Formerly Leading Transformational Change. Dysfunctional culture doesn't just hurt performance. In high-stakes industries, it destroys trust and derails mission. Sometimes it destroys lives. This podcast exists to equip you - through deliberate practice - to lead with integrity when the pressure is greatest. Featuring raw and practical conversations with leaders and researchers. Make your commitment on healthycultures.co.
Tobias Sturesson sits down with Dr. Donna Hicks, Harvard conflict resolution expert and creator of the Dignity Model, who spent three decades mediating the world's most painful conflicts alongside Archbishop Desmond Tutu. This conversation reframes dignity as the missing link in healthy culture. You'll learn why dignity isn't the same as respect, how the brain processes a dignity violation like a physical injury, and what it takes to build organizations where people feel safe to speak up and truly flourish. In this episode, we explore: (00:00) Why people confuse dignity and respect, and why it matters (05:13) Decades mediating conflict from the Middle East to Colombia (08:20) Searching for the one word that opened every door (11:22) What Archbishop Tutu taught Donna about shared humanity (16:15) Why toxic cultures are filled with dignity violations (20:30) Defining dignity as our inborn value and worth (22:09) How the brain processes dignity injury like physical pain (25:29) When violations get embedded into systems and structures (28:24) The 10 elements, and why safety is most often violated (40:36) The bully who finally had his suffering acknowledged (45:03) Integrating AI without systematically dehumanizing people (48:04) Assessing whether your culture honors or violates dignity ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here For more information, please visit: https://www.healthycultures.co/ .
Dr. Teemu Reiman shares insights from 25 years studying safety culture in nuclear power, healthcare, and defense. He contrasts how two Japanese nuclear plants hit by the same 2011 tsunami had vastly different outcomes based on their organizational cultures. This conversation reveals why safety is fundamentally a leadership and cultural challenge, not just a technical one. You'll discover practical frameworks for building organizations that learn from failure, close the gap between procedures and reality, and create environments where expertise trumps hierarchy when safety is at stake. In this episode, we explore: (00:00) Why culture determined two nuclear plants' fate during tsunami (02:42) Leadership credibility through actions, not safety slogans (08:23) Learning from Fukushima versus Onagawa nuclear plant responses (25:50) Work as imagined versus work as done gaps (27:34) Overdesigning systems after incidents makes things worse (28:23) Breaking organizational silence and encouraging real feedback (30:03) Why separate safety, quality, ethics cultures compete destructively (35:36) Building sensitivity to operations and preoccupation with failure (40:37) Resisting oversimplification when investigating complex problems (41:27) Deferring to expertise over hierarchy in safety decisions ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here For more information, please visit: https://www.healthycultures.co/ .
Columbia Business School Professor Paul Ingram joins Tobias Sturesson to explore why values matter for leaders and how to transform them from vague concepts into practical leadership tools that drive better decision-making and authentic leadership. Drawing from research with over 10,000 senior leaders, Paul reveals the striking gap between knowing values matter and actually using them effectively. This conversation moves beyond theory to practical application, showing how clear values reduce stress, increase resilience, and help leaders stay true to themselves when facing difficult choices and organizational pressures. In this episode, we explore: (00:00) Why good people make decisions they later regret (03:39) Defining values as our stable principles of evaluation (06:05) Cultural influences on values and finding common ground globally (11:51) Research benefits of getting clear on personal values (15:56) Building daily practices for prospective and reflective value use (21:21) Why values only matter when they cost us something (25:22) Balancing self-interest with positive impact on others (31:26) The slippery slope of temptation and ethical decision-making (36:04) Connecting organizational and personal values in large companies (37:24) Why company values can make people less ethical ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here For more information, please visit: https://www.healthycultures.co/
Tobias Sturesson sits down with Mwana Lugogo – veteran Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at global pharmaceutical company Takeda – to explore the hidden gap between knowing the right thing to do and actually being able to do it. This first episode of the Responsible Leaders - Healthy Cultures marks a pivotal shift from responsibility and ethics as a compliance exercise to ethics as a leadership practice, grounded in culture, humility, and human behavior. You'll discover the critical difference between training and practice, and learn a practical model for building environments where people can act on their values – even under pressure. Make your commitment to responsible leadership and get equipped to lead with integrity and transform your culture on: https://www.healthycultures.co/ In this episode, we explore: (00:00) Why good people in organizations make decisions they later regret (02:42) Finding common ground across cultures and regulatory contexts (08:23) Overcoming the health illusion and uncovering organizational blind spots (25:50) Why we treat a behavior problem like a knowledge problem (27:34) Building environments where courage is less necessary (28:23) Shifting from ethics training to intentional leadership practice (30:03) Scaling values through a global ambassador program (35:36) Staying anchored in turbulent times when norms are rewritten (40:37) What you only discover when values become costly (56:09) Moving from "can we?" to "should we?" as laws lag behind technology ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here
Why do so many organizations struggle with cultural dysfunction despite having strong values statements and well-intentioned leaders? Tobias Sturesson and Andreas Almlöf reveal the launch of a movement designed to bridge the gap between leadership intentions and everyday actions. This episode marks a pivotal transition from knowing what good culture looks like to actively practicing the habits that create it. You'll discover a framework for leading with integrity when pressure is highest and learn why sustainable change starts with personal accountability. In this episode, we explore: (04:34) Why responsible leadership requires intentional practice (08:39) Four commitments that define responsible leaders (11:04) Closing the gap between values and actual behavior (12:56) Creating conditions where people can flourish (14:46) Breaking the silence and inviting uncomfortable feedback (19:56) Stories of leaders who transformed their approach (22:28) What makes this podcast different from others (27:44) How to join the responsible leaders community (29:44) Building a world free from unhealthy workplace culture To read more about the movement, please visit: https://www.healthycultures.co/ ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here.
