You Think It's Obvious? IT'S NOT! The Death of Workplace Conduct

Kill the Vague: It's Time To Get Rash About Your Expectations

Kill the vague. In this episode, I explain why leaders need to stop assuming employees automatically understand expectations and start clearly defining them through what I call a Workplace Reset. I walk through how to host a reset meeting with your team and how to clearly explain: • communication expectations • accountability • professionalism • initiative • feedback • flexibility • what “above and beyond” actually means I also break down some of the biggest frustrations employers have today and explain exactly how to address each one directly instead of relying on vague corporate language and passive-aggressive management. Because “communicate better” is not a clear instruction. “Be professional” is not a clear instruction. And “use common sense” definitely is not anymore. If you’re tired of workplace confusion, constant frustration, and employees saying “I didn’t know,” this episode is for you. Grab my free tools at⁠ rashlead.com/free⁠ [https://www.rashlead.com/free]

You Think It's Obvious? IT'S NOT! The Death of Workplace Conduct

Episode 16 of the Rash Leadership Development podcast. In this episode, I talk about the growing confusion around workplace professionalism, expectations, and the death of common workplace courtesies. I break down the mixed signals employers have created over the years and why employees and leaders often operate under completely different assumptions. From PTO requests and calling in sick to email etiquette, personal phone use, workplace communication, forced fun at work, and professionalism standards, this episode is about how workplaces stopped clearly defining expectations and started assuming everyone should “just know.” I also dive into leadership failures, accountability, employee retention, workplace culture, and the operational habits that quietly damage teams and businesses over time. Topics in this episode include workplace professionalism, leadership and management issues, employee and employer accountability, workplace etiquette and communication, PTO expectations, sick days and attendance culture, phone use at work, email misunderstandings, micromanagement, employee retention and morale, toxic workplace habits, and the disconnect between leadership and employees. If you’re tired of recycled corporate advice and surface-level conversations about leadership, this podcast is for you. Hosted by Jessica Rash, founder of Rash Leadership Development.

The Illusion of Leadership: Promoted but Powerless!

In this episode of Let’s Get Rash About Leadership, I break down one of the most frustrating and damaging leadership models in today’s workplace: figurehead leadership. This is not about bad personalities or annoying managers. This is a system problem. One that has been quietly built over the last 20 years and is now wrecking employee morale, customer experience, and business performance. A figurehead leader is someone who has the title but has zero real authority. They do not make decisions, they do not control budgets, and they do not actually lead people. They relay messages and fill seats. This shows up everywhere. Store managers who cannot solve customer problems. Team leads with no say in hiring or performance. Department heads who do not even know their own budget. Leaders who need approval for everything. For customers, it means repeating the same issue to multiple people and none of them can fix it. For employees, it creates frustration, confusion, and disengagement. For the person in the role, it is a powerless and thankless position. Companies create this model for two main reasons. The first is lack of trust. One bad leadership experience leads to an overcorrection. Instead of improving hiring, training, and expectations, companies strip authority from everyone. The second is cost cutting. Titles replace raises. Promotions come without pay or power, creating the illusion of growth without any real investment. You might be a figurehead leader if you manage people but do not know what they make, if you are not involved in hiring or firing, if you cannot address underperformance directly, if you cannot approve basic needs for your team, if you are excluded from budget or strategy conversations, or if you need approval for everything. If you cannot make decisions, you are not leading. The impact on the business is significant. This model creates delayed decisions, lost revenue, poor customer experiences, legal risks from lack of documentation, pay inequities, distrust, missed opportunities, and internal resentment. This is not just inefficient. It is system failure. If you are in this role, you did not design the system, but you are stuck in it. You are not completely powerless. You can challenge the lack of authority, push for clarity around responsibility, and speak up even when it is uncomfortable. The hard truth is that you were likely chosen because leadership knew you would not push back. For business owners and decision makers, people can tell immediately when a leader has no real power. Employees lose respect. Customers lose patience. Strong employees go around the system or leave it entirely. Avoiding accountability does not protect your business. It weakens it. We have watered down leadership titles to the point they mean nothing. What used to be trusted decision makers and problem solvers with autonomy has turned into approval chasers, message carriers, and permission seekers. This model trains capable people to hesitate, kills initiative, and replaces leadership with control. And it fails every time. If you are ready to fix it, real leadership requires trust, authority, accountability, and investment in the right people. This does not change overnight, but it starts with recognizing the problem. Want more? Grab my book and enter to win a free copy at rashlead.com. [https://www.rashlead.com/home]

12 Ways To Make Your New Hires Stick!

🎙️ Episode 14: 12 Ways to Make Your New Hires Stick Modern onboarding is broken and it is pushing good employees out before they even get started. In this episode, I break down what onboarding has turned into and why it feels more like being quietly dismissed before day one instead of being set up to succeed. This episode is based on Chapter 4 of my book Let’s Get Rash About Leadership. I share real stories, frustrating experiences, and the exact gaps companies are missing when it comes to bringing new hires in the right way. But this is not just a rant. You will walk away with practical, simple ways to improve your onboarding process immediately and actually retain your employees. If you want the full system, you can download my New Hire Retention Checklist at rashlead.com/free. [https://www.rashlead.com/onboarding]The link is in the description. 🚨 What You’ll Hear in This Episode: * Why onboarding today feels disorganized and impersonal * How poor first impressions create long term problems * The risk of employees spotting gaps in your system * Why digital onboarding often creates more confusion than clarity * Real examples of onboarding failures that happen every day * What employees actually experience on day one 💥 Key Takeaway: Your onboarding process is your first impression. If it is disorganized, your employees are paying attention. Not just your strong employees, but the ones who are looking for ways to take advantage of weak systems. If you want better retention, you have to start on day one.

You’re Interviewing Wrong — Do This Instead!

Episode 13: You’re Interviewing Wrong — Do This Instead 👉 Enter to win a FREE copy of my book: rashlead.com [https://www.rashlead.com/home] Employers are overcomplicating hiring… and it’s costing them great people. In this episode, I break down why the modern interview process is completely broken — from panel interviews and multiple rounds to scripted answers and outdated “gotcha” questions. We’ll cover: * The biggest interview mistakes employers keep making * Why your process rewards the wrong candidates * The truth about at-will employment (and why fear is ruining hiring decisions) * Why multiple interviews are a red flag — not a strategy * The only interview question that actually matters If your interviews feel forced, fake, or like a performance… they are. It’s time to stop following outdated hiring advice and start having real conversations that actually reveal who you’re hiring. 👉 Want better employees? Start here: rashlead.com [https://www.rashlead.com/home]