エピソード

  • 244: A Google Search Got Him Fired with Shane Lukas

    244: A Google Search Got Him Fired with Shane Lukas
    2026/09/03
    Shane Lukas built his career on the belief that transparency, done right, protects you. He had spoken about his history in sex work advocacy at national and international conferences for years, and when a highly awarded, LGBTQ-friendly US company hired him, he did what he always did: he was upfront about who he was and where he'd come from.The same day, someone in the sales department Googled his name and called HR. He was terminated immediately, for something that had nothing to do with his job performance.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Shane tells Lori Saitz what that firing revealed about the gap between a company's stated values and its lived ones, what a federal arrest years later taught him about testing his own values under real pressure, and why he now believes clarity about your values, not compromise, is what actually makes hard decisions easier.What You'll Take AwayWhy being fired for radical transparency, from a company that had built its brand on LGBTQ+ support, revealed the real gap between stated values and lived onesWhat a values hierarchy is, and why trying to defend every value equally leaves you paralyzed instead of groundedWhy Shane believes the next generation may be better positioned to stand up for their values, having less invested in promises that were already brokenThe difference between the 'melting pot' and 'mosaic' metaphors for culture, and why the mosaic reflects what he actually wants to seeWhat algorithm-driven feeds cost us that a library shelf never did, and why 'adjacent knowledge' matters more than it soundsGuest BioShane Lukas is an activist, the brains behind award-winning brand strategy firm A Great Idea, a public speaker, and co-host of Power Beyond Pride, the weekly podcast for queer changemakers. In his latest TEDx talk, “What Values Conflict Costs You,” he brings Midwestern straight-talk to the lie of “I'm fine”: what misalignment actually costs you, and how courage becomes a practice instead of a personality trait.Chapters & Key Timestamps02:00The values he was raised with: authenticity, compassion, and bodily autonomy06:00Growing up in an unstable, abusive household, and learning to self-parent at a young age07:30Meeting Patty Alzator at 14, and what she modeled about dissent through compassion09:00Studying journalism on the belief that more information leads to better decisions11:00Building the country's only advocacy program for men in the adult industry12:00Terminated the same day, after being fully transparent about his past15:00Being tested on how far he was actually willing to go for his own values16:00The second TEDx talk, and the arrest that prompted it19:00The values hierarchy: why you can't defend every value equally21:00Clarity around your values as the thing that actually makes decisions easier23:00Whether thinking about your values is a luxury, and why he doesn't think so27:00Pushing back on a company that refused LGBTQ+ protections despite employing queer people29:30Why the next generation may be more prepared to stand up for their values33:30The library metaphor: what 'adjacent knowledge' gave us that algorithms don't38:00The song that gets him ready to walk on stage39:00Where to find Shane: shanelukas.com and agreatidea.comResources MentionedTEDx Talk: What Values Conflict Costs You — Shane LukasTEDx Talk: Shane's second talk, on the arrest referenced in this episodePodcast: Power Beyond Pride — the weekly podcast for queer changemakers, co-hosted by ShaneFree Resource: downloadable resources and white papers — agreatidea.com/insightsBook: Shane's upcoming book, launching October — sign up for launch notice at shanelukas.com/bookSong: Be Great by Jill Scott (feat. Trombone Shorty) — youtube.com/watch?v=ouDRlJljBgsConnect With Shane LukasCompany: A Great IdeaWebsite: shanelukas.comWebsite: agreatidea.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shane-lukasInstagram: @shanelukascom and @agreatideacoX (Twitter): @shanelukascom and @weareagiPodcast: Power Beyond PrideFree Resource: agreatidea.com/insightsBook: sign up for launch notice at shanelukas.com/bookContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/...
