a self-driving vehicle technology company. Most people understand the importance and priority of safety, but not everyone goes about it the same way. In this episode, Nat shares his mindset and approach towards safety, and helps illuminate the role that culture plays in being successful.

EPISODE 123

22 Feb 2023

Love as a Profit Strategy with Samantha Varner

Somehow, when we talk about love in business, it’s always placed directly opposite of profit. And yet, profit is why we get into business to begin with - without profit, why do business at all? Sam Varner helps us connect the dots, and understand how love and profit go hand-in-hand.

EPISODE 122

15 Feb 2023

Love as a Breakthrough Leadership Team Strategy with Mike Goldman

How do you build a great company, or develop a great team? How do you build a resilient culture? Mike Goldman says it starts with what he calls a “Breakthrough Leadership Team”. He coaches leadership teams to become stronger, leading to great things for the company. In this episode, he shares incredible insights on how to start thinking and building towards a Breakthrough Leadership Team. Spoiler alert: Love has something to do with it. Find his free course here.

EPISODE 121

01 Feb 2023

Love as a Human Connection Strategy with Nanci Appleman Vassil

Nanci Appleman-Vassil joins the show to share from her 25+ years of experience in training, consulting, coaching, and developing high-performing teams. This episode is filled to the brim with her take on our favorite topics: From self-awareness and mindsets, to vulnerability, trust, and feedback. There are a lot of insights and takeaways here, as she helps break down what human connection really looks like in the workplace.

EPISODE 120

25 Jan 2023

Love as a Lovescaping Strategy

Irene and Debbie are on a mission. As much as we talk about Love on the podcast, we rarely get a chance to discuss exactly how and where we learn to love. With Lovescaping, Irene and Debbie have set out to bring learning and practicing love to the education system. With an educational framework that’s been successfully incorporated into schools, they walk us through exactly how we can put love into action.

EPISODE 119

18 Jan 2023

Love as a Business Strategy with Room 3

This week, we sit down with Ed Cuervo and AJ Ferrer, who followed their heart and passion to create their own creative production company, Room 3. Their story gives a great example of how Love as a Business Strategy can be grown naturally when people come together with purpose.

EPISODE 118

11 Jan 2023

Defining Love with Marty Levine

We’re back in the new year, and it’s a great time for us to reset, reflect, and redefine. It’s the perfect time to speak with Marty Levine, who shares some truly interesting ways to define (and redefine) LOVE.

EPISODE 117

21 Dec 2022

Love as a Performance Review Strategy with Noah Pusey

Noah Pusey wants to do away with something that plagues almost all of us: The annual review. Nobody likes to give them, nobody likes to receive them, and it doesn’t actually make anyone better. He started Ripple Analytics to fix this problem. What makes the annual review such a bane to workplace culture? Is there a better way to go about it? Noah thinks so. In this episode he shares his approach to a more timely and effective way to do reviews at w

EPISODE 116

14 Dec 2022

Love as a Law Enforcement Strategy with Chief Jack Cauley

Chief Jack Cauley is a pioneer in the Law Enforcement industry - with his One-By-One Policing philosophy, which promotes building a safe and secure environment for officers and staff so they are better equipped to serve each person they encounter individually. His police department in Castle Rock puts a focus on compassion and treating others like family, and he’s hoping to spread this culture to more and more departments across the nation. He joins us on the podcast to share his story, and why he believes Love should be a Law Enforcement Strategy.

EPISODE 115

07 Dec 2022

Love as a Partnership Strategy with Anthony Marinos

Chris is back on the podcast, and he gets a chance to catch up with his old friend, Anthony Marinos. Anthony leads business development and creator relationships at charity: water and knows a thing or two about forming strong partnerships in business. While the banter here is lighthearted, the lesson is very serious: You can’t build partnerships without forming real relationships.

Be sure to check out all the amazing ways they’re changing the world at: https://www.charitywater.org/

EPISODE 114

30 Nov 2022

Love as a Wall Street Strategy with Wais Achikzad

We sit with Wais Achikzad to discuss leadership, actual experiences and how our world today more than ever needs humanity in the workplace and in general.

EPISODE 113

23 Nov 2022

Love as a Mentorship Strategy with Debbie Richards

By any measure, Debbie Richards has achieved amazing growth throughout her successful career. But what sets her apart from others is her fierce passion for coaching, mentoring, and talent development. She’s someone who puts so much of her own time and energy into others, and has done so for a very long time - we get to sit down with her and find out why she does it, how she does it, and where love comes into the equation.

EPISODE 112

16 Nov 2022

Love as a Business Strategy with Austin Habitat for Humanity

As the CEO of Austin Habitat for Humanity, Phyllis Snodgrass has been been putting her heart into her work for her entire career. She sits down with us today to talk about what Love looks like in her leadership, in Austin Habitat for Humanity, and for non-profit businesses in general. She talks about the importance of relationships and how it connects to success and business results.

EPISODE 111

02 Nov 2022

Love as a Digital Era Strategy with Isabella Wang

In this episode, we sit down with the author of “The Digital Mind of Tomorrow”, Isabella Wang. As we all continue to push forward through digital transformation, what does it look like to incorporate love and business? Isabella shares her insights and more.

