Culture is Strategy - S3E45 - Wrapping Up Claude Silver - "Be Yourself At Work"

Culture is Strategy - S3E45 - Wrapping Up Claude Silver - "Be Yourself At Work"

Summary Some leaders manage from a distance. Claude Silver leads from the inside out. As Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, Claude has built a career around a simple but demanding premise: that how people feel at work is not a soft concern sitting alongside strategy. It is the strategy. In this conversation, Garth and I dig into what that actually looks like in practice, and what it demands of the person at the front of the room. What stayed with me was her clarity about self-awareness. Not as a personality trait you either have or do not have, but as something you build intentionally, day by day, through the way you start your morning and the way you show up when things get hard. This is a conversation for leaders who want to go deeper. Not just into their organizations, but into themselves. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to leading with heart07:05 Claude Silver's journey and what authentic leadership actually means09:54 Knowing yourself and reading your context13:05 How to prepare for leadership before you are ready15:54 Juggling the demands that come with the role18:57 Setting intentions and building emotional intelligence as a practice22:03 Closing thoughts and a gentle challenge24:09 Beard's Book Club outro Key Takeaways Culture is not a byproduct of strategy. Claude makes the case that culture is the strategy, and that leaders who treat it as a downstream concern are building on sand. Getting intentional about the environment you are creating is not a nice-to-have. It is the job. Self-awareness is a daily practice. Knowing your triggers, your tendencies, and your defaults under pressure does not happen through reflection alone. It happens through small, consistent rituals, including the way you choose to start your morning before the day starts managing you. Authenticity at work is not oversharing. Claude draws a helpful distinction between being real and being unguarded. Bringing your full self to work means leading with your values, not leading with your nervous system. Quotes "Culture is a strategy." "Start your day with a mantra of gratitude." "Lead with kindness and compassion." Connect with Claude Silver on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudesilver] or find her book Be Yourself at Work wherever books are sold.

"Be Yourself At Work" - S3E44 - Claude Silver - Chief Heart Officer

Episode Summary In this episode of Lassoing Leadership, Jason and Garth sit down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and author of Be Yourself at Work. Claude has built her career around a simple but powerful belief: workplaces perform better when leaders focus on the humans first. Throughout the conversation, Claude shares what it means to lead with vulnerability, why emotional intelligence is becoming a core leadership skill, and how leaders can create cultures where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to do their best work. The discussion also explores neurodiversity in the workplace, practical ways leaders can listen more intentionally, and why creating psychological safety isn’t just compassionate — it’s a competitive advantage. If leadership is about influence, Claude reminds us that the most powerful influence often comes from authenticity, empathy, and courage. Key Take Aways: * * Why vulnerability is a leadership strength, not a weakness * * How to infuse empathy into workplace culture * * Supporting neurodiversity and different ways of thinking at work * * Creating authentic, human-centered leadership environments * Practical strategies for listening, connecting, and leading people well * * Vulnerability builds trust. * The best leaders are willing to be human. When leaders show vulnerability, they create space for others to do the same. * Empathy drives performance. * A culture of care and emotional awareness leads to stronger engagement, retention, and results. * Listen for patterns, not just problems. Great leaders listen deeply and notice recurring themes in what their teams are saying. * Neurodiversity requires intention. * Supporting different ways of thinking means creating systems, tools, and spaces where everyone can thrive. * Leaders shape the emotional tone of their organizations. * Leadership is not just about strategy — it’s about setting the emotional framework that allows people to succeed. Soundbites: “Vulnerability is the foundation of true leadership.” “Emotional fluency is the key to effective leadership.” “Keep leading the Lasso way.” Chapters: 00:00 – Opening: Leadership lessons from Ted Lasso 08:49 – Why vulnerability matters in leadership 14:54 – Career transitions and finding meaningful work 20:52 – Responding to real vs. manufactured crises 26:44 – Final reflections on great leadership 36:17 – Beard’s Book Club Outro Claude Silver is the Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and the author of Be Yourself at Work. She is widely known for championing human-centered leadership, emotional intelligence, and workplace cultures where people feel valued, heard, and supported.

Chief Heart Officer .... what's that? - S3E43 - Introducing Claude Silver

Summary In this episode of Lassoing Leadership, Jason and Garth explore what it really means to “be yourself at work” through the lens of Work That’s Worth It and the leadership philosophy of Claude Silver. Together, they unpack why authenticity in leadership is harder than it sounds, especially in environments where professionalism can sometimes become performance. The conversation explores emotional intelligence, psychological safety, vulnerability, and the importance of creating workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and safe enough to grow. From difficult conversations to emotional resilience during the busiest parts of the school year, Jason and Garth reflect on the idea that leadership is not just about driving results. It is about creating the conditions where people can thrive. Themes: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Psychological Safety, Claude Silver, Organizational Culture, Authentic Leadership, Trust, Compassion, Emotional Resilience, Heart-Centered Leadership Take Aways: * Why authenticity matters in leadership * Psychological safety and creating cultures of trust * Emotional intelligence and emotional agility * The role of vulnerability in leadership * Navigating hard conversations with care and accountability * Emotional resilience during demanding seasons * Building workplaces where people can genuinely belong * Leaders who model authenticity and vulnerability create stronger, safer cultures. * Emotions are not weaknesses to suppress. They are signals worth paying attention to. * Psychological safety fuels innovation, trust, and long-term organizational health. * High care and high expectations are not opposites. They belong together. * Emotional bravery and emotional efficiency help leaders remain steady during stressful seasons. * The best leaders are intentional about the emotional temperature they create around them. About Claude Silver: * The Power of Authentic Leadership: Be Yourself at Work * Building Trust, Resilience, and Psychological Safety * Why Great Leadership Starts with Authenticity * Leading with Humanity in High-Pressure Environments Soundbites: “Ride the wave of emotions. Don’t drown in it.” “Set boundaries and live with them.” “The stories we tell ourselves shape the leaders we become.” “People remember how leaders make them feel long after they forget the meeting agenda.” “Psychological safety is not softness. It is the foundation for courage.” Chapters: 00:00 — Introduction and anticipation for upcoming guest 06:22 — Exploring the idea of being yourself at work 09:13 — Psychological safety and the role of trust in leadership 12:29 — Emotional intelligence and emotionally agile leadership 15:20 — Emotional efficiency, resilience, and leadership strategies 18:31 — Listener engagement and community connection 21:17 — Final reflections on leadership and authenticity