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    45 分
  • 243: Wrong Tape, Wrong Story with Henry Tolbert

    243: Wrong Tape, Wrong Story with Henry Tolbert
    2026/08/27
    Henry Tolbert was sitting at a fire pit behind a rental house, grilling hot dogs for his wife and four daughters because the insurance money for their flooded home was running out, when he finally said out loud what he had been avoiding for months: this isn't fine.A few years earlier, Henry had been leading a small church that grew from 40 people to nearly 200, and had been named bishop over 65 churches. Then, without warning, discord broke out with the leader who had brought him in, and he was forced to resign from everything at once. In that same season, an unidentified animal chewed through the water lines in the walls of his home, flooding the first floor and displacing his family for six weeks. He had no job, no income, and what he calls a broken sense of purpose.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Henry tells Lori Saitz the full arc: a high school football career derailed by one injury after another, a scholarship earned in just five games, an NFL tryout built on the wrong game tape, a Bible study intervention that redirected him into ministry, and the fire pit moment that gave him permission to stop building other people's dreams and finally build his own.What You'll Take AwayWhy a childhood dream pursued through repeated injury taught Henry more than an NFL career would haveHow losing his ministry role and his home in the same season forced an honest reckoning he had been avoiding for yearsWhy judging his life by lead goals, the inputs he controls, instead of lag goals, the outcomes he doesn't, changed how he shows up every dayWhat shifted when Henry stopped chasing clients and started inviting people insteadHow admitting he wasn't fine gave him permission to finally build something of his ownGuest BioHenry Tolbert spent years answering “How are you?” with “I'm fine” while quietly running on fumes, leading a church, building a business, and pretending he had it all together. Spoiler: he didn't. Now he's the Founder of Simple Systems Consulting, author of The Comeback Plan, and a recovering “I'm fine” addict who helps pastors and entrepreneurs stop white-knuckling their way through leadership and start building systems that actually let them breathe. He's also an Associate Pastor, podcast co-host, husband, dad of four, and a man who once grilled hot dogs over a fire pit in his backyard because life had completely fallen apart, and decided that was the last time he'd pretend everything was fine when it wasn't.Chapters & Key Timestamps00:00Opening and introductions — the Henry connection and generational names01:33The values that shaped him: faith and football in Birmingham, Alabama05:07A high school career derailed by injury after injury07:07Five games, one scholarship, and a record-setting career at Grambling State07:47What NFL scouts never saw: the tape from his best season08:47His grandmother's plea to walk away — and why he couldn't11:07The Bible study intervention that redirected him toward ministry13:47“There's a light around you” — the moment that sealed it14:47Becoming a bishop over 65 churches, then losing it overnight15:47The critters, the flooded house, and six weeks displaced with four daughters17:47The fire pit moment: admitting he wasn't fine21:07Why people of faith are so good at sweeping things under the rug25:47Lead goals vs. lag goals: judging life by inputs, not outcomes27:47The coaching advice that changed everything: invite, don't chase29:47Why the people who found him became his best clients31:47Building an audience by just showing up, even when only his wife was watching34:07In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins: Henry's walk-up song35:07Where to find Henry: getchurchsystems.com and mybusinesssystems.comResources MentionedBook: The Comeback Plan by Henry TolbertFree Resource: Get Church Systems — getchurchsystems.com (for ministry and church leaders)Free Resource: My Business Systems — mybusinesssystems.com (for business owners and entrepreneurs)Resource: The Mandate Method — themandatemethod.comSong: In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins — open.spotify.com/track/7Dbg5O9nNWu6SWxDjJ9qoqConnect With Henry TolbertCompany: Simple Systems ConsultingWebsite: getchurchsystems.comWebsite: mybusinesssystems.comWebsite: themandatemethod.comBook: The Comeback PlanLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/henry-tolbert-005a3943Facebook: facebook.com/htolbertInstagram: instagram.com/henry_tolbertContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together...
