Micro to Momentum : The Leadership Series

Big change rarely starts big. In this episode, I explore how micro-habits. These are the tiny, repeated behaviours of leadership. They shape culture far more than any strategy document ever could. Drawing on the work of BJ Fogg, James Clear, and Charles Duhigg, I share how small, intentional actions create lasting shifts in trust, collaboration, and wellbeing across teams. Show References Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery. Duhigg, C. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business. Random House. Fogg, B. J. (2019). Tiny habits: The small changes that change everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Trust isn’t soft. It’s structural. In this episode, I explore how safe relationships create what I call the trust dividend, the compounding return that comes when people feel safe enough to speak up, share ideas, and grow. Drawing on the work of Amy Edmondson, Paul Zak, and Brené Brown, I share small leadership behaviours that turn trust from a feeling into a strategy. Show References Brown, B. (2018). Dare to lead: Brave work. Tough conversations. Whole hearts. Random House. Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999 Zak, P. J. (2017). Trust factor: The science of creating high-performance companies. AMACOM.

Pressure is inevitable in leadership, but how we see it makes all the difference. In this episode, I explore the science of cognitive reappraisal. This is the practice of reframing how we interpret challenges. Drawing on research from James Gross, Richard Lazarus, and Susan Folkman, I share practical ways to turn stress into perspective, helping you and your team stay grounded, adaptive, and focused under pressure. Show References Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1985). If it changes it must be a process: Study of emotion and coping during three stages of a college examination. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48(1), 150–170. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.48.1.150 Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 271–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271 Gross, J. J. (2002). Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology, 39(3), 281–291. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0048577201393198 Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: Implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(2), 348–362. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.2.348

Every system has its quiet stars. The people who find better ways to work within the same rules and resources. In this episode, I explore the concept of positive deviance, the practice of finding and amplifying what’s already working. Drawing on research from Jerry and Monique Sternin, Richard Pascale, Kim Cameron, and Jane Dutton, I share how small, local solutions can spark big, lasting change. Reference Cameron, K. S., & Dutton, J. E. (Eds.). (2003). Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline. Berrett-Koehler. Edmondson, A. (2019). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley. Pascale, R. T., Sternin, J., & Sternin, M. (2010). The power of positive deviance: How unlikely innovators solve the world’s toughest problems. Harvard Business Press. #PositiveLeadership #EducationalLeadership #WellbeingScience #SchoolCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PositivePsychology #PositiveDeviance #OrganisationalChange

When feedback arrives, what happens next tells the real story of your team’s culture. In this episode, I explore how psychological safety shapes learning, innovation, and trust. Drawing on the work of William Kahn, Amy Edmondson, Jane Dutton, and Google’s Project Aristotle, I share small leadership behaviours that make it safe for people to speak up, take risks, and grow together. Reference Detert, J. R., & Burris, E. R. (2007). Leadership behavior and employee voice: Is the door really open? Academy of Management Journal, 50(4), 869–884. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2007.26279183 Dutton, J. E., Roberts, L. M., & Bednar, J. (2010). Pathways for positive identity construction at work: Four types of positive identity and the building of social resources. Academy of Management Review, 35(2), 265–293. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.35.2.zok265 Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999 Edmondson, A. C., & Lei, Z. (2014). Psychological safety: The history, renaissance, and future of an interpersonal construct. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1(1), 23–43. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-031413-091305 Google Inc. (2016). Project Aristotle: Understanding team effectiveness. https://rework.withgoogle.com/blog/the-five-keys-to-a-successful-google-team/ Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33(4), 692–724. https://doi.org/10.5465/256287 Nembhard, I. M., & Edmondson, A. C. (2006). Making it safe: The effects of leader inclusiveness and professional status on psychological safety and improvement efforts in health care teams. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27(7), 941–966. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.413 #PositiveLeadership #EducationalLeadership #WellbeingScience #SchoolCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PositivePsychology #PsychologicalSafety #FeedbackCulture

