The video explores the concept of authentic leadership, emphasizing that true leadership is not about perfection or control but about presence, courage, and being genuine. Authentic leaders embrace vulnerability and imperfection, which builds trust, psychological safety, and a sense of belonging within teams. Leadership rooted in fear and control, described as “armored leadership,” stifles creativity and damages trust, whereas authentic leadership fosters cultures where people feel safe to take risks and innovate. The foundation of authentic leadership lies in self-awareness and aligning actions with values, closing the “credibility gap” between words and deeds to maintain trust and engagement. Ethical cultures emerge when leaders live their values daily and co-create guidelines with their teams, reinforcing behaviors through curiosity and learning rather than blame. Psychological safety, created by leaders who model vulnerability and encourage openness, enables teams to challenge the status quo and thrive through collaboration and innovation. Engagement results from deep connection to meaningful work, nurtured by leaders who recognize contributions and connect work to a larger purpose. Ultimately, authentic leadership is essential for building resilient, high-performing teams and workplaces where people feel proud and motivated to belong. Highlights 💡 Authentic leadership is about presence, courage, and leading with your true, imperfect self. 🔥 Courage over comfort: authentic leaders lean into discomfort for growth. 🤝 Trust is built when leaders’ actions align with their words, closing the credibility gap. 🌱 Ethical cultures grow from leaders who live their values and co-create standards with their teams. 🛡️ Psychological safety is key to innovation, created by leaders who model vulnerability and curiosity. 🚀 Engagement stems from connection to purpose and genuine recognition. 💖 Authentic leadership fosters workplaces where people feel proud, safe, and motivated to contribute. Key Insights 🌟 Authenticity as a leadership imperative: Authentic leadership rejects the outdated notion of flawless, in-control leaders and instead prioritizes presence and courage. This shift reflects modern organizational needs for adaptability and emotional intelligence, highlighting that leadership effectiveness is deeply tied to honesty and vulnerability. 🔍 The credibility gap undermines organizational potential: When leaders’ words do not match their actions, trust deteriorates rapidly. This gap leads to disengagement, cynicism, and a lack of psychological safety, which in turn stifles innovation and performance. 🌐 Values must be lived and co-created to be meaningful: Corporate values often become meaningless slogans unless leaders embody them daily and involve their teams in defining what those values look like in practice. 🧠 Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams: Authentic leaders create environments where team members feel safe to express vulnerability, admit mistakes, and challenge norms without fear of judgment or retaliation. 💬 Vulnerability models trust and encourages openness: Leaders who openly acknowledge their mistakes and invite collective learning set a tone of curiosity rather than blame. 🎯 Engagement is driven by meaningful connection, not just morale: True engagement emerges when employees see their work connected to a larger purpose, receive genuine recognition, and feel their contributions matter. 🌈 The legacy of authentic leadership is a resilient, proud, and high-performing culture: By integrating authenticity, ethical behavior, and psychological safety, leaders build workplaces that not only achieve results but also foster belonging and pride. #AuthenticLeadership #OrganizationalCulture #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety #EthicalLeadership OUTLINE: 00:00:00 - Being Real in a World That Asks Us to Fake It 00:01:20 - When Words and Actions Don't Align 00:02:28 - How Authentic Leaders Forge Ethical Cultures 00:03:35 - Creating Psychological Safety for Brave Work 00:04:44 - How Authenticity Fuels Engagement and Success

Unlock the Secret to Job Interview Success with expert insights from Dr. Jonathan H. Westover! This 5-minute video dives deep into mastering the crucial question, "Why do you want to work here?" Discover how thoughtful preparation, company research, and authentic storytelling can set candidates apart in today's competitive job market. Learn practical tips for highlighting relevant skills, demonstrating cultural fit, and articulating mutual benefits to impress hiring managers. Organizations will also find actionable strategies to empower their talent through mock interviews, mentorship, and internal resources. Whether you're a candidate or a recruiter, this guide provides a proven framework to navigate one of the most pivotal interview moments confidently. Like and share to help others unlock their career potential today! #JobInterviewTips #CareerAdvice #InterviewSuccess #TalentManagement #HiringStrategies OUTLINE: 00:00:00 - What Employers Really Want to Know 00:01:43 - Research is Your Best Friend 00:02:20 - The Four Key Ingredients 00:04:22 - Sample Answers for Real-World Jobs 00:06:31 - Gaining Confidence for Interview Day

Abstract: This article examines how organizational culture impacts employee engagement levels. The article defines culture as the shared values and norms that guide behavior in a workplace, and engagement as an employee's willingness to contribute discretionary effort to their work. A review of research finds that cultures with active drivers of engagement, like a clear purpose, opportunities for growth, recognition, autonomy, and input, tend to have higher employee engagement, productivity, retention, and other positive business outcomes compared to disengaging cultures. The article then provides examples of strategies companies have used to cultivate these cultural pillars in areas such as onboarding, mentorship programs, recognition programs, flexible work policies, and soliciting employee feedback. The article concludes that culture is a key lever for leaders to motivate employees and unlock their full potential to benefit organizational performance.

