PODCAST · business
Culture Bites
by Human Synergistics
We take culture theory and turn it into everyday insights. We're powered by Human Synergistics - a leading consulting, research, and diagnostics firm. We're known for growing individual's effectiveness and satisfaction by coaching based on the Lifestyles Inventory (LSI), improving leadership effectiveness with the Management or Leadership Impact (M/I & L/I), develop high performing teams with the Group Styles Inventory (GSI), and shape effective organisational culture using the Organizational Culture inventory (OCI) and Organizational Effectiveness Inventory (OEI).In this podcast, our senior consultants share tips and insights on from their extensive experience in Organisational Development
Episodes
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263 - Can you be "too Constructive"?
We explore what people often really mean when they worry about being “too Constructive”: 'Supportive' can tip into avoiding difficult conversations, 'High standards' can become perfectionism. We explore why Constructive isn’t always nice, why strong relationships should be able to handle...
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262 - Culture is Cause and Effect: How to Change the Causes to Change the Results
Culture doesn’t happen by accident. The systems, structures, measures and leadership behaviours inside an organisation are constantly sending people messages about what is really expected — and those messages become culture. In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores the Human...
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261 How To: Make Decisive Decisions
What does it really mean to be decisive? It doesn’t always mean making one big call and committing everything. Sometimes the better approach is to make a smaller decision, take the next useful step, learn something and decide again. In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley continues the...
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260 How To: Give Better Feedback with SBI
In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley adds another practical tool to the Leader’s Toolbox: SBI – Situation, Behaviour, Impact. Dominic explores how leaders can give feedback that is specific, constructive and more likely to create learning rather than defensiveness. He explains why…
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259 How To: After Action Review (Grow Achievement)
What if one of the most powerful leadership tools only took five minutes? In this episode, you'll discover the four simple questions that can transform the way you reflect on meetings, presentations, client conversations, projects and even your own leadership. We also explore: Why life is...
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Conference 2026 - MEL Aug 25th, SYD Sept 1st
Join us at the Annual Culture and Leadership Conference. We're in Melbourne August 25th, Sydney September 1st. Registration is free - secure your spot today! https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/2026-conference/
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258 LSI Debrief Questions: How to Deliver Better Life Styles Inventory Coaching Conversations
A great LSI debrief is about far more than explaining a report—it's about helping people discover meaningful insights that lead to lasting behavioural change. In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley shares the coaching questions, mental models and practical frameworks he uses during…
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257 Coaching Yourself: How to Get Out of Your Own Way
Why is it so much easier to coach other people than it is to coach ourselves? When a friend or colleague comes to us with a problem, we can often see the situation clearly, ask thoughtful questions, and help them find a constructive way forward. But when we're facing our own challenges, emotion…
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256 Delegation Tree – How to Build Ownership Without Losing Clarity
Do you ever wish your team would take more ownership, but every decision still seems to come back to you? In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores why delegation often breaks down — and why the problem is usually clarity, not initiative. Dominic introduces the Delegation Tree, a...
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255 - Affiliative Culture – How to Build a Team That Has Each Other’s Backs
What is an affiliative culture, and why does it matter so much for teamwork and performance? In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores affiliative culture as part of the Human Synergistics Circumplex series. He unpacks how trust, inclusion and genuine relationships shape...
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254 Humanistic-Encouraging Culture - How to Create a Culture That Helps People Grow
In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores self-actualising cultures—work environments that foster creativity, curiosity and personal growth. Learn what sets this culture apart, how it drives innovation and engagement, and the practical steps leaders can take to create a workplace...
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253 Self-Actualising Culture – How to Build a Workplace That Unlocks Creativity, Growth and Innovation
In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores self-actualising cultures—work environments that foster creativity, curiosity and personal growth. Learn what sets this culture apart, how it drives innovation and engagement, and the practical steps leaders can take to create a workplace...
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252 Achievement Culture – How to Build Excellence, Initiative, and Ownership
In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores what defines an achievement culture and why it is one of the strongest drivers of sustainable high performance. He unpacks how achievement cultures differ from perfectionistic and competitive cultures, what they look like in practice, and...
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251 Perfectionistic Culture – When Looking Perfect Gets in the Way of Performance
In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores perfectionistic culture — where the focus on appearing flawless can undermine performance, learning and results. He shares practical insights on shifting toward a more constructive, achievement-focused culture. See full show notes:...
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250 Competitive Culture – When Internal Rivalry Drives Performance (and Undermines It)
What happens when competition inside your organisation becomes more important than competing in the market? In this episode, Dominic Gourley breaks down what a competitive culture really looks like, why it often feels productive (but isn’t), and how it can undermine teamwork, trust, and long-term...
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249 Power Culture - When Control, Status and Authority Drive Performance (and Undermine It)
What happens when control, status and authority dominate the way an organisation operates? In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley continues the series on organisational culture by unpacking Power Culture - a style characterised by centralised decision-making, hierarchy, internal…
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248 Oppositional Culture - When Challenge Turns Defensive
What happens when challenge turns into constant criticism? In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores oppositional culture — a workplace dynamic where fault-finding, defensiveness, and debate become the norm. While healthy challenge is essential for performance, oppositional...
