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Relationship Equity

Relationship Equity

By: Richard Walker
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 Do you want to learn how to build lasting and meaningful relationships in your personal and professional life? Do you want to hear from successful leaders who have positively impacted thousands of lives with their vision and values? Do you want to discover the power of Relationship Equity, a principle that can transform your career and your happiness? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to listen to Relationship Equity with Richard Walker, a podcast that explores the stories and insights of people who have mastered the art of connecting with others. In each episode, Richard Walker, the CEO of York Solutions a prominent IT consulting firm, sits down with guests who have made a positive difference in the world through their work, their passion, or their generosity. Relationship Equity is more than just a podcast. It’s a movement. It’s a mindset. It’s a way of living that can enrich your life and the lives of those around you. Join Richard Walker and his guests as they inspire you to invest in your relationships and reap the rewards of Relationship Equity. Subscribe today and don’t miss an episode!Forbes Books Economics
Episodes
  • Beyond Code: How Curiosity & Relationships Forge Top Tech Leaders with Jim Graham & Melissa Flicek (Part Two)

    Beyond Code: How Curiosity & Relationships Forge Top Tech Leaders with Jim Graham & Melissa Flicek (Part Two)
    Jun 30 2025
    In Part Two, of this dynamic discussion, Richard Walker challenges tech executives Melissa Flicek and Jim Graham to reveal practical strategies for driving organizational change. Melissa shares her Medtronic breakthrough—creating an illustrative prototype that won over skeptical Australian leaders ("I don't care if it's fake—it's better than what I have!")—demonstrating her "start with the willing" approach to transformation. Jim unpacks his stakeholder analysis framework: leveraging peer insights to identify innovators versus laggards while strategically importing cross-industry talent to "rattle cages.”

    The trio debates high-stakes leadership dilemmas, from cultural upheaval responses ("Some make change happen, some watch, some wonder what hit them") to influencing through business fluency. Richard delivers hard truths about shifting global tech hiring—including how nearshoring trends are halving opportunities for U.S. graduates—while reflecting on relationship equity as his networking lifeline. His career advice to a struggling grad ("Your net worth mirrors your network") sparks raw wisdom, including personal mantras: Say yes to every opportunity, treat all people equally, and maintain insatiable curiosity.

    Closing with powerful final thoughts—Melissa's call to "authentically invest in partnerships," Jim's "stay curious" ethos, and Richard's advocacy for human-centric leadership—this episode equips listeners to turn resistance into momentum through prepared prototyping, stakeholder mapping, and relentless relationship-building.
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    29 mins
  • Beyond Code: How Curiosity & Relationships Forge Top Tech Leaders with Jim Graham & Melissa Flicek (Part One)

    Beyond Code: How Curiosity & Relationships Forge Top Tech Leaders with Jim Graham & Melissa Flicek (Part One)
    Jun 23 2025
    Join Richard Walker for an unfiltered conversation with two visionary technology executives—Melissa Flicek and Jim Graham—as they dissect the non-technical traits that propelled them to CIO/CTO-level success. Rejecting outdated "techie in the corner" stereotypes, Melissa reveals how her "million questions" philosophy and passion for talent development drove innovation, while Jim shares why sitting in the "right chair at the right time" (paired with radical humility) unlocked transformative opportunities. Together, they unpack why curiosity isn’t innate—it’s cultivated through discomfort, personal development plans, and shadowing customer service teams to uncover automation goldmines.

    Discover why authentic leadership means discussing Real Housewives in the boardroom (Melissa’s signature move) and treating relationships as "the long game" where high "say-do ratios" build unshakeable trust. Learn Jim’s framework for dissecting business levers before deploying tech, and Melissa’s counterintuitive "start with the willing" strategy for driving change—where consistent base hits trump risky home runs. They debate networking’s hidden power (hint: internal allies matter most), why failed interviews can be blessings ("If you can’t be authentic, it wasn’t the right fit"), and how to ask questions that expose real business needs.


    Perfect for aspiring leaders and seasoned execs alike, this episode delivers actionable tools to transform from order-taker to strategic partner—one relationship, one question, and one uncomfortable growth moment at a time.
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    30 mins
  • Zach Mercurio on the Power of Mattering: How to Make People Feel Seen, Valued & Needed (Part Two)

    Zach Mercurio on the Power of Mattering: How to Make People Feel Seen, Valued & Needed (Part Two)
    May 6 2025
    In Part 2, Richard Walker continues his deep dive with Zach Mercurio into the power of "mattering"—the belief that we are seen, valued, and needed by those around us. Building on their earlier conversation, Zach and Richard explore how small, intentional interactions can combat the growing loneliness epidemic and disengagement in workplaces and society. Zach shares his research-backed framework for fostering mattering: **Noticed, Affirmed, and Needed**. He reveals how simple acts—like holding a door, asking meaningful questions, or remembering personal details—can transform relationships and organizational culture. The discussion also tackles the dangers of "learned helplessness," where people disengage because they feel their contributions don’t matter, and how leaders can reverse this trend by creating environments where everyone feels indispensable. The episode closes with powerful insights from high-performing teams—from the U.S. Army Special Forces to the Blue Angels—showing how mattering fuels resilience and excellence. Whether you’re a leader, teammate, or simply someone striving to make others feel valued, this conversation is a masterclass in the art of human connection. Tune in to discover how you can close the "mattering deficit" in your own life and work—one meaningful interaction at a time.
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    32 mins

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