The People Spark Podcast

"They should know."Most leaders have said it. Most leaders have thought it. And more often than not, it's a sign that something isn't as clear as we think it is.In this episode, we unpack why "they should know" is one of the most common traps leaders fall into. We explore how assumptions create gaps between what leaders mean and what teams hear. The next time you catch yourself saying, "they should know," pause for a second and ask a different question: how do I know they do?---Culture Development SessionSchedule your Culture Development Session.  In this free 30-minute session, you will have a personalized conversation with an expert advisor, an opportunity to see how our programs can help you define your business and people strategies, and actionable insights tailored to your goals to move to the business you have always envisioned.Leadership Transformation ProgramLearn about how to develop YOUR ag leaders by scheduling time with the People Spark ® team. 96% of employees want feedback – constructive OR recognition. Yet another survey found that only 5% of managers provide critical feedback to employees – even though it’s important for their development.  Nearly half of managers (44%) find giving feedback stressful. Nearly a quarter (21%) avoid giving it altogether. Our leadership transformation program was designed to be straightforward and practical, providing content in digestible chunks, supporting participants through personalized feedback, and providing participants an environment to learn with other ag leaders across the country.   In many instances, managers just aren’t comfortable with WHAT to do, let alone HOW to do it. They feel it’s uncomfortable, they don’t want to demotivate employees and just aren’t sure how to do it. And the repercussions of NOT giving feedback end up impacting you and your business – through lower productivity and profitability, decreased employee engagement, and increased employee turnover.  Learn more at www.developagleaders.com.Podcast Produced by Texture House Sound & Visuals (Source:  www.peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode) 

Most leaders assume that if they can explain something clearly enough, people will change. The problem? Logic alone rarely drives behavior.In this episode, we explore why facts, data, and good intentions often fall short when it comes to influencing people. We discuss the environmental factors that actually shape behavior, why resistance isn't always irrational, and what leaders can do to create lasting change within their teams.If you've ever wondered why people don't act on information they already know, this conversation can help you rethink how change really happens.---Culture Development SessionSchedule your Culture Development Session.  In this free 30-minute session, you will have a personalized conversation with an expert advisor, an opportunity to see how our programs can help you define your business and people strategies, and actionable insights tailored to your goals to move to the business you have always envisioned.Leadership Transformation ProgramLearn about how to develop YOUR ag leaders by scheduling time with the People Spark ® team. 96% of employees want feedback – constructive OR recognition. Yet another survey found that only 5% of managers provide critical feedback to employees – even though it’s important for their development.  Nearly half of managers (44%) find giving feedback stressful. Nearly a quarter (21%) avoid giving it altogether. Our leadership transformation program was designed to be straightforward and practical, providing content in digestible chunks, supporting participants through personalized feedback, and providing participants an environment to learn with other ag leaders across the country.   In many instances, managers just aren’t comfortable with WHAT to do, let alone HOW to do it. They feel it’s uncomfortable, they don’t want to demotivate employees and just aren’t sure how to do it. And the repercussions of NOT giving feedback end up impacting you and your business – through lower productivity and profitability, decreased employee engagement, and increased employee turnover.  Learn more at www.developagleaders.com.Podcast Produced by Texture House Sound & Visuals (Source:  www.peoplesparkconsulting.com/podcast/episode) 

Leadership isn’t always about teamwork, and it isn’t always about individual performance. Sometimes it’s about knowing which game you’re playing. In this episode, we explore the golf versus basketball leadership analogy, the importance of prioritizing ...

Leadership comes with lots of responsibility, pressure, and many moments when you wonder who you can really talk to. In this episode, we explore the reality of the loneliness of leadership and why having trusted peers matters more than many leaders rea...

Working managers can get stuck in the weeds, too. Not because they don’t care, but because it feels faster to do it themselves. Over time, that adds up and normally leads to burnout.In this episode, we look at where managers tend to get stuck and how t...

In this episode, we step away from our current conversation about getting out of the weeds as we reflect on our recent experience at the GEAPS Exchange conference, where we presented during a leadership session on coaching, performance conversations, a...

This episode is about feedback, and the leadership habit that quietly puts you right back in the weeds. You know the one. “It’ll just be quicker if I handle it.” “I’ll jump in and do the review.” “I’ll talk to them directly.” When senior leaders step i...

Stepping Out of the Weeds: Onboarding is all about the handoff—from "we're hiring" to "you're part of the team." We unpack why onboarding is where so many good hires quietly fall apart, and what leaders can do to keep that from happening. You'll walk a...

