Vibemakers

How to Be an All-In Manager: Building Cultures of Safety, Candor, and Care

In this episode of VibeMakers: Conversations with Culture Activators, I sit down with my friend and mentor, Ali Merchant, author of The All-In Manager, to explore how great leaders create cultures where people feel safe to speak up, disagree, and stay curious. Ali has spent decades leading and coaching managers across the world’s biggest brands. His leadership philosophy is simple but radical: safety creates voice, voice creates value, and value drives performance. We dig into: 💬 Why psychological safety is the foundation for voice and innovation 🧩 How to move from command and control to care and connect 💡 The Pixar-inspired “rules of candor” exercise any team can use in 20 minutes ⚡ Why resistance isn’t defiance—it’s data (and how to use it to fuel change) ❤️ The difference between tough love and true care in leadership 🔥 How burnout signals a cultural problem, not a personal weakness Ali shares practical frameworks for turning discomfort into dialogue and dissent into innovation. He challenges leaders to “farm for dissent,” seek opposing views, and treat resistance as a cultural health indicator, not a threat. If you’ve ever wrestled with how to make feedback feel safe, how to manage conflict without chaos, or how to spot burnout before it’s too late—this episode is your playbook for leading all in. 📘 Learn more or grab the book at allinmanager.com [https://www.allinmanager.com] 👉 Follow Ali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alimerchant/

Culture, Tricksters, and Tricky Times with Jitske Kramer

What if the stories we tell (and the ones we don’t) are shaping our workplaces more than we realize? In this episode of VibeMakers, Marnie sits down with globally renowned corporate anthropologist and bestselling author Jitske Kramer to explore how culture is created, broken, and rebuilt, especially in the messy, uncertain middle we call tricky times. From voodoo priests in Togo to startup teams in Amsterdam, Jitske brings her deep fieldwork and sharp perspective to questions like: 🌀 What is liminal space, and why are so many organizations stuck there? 📜 How have we accidentally turned growth into a cultural obsession…and what’s the cost? 🧙‍♀️ Who really holds the “soul” of the tribe, and how do modern shamans show up in the workplace? 🎭 What happens when we put tricksters in charge instead of letting them challenge power from the outside? This conversation is a powerful wake-up call for anyone building cultures of belonging, leading through change, or navigating the tension between ambition and sustainability. 📚 Grab your copy of Tricky Times [https://tricky-times.com] 🔗 Connect with Jitske [https://jitskekramer.com] 📝 Follow Jitske’s work on Substack [https://jitskekramer.substack.com]

Leadership First: The Real Work of Culture Activation with Brian Vogel

In this episode of VibeMakers: Conversations with Culture Activators, I sit down with Brian Vogel - leadership coach, founder of Sundog Coaching, certified Working Genius facilitator, and culture whisperer. We dive into:👉 How performance shifts when it’s driven by purpose instead of pressure👉 The role of leaders in affirming and adjusting behavior to drive culture👉 Why “face time” culture needs to go👉 The effect of the Working Genius model for energizing leadership👉 Plus: Brian’s past life as a certified pool operator 🏊‍♂️Brian’s approach to culture activation is refreshingly human. He believes the future of work belongs to leaders who care, connect, and coach…and I couldn’t agree more.

Modeling Culture: Using Predictive Thinking to Break Assumptions and Boost Innovation with Jake Brintzenhofe.

What if you approached hiring and culture the way a predictive analyst approaches a model? In this episode, I sit down with Jake Brintzenhofe, founder of Error Term Consulting, to explore how predictive modeling mindsets can revolutionize people decisions (no spreadsheets required). We dig into the hidden assumptions baked into the way we design work (spoiler: more hours don’t always equal more productivity), why engagement averages can hide major cultural blind spots, and how modeling can help you build both smarter systems and more human workplaces. If you’re curious about hypothesis-driven HR or how to design cultures that truly adapt to real humans, this one’s for you.

Unleashing Humor & Storytelling in the Workplace with Gita Kulkarni

Welcome to this week’s Vibe Makers episode where host Marnie Robbins brings on the wonderfully witty Gita Kulkarni, founder of Humor Edge. Dive into a conversation that’s all about leveraging laughter and the art of storytelling to not just work better, but to build a more cohesive and vibrant workplace. Gita, a master of improvisation from the famed Second City and a tech implementation guru, unpacks how humor and personal stories are essential tools for anyone looking to lead with impact and empathy. Ready to rediscover your kindergarten spirit and bring your whole self to work? This episode is your playbook for transforming a typical day at the office into an opportunity for connection and growth. Don’t miss out on these gems of wisdom that promise to change how you view humor and storytelling in business!