Culture Architects™
David J. Friedman
Most leaders know that a strong culture is a foundation for building a great organization, but great cultures don't just happen on their own. Rather, they're designed and built systematically, brick by brick. Each week, join David J. Friedman, the best-selling author of Culture by Design, as he speaks with extraordinary leaders, from all walks of life, and they share their biggest successes, failures, and lessons learned on their culture journeys. If you're searching for the best insights on building a high-performing culture, then Culture Architects, a production of CultureWise, is for you.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 12, 2023 • 31min
15. Work Positive: Five Practices for a Thriving Culture w/ Dr. Joey Faucette (Part 1)
David welcomes certified Executive Coach Dr. Joey Faucette to the Culture Architects podcast. Long before he was invited to the show, Joey had been referring to himself as a “Culture Architect” — an interesting coincidence that he unpacks in this episode. In this first of a two-part conversation, Joey also walks listeners through the five core practices of a positive work culture.
May 22, 2023 • 27min
14. Psychological Safety at Work: Stephan Wiedner’s Culture Playbook (Part 2)
David wraps up a fascinating conversation with Zarango’s CEO Stephan Wiedner. In this second part, they examine leadership and culture-building within a psychologically safe work environment, and Stephan shares two important things to keep in mind when aiming for psychological safety in one’s organization.(ZARANGO LINK: https://zarango.com/freepsi/)
May 15, 2023 • 25min
14. Psychological Safety at Work: Stephan Wiedner’s Culture Playbook (Part 1)
In this episode of Culture Architects, David sits down with psychological safety expert Stephan Wiedner. Stephan is currently the CEO of two psychological safety-based organizations: the professional coaching network Noomii, which he co-founded in 2007; and the Zarango training program, which he established in 2021. In today’s episode, Stephan takes listeners through the concept of psychological safety — and together, he and David begin to unpack how Stephan’s field of expertise intersects with the conversation around culture.
Nov 7, 2022 • 25min
13. People-First by Design: Unconsulting Culture w/ Meg Newhouse (Part 2)
In this new episode, David and Meg continue talking about intentional hiring practices at Inspirant Group. Meg shares what lessons she’s learned from her mistakes and delves deeper into what it means to lead a people-first company.
Oct 31, 2022 • 23min
13. People-First by Design: Unconsulting Culture w/ Meg Newhouse (Part 1)
Our latest Culture Architect is Meg Newhouse — co-founder and CEO of Inspirant Group. In 2017, Meg was one of three seasoned consultants who started the Chicago-based firm that has since garnered attention for the work it describes as “unconsulting.” In this episode, Meg talks about the origins of “unconsulting,” and walks David through the ways in which she has been intentional about leading the company.
Oct 17, 2022 • 24min
12. Infection Control Meets Culture: Building Seal Shield w/ Brad Whitchurch (Part 2)
David continues his conversation with Brad Whitchurch. In this second part, Brad shares mistakes made and lessons learned from building the culture at Seal Shield, as well as his hopes and projections for the future of the company.
Oct 10, 2022 • 22min
12. Infection Control Meets Culture: Building Seal Shield w/ Brad Whitchurch (Part 1)
In this episode, David welcomes Brad Whitchurch, the founder, CEO, and chairman of Seal Shield. In 2006, Brad invented the world’s first dishwasher-safe keyboard and mouse, and grew the company into an internationally recognized provider of infection control solutions. Today, Seal Shield is an award-winning workplace that is intentional about its people and its company culture. At their helm is Brad Whitchurch, a true Culture Architect.
Aug 8, 2022 • 31min
11. The Culture Behind Zaxby’s Rise w/ Founder Zach McLeroy (Part 2)
David wraps up part one of his conversation with Zach McLeroy. In part two, Zach discussed how he selected his team members to maintain Zaxby’s company culture, as well as his vision for the future of Zaxby’s.
Aug 1, 2022 • 29min
11. The Culture Behind Zaxby’s Rise w/ Founder Zach McLeroy (Part 1)
For this episode of Culture Architects, David sits down with Zach McLeroy, the co-founder and chairman of Zaxby’s. Since opening his first location in 1990, Zach’s leadership has led the way to Zaxby’s becoming the 30th largest restaurant chain in the United States. From humble beginnings, to a billion-dollar franchise, Zach attributes Zaxby’s growth to the intentional relationships made within the company. Zaxby’s company culture is at the core of their success, making Zach a fantastic culture architect.
Jul 18, 2022 • 27min
10. The BAYADA Way: Building a Culture of Care w/ Mark Baiada (Part 2)
In part 2 of the episode, David concludes his conversation with Mark Baiada. Listen in as Mark discusses how he’s implemented rituals and behaviors from the Bayada Way and casts a vision for the future of Bayada Home Healthcare and beyond.