Find your copy of her book on Amazon.

EPISODE 110

19 Oct 2022

Love as a 5-star recruiting strategy with Danielle Mulvey

Danielle Mulvey is the pioneer of unique way of recruiting in business - something she calls the 5-star employee rating system. Her method is tried and true, and she’s got proven results - but of course we invite her on the show to ask: What role does LOVE play in finding a 5-star employee?

EPISODE 109

12 Oct 2022

Love as a Business Strategy with Ripple

While still in school, Joe Knopp decided to start a business that would make a real difference in the world. In this episode, he joins us to share his amazing journey, what drives him, and how he sees LOVE play out in his business. Find out more about his incredible business here.

EPISODE 108

05 Oct 2022

Love as an Entrepreneur Strategy with Paul Baron

Paul Baron has done it all. Having started numerous successful businesses throughout his career, from software to retail to restaurants, he joins us for a deep dive into what he’s learned as a serial entrepreneur. So we have to ask: What role does LOVE play in entrepreneurship?

EPISODE 107

28 Sep 2022

Love as a Business Strategy with Maura Barclay

Maura Barclay has spent over a decade consulting and training on business cultures. She is passionate about helping people find their fit, and where they belong. In this episode, we share a profound conversation around what love as a business strategy really looks like.

EPISODE 106

21 Sep 2022

Love as a Recruitment Strategy with Michael Yinger

Michael Yinger has been in the business of talent acquisition for over 20 years, so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about humans in the workplace. So we ask the million-dollar question: “What role does LOVE play in recruitment and talent acquisition?” Michael fills this entire episode with great nuggets of wisdom that will change the way you see things.

EPISODE 105

14 Sep 2022

Love as an ESG Strategy with Ighosime Oyofo

What is ESG? Why is it important? How is it practiced? How is it measured? Ighosime Oyofo works to bring sustainable capital market solutions to less-utilized markets in Africa, and he shares his expertise in investment banking, finance, and all things ESG in this episode.

EPISODE 104

07 Sep 2022

Love as a Well-Being Strategy with Jessica Grossmeier

What is "well-being" and how do we ensure that our workplaces are accounting for it? Jessica Grossmeier has done the research, and in this episode, she shares what works and what doesn't.

EPISODE 103

29 Aug 2022

Love as a Trust Strategy with Dr. Mike Armour

Throughout his storied career, Dr. Mike Armour gained a lot of wisdom and insight about what it takes to be successful in business. In this episode, he shares some of his stories and lessons - dropping gems of wisdom centered around what trust looks like in the workplace.

EPISODE 102

28 Jul 2022

Love as a Forgiveness Strategy with Vani Rao

In this episode, we are joined by Vani Rao, Executive Coach to talk about heart-centred forgiveness.

Vani shares real stories from a place of vulnerability you can relate to at the workplace and in life and practical tips on how forgiveness can become a regular practice towards empowerment when it's done with love.

EPISODE 101

21 Jul 2022

Love as a Digital Empathy Strategy with McKenna Sweazey

In this episode, we are joined by McKenna Sweazey, Author & Marketer to talk about an interesting topic — Digital Empathy!

McKenna dives into some quick tips that allow for a balanced consideration of feelings in conversations and decisions that create positive outcomes. Listen in!

EPISODE 100

13 Jul 2022

Love as a Disability Inclusion Strategy with Hugh Breland

In this episode, we are joined by Hugh Breland, CEO of U&I to talk about Disability Inclusion in the corporate world. We look at how LOVE can be a game-changer in bridging gaps that lead to better outcomes across humanity—including business. Listen in to learn how you can be a catalyst of change.

EPISODE 99

09 Jul 2022

Love as a Sustainability Strategy with Manuel Vexler

In this episode, we are joined by Manuel Vexler, Executive Director of the Actionable Knowledge Foundational Institute on a discussion about including the human factor, sustainability and resilience into the profitability equation.

EPISODE 98

30 Jun 2022

Love as a Leadership Strategy with Janine Bensouda

In this episode, we are joined by Janine Bensouda, the Founder and Managing Director of Bensouda Consulting. She talks with us about her framework of how to Lead with Love and we hold it against our framework here at Love as a Business Strategy. We love encountering people out there doing things similar to us, so you won't want to miss this discussion!

EPISODE 97

22 Jun 2022

Love as a Connection Strategy with Matthew Woodward

Can love be a strategy in the world of teaching? Find out on this interesting episode with Matthew Woodward, Choir Director at MacArthur HS as he shows us how connection, love, and respect create a solid foundation for their success as a choir.

EPISODE 96

08 Jun 2022

Love as a Business Strategy with Evolv Consulting

In this episode we talk to Eric Neef, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Evolv Consulting Consulting on some of the ways to practice and adopt and apply the culture within a company.