Garth and Jason's Top 3 Time Hacks - S3R42 - Wrapping Up The Happiest Hour with Cassie Holmes

Summary Time is the one resource we cannot make more of. That is the uncomfortable truth sitting at the centre of Cassie Holmes' remarkable book, and it is the thread Garth and I pull on throughout this conversation. Cassie is a professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management, and her research does something rare. It takes happiness seriously as a subject of rigorous study. Not as a feel-good concept, but as something worth measuring, protecting, and designing your life around. What landed for us in this conversation was how directly her work applies to leadership. We spend a lot of time in schools talking about culture and well-being, but we do not always turn that lens on ourselves. This episode is an invitation to do exactly that. If you have ever felt busy but not fulfilled, productive but not present, this one is for you. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to The Happier Hour08:40 The importance of time in leadership11:41 Strategies for effective time management14:56 Building happiness into your leadership practice17:50 The concept of time empathy20:52 Looking ahead30:10 Beard's Book Club outro Key Takeaways The time audit is where it starts. Cassie's research asks a simple but unsettling question: do you actually know how you are spending your time? Mapping it honestly, without judgment, is the first step toward changing it. Happiness stacking is not a luxury. Layering small moments of genuine enjoyment into your existing schedule is a practice, not an indulgence. Leaders who do this consistently are more present and more effective. Presence is the point. Being physically somewhere and actually being there are two different things. Cassie's work reinforces what we see in schools every day: the leaders who show up fully are the ones people remember. Time empathy matters. Understanding that the people we lead experience time differently than we do changes how we schedule, how we communicate, and how we build culture. It is worth sitting with. The 5AM club is not for everyone, but the principle is. Protecting some portion of your day for what matters most to you is non-negotiable if you want to lead sustainably. Quotes "Get out there and do a little bit of me-search on time."Cassie Holmes "Lead with your heart and be authentic."Jason Rogers "Leverage the power of the 5AM club."Garth Nichols Resources The Happier Hour by Cassie HolmesAtomic Habits by James ClearThe 5AM Club by Robin Sharma Connect with CassieLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cassieholmesTwitter: @cassieholmesUCLA Anderson profile: anderson.ucla.edu

Cassie Holmes on Time + Happiness - S3E41 - Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author of "Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most."

Summary In this episode of Lassoing Leadership, Jason and Garth sit down with Cassie Holmes—professor at UCLA and author of Happier Hour—to explore a powerful and often overlooked leadership truth: how we spend our time is how we shape our lives. Cassie shares her personal journey into the science of happiness, unpacking the concept of time poverty and how the feeling of “never having enough time” is one of the greatest barriers to well-being. But instead of offering productivity hacks, she flips the script—suggesting that time isn’t the problem… it’s the solution. Through practical tools like the Five Whys exercise, Cassie challenges us to align our calendars with our purpose, prioritize meaningful connection, and rethink what it truly means to live—and lead—well. This conversation is a reminder that leadership isn’t just about how we lead others… it’s about how intentionally we lead our own lives. Keywords Happiness, Time Management, Intentional Living, Purpose, Well-Being, Leadership, Personal Development Themes * The hidden cost of time poverty and why busyness is not a badge of honour * How our perception of time shapes happiness more than the amount of it * Why purpose—not productivity—should guide our schedules * The Five Whys as a tool for uncovering what truly matters * Shifting from quantity of time → quality of moments * Leadership through intentional living and modeling balance Quotes: * “Time is the solution, not the challenge.” * “Purpose guides how we spend our time.” * “If you say you don’t have time, what you’re really saying is it’s not a priority.” * “It’s not about having more time—it’s about using it with intention.” * “Weekly coffee dates can create a lifetime of connection.” Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Cassie Holmes and the Science of Happiness 01:25 – Cassie’s Journey into Happiness Research 04:33 – Understanding Time Poverty and Its Impact 07:15 – Time as the Solution, Not the Challenge 09:17 – Rethinking Balance Through Purpose and Connection 11:12 – The Power of the Five Whys Exercise 15:49 – Time Audits and Appreciating Life’s Moments 20:51 – Quality Over Quantity in Time and Happiness 23:03 – “I Don’t Have Time” Reframed 26:28 – Making Time for What Matters Most 28:35 – Ted Lasso, Leadership, and Living with Intention What we learned: * Busyness is not effectiveness—it’s often misalignment. * Time poverty is a mindset as much as a reality. * Leaders who model intentional time use create healthier cultures. * Purpose should drive your calendar—not the other way around. * Small, consistent moments (like a weekly coffee) create outsized impact. * Asking “why” repeatedly can reconnect you to what truly matters.spot Where to find more.... * 📘 Happier Hour by Cassie Holmes * 🎓 UCLA Anderson Faculty Profile (Cassie Holmes) * 🧠 Five Whys Exercise – Harvard Business Review * 📺 Ted Lasso