Episode 152: Building Culture That Lasts with Dr. Keirsten Taillon

Leadership and organizational change rarely succeed through a one-size-fits-all solution. In this episode, Carl and Tiffany welcome organizational development psychologist and leadership consultant Dr. Keirsten Taillon for a conversation about what it really takes to help leaders, teams, and workplace cultures change.Keirsten shares why effective consulting begins with curiosity, trust, and understanding an organization before prescribing solutions. The conversation explores the difference between co-creating change and imposing it, balancing compassion with accountability, and accepting that sometimes organizations simply aren't ready to change.Carl, Tiffany, and Keirsten also examine the parallels between parenting and leadership, the importance of leaders modeling the culture they want to create, and why meaningful culture change requires discipline and sustained attention rather than another quick fix. They discuss self-awareness, competing commitments, Tiffany's mindset–skill set–tool set framework, and the challenge of adapting your leadership style without losing your authenticity.For leaders navigating uncertainty and consultants helping organizations evolve, this episode is a reminder that sustainable change isn't something you do to people—it's something you build with them. Keirsten's bio is below.Dr. Keirsten Taillon is an organization development psychologist and leadership consultant who has spent more than two decades helping leaders communicate with clarity and courage. Through her firm MaxPotentials, she has trained over 3,000 leaders and coached more than 1,000 executives across state government, public safety, healthcare, and private industry. Her leadership philosophy is simple: after our love, the greatest gift we have to give is our labor — and leaders have a special responsibility to honor the work people give. She lives in Northern California with her four children, ages 17 to 23, who remain her most important work.