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In this week’s episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with Farrah Mitra — executive coach, former Bain consultant, Cornell alum, and one of only fifteen Radical Candor™ coaches worldwide. Farrah's career has been built at the intersection of people, performance, and communication, and she brings a rare blend of strategic clarity and deep humanity to the conversations leaders fear most.

Together, Wendy and Farrah break down:

• Why communication is often the true bottleneck inside organizations — and how it silently shapes trust, culture, and retention.
• The thin line between “getting it right” and “getting it wrong” when messaging is high-stakes, emotional, or tied to people’s livelihoods.
• How two companies approached layoffs — one creating confusion and trauma, the other creating advocates even in the midst of hard decisions.
• Farrah’s 3-step Communicating Challenges & Change Framework used by executives across industries:
  • Identify the facts
  • Check your mindset
  • Deliver with care
• Why mindset is the hidden variable — and how unspoken frustration or dread leaks into every message we deliver.
• A practical formula for empathy that leaders can use without diluting clarity, over-apologizing, or losing authority.
• How leaders can shift from fear of difficult conversations to skillful, confident delivery.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders navigating performance conversations, reorganizations, role changes, or any situation where the stakes are high and emotions are real.

Connect With Farra Mitra

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-mitra-executive-coach/
Email: farrah@greenreedgroup.com

Links & Resources

✨ Sign up for The Culture Roadmap Workshop Series
A 3-part November experience for leaders who want clarity, energy, and ownership heading into 2026.
Register at http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

🎙️ Subscribe to The Culture Coach Podcast for weekly leadership and culture insights.

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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In this week’s episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand unpacks the power of conscious leadership—a philosophy popularized by John Mackey (Whole Foods), Steve McIntosh, and Carter Phipps—and how it connects directly to the CORE Culture™ pillars of Clarity, Energy, and Ownership.

Wendy explores what it truly means to lead above the line—where fear is acknowledged but not in control—and how awareness, alignment, and accountability fuel intentional cultures. Drawing from The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, Dare to Lead, and her own coaching work with CEOs and leadership teams, Wendy breaks down three essential dimensions of conscious leadership:

• Vision & Virtue (Clarity): Defining purpose beyond profit and leading with integrity.
• Mindset & Strategy (Energy): Managing your inner world before you manage others—protecting focus, curiosity, and long-term perspective.
• People & Culture (Ownership): Empowering teams through trust, shared accountability, and continual growth.

This episode offers practical ways to integrate these concepts into your daily leadership practices—helping you move from reaction to intention, and from managing chaos to shaping culture consciously.

🔍 Key Takeaways

• Conscious leaders balance vision and virtue—they know where they’re going and why.
• Leadership energy sets the tone: grounded focus fuels creative, high-performing teams.
• The “above the line” framework helps you recognize and recover from reactive, fear-driven responses.
• Ownership isn’t control—it’s co-creation. Trust is the foundation of a self-sustaining culture.
• When clarity, energy, and ownership align, culture becomes your greatest strategic advantage.

🧭 Next Steps

If you’re ready to stop reacting to culture and start shaping it with intention:
👉 Join Wendy’s free 3-part Culture Roadmap Webinar Series — begins November 11.
Get the full experience (or access replays) at culturecoachwendy.com/webinarseries

And if you’re a CEO ready for deeper transformation, join the waitlist for The Empowered CEO, a 6-month coaching program designed to help you lead with confidence, clarity, and conviction.
🔗 culturecoachwendy.com/ceo

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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This week on The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with Dave McDonald, founder of the Better Together Group and host of the WTF Podcast, to talk about the unconventional path that led him from being “fired from every good job he ever had” to running a thriving family of staffing agencies dedicated to feeding families one shift at a time.

Dave’s story is full of humility, humor, and heart. Together, Wendy and Dave unpack:

• How early experiences shaped Dave’s people-first leadership philosophy
• The challenges of building culture across remote and on-site teams
• The importance of clarity, consistency, and communication in leadership
• Why understanding individuals — not just roles — is the key to sustainable culture
• How leaders can balance compassion with accountability

This is a must-listen for any entrepreneur or leader who’s ever questioned whether they were “cut out” for leadership — and a reminder that great cultures aren’t built by accident; they’re built through intentional connection and consistency.

🔗 Connect with Dave McDonald:

Website: https://wtftalks.work/
Email: dave@wtftalks.org

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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What’s the real difference between a strong leader and a tough one?
In this solo episode, I’m unpacking one of the biggest shifts in leadership today — moving from command-and-control to human-centered leadership.

After 30 years in corporate leadership, I’ve seen both styles up close. The truth? The leaders who build loyalty, trust, and high performance aren’t the ones barking orders — they’re the ones balancing clarity, accountability, and empathy.

In this episode, you’ll learn the five key shifts that separate strong leaders from tough ones — and how to apply them to your own leadership style:

1. Empathy is a strength, not a softness
2. Clarity and accountability are non-negotiable
3. Dependability builds trust
4. Flexibility drives results
5. Fallibility fuels growth

We’ll explore how these traits define modern leadership — especially as we move into a more technology-driven, AI-powered workplace where human connection matters more than ever.

