In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo are joined by Brian Berling, Chief Operating Officer at StickerJunkie. Brian brings nearly two decades of leadership experience and shares how empathy, purpose, and trust can transform teams and help businesses thrive. From his early leadership experiences to his current role, Brian explores why protecting your people is the key to long-term success and why traditional, fear-driven leadership is becoming obsolete.

What You'll Learn:

- The importance of leading with empathy and protecting your team

- How leadership styles evolve from authoritarian to collaborative

- Why aligning your team’s values with the company’s core purpose leads to better performance

- The value of hiring people who align with your mission, and how to screen for this in interviews

- Tips for creating a healthy, stress-free work environment that fosters long-term success

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Teaser

[01:24] – Introduction to Brian Birling

[02:22] – Leadership and Mentorship

[09:30] – The Importance of Leading from the Middle

[15:58] – Protecting Your Team

[26:01] – Long-Term Success vs. Short-Term Gains

[21:07] – Intrinsic Motivation and Aligning Team Values

[26:40] – Hiring for Cultural and Psychological Fit

[32:20] – How to Filter for Alignment During Interviews

[33:17] – Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts

📱 Follow our guest Brian Berling:

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianberling

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianberling/

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianberling/

👉 Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stickerjunkie

👉Company Website: https://www.stickerjunkie.com/

👉Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/StickerJunkie-100079877670675/

👉Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stickerjunkie/?hl=en

📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:

👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/

👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/

📱 Follow Holonic:

👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/