A company’s culture represents its unique personality, shaped by shared beliefs, behaviors, and values that guide employee actions and interactions. At the heart of this culture are the values exemplified by leadership, which influence everything from strategic decisions to daily conduct. Authentic leadership, where actions align with stated values, fosters trust, respect, and a unified environment. Conversely, when leadership fails to embody these values, trust deteriorates, morale drops, and productivity suffers. Highlights 🔑 Culture is the unique personality and shared mindset of an organization, rooted in leadership values. 🌟 Authentic leadership that “walks the talk” builds trust, respect, and employee empowerment. ⚠️ Disconnect between stated values and actions erodes trust, damages morale, and stifles innovation. 🎯 Intentional culture-building requires embedding leadership values into every organizational process. 📚 Training misaligned with values wastes resources, causes disengagement, and drives turnover. 🚀 Value-driven training fosters psychological safety, employee engagement, and superior client relationships. 🔄 Continuous reinforcement of values through leadership involvement and aligned performance management ensures lasting cultural transformation. Key Insights 🌍 Culture Reflects Leadership Values: A Company’s Culture is a Mirror of Its Leadership’s Authenticity The culture within any organization fundamentally reflects the principles and behaviors demonstrated by its leaders. When leaders genuinely embody core values such as integrity, innovation, and respect, these values permeate the organization, creating a unified and motivated workforce. On the other hand, inconsistencies between leader actions and stated values breed cynicism, eroding trust and diminishing the organization’s ability to innovate and perform. 🔄 Intentionality is Key: Culture Does Not Develop by Chance Strong organizational culture is not the result of chance or passive evolution but requires deliberate, continuous effort. Leaders must clearly define the values they wish to cultivate and embed them into every decision, interaction, and process within the company. This intentionality transforms values from abstract concepts into the operational “DNA” of the organization, influencing everything from boardroom strategy to frontline work. 🎭 Value-Action Alignment is Vital: The Cost of Disconnect Training programs that teach teamwork or collaboration but reward individual competition send mixed signals to employees, creating confusion and mistrust. When there is a disconnect between what is preached and what is practiced or rewarded, employees quickly learn to disregard training and emulate observed behaviors instead. This misalignment not only wastes organizational resources but also damages morale, leads to disengagement, and increases turnover. 📚 Training as a Cultural Vehicle: Beyond Skill Development Training should do more than impart technical skills; it should be a strategic tool for embedding and reinforcing organizational values. When aligned with leadership principles, training creates a shared understanding of expectations and behaviors, promotes commitment, and fosters psychological safety. For example, a consulting firm that immerses employees in real client challenges to practice “customer first” values, coupled with leaders modeling these values, creates deeper engagement and loyalty. 👥 Leadership’s Active Role in Training: Modeling and Mentorship Leaders must take an active role in the training process—not only endorsing it but participating, sharing personal stories, and coaching teams to integrate values into daily work. Their involvement lends authenticity and credibility to the training message, reinforcing its importance and encouraging employees to live the values authentically. 🏆 Performance Management Should Reflect Values, Not Just Targets Recognition and rewards systems must be aligned with living organizational values to reinforce desired behaviors. When employees see that embodying values like integrity and teamwork leads to meaningful recognition and career advancement, they are motivated to consistently demonstrate those values. 🌟 Culture as a Strategic Advantage: Attraction, Retention, and Resilience A strong, value-driven culture becomes a powerful recruitment and retention tool by attracting individuals who identify with the organization’s purpose and ethics. It reduces turnover, preserves institutional knowledge, and builds a more stable and resilient workforce capable of adapting to change and driving innovation. OUTLINE: 00:00:00 - Why Leadership Values Matter 00:02:18 - The Cost of Misaligned Training 00:02:59 - Transforming Workplaces Through Value-Driven Learning 00:04:57 - Weaving Values into Your Training Fabric 00:06:49 - A Future Built on Shared Success

Abstract: This article explores how senior managers can cultivate creativity and innovation throughout all levels of their organization. In today's fast-paced business environment, creativity is a strategic imperative for competitive advantage. However, many companies focus creative efforts at the executive level rather than empowering employees at all levels. The article outlines key methods leaders can use to foster a culture where creative thinking flourishes organization-wide. Specifically, leaders must recognize creativity as an innate capacity, build psychological safety, provide autonomy, nurture curiosity through learning, reward experimentation, facilitate cross-pollination, and properly equip teams. When senior managers establish these cultural and structural conditions, they can activate untapped creative potential across the entire workforce. Through this distributed approach to innovation, companies gain promising new ideas from diverse sources as well as greater employee engagement and adaptability.