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    40 分
  • 242: A Toddler Saved His Life with Jim Morris

    242: A Toddler Saved His Life with Jim Morris
    2026/08/20
    Content Note: This episode includes a brief, non-graphic reference to a personal crisis involving suicidal thoughts.Jim Morris grew up believing giving was the whole equation. His father taught him to give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it, and it showed up everywhere in his childhood, right down to the night his father pulled a stranger from a burning car outside their home.What Jim didn't learn for a long time was how to receive. It took a high-stakes business risk, a $240,000 self-funded conference that lost $112,000, and a moment of real personal crisis for him to finally ask for help directly.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Jim tells Lori Saitz about the Triple H method for actually supporting the people you love, and about four words from his two-year-old daughter that pulled him back from the lowest point of his life.What You'll Take AwayWhy guessing what someone needs, help, being heard, or a hug, is one of the most common ways people let each other downHow a single moment of connection can ripple outward in ways you'll never see or know aboutWhy anticipating the worst contractually protects relationships and business deals alikeThe Five Alive exercise: what's already sitting, untapped, in your last five text conversationsWhy Jim now treats a $112,000 loss as an investment, not a failureGuest BioJim Morris is a keynote speaker who helps organizations scale revenue and create deep belonging by centering their culture on integrity, connection, and intentional growth. He is the author of Connect or Die: How to Survive AI and serves as the CEO of Human Touch Publishing.Chapters & Key Timestamps03:00The night a car crashed outside his childhood home05:00His father pulling a stranger from a burning car, and the police officer's warning07:00The question that reframes everything: how are you at receiving?09:00The moment everything was on the line and he finally had to ask for help11:30The Triple H method: help, heard, or hugged, and why guessing wrong fails people17:47A period of profound personal crisis, interrupted by four words from his daughter26:30The confidant, ally, acquaintance bullseye exercise, and how to build it32:00The Five Alive exercise: what's already sitting in your text messages34:00The $240,000 conference, the sales team that walked out, and losing $112,00035:30The sign on the highway that said exactly what he needed to hear37:30Reframing failure as an investment, not a lossResources MentionedBook: Connect or Die: How to Survive AI by Jim Morris — a.co/d/00BVmyGxSong: Spinnin by Connor Price — youtu.be/UekfKh59KOwConnect With Jim MorrisCompany: Human Touch PublishingWebsite: realjimmorris.comBook: Connect or Die: How to Survive AI — a.co/d/00BVmyGxLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/realjimmorrisFacebook: facebook.com/therealjimmorrisInstagram: instagram.com/realjimmorrisContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 240: Amanda Van Der Heiden — on resilience, boundaries, and what it costs to keep giving without receiving.About FINE is a 4-Letter WordFINE is a 4-Letter Word is the show for leaders who are tired of pretending everything is fine. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially during the seasons when life and leadership feel anything but fine. Listen for honest conversations about how human connection influences innovation, retention, leadership, and real impact. New episodes every week.Follow FINE is a 4-Letter WordFollow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. If this conversation gave you something useful to think about, leave a review. Reviews help more people discover the show and join the conversation.
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    45 分
  • 241: The Surprising Path to Happiness with Suneet Bhatt

    241: The Surprising Path to Happiness with Suneet Bhatt
    2026/08/13
    Suneet Bhatt spent 12 years in private equity and venture-backed businesses, and every job followed the same arc: new and exciting at first, then, faster each time, something felt off, and he went looking for the next one. He never noticed he was the common denominator.It took his wife, after his last business exit, to name what he couldn't see in himself: his happiness at work was getting shorter each time, his exits were getting more acrimonious, and he needed to stop and figure out what actually mattered to him.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Suneet talks with Lori Saitz about what came after that conversation — the executive coaching practice, the Rutgers class that doesn't mention the word purpose until session 15, and the research-backed exercise he uses to counter the brain's built-in negativity bias.What You'll Take AwayWhy purpose has to start with reflection, not predictionThe three consistent through-lines across every popular definition of purpose: personal, forward-looking, bigger than youThe 18-minute exercise, happy, proud, not yet satisfied, and why the order mattersWhat the research on self-forgiveness and procrastination actually showsWhy 'stuck' is not one problem, and each version of it needs a different responseGuest BioSuneet Bhatt has spent more than 25 years helping people gain clarity about who they are and what they want, then move toward it with