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247 Avoidance Culture - When Playing It Safe Kills Performance
Avoidance culture thrives on fear, silence, and playing it safe. In this episode, Dominic Gourley unpacks how avoidance culture shows up at work, why it damages performance, and what leaders can do to create ownership, learning, and accountability instead. See full show notes:...
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246 - Dependent Culture - When Everything Has to Go Up the Chain
In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley unpacks dependent culture — where decision-making is centralised, initiative is discouraged, and progress slows to a crawl. Learn how dependent cultures form, the impact they have on motivation and performance, and what leaders can do to build...
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245 - Conventional Culture - When Rules Replace Thinking
We unpack what a conventional culture looks like in practice, how it can support stability and consistency, and where it begins to create risk, stifle innovation, and limit performance. Through real-world examples - from warehouses to hospitals - we highlight the dangers of rigid rule-following...
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244 - Approval Culture - What is it, what causes it, what you can do
“Everyone agreed... but nothing happened” - Dominic breaks down the signs, impacts, and causes of an Approval Culture, plus practical leadership shifts to invite dissent, clarify standards, and improve execution. Show notes:...
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243 - Culture Doesn't have to be complex
Culture often feels noisy and complex, but it doesn’t have to be. Dominic Gourley and Ash Smith unpack a simple way to think about culture using four clear buckets - ideal culture, actual culture, what sits between them, and the outcomes - and explain how one or two well-chosen actions in how you...
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242 - Rules, Approval & Avoidance The Payoffs—and Better Alternatives (With Ash Smith)
Why we seek approval and follow rules - even when they don’t serve us. Dominic and Ash explore Approval, Conventional, Dependent and Avoidance styles, their payoffs and costs, and the Constructive alternatives that work better.
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241 - AI and Culture (Is yours ready?)
AI is here — but how ready is your culture? Dominic Gourley special guest 'Charlie Turing' explore how AI will reshape culture, why constructive organisations thrive with it, and how leaders can keep humans at the heart of the AI revolution. Show notes:...
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240 - Explaining the Circumplex
Dominic shares his tips no how to go about explaining the Circumplex to an individual or a group. He shares the pattern he uses and the key points he is trying to land. Learn more about the Human Synergistics Circumplex here: https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/about-us/the-circumplex/ Did you...
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239 - LSI Digital - Announcement
LSI Digital is coming soon: An interactive online interface that makes the power of the LSI more engaging, accessible, and actionable than ever before. Learn more about what to expect in this episode. Learn more here: https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/lsi-digital/
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238 - Satisfaction vs Security - explaining what it is and why it matters
We break down the core Circumplex orientation - Satisfaction (growth) vs Security (protection). Learn how state of mind drives behavior, why confidence is quiet, and practical ways to shift from defensiveness to growth. View the full show notes here:...
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237 - Why Am I Like This - With Dr Jen Martin
Why do we think and behave the way we do? We speak with Dr Jen Martin - scientist, author, and communicator - about the fascinating science behind our habits of thought and behaviour. Drawing on her new book Why Am I Like This?, Jen explains the psychology behind impostor experiences,...
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236 - Leaders Must Go First
Culture doesn’t shift unless leaders do. In this episode, Dominic and Corinne dive into why leaders must go first in culture change - what that looks like in practice, why behaviour beats systems, and how leaders can make the implicit explicit. A must-listen for executives and team leaders...
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Join us at the conference in Sydney and Melbourne
Join us for a sneak peek into the 2025 Culture & Leadership Conferences in Sydney and Melbourne! In this episode, we preview the inspiring client stories and leadership insights you’ll hear - from transformation at David Jones, global perspectives from Marriott, leadership development at Lindt…
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235 - Neurodiversity at Work: What Leaders & Coaches Need to Know
What does it really mean to be neurodiverse - and how should leaders and coaches respond? In this episode, Dominic is joined by clinical and organisational psychologist Dr Amanda Mullin to explore the realities (and myths) around ADHD, autism, anxiety, and more. They unpack: What the term...
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234 - How to receive feedback (even when it's clunky)
We all say we want feedback – but how good are we at receiving it? In this episode, Dominic is joined by fellow consultant Ash Smith to unpack why receiving feedback can be so difficult, even for experienced leaders. They explore what triggers defensiveness, how to stay open (even when feedback…
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233 - Leadership Courage: How to Change the Culture When You Are the Culture
Changing culture sounds great - until it asks you to change. In this powerful conversation, Dominic Gourley and Ash Smith explore what it really takes for leaders to step up, lean into discomfort, and lead culture transformation from the front. They unpack why it’s so hard to change the…
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232 - It's Lonely at the Top with Justine Farrington
We unpack the hidden pressures CEOs and Executives face - and why strong leadership doesn’t have to mean going it alone. We share the small rituals and mindset shifts that can help leaders reconnect with purpose, support, and each other. From ego and armour to shared goals and enterprise thinking…
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231 - CEO's 5 Principles of Successful Culture Change with Richard Harding
In this episode of Culture Bites, host Dominic Gourley from Human Synergistics Australia is joined by Richard Harding, a seasoned executive and non-executive director with extensive leadership experience in both public and private insurance organisations across Australia and New Zealand. The...
