Be the Smartest in the Room… at Asking Questions (Adrian Gostick - 5x New York Times Bestselling Author)

In this episode of Small Things Make a Big Difference, I sit down with leadership expert, bestselling author, and Culture Works co-founder Adrian Gostick.You may know Adrian from The Carrot Principle, All In, or Leading with Gratitude. But in this conversation, we go deeper.We explore:Why culture is “the perfume in the air” — and how leaders shape it every dayThe three simple, low-cost actions that immediately improve engagementThe surprising lesson Adrian learned about gratitude as a senior executiveWhy specificity matters more than generic praiseHow hybrid work is reshaping culture (and what great leaders are doing about it)His 15-year journey to writing his first fiction novel, Jack Slade and the Butcher BirdOne of my favorite takeaways?The best leaders aren’t the smartest in the room — they’re the best at asking questions and bringing out the brilliance in others.This conversation is a powerful reminder that small habits — listening well, sharing future vision, expressing specific gratitude — create extraordinary cultures.And yes… we talk Beatles too.If you care about culture, leadership, and becoming more intentional in how you show up — this one’s for you.