EPISODE 95

01 Jun 2022

Love as a Leadership Strategy with Brittany Heflin

In this episode we talk to Leadership Coach, Consultant and Enthusiast at Boston Consulting Group, Brittany Heflin on the heart of leadership. We dig deep into how empathy helps strike the right balance between intent and impact . Join us!

EPISODE 94

25 May 2022

Love as an Inclusion Strategy with Kristin Ekkens

A lot of companies find that their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts fail. Kristin Ekkens, the CEO of Exponential Inclusion, is an expert that helps leaders figure out how to create more inclusive cultures that will last. She focuses not on the task-oriented aspects, but the impact that efforts will make. Check this one out for some really helpful tips!

EPISODE 93

18 May 2022

Love as an Asynchronous Strategy with Liam Martin

Whether we like it or not, the workplace is shifting. Remote work environments are becoming more and more common creating a need for asynchronous management. Liam Martin is the author of _Running Remote_ and an expert at managing teams without actually being with them. Check it out!

EPISODE 92

11 May 2022

Love as a Sales Strategy with Jason Marc Campbell

To some, Sales is a nasty word with a bad reputation. But our guest this week, Jason Marc Campbell, is determined to bring humanity back to the selling process. He talks with us about how caring for your buyer will lead to a more fulfilling career and better business outcomes.

EPISODE 91

04 May 2022

Love as a Faith Strategy with Mushfique Shams Billah

Surprisingly, there are still topics that feel taboo in the workplace. Religion is one of them. Mushfique Shams Billah is an attorney that specializes in Islamic finance and a practicing Muslim. He opens up to us about how he is able to bring his full self to work and the importance of inclusion. You won't want to miss this episode where we explore ESG, ethical finance, the workplace and boardrooms.

EPISODE 90

27 Apr 2022

Love as a Business Strategy with Charity Water

We often get asked about what Love as a Business Strategy means and people will mistake it for businesses that are not-for-profit. Today, we actually get to sit down with Ben Greene, Chief Development Officer at Charity: Water to talk about not only bringing humanity back to the workplace, but bringing humanity back to the world.

We have set up a unique donation link in partnership with Charity: Water for this episode. If you would like to donate to their cause, you can do so here: charitywater.org/LAABS

EPISODE 89

20 Apr 2022

Love as an Inspiration Strategy with Tony Martignetti

This week we are joined by Tony Martignetti, Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspired Purpose Coaching to talk about (you guessed it) inspiration! How do we stay inspired in our careers and how do we inspire others? Check it out now!

EPISODE 88

13 Apr 2022

Love as a Recruiting Strategy with Casey Hasten

Like it or not, we are living in a candidate's market when it comes to hiring and recruiting. Casey Hasten is a seasoned recruiter and talks to us about how she seeks first to love her candidates so that they can find their dream job.

EPISODE 87

06 Apr 2022

Love as a Networking Strategy with Frank Agin

To expert networker, Frank Agin, networking and leadership are closely related. We have a fun conversation this week about how success as a leader and success as a networker both come down to one thing: serving others. Check it out!

EPISODE 86

30 Mar 2022

Love as a Spiritual Strategy with Mark Silver

This week we turn our philosophy of 'Love as a Business Strategy' on its head and discuss what 'Business as a Love Strategy' would look like. Business healer, Mark Silver, gets vulnerable with us about how having a spiritual practice has not only benefited him, but many other business leaders.

EPISODE 85

23 Mar 2022

Love as a Resilience Strategy with Dr. Trish Berg

This week we are joined by Dr. Trish Berg, a professor at Heidelberg University and author with a rich career in business. We dive into the topic of resilience and try to understand what makes a company and an individual truly resilient. You won't want to miss this one.

EPISODE 84

18 Mar 2022

Love as a Gig Worker Strategy with Trevor Theunissen

We're always talking about love as a business strategy in terms of the "standard workplace", but this week's guest brings a totally different perspective. Trevor Theunissen discusses with us the impact that love can have on the countless people in the gig economy based on his experience at Shipt and Uber.

EPISODE 83

10 Mar 2022

LAABS Bookclub: Chapter One

This week, we take you behind the scenes of Chapter One from our Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Love as a Business Strategy. Maggie and Chris go over their little episode on vulnerability. Tune in!

EPISODE 82

03 Mar 2022

Love as a STEM Strategy with Suna Lumeh

This week we are joined by Suna Lumeh, the co-founder and scientist at Aja Labs. We discuss how love is incorporated, or not, in the world of research and development. You won't want to miss this one.

EPISODE 81

23 Feb 2022

Love as a Dramatic Strategy with Katie McLaughlin

This week, we are joined by Katie McLaughlin, the creator of the McLaughlin Method, to talk to us about her unique approach to executive coaching. Katie uses her background in theatre and acting to build empathy and emotional intelligence within organizations. We think you're going to enjoy this one.

EPISODE 80

16 Feb 2022

Love as a Great Strategy with Audrey Lloyd

This week we are joined by Audrey D. Lloyd, a transformation expert and author. We get to talk about her upcoming book and dissect the question 'what are you great at?' in order to increase engagement in the workplace. We hope you enjoy!

