In this episode of One Sharp Sword, Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with Robert Beaven—human-centered culture architect and leadership coach—to explore why culture isn’t a side initiative, it is the strategy.

Together, they unpack what it really takes to build trust and psychological safety in organizations, especially in a world shaped by rapid change, remote work, and increasing complexity. Robert shares hard-earned lessons from his journey through corporate leadership, consulting, and culture design—along with practical insights leaders can use immediately.

This conversation dives into curiosity as the foundation of trust, the danger of perfectionism, the power of presence, and why great leaders don’t call people out—they call them in.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why culture is the primary driver of sustainable performance
• Psychological safety as a leadership responsibility
• Curiosity as the foundation of trust and belonging
• The myth of perfection and the cost of comparison
• Leadership presence: how you show up is the message
• Calling people in vs. calling people out
• Building trust through boundaries, grace, and consistency
• Supporting introverts and quieter voices on teams
• Why leaders must grow people—not just results
• Giving yourself (and others) grace in a polarized world

This conversation dives into curiosity as the foundation of trust, the danger of perfectionism, the power of presence, and why great leaders don’t call people out—they call them in.

Robert Beaven is a human-centered culture architect with more than 20 years of experience helping leaders design cultures where people thrive and performance follows. His work focuses on leadership alignment, psychological safety, trust, and courageous conversations.

Connect with Robert:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robertbeaven

🎥 Watch the full episode on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/nReCgtQtG3I