Management Muse

Ep 80 - Culture Doesn’t Have to Crawl: Torben Nørby on Changing Fast and Getting it Right, Part 1

Think culture change has to be slow and painful? Think again.
In this episode, Cindi Baldi is joined by leadership strategist Torben N rby to challenge the belief that culture change is a long, uphill crawl. Spoiler: it doesn’t have to be, if you get the context right.
Torben explains how most organizations don’t explode—they erode, slowly sliding out of alignment as they grow and the world shifts around them. Cindi and Torben break down the anatomy of culture change and introduce a smart framework leaders can use to shift culture without wrecking trust or clarity. From international business case studies to the current work-from-home debate, they explore what it takes to lead rapid and lasting cultural shifts.
This episode is for anyone ready to redesign a work culture. You’ll walk away with practical tools for evaluating your current culture, for aligning behavior with values, and for creating space for continuous improvement. 
*Tune back in next week to hear Part 2 with even more insight!
Episode Highlights:
How deliberate interventions can build strong cultures
The risk of drifting out of alignment as your organization grows
The importance of context in culture change
How to act without overcorrecting
What global case studies reveal about adaptable organizational cultures
Why shared leadership drives more sustainable and effective culture shifts
About Torben Nørby:
Dr. Torben Nørby is the CEO of People & Performance, the author of The Contextual Leader, and the creator of the Contextual Leadership AI Bot (CLAI). With more than three decades of leadership experience spanning the Danish military, global retail, and international consulting, Torben has become a leading authority on contextual leadership, which is helping executives align strategy, culture, and behavior to drive real organizational performance.
Drawing on both rigorous research and experience, Torben has advised thousands of leaders across industries on how to adapt their leadership styles and shape their operating environments. His work blends practical insight with psychological depth, offering senior leaders ways to build alignment, empower teams, and lead meaningful cultural change.
Check out Torben’s book, The Contextual Leader
 
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Ep 79 - The Authenticity Trap: When Real Goes Wrong in Leadership

Authentic leadership is a hot topic. But what if bringing your whole self to work is a terrible idea? In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin tackle the tension between being real and being reckless. What if being authentic doesn’t make you a better manager, just a more difficult one? 
From the importance of self-monitoring to the paradox of power, Cindi and Geoff unpack what it means to show up at work without blowing up. You’ll learn why awareness matters more than rawness, how emotional regulation helps you meet the moment, and why the best managers actually aren’t always authentic.
Whether you're steering a team or quietly questioning your coworker’s fourth overshare of the week, this conversation brings clarity (and a few laughs) to one of the most misguided ideas in modern work culture.
Episode Highlights:
Why bringing your authentic self to work isn’t always a good idea
The importance of alignment and awareness
How and why many leadership trends are self-defeating
The dilemma of power
How leather jackets (and other stuff) can change a leader
Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rEvWlLV_ORY
 
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Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:
Pfeffer, Jeffrey. Power: Why Some People Have It — and Others Don’t. Harper Business, 2010. https://www.amazon.com/Power-Some-People-Have-Others/dp/0061789089 
Snyder, Mark. “Self-Monitoring of Expressive Behavior.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 30, no. 4, 1979, pp. 526–537. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0037039
 
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Ep 78 - AI, Healthcare, and Getting Your Mindset Right for Disruptive Times

What if AI didn’t replace employees but instead became their most powerful partner?
In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi continues her conversation with Stacy Edgar, co-founder of Venteur, to examine how AI may positively disrupt our lives. Their discussion moves from personalized medicine and easier work to the pivotal choices leaders face when technology sparks systemic change.
At the center is a necessary mindset shift toward embracing what’s possible. Leaders who invest in employees and use AI to amplify human capability grow the pie; those who don’t risk shrinking it.
Listen in to learn what it takes to lead an organization that thrives along with AI. 
Check out Part 1 of this conversation here.
 
Episode Highlights:
How AI is transforming work
The expanding promise of personalization in business
What self-driving cars suggest about systemic change
Why people and AI are better together
The risks of controlling behaviors and fear-driven leadership
The mindset for leading through disruption
Why everyone should watch Terminator
 
About Stacy Edgar:
Stacy Edgar is the co-founder and CEO of Venteur, an AI and digital health startup helping employers reimagine health insurance. Venteur works with businesses to lower healthcare costs while empowering employees to feel more confident in their healthcare journey.
Before launching Venteur, Stacy spent 15 years in global development and foreign policy. She has helped dozens of organizations generate billions of dollars in new business.
 
Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iXFzw5V6LCw
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Sign up for our newsletter and let us know what topic you’d like to hear next!
 
Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:
Kober, Gregg. “AI-First Leadership: Embracing the Future of Work.” Harvard Business Impact, 24 Jan. 2025, https://www.harvardbusiness.org/insight/ai-first-leadership-embracing-the-future-of-work/
Li, D. M., et al. “A Critical Look into Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare.” Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, vol. 8, 05 Marc. 2025, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frai.2025.1545869/full 
 
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Ep 77 - Rethinking Employee Healthcare: Why Better Benefits Equals Better Business

What if the way you structure your employee healthcare benefits could become one of your strongest management tools?
In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi talks with founder Stacy Edgar about why the dominant employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) model is increasingly misaligned with today’s workforce, and how leaders can reimagine benefits as a driver of culture, loyalty, and performance.
They unpack the history of how U.S. employers became the primary providers of health insurance, the risks of sticking with outdated “one-size-fits-all” plans, and the emerging opportunities in flexible, employee-centered models of coverage. Stacy shares stories of organizations that have reduced costs while improving employee morale, along with cautionary tales of leaders who cut corners and paid for it in turnover and diminished trust.
This episode is a conversation about innovative leadership and daring to reconsider the status quo. If you want to recruit and retain top talent, reduce hidden costs, and configure your culture with today’s expectations, you’ll want to listen in.
Episode Highlights:
How smarter coverage leads to healthier employees and a healthier bottom line
Why workplace healthcare is overdue for disruption
The risks of “one-size-fits-all” group health plans
How alternatives like ICHRAs enable personalized, employee-driven coverage and cost savings
The hidden costs of doing the minimum
How thoughtful benefits can fuel culture, retention, and performance
How U.S. employers became the de facto providers of health insurance 
About Stacy Edgar:
Stacy Edgar is the co-founder and CEO of Venteur, an AI and digital health startup helping employers reimagine health insurance through a consumer-centric lens. Under her leadership, Venteur works with businesses to lower healthcare costs while empowering employees to feel more confident and in control of their healthcare journey.
Before launching Venteur, Stacy spent 15 years in global development and foreign policy, dedicated to ending global poverty. She is recognized for her expertise in business development, having helped dozens of organizations generate billions in new business.
 
Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VR8CgHqY-xw
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Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:
Edgar, Stacy. “This Labor Day: Is It Time to Rethink the Social Contract on Employer-Sponsored Health Care?” Venteur, 1 Sept. 2025, www.venteur.com/blog/this-labor-day-is-it-time-to-rethink-the-social-contract-on-employer-sponsored-health-care
Weismann, M. F. “How the Great Resignation and COVID Unemployment Have Eroded the Employer-Sponsored Insurance Model and Access to Healthcare.” American Journal of Law & Medicine, vol. 49, no. 1, 2023. Cambridge University Press.
*Bonus: Watch the SNL skit Stacy mentions in the episode here!
 
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Ep 76 - Why Hiring Your Friends Can Be a Great Idea — Or a Terrible One

Most of us have been told not to mix friends and business but friendship can make work great with built-in trust, loyalty, and an easy rapport. Other times, it can go sideways fast, straining the business and the relationship. 
In this episode, Cindi Baldi digs into the upsides and downsides of hiring friends. Through stories of businesses that flourished with friendships and others that fractured under the weight of blurred boundaries, Cindi explores the key questions you should ask before bringing a friend onto your payroll. Along the way, she unpacks how to spot red flags, set the right expectations for managing a friend, and to know whether the friendship is strong enough to handle work pressures. 
You’ll learn why friendship can be a competitive advantage, why conflict is often harder to navigate when it’s personal, and how to make thoughtful choices to protect the business and the underlying relationship. Whether you’re tempted to bring a friend onto your team or already managing one, this episode offers practical insights to help you make the right call.
Episode Highlights:
Why hiring friends sometimes leads to loyalty, trust, and great teamwork
Common pitfalls—like blurred boundaries, favoritism, and unspoken expectations
How to tell whether the friendship is ready for the pressures of work
Strategies for setting clear agreements and roles up front
Ways to protect the friendship even if the job doesn’t work out
🎥 Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Kzc2kM94vNc
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Ep 75 - Everything Is a Negotiation: Lessons on Getting What You Want Without Ruining Relationships

Most people don’t think of themselves as negotiators, but the truth is that we negotiate all the time. Whether you’re navigating salary talks, agreeing on deadlines with your team, or trying to convince a toddler to leave Target without a meltdown, the tools of bargaining and negotiation are at work.
In this episode, Cindi Baldi talks with negotiation expert Jen Burris about mistakes people make when bargaining and how to prevent them. Through stories of salary negotiations, car deals, and high-stakes bargaining, they explore what it means to negotiate with confidence and purpose. Along the way, they unpack why negotiation can feel especially uncomfortable for women and how better preparation and mindset changes can fuel success.
You’ll learn why doing your homework matters, how to avoid common traps like overreaching or settling too fast, and why sometimes the best deal is walking away. Whether you’re looking to boost your existing bargaining skills or in need of a negotiation refresh, this episode can help you approach your next deal with more confidence, better preparation, and less fear.
Episode Highlights:
Why negotiation is a skill everyone needs
What thoughtful preparation looks like
When vulnerability can sometimes strengthen your position
How identity and experience influence negotiation behavior
What to watch out for when a negotiation is underway
Why no deal is sometimes the best deal
About Jen Burris:
Dr. Jen Burris is the Department Head and Associate Professor at Southeastern Louisiana University. She specializes in teaching courses on negotiations and leadership development. Jen holds a PhD in management from Louisiana State University. Her dissertation was titled Reevaluating the “magic spell:” Examining empowerment, stress, and workplace outcomes.
 