EPISODE 79

10 Feb 2022

LAABS Bookclub The Foreword

Join us for a new series that we're kicking off called LAABS Bookclub where we deep dive into every chapter of our Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Love as a Business Strategy. We go behind the scenes into what inspired each chapter and offer never-before-heard insights and stories that you won't want to miss.

EPISODE 78

02 Feb 2022

Love as a Middle Management Strategy

This week we are joined by our own Maggie McClurkin and Chelsie Atkinson. They join us in a conversation around what culture looks like from the perspective of middle management and what unique challenges that come with these types of roles. It's a conversation that gets deep real fast, so you won't want to miss it.

EPISODE 77

27 Jan 2022

Love as a Compassion Strategy with Gissele and David Taraba

We always love getting to talk with people who are working alongside us to bring humanity back to the workplace. Gissele and David Taraba are co-owners of the Maitri Centre for Love and Compassion. They bring the concept of compassion to the equation along with some insights that you won't want to miss.

EPISODE 76

19 Jan 2022

Love as an Inclusion Strategy with Gena Cox

This week's guest is Gena Cox, an organizational psychologist and executive coach. She brings her wisdom to a very insightful conversation we had around leadership, inclusion, and organizational culture in today's workplace. Her stories are extremely applicable and her expertise is undeniable.

EPISODE 75

12 Jan 2022

Love as a Psychological Safety Strategy with Mehmet Baha

If you've been looking for a deep dive on psychological safety, then look no further. We were joined by Mehmet Baha who has trained hundreds of leaders across the globe on the importance of psychological safety. Take a listen in order to gain some practical tips that you can apply to yourself and your teams

EPISODE 74

05 Jan 2022

Love as an Emotional Intelligence Strategy with Stephen Barth

This week we are joined by Stephen Barth, a professor, lawyer, and founder of HospitalityLawyer.com who shares some incredible insights with us from his over 30 years of teaching leadership. He breaks down with us why emotional intelligence in the workplace is so important, and we promise you, you'll want to take notes.

EPISODE 73

29 Dec 2021

Love as an Empowerment Strategy with Adette C. Contreras

Today's episode is a conversation with Adette C. Contreras, a CEO and entrepreneur who runs two companies at once. We dig into the conversation of culture in her roles and, specifically, what genuine empowerment looks like within both of her organizations. This is a particularly great listen if you work in a service-based industry. We hope you enjoy!

EPISODE 72

22 Dec 2021

Love as a Women in Leadership Strategy with Johanna Pagonis

Johanna Pagonis is the Founder and CEO of Sinogap Solutions. She is a podcaster, author, and entrepreneur and she joins us today to discuss an important topic: women in the workplace and women in leadership. Johanna is passionate about helping people understand the number of challenges that women face every day in the corporate world. We hope you enjoy this important discussion as much as we did.

EPISODE 71

15 Dec 2021

Love as a Reliability Strategy with James Kovacevic

When we say that we believe in bringing humanity back to the workplace, we mean to any and all workplaces. Today's guest, James Kovacevic, is an expert in maintenance and reliability in the world of manufacturing. In this week's episode, we have a conversation about what love in the workplace looks like from his lens.

EPISODE 70

08 Dec 2021

Love as a Change Strategy with Loubna Noureddin

Today's episode is focused on change and how to create sustainable change that sticks. We invited Loubna Noureddin, an expert in change, to share her wisdom from living through two civil wars and working within healthcare systems.

EPISODE 69

01 Dec 2021

Love as an Unstuck Strategy with Jon Dwoskin

If you've ever felt stuck in your business or leadership, today's episode is for you. Jon Dwoskin is a business coach who helps leaders get unstuck and grow their business. We ask him what role love plays into that equation.

EPISODE 68

17 Nov 2021

Love as an Adversity Strategy with Dustin DeVries

Dustin DeVries is a business owner who went through a life-changing event that put his business and its people to the test. In this episode, Dustin shares his personal struggle through that adversity and how it shaped the way he leads his business.

EPISODE 67

10 Nov 2021

Love as an Authentic Strategy with Michael Seaver

This week we are joined by Michael Seaver, an award-winning executive coach, leadership consultant, speaker, and author. Just like us, he is working tirelessly to bring humanity back to the workplace through his own data-backed methodology. Check out this episode and find out why we felt like a match made in heaven.

EPISODE 66

03 Nov 2021

Love as a Business Strategy with SHR

In this unique episode, Chris has a reunion with one of his old bosses, Rod Jiminez, who is the CEO of SHR. Rod showed Chris early on in his career what love as a business strategy could look like. Join us as we go on this walk down memory lane.

EPISODE 65

27 Oct 2021

Love as an Authentic Leadership Strategy

This week, we are joined by Roxanne Derhodge, a registered psychotherapist and corporate consultant that specializes in helping senior leaders develop authentic leadership. We get the opportunity to dig into our own personal questions and Roxanne shares her wisdom with us. You won't want to miss this one.

EPISODE 64

13 Oct 2021

How to Be Inclusive in the Hiring Process

We get to sit down with our very own, Chris Pitre, this week to grill him on a question that is plaguing many of us today: how can we be more inclusive in the hiring process? Chris shares with us his insights on how the recruitment process is where to start.

