319: Micro Motivator: 3 Simple Culture Hacks Any Leader Can Do
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Release Date: 10/13/2026
319: Micro Motivator: 3 Simple Culture Hacks Any Leader Can Do
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Your team is burnt toast. And honestly, you might be too. So how do you get people to care more without adding another morale initiative, meeting, spreadsheet, or 58-page PowerPoint nobody actually wants? In this Micro Motivator, Erin Hatzikostas shares three simple ways leaders can build more trust, energy, and engagement by being more authentic. No giant culture initiative required. Just a few tangible changes in how you show up, what you take off your team's plate, and how you communicate. In this episode, you'll hear: Why a little humility can build trust faster than polished leadership...
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318: How to Make Life One Big Game Show with Rich Bracken
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
What does “killing it” actually look like behind the scenes? Because sometimes it’s a huge stage and an incredible opportunity. And sometimes it’s a soggy airport sandwich, a missed flight, or admitting that something just isn’t working. In this episode, Erin sits down with speaker, author, and emotional intelligence expert Rich Bracken for a chat about the side of success we don’t always talk about (or get to hear). They dig into why we’re so quick to measure accomplishments but ignore how we actually feel, the power of being honest about failure, and why vulnerability matters...
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317: What to Do With Work “Triggers” That Spiral You Backward
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Nicole shares an update that she’s becoming “boss lady” again, which means rediscovering every leadership trigger she thought she’d already dealt with. You’ll also hear Erin and Nicole talk about interim leadership, over-functioning, trying to prove yourself, doing two jobs for approximately “stripper money,” and the uncomfortable realization that growth doesn’t mean your old habits disappear. It means you catch them faster. They also get into Ella, Erin’s daughter, leaving for college, and why Erin refuses to adopt the whole “my baby is leaving me” Sucky Soundtrack just...
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316: Micro Motivator: The Easiest Way to Tell More Stories at Work
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Think you’re bad at storytelling at work? You might just be doing it backwards. In this Micro Motivator, Erin shares the simple storytelling mistake that makes job interviews, presentations, and workplace communication way harder than they need to be. In this episode, you’ll hear: How to find the right story without forcing it Why your best stories can do more heavy lifting than you think How to make storytelling at work feel natural, not painfully rehearsed Book Erin to speak Ready to modernize your culture, liberate your leadership, and differentiate your business without sounding...
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315: The One Thing That Makes People Say Yes with David Allison
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
What if the reason people aren’t buying, engaging, staying, or following your lead isn’t because they need another motivational poster about “teamwork”? It might be because you have no idea what actually matters to them. In this episode, Erin sits down with David Allison, founder of the Valuegraphics Research Company and author of The Values Map, to talk about why demographics, generic corporate values, and a bunch of buzzwords slapped on an office wall don’t tell us nearly as much as we think they do. David shares how understanding what matters most to people can make you a better...
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314: Why You Need to Trust Your Creative Process
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Erin tried to become a “better” speaker. She got the coach. Did the reps. Rehearsed the lines. Followed the advice. And then realized she may have accidentally polished the magic right out of herself. In this solo episode, Erin shares what happened when a huge speaking opportunity pushed her into full preparation mode, why over-rehearsing made her feel less connected on stage, and the old coaching advice that came back swinging: Trust your creative process. This one is for anyone who has ever tried to improve themselves and accidentally started sanding down the exact thing that made them...
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313: The Hidden Ways We Survive, Stand Out, and Stay Sane at Work
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Modern work is getting weird. In this episode, Erin and Nicole talk about career envy, AI “bot sitting,” Gen Z’s job search chaos, parents overstepping in the hiring process, airport drama, bathroom hideouts, and the deeply human ways people are trying to stand out, stay sane, and survive work right now. They also unpack one of Erin’s favorite new questions for killing comparison: “Would I actually want their life?” Because chasing someone else’s version of success only works if you’re willing to take the whole life that comes with it. In this episode you’ll hear: Why career...
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312: The 7 Trust Languages Every Leader Should Know with Minda Harts
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Trust at work isn’t built through big promises or polished corporate statements. It’s built in the tiny moments. <p> In this episode, Erin sits down with bestselling author, speaker, professor, and filmmaker Minda Harts to talk about her framework for the 7 Trust Languages and why trust is really a communication issue hiding in plain sight. <p> In this episode, you’ll hear: <p> -Why leaders need to stop pretending employees don’t see what’s happening <p> -How the 7 Trust Languages can help leaders build stronger relationships <p> -How to rebuild...
