Accidental Manager To Beautiful Leader

The Art Of Trust Building: Why Trust Matters More Than Ever

Trust affects everything. How we lead. How we communicate. How we collaborate. How safe people feel to contribute. And ultimately, how organisations perform. Yet despite its importance, most organisations still leave trust to chance. In this first part of a special two-part conversation, I speak with Dr Dennis Reina and Dr Michelle Reina, pioneers in the field of workplace trust and authors of The Art Of Trust Building, to explore why trust has become one of the defining leadership challenges of our time. Together, we unpack: * Why leaders are finally waking up to trust * The hidden erosion caused by small behaviours * The role of vulnerability and self-awareness * Why self-trust matters in the age of AI * How disruption changes human connection * And why trust must become an intentional daily discipline This conversation is thoughtful, practical, deeply human and shows why trust is more relevant than ever. And in Part 2, which follows, we move into the practical frameworks and behaviours that help leaders intentionally build and repair trust at work. ----more---- Key Takeaways * Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed. Leadership titles and expertise may create credibility, but trust is built through consistent behaviour over time. * Small Behaviours Shape Trust. Most trust breakdowns happen gradually through repeated small moments rather than dramatic betrayals. * Self-Trust Matters More Than Ever. In a world shaped by disruption and AI, people need confidence in their own judgment and contribution. * Trust Requires Intentional Practice. Trust-building becomes sustainable when it turns into conscious, repeatable behavioural habits. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 00:11 — Why Trust Shapes How We Live, Work And Connect 03:40 — Michelle Reina’s Story Of Service, Disruption And Human Connection 08:59 — Dennis Reina’s Early Lessons About Trust And Vulnerability 12:16 — Why Leaders Are Finally Paying Attention To Trust 16:10 — Self-Trust In The Age Of AI And Constant Change 18:07 — Defining Trust And Why It Must Be Earned Intentionally 20:00 — Why Expertise And Leadership Titles Don’t Automatically Create Trust 23:55 — Self-Discovery, Awareness And Intentional Behaviour 27:56 — Why Trust Is Felt Emotionally And Physically 29:42 — Capacity For Trust And How Early Experiences Shape Us 35:10 — How Trust Expands And Contracts Throughout Life 40:42 — Why Reflection And Vulnerability Strengthen Trust 44:02 — The Hidden Cost Of Leaving Trust To Chance ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andygoram] Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here [https://tinyurl.com/yc2kcyu7] Follow the Podcast on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/sticky_from_the_inside_podcast] Follow the Podcast on Twitter here [https://twitter.com/stickyfrom] Follow the Podcast on Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/stickyfromtheinside] Check out the Bizjuicer website here [https://www.bizjuicer.com] Get a free consultation with Andy here [https://www.engagingfoundations.com] Check out the Bizjuicer blog here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/blog] Download the podcast here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/podcast] ----more---- Useful Links Follow Dr Dennis Reina on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisreina/] Follow Dr Michelle Reina on Linkedin here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellereina/] Find the Reina Trust Building website here [https://www.reinatrustbuilding.com] Find the book The Art of Trust Building here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Trust-Building-Transform-Organizations/dp/B0F4QFDCQF/ref=asc_df_B0F4QFDCQF?mcid=f15a49f8ebfe3cde9d80b1921c631cb4&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=789303904556&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9020021645477140085&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046151&hvtargid=pla-2460019173537&psc=1&hvocijid=9020021645477140085-B0F4QFDCQF-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1] Take the Personal Trust Assessment here [https://www.reinatrustbuilding.com/ITS-book] ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/post/the-art-of-trust-building-why-trust-matters-more-than-ever/]