In this HCI Webinar, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Andy Crocker about what losing to Musk and Bezos taught him about real leadership. Andy Crocker is an aerospace executive with three decades of experience building high-performance teams and leading ambitious projects, including NASA’s Human Landing System. He holds degrees in engineering, humanities, management, and leadership and is an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His multidisciplinary educational background and diverse career shaped his unique perspective that led him to write The Unconditionals in which he reveals the foundational, timeless values that help readers unlock the potential for their greatest personal and professional fulfillment. He recently founded Overview Affection, a company that aims to extend the values contained in The Unconditionals to individuals and organizations. 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5000388458315776

In this HCI Webinar, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Wendy Lipton-Dibner about how leaders build impassioned engagement, unrivaled loyalty, and boundless growth by measuring real-world impact. Wendy Lipton-Dibner, MA, author of WHAT MATTERS MATTERS MOST®: How Leaders Build Impassioned Engagement, Unrivaled Loyalty, And Boundless Growth By Measuring Real-World Impact, is the leading authority on organizational development through strategic and operational impact. A multiple-time bestselling author, sought-after strategist, and serial entrepreneur, Lipton-Dibner is known for her unparalleled ability to help organizations increase profitability by maximizing and capitalizing on the Real-World Impact they create for all stakeholders. President, Founder, and CEO of Professional Impact, Inc., Lipton-Dibner is the developer of Organizational Impact Strategy, inventor of Real-World Impact Metrics, and creator of the companion app. She has helped thousands of enterprise, healthcare, small business, and non-profit leaders increase team effectiveness and revenue as the direct result of making a measurable difference in people’s lives. 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5000388458315776

This video explores the critical strategic choice companies face between adopting an open or closed ecosystem model, a decision that fundamentally shapes their growth, innovation, and market position. An ecosystem, in business terms, includes a company’s products, customers, partners, and developers—the entire network that supports and extends the business. The open ecosystem resembles a collaborative festival where anyone can contribute, exemplified by platforms like Android and Linux. This model fosters rapid innovation, diversity, and a powerful network effect but entails less control, variable quality, and potential competitive risks. In contrast, the closed ecosystem acts like an exclusive resort, with companies tightly controlling every aspect of product and service delivery, as Apple does. Highlights 🌐 Open ecosystems foster collaboration, innovation, and rapid growth by inviting diverse contributions. 🔒 Closed ecosystems ensure high quality, strong branding, and seamless user experiences through tight control. ⚖️ Choosing between open and closed models depends heavily on industry requirements and customer expectations. 🚗 The automotive sector demonstrates that both open and closed ecosystems can coexist and succeed. 🔄 Hybrid models that blend openness with control allow companies to balance innovation and quality. 🎯 Understanding your company’s core strengths and your customers’ needs is crucial for ecosystem strategy. 🔄 Flexibility and adaptability in ecosystem strategy are key to long-term success in evolving markets. Key Insights 🌍 Open ecosystems drive exponential innovation through community collaboration: Open ecosystems like Android and Linux harness global developer communities, which accelerates innovation by leveraging countless external talents and ideas. This leads to a diverse product offering and rapid iteration that a single company’s internal teams could rarely match. However, this model sacrifices centralized control, potentially resulting in inconsistent quality and the risk of competitors leveraging the platform against the host company. 🔐 Closed ecosystems trade flexibility for control, quality, and brand integrity: Companies like Apple demonstrate how closed ecosystems deliver a polished, seamless user experience with tightly integrated hardware and software. The trade-off is reduced customization and slower innovation limited to the company’s own R&D capabilities. This model is especially effective in markets where customers value reliability, security, and a consistent premium experience over variety or freedom. 🏭 Industry context heavily influences optimal ecosystem choice: Different industries have distinct demands that shape ecosystem strategies. For example, cloud computing thrives on openness and interoperability because collaboration and resource-sharing are fundamental to cloud services. Conversely, highly regulated sectors such as healthcare or finance require closed systems to ensure data security, compliance, and oversight. 🎯 Customer-centricity is crucial in ecosystem design: Understanding what your customers truly want—whether it is endless choice and customization or simplicity and reliability—is essential. Customers’ preferences should guide ecosystem openness or closure. For instance, tech-savvy users might demand open platforms that allow extensive customization, while mainstream consumers may prioritize user-friendly, hassle-free experiences. 🚗 The automotive industry exemplifies contrasting ecosystem strategies: Android Automotive represents an open ecosystem approach where the core platform is provided by Google, but automakers maintain control over hardware and customization. Tesla exemplifies a closed ecosystem model, controlling everything from manufacturing to software and customer interfaces. Both approaches succeed because they cater to different market segments with distinct priorities. 🔄 Hybrid ecosystems offer strategic flexibility and competitive advantage: Many leading companies adopt hybrid approaches, combining openness in some areas with strict control in others. Microsoft’s Windows platform keeps hardware compatibility open while locking down source code, balancing flexibility with security. Apple selectively opens parts of its ecosystem to trusted partners via frameworks like HealthKit, blending innovation with control. 📈 Ecosystem strategy should be dynamic and adaptable: The video concludes that ecosystem decisions should not be static or permanent. Market conditions, technology, customer preferences, and competitive landscapes evolve, demanding companies remain flexible and willing to adjust their openness or closure levels. OUTLINE: 00:00:00 - Open or Closed? 00:01:52 - Power to the People! 00:04:07 - Our Way or the Highway 00:04:46 - It's Not a One-Size-Fits-All Race 00:07:20 - Mixing the Best of Both Worlds