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311: The Secret to Tough Conversations (From a C-Suite Whisperer) with Paru Radia
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
After years of advising CEOs and senior leaders, she's learned that the higher you climb, the more the same human stuff shows up: insecurity, miscommunication, fear of failure, and avoiding the conversations nobody wants to have. <p> In this episode, Erin sits down with the self-proclaimed "C-Suite Whisperer" , Paru Radia, to talk about tough conversations, turning adversity into an advantage, and why standing still might be the riskiest thing you can do. Along the way, Paru shares lessons from her own journey and her no-BS coaching style. <p> Some of the things you'll hear are:...
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310: The Former BBC Journalist Who Refuses to Hate Humanity with Melanie Marshall
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
This episode is part journalism, part therapy, part “girl WHAT?!” <p> Today’s guest, Melanie Marshall, is a former BBC foreign journalist turned filmmaker, speaker, and coach who has reported from some of the most intense places on earth. And somehow… despite seeing humanity at its messiest, she still believes people are mostly good. <p> Some of the things you’ll hear: <p> -The wildly unexpected way radicalized followers of Osama Bin Laden welcomed her into an interview shortly after his death <p> -What actually creates human connection when people...
info_outlineYour team is burnt toast. And honestly, you might be too.
So how do you get people to care more without adding another morale initiative, meeting, spreadsheet, or 58-page PowerPoint nobody actually wants?
In this Micro Motivator, Erin Hatzikostas shares three simple ways leaders can build more trust, energy, and engagement by being more authentic. No giant culture initiative required. Just a few tangible changes in how you show up, what you take off your team's plate, and how you communicate.
In this episode, you'll hear:
- Why a little humility can build trust faster than polished leadership
- What happens when leaders start challenging the BS work clogging up everyone's day
- Why an off-the-cuff weekly update can connect more than another corporate memo
- How authentic leadership becomes real through what you do, not what you say you are
Book Erin to speak
Ready to modernize your culture, liberate your leadership, and differentiate your business without sounding like every other company on LinkedIn?
Bring Erin Hatzikostas in to show your team how authenticity can become an actual strategic advantage, not just another corporate buzzword. Book Erin to Speak
If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie
If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!
- Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram
- Take our simple, fun and insightful “What’s your workplace superhero name?” quiz
- Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book, You Do You-ish
- Throw out half the playbook and start competing in a league of your own. Check out Erin’s book, The 50% Rule.
- Work with Us
- Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here
To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected]
DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsuitable for younger audiences.
Tweetable Comments
“Tell a humility moment, a story of a time when you screwed up.”
“Take away a piece of BS work. Holy cow, what a huge trading chip.”
“It should just be off the cuff, from the heart, authentic updates.”
“The way that you do it isn’t through being. It’s through doing.”
Intro Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability, and length while preserving the core ideas from the episode.
In this Micro Motivator, Erin Hatzikostas shares three practical ways leaders can increase employee engagement through authentic leadership, including using humility, removing unnecessary work, and communicating more openly with their teams.
3 Simple Culture Hacks Any Leader Can Do
Erin: Being a leader right now is really tough. If you're like most leaders, your team is burnt toast, and so are you. How do you keep them motivated and caring when everyone is already exhausted?
I’m a former corporate CEO, and employee engagement went up 15% in the three years I led the company. One thing I can tell you is that you need to be authentic. But how do you actually wake up tomorrow and do that differently?
Use Humility on Purpose
Erin: First, purposely use humility with your team. Tell what I call a humility moment, a story about a time when you screwed up. It can be work-related or home-related.
When you open up, people start trusting you more and often become more willing to open up with the rest of the team too.
Take Away the BS Work
Erin: Number two, take away a piece of BS work.
Are people spending time making 58-page PowerPoints pretty for an internal meeting nobody will look at? Is there a spreadsheet, presentation, or request that nobody has bothered to challenge?
Show your team that you're willing to understand what is clogging up their day and get some of that junk out of their way.
Give Your Team the Unpolished Version
Erin: Number three, try a weekly email or video to your team. I prefer video. Don't plan the whole thing out.
Share what's on your mind, something you're proud of, or something you learned that week. It doesn't have to be fancy or comprehensive. It should be off the cuff and from the heart.
People want to know what you're really feeling and what's actually going on behind the scenes.
Erin: The way you become an authentic leader isn't through being. It's through doing. Take a step in that direction and watch your employees get fired up.