🎥 Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XmD9vvAcQMc
📚 Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here
🗞️ Sign up for our newsletter and let us know what topic you’d like to hear next!
 
Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:
Brady, G. L., Inesi, M. E.., & Mussweiler, T. (2021). The Power of Lost Alternatives in Negotiations. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.
Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (1991). Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
 
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Ep 74 - Why Good Managers Sometimes Resent Their Customers — and How to Stop It

Most customers are great, but it only takes a few bad ones to wear you down. In little time, these difficult interactions can color your perspective, leaving even the most dedicated managers feeling drained, avoidant, or even resentful. This week on the podcast, Cindi Baldi explores how bad customers and clients can wear people down , why it’s more common than we admit, and how we can keep our sanity even in the face of difficult interactions.
In this episode, Cindi reveals how negativity bias and identity protection can cause managers to lose sight of the vast majority of customers who are actually wonderful. She offers practical strategies to reframe hard moments, reset individual and team energy, and protect your people.
If you’ve ever dealt with a difficult customer and wondered how they got into your head, this podcast is for you.
 
Episode Highlights:
Why managers sometimes grow to dislike their customers
What your energy might be saying about you 
A simple reframe that can shift how you handle tough customers 
Dealing with difficult customers
The mindset and message your team needs to stay sane
 
Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k3QMLqP5jVs
 
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Ep 73 - Why Great Managers Listen Closely and What Happens When They Don’t with Darrin Griffin, Ph.D.

Great managers listen as much—or more than—they talk.
In this episode, Cindi Baldi is joined by Darrin Griffin, a communication and listening expert and faculty member at the University of Alabama. Darrin shares why listening is one of the most overlooked yet powerful leadership skills and how leaders at every level can use it to build trust and improve decision-making.
Cindi and Darrin unpack the common traps leaders fall into when they confuse authority with insight, and talk about why curiosity and humility are essential management skills. They also share practical strategies for asking better questions, engaging more deeply with your team, and recognizing the costs of not listening.
If you’ve ever wondered how to expand your influence and impact as a leader, this episode will show you why better listening is a key to building stronger teams and improving your results.
Episode Highlights:
Why listening is an essential management skill
The difference between hearing and listening
What happens when leaders stop listening
How curiosity and humility can strengthen leadership
Practical ways to improve your listening
The costs of ignoring feedback 
 
Dr. Darrin Griffin is an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama. An expert on communication and group performance, with an emphasis on non-verbal communication, he has authored several books and scholarly articles in the field of communication. Darrin holds a PhD in communication from SUNY Buffalo and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin.
Listen to another Management Muse episode with Darrin Griffin on Non-verbal Communication: https://bit.ly/3HrWSvO
 
Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uiSUo5ZVBqo
 
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Ep 72 - What to Do When Trusty Old Behaviors Stop Working

Trusty old habits that are no longer working are one of the hardest things to change. In this episode, Cindi Baldi and Geoff Tumlin explore why it’s so difficult to let go of ingrained behaviors, especially when they’re tied to our identity. From hard-charging leaders learning to slow down to founders blinded by past wins, Cindi and Geoff share the subtle but vital signals that it’s time to change. Cindi and Geoff explain why success often makes change much harder, and they share practical ways to try new approaches before old habits derail progress.
If you’re concerned that you might have ingrained behaviors that are no longer working like they used to, this episode will help you think through how to adapt to your new circumstances and alter your habits for greater success today.
 
Episode Highlights:
Why ingrained behaviors can become big roadblocks
How success makes changing habits harder
Signs your go-to approach is no longer working
The role of identity in resisting change
Why smart people sometimes don’t adapt
Simple ways to experiment with new behaviors
Thinking about behavior change differently 
 
Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LpDN0vHODDo
 
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Ep 71 - Creating a Sense of Urgency

Most leaders know they need to motivate their teams but creating genuine urgency is tricky because too much burns people out and too little does nothing. In this episode, Cindi Baldi and Geoff Tumlin explore why urgency can be a powerful catalyst for performance or a recipe for trouble when it’s overdone.
Cindi and Geoff break down how to recognize when urgency is lacking, what happens when there’s too much, and the leadership behaviors that help teams focus without depleting their energy reserves. From cranking up urgency without burning people out to getting everyone aligned on priorities, this episode shares a fresh take on getting things done.
Whether you’re trying to hit a critical deadline or rally your team around a new initiative, you’ll learn how to inspire action at the right pace for enduring results.
 
Episode Highlights:
The difference between urgency and constant pressure
How to diagnose when urgency needs to be cranked out 
Why overusing urgency leads to burnout and disengagement
Leadership strategies for creating the right level of momentum
Balancing speed with sustainability
Making sure that urgency drives results, not chaos
 
Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YHAaI3_KqSU
 
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