Have you ever been told something, but felt deep in your bones, “hummm I’m not sure about that?”, but didn’t dare question it because it came from you boss or someone in power and you thought “oh, they must be right”. Or maybe been told something and immediately felt small or less than and then later wondered - “wait? I remember that differently?” Followed by “Oh no, I must be the crazy one, I’d better not screw up again”. In our latest episode of the People Impact Podcast, we dive deep into the...
Apr 18, 2025•32 min•Season 10Ep. 8
This week, we're exploring a concept that is fundamental yet often overlooked in our daily interactions— the Social Contract. This idea, though abstract, plays a crucial role in understanding the dynamics of toxic leadership and the subtle ways it can manifest in organizations. ”In the gray areas of unwritten social contracts, toxic leaders find their playground—where chaos breeds control and logic is left in the dust." To join our Inclusion Community Call click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/mee...
Apr 07, 2025•14 min•Season 10Ep. 7
“True leadership isn't about wielding power over others; it's about harnessing the collective strength of a team to create a thriving ecosystem where everyone can shine." Welcome to the second bonus edition of Notes from the Field. This week I've been reflecting on the dynamics of leadership and the stark contrast between "power over" and "power with" leadership paradigms. In today's complicated and messy world, understanding these concepts is crucial for fostering healthy, sustainable work envi...
Mar 27, 2025•13 min•Season 10Ep. 6
"In a world where chaos reigns, toxic leaders thrive. It's time to unveil the truth behind the power grab and reclaim effective leadership." As we navigate through these challenging times, it's crucial to understand the patterns of toxic leadership and how they can impact our organizations. I've been reflecting on the difference between effective and toxic leadership, especially in the face of chaos and uncertainty. You can take action now and either join an Inclusive Leadership Community Meetin...
Mar 14, 2025•13 min•Season 10Ep. 5
Have you ever been in an organization where things felt off, but you just didn’t know why? You complained and vented, and no matter how much you vented, it just stuck to you? You felt like it wasn’t safe to speak your mind, but you weren’t sure why? You felt exhausted and taken advantage of, but that was the norm? You felt ignored and like your practical suggestions just weren’t not heard or welcome? Or maybe you felt like your skill or talent were accepted or approved on a variable and conditio...
Mar 07, 2025•37 min•Season 10Ep. 4
Have you ever felt like the rug was ripped right out from under you at work? Things were going well, really well…then boom you are left on the curb blindsided and dismayed. Hero to zero? It’s possible it may have just been bad luck, or it may have been a part of a toxic workplace pattern. In this People Impact Podcast episode, Ann Betz and Lisa Dempsey into the complexities of workplace toxicity and the insidious IDD cycle: Idealization, Devaluing, and Discard. Understanding these patterns is cr...
Jan 28, 2025•35 min•Season 10Ep. 3
Welcome to the first full episode of the new season of the People Impact Podcast! We are so excited to start taking this deep dive into exploring toxicity in the workplace. We are even more excited to welcome our new co-host Ann Betz!! Please join us in welcoming Ann to the podcast and share your thoughts on this new episode in the comments below. In this episode Ann and Lisa share their personal experiences with toxic workplaces and toxic leadership. We also discuss the impact of toxicity on in...
Nov 25, 2024•33 min•Season 10Ep. 1
It is a New Season and we’re thrilled to finally bring you some exciting updates! Today marks a significant transition for our podcast. After months of anticipation, we are ready to unveil our new direction. Marjolijn Vlug, our beloved co-host, has decided to step down as she has decided to shift her professional focus and realign her priorities. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for her invaluable contributions over the past six years. Marjolijn’s insights and wisdom have truly shaped ...
Oct 21, 2024•14 min•Season 10Ep. 1
It’s ok to work hard, but what if working hard wasn’t the ONLY option? In this People Impact Podcast episode, Lisa had the pleasure of hosting Wouter Smeets, founder of Life-Centric Work Lab, as our special guest. Wouter shared his unique perspective on work and life, challenging traditional beliefs and advocating for a life-centric approach to work. 🚀 A New Perspective on Work-Life Balance Wouter’s approach to work-life balance goes beyond the traditional notion, focusing on creating a life-ce...
Aug 19, 2024•31 min•Season 9Ep. 8
It’s really difficult to be a leader in the world right now. One of the things that can really make it easier: increasing relational intelligence in organizations. In this People Impact Podcast, Lisa Dempsey and Alita Watson dive into the world of embedded coaching and how it can increase relational intelligence inside organizations. Alita comes from a background in global aid and eventually transitioned into the world of coaching and leadership development. As we delve into this complex topic, ...