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230 - Giving Kids Back Their Independence with Lenore Skenazy
How do we raise confident, resilient kids in a culture that’s become obsessed with supervision? In this episode, Dominic Gourley is joined by Lenore Skenazy – author of Free-Range Kids and President of Let Grow – to explore why independence is crucial for childhood development. They discuss why...
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229 - The sun comes up in the morning, live until you die, and the favourite doesn't always win - with Fiona Hogarth
How to put perspective on challenging situations which may seem overwhelming in the moment. Fiona Hogarth shares her tips.
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228 - Sarah Derry, Homeward Bound CEO
Sarah is the CEO of Homeward Bound - and fresh back from Antarctica. Homeward Bound believe that supporting women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine), using the Life Styles Inventory, to significantly improve their clarity, confidence, shared vision and strategic...
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227 - The Way We Work (New Report)
Workplace Trends: Key Insights from the Nation’s Wellbeing Report 2025. Join us as we explore the trends impacting employee wellbeing, job satisfaction, and organisational support. From CEO challenges to frontline leader stress, we break down the essential takeaways from the 2025 report. Download...
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226 - Adaptive Leadership with Max Martina
Discover how Adaptive Leadership transforms organizations with Max Martina, focusing on key practices to empower teams, navigate complexity, and build a strong leadership culture. See full show notes with key topics and insights:...
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225 - Why should anyone be led by you
We explore the question, "Why should anyone be led by you?", discussing authenticity, adaptability, and community-building from the book by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones. Gain insights to reflect on your leadership style and inspire high-performing teams. Learn more about what we do:...
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224 - Mandated Back to Office
A lot of organisations are mandating a return to the office. What are the pros and cons and what does it mean for culture? Ash Smith shares his views
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032 - Blue Year's Resolutions [Re-release]
We'll be back in the new year. For now, enjoy this re-release of Blue Tear's Resolutions from our first year of Culture Bites. We wish everyone a happy new year! Thanks for supporting us! Visit us at: https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/ Follow us here:...
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031 - Staying Constructive This Christmas [Re-release]
Merry Christmas! We'll be back in the new year with new episodes. We'd love to have more guests sharing their stories in the new year - so if you know someone with a great story to share, let us know. Enjoy this re-release of our Christmas special from the very first year of Culture Bites!...
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223 - Inheriting an underperforming team
Fiona Hogarth shares her tips on what to do when inheriting a new team: Observe, understand the context, bring some enthusiasm, create clarity about what we're doing and why, keep in mind your peers and colleagues... If you want to unlock performance, visit us at:...
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222 - A Tool For Team decision Making
How many of the biggest decisions are made in teams? Almost all of them... but do we have an approach and practice effective decision making? Corrine Canter shares her tips
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221 - Cam Aitken - DOING Constructive, But I Didn't See It
"Others saw me as a Constructive leader, but when I looked in the mirror, I saw a completely different Person." - Cam Aitken shares his LSI story
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220 - Gamification (And How To Use It)
Neil McGregor shares how he uses Gamification as an effective way of teaching - and how you can too
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219 - CLEAR Leadership - Practical Tips
Corinne shares 5 practical tips for leaders to be more effective: Clarity. Listen. Engage & Empathize. Address issues early. Recognise effort as well as results.
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218 - Hyper Personalisation Of The Workplace
How do we design the workplace of the future? What will AI mean for workplaces? How will we use data to make smarter decisions. Darren Levi shares his thoughts
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We take culture theory and turn it into everyday insights. We're powered by Human Synergistics - a leading consulting, research, and diagnostics firm. We're known for growing individual's effectiveness and satisfaction by coaching based on the Lifestyles Inventory (LSI), improving leadership effectiveness with the Management or Leadership Impact (M/I & L/I), develop high performing teams with the Group Styles Inventory (GSI), and shape effective organisational culture using the Organizational Culture inventory (OCI) and Organizational Effectiveness Inventory (OEI).In this podcast, our senior consultants share tips and insights on from their extensive experience in Organisational Development
HOSTED BY
Human Synergistics
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Culture Bites have?
Culture Bites currently has 272 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Culture Bites about?
We take culture theory and turn it into everyday insights. We're powered by Human Synergistics - a leading consulting, research, and diagnostics firm. We're known for growing individual's effectiveness and satisfaction by coaching based on the Lifestyles Inventory (LSI), improving leadership...
How often does Culture Bites release new episodes?
Culture Bites publishes regularly with 272 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Culture Bites?
You can listen to Culture Bites on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Culture Bites?
Culture Bites is created and hosted by Human Synergistics.
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