The Sticky From The Inside Podcast

For years, organisations have invested heavily in defining their culture through mission statements, corporate values and engagement initiatives. But leadership speaker, trainer and author Bruce Mayhew believes great workplace culture isn't truly created like that. It's built much closer to where work actually happens.

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram explores Bruce's concept of micro-cultures: the relationships, habits and everyday interactions that shape how people experience work. Through the story of a challenging relationship with a colleague that ultimately became one of the strongest partnerships of his career, Bruce explains why trust matters more than chemistry, why fear quietly undermines collaboration, and how leaders can intentionally create environments where people thrive.

Together they discuss why the opposite of trust isn't distrust but fear, the surprising power of ten-minute one-to-one conversations, and how organisations can scale a healthy workplace culture without trying to control every behaviour.

If you've ever wondered how culture really develops, or what practical steps you can take to improve it, this conversation offers a refreshingly human perspective.

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Key Takeaways

Great workplace culture starts locally. People don't experience culture through values posters or corporate statements. They experience it through the quality of their everyday relationships.

Trust is built before chemistry. High-performing teams aren't created because everyone naturally clicks. They're created when people understand one another's goals, strengths and intentions.

Fear quietly erodes culture. When people fear judgement, competition or hidden agendas, collaboration suffers. Reducing fear creates the conditions where trust can grow.

Leaders create environments. The most effective leaders don't try to control culture. They intentionally create the conditions where healthy relationships, shared ownership and strong team cultures can flourish.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

01:10 – Why a Great Workplace Culture Is Built Two People at a Time

03:03 – Meet Bruce Mayhew and the idea of micro-cultures

04:27 – What is a micro-culture and why does it matter?

09:40 – The Merike story: how trust transformed a difficult relationship

13:44 – What Bruce would tell his younger self about building trust

16:19 – Trust before chemistry: why fear is the real barrier

20:22 – The simple leadership habit that strengthens trust every week

28:54 – Can micro-cultures build a great workplace culture?

35:20 – Lessons from The Path of an Inspired Leader

41:05 – Bruce's three Sticky Notes for creating healthier workplace cultures

45:24 – Final reflections and where to learn more

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Bruce Mayhew on LinkedIn here
Find the Bruce's website here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

AI is making individuals more productive than ever before.

But could it also be making organisations less connected?

As every function gains access to increasingly powerful AI tools, there's a growing risk that teams become more efficient at working independently while becoming less aligned with one another.

Chris White believes that's one of the biggest leadership challenges of our time.

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram speaks with the former Cisco executive and author of Non-Optional Collaboration about why human collaboration is becoming more important, not less, in the age of AI.

Drawing on lessons from helping scale Cisco from $1 billion to $50 billion, leading global transformation programmes and building high-performing teams across multiple industries, Chris explains why collaboration can no longer be viewed as a soft skill or leadership nice-to-have.

Together, Andy and Chris explore the dangers of organisational silos, the myth of the hero leader, the lessons business can learn from elite rowing teams, and why the organisations that thrive in the future will be those that combine two powerful forces: Artificial intelligence and human collaboration.

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Key Takeaways

AI may be making silos stronger. AI can dramatically improve productivity, but without intentional leadership it may also accelerate disconnection between teams.

Collaboration is an operating system. High-performing organisations don't leave collaboration to chance. They build structures, habits and processes that encourage alignment.

Great leaders improve people. The leaders who leave lasting impact are those who help people achieve more than they thought possible.

Team success beats individual heroics. Whether in rowing, business or transformation, sustainable success comes from coordinated effort rather than individual brilliance.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

01:11 – Why collaboration has become non-optional
03:22 – Meet Chris White and the lessons of a global career
08:25 – The Cisco experience: learning to unlock team performance
11:07 – Why collaboration is no longer a nice-to-have
15:36 – What rowing teaches us about trust, rhythm and teamwork
18:28 – Inside the Non-Optional Collaboration framework
21:20 – The planning exercise that exposes hidden risks
24:03 – Why strategy fails when operating models don't align
28:32 – Collaboration versus teamwork: understanding the difference
30:43 – The myth of the hero leader
37:07 – Human collaboration: the second superpower
40:44 – Cancer, perspective and why the book had to be written
42:20 – Chris White's three Sticky Notes

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Chris White on LinkedIn here
Find the Non-Optional Collaboration website here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

We've never had more workplace wellbeing initiatives. More employee assistance programmes. More mindfulness apps. More resilience training. More engagement surveys. And yet burnout remains stubbornly high, stress-related absence continues to rise, and employees seem more exhausted than ever.

So what's really going on?

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by workplace wellness and organisational culture expert Andria Barrett to explore why the answer may have less to do with individual resilience and more to do with how modern work is designed.

Together they unpack the hidden causes of workplace exhaustion, why burnout is becoming harder to spot, the role leaders play in creating healthier environments, and why genuine human connection remains one of the most powerful drivers of performance and wellbeing.

They also explore the opportunities and anxieties surrounding AI, and why technology should help people reclaim time rather than simply increase workloads.

If you've ever wondered why people seem to be working harder than ever but feeling less energised than before, this conversation offers a timely and practical perspective.

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Key Takeaways

Burnout Has Gone Underground. Employees may still be showing up and performing, but many are quietly reaching their limits and considering their next move.

Wellbeing Is A Design Choice. Sustainable wellbeing comes from how work is structured, not from occasional initiatives or one-off programmes.

Connection Drives Performance. People do their best work when they feel supported, valued, and able to reach out for help when they need it.