Caterina Bulgarella joins Tobias Sturesson and Andreas Almlöf to unpack the big lessons from 2025 and what’s ahead for companies navigating rapid change. Together, they dive into how organisations can cut through performative culture work, truly prioritise human dignity, and harness technology – especially AI – without losing sight of what really matters. In this episode, we explore: (01:43) Opening reflections on organisational culture in 2025 (04:51) Professional work across multiple countries and cultures (06:37) Contrasting cultures: Sao Paulo insight (10:06) Integrity and business culture (16:06) Cultural health and innovation (17:30) Tech founders’ impact and risks (23:03) Redefining workplace culture (27:33) Technology, limits, and human loss (31:34) Substance over image in workplaces (33:20) Performative culture and reality (38:00) Understanding culture through AI insights (42:00) Transforming data into strategic insights (44:39) Narrowing focus for deeper insights (48:49) Prioritising cultural health and integrity (50:28) Corruption accountability signals progress ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Stephen Nguyen-Duc is Chief Compliance Officer at GE Healthcare and a veteran leader who has built ethics and compliance programs for global healthcare powerhouses like Eli Lilly, AbbVie, and Medday. Across more than two decades, Stephen has seen compliance evolve from a box-ticking exercise to a deeply human journey. In this episode, he joins host Tobias Sturesson to break down why organizational integrity is never just about rules – and why surprise is compliance’s greatest foe. In this episode, we explore: (05:00) Integrity as a daily habit (06:30) Rethinking compliance and culture (11:16) Building cultural health together (13:14) Tone at the top misalignment (16:27) Ownership as key to organizational change (21:23) Awareness vs action in organizations (25:44) Cultural health and awareness (28:58) Fostering a culture of listening (32:40) Driving behavioral change together (33:28) Cultural impact on business tools (38:04) Understanding the trust equation (42:44) Empathy and ethical leadership (47:30) Integrity drives business performance (48:27) Optimistic industry progress Links mentioned: The Trusted Advisor – Book Stephen Nguyen-Duc’s LinkedIn ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Tobias Sturesson and Andreas Almlöf dive deep into the crucial role that values play in shaping organizations and leadership. Values are far more than just words on a wall; they’re the principles that guide tough decisions, even when those choices come with real costs or discomfort. You’ll also hear personal stories about valuing honesty in leadership, wrestling with failures, and fostering environments where tough conversations about ethical dilemmas are not only safe but necessary. Plus, the episode offers practical frameworks and questions to help leaders navigate values-based decision-making under pressure. In this episode, we explore: (00:00) Reflecting on core values (06:45) Integrity through actions, not words (08:09) Values guiding tough decisions (11:40) Wrestling with corporate values (17:09) Aligning personal organizational strategic values (19:31) Living true to core values (22:15) Embracing dilemmas and trade-offs (27:31) Living and aligning with values (31:04) Navigating values amid strong pulls (33:55) Modeling values-based leadership (35:41) Staying true to our values (39:10) Stand up, fail and keep trying Links mentioned: ‘Patriot’ by Alexei Navalny ‘Walking the Talk’ by Carolyn Taylor ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Caterina Bulgarella is a renowned social scientist with over 20 years of experience in organizational culture transformation and assessment. As a leading expert in culture measurement and a co-creator of the widely used Two Factor Model of Ethical Culture, Caterina brings powerful insights into the deeper layers behind workplace data. In this episode, host Tobias Sturesson dives into the pitfalls of traditional engagement surveys and the value of understanding what culture truly means within organizations. Together, they unpack why much of what leaders think they know about culture and ethics is often just the tip of the iceberg, and how to get to the roots beneath the surface. In this episode, we explore: (00:00) Understanding workplace culture insights (05:21) Behavioral insights and measurement journey (09:18) Insights beyond generic feedback (13:27) Understanding organizational culture mechanisms (17:00) Restructuring meaning for cultural change (20:41) Survey credibility and ethical behavior (23:25) Pressure's impact on leadership dynamics (26:16) Two-factor ethical culture model (29:51) Measuring