Creating A Culture Of Ownership - One Choice At A Time

What if creating a culture of ownership had nothing to do with your organisation and everything to do with you? In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by Greg Hawks to challenge one of the biggest assumptions in workplace culture today, that ownership is something leaders create and employees receive. Greg flips that thinking on its head. This conversation explores why ownership isn’t a corporate initiative, a leadership tactic, or something written into a job description. It’s a personal choice. One that shapes how we respond to challenges, how we engage with others, and ultimately, how fulfilling our work feels. Together, Andy and Greg unpack: * Why disengagement often comes from a “done to me” mindset * The difference between owners, renters, and vandals in organisations * Why most companies are trying to fix the wrong problem * How language, trust, and mindset shape our daily experience at work * What it really takes to create a culture where people care, contribute, and step up If you’ve ever felt frustrated, disengaged, or like work is something that happens to you, this episode offers a powerful reframe. Because creating a culture of ownership doesn’t start with leadership. It starts with a choice. ----more---- Key Takeaways * Ownership starts with personal choice. Ownership is not given by organisations, it’s a decision individuals make to regain control, perspective and fulfilment. * Culture is shaped by everyday behaviour. A culture of ownership emerges from consistent individual choices to care, contribute and take responsibility. * Not all disengagement is equal. Owners, renters and vandals influence culture differently, and unchecked vandals can actively undermine engagement. * Leaders create the conditions for ownership. Ownership grows when people experience meaningful return, hear specific recognition, and see clear behavioural standards upheld. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 00:01:11 – Should Employees Really Care Like Owners? 00:02:56 – Setting the Stage: What Drives Ownership at Work? 00:06:05 – Ownership Isn’t for the Company—It’s for You 00:08:04 – Breaking Free from the “Done To Me” Mindset 00:12:22 – What a True Culture of Ownership Actually Feels Like 00:14:49 – Unlock #1: Why Risking Bold Commitments Changes Everything 00:17:16 – Owners, Renters and Vandals: The Mindsets That Shape Culture 00:20:16 – Why Most Organisations Are Fixing the Wrong Problem 00:22:30 – Unlock #2: Activating Lasting Value Through Words 00:27:30 – From Mindset to Behaviour: Ownership, Trust and Personal Return 00:39:30 – Designing the Conditions for a Culture of Ownership 00:44:35 – Sticky Notes: Three Truths About Ownership and Fulfilment ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andygoram] Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here [https://tinyurl.com/yc2kcyu7] Follow the Podcast on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/sticky_from_the_inside_podcast] Follow the Podcast on Twitter here [https://twitter.com/stickyfrom] Follow the Podcast on Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/stickyfromtheinside] Check out the Bizjuicer website here [https://www.bizjuicer.com] Get a free consultation with Andy here [https://www.engagingfoundations.com] Check out the Bizjuicer blog here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/blog] Download the podcast here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/podcast] ----more---- Useful Links Follow Greg Hawks on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghawks/] Find Greg's website here [https://www.greghawks.com] Find the book Act Like An Owner here [https://www.actlikeanownerbook.com/] ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/post/creating-a-culture-of-ownership-one-choice-at-a-time]

