The Thin Line Between Culture and Perception with Ashlee Sang

The Thin Line Between Culture and Perception with Ashlee Sang

What happens when the story an organization tells publicly does not match what people are experiencing inside it? A brand is more than a logo, website, or polished message. It is shaped by how people are treated, how decisions are communicated, what gets avoided, and whether the values on the outside show up in the day-to-day. In this episode of Lime, Listen & Learn: The People Leadership Lounge, host Abbiola Ballah is in conversation with Ashlee Sang about the thin line between internal culture and public perception, and why that line is more permeable than many leaders realize. This isn’t a panel. We’re not here for perfect soundbites. This is a lime, a Trinidadian term that means to hang out, connect, and vibe. Abbiola and Ashlee talk about trust, values, leadership, brand storytelling, and what happens when employees’ experiences do not line up with promises being made to customers, communities, funders, or the public. They get into the conversations leaders need to be willing to have, the small actions that add up over time, and why listening and course-correcting build more trust than pretending an organization has never missed the mark. Pull up a chair. Come lime with us! This Conversation Touches On: * The thin, permeable line between internal culture and public perception * How employees’ everyday experiences shape trust and reputation * Values as more than words on a website or in a handbook * What leaders communicate through the conversations they avoid * Listening, course-correcting, and responding when people say you missed the mark About Our Guest Ashlee Sang advises socially conscious leaders through their brand-building and decision-making so they can connect with people who believe in their vision and values. Together, Ashlee and her clients align big ideas with everyday actions. Learn more about Ashlee’s work here: Website [www.ashleesang.com] | Podcast [www.ashleesang.com/podcast] | Guide [www.ashleesang.com/elevator] About Our Host Abbiola Ballah (she/her) is a coach and facilitator who supports leaders navigating uncomfortable workplace conversations. Her work helps people move through tension, communication breakdowns, and high-impact moments with more clarity and care, while keeping identity, context, and power in view. She is the Founder of Phern Education Studios and creator of the CLEARER Conversations™ Lab [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/clearer-conversations-lab], a signature leadership experience designed to help people leaders approach uncomfortable conversations with care, discernment, and intention. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Abbiola brings a global perspective shaped by more than 20 years of experience in leadership development, program design, and organizational learning, along with years of living and working internationally. Learn more about Abbiola’s work here: Website [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiola-ballah/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/pherneducationstudios] Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: N3VCBVBIAGT6LGKT, YH3PZ102YWBREOOC

Deconstructing the Wellness Room with Gary L. Davis

What if workplace wellness is not really about the wellness room? A meditation app, a yoga session, or a wellness workshop can be helpful. But what happens when those things are being used to soften the impact of a culture that still avoids hard conversations, unclear feedback, unmanaged conflict, and unrealistic urgency? In this episode of Lime, Listen & Learn: The People Leadership Lounge, host Abbiola Ballah is in conversation with Gary L. Davis to talk about what workplace wellness really requires when we stop treating it like a program and start looking at the culture underneath it. This isn’t a panel. We’re not here for perfect soundbites. This is a lime, a Trinidadian term that means to hang out, connect, and vibe. Abbiola and Gary talk honestly about wellness, self-care, ambition, feedback, collaboration, and the workplace conditions that leave people needing to recover from work in the first place. The conversation invites leaders to look beyond one-off events and ask what it would mean to build teams where people can be human, honest, clear, and cared for while still doing meaningful work. Pull up a chair. Come lime with us! This Conversation Touches On: * Workplace wellness beyond one-off events and programming * The culture issues wellness programs can sometimes cover up * Feedback, collaboration, and role clarity as part of wellbeing * The pressure of urgency, productivity, and ambition * Why humanity needs to become the “sexy, shiny object” at work About Our Guest Driven by a deep commitment to empathy, mental health, and belonging, Gary cultivates environments where the "full human" can thrive—proving that high performance and personal wellness aren't mutually exclusive. Whether engineering diversity talent products or reimagining community impact, Gary remains focused on building an equitable future of work where people experience equanimity at work.  Learn more about Gary’s work here: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gldavis10/] | Substack [https://healingisahabit.substack.com/] About Our Host Abbiola Ballah (she/her) is a coach and facilitator who supports leaders navigating uncomfortable workplace conversations. Her work helps people move through tension, communication breakdowns, and high-impact moments with more clarity and care, while keeping identity, context, and power in view. She is the Founder of Phern Education Studios and creator of the CLEARER Conversations™ Lab [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/clearer-conversations-lab], a signature leadership experience designed to help people leaders approach uncomfortable conversations with care, discernment, and intention. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Abbiola brings a global perspective shaped by more than 20 years of experience in leadership development, program design, and organizational learning, along with years of living and working internationally. Learn more about Abbiola’s work here: Website [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiola-ballah/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/pherneducationstudios] Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: N3VCBVBIAGT6LGKT, YH3PZ102YWBREOOC

