Today on the Good Company Podcast, we continue our overarching theme of creating better workplaces by exploring how to build (and keep) respect at work. Drew and Brett unpack taking ownership and accountability to gain influence, how to build trusting relationships, workplace behaviors that build and break trust, best practices for receiving bad news as a leader, and why there are no winners in the blame game. Tuning in, you’ll also learn about safety culture, the reasons certain negative events recur, the perils of the human condition, and how to garner trust and respect at work. To close, Drew and Brett explore the art in your work and how silence can often lead to new and better discoveries.

Key Points From This Episode:

• How their colleagues have won their respect, and why this matters. [0:03:09]

• Ways that ownership and accountability influence respect in the workplace. [0:08:55]

• Comparing workplace behaviors that build and break trust. [0:16:22]

• Best practices for receiving bad news as a leader: regulating your emotions. [0:25:20]

• Why blame never solves any problems. [0:34:49]

• Safety culture, and why certain behaviors repeat when others don’t. [0:41:43]

• How many of our shortcomings are the result of the human condition. [0:45:03]

• Important advice for garnering trust and respect at work. [0:51:15]

• Finding the art in work. [0:56:22]

Quotes:

“When you shut up, people will ask you stuff. – When you constantly talk, people get tired of hearing what you have to say.” — Drew Dudley [0:03:45]

“Leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. You don’t have to be in – formal senior executive leadership to demonstrate it.” — Brett Elmgren [0:08:17]

“Something that naturally wins respect is when somebody is self-aware [enough to] acknowledge their weaknesses, is open about that, and willing to actually improve upon it. We build trust so much quicker that way.” — Brett Elmgren [0:09:00]

“Most people are going to be harder on themselves than you are going to be on them.” — Drew Dudley [0:15:17]

“One of the best ways of building trust is demonstrating trust.” — Drew Dudley [0:24:37]

“Blame has never solved any organizational problem ever.” — Brett Elmgren [0:35:46]

“‘I don’t know’ are the three most powerful words in leadership.” — Drew Dudley [0:55:36]

“Even if you’re an analytical person, recognize the art in your work. – Make sure that there is emotion in your intellect and intellect in your emotion.” — Drew Dudley [0:56:21]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

CEO Excellence

The Alchemist

SafeStart

Drew Dudley | Everyday Leadership

Brett Elmgren | Axom Leadership

What if your boss isn’t actively doing harm, but they’re not doing quite enough either? In this episode, we tackle a listener question about how to manage up when a well-meaning new leader is missing opportunities to support the team. What’s the best way to offer constructive feedback without overstepping? We kick things off with a conversation about first impressions, authenticity, and the challenge of reading a room when you’re trying to make a positive impact. That leads us straight into how to influence without authority. We explore practical strategies, including how to ask for permission to give feedback, why clarity beats courage, and how to avoid gossip-fueled resentment. We also touch on why compassion, not judgment, is key when dealing with imperfect leadership. Tune in to pick up real-world tools that make managing up feel a little less risky and a lot more achievable!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Reflections on first impressions and adaptive authenticity at work. [0:03:10]

• A listener question introduces the theme: how to influence without formal authority. [0:08:33]

• Why you can’t fix behavior if you don’t know it’s a problem. [0:10:21]

• How to invite feedback conversations in a supportive, non-defensive way. [0:14:46]

• Tips for making it easier for leaders to lead and listen effectively. [0:23:39]

• Using “I” statements and curiosity to navigate tough dynamics. [0:28:40]

• The accept-or-change framework for stuck workplace relationships. [0:35:32]

• Practical tools for influencing up and building trust with your manager. [0:47:33]

• The pre-requisites of influence and trust: credibility, experience, and relationships. [0:53:35]

• To influence up, start by genuinely caring about your manager’s success and challenges. [0:58:34]

Quotes:

“You can never expect someone to correct problematic behavior if they are unaware of that problematic behavior.” — Drew Dudley [0:11:25]

“Once you have permission for the feedback, don't be wishy washy about it. Clear is kind, as Brené Brown always says.” — Brett Elmgren [0:17:10]

“The one thing we never talk about is, ‘How easy do we make it for our leaders to lead us?’ And we sit around and complain and vent and become resentful. But what have we done to help that leader lead us?” — Brett Elmgren [0:25:04]

“I am feeling frustrated at this. Do you think that's fair? That's such a great way of letting someone know there's a frustration, but that you haven't already made up your mind.” — Drew Dudley [0:30:24]

“Don't demand trust when you haven't earned it.” — Brett Elmgren [0:53:25]

“Do you care about your manager? Do you give a crap? Because if you don't, where do you get off expecting them to give a crap about you?” — Drew Dudley [0:59:00]

“You know what caring about your manager means? It means caring about their growth and their development as much as you demand that they care about yours.” — Drew Dudley [00:59:59]

“We have to always remind ourselves [that], generally speaking, nobody does anything from a bad place of intention.” — Brett Elmgren [01:00:47]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Drew Dudley | Everyday Leadership

Brett Elmgren | Axom Leadership

Welcome to part two of our career development, freedom, and ambition discussion! If you haven’t listened to part one of the conversation, be sure to do so now. Starting off, Drew and Brett share some of the biggest career pitfalls people need to watch out for based on their personal experiences, the danger of being self-centered before establishing credibility, and why you should compare yourself to the competition and not the qualifications. You’ll hear all about why rethinking talent systems is so important before discussing why resilience, courage, and impact are far more valuable than qualifications. To close off, we chat about some hypothetical hiring experiments companies could use to select employees. Thanks for listening!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Some of the biggest mistakes to avoid making in your career. [0:00:59]

• Why being self-centered around your career is problematic. [0:08:41]

• Comparing yourself to the competition, not the qualifications. [0:13:05]

• Challenging the way we recruit talent and focusing on resilience instead. [0:18:18]

Quotes:

“The worst career advice might very well have been the stuff that made me the most money!” — Drew Dudley [0:02:57]

“Everybody wins in the broader scope of an organization if people are – prospering.” — Brett Elmgren [0:08:15]

“The job changes! It’s not just this perfect ladder as we’ve been made to believe.” — Brett Elmgren [0:12:42]

“You don’t have to have 100 [percent of the qualifications on a job description!]” — Drew Dudley [0:17:22]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Drew Dudley | Everyday Leadership Brett Elmgren | Axom Leadership