The Vital Behavior

The Messy Middle of Strategy

This week, we explore what happens after the vision is set and before the path forward becomes clear: the messy middle of strategy. Why do we as leaders get stuck between knowing where we want to go and actually getting there? The tension between strategy and execution is murky water, and the path to growth often requires more than a good plan. Sometimes the hardest part isn't deciding what you want for the future. It's committing to what it will take to get there. --- Culture Development Session Schedule your Culture Development Session. [https://calendly.com/d/cwdm-v2z-k3j/culture-development-session?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=culture_development_session]  In this free 30-minute session, you will have a personalized conversation with an expert advisor, an opportunity to see how our programs can help you define your business and people strategies, and actionable insights tailored to your goals to move to the business you have always envisioned. Leadership Transformation Program Learn about how to develop YOUR ag leaders by scheduling time with the People Spark ® team [https://calendly.com/d/cw8k-kc9-2jt/leadership-development?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=leadership-development]. 96% of employees want feedback – constructive OR recognition. Yet another survey found that only 5% of managers provide critical feedback to employees – even though it’s important for their development.  Nearly half of managers (44%) find giving feedback stressful. Nearly a quarter (21%) avoid giving it altogether.   Our leadership transformation program was designed to be straightforward and practical, providing content in digestible chunks, supporting participants through personalized feedback, and providing participants an environment to learn with other ag leaders across the country.     In many instances, managers just aren’t comfortable with WHAT to do, let alone HOW to do it. They feel it’s uncomfortable, they don’t want to demotivate employees and just aren’t sure how to do it. And the repercussions of NOT giving feedback end up impacting you and your business – through lower productivity and profitability, decreased employee engagement, and increased employee turnover.    Learn more at www.developagleaders.com [http://www.developagleaders.com/]. Podcast Produced by Texture House Sound & Visuals [https://www.texturehouse.us/]   (Source:  www.peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode [https://peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode-031])

The Downfall of They Should Know

"They should know." Most leaders have said it. Most leaders have thought it. And more often than not, it's a sign that something isn't as clear as we think it is. In this episode, we unpack why "they should know" is one of the most common traps leaders fall into. We explore how assumptions create gaps between what leaders mean and what teams hear. The next time you catch yourself saying, "they should know," pause for a second and ask a different question: how do I know they do? --- Culture Development Session Schedule your Culture Development Session. [https://calendly.com/d/cwdm-v2z-k3j/culture-development-session?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=culture_development_session]  In this free 30-minute session, you will have a personalized conversation with an expert advisor, an opportunity to see how our programs can help you define your business and people strategies, and actionable insights tailored to your goals to move to the business you have always envisioned. Leadership Transformation Program Learn about how to develop YOUR ag leaders by scheduling time with the People Spark ® team [https://calendly.com/d/cw8k-kc9-2jt/leadership-development?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=leadership-development]. 96% of employees want feedback – constructive OR recognition. Yet another survey found that only 5% of managers provide critical feedback to employees – even though it’s important for their development.  Nearly half of managers (44%) find giving feedback stressful. Nearly a quarter (21%) avoid giving it altogether.   Our leadership transformation program was designed to be straightforward and practical, providing content in digestible chunks, supporting participants through personalized feedback, and providing participants an environment to learn with other ag leaders across the country.     In many instances, managers just aren’t comfortable with WHAT to do, let alone HOW to do it. They feel it’s uncomfortable, they don’t want to demotivate employees and just aren’t sure how to do it. And the repercussions of NOT giving feedback end up impacting you and your business – through lower productivity and profitability, decreased employee engagement, and increased employee turnover.    Learn more at www.developagleaders.com [http://www.developagleaders.com/]. Podcast Produced by Texture House Sound & Visuals [https://www.texturehouse.us/]   (Source:  www.peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode [https://peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode-031])

Logic Alone Doesn't Change Behavior

Most leaders assume that if they can explain something clearly enough, people will change. The problem? Logic alone rarely drives behavior. In this episode, we explore why facts, data, and good intentions often fall short when it comes to influencing people. We discuss the environmental factors that actually shape behavior, why resistance isn't always irrational, and what leaders can do to create lasting change within their teams. If you've ever wondered why people don't act on information they already know, this conversation can help you rethink how change really happens. --- Culture Development Session Schedule your Culture Development Session. [https://calendly.com/d/cwdm-v2z-k3j/culture-development-session?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=culture_development_session]  In this free 30-minute session, you will have a personalized conversation with an expert advisor, an opportunity to see how our programs can help you define your business and people strategies, and actionable insights tailored to your goals to move to the business you have always envisioned. Leadership Transformation Program Learn about how to develop YOUR ag leaders by scheduling time with the People Spark ® team [https://calendly.com/d/cw8k-kc9-2jt/leadership-development?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=leadership-development]. 96% of employees want feedback – constructive OR recognition. Yet another survey found that only 5% of managers provide critical feedback to employees – even though it’s important for their development.  Nearly half of managers (44%) find giving feedback stressful. Nearly a quarter (21%) avoid giving it altogether.   Our leadership transformation program was designed to be straightforward and practical, providing content in digestible chunks, supporting participants through personalized feedback, and providing participants an environment to learn with other ag leaders across the country.     In many instances, managers just aren’t comfortable with WHAT to do, let alone HOW to do it. They feel it’s uncomfortable, they don’t want to demotivate employees and just aren’t sure how to do it. And the repercussions of NOT giving feedback end up impacting you and your business – through lower productivity and profitability, decreased employee engagement, and increased employee turnover.    Learn more at www.developagleaders.com [http://www.developagleaders.com/]. Podcast Produced by Texture House Sound & Visuals [https://www.texturehouse.us/]   (Source:  www.peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode [https://peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode-031])