purpose. He coaches founders and leaders, works with teams as an EOS Implementer, and has guided people from boardrooms to classrooms. He is the author of Making Sense of Purpose, out August 25, 2026 from Morgan James, built on one premise: before you can make sense of your purpose, you have to make sense of yourself.Chapters & Key Timestamps01:33Values from an immigrant household: be helpful, above everything else07:14The corporate route: Fortune 500, an MBA at Duke, then 12 years in private equity08:30Why he never noticed he was the common denominator08:58His wife's intervention after the last exit12:03Why 'finding your purpose' feels like waiting for an Amazon package13:43Personal, forward-looking, bigger than you: the three common threads in every definition of purpose14:12The Rutgers bait-and-switch: purpose doesn't come up until class 1516:07Why you should never build your purpose on a single point of failure like joy18:16Happy, proud, not yet satisfied: the 18-minute exercise, explained start to finish22:06Negativity bias: why we respond more strongly to negative stimuli than positive23:48Plateaus, not stuck: reframing what it means to feel stuck25:09Self-forgiveness research: the procrastination study and what it provesResources MentionedBook: Making Sense of Purpose by Suneet Bhatt (Morgan James, August 25, 2026) — available for pre-orderResource: book soundtrack, one song per chapter, on Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon MusicResource: Purpose Radar Library — a free, rated map of books, podcasts, and films about purposeSong: Da Rockwilder by Method Man and Redman — youtube.com/watch?v=WCYy8jpp7R8Connect With Suneet BhattWebsite: makingsenseofpurpose.comBook: Making Sense of Purpose (Morgan James, out August 25, 2026)LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/suneetbhattInstagram: @suneetonpurposeContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 238: Scott Doggett — on purpose, burnout, and what it takes to stop and ask the bigger question.Research & SourcesSuneet cites research showing humans respond 2 to 5 times more strongly to negative stimuli than positive. This aligns with well-established negativity bias research, including Roy Baumeister's 'bad is stronger than good' review, Kahneman and Tversky's work on loss aversion (roughly a 2:1 ratio), and Cacioppo's neural response studies showing measurably stronger brain activation to negative stimuli. The exact ratio varies by study and context, but the underlying finding is well replicated.About FINE is a 4-Letter WordFINE is a 4-Letter Word is the show for leaders who are tired of pretending everything is fine. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially ...
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    40 分
  • 240: Get Back on the Horse with Amanda Van Der Heiden

    240: Get Back on the Horse with Amanda Van Der Heiden
    2026/08/06
    Replaced by Three Employees and Called It a Badge of Honor with Amanda Van Der HeidenAmanda Van Der Heiden could trot on a horse before she could walk. When she fell into a sandpit at age two, her parents put her right back on before she was done crying — no discussion, no choice. That lesson became the operating principle for the rest of her life, including a corporate career that hit the exact same burnout pattern three times in three different companies.At 27, working 20-hour days with a team spanning two continents, she left one role and was replaced by three full-time employees. She saw it as a badge of honor for years, until the same thing happened again, and then again.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Amanda talks with Lori Saitz about what executive presence actually looks like, the real difference between introversion and extroversion, and why she now measures success by whether she tried, not whether she succeeded.What You'll Take AwayWhy chasing bigger networks misses the point when most people already have valuable relationships they've stopped tendingWhat Amanda learned about executive presence by watching three tiers of leadership arrive at the same conferenceThe real difference between introversion and extroversion — it's about how you refuel, not how social you areWhy the same burnout pattern across three different companies pointed to one common denominatorWhat Amanda means by 'win or learn,' and why it removes the fear of tryingGuest BioAmanda Van Der Heiden is a Chaos Organizer and Relationship Builder, and a passionate learning and development leader who enjoys energizing and enabling people to excel. She is an award-winning consultant, speaker, coach, and author who drives change, talent development, and effective leadership worldwide.Chapters & Key Timestamps01:05Raised on a horse farm: work ethic, determination, resilience03:21Raised between Kentucky and Long Island, and how that shaped her adaptability07:19The horse story: strapped into the stirrups before she could walk08:06The sandpit: falling at two years old and being put right back on18:09The leadership conference: watching executive presence across three tiers of seniority22:03The burnout pattern: 20-hour days, a team across two continents, 17,000 people23:17Getting replaced by three full-time employees, and thinking it was a compliment25:41Introversion and extroversion explained correctly: it is about refueling, not sociability28:01Win or learn: the redefinition of failure that removes the fearResources MentionedFree Resource: goal-accomplishment giveaway for listeners — goGTDS.comSong: Get Things Done by Solyn — open.spotify.com/track/2WsizP4qoRB7rAZb3oxsRNConnect With Amanda Van Der HeidenWebsite: GTDScorp.comFree Resource: goGTDS.