Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing
We ARE nature. Our disconnection from it leaves us feeling incomplete. Rooted explores how connecting with nature helps us feel whole again—without leaving the lives we're living. Host Susan Morgan Bailey, a former science teacher and transformational coach with 25 years in organizational wellbeing, brings her expertise in ecosystem thinking and culture transformation to peer-level conversations with practitioners, researchers, and people who've found their way back to wholeness through nature. Each episode explores different pathways to nature connection, the wisdom nature teaches us, and how to integrate this essential foundation for wellbeing into modern life. From forest guides to researchers studying nature's impact on mental health, from rewilding educators to transformation stories—these conversations address root causes of disconnection, not just symptoms. If you've tried every wellness approach and still feel exhausted, if you sense something fundamental is missing, if you feel more yourself outside—this podcast is for you. No wilderness required. No dramatic life changes needed. Just curiosity about what might happen when we remember we ARE nature. New episodes release Wednesdays
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Walk with Jen Roberts: Seeing Nature, Place, and Belonging Through a Wider Lens
05/13/2026
Walk with Jen Roberts: Seeing Nature, Place, and Belonging Through a Wider Lens
Modern life makes it easy to assume that access to nature is simply about proximity. A nearby park. A trail down the road. A place to go. But what if access is more complicated than that? In this conversation, I sit down with public health researcher Jen Roberts to explore the intersection of nature, equity, and belonging. Together, we look at how our environments—both built and natural—shape not only our ability to be outside, but whether we feel like those spaces are actually for us. Jen shares how her work in active living and public health led her into the nature space, and how that work expanded to include a deeper question: who has access to nature, and who feels welcome once they get there? We also explore the story of Buffalo’s historic parkways—once designed for connection and movement—and how their removal reshaped both land and community. This conversation invites a wider lens. Because access to nature isn’t always as simple as it seems—and sometimes, the deeper question is whether we feel like we belong there at all. Walk with us. This conversation is part of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing — an exploration of how connecting with nature helps us feel more whole in the lives we’re actually living. For episode transcripts, resources, and additional reflections, visit the ROOTED podcast blog at .
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Walk with SMB: Awe, Wonder, and the Things We Almost Miss
05/06/2026
Walk with SMB: Awe, Wonder, and the Things We Almost Miss
A ten-minute break outside turns into a reflection on awe, wonder, and the quiet intelligence of the natural world. In this solo Walk with SMB episode, Susan shares how spotting a perfectly camouflaged sphinx moth on a tree outside her home shifted her attention completely away from work, stress, and mental noise — and back into observation, curiosity, and presence. Through stories of a robin building a nest, maple seeds emerging in spring, and a green turtle gliding through the ocean, this episode explores how nature invites us to slow down enough to notice what we often overlook. Susan also shares research on awe and wonder, including how these experiences may support nervous system regulation, attention restoration, and a deeper sense of connection. Sometimes the moments that root us most deeply are the ones small enough to miss. This conversation is part of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing — an exploration of how connecting with nature helps us feel more whole in the lives we’re actually living. For episode transcripts, resources, and additional reflections, visit the ROOTED podcast blog at .
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Walk with Ryan Conklin: Grief, Initiation, and Being With What Is
04/29/2026
Walk with Ryan Conklin: Grief, Initiation, and Being With What Is
I expected this conversation to be about coaching and vision quests. It became something else entirely. Early on, Ryan said something I couldn’t move past: There is grief in the gap between who we say we want to be and who we are becoming. What followed was a grounded, honest exploration of grief—not as something to fix or move past, but as something to be with. Ryan is a transformational coach and wilderness guide who leads vision quest experiences—modern rites of passage that invite people to step away from their daily lives and listen more deeply. In this conversation, we explore: What it means to “be with” your own experience Why modern life leaves so much grief unprocessed The role of nature as a container for reflection and transformation How initiation and rites of passage create space for real change This is not a conversation about escaping your life. It’s about learning how to be more fully present within it. Walk with us. This conversation is part of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing — an exploration of how connecting with nature helps us feel more whole in the lives we’re actually living. For episode transcripts, resources, and additional reflections, visit the ROOTED podcast blog at .
