Navigating Workplace Culture: A Deeper Dive into Authentic Leadership and Growth with Jessica Kriegel

Workplace culture is a key pillar of any organization, underpinning every interaction, decision, and behavior within the team.

Jessica Kriegel fresh perspective combines the rigor of academic research with practical, real-world experience. It emphasizes the necessity of a purpose-driven, emotionally intelligent approach that puts people at the core.

One aspect we explored deeply was the intertwining of love and accountability in leadership. Traditionally, these two notions may appear disparate, but in fact, they are the same when approaching leadership from a place of love.

Authentic leadership necessitates taking responsibility, or accountability, for the impact you have on those around you. It means rising above ego-based thinking patterns and solving problems while staying accountable to set goals.

This is the essence of leading with an "above the line" thinking approach.

Humanizing Leadership through Personal Experiences

A significant point was how Jessica ties love, compassion, and accountability together in her own parenting approach and then links this to organizational leadership. She highlighted the importance of embedding genuine care in how we guide others, simultaneously setting the stage for accountability.

This approach results in a nurturing yet performance-oriented environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and encouraged to deliver their best.

Journey from Corporate Life to Entrepreneurship

We also ventured into the entrepreneurial world, with Jessica sharing her journey from corporate life at Oracle to keynoting, consulting, and influencing workplace culture transformation.

One important lesson from her journey is the value of risk management and having a backup plan. It's critical to note that entrepreneurship doesn't necessarily mean throwing caution to the wind; instead, it involves carefully calculated risks balanced with security nets.

Incorporating Mindfulness and Gratitude in Leadership

As leaders, our responsibility extends to cultivating a nurturing culture, promoting personal and professional growth, and fostering a sense of belonging within the team. Incorporating mindfulness and gratitude in our everyday life is another crucial lesson from our conversation.

Jessica’s morning routine, encompassing meditation, journaling, and a gratitude practice, exemplifies this.

Leaders should consider how they can encourage such practices within their organizations to foster well-being and enhance overall performance.

Embracing Similarities and Differences in a Thriving Culture

Remember, a company's culture shapes how its people interact, perform, and perceive their work environment. Cultivating a healthy and nurturing culture promotes engagement, increases satisfaction, and boosts performance, ultimately impacting the company's bottom line. In that vein, recognizing our similarities, embracing our differences, and valuing everyone's unique contributions fosters an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and heard.

Glad to Be Here: A Transformative Mindset

As we wrapped up our conversation, I was reminded of a powerful mantra we used on the Us Navy Blue Angels : "Glad to be here." The philosophy behind this statement, which revolves around gratitude, purpose, passion, and presence, aligns perfectly with Jessica's approach to creating a thriving culture.

It's about cultivating a mindset of gratitude and being fully present in the moment. This outlook on life can be transformational in both personal and professional spheres.

In conclusion, leadership should be driven by love, compassion, and accountability. Embracing change, maintaining flexibility, and cultivating mindfulness and gratitude can significantly contribute to creating a thriving, inclusive, and growth-oriented culture.

In essence, when we start leading with the mindset of "glad to be here," we create a working environment where everyone is glad to be there, too.

Remember, we all thrive when we feel valued, and heard, and are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute.

Be sure to check out the entire episode at the top.