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amandavanderheidenFacebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573758719415Instagram: gtds.LearnTuesdayContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 238: Scott Doggett — on employee engagement, burnout, and treating people as more than resources to manage.About FINE is a 4-Letter WordFINE is a 4-Letter Word is the show for leaders who are tired of pretending everything is fine. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially during the seasons when life and leadership feel anything but fine. Listen for honest conversations about how human connection influences innovation, retention, leadership, and real impact. New episodes every week.Follow FINE is a 4-Letter WordFollow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. If this conversation gave you something useful to think about, leave a review. Reviews help more people discover the show and join the conversation.
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    37 分
  • 239: Concentration Camp for Throwaway Teens with Cyndy Etler

    239: Concentration Camp for Throwaway Teens with Cyndy Etler
    2026/07/30
    Content Note: This episode includes discussion of childhood abuse, institutional trauma, and a reference to suicidal ideation, drawn from Cyndy's own published memoirs.Cyndy Etler was 13 when she chose foster care over going home. A month at a Bridgeport youth shelter gave her the first real choices of her life. Then her mother enrolled her in Straight Incorporated, a program later described by the ACLU as a concentration camp for throwaway teens, where Cyndy was held for 16 months for having tried marijuana three times.She came home brainwashed, isolating in bathroom stalls at lunch, telling classmates they weren't in her best interest — until an English teacher read her writing out loud to the class and said her name like it mattered.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Cyndy tells Lori Saitz how one adult's genuine interest can redirect a kid's entire life, and what she now teaches other teenagers to watch for in the adults around them.What You'll Take AwayWhy one small, genuine act of attention from an adult can move a kid's entire trajectoryWhat made Straight Incorporated function like a coercive cult, according to Cyndy's accountThe difference between coaching and therapy, and why that distinction matters for teenagers specificallyWhat teenagers actually need (autonomy) versus what they usually get (control and direction)The one thing Cyndy tells every teenager to watch for in the adults around themGuest BioCyndy Etler is a homeless, incarcerated, suicidal kid turned teen life coach and author. She was put on earth to bring out the champ in kids who have been counted out. She is the author of two memoirs, Dead Inside and We Can't Be Friends, and narrates Season 2 of Robert Downey Jr.'s podcast The Sunshine Place, covering the full history of Straight Incorporated. Those seeking non-judgmental, evidence-based support for teens and young adults can book a consultation with her at theteenlifecoach.com.Chapters & Key Timestamps07:00Choosing foster care at 13 — the choice at the police station09:00Janice House: the first adults who gave her a choice and respected the answer10:30Hit by lightning at 14: walking to the corner store and knowing her purpose13:30Straight Incorporated: the warehouse, the ACLU verdict, 16 months, 250 kids18:30Five months before she could speak to her mother, with a script and an observer19:00Coming out brainwashed, and telling kids they weren't in her best interest21:00The English teacher who read her writing to the class and said her name24:30What the teacher taught without knowing it: one drop of water and a dying plant27:00What teenagers actually need versus what they usually get: autonomy vs. control29:30Coaching vs. therapy: no DSM-5, no IEP goals, just what do you want to change31:30The one adult who listens without wanting something in returnResources MentionedBook: Dead Inside by Cyndy EtlerBook: We Can't Be Friends by Cyndy EtlerPodcast: The Sunshine Place, Season 2 (Robert Downey Jr.'s podcast, narrated by Cyndy)Song: My Prerogative by Bobby Brown — youtube.com/watch?v=5cDLZqe735kConnect With Cyndy EtlerCoaching: theteenlifecoach.comAuthor site & books: cyndyetler.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cyndy-etler-med-icf-acc-b9149535Facebook: facebook.com/CyndyTheTeenLifeCoachInstagram: @cyndyetlerContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 237: Rob Scheer — on foster care and what one adult's attention can do for a kid's entire life.About FINE is a 4-Letter WordFINE is a 4-Letter Word is the show for leaders who are tired of pretending everything is fine. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially during the seasons when life and leadership feel anything but fine. Listen for honest conversations about how human connection influences innovation, retention, leadership, and real impact. New episodes every week.Follow FINE is a 4-Letter WordFollow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. If this conversation gave you something useful to think about, leave a review. Reviews help more people discover the show and join the conversation.
