"Leaders are usually less perfect than we were taught, or books tell us about them because leading is a very complicated thing… I always like to joke with my clients… when they say, we don't know how we're going to take our culture to the next level. I tell them, give me the ingredients you have, and I'm going to help you out the same way that sometimes I get invited to a friend's house and say, tell me what you have in the kitchen… and I'm going to create some recipe with that… Each company requires its own recipe and I try to understand… the assets, their ingredients, and help them cook some interesting dish that's authentic, hopefully fulfilling, and positive for that particular company."

S02E17 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Gustavo Razzetti, workplace culture consultant, author and speaker. As the founder and CEO of the consultancy Fearless Culture, an accelerator of positive culture, Razzetti has dedicated over 30 years to helping a wide array of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to startups and nonprofits, design better workplace cultures.

Gustavo recounts pivotal moments in his life that shifted his career towards culture, discusses his book "Remote Not Distant," which provides insights on effectively managing remote teams, and introduces us to the Culture Design Canvas, a framework for enhancing organizational culture.

The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.

Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.

Oops! You might hear some audio gaps in this video. We hit a few bumps during recording. Thanks for sticking with us and enjoy the show!

Listen to this episode to discover:

- The true meaning of fearlessness.

- The importance of speaking up about respect in the workplace.

- Why a toxic culture is the responsibility of many people, not just one leader's.

- The toolkit for building thriving cultures with remote or hybrid teams.

- The rituals, such as the Washing Instructions, that support collaboration for remote teams.

- Why perfectionism and unsolicited feedback are enemies to culture.

- What your meeting culture is and how to have better, more efficient and inclusive meetings.

- Why we should focus on high-performing culture instead of high-performing people.

- What the Culture Design Canvas is and how it can benefit your organisation.

- Why you need to start designing your culture when you are still a startup.

Further resources:

- Gustavo's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavorazzetti/

- Fearless Culture website: https://www.fearlessculture.design/

- The Culture Design Canvas: https://www.fearlessculture.design/canvas

- Remote Not Distant: Design a Company Culture That Will Help You Thrive in a Hybrid Workplace, by Gustavo Razzetti: https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Not-Distant-Company-Workplace-ebook/dp/B09VXX4FN3

"You can't be productive unless your team is happy… It's not the foosball tables and the perks. It's that deeper happiness that comes from doing some meaningful work for people that you like and respect, working with people that you like and respect."

S02E16 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Nathan Donaldson from New Zealand. Nathan is the CEO and founder of Boost, a custom software agency for government that runs without managers. He is also the author of the book "Unicorns Over Rainbows," which focuses on making lasting, meaningful changes to organizations. Nathan is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Democracy in the Workplace from WorldBlu. As a designer at heart, he loves solving hard problems. Outside of work, Nathan enjoys computer game racing and embracing the great outdoors with activities like mountain biking, surfing, and snowboarding.

Nathan explains how his company operates without traditional hierarchical structures or managers. Instead, Boost's 25-30 employees manage themselves with the help of coaches, displaying a high level of responsibility.

The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.

Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.

Listen to this episode to find out:
- How a Dunedin controversy sparked a young Nathan's interest in political and social justice issues.

- What inspired Nathan to co-found his company and how the early internet shaped his entrepreneurial path.

- How a business crisis led Nathan to seek mentorship, embrace continuous learning, and adopt a no-manager approach.

- Why overwhelming your team with numerous ideas is counterproductive and what to do instead.

- How the Good Small Change framework focuses on implementing small, manageable business changes.

- The three key components of the Good Small Change framework: curiosity, accessibility, and safety.

- The importance of empathy in leadership and how Nathan improved his empathy skills transforming his leadership style.

- How Nathan's Scottish-influenced upbringing fostered a multicultural, client-focused team culture.

Further resources:

- Nathan Donaldson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathandonaldson/

- Unicorns Over Rainbows: Make lasting, meaningful change in your organization, by Nathan Donaldson: https://www.amazon.com/Unicorns-Over-Rainbows-meaningful-organization-ebook/dp/B0CC4PF4F7

- Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love, by Richard Sheridan: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Inc-Built-Workplace-People/dp/1591847125

- Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World's Most Unusual Workplace, by Ricardo Semler: https://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Success-Behind-Unusual-Workplace/dp/0446670553

"As a manager, as a leader… one of your goals is to build the best team that you can afford… So when people say, I can't attract any talent… it's not the talent's fault. Just because you have a job… just because you have a vacancy, there is no God-given right for amazing people to show up at your door and apply for it… Are you a shit place to work or are you an amazing place to work?"

S02E15 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Dominic Monkhouse, Business Coach and CEO Mentor. He's the founder and CEO of Monkhouse & Company, with a remarkable track record of scaling technology service businesses from zero to 30 million pounds in just five years. He accomplished this while serving as managing director of UK-based Rackspace and Pier 1 Hosting. Dominic is also the author of 'Mind Your F**ing Business' and the host of the same-titled podcast, which recently reached 300 episodes.

Without holding back, Dominic shares a wealth of information on how to build high-performing teams capable of rapid and sustained growth.

The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.

Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.

Listen to this episode to find out:

- What it takes to attract top talent away from competitors.

- How to use the monthly keeper test to decide who to keep and who to fire.

- What to do if you fear losing or having trouble replacing employees.

- Why the war for talent is essentially a victim mindset.

- Why annual performance appraisals are equal to 12 months of avoiding difficult conversations.

- How to manage and measure expectations on deliverables.

- Which approach to employee promotion leads to growth and success.

- How to build a team of A-Players that is 5 to 10 times more productive.

Further resources:

- Dominic Monkhouse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominicmonkhouse/

- Monkhouse & Company Website: https://www.monkhouseandcompany.com/

- Mind Your F**king Business: The no-nonsense guide to making your good business great, by Dominic Monkhouse: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Your-king-Business-no-nonsense/dp/1781337268

- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't, by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996

- BE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0): Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company, by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/BE-2-0-Beyond-Entrepreneurship-Business/dp/0399564233

- The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation, by Matthew Dixon: https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Sale-Control-Customer-Conversation/dp/1591844355

- The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision, by Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna: https://www.amazon.com/JOLT-Effect-Performers-Overcome-Indecision/dp/0593538102

- The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong, by Dr. Laurence J Peter and Raymond Hull: https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Principle-Things-Always-Wrong/dp/0062092065

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Power-Thinking-Without/dp/0316010669