Accidental Manager To Beautiful Leader

Most of us don’t set out to become leaders. We get good at something. We get recognised. Then one day, we’re handed a team and expected to just… figure it out. That’s the reality behind the term accidental manager, and according to today’s guest, it’s where the vast majority of leadership journeys begin. In this episode, Andy sits down with Dawn Stallwood, corporate lawyer, advisor, and author of Beautiful Leadership, to explore what really happens when capable people are promoted into leadership roles without the preparation or support they need. This isn’t about blaming leaders. It’s about understanding the system that creates them. Dawn shares her own experience of stepping into leadership feeling ill-equipped, the pressure and self-doubt that follows, and why so many well-meaning leaders end up struggling in silence. But more importantly, she offers a way forward. Together, they explore how leadership can shift from something we fall into… to something we intentionally choose to take on. From firefighting and self-doubt to clarity, capability, and impact. And at the heart of that shift is Dawn’s Beautiful Leadership framework, a practical, human approach to leading with intention, courage, and purpose. ----more---- Key Takeaways * Most leaders are accidental, not intentional. Leadership is rarely planned. It’s something people fall into without the training or support they need. * The cost of poor leadership is human. Pressure, self-doubt, and lack of capability don’t just impact performance, they affect health, confidence, and retention. * Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. The best leaders don’t do everything, they create the conditions for others to succeed. * Intentional leadership is a choice. You may not choose to become a leader, but you can choose how you show up once you are. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 00:01:11 – Why most of us become accidental managers 00:03:00 – Introducing Dawn Stallwood and the idea of Beautiful Leadership 00:07:33 – The realisation moment: feeling ill-equipped to lead 00:09:22 – The hidden pressure and personal cost of leadership 00:11:50 – Why struggling leaders don’t ask for help (and choose to leave) 00:14:17 – Why organisations keep creating accidental managers 00:17:49 – The cycle of accidental leaders creating more accidental leaders 00:18:55 – Rethinking leadership: it’s not about having all the answers 00:22:14 – Letting go of past success to step into leadership 00:24:42 – Moving from accidental manager to intentional leader 00:27:24 – The Beautiful Leadership framework: qualities and practices explained 00:47:51 – Sticky Notes: courage, growth, and getting your brave on ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andygoram] Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here [https://tinyurl.com/yc2kcyu7] Follow the Podcast on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/sticky_from_the_inside_podcast] Follow the Podcast on Twitter here [https://twitter.com/stickyfrom] Follow the Podcast on Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/stickyfromtheinside] Check out the Bizjuicer website here [https://www.bizjuicer.com] Get a free consultation with Andy here [https://www.engagingfoundations.com] Check out the Bizjuicer blog here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/blog] Download the podcast here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/podcast] ----more---- Useful Links Follow Dawn Stallwood on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/impactwithintegrity/] Find the Beautiful Leadership website here [https://www.beautifulleader.com] ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/post/accidental-manager-to-beautiful-leader]

The Success Complex: The Hidden Biases Holding You Back

What if the biggest thing standing between you and success… is you? In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by performance psychology student and author Adrian Kelly to explore The Success Complex. The hidden biases, blind spots, and behaviours that shape how we define, pursue, and sometimes even avoid success. From the illusion of external achievement to the quiet dissatisfaction many high performers feel, Adrian challenges the idea that success is something we can measure from the outside. Instead, he reveals how deeply personal it really is and how often we get in our own way without even realising it. Together, Andy and Adrian unpack the psychological traps that hold us back, including anchoring bias, the myth of IQ as potential, and our reluctance to reflect on past performance. They also explore why motivation is so often misunderstood and what actually helps people move forward. Through powerful stories including a remarkable lesson from the origins of Top Gun this episode brings performance psychology to life in a practical, relatable way. If you’ve ever chased success but still felt something was missing… this conversation might just change how you think about it. ----more---- Key Takeaways * Success is personal, but we measure it socially. We often define success using external benchmarks, not what actually matters to us. * We are often our own biggest barrier. Blind spots, biases, and ingrained thinking patterns quietly hold us back. * Reflection is the missing link in performance. Most people avoid analysing failure, but that’s where growth happens. * Motivation isn’t the problem; direction and confidence are. People aren’t unmotivated; they often just lack clarity, belief, or momentum. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 0:01:10 – Rethinking success: pressure, comparison, and hidden cost 0:03:58 – Adrian Kelly’s journey: from law to performance psychology 0:08:15 – Why success fascinates us (and why we rarely question it) 0:09:11 – The illusion of success and the “I’ll be happy tomorrow” trap 0:10:45 – The Success Complex: blind spots and self-sabotage 0:13:07 – Anchor bias: how our environment limits our thinking 0:15:30 – Reflection as the missing link in performance improvement 0:16:24 – The Top Gun story: deliberate practice in action 0:22:42 – When success becomes a limiter: confirmation bias and stagnation 0:27:17 – The myth of unmotivated people and the law of small wins 0:29:35 – Motivation, alignment, and the role of leaders 0:37:30 – Building systems for success: making good habits easier 0:39:19 – Redefining happiness: hedonic vs eudaimonic success 0:41:44 – Sticky Notes: progress, consistency, and long-term thinking ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andygoram] Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here [https://tinyurl.com/yc2kcyu7] Follow the Podcast on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/sticky_from_the_inside_podcast] Follow the Podcast on Twitter here [https://twitter.com/stickyfrom] Follow the Podcast on Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/stickyfromtheinside] Check out the Bizjuicer website here [https://www.bizjuicer.com] Get a free consultation with Andy here [https://www.engagingfoundations.com] Check out the Bizjuicer blog here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/blog] Download the podcast here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/podcast] ----more---- Useful Links Follow Adrian Kelly on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-k-b282414/] Find the Ask More website here [https://www.askmore.ie] ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/post/the-success-complex-the-hidden-biases-holding-you-back]

