The Team Engagement Podcast

Hosted by Shawn Richards

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Episodes

340

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

We discuss 5 questions in about 15 minutes because leaders know how to be concise! Questions are centered on team engagement and leadership principles for leaders of all experience levels.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 47617 min

Does Your Team Practice Ubuntu? | Natalie Spiro

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Natalie Spiro, CEO of Drum Cafe North America, about leadership, belonging, and the power of Ubuntu.Natalie explains how leaders can strengthen psychological safety by creating environments built on trust, vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and connection. Drawing on lessons from Nelson Mandela and her South African roots, she shares why belonging is one of the most powerful drivers of engagement.What you'll learn:• What Ubuntu means and why it matters in leadership • How belonging differs from inclusion • Why vulnerability builds psychological safety • The role of emotional intelligence in leadership • How shared experiences strengthen teamsConnect with Natalie:Website: https://www.drumcafenorthamerica.com Rhythm Builders: http://www.rhythmbuilders.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliespiro/🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com#Leadership #TeamEngagement #Ubuntu #Podcast #NatalieSpiro

June 4, 2026Episode 47511 min

Talk to the People You Need to Talk to | Dr. Paul White

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Dr. Paul White, Founder of Appreciation at Work, about communication, appreciation, and creating stronger workplace relationships.Drawing from his work with The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, Dr. White explains how leaders can foster trust, engagement, and growth through intentional communication and gratitude.What you’ll learn:• Why appreciation strengthens workplace relationships • The importance of having meaningful conversations • How gratitude supports emotional well-being • Ways to foster a growth mindset through learning • Why leaders should encourage employees to share what they are learningConnect with Dr. White: Website: https://www.appreciationatwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-white-ph-d-3178276/🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com#Leadership #TeamEngagement #Podcast #WorkplaceCulture #PaulWhite

May 28, 2026Episode 47418 min

Empower Growth In Others By Expanding Your Vision | Shaun Mader

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Shaun Mader, Founder and Creator of Teamware, about leadership, psychological safety, and creating space for growth.Shaun explains how leaders who admit uncertainty and encourage experimentation help teams become more engaged, creative, and resilient.What you’ll learn:• Why psychological safety starts with leader authenticity • How spacious leadership helps teams perform better • The importance of curiosity and experimentation • How self-awareness supports emotional well-being • Why expanding your vision empowers growth in othersConnect with Shaun: Website: https://www.getteamware.com/variant🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com#Leadership #TeamEngagement #Podcast #PsychologicalSafety #ShaunMader

May 21, 2026Episode 47310 min

Eliminate Stress to Improve Psychological Safety | Sue Schuster

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Sue Schuster, Executive at Bizfi.io, about leadership, stress management, and psychological safety.Sue explains how leaders can create healthier and more productive environments by reducing unnecessary stress, encouraging growth, and modeling balanced leadership.What you’ll learn:• Why leadership behavior shapes psychological safety • How reducing stress improves team performance • Why continuous growth matters in leadership • The role of emotional wellness in sustainable success • Leadership lessons learned through teamwork and responsibilityConnect with Sue: Website: https://bizfi.io🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com#Leadership #TeamEngagement #Podcast #PsychologicalSafety #SueSchuster

May 14, 2026Episode 47215 min

Patience is Essential in Leadership | Deborah Coviello

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Deborah Coviello, CEO and Founder of Illumination Partners, about leadership, patience, and building psychologically safe teams.Deborah shares lessons from her journey from corporate leadership into entrepreneurship and explains how leaders can better support their teams through listening, empathy, and intentional communication.What you’ll learn:• Why patience strengthens leadership effectiveness • How listening deeply builds psychological safety • The value of understanding people’s unique strengths • Why feedback and self-awareness support growth • How focusing on controllable actions improves emotional wellnessConnect with Deborah: Website: http://dropinceo.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahacoviello🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com

May 7, 2026Episode 4719 min

Better Emotional Wellness Begins with Breathing | Emilee Tucker

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Emilee Tucker from Authentic Leadership Consulting about emotional wellness, leadership communication, and executive presence.Emilee explains how leaders can strengthen psychological safety through intentional one-on-one conversations, curiosity, and emotional regulation practices like Box breathing.What you’ll learn:• Why one-on-one conversations build trust • How curiosity supports a growth mindset • The importance of emotional wellness in leadership • How Box breathing helps regulate the nervous system • Why authentic communication strengthens teamsConnect with Emilee: LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/emileetucker🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com

April 30, 2026Episode 47015 min

Contribute with Curiosity | Dr. Lani Jones

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Dr. Lani Jones, Founder and CEO of HBL Advisory Group, about leadership, curiosity, and intentional growth.Lani shares how leaders can build psychologically safe teams by being authentic, understanding individual needs, and maintaining consistency in their leadership approach.What you’ll learn:• Why curiosity strengthens leadership • How authenticity builds trust within teams • The importance of focus and intentional decision-making • How consistency supports emotional wellness • Why self-reflection leads to growthConnect with Dr. Lani Jones: Website: http://drlanijones.com/🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com

April 23, 2026Episode 46914 min

Look for the Nuggets That Grow You | Erin Treacy

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Erin Treacy, leadership coach, about authenticity, reflection, and growth in leadership.Erin explains how leaders can build trust by showing up consistently and adapting their communication to meet the needs of their teams.What you’ll learn:• Why authenticity builds trust in leadership • How individualized communication strengthens teams • The importance of self-reflection and learning from mistakes • How to support emotional wellness as a leader • Why everyday experiences offer opportunities for growthConnect with Erin: Website: https://coacherintreacy.com🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com

April 16, 2026Episode 46814 min

Give Yourself Grace | Joseph Lujan

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Joseph Lujan, Founder of Reflective Resonance, about leadership, self-awareness, and intentional presence.Joseph shares insights from his book Reflective Resonance and explains how leaders can build psychologically safe environments through vulnerability, listening, and steady leadership.What you’ll learn:• Why self-awareness strengthens leadership • How authentic presence builds trust • The importance of vulnerability and listening • How giving yourself grace supports growth • Lessons from early leadership experiencesConnect with Joseph: Website: https://reflectiveresidents.org 🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com

April 9, 2026Episode 46714 min

Let Positive Experiences Uplift the Negative Ones | Bianca Riemer

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, host Shawn Richards speaks with Bianca Riemer, Executive Coach, about leadership, emotional well-being, and creating psychologically safe teams.Bianca shares how leaders can use reflection, growth mindset, and a blameless approach to help teams learn and improve while maintaining trust and resilience.What you’ll learn:• How psychological safety starts with leader behavior • The value of a blameless post mortem approach • Why focusing on positive experiences supports growth • The role of emotional well-being in leadership • How self-awareness strengthens leadership effectivenessConnect with Bianca: Website: https://www.biancariemer.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancariemer/🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com