EPISODE 63

06 Oct 2021

Love as a Business Strategy with Jet Dental

This week we are joined by CEO and Co-Founder of Jet Dental, Jordan Smith. Jet Dental is an incredibly unique business that does pop-up dental offices for workplaces. Even more interesting is the values and culture that drive the business forward.

EPISODE 62

29 Sep 2021

It Doesn't Have to Be Lonely at the Top

We've all heard the truth that the higher up you go in a company, the lonelier it gets; but it doesn't have to be that way. We discuss how to avoid finding yourself lonely at the top in this week's episode.

EPISODE 61

22 Sep 2021

Love as a Remarkable Strategy

Denise Cooper specializes in executive coaching and leadership training. In this week's episode she shares some relatable stories with us around the realities of trust in the workplace, what it means to be human, how to look at your own values, and the topic of redemption. Buckle up and enjoy the show.

EPISODE 60

08 Sep 2021

Love as a Work-Life Balance Strategy

If you've ever used the term "work-life balance", this episode is for you. At Softway, we believe in something a little different. In this episode we break down the concept of work-life integration and why it is necessary to building a healthy workplace culture.

EPISODE 59

01 Sep 2021

Love as a Recruitment Strategy

Today we get a chance to sit down with Alka who works with us in our Bangalore office. We have a raw and honest conversation with her about the realities of HR and recruitment not only in our own company, but for all businesses alike.

EPISODE 58

25 Aug 2021

Love as a Tough Strategy

In today's episode we sit down with founder of WGNinHR Consulting, Joanne Rencher where she shares her experience with coaching executive leaders. We dig into what works and what doesn't work and, as always, test our hypothesis of love against what she's seen.

EPISODE 57

18 Aug 2021

Love as a Change Management Strategy

In today's episode, we get to pick the brain of an organizational change management expert, Harlan Hammack. We discuss what it really takes to have a successful culture change initiative inside of your organization. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

EPISODE 56

04 Aug 2021

It's been over a year since businesses all over the world shifted their attention to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues more seriously than ever before. But the question is, have things really changed? We discuss this and the reality of DEI in the workplace today in this week's episode.

EPISODE 55

28 Jul 2021

Love as a Remote Work Strategy

In today's episode, we come together to take an honest look at the state of the workplace in a somewhat post-pandemic world. With job resignations at an all-time high, we wanted to break it down and share our different perspectives on how businesses and business leaders should be adapting. You won't want to miss it.

EPISODE 54

21 Jul 2021

Love as an Advocacy Strategy

This week we are joined by Katharine English, a leader at Google Cloud. We have some insightful and important conversations around women in tech, inclusion in the workplace, and how DEI should be addressed today. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

EPISODE 53

14 Jul 2021

Love as a Travel Strategy

This week we are joined by Olga and Ivan, founders of the travel company YouTravel.me. They share their story of how a really bad travel experience led to the realization that travel requires empathy and how the love of exploration can bring people together. Check it out now.

EPISODE 52

07 Jul 2021

Love as an Empathetic Healthcare Strategy

This week we sit down with Soojin Jun. She shares a powerful story of personal loss and her deep desire to bring empathy back to every component of healthcare.

EPISODE 51

30 Jun 2021

Love as a Legacy Strategy

This is an episode we have been excited about releasing for a long time. We are joined by Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, the CEO of Harris Health System in Harris County, Texas. He vulnerably discusses with us the legacy of love that he hopes to leave behind in his organization and how he tries to practice love every day.

EPISODE 50

23 Jun 2021

LAABS: Remember the Seneca Pilot?

This week we're joined by two of Softway's Associate Directors who were a part of the inception of our leadership transformation experience, Seneca Leaders. We dig deep into some of our biggest learnings from that time and discuss what real empowerment looks like.

EPISODE 49

16 Jun 2021

LAABS: Remember When Frank Missed That Meeting?

This week we take a trip down Softway's memory lane to discuss an incident that played out, have some fun with it, talk about how that what that meant to us in terms of, of culture, our learnings and our personal growth.

EPISODE 48

09 Jun 2021

Love as a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy with JeVon McCormick

We’re back again this week with a crowd favorite: CEO of Scribe Media, JeVon McCormick. This week, we really dive into diversity and inclusion in the corporate workplace. We talk about what it is and what it isn’t as well as what it helpful and hurtful in business. You won’t want to miss this one.

EPISODE 47

02 Jun 2021

Love as a Business Strategy with Southwest Airlines

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Former Managing Director of Culture at Southwest Airlines, Cheryl Hughey. We had an incredible conversation about how love permeates every facet of business at Southwest and how it has become their competitive advantage.

