Épisodes

  • Episode 222: What the Business Demands from Its Leaders This Year

    Episode 222: What the Business Demands from Its Leaders This Year
    Jan 20 2026
    In today’s episode, Bob ’n Joyce take on a question many organizations avoid—but can’t afford to ignore: What does the business actually need from its leaders right now? Rather than defaulting to generic competency models or last year’s leadership playbook, Joyce pulls from her flip-chart archives—capturing real-world leadership “must-haves” identified by two distinct groups: the C-suite and Operations VPs working in the trenches. What emerges is a fascinating contrast between strategic expectations and operational realities—from leading large-scale change and building long-term capacity, to battle-hardened confidence, simplicity of mindset, and spending more time in the field than the office. Bob ’n Joyce then force-rank the top three leadership attributes from each group and invite you to do the same. Why? Because leadership development without context is just activity—not impact. Given the challenges your organization faces this year, this episode helps you make a conscious, strategic choice about where to focus leadership development so it serves the business—not just the curriculum. Come on in. Grab a snack. Welcome. Footnote: Leadership Attributes Identified by Each Group C-suite Leadership “Must-Haves” • Proven track record • Builds capacity • High energy endurance • Vision for strategy • Inspires • Compassionate • Courageous • Builds productive relationships • Leads large change • Keeps the long-term good of the company in mind Operations VP Leadership “Must-Haves” • Passionate and curious • Battle-hardened confidence • Team smarts (collaborative) • Simple mindset (ultimate sophistication) • Fearlessness (no comfort in comfort) • Preparation and patience • Time management • Smart interviewing • More time out of the office than in • The art of running meetings
    Voir plus Voir moins
    23 min
  • Episode 221: Come Play in Our 2026 Rejuvenation Sandbox

    Episode 221: Come Play in Our 2026 Rejuvenation Sandbox
    Jan 16 2026
    What happens when you slow down, ask better questions, and resist the urge to rush to answers? In this episode, Bob ’n Joyce model a real-time reflection that sparks insight, tension, and surprising clarity for the year ahead. Using curiosity and inquiry, they pose a series of powerful questions to one another—questions designed to disrupt familiar thinking and generate fresh insights and “aha” moments. What unfolds is a candid, in-the-moment assessment of their current reality, paired with the creative tension between where they are today and what they hope for in the year ahead. You’ll hear the pauses, the uncertainty, and the less-than-polished responses that come with doing this work honestly. Fair warning: this is not an easy or comfortable exercise. But it is a meaningful one. The rewards of slowing down, asking better questions, and reflecting together—whether with a team or across an entire organization—are well worth the effort. Come on in. Grab a snack. Welcome!
    Voir plus Voir moins
    21 min
  • Episode 0: Welcome to the Bob 'n Joyce Talk HR 'n OD Podcast!

    Episode 0: Welcome to the Bob 'n Joyce Talk HR 'n OD Podcast!
    Nov 9 2020
    Welcome to the Bob 'n Joyce Talk HR 'n OD Podcast. Meet us, find our why we are doing this podcast, and what our hope is for you, our listeners. Don't forget to review us on Apple Podcasts, and to check out our Facebook page by searching for bobnjoyce. View more information at www.bobnjoyce.com.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    2 min
  • Episode 220: Starting Fresh: What Actually Makes a Reset Stick

    Episode 220: Starting Fresh: What Actually Makes a Reset Stick
    Jan 5 2026
    In today’s episode, Bob ‘n Joyce reflect on the start of a new year and the importance of pausing to renew and reset our intentions. Many of us begin January with resolutions to improve our health, habits, and overall well-being. Thoughtful organizations do the same—taking time to reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and what truly needs to change. In organizational development, this process is often called a reset. Bob ‘n Joyce explore one proven methodology—the Future Search Conference—that helps teams and organizations step back, make sense of their current reality, and align around a shared and preferred future. Why does a structured approach to an organizational reset matter? Because good intentions alone rarely lead to lasting change. Most personal New Year’s resolutions fade by Valentine’s Day, and organizational change efforts face the same risk—many stall, lose momentum, or fall short of their goals. Whether you’re setting personal intentions for 2026 or leading a team that needs a thoughtful reset, this episode offers practical insights to help turn reflection into meaningful action. Come on in. Grab a healthy snack. You’re welcome here.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    18 min
  • Episode 219: Happiness at Work: The Data Leaders Can’t Ignore

    Episode 219: Happiness at Work: The Data Leaders Can’t Ignore
    Dec 19 2025
    In this episode, Bob ’n Joyce explore key findings from Gallup’s 2025 World Happiness Report. The United States experienced a notable decline, ranking 24th — its lowest position ever. The report highlights how social connection, financial wellbeing, emotional health, and physical wellness all play a critical role in overall happiness. While these findings may not come as a surprise, they should serve as a wake-up call for business leaders and OD practitioners. Unhappy employees don’t just affect morale — they impact business results and workplace culture in very real ways. In the spirit of the season, we focus on what we can do to address chronic unhappiness, drawing directly from insights in the Gallup poll. What emerges are solutions that don’t require big budgets or more time. In fact, small, subtle shifts by leaders — being fully present, asking thoughtful questions, and helping people feel seen and validated — can make a meaningful difference. On a personal level, we invite you, our listeners, to use this holiday season as a moment to pause, look around, and make someone’s day. Kindness is contagious — and when it spreads, it lifts all of us. No better time to begin than now. Come on in, grab a snack. Welcome!
    Voir plus Voir moins
    24 min
  • Episode 218: A Practical Way to Read What Your Organization Is Trying to Tell You