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Sit with SMB: Coming Home to Earth (An Earth Day Meditation for Any Day)
04/22/2026
Sit with SMB: Coming Home to Earth (An Earth Day Meditation for Any Day)
Today is Earth Day. And while this practice is offered in honor of this moment, it’s not limited to it. This is something you can return to any day you feel the need to slow down… to reconnect… to remember that you are part of the living world. This guided walking meditation is an invitation to pause and remember something easy to lose in the rhythm of modern life — that we are not separate from the earth. We are part of it. Through breath, imagery, and sensory awareness, you’re invited to feel the ground beneath you, reconnect with your body, and experience the quiet steadiness of the living world around you. You can listen while walking outside, sitting on a porch, or even indoors. The connection is still there. This is not about doing it perfectly. It’s about noticing. If you’ve been feeling tired, disconnected, or like something is missing beneath the surface of daily life, this practice offers a way back into relationship — with the earth, and with yourself. You can come back to this practice anytime — not just on Earth Day, but on any day you want to feel more grounded, more connected, and more at home here.
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Walk With Cory McGowan: Nature as a mirror for leadership and self
04/15/2026
Walk With Cory McGowan: Nature as a mirror for leadership and self
What happens when you step out of the environment that shaped you — and into one that reveals you? In this conversation, I sit down with Cory, a leadership coach based in rural Japan, whose work brings individuals and teams into nature not as an escape, but as a catalyst for clarity. After years in Tokyo’s corporate world, Cory found himself living and working in the mountains of Minakami — a place of shifting rivers, deep seasonal rhythms, and what he describes as a quiet “homecoming.” What emerged wasn’t just a lifestyle change, but a different way of working with leaders. We explore how nature acts as a co-facilitator in leadership development, why many of us “armor up” to function in modern environments, and what becomes possible when that armor starts to loosen. This conversation also holds an important tension: not everyone is meant to leave their life behind. The real work may be learning how to live more fully where you already are. If you’ve ever felt the pull of nature — or wondered what it might reveal about who you are — this episode offers a grounded place to begin. This conversation is part of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing — an exploration of how connecting with nature helps us feel more whole in the lives we’re actually living. For episode transcripts, resources, and additional reflections, visit the ROOTED podcast blog at .
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Walk with SMB: Conditions Shape Everything
04/08/2026
Walk with SMB: Conditions Shape Everything
As the seasons begin to shift, it’s a reminder that change doesn’t always come from trying harder — sometimes it comes from changing conditions. In this solo walk episode, Susan reflects on how much our wellbeing is shaped not just by what we do, but by the environments we’re part of. Drawing on both nature and her experience in organizational wellbeing, she explores a different lens: what if feeling “off” isn’t something to fix within ourselves, but a signal about the conditions we’re operating in? This episode invites a simple but powerful question — what are the conditions you’re living in, and how are they shaping how you feel?
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Walk With Jessica DeAngelo: Finding Clarity, Creativity and Yourself Outside
04/01/2026
Walk With Jessica DeAngelo: Finding Clarity, Creativity and Yourself Outside
Jessica DeAngelo joins me for a conversation about what happens when we step outside, move our bodies, and give ourselves space to think differently. After a pivotal moment with her young daughter, Jessica began a simple experiment: 30 minutes a day in nature, without technology. What followed wasn’t a quick fix, but a shift — from scattered attention to clearer thinking, from constant input to something more grounded. In this episode, we explore how movement and time outdoors support creativity, why stepping away from screens can help us refocus on what actually matters, and how a consistent, accessible practice in nature can change the way we show up in both our work and our lives. This conversation is for anyone who feels mentally full, stretched thin, or stuck — and is curious what might open up with a little more space, movement, and time outside.