Leading Without Belonging (And Creating It Anyway!)

What does leadership feel like when you are the only one in the room? Being the only woman, the only Black person, the only immigrant, the only young leader shapes not just how you show up, but how others experience your leadership. It is about navigating power, identity, and belonging while still being expected to carry the weight of leading. In this episode of Lime, Listen & Learn: The People Leadership Lounge, host Abbiola Ballah is in conversation with Geronda Wollack-Spiller to talk about what it means to lead while being the only and what belonging really requires from everyone involved. This isn’t a panel. We’re not here for perfect soundbites. This is a lime, a Trinidadian term that means to hang out, connect, and vibe. Abbiola and Geronda talk honestly about the complexity of leading when your presence is both necessary and misunderstood. The conversation invites leaders to look closely at voice, access, and care, and to reflect on how the way we speak to one another shapes how we work together. Grab your snacks and a drink. Come lime with us! THIS CONVERSATION TOUCHES ON: * Leading while being the only in a space * Belonging as a shared responsibility, not an individual burden * Curiosity as a pathway to understanding and trust * Power, voice, and access in everyday leadership * Holding both logic and vulnerability in hard conversations ABOUT OUR GUEST As a queer Black woman, Geronda Wollack-Spiller (she/her) has become familiar with what it means to be "the only" and has made it into a superpower for understanding the true meaning of belonging. As a result, she helps leaders and teams implement actionable strategies for increasing belonging, enabling everyone to thrive, feel valued, and foster an inclusive culture that promotes growth. She lives in the beautiful state of Maine with her wife and three fur babies! Learn more about Geronda’s work here: Website [https://www.gerondaws.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerondawollack/] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@leadinginthemoment] ABOUT OUR HOST Abbiola Ballah (she/her) is a people leadership consultant, coach, and facilitator who supports directors & managers navigating the human side of leadership. She is the Founder of Phern Education Studios and the creator of the CLEARER Conversations™ Experience [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/clearer-conversations-experience], a signature leadership program designed to help people leaders approach hard conversations with care, discernment, and intention. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development, program design, and organizational learning, Abbiola partners with organizations across the health, education, philanthropy, and nonprofit sectors to design and facilitate people-centered leadership experiences that improve communication, support managers & directors through team dynamics, and rebuild trust. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, she brings a global perspective shaped by long-term, cross-cultural work with leaders and organizations. Learn more about Abbiola's work here: Website [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiola-ballah/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/pherneducationstudios]