EPISODE 46

26 May 2021

Love as a Happy Teams Strategy

Owner and Lead Teams Coach of Happy Teams, Catrina Ballard, joined us this week to talk about all things culture. Catrina has vast experience in coaching leaders and entrepreneurs on how to build effective teams. This episode felt like a bunch of old friends gathering around for a chat. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

EPISODE 45

19 May 2021

Love as a Left-Brained Strategy

This week Dr. Andrew Kim, upcoming author and CEO of Culture 'n Strategy, joins us to share his journey on improving culture from a left brain. He turned his journey into a strategy for other leaders who understand and value logic, especially in a landscape that centers on emotion, behavior, and non-linear processes. "Love as a Left-Brained Strategy" gives a good look into how to change culture for those who lean on logic first to solve business problems.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 44

12 May 2021

Love as a Teaching Strategy

Ever heard the phrase "love is the best motivator"? Our guest this week, Mike Yates, has found this to be true first-hand with his experience in education. His philosophy is to get kids to love school and then the rest will take care of itself. 'Love as a Teaching Strategy' may be about school, but we'll guarantee you will find insights for your business. Take a listen now!

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 43

04 May 2021

Love as a Culture Building Strategy

This week we had the privilege of sitting down with James Walker, SVP, Digital Innovation Practice Lead in Weber Shandwick’s Washington, D.C. office and have a conversation about culture and the internal side of things. We were able to dig deep on topics of how a leadership team thinks of their employees, in terms of goals, platforms and outcomes. We hope that you enjoy this episode!

EPISODE 42

27 Apr 2021

Love as a Business Strategy: The Book

Writing a book has been a dream of ours for many years, and we can't believe that we can finally say it has come to fruition. Join us as we discuss and celebrate our new book Love as a Business Strategy: Resilience, Belonging & Success on the day of its launch and make sure to snag your copy today.

For more information and to purchase the book, visit LoveAsABusinessStrategy.com.

EPISODE 41

20 Apr 2021

Love as a Health Informatics Strategy

This week, we're joined by Siraj Anwar, Sr. Vice President and Chief Health Informatics Officer at Harris Health System as well as Dr. Rod Brace and Dr. Michael Shabot of Relia Healthcare Advisors to discuss the role of informatics in driving leadership behaviors for high reliability. And as always, we dive into what love has to do with all of this.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 40

13 Apr 2021

LAABS: Remember Softway's Darkest Day?

It was 2015 and it was a day we would rather never remember. But in true LAABS form, we are going to talk about it publicly. Journey back with us to the day that could have been the end of our business and culture as we now it.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 39

08 Apr 2021

Love as a Business Strategy with Scribe Media

What do the son of a pimp, a publishing company, and love have to do with each other? Find out in this week's episode where we are joined by President and CEO of Scribe Media, JeVon "JT" McCormick. He gets real with us as we discuss why people always come first in his organization. This episode will leave you wanting more.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 38

30 Mar 2021

LAABS: Remember when Jeff was a bad boss?

Continuing our trip down memory lane, we invited two project managers, Ashley and Erin, onto the show this week to revisit their experience with Jeff as their boss before he started his behavior transformation journey. It’s awkward but it’s good. Take a listen!

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 37

26 Mar 2021

LAABS: Remember When That One Email Destroyed Our Culture?

This week, we're kicking off a new series where we all take a trip down memory lane and think back on some of the stories that defined our old culture. Before our transformation, we have moments that we look back on and cringe, and we want to re-live those moments with our listeners. We don't want to give too much away, but this one is about a particular strongly-worded email that Mohammad sent in 2015 (and apparently his CAPS LOCK WAS BROKEN). Take a listen to find out what got him so fired up.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 36

02 Mar 2021

Love as a Behavior Transformation Strategy

The reality is that 70% of culture transformations fail. But why? In this week's episode, we unpack our experiences with leaders and organizations that contribute to failed culture initiatives, and discuss how Softway's products and services bridge the gap and pave the way for real change in your organization.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 35

23 Feb 2021

Love as a Commitment Strategy

While there are a million reasons to invest in your company's people and culture, there are always going to be reasons not to. This week, we dig into some of the common excuses we commonly hear about why business leaders choose not to take on a culture transformation in their organization. This may just be our saltiest episode yet.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 34

16 Feb 2021

Love as an Uncomfortable Strategy

This week we had the privilege of sitting down with Victor Scotti, Chief Inspiration Officer of Moving Mountains LLC and former Google team member, to have a raw conversation about equity and diversity in the workplace. We were able to dig deep on topics of introspection, self efficacy, and opportunity when it comes to race and non-dominant groups. This episode is meant to spark conversation and make you look inward on some of these topics. We hope that you enjoy this episode with an open heart and an open mind.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 33

09 Feb 2021

Love as a System Strategy

Joining us this week is author and consultant, Dan Edds. Dan discusses his research with us on how building a system centered around love, respect, and purpose could be the key to improving a high impact organization's culture and even how it can save lives. From healthcare to the military, Dan has seen how love is the answer to a lot of organization's leadership problems.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 32

02 Feb 2021

Love as a B2E Strategy

You've heard of B2B and B2C, but you've probably never heard of B2E or Business to Employee. At Softway, we create solutions that are employee-first in order to build more resilient workforces and higher performing organizations. In this week's episode, we outline why a B2E solution may just be what your company needs in order to succeed.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 31