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Walk with SMB: Imaginal Cells & the Messy Middle
03/25/2026
Walk with SMB: Imaginal Cells & the Messy Middle
On a morning walk, three blue jay feathers stop Susan in her tracks — a small moment that opens into a deeper reflection on change and possibility. In this solo episode, she shares the story of imaginal cells — the cells inside a caterpillar that carry the blueprint for a butterfly. During transformation, the caterpillar doesn’t simply change form. It dissolves completely before something new begins to organize. Through this lens, Susan explores how periods of uncertainty in our own lives may not be signs that something is wrong, but part of a natural process of reorganization. She reflects on what it means to speak what feels true, how connection is created through that honesty, and why paying attention to what’s quietly emerging matters — even when it’s not fully formed. If something in your life feels undefined or in transition, this episode offers a way to hold that space with a bit more curiosity.
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Walk With Jay Maddock | The Science Behind Time in Nature
03/18/2026
Walk With Jay Maddock | The Science Behind Time in Nature
Nature is often treated as a luxury — something we visit when we have time. But public health researcher Jay Maddock has spent years studying something different: what actually happens in the body when we spend time outside. In this conversation, Jay shares the research behind what many of us intuitively feel. Within minutes of stepping outside, blood pressure drops, mood improves, and our nervous system begins to reset. Over longer periods, time in nature may even strengthen immune function. Jay’s work sits at the intersection of public health, behavioral science, and environmental psychology. From leading the Center for Health and Nature at Texas A&M to helping launch the Nature and Health Alliance, he is helping build the research infrastructure behind what many people already sense: nature isn’t an escape from life — it’s part of how human health works. Susan and Jay explore micro-doses of nature, weekend “macro doses,” nature prescriptions in healthcare systems, and why the biggest shift often comes simply from moving from no nature to some nature. The conversation is both scientific and practical — a reminder that even small moments outside can have meaningful effects on how we feel and function. In our conversation we explore: • Why even 10 minutes outside can shift how we feel • The idea of “micro-doses” and “macro-doses” of nature • Research linking greener neighborhoods with better mental health • The growing movement of nature prescriptions in healthcare • How nature can help restore attention and reduce burnout One of the most important insights Jay shares is simple: The greatest benefit from nature often comes from moving from no exposure to some exposure. Small moments outside may matter more than we think.
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Walk with SMB: The Three Environments We Live In
03/11/2026
Walk with SMB: The Three Environments We Live In
What environments shape your day? In this walk episode of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing, Susan explores a simple but powerful idea: most of us move through three environments every day — the natural environment, the built environment, and the artificial environment. Nature surrounds us with living systems that regulate and restore. Built environments provide the structures that organize our lives. Artificial environments — screens, platforms, and digital tools — increasingly hold our attention. Each environment serves a role. But they operate in very different rhythms. Through reflection and the story of the alder tree, a species known for quietly strengthening the ecosystems around it, Susan considers how these environments influence our attention, energy, and sense of grounding. Rather than offering prescriptions, this episode begins with a simple practice: noticing the environments we move through and what we experience in each one. Sometimes the first step toward feeling more rooted is simply paying attention. 🌿 Reflection for listeners: Over the next few days, notice the environments you move through. When are you in the natural environment? The built environment? The artificial environment? What shifts in how you feel as you move between them?
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Walk With Claudia Kraut: Start Where You Are - Small Steps Back to the Natural World
03/04/2026
Walk With Claudia Kraut: Start Where You Are - Small Steps Back to the Natural World
What if you've never been a "nature person" - but nature is exactly what you need? Claudia Kraut spent decades in organizational health and wellbeing, just like Susan. She called herself an "interior gal" - someone who only went outside when she was made to. Then at 50, she tried something new: a trail run. It changed everything. In this conversation, Susan and Claudia explore how there are so many ways to connect with nature, and you can start exactly where you are. Maybe it's an app that helps you find trails nearby. Maybe it's a few minutes of fresh air on your lunch break. Maybe eventually it's a trail run, or a daily sit spot, or just noticing the seasons shifting outside your window. You don't have to become someone you're not. You just have to start where you can. Claudia shares her lived experience of bringing more nature into her life - how she does it, why it matters, what changed for her. Susan and Claudia talk about the research showing nature's impact on wellbeing, but more importantly, they explore the practical, accessible ways people can begin connecting with nature right now. They also discuss how technology can help rather than hinder our connection to what's real, how organizations can integrate nature into workplace wellbeing strategies, and why nature isn't just essential to wellbeing - it's foundational. If you've been curious about nature but weren't sure where to start, or if you think "I'm just not a nature person," this conversation is for you.
