Ep. 1: Is This Thing On?

WR Ep. 4: Creating & Sustaining Team Buy-in With Darby Days

In this episode of Work Renaissance, I’m breaking down what team buy-in actually is, why so many leaders unintentionally destroy it, and how to rebuild it without resorting to control, pressure, or performative transparency. This is a solo episode rooted in what I see every day inside growing organizations.  Smart teams, good people, and leaders with the right intentions who still end up confused, frustrated, or quietly disengaged. We talk about why buy-in is not something you earn once, how decision making without context creates anxiety and rumor spirals, and why clarity is one of the most underused leadership tools. I walk through what leaders are responsible for when direction shifts, how to communicate change without breaking trust, and what it actually looks like to bring people with you instead of dragging them along.  ---------------------------------------- Keywords Work Renaissance, leadership, team buy in, trust, communication, workplace culture, alignment, change management, psychological safety, clarity, modern leadership, Darby Days Chapters 00:00 What team buy in actually means 03:00 Why buy in breaks down in most organizations 06:00 The research behind buy in and why it matters 09:00 Bucket one: psychological safety as the foundation 12:00 Purpose, role clarity, and expectation setting 15:00 Bucket two: involvement without overextension 18:00 Recognition, collaboration, and feedback that works 21:00 Bucket three: leaders embodying the brand 25:00 Why buy in collapses when values are not modeled 28:30 Final reflections and closing thoughts About the Host Darby Days is a Performance Specialist and leadership practitioner exploring how work can actually work better for humans. At 27, Darby found herself leading multiple teams, inside fast growing coaching and consulting businesses, while quietly questioning the systems she was expected to uphold. Hustle culture. Overbuilt teams. Surface level leadership advice. Productivity at the expense of people. It all worked on paper, but it did not feel sustainable, inclusive, or creative enough to last. Work Renaissance was born out of that tension. This podcast is part selfish curiosity and part rebellion. A place to learn in public, challenge outdated business norms, and have honest conversations about leadership, performance, and culture without the bro marketing or burnout rhetoric. Some episodes are solo reflections. Others are deep conversations with founders, operators, and thinkers who are actively redefining how work works. This show exists because Darby believes feeling good at work and creating real impact are not mutually exclusive. That leadership should evolve as fast as the world does. And that asking uncomfortable questions is often the first step toward building something better. ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ Work Renaissance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workrenaissance/ [https://www.instagram.com/workrenaissance/] ⏯️Work Renaissance YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@work-renaissance [https://www.youtube.com/@work-renaissance] ☀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darbydays.co/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/darbydays.co/?hl=en] 👥 Personal LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/darby-days-b75a06208/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darby-days-b75a06208/]

WR Ep. 3: Living & Leading In Alignment With Rodric Lenhart

In this episode of Work Renaissance, I sit down with best-selling author, entrepreneur, and human-led coach Rodric Lenhart to talk about what it really means to live and lead in alignment. Rodric has built and scaled more than twenty businesses in his career, written two bestselling books, and now dedicates his time to coaching leaders and running his nonprofit, S.A.S.L.A (Students Achieving Success through Leadership Abroad). We talk about how early experiences shape the way we lead, what true resilience looks like, and how to rebuild self worth when success no longer feels fulfilling. Rodric shares his W.A.V.E.S Method for finding purpose (Why, Authenticity, Values, Exploration, and Statement of Purpose), how to navigate criticism without losing yourself, and why the true cost of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. Welcome back to Work Renaissance. ---------------------------------------- Keywords Work Renaissance, leadership, alignment, self worth, entrepreneurship, resilience, purpose, workplace reform, coaching, S.A.S.L.A, social impact, values based leadership, Darby Days, Rodric Lenhart ---------------------------------------- Chapters 05:25 Rodric’s story and his shift from serial entrepreneur to purpose driven coach 08:10 The origin of SASLA and the belief that travel creates empathy 16:20 Starting small and giving back without needing big money 20:30 Handling criticism, self worth, and imposter syndrome 23:10 The WAVES Method. Finding alignment through why, authenticity, and values 29:30 Purpose versus profit and why fulfillment must come first 31:40 Corporate systems, conformity, and questioning what we have been taught 37:20 What Rodric’s students have taught him about resilience and hope 40:00 AI, ethics, and leading with humanity in a changing world 46:10 Staying grounded through self awareness and compassion 47:21 Rodric’s guiding quote and closing advice for leaders ---------------------------------------- About Rodric Lenhart Rodric Lenhart is an author, speaker, human-led coach and multi 7-figure entrepreneur who has founded and scaled more than twenty businesses in his career. His bestselling book Million Dollar Flip Flops: Peace, Prosperity, and the Courage to Change Course In Life and Business has become a cornerstone reference point for readers around the globe. And he is the founder of S.A.S.L.A, a nonprofit that empowers middle school students to build businesses and travel the world, with the belief that exposure to different cultures is the key to empathy and peace. ---------------------------------------- Connect with Rodric 🌍 SASLA: https://www.sasla.org [https://www.sasla.org] 📘 Million Dollar Flip Flops: https://www.milliondollarflipflops.com [https://www.milliondollarflipflops.com] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rodriclenhart [https://www.instagram.com/rodriclenhart] 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodriclenhart [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodriclenhart] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ Work Renaissance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workrenaissance/ [https://www.instagram.com/workrenaissance/] ⏯️ Work Renaissance YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@work-renaissance [https://www.youtube.com/@work-renaissance] ☀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darbydays.co/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/darbydays.co/?hl=en]

WR Ep. 2: What Great Leaders and Great Stories Have in Common With Dr. J.J. Peterson

In this second episode of Work Renaissance, I sit down with Dr. J.J. Peterson to unpack what it really means to lead like a guide instead of a hero. We talk about the stories leaders tell themselves, the scars they carry, and how those unprocessed wounds can turn them into accidental villains at work. J.J. walks me through the StoryBrand lens of hero, villain, victim, and guide, and we explore what it looks like to build teams where empathy and authority live side by side instead of competing with each other. We dig into vulnerability that helps versus vulnerability that quietly drains your team, how to hold your ground without becoming a people pleaser, and why some of the hardest professional “no’s” end up being gifts in disguise. If you’ve ever felt the tension between being ambitious and being kind, this episode will give you language, stories, and a new way to see your role as a leader. Welcome back to Work Renaissance. ---------------------------------------- Keywords Work Renaissance, leadership, work reform, StoryBrand, guide vs hero, workplace culture, internal marketing, communication, vulnerability, empathy, authority, Badass Softie, Darby Days, creativity, empowerment, diversity, equity, inclusion ---------------------------------------- Chapters 00:00 Meeting Dr. J.J. Peterson and how we became instant “you too” friends 05:02 From improv comedy and the spotlight to raising a new generation of leaders 11:40 Hero, villain, victim, guide - using story to understand your role at work 18:55 How to show up as the guide with empathy and authority 26:30 Borrowed authority, owning your lane, and standing in your expertise 33:12 Vulnerability that helps vs vulnerability that quietly drains the room 40:48 Handling resistance, traditional leaders, and building real consensus 48:20 Meaning at work - redemption, something bigger than you, and true community 55:10 Letting people go, hearing no, and refusing to stay the victim 1:02:30 People pleasing vs guiding and where to find more of J.J. ---------------------------------------- About Dr. J.J. Peterson Dr. J.J. Peterson is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Vanderbilt professor, and host of the Badass Softie podcast. As former Head of StoryBrand, he has helped businesses like Microsoft, Certified Angus Beef, Tempur Sealy, and other marquee global brands cut through the noise with clear, compelling communication. ---------------------------------------- 🔥 Connect with Dr. J.J. Peterson: Work with J.J. → https://www.drjjpeterson.com/ [https://www.drjjpeterson.com/] 🎧 Listen to Badass Softie: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/badass-softie/id1838054087 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/badass-softie/id1838054087]Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6K4hQFIksalb6ZNtwPaWUR?si=c583d259c58d4540 [https://open.spotify.com/show/6K4hQFIksalb6ZNtwPaWUR?si=c583d259c58d4540]YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BadassSoftie [https://www.youtube.com/@BadassSoftie] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ Work Renaissance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workrenaissance/ [https://www.instagram.com/workrenaissance/] ⏯️Work Renaissance YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@work-renaissance [https://www.youtube.com/@work-renaissance] ☀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darbydays.co/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/darbydays.co/?hl=en]

Ep. 1: Is This Thing On?

Update (Nov 7th) - We have updated the podcast name to Work Renaissance. In this first episode of Work Renaissance, I’m kicking things off with a messy, honest intro to what this project is and why I needed to make it. I share how, at 27, I’ve found myself leading multiple teams but craving a new kind of education rooted in sustainability, inclusion, and creativity rather than hustle culture or bro marketing. This podcast is my way of finding and learning from people who are redefining how work works. It’s part selfish curiosity and part act of rebellion against burnout and toxic productivity. I talk about my creative roots, my frustration with surface-level content, and my dream to bring together founders and leaders who believe that feeling good at work and creating real impact can coexist. Whether it’s solo reflections or deep conversations with guests, this space is about unlearning old systems, asking uncomfortable questions, and making work human again. Welcome to Work Renaissance. Keywords Work Renaissance, leadership, work reform, creativity, podcast, Darby Days, workplace culture, empowerment, diversity, equity, inclusion Summary In the inaugural episode of Work Renaissance, host Darby Days introduces the podcast's mission to explore innovative approaches to work and leadership. Darby shares her personal journey, motivations, and the desire to create a platform for meaningful conversations about workplace culture, creativity, and reform. The episode emphasizes the importance of human connection in the workplace and aims to challenge traditional norms while fostering a community of like-minded individuals. Takeaways * Darby Days introduces herself and the podcast Work Renaissance. * The podcast aims to explore innovative approaches to work and leadership. * Darby shares her personal journey and motivations for starting the podcast. * She emphasizes the importance of human connection in the workplace. * The podcast will feature both solo episodes and guest interviews. * Darby seeks to challenge traditional workplace norms and beliefs. * The vision includes creating a fulfilling and impactful work environment. * Engagement with the audience is encouraged for guest suggestions. * Darby expresses her desire to learn and grow through the podcast. * The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to join the journey. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Work Renaissance 01:24 Darby's Journey and Intentions 04:37 Exploring Work Reform and Sustainability 09:56 Vision for the Podcast and Future Guests 14:09 Creating a Voice for Change