26 Jan 2021

Love as a Business Strategy with JMMB Group

This week, we have the Chief Marketing Officer of the JMMB Group, Kerry-Ann Stimpson, joining us to explain how love can be evident in the most unlikely of places: the banking industry. JMMB Group was founded on love and is still practiced daily with their employees, clients, and shareholders. Listen now to this deep dive on the JMMB Group and all that they're doing to spread the love.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 30

12 Jan 2021

Love as an Empathy Strategy

Empathy is at the center of everything we talk about at Love as a Business Strategy. If you don’t have empathy for the person sitting next to you at work, you are potentially missing out on untapped potential and innovation. In this episode, we explore what true empathy looks like in the workplace and why you should start practicing it now.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 29

05 Jan 2021

Love as a Forgiveness Strategy

Why is it important to learn about forgiveness in the workplace? Because it is one of the most important things about our humanity. Unforgiveness in business can lead to inefficiencies, lack of innovation, and profit loss. In this week's episode, we unpack why unforgiveness is the silent killer in an organization's culture.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 28

22 Dec 2020

Love as a Humanizing Initiative Part 3

This week, we are joined again by the Humanizing Initiative to continue our conversation around humanistic leadership. We discuss the process of unlearning and relearning together as we examine how we can bring humanity back to the workplace.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 27

15 Dec 2020

Love as a Humanizing Initiative Part 2

This week, we are joined again by the Humanizing Initiative to continue our conversation around humanistic leadership. We use this episode to examine the problem statement that many businesses are facing: why is what we're learning wrong?

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 26

08 Dec 2020

Love as a Public Health Strategy

Communities are what build up our society, and a strong community is built by looking out for the person next to you. In this week's episode, we talk with Alisa Howard, a public health servant leader, to discuss trust and love within a community. Think this doesn't apply to business? Think again.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 25

01 Dec 2020

Love as a Nice Strategy

This week, we were joined by Marc Effron, best-selling author and founder of the Talent Strategy Group to talk about why "nice" cultures are not good for your business. Sometimes love means saying the tough things to your teammates, and that is often the nicest thing you can do for someone.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 24

24 Nov 2020

Love as an Internship Strategy

In this week's episode, we are joined by Katherine Taylor, Executive Director of Genesys Works Houston, to talk about what love and inclusion have to do with corporate internships. We discuss equity of opportunity, the power of a network, and how major corporations are actually benefitting more from their interns than the interns are from them.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 23

17 Nov 2020

Love as a Growth Strategy

This week, we are joined by best-selling author of "Banking on Digital Growth" James Robert Lay to talk about what successful growth looks like within an organization. Why do processes and technologies often fail and why might being purpose-driven be the answer? Find out the answers to these questions now.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 22

10 Nov 2020

Love as a Humanizing Initiative

This week, we're kicking off an exciting collaborative series with The Humanizing Initiative. Their goal is to humanize leaders and organizations in order to cultivate humanistic leadership. In our first episode of this series, we meet the four co-founders and really dive into why The Humanizing Initiative exists.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 21

03 Nov 2020

Love as a Trust Strategy

In this week's episode, we're talking about the elephant in the room: trust. Without it, you will never be able to have a high-performing team, but how do you build trust amongst your co-workers? We answer this question and discuss our experiences with vulnerability-based trust in 'Love as a Trust Strategy'.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 20

27 Oct 2020

Love as a Vulnerability Strategy

Vulnerability is scary, but in the workplace, it's often unheard of. In this episode, we unpack how being vulnerable with your teams will unlock potential and also foster humanity within your organization.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 19

20 Oct 2020

Love as a Healthcare Strategy

Over the past several months, we've seen a resurgence in the need for patient care and well-being with the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe. Dr. Rod Brace, former hospital CEO and founding partner of Relia Healthcare Advisors, joins us to talk about what it takes to create a high-reliability culture.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 18

13 Oct 2020

Love as an Empowerment Strategy

Are you constantly wishing that you had more time in your day? Do you feel like the leaders bear the majority of the workload in your organization? This may not be an issue of time management, but a lack of empowerment. How can you lovingly empower your teams so that you are no longer working late nights and weekend - find out in this episode of Love as a Business Strategy.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 17

06 Oct 2020

Love as a Mentorship Strategy

In this episode, we try to get you to think differently about a simple concept. What makes a good mentor? What role should mentorship play in our lives? What’s the right way to mentor someone, or to be mentored? We dive into all of these things, and share about the role that LOVE plays in all of it.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 16

28 Sep 2020

Love as a Platinum Strategy

Have you heard of the “Platinum Rule”? Our guest in this episode, Kandace Cooks, introduced us to this concept. She has devoted her life and career to following the Platinum Rule, and we have an amazing time diving into this concept - and how we might apply it to our lives. And of course, what’s love got to do with it?