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Sit with SMB: Finding Steady Ground in an Changing World
02/25/2026
Sit with SMB: Finding Steady Ground in an Changing World
What if the steadiness you've been searching for isn't somewhere you need to go — it's something you already are? A lot is changing right now. For many of us, it feels like standing in a rushing river, the current pulling harder than we expected. The instinct is to move faster, do more, strategize harder. But what if the most powerful thing you could do is plant your feet? This is a Sit episode — something a little different from a typical podcast. No guest. No interview. Just host Susan Morgan Bailey guiding you through a short, grounding experience using breath, the senses, and whatever nature is available to you right now. Even if that's only a window. Susan is a former science teacher, current transformational coach, and 25-year veteran of organizational wellbeing. In this episode she introduces the sit spot — a simple practice of returning to the same place in nature each day to listen, observe, and arrive. It's one of the most accessible and quietly powerful tools she knows for finding what she calls peaceful steadiness: the place inside you that doesn't move the way the world is moving. In 20 minutes, you'll settle your breath, open your senses, and remember something that tends to get lost in the noise — that you are nature, not separate from it. And that belonging doesn't go anywhere, even when everything else seems to. No wilderness required. No special conditions. Just willingness and a place to be still. If you've been feeling the pull of everything that's changing and need somewhere to plant your feet — this episode is for you.
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Walk With Micah Mortali: Rewilding as Remembering
02/19/2026
Walk With Micah Mortali: Rewilding as Remembering
Micah Mortali, founder of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership, introduces the concept of rewilding—not as running off to live in the woods, but as reclaiming lost connections with our natural habitat. In this conversation, Micah shares the idea of nature as "the green mirror"—a counterbalance to the black mirrors of our phones. When we look into the green mirror, we see who we actually are, not a curated artificial version. Susan and Micah explore how rewilding addresses root causes of disconnection, why simply being outside shifts our nervous system in ways no app can replicate, and the accessible practices anyone can use to begin—no wilderness required. This conversation will help you see rewilding not as something extreme, but as remembering what's been there all along. Learn more about Micah's work at Kripalu.org and find his book "Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature."
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Walk With SMB: Remember You ARE Nature
02/18/2026
Walk With SMB: Remember You ARE Nature
What if the deepest root cause of burnout isn't just stress or workload—but forgetting something essential about who we are? In this opening episode, Susan shares the Camino revelation that sparked this podcast: We ARE nature. Not separate from it. Not visitors to it. When we lose connection to the natural world, we feel incomplete—tired, lonely, half-present. This is the story of how patience, observation, and remembering changed everything. It's an invitation to explore what might shift when you stop trying to optimize your way to wellbeing and start reconnecting with the nature you already are. If you've tried all the wellness strategies and still feel exhausted, start here.
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Rooted: Why We're Here and Where We're Going
02/11/2026
Rooted: Why We're Here and Where We're Going
Welcome to Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing. If you've been following along, you might notice something's different—we have a new name. What started as The Growth Collective has evolved into Rooted. In this episode: Why the shift from Growth Collective to Rooted happened The Camino revelation: we ARE nature, not separate from it What "rooted" actually means and why it matters now Where the podcast is headed and what's staying the same This isn't just a rebrand. It's a deepening—a recognition that this work is about remembering our essential connection to the natural world and reclaiming wholeness, grounding, and renewal. The conversations aren't changing. We're still exploring nature connection, wellbeing, and what it means to thrive as natural beings in an increasingly artificial world. Same curiosity, same peer-level dialogues, same commitment to root causes over surface solutions. If you've been here from the beginning—thank you for walking with me. If you're just discovering this podcast—welcome. Next episode: I'll share the full foundation of what Rooted is about—the frameworks, the invitation, and why this work matters now.