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    40 分
  • 238: AI Can't Do This with Scott Doggett

    238: AI Can't Do This with Scott Doggett
    2026/07/23
    Scott Doggett spent 30 years in corporate America, first running hotel and resort operations, then leading learning and development teams up to vice president. He was, by every external measure, successful. Then came his first layoff at the end of 2023, six months of searching that led nowhere, and a panic attack on the exact anniversary of the day he was let go.That night he prayed and, for the first time in his life, truly surrendered. The next morning, a LinkedIn job posting he almost didn't open led to a director role at a Christian nonprofit that matched everything he'd spent a decade building. Nine months later, he was laid off again.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Scott tells Lori Saitz why the second layoff didn't feel like a setback, and what he built from it: National ALD, a movement to help leaders see their people as priceless human beings instead of resources to be managed.What You'll Take AwayWhy most leaders spend their energy on the wrong third of their teamHow the language of management — 'resources,' 'assets' — quietly changes how leaders treat peopleThe exact mental exercise Scott uses to change how he sees someone in the momentWhy AI makes human connection the defining leadership skill of the next decade, not less importantWhat the Ebenezer Scrooge workshop experience forces leaders to confront about their own legacyGuest BioScott Doggett has spent more than 30 years helping leaders understand a simple truth: people are not problems to solve, they're people to serve. He is the Founder and Chief Servant Leader of the National Academy of Leadership Development (National ALD), author of Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better., and leader of a growing national movement to rehumanize the workplace through people-first leadership. Alongside a growing faculty of leadership experts across the country, Scott helps organizations create cultures where people feel valued, trusted, and inspired to do their best work.Chapters & Key Timestamps01:33The label problem: why calling people 'resources' and 'assets' changes how we treat them07:00The Gallup numbers: roughly 30% engaged, half apathetic, and a smaller group working against you09:00Scott's fine-but-not-fine moment: VP title, the layoff, and the six-month wilderness journey11:30The panic attack on the six-month anniversary, and the prayer that followed12:00The LinkedIn email the next morning, and why he almost didn't open it14:00What he saw at the nonprofit that he had never seen in 30 years of corporate life19:00The mirror exercise: changing the label from 'resource' to 'priceless human being'20:00The boat analogy: three rowing hard, five barely dipping oars, two rowing backwards26:00AI, stress, and why the future of leadership is human connection29:00The Ebenezer Scrooge experience: past, present, future — what do you want to be known for?Resources MentionedNational ALD: nationalald.com — national workshop tour, executive retreats, and the bookBook: Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better. by Scott DoggettFree Resource: Priceless Leadership Assessment — NationalALD.com/assessmentSong: Lose Yourself by Eminem — youtube.com/watch?v=xFYQQPAOz7YConnect With Scott DoggettCompany: National Academy of Leadership Development (National ALD)Website: nationalald.comFree Resource: Priceless Leadership Assessment — NationalALD.com/assessmentLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scottdoggettInstagram: instagram.com/nationalald2025X (Twitter): x.com/AcademyLDBook: Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better.Continue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 237: Rob Scheer — on leadership without a title and building something out of a personal collapse.Research & SourcesScott cites Gallup research showing roughly 30% of the workforce highly engaged, with the remainder split between disengaged and actively disengaged. Current Gallup global data (State of the Global Workplace, 2025-2026) puts worldwide engagement closer to 20-21%, with the roughly 30% figure more closely matching historical U.S.-specific Gallup reporting. Both figures point...