How Leadership Builds (Or Breaks) A Culture of Learning

We often think of development as something leaders can give, like a training, a course, or a resource. But what if growth is not something to hand out, but something to cultivate? What if the real measure of leadership is not in sending people out to learn, but in creating a culture where learning becomes part of the everyday? In this episode of Lime, Listen & Learn: The People Leadership Lounge, host Abbiola Ballah is joined by Laura Jordan to talk about what actually shapes a culture of learning and how leadership can either support or quietly undermine it. This isn’t a panel. We’re not here for perfect soundbites. This is a lime, a Trinidadian term that means to hang out, connect, and vibe. Abbiola and Laura explore what shifts when leaders move beyond providing resources and start paying attention to how learning shows up in day to day work. They talk about the gap between theory and application, the role of emotional awareness, and why understanding people as humans, not just roles, matters when it comes to growth and development at work. Grab your snacks and a drink. Come lime with us! THIS CONVERSATION TOUCHES ON: * Rethinking development as something to cultivate, not deliver * Building learning into everyday leadership behavior * Bridging the gap between theory and application * Emotional awareness as part of learning cultures * Understanding people beyond their roles at work ABOUT OUR GUEST Laura Jordan has a MA in Psychology with a concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Professionally, she enjoys turning broader strategic vision into practical reality. Her passion for onboarding and leadership development often connects her with organizational development projects. She loves networking and learning from others' stories. Laura is a proud military spouse to a test pilot and mother to two amazing children. Learn more about Laura’s work here: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lpsjordan] ABOUT OUR HOST Abbiola Ballah (she/her) is a people leadership consultant, coach, and facilitator who supports directors & managers navigating the human side of leadership. She is the Founder of Phern Education Studios and the creator of the CLEARER Conversations™ Experience [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/clearer-conversations-experience], a signature leadership program designed to help people leaders approach hard conversations with care, discernment, and intention. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development, program design, and organizational learning, Abbiola partners with organizations across the health, education, philanthropy, and nonprofit sectors to design and facilitate people-centered leadership experiences that improve communication, support managers & directors through team dynamics, and rebuild trust. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, she brings a global perspective shaped by long-term, cross-cultural work with leaders and organizations. Learn more about Abbiola's work here: Website [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiola-ballah/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/pherneducationstudios]

Imposter Syndrome, Hard Conversations & Everything In Between

When the plan falls apart, what do you do next? You adapt. You show up anyway. And sometimes, you use the moment to name what’s really going on. That’s what this week’s solo episode of Lime, Listen & Learn: The People Leadership Lounge is about. No guest this time. Just Abbiola Ballah talking through the real weight many managers are carrying and what it looks like to start naming it out loud. This isn’t a panel. We’re not here for perfect soundbites. This is a lime, a Trinidadian term that means to hang out, connect, and vibe. In this solo episode, Abbiola reflects on what we often call imposter syndrome and why it might not actually be yours. She talks about the hidden weight managers carry and why hard conversations do not get easier but they can get clearer. The episode invites leaders to slow down, notice what they are carrying, and think differently about how they move through tension, silence, and misalignment at work. This is not a quick tip session. It is a real talk moment for those leading in systems that were never built with them in mind. So if you are feeling the pressure, avoiding a conversation, or just need someone to name what has been feeling heavy, come lime with me! THIS CONVERSATION TOUCHES ON: * Rethinking imposter syndrome as a learned response * The unseen weight managers carry, especially those in the middle * Naming what is happening instead of internalizing it * Navigating hard conversations with more intention and care * Showing up without needing to get it perfect ABOUT OUR HOST Abbiola Ballah (she/her) is a people leadership consultant, coach, and facilitator who supports directors & managers navigating the human side of leadership. She is the Founder of Phern Education Studios and the creator of the CLEARER Conversations™ Experience [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/clearer-conversations-experience], a signature leadership program designed to help people leaders approach hard conversations with care, discernment, and intention. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development, program design, and organizational learning, Abbiola partners with organizations across the health, education, philanthropy, and nonprofit sectors to design and facilitate people-centered leadership experiences that improve communication, support managers & directors through team dynamics, and rebuild trust. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, she brings a global perspective shaped by long-term, cross-cultural work with leaders and organizations. Learn more about Abbiola's work here: Website [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiola-ballah/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/pherneducationstudios] Join the next cohort of the CLEARER Conversations™ Experience [https://www.pherneducationstudios.com/clearer-conversations-experience]