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HR Transformation @ Grand Valley State University: A conversation with Mychal Coleman and Lindsey DesArmo
06/27/2023
HR Transformation @ Grand Valley State University: A conversation with Mychal Coleman and Lindsey DesArmo
This episode features an organization that is truly doing the deep work necessary to evolve culture. My guests, Mychal Coleman Associate Vice President of Human Resources at Grand Valley State University and Lindsey DesArmo, Interim Director of Talent Management at GVSU, began the journey of culture evolution when they realized a few years ago, they were losing what had made their organization great for so many years and it was time to review and reset with a goal to reach higher by 2025. In this episode, Lindsay and Mychal walk through the steps their team took to evolve their approach to HR and strategy resulting in evolution of the role of HR within the organization and further establishing wellness into the employee experience. What I love about this episode is how it brings the beginning of culture evolution to life. From the need to have senior leadership on board and involved in the conversation to the reality that change takes time and can be uncomfortable for some, yet when worked through intentionally it delivers a reward worth investing in… a culture that supports thriving humans and organizational sustainability. Connect with Mychal Coleman Email: Website: LinkedIn: Connect with Lindsey DesArmo Email: Linkedin: Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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For the Culture: A conversation with people-mover Marcus Collins
04/30/2023
For the Culture: A conversation with people-mover Marcus Collins
Dr. Marcus Collins is back on the podcast to talk about his new book For the Culture: the power behind what we buy, what we do, and who we want to be. Listen in a Marcus highlights why it’s essential to be clear on what you stand for as an organization and the importance of being intentional about building culture; why we buy the things including why we buy including the idea that showing up to a job every day is a worthwhile endeavor beyond a paycheck; and, the power of the too often neglected role of storytelling in the workplace to motivate. Connect with Marcus Collins Email: Website: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marctothec/ Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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Become a Better Business Citizen: A conversation with Victor Cho
03/21/2023
Become a Better Business Citizen: A conversation with Victor Cho
My guest for this episode is Victor Cho. A passionate consumer advocate, Victor was most recently the CEO at Evite where he led the company successfully through COVID-19 and returned it to growth, financial health, and a successful corporate buy-out. He is also the creator of the 4th Stakeholder Framework on improving stakeholder capitalism. Victor believes for society to thrive, we must shed what he calls the Mercenary Business approach and embrace a more balanced stakeholder model. Unfortunately, many organizations find it hard to balance even just the first three primary stakeholders (Shareholders, customers, and employees). When you add Society (the 4th stakeholder) to the mix, that balancing act becomes even more challenging. Gratefully, Victor has developed a framework to help organizations maximize impact and overcome the challenges that stand in the way of achieving balance between all the stakeholders. Listen in as we discuss a bit about the history of business and capitalism, the power of listening to stakeholders and the idea that considering the relative impact of various actions in combination with thinking about the broader whole can equal more than the sum of its parts. Connect with Victor Cho LinkedIn: - Free leadership frameworks and courses - A practical framework to help businesses become better citizens Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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If People Feel Replaceable, They’ll Act Replaceable: A conversation with Zach Mercurio, PhD.
02/28/2023
If People Feel Replaceable, They’ll Act Replaceable: A conversation with Zach Mercurio, PhD.