Jul 19, 2024•34 min•Season 9Ep. 7
We often talk ourselves into believing that growth is something that just happens. Almost as if growth is automatic and just unfolds - like magic. ✨ In this episode, Lisa Dempsey sits down with Jesse (Jesus) Hernandez to discuss his transformative journey and what he has learned about what real growth takes. Jesse shares his journey and insights gained from his experiences. From being an apprentice plumber to starting his own business, Jesse's story is one of growth, learning, and embracing disc...
Jun 18, 2024•29 min•Season 9Ep. 6
Have you ever felt like you are working in a complex, yet primitive place? You are not alone. Drew Jones is a cultural anthropologist and workplace strategy consultant who studies workplaces through the lens of anthropology. In this episode we explore the overlap between business and cultural anthropology and the importance of understanding and influencing organizational culture. Drew emphasizes the need for creating conditions for culture to develop organically, and provides examples of compani...
May 16, 2024•37 min•Season 9Ep. 5
Have you ever paused and asked yourself “where did I learn that belief” with the powerful follow up of “AND IS IT TRUE?” In this insightful episode Joshua Berry and Lisa dive into the concept of limiting beliefs and the impact they have on personal and professional growth. Joshua shares his personal journey of recognizing and overcoming limiting beliefs, and the impact it had on his life and career. Joshua also shares practical tools and approaches he uses as a seasoned advisor to help individua...
Apr 15, 2024•34 min•Season 9Ep. 4
Hey Listeners! Lisa here with a quick update and important request. Tune in to fund out more!
Mar 26, 2024•2 min
“How did you feel when you realised that?” “I must say, I finally felt happy with it. This is making me happy because this makes sense.” In this new episode we dive deep with Paul ter Wal , a former lawyer turned leadership developer and professional speaker who is reshaping the workplace through his motto, Happiness Makes Money: the well-being of employees isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have for business profitability. Paul shares his development journey from old-school top-down manager...
Mar 01, 2024•29 min•Season 9Ep. 3
The right words at the right time can make all the difference—not just in business but life itself. On this episode, we unravel the concept of radical candour developed by Kim Scott. Radical candour isn't a tool as much as a commitment to authentic conversations that drive meaningful change. It invites us to balance truth with care in the words we use. It is a feedback mechanism and more: a transformative approach to your interactions. We also place radical candour in a cultural perspective; ack...
Feb 09, 2024•33 min•Season 9Ep. 2
The thing with burnout is… you’re largely unaware of it until it happens to you. When we’re ambitious, we’re driven by goals and metrics. Financial success denoted by things and the balance in your bank account. Who are you, in the journey towards that result you’re aiming for? Julian Reeve shares his experiences and wisdom with us in this episode. He's shaping the way organizations tackle stress and burnout and his story is a deeply human wake-up call for work-life harmony. Julian journeyed fro...
Jan 18, 2024•29 min•Season 9Ep. 1
In today's fast-paced corporate world, the term ‘toxic work culture’ is more than just a buzzword; it's a reality that can deeply impact both individual well-being and organizational health. This deep dive into workplace dynamics ties together the recognition that toxicity isn't just about individual burnout or interpersonal conflicts; it can be embedded in structures and policies with ripple effects that shape our daily work lives. From one bad apple or a single poor manager, to performance rev...
Dec 29, 2023•31 min•Season 8Ep. 17
What is your work in the world? Irene Riad is a multinational, multicultural executive coach and organizational culture coach (ICF PCC) who specializes in leadership transformation, complex drama recovery coaching and Jungian psychology coaching. She is also the founder of SIGHTcet, the Self Mastery Coaching Institute. Her mission is supporting leaders to live their legacy through their work: the authentic expression of the whole of who you are. With her coachees she peels a little bit more of t...
Dec 08, 2023•27 min•Season 8Ep. 14
“My mission is to pick apart what women did who have succeeded – and success is defined by making it to the C-suite at these very, very large companies where the deck is stacked against her, but she still made it. And what I found is, these women, even if they don't call it positive emotion, tapped into positive emotion to make it through.” Join us in this conversation with executive coach and three-time best-selling author L. Michelle Smith as we delve into leadership dynamics, corporate cultur...