Leaders Set The Tone. Employees take their cues from leaders, making healthy behaviours and sustainable ways of working essential to model.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:11 – Why are so many people exhausted at work?
0:03:45 – Meet Andria Barrett and her approach to workplace culture
0:05:26 – Why feeling better helps people perform better
0:07:34 – The growing challenge of leadership and management burnout
0:09:51 – Burnout has gone underground
0:13:44 – Productivity, pressure and the modern work dilemma
0:17:22 – Why leaders must take responsibility for healthier workplaces
0:19:49 – Why workplace wellbeing initiatives often miss the mark
0:23:03 – Better hours, not more hours
0:26:01 – Using creativity and sensory learning to unlock innovation
0:31:05 – Stress, cortisol and the physical impact of overwork
0:35:35 – The six personal batteries behind sustainable performance
0:36:09 – Why leaders must model healthy behaviours
0:37:30 – Connection as a workplace superpower
0:39:45 – AI anxiety and the future of work
0:42:41 – Andria’s 3 Sticky Notes for healthier workplaces

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Andria Barrett on LinkedIn here
Find the Andria's website here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

In Part 2 of this special conversation on The Art Of Trust Building, Dr Dennis Reina and Dr Michelle Reina move from awareness into action. If trust matters more than ever, how do we actually build it?

In this episode, Dennis and Michelle unpack their practical 3Cs framework for trust-building:

Character

Communication

Capability

Together, we explore:

The behaviours that strengthen trust

Why trust must become habit

How trust can be measured intentionally

What high-trust cultures actually look like

Repairing trust when things go wrong

And why leaders must live trust, not simply demand it or talk about it

This conversation is practical, actionable, and full of immediately usable insight for leaders, teams, and organisations.

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Key Takeaways

Trust Needs A Shared Language. The 3Cs framework gives leaders and teams practical ways to discuss trust behaviourally and constructively.

Character Is The Foundation Of Trust. Trust begins when people consistently honour commitments, clarify expectations, and follow through.

Trust-Building Must Become Habit. Trust grows through repeated behaviours that become embedded into everyday organisational life.

Leaders Must Model Trust. High-trust cultures emerge when leaders actively demonstrate, teach, and reinforce trust-building behaviours themselves.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

00:00 — Returning To The Conversation And Why Part 2 Gets Practical
03:24 — Introducing The 3Cs Of Trust Building
05:11 — Trust Of Character And Why Behaviour Matters
06:07 — Trust Of Communication And Psychological Safety
06:44 — Trust Of Capability And Helping People Grow
08:08 — Why The 3Cs Create Shared Language Around Trust
11:16 — Turning Trust-Building Behaviours Into Habit
13:18 — Expectations, Clarity And The Family Vacation Story
15:43 — Measuring Trust And Creating Awareness
20:16 — Why Trust Data Creates Better Conversations
27:25 — Building Developmental Energy Through Trust Assessments
28:00 — Transforming Culture Through Trust-Building Leadership
32:26 — Leaders Becoming Teachers Of Trust
39:10 — How High-Trust Cultures Accelerate Growth And Collaboration
45:06 — Repairing Trust And Rebuilding Relationships
48:12 — Why Trust-Building Is A Lifelong Leadership Discipline

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Dr Dennis Reina on LinkedIn here
Follow Dr Michelle Reina on Linkedin here
Find the Reina Trust Building website here
Find the book The Art of Trust Building here
Take the Personal Trust Assessment here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

Trust affects everything. How we lead. How we communicate. How we collaborate. How safe people feel to contribute. And ultimately, how organisations perform.

Yet despite its importance, most organisations still leave trust to chance.

In this first part of a special two-part conversation, I speak with Dr Dennis Reina and Dr Michelle Reina, pioneers in the field of workplace trust and authors of The Art Of Trust Building, to explore why trust has become one of the defining leadership challenges of our time.

Together, we unpack:

Why leaders are finally waking up to trust

The hidden erosion caused by small behaviours

The role of vulnerability and self-awareness

Why self-trust matters in the age of AI

How disruption changes human connection

And why trust must become an intentional daily discipline

This conversation is thoughtful, practical, deeply human and shows why trust is more relevant than ever.

And in Part 2, which follows, we move into the practical frameworks and behaviours that help leaders intentionally build and repair trust at work.

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Key Takeaways

Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed. Leadership titles and expertise may create credibility, but trust is built through consistent behaviour over time.

Small Behaviours Shape Trust. Most trust breakdowns happen gradually through repeated small moments rather than dramatic betrayals.

Self-Trust Matters More Than Ever. In a world shaped by disruption and AI, people need confidence in their own judgment and contribution.

Trust Requires Intentional Practice. Trust-building becomes sustainable when it turns into conscious, repeatable behavioural habits.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

00:11 — Why Trust Shapes How We Live, Work And Connect
03:40 — Michelle Reina’s Story Of Service, Disruption And Human Connection
08:59 — Dennis Reina’s Early Lessons About Trust And Vulnerability
12:16 — Why Leaders Are Finally Paying Attention To Trust
16:10 — Self-Trust In The Age Of AI And Constant Change
18:07 — Defining Trust And Why It Must Be Earned Intentionally
20:00 — Why Expertise And Leadership Titles Don’t Automatically Create Trust
23:55 — Self-Discovery, Awareness And Intentional Behaviour
27:56 — Why Trust Is Felt Emotionally And Physically
29:42 — Capacity For Trust And How Early Experiences Shape Us
35:10 — How Trust Expands And Contracts Throughout Life
40:42 — Why Reflection And Vulnerability Strengthen Trust
44:02 — The Hidden Cost Of Leaving Trust To Chance

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Dr Dennis Reina on LinkedIn here
Follow Dr Michelle Reina on Linkedin here
Find the Reina Trust Building website here
Find the book The Art of Trust Building here
Take the Personal Trust Assessment here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here