If you’re leading a team, running a company, or shaping culture from any seat — this episode will help you lead with strength that inspires, not fear that controls.

💡 Join the FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series kicking off November 11: culturecoachwendy.com/webinarseries

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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In this episode of The Culture Coach, Wendy sits down with Janelle Miller Moravek, a nonprofit leader and mental health advocate who has led Youth & Family Counseling as Executive Director since 2009.

Janelle’s leadership journey offers a masterclass in balancing compassion with strategy. She shares how trust is built over time — and how that trust becomes the foundation for psychological safety. Together, Wendy and Janelle unpack what it looks like to create a manageable workload, support your team’s well-being, and model what it means to care for yourself while caring for others.

One of Janelle’s most powerful reminders?

Whether you lead clinicians, a small business, or a growing team, this conversation will help you pause, reflect, and lead with more clarity, empathy, and intention.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• How to build trust over time and create psychological safety
• Why protecting your energy helps you lead with greater impact
• The importance of setting boundaries and creating manageable workloads
• How mental health awareness strengthens teams and organizations
• Ways to model healthy leadership in emotionally demanding environments

🧭 Ready to Create a Healthier Culture in 2026?

Join Wendy for the FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series — a 3-part live training designed to help you stop reacting to culture and start shaping it.

You’ll learn how to:
✅ Protect your energy and eliminate workplace drains
✅ Bring clarity to chaos with a proven framework
✅ Reset your values, rituals, and habits for a strong start to 2026

👉 Save your seat at: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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In this episode of The Culture Coach podcast, I sit down with Grant Harris to explore neurodiversity and inclusion in the workplace. Grant shares his journey of discovering his own neurodistinct identity, the strengths that come with it, and how leaders can create more inclusive cultures that unlock hidden brilliance on their teams.

We cover:

- The difference between being neurodiverse, neurodivergent, and neurodistinct

- Why curiosity is one of the most powerful leadership tools

- Simple, cost-free adjustments leaders can make to support employees

- The RACE framework (Recognize, Acknowledge, Cultivate, Engage) and how it helps organizations move from awareness to action

- How communication, transparency, and empathy can transform your culture

Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, or manager, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to make your workplace more inclusive and high-performing.

Connect with Grant Harris

Website: compliancetocommunity.com
Email: grant@compliancetocommunity.com

Resources & Next Steps

Want to start building a more intentional culture in your organization?
👉 Join me inside The Culture Strategy Lab—a monthly membership where CEOs and HR leaders get access to research, frameworks, and live strategy sessions to operationalize culture in 30 days or less.

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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What does it really take to lead with confidence in the age of AI? And how can leaders embrace innovation without burning out themselves—or their teams?

In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy sits down with Victoria Mensch, Founder and CEO of the Silicon Valley Executive Academy, to explore the intersection of AI, leadership, and workplace culture.

Victoria shares her perspective on why AI adoption isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a leadership competency. She explains how executives can cultivate agility, emotional intelligence, and a culture of experimentation to help their organizations thrive in times of disruption.

You’ll also hear Victoria’s practical strategies for preventing burnout, including her Micro Joy Method for bringing more energy, resilience, and balance into daily life.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why AI transformation is less about technology and more about people and culture
• How to embrace a culture of experimentation without fear of failure
• The leadership traits that will matter most in the next 5 years
• Why boundaries, gratitude, and micro-joys are essential to fighting burnout
• How leaders can model self-leadership to create burnout-proof organizations

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Victoria Mensch and the Silicon Valley Executive Academy: SV Executive Academy Website
  
  
• Check out Wendy's CEO RESET, a FREE mini-course to help you experience a leadership reset.

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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What can leaders learn from comedians? As it turns out—quite a lot.

In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with Kevin Hubschmann, founder of Laugh.Events and author of the Laugh Rx newsletter, to explore how laughter and improv translate into powerful leadership and culture skills.

Kevin shares his journey from being one of the first employees at a SaaS company to building a career in comedy—and eventually creating team-building experiences that blend fun and professional development. Along the way, he discovered that the very skills comedians use on stage—listening, curiosity, collaboration, and resilience—are the same ones that help leaders and teams thrive.

You’ll learn:

• How laughter and improv build trust and psychological safety on teams
• Why active listening and curiosity are essential leadership superpowers
• What comedians can teach us about failing forward and building resilience
• Simple improv-inspired exercises you can bring into meetings to energize your team
• The connection between laughter, stress reduction, and improved workplace wellbeing

Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, or team manager, this conversation will inspire you to see humor not as a distraction, but as a tool for culture transformation.

Connect with Kevin Hubschmann

• Website: https://www.laugh.events/
• Newsletter: https://laughrx.laugh.events/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hubschmannn/
  
  

✨ If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a leader who could use both a laugh and a new perspective on culture. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Culture Coach Podcast.

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

FREE Culture Roadmap Webinar Series: http://CultureCoachWendy.com/WebinarSeries

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/