Summer Sparks: The Power of Seeing People as Humans

Hosts: Simon Phillips & Renée Smith discussing their conversation with Rick Gage

Listen to the full episode: [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Ram6ZbCEjaHJ8INt0vRhM?si=e3fa78376bf44a63]

What happens when you stop seeing colleagues as problems and start seeing them as people?

In this powerful summer episode, Simon and Renée explore a game-changing leadership insight from Rick Gage (Center for a Loving Workplace): how to transform team dynamics through loving leadership.

The 90-Minute Meeting That Changed Everything

Rick inherited a team drowning in blame and finger-pointing. His solution? Weekly 90-minute meetings where half the time was spent on personal check-ins - not just work stuff, but real life. What's happening at home? What challenges are you facing?

The result? When team members began seeing each other as three-dimensional humans instead of two-dimensional work personas, the blame naturally disappeared.

The Hidden Truth About "Difficult" People

That stubborn colleague driving you crazy? They might be dealing with a parent's cancer diagnosis or struggling with family challenges. Simon reminds us: "It's so easy to judge and blame others... but if you take time to get to know those people, you might just bump into someone whose mum's in hospital."

From Fear to Love: The LACE Way

When fear hits, we dehumanize others (and ourselves). But Simon's LACE framework offers a better path:

• Listen with curiosity instead of judgment
• Accountability means taking responsibility for people's growth
• Collaborate by asking "How can we help?" not "You fix this"
• Empathy creates psychological safety through zero judgment

Rick's Golden Question

When 150 leaders gathered to discuss team members, Rick's approach was revolutionary: "What do they need to continue to learn and grow?" Not judgment. Not ranking. Just genuine support for human development.

Your Challenge This Week

Spend 10 minutes learning something non-work related about one team member. Ask: "What's bringing you joy or challenge right now outside of work?"

The Bottom Line

True leadership transformation happens when we "hold precious what it is to be human" (Toyota's respect philosophy). As Renée clarifies, this shift from fear-based to love-based leadership unlocks team potential and creates psychological safety.

Ready to transform your team dynamics? Start with one conversation.

Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these loving leadership insights.

Connect with the Guest and the Hosts:

Rick Gage - LinkedIn Profile

Renée Smith - LinkedIn Profile

Simon Phillips - LinkedIn Profile

All Music composed by Adam Phillips

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