50 years of research has shown an individual’s sense of purpose and understanding of how they matter to an organization predicts motivation, productivity and the performance of an individual and the overall business. A lack of feeling relevant and connected to the purpose within a job or organization is one of the drivers of the Great Resignation, Quit Quitting or whatever term is being used to refer to good old fashioned disengagement. This suggests that one of the most important steps an organization can take to engage and attract great talent is to help them understand how they matter to the organization, the people they work with and the work that is done. is back on the Growth Collective podcast for a third time to talk about lessons he’s learned through his own research and the work he has done with hundreds of companies to help them cultivate positive cultures that enable more meaning, mattering, motivation, wellbeing and performance. Listen in as we talk about how mattering sounds touchy feely but it’s not, the power of making sure employees feel seen, the incredible impact of creating a culture that humanizes, dignifies and grows people and considerations for organizations navigating the hybrid/return to office world. Website: LinkedIn : Twitter: @zachmercurio Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: susan.bailey@marshmma.com LinkedIn:
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Opportunities for Thriving in the Multigenerational Workplace: A conversation with Dr. Jean Accius
02/11/2023
Opportunities for Thriving in the Multigenerational Workplace: A conversation with Dr. Jean Accius
People are living longer and that can mean they are working longer. Where there was once a 1st act – work and then a second act – retirement, there now may be a 3rd or even 4th act. The effort to attract and engage great talent has pushed organizations to invest in the wellbeing and growth of all of their people – meeting them where they are at and offering them more of what they want – opportunities to learn and earn longer. This conversation features Dr. Jean Accius. At the time of this interview, he was serving as Senior Vice President of Global Thought Leadership at AARP. AARP is the largest non-profit in the US focused on empowering people to choose how they live when they age with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. They provide a range of resources for people over 50 and advocating for this population is at the heart of their mission. Jean is a passionate champion and catalyst for changing how the world sees and values aging. He is an internationally recognized thought leader on aging, longevity, equity, health systems transformation and modernizing the delivery and financing of long-term care. Listen in as we discuss a range of topics around building a competitive future for all through the workplace, highlighting new ways of thinking about mentoring, the benefits of investing in learning and development and the need to reinvest and reinvent organizations to align with the evolving talent market. Connect with Jean Accius Email: LinkedIn: Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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Employee Assistance Programs – An Important & Underutilized Benefit: A conversation with Mark Attridge, PhD.
01/19/2023
Employee Assistance Programs – An Important & Underutilized Benefit: A conversation with Mark Attridge, PhD.
Historically, about 1 in 4 working adults in the United States met clinical criteria for having a behavioral health condition. The consequences of leaving anxiety, depression, alcohol, drugs, and other common behavioral disorders unidentified and untreated have negative impacts in several areas relevant to employers. These problems influence absenteeism, presenteeism, health care treatment costs, workplace safety risks and more. Many of these behavioral health conditions became more prevalent since the start of COVID-19 pandemic and organizations are focusing like never before on providing support for mental health to their employees. This episode focuses on an underutilized mental health resource that has been around for decades – the Employee Assistance Program also known as an EAP. My guest for this episode is Dr. Mark Attridge, a thought leader with deep expertise in the mental/behavioral health field. Mark brings a unique scholarly approach to his consulting and this discussion. We start with the basics – what is an EAP and then move on to steps employers can take to insure they are maximizing their investment in their EAP as a component of a broader culture strategy to support mental wellbeing in the workplace. Connect with Mark Attridge Email: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markattridgephd/ Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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The Power of Strong Ties at Work: A conversation with Art Markman
12/14/2022
The Power of Strong Ties at Work: A conversation with Art Markman
There are many reasons driving employee disengagement and departures these days. The latest episode aims to shed light on how to address one of the drivers – lack of connection. My guest, Art Markman and I explore the difference between family, neighbors and strangers – how you treat them and what you expect from them and what we can learn from these differences and apply in the workplace to increase connection and organizational commitment. Art Markman, is a professor of psychology and vice provost of Academic Affairs at the University of Texas Austin. Art is the author of and , , , and, most recently, . Listen in as we explore the non-rational, human dimension of organizations, walk through a foundational framework for thinking about connection at work and the 3 questions people leaders should be asking their team members regularly. Connect with Art MarkmanEmail: LinkedIn: Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: susan.bailey@marshmma.com LinkedIn:
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A Cure For the Common Company: A conversation with Richard Safeer, MD
11/28/2022
A Cure For the Common Company: A conversation with Richard Safeer, MD
Dr. Richard Safeer leads the employee health and well-being initiative, Healthy at Hopkins at Johns Hopkins Medicine. He also advises the institution on matters related to health plan benefits, occupational health and the employee assistance program. He has published many journal articles and regularly speaks on employee health and wellbeing, in particular on how to create healthy workplace cultures. In January 2023, his book, “A Cure for the Common Company” will be released and that book and his culture building blocks serve as the foundation for our discussion. Listen in to learn steps an organization of any size or type, with or without a budget can take to create a culture of wellbeing. Connect with Richard Safeer LinkedIn - Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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Aiming for the Win-Win (Employee + Customer Love): A conversation with Diamondback Covers CEO Ben Eltz and CPO Morgan Forney
11/03/2022
Aiming for the Win-Win (Employee + Customer Love): A conversation with Diamondback Covers CEO Ben Eltz and CPO Morgan Forney
It is possible to offer a highly engaging and rewarding work experience in a manufacturing environment and this episode provides insight into a few ways to accomplish this goal. This episode features truckbed cover and accessory manufacturer, Diamondback Covers CEO, Ben Eltz and Chief People Offer, Morgan Forney. Listen in as Ben and Morgan share their perspective on creating a workplace employees love by focusing on 4 bottom lines – Finance, Customers, Community and Employees and how utilizing company values to guide decision making in each area has helped them grow successfully and sustainably. Connect with Diamondback Covers Website: Ben Eltz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/beneltz/ Morgan Forney - Morgan@diamondbackcovers.com Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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Reimagining Workplace Well-Being: A conversation with Jessica Grossmeier
10/04/2022
Reimagining Workplace Well-Being: A conversation with Jessica Grossmeier
In 2022 and the focus for employers has expanded well beyond physical wellbeing to include financial and mental wellbeing (in most companies) and social, community and professional wellbeing in organizations that have taken a more comprehensive approach. The wisest employers recognize creating a culture of health requires an intentional, multi—level approach and meeting employees where they are at. My guest for this episode is Jessica Grossmeier, PhD, MPH is the author of She is a leading voice in workplace well-being, having dedicated her career to identifying evidence-based strategies that promote a thriving workforce. In this episode, Jess and I dive deep into the basics and spiritual wellbeing – having a sense of connection to purpose, others and something larger than self. She explains how spiritual well-being is an essential element of a comprehensive and effective program impacting everything from health to reducing turnover and highlights a few of the many steps organizations can take to dip a toe in the spiritual wellbeing waters. Connect with Jessica: Website: Email: LinkedIn: Twitter: @jgrossmeier Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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Love, Kinship and Compassion as a Business Model for Success: A conversation with Homeboy Industries CEO Tom Vozzo
09/20/2022
Love, Kinship and Compassion as a Business Model for Success: A conversation with Homeboy Industries CEO Tom Vozzo
There is a belief that we can all get what we want if we just pull up our bootstraps and go for it. But what happens to those who simply don’t have boots? It’s tough for someone to move forward if they don’t have the basics. This episode is about a business that looks at business differently…My guest for this episode is Tom Vozzo, CEO of Homeboy Industries. Tom left his career in corporate America convinced there had to be a better way to define success. In 2012, Tom became the first-ever CEO of Homeboy Industries, the largest and most successful gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. This discussion hits on a lot of opportunities for business to think differently – for the benefit of all involved. From letting go of judgement, to creating a space where employees feel loved and supported the experience Tom shares can apply to any organization. Listen in as Tom shares a few of the 55 rules he believes more businesses need to break, speaks the power of asking employees what they need and why love, kinship and compassion are the key to creating a workplace where employees can thrive. Connect with Tom: LinkedIn: Tom's Book - Homeboy Industries LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: Facebook: Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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Helping Employees Overcome Obstacles: A conversation with Mark Peters
08/29/2022
Helping Employees Overcome Obstacles: A conversation with Mark Peters