The Vital Behavior

This week, we continue our conversation around change management and unpack one of the frameworks we’ve used for years while teaching at the University of Illinois: the idea of identifying the “vital behavior.” As we reflect on the book Influencer, we talk through what actually helps change stick, why organizations often focus on too many things at once, and how creating real momentum usually starts with identifying one behavior that can make the biggest impact. And as Kristin reminds us throughout the episode, lasting change usually has less to do with pushing people harder and more to do with making the right behavior easier, more supported, and automatic enough that people almost have to go out of their way to do it the old way. --- Culture Development Session Schedule your Culture Development Session. [https://calendly.com/d/cwdm-v2z-k3j/culture-development-session?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=culture_development_session]  In this free 30-minute session, you will have a personalized conversation with an expert advisor, an opportunity to see how our programs can help you define your business and people strategies, and actionable insights tailored to your goals to move to the business you have always envisioned. Leadership Transformation Program Learn about how to develop YOUR ag leaders by scheduling time with the People Spark ® team [https://calendly.com/d/cw8k-kc9-2jt/leadership-development?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=leadership-development]. 96% of employees want feedback – constructive OR recognition. Yet another survey found that only 5% of managers provide critical feedback to employees – even though it’s important for their development.  Nearly half of managers (44%) find giving feedback stressful. Nearly a quarter (21%) avoid giving it altogether.   Our leadership transformation program was designed to be straightforward and practical, providing content in digestible chunks, supporting participants through personalized feedback, and providing participants an environment to learn with other ag leaders across the country.     In many instances, managers just aren’t comfortable with WHAT to do, let alone HOW to do it. They feel it’s uncomfortable, they don’t want to demotivate employees and just aren’t sure how to do it. And the repercussions of NOT giving feedback end up impacting you and your business – through lower productivity and profitability, decreased employee engagement, and increased employee turnover.    Learn more at www.developagleaders.com [http://www.developagleaders.com/]. Podcast Produced by Texture House Sound & Visuals [https://www.texturehouse.us/]   (Source:  www.peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode [https://peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode-031])

Getting People On Board

Maybe people’s resistance to change isn’t actually about the change itself. This week, we take a little bit of a detour as we dive into some lessons we’ve learned teaching a change management course at the University of Illinois, and unpack one of the biggest challenges we see leaders facing: solving the wrong problem. As we reflect on the idea of “falling in love with the problem, not the solution,” we talk through why alignment matters before action, how to reduce resistance before it starts, and why getting people on board has less to do with convincing people and more to do with understanding the real issue underneath the surface. --- Culture Development Session Schedule your Culture Development Session. [https://calendly.com/d/cwdm-v2z-k3j/culture-development-session?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=culture_development_session]  In this free 30-minute session, you will have a personalized conversation with an expert advisor, an opportunity to see how our programs can help you define your business and people strategies, and actionable insights tailored to your goals to move to the business you have always envisioned. Leadership Transformation Program Learn about how to develop YOUR ag leaders by scheduling time with the People Spark ® team [https://calendly.com/d/cw8k-kc9-2jt/leadership-development?month=2025-10?utm_source=peoplesparkpodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=leadership-development]. 96% of employees want feedback – constructive OR recognition. Yet another survey found that only 5% of managers provide critical feedback to employees – even though it’s important for their development.  Nearly half of managers (44%) find giving feedback stressful. Nearly a quarter (21%) avoid giving it altogether.   Our leadership transformation program was designed to be straightforward and practical, providing content in digestible chunks, supporting participants through personalized feedback, and providing participants an environment to learn with other ag leaders across the country.     In many instances, managers just aren’t comfortable with WHAT to do, let alone HOW to do it. They feel it’s uncomfortable, they don’t want to demotivate employees and just aren’t sure how to do it. And the repercussions of NOT giving feedback end up impacting you and your business – through lower productivity and profitability, decreased employee engagement, and increased employee turnover.    Learn more at www.developagleaders.com [http://www.developagleaders.com/]. Podcast Produced by Texture House Sound & Visuals [https://www.texturehouse.us/]   (Source:  www.peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode [https://peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode-031])