Hiring can quietly become one of the biggest drains on leaders, not because it isn’t important, but because it starts to feel heavy, unclear, and too dependent on you. After this episode, we want you to walk away with a clearer head and a simpler way t...

Hiring is one of the fastest ways leaders find themselves stuck in the weeds. In this episode, we kick off a three-part series on stepping out of those weeds. Why do senior leaders often stay deeply involved in interviews and final decisions, and how c...

Tough conversations are often the ones we know we need to have, and the ones we delay the longest. In this episode, we talk about why leaders hesitate to step into difficult conversations with their team, from fear of the other person’s reaction to cat...

Asking better questions is one of the most powerful leadership skills, and one of the easiest to overlook. In this episode, we focus on the power of open-ended questions and how a small shift in what you ask can completely change the conversations you ...

Transparency is one of the most talked about leadership values and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, we unpack what transparency actually looks like in practice and why it goes far beyond simply sharing financials or opening the books. We...

Every business hits moments when things are shifting. A long time leader is retiring, a new owner is stepping in, growth is picking up, or a new line of business is taking shape, and you realize the way you have been working may not carry you where you...

We have all done it. Someone struggles in their role and the first thought is to send them to training. Teach time management, teach communication, teach accountability. Yet even after they learn the skill, nothing really changes. This conversation unc...

Silence can feel like agreement, but often it is people quietly checking out. In this episode we talk about what is really happening when a new system or direction is introduced and the loud pushback suddenly disappears. You can feel it during a rollou...

As you look back on the year, what stands out, and what do you want to carry forward? In this episode, we take time to reflect on the past year and talk about the value of choosing a word or theme to guide the year ahead. We explore how intention, focu...

As the season winds down, many leaders find themselves at a natural pause. Harvest is wrapping up, the pace is shifting, and planning for what comes next is already beginning. In this episode, we talk about why closing out the season with meaningful re...

Change rarely falls apart because of the idea. It usually falls apart in how we talk about it. In this episode, we explore what it looks like to bring people along the commitment curve and why timing, clarity, and the right messenger matter more than p...

This episode gets into what it really means to have a team that’s connected and motivated. We talk about how leaders can help their people see where the business is headed and how their work makes an impact. It’s about asking better questions, setting ...

In this conversation we dig into the real work of people leaders taking big-picture goals and turning them into something their teams can actually use. How asking better questions, checking for alignment, and not waiting around for perfect clarity befo...

This one’s for the owners and leaders at that messy crossroads of “I know I should hand this off” and “I’m not ready.” We dig into our feeling around identity, control, and what come up when giving a role to someone else. If transition is on your horiz...

With our first guest, Joe Mosher, we dig into what really happens after a merger is made and the ink dries. We talk about how leaders can turn early momentum into meaningful progress shifting from the excitement of an announcement to the steady work of...

In this episode, we explore what it really means to prepare your business for the future. Whether that’s a long-tenured employee retiring, a shift in ownership, or the next generation stepping up. Instead of trying to “replace” the people who’ve carrie...

Last episode, we left off with the “cowboy to corporate” continuum; this time, we dig deeper into what it really looks like to pave that road. In this conversation, we explore how job descriptions, decision-making, and defining success can transform fr...

In this episode, we talk about the shift many leaders face when moving from a “cowboy culture" where everyone jumps in to do what’s needed to the fear of becoming “too corporate.” Together, we explore how adding structure doesn’t have to mean losing th...

Scoreboards don’t change the game, plays do. In this episode we explore how leaders can move from broad outcomes to actionable steps that keep their teams on track. This conversation digs into the difference between lagging goals (the scoreboard) and l...

Vague goals make people walk in circles while thinking they’re on track. In this episode, we turn “grow” and “do better than last year” into specific, observable behaviors at every level—like the retail “ask in the aisle,” kitchen-first convenience sto...

Culture is what you allow. We get tactical about communicating values to your team, aligning multiple locations, and giving supervisors a simple compass: celebrate aligned behavior and address misalignment quickly and respectfully. You’ll leave with ta...

Your values already exist. They are hiding in what people do every day. This conversation shows leaders how to surface those behaviors without judgment, organize them into themes, and name values in plain language your team will actually use. We share ...

In this kickoff episode of The People Spark, hosts Erin Mies and Kristin Ireland share why they started the podcast and the mission behind it: helping ag leaders get out of the weeds and lead with clarity and confidence. From their earliest speaking en...

Welcome to The People Spark® Podcast where ag leaders and business owners come for practical tools, real stories, and straightforward strategies to grow stronger people leaders, teams, and businesses. Hosts Kristen Ireland and Erin Mies, HR and leaders...