Summary

In this episode of How They Lead, Fran, West Peak’s in-house EQ expert, dives deep into the nuances of emotional intelligence and generational leadership.

From understanding the core components of EQ, addressing the challenges of hybrid work, psychological safety and motivating Gen Z and Gen Alpha, this conversation explores how leaders can adapt their approach to create stronger, more connected teams.

Packed with real-world insights and actionable tips, this episode is essential listening for any modern leader navigating a rapidly changing workplace.

Key Takeaways

EQ starts with self-awareness and understanding your own triggers, values and emotional reactions before managing others’.

Generational differences matter. Newer generations prioritise empathy, honesty, and psychological safety over traditional motivators like money.

Hybrid Work requires intentionality as leaders must be more deliberate about connection and team culture.

Clear expectations foster trust, not control. Especially when onboarding or managing younger employees.

Psychological safety fuels performance. People perform better and innovate more when they feel safe to speak up, fail and be honest.

Quiet coasting does not equal laziness. What appears to be disengagement may simply be boundary-setting or a lack of meaningful connection to purpose.

Trust must be built early and prevents the need for micromanagement.

Pausing is powerful! Taking a moment to reflect before reacting emotionally can lead to better decision-making and stronger leadership.

Soundbites

"Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence."

"You can’t help others unless you understand yourself first."

"Clarity isn't micromanagement. It's kindness."

"It’s not about how safe you think they should feel, but how safe they actually feel."

"Every generation thinks the next is lazy, but they just work differently."

"Psychological safety is knowing your ideas won’t be punished, even if they fail."

"Belonging isn’t a buzzword. It’s the core of engagement."

"Pause, reflect and ask: Is this who I want to be in this moment?"

"Leaders who are disengaged create disengaged teams."

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Emotional Intelligence

02:57 The Importance of Self-Awareness

05:58 Hybrid Work Environments

08:56 Generational Differences in Work Ethic

11:59 Building Psychological Safety in Teams

14:57 Motivation and Engagement in the Workplace

17:44 Practical Tips for Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

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How They Lead – S02 Ep 02 | Matt Bennett sits w/ Jenna Eichberg, CPO at AlertMedia

In this energizing and insightful episode, Matt Bennett sits down with Jenna Eichberg to explore what it really means to lead with heart, strategy, and adaptability in today’s world of work.

3 Key Themes:

1. Leadership Without the Title – Jenna shares how early initiative and curiosity shaped her ability to lead long before the job title said so.

2. Culture as a Strategic Advantage – From winning Best Place to Work in Austin to navigating crisis with care, Jenna unpacks how culture, trust, and mission alignment fuel AlertMedia’s success.

3. The Human Side of AI – With AI transforming the workplace, Jenna talks about building psychological safety, learning pathways, and anthropomorphizing tools (hello, Charlie the chatbot) to make tech adoption human-first.

3 Powerful Takeaways from Jenna:

· “Any idea not put on the table is an idea lost.” Create environments where everyone’s voice contributes.

· “You don’t need a title to lead, just the willingness to solve real problems.” Leadership starts with curiosity and initiative.

· “The softer skills are what will define great leaders in an AI-driven world.” Trust, authenticity, and vulnerability aren’t nice-to-haves, they’re the differentiators.

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In the season two opener of How They Lead, West Peak's co-founders return to unpack the biggest shifts in leadership, people performance, and business since their last series.

From launching West Peak US, the epidemic of disengaged employees, geopolitical turmoil, AI disruption, and generational divides, this candid episode sets the tone for the future of high-performance leadership.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership must evolve to address rising attrition, disengagement, and post-pandemic workforce expectations.
• Quiet coasting has overtaken quiet quitting as a major issue. Underperformers doing just enough without being held accountable.
• Toxic top performers can be as damaging as disengaged team members if not managed.
• AI integration is here, from AI board seats to team structures involving digital agents.
• Cultural clarity is critical. Values and behavioral expectations must be explicit and consistently upheld.
• Leadership training is no longer optional. The cost of inaction is steep, with replacement costs reaching 2.5–3x base salary.
• West Peak US is live, with events now happening in Austin, New York, and LA.
• Employee-Owned Trusts and scaling startups are actively investing in leadership development.
• Success requires performance AND psychological safety, not one or the other.

Soundbites

• "Your mood equals their mood."
• "Quiet quitting is now quiet coasting."
• "No one joins a company wanting to be an asshole. We create them when we don't hold people to account."
• "You have to put your own oxygen mask on first. Leaders need development too."
• "The cost of replacing someone is now 2.5 to 3x base salary."
• "Culture eats strategy for breakfast, but most businesses still aren't serving culture at all."
• "You can’t challenge performance if you haven’t made your values explicit."
• "Mark Zuckerberg is offering OpenAI engineers $100 million salaries. Good luck competing without culture."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:03 Leadership Landscape Update

02:04 Expansion into the US Market

06:13 Business Growth Breakfasts

09:22 Shifts in Business Performance

12:39 The Impact of Attrition Rates

16:09 Navigating Toxicity and Performance

20:50 Establishing Values for Accountability

22:12 Psychological Safety in Leadership

27:04 Generational Workforce Dynamics

30:38 The Role of AI in Leadership

31:47 Cost of Developing Leaders vs. Attrition Costs

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