    Episode 218: A Practical Way to Read What Your Organization Is Trying to Tell You
    Dec 17 2025
    In today’s episode, Bob ’n Joyce unpack an article Joyce wrote years ago on a powerful OD technique she used to assess organizational wellness. Culture can feel fuzzy and hard to diagnose, but this simple inquiry tool makes it concrete, practical, and actionable for leaders, coaches, and OD practitioners. You’ll hear when this tool is most valuable—such as during a leadership transition, when performance is slipping, or when an organization has lost its competitive edge—and then we walk through the roadmap step by step. Joyce’s Diagnostic Roadmap Includes: Getting a Balcony Perspective 1. What’s causing the distress? 2. What internal contradictions does that distress reveal? 3. What is the history behind those contradictions? 4. What perspectives or interests do I (or others) now represent that may be in conflict? 5. How might we, as a team or organization, be mirroring these broader dynamics? Identifying the Tolerable Range of Distress 6. How do we typically respond to disequilibrium—confusion, conflict, external threats, shifting roles? 7. When in the past has distress escalated to a breaking point? 8. What actions have senior leaders traditionally used to restore equilibrium, and what can I influence now? Patterns of Work and Work Avoidance 9. What work and work-avoidance patterns are showing up? 10. What do these patterns reveal about the real adaptive challenge? 11. What clues do leaders (often unintentionally) provide? 12. Which issues are ripe for action—and which may need ripening? There’s a lot to unwrap (pun fully intended), so settle in, grab a healthy snack, and join us for a lively conversation on diagnosing culture in a way that actually helps organizations heal and grow.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    19 min
  • Episode 217: Unlocking Human Potential: A Conversation with Alfredo Borodowski, PhD, MSW

    Episode 217: Unlocking Human Potential: A Conversation with Alfredo Borodowski, PhD, MSW
    Dec 9 2025
    In today’s episode, Bob ‘n Joyce are joined by Alfredo Borodowski for an energizing and insightful conversation on positivity, resilience, purpose, and happiness. Alfredo takes us on a journey through the evolution of positive psychology—from its early days 25 years ago to today—showing how the science of positivity can transform people and organizations. Alfredo’s passion for human fulfillment and doing good is a much-needed message in today’s world. One of his great gifts is making the complex simple and the abstract concrete and actionable. He also shares his personal struggle with mental illness and how that challenge revealed his life’s purpose. Grab a pen and notebook—this episode is packed with practical ideas you can use immediately.’ A Sample of Today’s Conversation • The 24 character strengths at the core of what motivates each of us. • Why understanding and applying your signature strengths makes you nine times more likely to achieve fulfillment and high performance. • How purpose, pleasure, and strengths intersect to unlock full potential. • Why objectives end but purpose never does. • A simple definition of purpose: Giving the best of yourself for the benefit of others. • The Purpose Factor—an assessment that provides a 50-page personalized description of your life’s purpose. • The four factors companies need to thrive in the future: self-confidence, hope, optimism, and resilience (also known as Psychological Capital). About Our Guest Alfredo Borodowski, PhD, MSW, is an organizational consultant and positive psychology expert who has devoted his career to guiding organizations through profound cultural shifts. He brings practical, immediately applicable strategies to every engagement. Alfredo's Upcoming Book: The Human Upgrade: The New Resilient Leadership for Peak Performance in the AI Revolution In this powerful new book, Alfredo Borodowski shows how individuals, teams, and entire organizations can thrive—rather than just survive—amid rapid technological change. Day-to-day routines, AI-driven disruption, global uncertainty: all turn into opportunities when you harness clarity, purpose, resilience, and mental focus. Through real stories, neuroscience-informed practices, and practical exercises, The Human Upgrade offers a roadmap for building adaptive minds, purposeful workplaces, and high-performing lives. It’s for athletes, executives, creators — anyone who wants to turn pressure into possibility. Expected release: early 2026 (pre-order available at positiveab.com).
    Voir plus Voir moins
    46 min
  • Episode 216: How the Words We Use Lift — or Limit — Us

    Episode 216: How the Words We Use Lift — or Limit — Us
    Nov 24 2025
    In this episode, Bob ‘n Joyce explore how the words we think and speak shape the world we live in. Our language can either unlock new possibilities or quietly reinforce the status quo. And in a world that’s often dripping with negativity, it’s easy to get swept up and mirror the tone around us. The same dynamic plays out inside organizations: the prevailing language can propel a culture forward… or keep it stuck. Key Takeaways: • Choosing our words consciously — what we call activating language — can bring new possibilities into being that wouldn’t emerge on their own. • The words we use about ourselves influence how we show up and how others experience us. • Most of us toss out language without realizing its impact. • The dominant language inside an organization is a direct signal of the health of its culture. Join us as we unpack how language shapes personal and organizational wellbeing. Come on in. Grab a snack. Welcome!
    Voir plus Voir moins
    18 min