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 15

22 Sep 2020

Love as a Team Strategy

What makes a team effective? How do you build a winning team? We’ve all heard of “High-performing teams”, but what’s the secret-sauce? In this episode, we talk about how we approach building teams, and we also try something different and get into an awkward debate. In the end, of course, we try to uncover the role that LOVE plays in every great team.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 14

15 Sep 2020

Love as a Sales Strategy

How can we have a business podcast without talking about sales? As it turns out, we used to do sales all wrong - so we take this opportunity to really understand the drastic difference between how we used to approach sales vs. how we now apply a little LOVE to the process.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 13

08 Sep 2020

Love as an Equity Strategy

We hear a lot of buzz around diversity and inclusion nowadays, but equity is not talked about as often. How is equity different? Why is it important? In this episode, we have an amazing conversation with the co-hosts of the Dear White Women Podcast, Sara and Misasha. Their expertise, experience, and perspective really shine a light on the topic of equity.

Check out Sara & Misasha's podcast, Dear White Women, at https://www.dearwhitewomen.com/ and everywhere podcasts can be found.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 12

01 Sep 2020

Love as a Feedback Strategy

Let’s talk about the F word. That’s right… Feedback. Something that everybody needs, but not everybody always wants to hear. Why is giving and receiving feedback so hard sometimes? How do we unlock the true potential and benefit of feedback in our life? Through stories and discussion, we try to figure it out together in today’s episode.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 11

25 Aug 2020

Love as a Survival Strategy

In these unprecedented times, many businesses are just looking to survive. But how does a company survive in today’s climate? What’s it going to take? Is just surviving enough? Does love have any role to play in it? We invite an expert in this field, Jeff Brown, to help us answer these questions. With nearly 30 years of experience in building resilient companies, he walks us through his perspective on what surviving as a business really looks like.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 10

18 Aug 2020

Love as a Coaching Strategy

In this very special episode, we get a chance to chat with Jane Figueiredo—World Champion and Olympic medal-winning diving coach and Yulia Pakhalina—European Champion, World Champion, and 5-time Olympic medal-winning diver. We talk about love as a coaching strategy, and draw parallels between performing at the highest level of athletic competition and succeeding in business.

Check out the other episodes, see show notes, transcripts, and more at our website: https://www.softway.com/laabs

EPISODE 9

11 Aug 2020

Love as an Agile Transformation Strategy

Whether you’ve been going Agile for years, or you’re just now starting the transformation - an organization’s journey into Agile is not an easy one. In this episode, we talk about what makes an Agile transformation so difficult and what every business should be focusing on to really make Agile work. Spoiler alert: love might have something to do with it.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 8

31 Jul 2020

Love as a Delicious Strategy

Food is a universal connector of people. Food is at the center of every occasion. Sharing food is akin to sharing a piece of our identity, culture, and affection. When you sit and eat together, and when you eat the same food as others - you grow closer. So how is food connected to business? And what role does Love play in it all? Let's discuss.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 7

24 Jul 2020

Love as an Empathetic Leadership Strategy

How can leaders hold their teams accountable while still maintaining a culture of love? In this episode, we explore what it means to be an Empathetic Leader, and how there’s a very big difference between empathy and sympathy when it comes to the workplace.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 6

17 Jul 2020

Love as an Inclusion Strategy

In this episode, we zoom in on the topic of Inclusion. Specifically, how businesses should be tackling it. D&I is obviously still a hot topic, and many companies are scrambling for actionable results. What’s the right approach to address diversity and inclusion issues in your organization? And of course, where does LOVE fit into the equation? Let’s dive in.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 5

10 Jul 2020

Love as a Technology Strategy

Technology is a part of every modern business, and often an aspect that is approached logically and tactically. So often, it’s made up of zeroes and ones and nothing more. Is there any room for LOVE in something so mechanical? We take on that question and more in this episode!

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 4

03 Jul 2020

Love as a Diversity & Inclusion Strategy

Diversity and Inclusion is at the forefront of many business conversation right now. Not everyone is approaching it the same way. We want to explore the different ways to look at and address D&I in a business - and how LOVE changes the equation.

Addressing D&I in your business might look different from what you'd expect!

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 3

26 Jun 2020

Love as a Digital Transformation Strategy

In this episode, we talk about digital transformation and what it really looks like for companies to go through. And of course, we ask: What role does LOVE play in a business’s digital transformation strategy?

While many companies are focusing on digital strategy, it’s more than just changing your process and tools. The real transformation centers around how your teams work with each other, and how people behave.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 2

12 Jun 2020

How Business Leaders Can Actually Help Black Employees

In this episode, we speak with Chris Pitre, and ask him to share in-depth about 9 questions that businesses leaders can ask themselves to start identifying constructs, biases, and policies that contribute to the mistreatment and mischaracterization of Black employees in their organization.

The article we are referencing (How Business Leaders Can Actually Help Black Employees) can be found here.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

EPISODE 1

12 Jun 2020

Love as a...business strategy?

In our very first episode, we get together and talk about what "Love" means in a business context.

We introduce the concept, and share what our experience has been in making this applicable to our business.

See the video version here.

Find out more about about our show and check out other episodes, transcripts, newsletters, and more at https://www.softway.com/laabs.

Episode 56: