The Talent Forge: Shaping Workforce Behaviors with Jay Johnson

Design Training That Builds Real Business Tools with Rose Benedicks

Most training is built to transfer knowledge. That’s not enough anymore. If we want learning and development to survive budget cuts and earn real influence, we have to build training that produces workplace outputs people actually use. Jay Johnson sits down with talent development leader Rose Benedicks to unpack a practical model: design learning around the deliverable, not the content. We walk through concrete examples that make this click fast, like onboarding technical facilitators by having them create a facilitator guide as the outcome, or building risk management plans, business continuity plans, performance plans, sales follow-up strategies, and even full marketing campaigns during the learning process. Rose explains why this is harder than traditional training, how it forces you to embed the real way of working into the program, and why evaluating the actual work product is the cleanest measurement you can ask for. Then we take the same thinking into AI transformation. What does it mean to work with a digital coworker? Where should humans stay in the loop? How do future-built organizations move beyond AI for productivity and into AI that creates business value? We also get specific about AI risk and reliability, including hallucinations, model drift, governance, picking the right model for the task, and how individuals can “train” their AI with source rules, citation checks, and named research protocols. If you’re serious about training ROI, performance improvement, and using AI without multiplying chaos, this one will give you a clear next step. Subscribe to Talent Forge, share this with your L&D or ops team, and leave a review with the workplace output you want your next training to produce. About Rose Benedicks: Rose Benedicks works in the people-plus-operations space, most recently as a VP of Ops. Her background in corporate L&D led to her most inspired work improving the top line for all kinds of organizations, from Fortune 50 to startups. She has also taught in UT, Knoxville's graduate ID program and is currently earning an executive education certificate in AI Transformation and Leadership at Chicago Booth. Rose also has a lifelong passion for mental health as it applies to workplace relationships. Connect with her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosebenedicks/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosebenedicks/] Interested in being a guest on The Talent Forge? Contact our producer, Madison Bennett, via email: madison@coeuscreativegroup.com. Meet the Host Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements® [https://www.behavioralelements.com], a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay has delivered transformational workshops to accelerate high-performance teams and cultures in more than 30 countries across four continents. For inquiries, contact jay@behavioralelements.com [jay@behavioralelements.com] or connect below! LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/] Speaker Website - https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com [https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com/]

Solo Mission Series: Relationship Management at Work

A single vague message can kick off a week of tension, not because anyone is incompetent, but because the brain hates uncertainty and relationships strain under pressure. Our host, Jay Johnson, takes a solo deep dive into relationship management at work and shows how two common stress patterns, anxious and avoidant attachment behaviors, quietly hijack communication between managers and employees. We walk through what “anxious” and “avoidant” look like in real workplace moments: the employee who keeps following up for reassurance, the manager who goes quiet and calls it efficiency, the status update that feels like micromanagement, and the short reply that gets read as rejection. You’ll hear why these are patterns, not labels, and how anxious pursuit and avoidant withdrawal create a predictable loop that hurts engagement, retention, and performance. Then we get practical. Jay shares a clear leadership toolkit with scripts you can use immediately: how to name the loop without blaming the person, how to install a calming clarity cadence, how to use a pause phrase when the heat rises, and how to replace assumptions with the “fact, story, ask” framework. We also cover repair scripts, bounded reassurance, and a directness with dignity rule that protects psychological safety while keeping standards high.  If you want less drama and more traction in your manager-employee relationships, subscribe, share this with a leader on your team, and leave a review with the one script you’re going to try first. Meet the Host Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements® [https://www.behavioralelements.com], a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay has delivered transformational workshops to accelerate high-performance teams and cultures in more than 30 countries across four continents. For inquiries, contact jay@behavioralelements.com [jay@behavioralelements.com] or connect below! LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/] Speaker Website - https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com [https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com/]

From Paralympic World Record to Daily Growth: The 1% Method with Mikael Avatar Stjernvall

A Paralympic world record doesn’t come from hype; it comes from tiny choices repeated for years. That’s where this conversation with Mikael Avatar Stjernvall goes: into the real mechanics of resilience, focus, and the kind of leadership habits that hold up when motivation disappears. We talk about Mikael’s journey from childhood training and early coaching instincts to elite Paralympic performance, and how passion becomes the “glue” that makes setbacks feel smaller. From there, we get practical about behavior change and mindset: curiosity, testing, repetition, and the daily reflection that keeps you pointed at the right goal. If you’re searching for leadership development that isn’t fluffy, you’ll hear a clear model for building consistency, strengthening your growth mindset, and staying aligned with what actually makes you happy. Mikael also shares unforgettable stories that make the lessons stick, including his months-long mission to earn a wild cat’s trust through small, steady actions. We dig into the 1% concept as a chain reaction: choose one priority, take one small step, and let momentum build. Along the way, we talk about the loneliness of high performance, how to create real support systems outside your field, and why “almost committed” can quietly sabotage your results. If you found value here, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review with your biggest 1% takeaway. What will you commit to this week? About Mikael Avatar Stjernvall: Mikael Avatar Stjernvall is a resilience coach, Paralympic world-record holder (long jump, Atlanta 1996), and creator of The Mikael Avatar Method – daily 1% pauses that turn life’s chaos into joyful legacy. Born dead for 45 minutes with cerebral palsy, he defied odds: sailed the Atlantic at 20 with an “impossible” crew, coached 1,000+ clients (Hilton, Save the Children), inspired 300,000 through keynotes, and painted 1,000+ artworks. Since 2009 in Thailand, he’s pain-free and thriving, blending 40+ years of mental training with laughter and fire. Connect with Mikael: mikaelavatar.com [http://mikaelavatar.com/] Interested in being a guest on The Talent Forge? Contact our producer, Madison Bennett, via email: madison@coeuscreativegroup.com. Meet the Host Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements® [https://www.behavioralelements.com], a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay has delivered transformational workshops to accelerate high-performance teams and cultures in more than 30 countries across four continents. For inquiries, contact jay@behavioralelements.com [jay@behavioralelements.com] or connect below! LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/] Speaker Website - https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com [https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com/]

Neuroscience Tools For Leadership and Change with Dr. Lisa Riegel

Your smartest plan can fail if the brain thinks it’s under threat. That’s why we brought on Dr. Lisa Riegel, a neuroscientist and author of Aspirations To Operations and NeuroWell, to translate brain science into leadership behaviors you can actually use when pressure is high and change is nonstop. We start with Lisa’s “quarter-life crisis” reset and the moment she realized success on paper can still feel like failure inside. From there we get practical about choice, acceptance, and why “there’s no wrong step” if you stay curious and learn from the dots on your timeline. Then we go deep into the human operating system: how unconscious processing drives most of our behavior, how the amygdala fires fast, and how identity and old associations can hijack the present. Lisa’s “Bob” and “Harold” model makes complex neuroscience clear without watering it down. If you’re leading through uncertainty, AI disruption, or fast organizational change, we connect the brain to implementation. Lisa shares her 8C commitment framework, including culture and belonging, collective identity, clarity, coherence, cadence, collaboration, coaching, communication, and celebration. We also cover quick vagus nerve and breath practices you can use to improve self-regulation, so you can make better decisions and help your team do the same. Subscribe for more conversations on workforce behavior, share this with a leader who’s navigating change, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. What’s one trigger or change you want to handle better this month? About Lisa: Lisa Riegel started her career in education, driven by one goal: to help people reach their potential. Over time, she realized that fulfillment—whether in a classroom, company, or community—comes from understanding how the brain drives behavior and how systems shape success. That discovery became the foundation for her life’s work. As an educator, researcher, and author, she has spent two decades helping leaders and organizations align brain science with human systems—creating cultures where people feel connected, capable, and in control of their growth. She delivers keynotes, workshops, and individual leadership coaching that helps people connect the science of behavior, motivation, and fulfillment to their organization's strategic goals. Her counsel and support improves happiness, health, and success for individuals and organizations as a whole. Connect with Lisa: https://lisariegel.com/ Interested in being a guest on The Talent Forge? Contact our producer, Madison Bennett, via email: madison@coeuscreativegroup.com. Meet the Host Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements® [https://www.behavioralelements.com], a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay has delivered transformational workshops to accelerate high-performance teams and cultures in more than 30 countries across four continents. For inquiries, contact jay@behavioralelements.com [jay@behavioralelements.com] or connect below! LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/] Speaker Website - https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com [https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com/]

Solo Mission Series: Turn Vague Criticism Into Usable Behavior Change

Most leaders think the hard part is “giving feedback.” I think the real challenge is clarity. When we say things like “be more proactive” or “watch your tone,” we’re usually handing someone a foggy request they can’t translate into action, or we’re accidentally aiming at their identity instead of their behavior. No wonder people get defensive and nothing changes.  Join Jay in this week's Solo Mission Series as he walks through why feedback fails in predictable ways: it’s too general, it lands like a character judgment, it shows up late, or it tells people what to stop without offering a replacement behavior.  You’ll leave with practical tools you can use the same day: the SBI method (Situation, Behavior, Impact), a simple way to add the “why” so feedback feels future-forward, and an “ask” that turns a monologue into a real conversation. I also share replacement behavior examples that include a clear trigger and measurable output, plus a 2x2x2 map to adjust your approach based on intent and skill.  Try the seven-day challenge at the end, and if it helps, subscribe, share the show with a leader who needs it, and leave a review with the tool you’re going to test first. Interested in being a guest on The Talent Forge? Contact our producer, Madison Bennett, via email: madison@coeuscreativegroup.com. Meet the Host Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements® [https://www.behavioralelements.com], a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay has delivered transformational workshops to accelerate high-performance teams and cultures in more than 30 countries across four continents. For inquiries, contact jay@behavioralelements.com [jay@behavioralelements.com] or connect below! LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjohnsonccg/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/ [https://www.instagram.com/jayjohnsonccg/] Speaker Website - https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com [https://jayjohnsonspeaks.com/]