Everyday across the globe, people bring their whole selves to work. They bring every experience from the moment they are born to the moment before they walk in the door each day. All of it. The good, the bad, the traumatic. The stuff they bring can be called the Social Determinants of Health. The determinants are big buckets of factors – environment, genetics, individual behaviors, social circumstances and medical care – that influence an individual’s ability to be healthy and THRIVE. Recognizing these factors influence one’s ability to focus and engage at work or even just show up at work opens up a door of possibility for employers. Employers who provide “benefits” to employees as part of a compensation package are uniquely positioned to provide resources and support that can help to address the factors that can be barriers to an individual who is trying to remain employed. My guest for this episode is Mark Peters, CEO of Butterball Farms, Inc. Mark recognized a long time ago, he could choose to learn about his employees’ issues or ignore them and not play that role. He learned quickly – everyone benefited when he and the organization decided to come alongside their employees to help struggling employees find resources they needed to help them keep their jobs and care for their families. In 2003, he organized a pioneering group of CEOs and community leaders to found The Source, a not-for-profit organization that has helped hundreds of workers navigate personal challenges that interfere with their jobs. Listen in as Mark shares many of the lessons he learned along the way, actions organizations can take today to better understand the challenges their employees face and steps leaders can take to provide support that leads to reduced turnover and increased employee happiness. Connect with Mark Peters Instagram: Facebook: LinkedIn: Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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Culture is Your #1 Talent Attraction & Retention Tool (rebroadcast)
08/16/2022
Culture is Your #1 Talent Attraction & Retention Tool (rebroadcast)
Summer Replay 2022: We're revisiting a few relevant & helpful episodes from the past until we return with a new episode in Late August 2022. Earlier this year, MIT Sloan Management Review that revealed that toxic culture is the leading predictor of employee departures. My guest for this episode proves positive cultures have the opposite effect - they help to attract and retain talent by offering an employee experience that supports team members growth, wellbeing and flourishing. Garry Ridge is chairman and chief executive officer of WD-40 Company. He is passionate about the learning and empowering organizational culture he has helped establish at the WD-40 Company, and his vision and leadership have positively impacted the WD-40 Company in both measurable and immeasurable ways. Listen in as Garry walks through his experience evolving the culture over the past 20+ years. We touch upon the idea that profit is the “applause of people doing great work”; the benefits of building a “fortress of health”; and, the power of learning moments. This episode was originally published on April 21, 2021 Connect with Garry Ridge Website: www.thelearningmoment.net LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge/ Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: susan.bailey@marshmma.com LinkedIn:
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Helping Employees Find Purpose Beyond a Paycheck: Revisiting a conversation with Zach Mercurio
08/02/2022
Helping Employees Find Purpose Beyond a Paycheck: Revisiting a conversation with Zach Mercurio
Summer Replay 2022: We're revisiting a few relevant & helpful episodes from the past until we return with a new episode in Late August 2022. The best companies relentlessly focus on their contribution to the world and the humans in it and trust the effects (profitability, growth, lower turnover, etc.) will follow. Culture and how people feel when they work, directly affects their ability to flourish and make positive contributions. This episode replay features Zach Mercurio - the most popular guest on the Growth Collective podcast. Zach helps leaders enable the daily experience of purpose, meaningfulness, and mattering. He is a researcher and Honorary Fellow of Psychology in the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University and author of "The Invisible Leader: Transform Your Life, Work, and Organization with the Power of Authentic Purpose." Listen in as we walk through how to find meaning and approach work as purposeful and talk through the benefits of helping employees find purpose in every type of work on the planet. This episode was originally published on September 15, 2020. Connect with Zach Mercurio Email: Website: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zachmercurio/ Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: LinkedIn:
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What is Culture? A metaphor to bring culture to life (Rebroadcast: Episode 0)
07/19/2022
What is Culture? A metaphor to bring culture to life (Rebroadcast: Episode 0)
Summer Replay 2022: We're revisiting a few relevant & helpful episodes from the past until we return with a new episode in Late August 2022. Employees are more likely to stay with an organization if they believe they can thrive there. What factors influence thriving in an organization? It is more than perks and benefits. It's the daily experience of working for the organization...it's how it feels to be a part of it and the factors that enable that feeling. In this episode, I explore culture in metaphor. Trees and humans have a lot in common... to thrive they must be surrounded by supportive and enabling conditions. Listen to learn more about the similarities between a healthy productive forest and a healthy organizational culture and the key elements of creating a culture to support employee thriving. This episode was originally published on March 4, 2020. Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: susan.bailey@marshmma.com LinkedIn:
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