Dance Floor Theory: A Simple Way To Solve The Complexity Of Employee Engagement

Why does employee engagement still feel so hard? Despite decades of focus, surveys, and initiatives, the data tells us something uncomfortable: engagement isn’t improving. In fact, in many places, it’s getting worse. So what are we missing? In this episode, Andy Goram is joined by Tom Krieglstein, creator of Dance Floor Theory. A brilliantly simple, yet deeply insightful way of understanding how people actually engage at work. Tom’s model reframes engagement as something fundamentally human. Not a metric to track, or a programme to roll out, but a dynamic social experience. One where people exist at different levels of engagement, just like a dance floor. And where leaders need to meet them where they are, not where they wish they were. From tackling disengaged “Negative Nellies” to creating momentum through connection, Tom shares practical, actionable ways to build workplaces people actually want to be part of. If you’ve ever wondered why engagement feels so complex and how to make it simpler, more human, and more effective, this conversation is for you. ----more---- Key Takeaways * Engagement isn’t broken. Our approach to it is. Too many organisations treat engagement as a system or survey, rather than a human experience. * Connection is the real driver of engagement. We are biologically wired for connection and workplaces often ignore that fundamental truth. * People engage at different levels. Like a dance floor, some are in the middle, some on the edge — and each requires a different approach. * Great leaders meet people where they are. You can’t force engagement. You build it step-by-step, understanding what each person needs next. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 0:01:11 – Why employee engagement still isn’t improving 0:03:00 – Meet Tom Krieglstein and the power of connection 0:08:44 – More friends equals more fun: the social truth of engagement 0:11:00 – The uncomfortable data behind disengagement 0:14:50 – The decline of community and its impact on work 0:16:52 – What great workplace cultures actually feel like 0:25:31 – Introducing Dance Floor Theory 0:27:27 – The six levels of engagement explained 0:28:24 – Dealing with disengagement: Negative Nellies 0:31:16 – Hiring for contribution vs competency 0:35:57 – The role of energy, momentum and leadership influence 0:37:34 – What each engagement level is really thinking 0:39:08 – How to engage each level effectively 0:44:46 – Tom’s three Sticky Notes for better engagement ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andygoram] Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here [https://tinyurl.com/yc2kcyu7] Follow the Podcast on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/sticky_from_the_inside_podcast] Follow the Podcast on Twitter here [https://twitter.com/stickyfrom] Follow the Podcast on Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/stickyfromtheinside] Check out the Bizjuicer website here [https://www.bizjuicer.com] Get a free consultation with Andy here [https://www.engagingfoundations.com] Check out the Bizjuicer blog here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/blog] Download the podcast here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/podcast] ----more---- Useful Links Follow Tom Krieglstein on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkrieglstein/] Follow Tom on YouTube here [https://www.youtube.com/@TomKrieglstein] Follow Tom on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/tomkrieglstein/] Find the SwiftKick website here [https://share.google/pmgpBmVwDr87Eun6r] ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here [https://www.bizjuicer.com/post/dance-floor-theory-a-simple-way-to-solve-the-complexity-of-employee-engagement]