Sometimes the smallest act can change everything. In this episode, I explore how simple moments of appreciation, kindness, and trust can ripple through a whole school community. Drawing on research from Jane Dutton, Barbara Fredrickson, Shelly Gable, Sonja Lyubomirsky, and Fred Luthans, I share how positive emotions spread, strengthen culture, and remind people that they matter. Reference Dutton, J. E. (2003). Energize your workplace: How to create and sustain high-quality connections at work. Jossey-Bass. Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218 Gable, S. L., Gonzaga, G. C., & Strachman, A. (2006). Will you be there for me when things go right? Supportive responses to positive event disclosures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(5), 904–917. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.91.5.904 Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2007). Psychological capital: Developing the human competitive edge. Oxford University Press. Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111–131. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111 #PositiveLeadership #EducationalLeadership #WellbeingScience #SchoolCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PositivePsychology #RippleEffect #PsychologicalCapital

Sometimes the smallest gestures make the biggest difference. In this episode, I explore gratitude as a practical leadership tool and one that strengthens trust, motivation, and connection. Drawing on research from Robert Emmons, Sara Algoe, Adam Grant, Francesca Gino, and Fred Luthans, I share how noticing and naming what’s good can help leaders build cultures where people truly thrive. Reference Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377 Grant, A. M., & Gino, F. (2010). A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(6), 946–955. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017935 Algoe, S. B. (2012). Find, remind, and bind: The functions of gratitude in everyday relationships. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(6), 455–469. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00439.x Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218 Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2007). Psychological capital: Developing the human competitive edge. Oxford University Press. #PositiveLeadership #EducationalLeadership #WellbeingScience #SchoolCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PositivePsychology #Gratitude #PsyCap

Big goals can energise us, but they can also drain us. In this episode, I explore how hope can turn ambition into momentum. Drawing on Charles Snyder’s Hope Theory and the Broaden-and-Build research by Barbara Fredrickson, I share how to set goals that inspire, not exhaust, and how small, intentional shifts can reignite belief and progress in your team. Reference Snyder, C. R. (2002). Hope theory: Rainbows in the mind. Psychological Inquiry, 13(4), 249–275. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1304_01 Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218 #PositiveLeadership #EducationalLeadership #WellbeingScience #SchoolCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PositivePsychology #HopeTheory #GoalSetting

What if the most powerful part of your leadership plan isn’t the strategy, but the language you use to share it? In this episode, I explore how optimism and clarity can transform the way teams think, feel, and act. You’ll learn how small shifts in language can expand possibility, strengthen connection, and set a hopeful tone for the year ahead. Reference Seligman, M. E. P. (1998). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. Pocket Books. Frederickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218 Cameron, K. S. (2012). Positive leadership: Strategies for extraordinary performance. Berrett-Koehler. #PositiveLeadership #EducationalLeadership #WellbeingScience #SchoolCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PositivePsychology #Optimism #Clarity

What if one simple word could shape the way you lead this year? In this episode, I share how choosing a single guiding word can shift your mindset from reactive to intentional and create meaningful change in how you show up as a leader. Tune in for a small, science-backed practice that builds big momentum.   Reference Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1

Hi, I’m Kerrin Smith — a positive leadership and wellbeing science consultant who’s spent close to two decades exploring how to get the best from people. From leading wellbeing in schools to consulting with hundreds of schools across Australia, I’ve seen firsthand how small, intentional shifts in leadership can create extraordinary impact. Micro to Momentum: The Leadership Series is a podcast designed for busy leaders who want practical, evidence-based ideas they can use straight away. Each episode is less than 10 minutes and follows a simple rhythm: listen, reflect, and act. You’ll hear relatable stories from leadership practice, the science that underpins them, and one clear action you can take into your week. This isn’t a podcast to binge and forget. It’s one to sit with — to take into a meeting, share with your team, or use as a reflection prompt before the day begins. Every insight is grounded in wellbeing science and positive organisational research, inspired by scholars such as Martin Seligman, Barbara Fredrickson, and Kim Cameron. Because leadership growth doesn’t happen all at once — it happens one micro shift at a time.