Nov 17, 2023•37 min•Season 8Ep. 15
Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) isn't about isolated targets; it needs to be intertwined into every action we take as an organization. The broccoli gets bakes into the casserole to make the whole better and healthier. Maria Morukian works with with people who, whether it's their formal or informal role, lead the systemic change for diversity, equity and inclusion. She also works with organisations to really embed the concepts of equity, justice and inclusion into the organizatio...
Oct 30, 2023•32 min•Season 8Ep. 12
David Liddle doesn’t beat about the bush as he identifies the root cause of toxicity in organisations: organisations get the culture and behaviours they deserve. In order to create a turnaround, transformational justice is what David works towards. David is the Chief Exec and founder of a consultancy called the TCM Group, which specialises in conflict resolution, culture change and leadership development programmes. Throughout his career he has focused on initiatives that promote mediation and m...
Oct 06, 2023•30 min•Season 8Ep. 13
How can we look at unconscious bias in the workplace from a different perspective, so that we can address it more effectively? Buki Mosaku is the founder of DiverseCity Think Tank, workplace bias expert, and author of ‘I Don’t Understand: Navigating Unconscious Bias in the Workplace’. We talk with him about what’s working and what isn’t in terms of addressing workplace bias. His big eye-opener message: rather than a one-sided, siloed approach that splits people into camps, choose a multidirectio...
Sep 19, 2023•34 min•Season 8Ep. 12
Ann Betz is an expert on evidence-based neuroscience, human development and coaching, and she’s here to talk about toxic workplace culture and toxic personalities. On the one hand, when coaches work with a coachee sitting in front of us, we focus on that person and what they want do differently in their lives. On the other hand, sometimes people are in systems where it is not up to them at all to get better at something, it’s the situation and work relationships that are toxic. Being in a toxic ...
Aug 24, 2023•32 min•Season 8Ep. 11
Irene Anggreeni is a dedicated coach who specializes in mental health topics, fostering better self-care and sustainable success for both leaders and their teams. As an advocate for mental health, she works to remove the stigma surrounding it. Her own life experiences have been formative in shaping her approach. Her work is deeply heartfelt and driven by her personal story. In her pursuit of validation as a valuable member of society as an engineer, she pushed herself to the brink until she was ...
Aug 03, 2023•28 min•Season 8Ep. 10
So many people in this world do not perceive themselves as creative, and yet our creativity is the primary tool that we use to navigate change. You are actually being creative, every day. David Chislett helps us understand how creativity is our primary tool for embracing change and unlocking new possibilities in our lives. David is a change pilot: he helps people and teams activate behaviours and activities within themselves that allow them to deal better with the inevitable process of change. S...
Jul 13, 2023•27 min•Season 8Ep. 9
Let’s get honest about FOFO. No, not fomo, the fear of missing out (not even jomo, the joy of missing out). We’re talking about FOFO: The Fear Of Finding Out. The fear of finding out what’s actually going on. The fear of finding out what’s actually going on rather than how it should be happening according to all of your policies and procedures and theories and rule books. As helpful as they’re meant to be, looking at those is not the same as gaining insight into, and dealing with, the real situa...
Jun 24, 2023•27 min•Season 8Ep. 8
A great way to improve the quality – and effectiveness – of your conversations is to have more coach-like conversations. In this episode we give you five essential skills and tools that will change the quality of your conversations, your work communications and interactions. The simple fact is, if you treat people like children, they will behave like children but when you treat people knowing that they are naturally creative, resourceful and whole human beings that you know they are – and that t...
Jun 02, 2023•36 min•Season 8Ep. 7
In a world where societal expectations for men – to be strong, confident, composed, capable – are still prevalent, it can be challenging to break away and courageously embrace authenticity. Life coach Yaniv Shein works mainly with men, facilitating men's groups for youth and adults. In this new episode he shares his philosophy on ‘what it means to be a man’ and the challenges men face in finding their path. A never-ending question that is always present and evolving. Yaniv shares his personal jo...
May 15, 2023•38 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Be intentional about inviting everyone to speak in your group meetings and reap the reward. Yep, that’s the gist of this episode. It’s that simple. To help you start and keep doing this, we talk about how and why this works – and how to make it a habit. Work results are better when people get to introduce themselves: research shows that when medical team members introduce themselves by name in an operating room, this can reduce complications. It is not necessarily because people share their name...
Apr 21, 2023•31 min•Season 8Ep. 5
