From Litigator to Chief Vibe Officer | Sana Manjeshwar
Vibecast
What if the most honest signal about your organization's vibe wasn't in any survey, HR report, or AI dashboard, but in the private conversations people were too afraid to have anywhere else? 🎙️ In this episode, Kristi Skutvik sits down with Sana Manjeshwar, founder of OmbudSana and a 15-year organizational ombudsman veteran, to explore one of the most powerful yet underutilized roles in business. Sana shares her unlikely journey from employment litigator to ombuds, what the role actually does (and how it differs from HR, EAP, and therapy), and why she believes every organization needs...
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Leadership, Power, and the Signals That Shape Workplace Culture | Kit Krugman
Vibecast
What truly defines the vibe of a workplace, and how do leaders intentionally shape the emotional tone of an organization? ✨ In this episode, Kristi Skutvik sits down with Kit Krugman to explore how leadership, self-awareness, and intentional design influence the culture and energy within teams. Kit shares how her career journey, early exposure to leadership, and experiences working alongside executive teams shaped her perspective on power, responsibility, and the signals leaders send through everyday actions. They discuss why leaders must be deeply aware of the tone they set, how hiring...
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From Lifeguard to Business Leader | Katherine von Jan
Vibecast
What truly shapes the vibe of a workplace, and how do personal experiences influence the way we lead, connect, and grow? ✨ In this episode, Kristi Skutvik sits down with Katherine von Jan to explore how workplace vibes are formed through leadership, energy, and everyday interactions. Katherine reflects on her unexpected path from lifeguarding to leading in the tech world, sharing how purpose, curiosity, and supportive environments shaped her confidence and career. They discuss how small gestures from leaders can have a lasting impact, why emotional intelligence plays a critical role in...
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The Art of Storytelling in Leadership | Danielle Krischik
Vibecast
What if the most powerful leadership tool isn’t strategy or skill, but a story that connects hearts before it drives results? 🔥 In this episode, Kristi sits down with Danielle Krischik to unpack how storytelling shapes leadership, culture, and connection. They explore what it really means to define a “vibe” inside an organization and how internal storytelling can bridge gaps between teams, vision, and values. Danielle shares how personal stories, especially the vulnerable ones, builds trust and allows leaders to show up authentically. The conversation also touches on the evolving role...
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Replay: Fostering a Lifelong Learning Culture with Karen Alter
Vibecast
What happens when vulnerability becomes your leadership superpower? Kristi sits down with Karen Alter to unpack what it means to lead from the heart in an industry often driven by metrics and deadlines. From stepping into leadership in a post-founder era to fostering a culture where creativity and connection thrive, Karen shares how relational leadership has shaped every corner of her organization. She opens up about her journey, from receiving the vibe to becoming the one who creates it, including the powerful personal story of how a colleague became a surrogate and lifelong friend. Karen...
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The Energy Behind Culture and Hiring Right | Tony Ferraro
Vibecast
What if the “vibe” of your workplace isn’t created by perks or policies, but by the people you allow into the room and the energy they bring with them? ⚡️ In this episode, Kristi sits down with executive coach Tony Ferraro to unpack what vibe really means inside an organization and why culture is something you protect, not manufacture. Tony draws a powerful connection between vibe and culture, explaining how great teams feel different because they are free from “energy drains” like misalignment, drama, and unclear purpose. Tony shares his winding journey from teaching physics to...
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The Power of Vibes in the Workplace | Shelby Miller
Vibecast
What if the real strength of a team isn’t found in productivity tools or meeting rhythms, but in how seen and supported people feel while doing the work together? 🌿 In this thoughtful episode, we sit down with Shelby Miller to explore the deeper heartbeat of workplace culture, the human connections, shared values, and subtle “vibes” that shape how people show up, especially in remote environments. Shelby takes us through her unexpected career path from health education into project management, revealing how each step strengthened her belief that great cultures are built through...
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Building Energy People Want to Follow | Eliza Jackson
Vibecast
What if the secret to a thriving workplace isn’t perks or policies, but the energy people feel the moment they walk in? 🔋 In this eye-opening episode, Kristi sits down with Eliza Jackson, Chief People & Operations leader at ButcherBox, to explore what she calls “the vibe” that powerful blend of energy, emotional connection, and environment that determines whether people feel like they belong or want to run for the door. Eliza takes us through her non-linear journey: from high-pay finance roles to a drastic pivot into education after one life-changing moment inside a community...
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The Strengths-Based Shift Every Leader Needs with Brandon Miller
Vibecast
What if the key to better leadership isn’t fixing people, but finally seeing them? 🔍 In this eye opening episode, Kristi sits down with Brandon Miller, CEO and founding partner of 34 Strong, to explore how a strengths-based approach can transform workplaces, families, and the leaders at the center of them. From surviving a damaging work culture early in his career to building one of the largest strengths-focused coaching firms in the world, Brandon shares raw, powerful stories of how pain shaped his purpose. He opens up about confronting a toxic leader, rebuilding his life after the 2008...
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The Creative Spark Culture Needs with David Mizne
Vibecast
What if a puppet could say what your team is afraid to? 🎠In this unexpected and wildly creative episode, Kristi sits down with David Mizne, creator of Culture Puppets, to explore how humor, vulnerability, and a little felt can transform workplace vibes. From early days at a remote-first startup to launching a full-blown puppet-powered cultural movement, David reveals how bringing his full, quirky self to work didn’t just entertain, it created space for honesty, trust, and human connection. He shares the story behind Little Ginger (the blue puppet with main-character energy), how 15Five...
info_outlineWhat if the most honest signal about your organization's vibe wasn't in any survey, HR report, or AI dashboard, but in the private conversations people were too afraid to have anywhere else? 🎙️
In this episode, Kristi Skutvik sits down with Sana Manjeshwar, founder of OmbudSana and a 15-year organizational ombudsman veteran, to explore one of the most powerful yet underutilized roles in business. Sana shares her unlikely journey from employment litigator to ombuds, what the role actually does (and how it differs from HR, EAP, and therapy), and why she believes every organization needs this kind of confidential, off-the-record safety valve.
They dig into how ombuds serve as the ultimate "canary in the coal mine," surfacing real-time cultural trends that no survey or technology can capture, why leaders themselves are among the most frequent visitors to ombuds offices, and how tools like conflict style awareness can transform the way teams navigate hard conversations. Sana's closing advice is simple and urgent: in an increasingly polarized world, leading with intentionality and kindness isn't soft, it's the highest-leverage investment you can make in your people.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about the International Ombudsman Association
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Learn more about Skutvik Consulting
Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn
Learn more about PeopleForward Network
Key Takeaways:
- An organizational ombudsman is a confidential, off-the-record, impartial resource that gives employees a safe space to surface concerns before they become systemic problems.
- Ombuds surface real-time cultural intelligence that surveys, HR data, and AI simply cannot capture, making them the ultimate "canary in the coal mine" for organizational health.
- Leaders are often the top visitors to an ombuds office because navigating unprecedented pressure requires a safe space to think out loud, too.
- AI cannot replace the ombuds role; the soul of this work lies in human presence, empathy, and the ability to read what someone isn't saying.
- Understanding your conflict style and those of your team members is one of the most practical tools for leading with intentionality and reducing unnecessary friction.
- Grounding yourself before walking into work, and choosing to respond rather than react, is a daily practice that shapes the entire vibe of your organization.