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    35 分
  • 237: Trash Bags to Backpacks with Rob Scheer

    237: Trash Bags to Backpacks with Rob Scheer
    2026/07/16
    Content Note: This episode includes discussion of childhood abuse, foster care, and homelessness.Rob Scheer was thrown out at 18 with a trash bag. He spent his senior year of high school homeless, sleeping in the bathroom of the taco restaurant where he worked and on library beanbag chairs after closing. He joined the Navy to have somewhere to go, and was medically discharged after years of childhood abuse caught up with his body.He spent 28 years building mortgage companies before he looked at his four children in designer clothes and realized he had never taught them empathy. That realization became Comfort Cases, a nonprofit that has now delivered over 320,000 backpacks of essential supplies to children entering foster care.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Rob tells Lori Saitz the full arc — the teacher who believed in him when no one else did, the fabricated resume that got him hired, and the five-year-old son whose idea about a blanket changed what every backpack now includes.What You'll Take AwayWhy one teacher's quiet belief can outlast decades of a kid not knowing anyone noticedWhat Rob's five-year-old son understood about a blanket that no adult on the team had thought ofWhy empathy has to be taught deliberately — it doesn't develop on its ownWhat leadership actually looks like without a title, according to RobHow to help close the gap between 40,000 cases delivered and roughly 168,000 children entering foster care each yearGuest BioRob Scheer is the founder and CEO of Comfort Cases, a nonprofit on a mission to eliminate trash bags from the foster care system and replace them with dignity, one backpack at a time. A former foster youth who experienced homelessness in high school, Rob served in the U.S. Navy, built a career in banking, and turned his lived experience into national advocacy. He is a 2018 CNN Hero, author of A Forever Family, and delivered the commencement address at Lynn University, where he also received an honorary doctorate. He is a husband and father of five, all adopted from foster care.Chapters & Key Timestamps00:00How Rob's team pitched this episode01:30The teachers who shaped him, and the book signing reunion with Mrs. Boley05:00Aging out of foster care at 18: the trash bag at the door07:30Senior year homeless: the taco bathroom, the library beanbags09:30Joining the Navy to have somewhere to go13:00Hitchhiking down Route 7, the Salvation Army suit, and the fabricated resume17:00Looking at four children in designer clothes and realizing something had to change18:00What five-year-old Grayson said about the blanket in the backpack19:00320,000 cases delivered to all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and the UK23:00Derek Jeter published his memoir, and The Ellen Show followed25:00How many children enter foster care every day in the US28:00Leadership: not a title, not followers, not waiting for someone else to fix it29:00How you can help: used books, hotel toiletries, yarn for a women's correctional facilityResources MentionedComfort Cases: comfortcases.orgBook: A Forever Family by Rob Scheer — signed copies available, all proceeds go directly to Comfort CasesProgram: Give Back Box (UPS) — ship 70 lbs of books for $20, Comfort Cases packs and delivers backpacks locallySong: Simply the Best by Tina Turner — youtube.com/watch?v=GC5E8ie2pdMConnect With Rob ScheerWebsite: comfortcases.orgLinkedIn (Rob): linkedin.com/in/rob-scheer-27482653LinkedIn (Comfort Cases): linkedin.com/company/comfort-cases-incFacebook: facebook.com/comfortcasesInstagram: @comfortcasesEmail: info@comfortcases.orgBook: A Forever Family — signed copies benefit Comfort Cases directlyContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 239: Cyndy Etler — on foster care, institutional environments, and what one adult's genuine interest can do for a kid's trajectory.Research & SourcesRob cites approximately 740 children entering foster care in the US daily and roughly 380,000 in the system at any time. Current federal data (AFCARS, FY2024, Administration for Children and Families) shows approximately 329,000 children in care as of ...
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    37 分