ethical organizational culture (32:51) Insights through dialogic stories (37:25) Respecting history, embracing difference (39:27) Values, culture, and context (44:06) Root causes and cultural awareness (48:34) Embracing curiosity for positive change Links mentioned: Connect with Caterina Bulgarella on LinkedIn ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Tobias Sturesson kicks off a new season of Leading Transformation Change with co-host Andreas Almlöf. Building on insights from his work with global leaders and his acclaimed book You Can Culture , Tobias unpacks the game-changing role of repairing trust inside organizations. Tune in to hear practical strategies for leaders navigating crises, high-pressure environments and everyday cultural tensions… at a time when AI, regulatory upheaval and shifting values are rewriting the rules of leadership. In this episode, we explore: (05:15) Navigating change with AI, values and DEI (11:19) Why trust is leadership’s most valuable capital (13:22) Accountability and cultural reform in leadership (17:58) How regret can drive real growth (20:45) Building customer trust through openness (23:02) How culture and design shape accountability (29:42) Why unaddressed issues create distrust (32:38) Steps to repair harm and rebuild trust (34:39) Owning responsibility through vulnerability Links mentioned: The Power of Trust – Book The Power of Regret – Book Listen to Daniel Pink: Unlocking the Power of Regret ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
What does it really mean to build AI responsibly, at Google scale? In this episode, we sit down with Jen Gennai, the person Google turned to when it needed to build ethical AI from the ground up. Jen founded Google’s Responsible Innovation team and has spent her career at the intersection of trust, safety, and emerging tech. From advising world leaders on AI governance to navigating internal pushback, Jen opens up about what it actually takes to embed ethics into one of the fastest-moving industries on the planet. Tune in to this episode as we explore: The importance of early ethical considerations Trust as a core pillar of technology Navigating AI’s impact on fairness and discrimination The future of AI-human relationships Building AI literacy in organizations The intersection of regulation and innovation Links mentioned: Connect with Jen Gennai on LinkedIn T3 Website ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
What does it take to build a culture that not only survives but thrives across global teams? In this episode of Leading Transformational Change, host Tobias Sturesson sits down with Alicia DeFreitas, Global Head of People & Culture at BDO, to explore the key elements that make an organization’s culture truly flourish: respect, growth, and purpose. They dive into the challenges of aligning these values across diverse teams and discuss the ongoing journeys of diversity, equity, and psychological safety. Tune in to this episode as we explore: Unlocking the power of cultural diversity in HR Scaling vision and purpose across global teams Creating a culture of psychological safety that drives performance Turning diverse perspectives into a competitive advantage Aligning leadership actions with core organizational values for lasting impact Links mentioned: Connect with Alicia DeFreitas on LinkedIn BDO ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Bob Langert, former VP of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability at McDonald's, and Jay Barney, author of ‘The Secret of Culture Change’, join Tobias Sturesson to explore the nuanced journey of leading transformational change within an organisation. Drawing from decades of experience, Bob shares how McDonald's navigated criticism to embrace a proactive approach to social responsibility, while Jay highlights the significance of actions over words in fostering a true cultural shift. Tune in to this episode as we explore: Navigating criticism and fostering partnerships Actions as the foundation for cultural change Embracing vulnerability to strengthen trust The journey from defensiveness to proactivity Trust and its impact on business success Inspiring change through leadership actions Building authentic stories from transformative practices Links mentioned: 101. Embrace Vulnerability: Insights from Ann Tenbrunsel and Lenny Wong on Avoiding Blind Spots and Navigating Human Fallibility ‘The Secret of Culture Change’ by Jay Barney ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Bruno Roche, former Chief Economist and Managing Director at Mars Corporation, is now leading efforts at ONEsociety, a foundation and consultancy aiming to drive systemic change in the impact economy. Bruno shares his expertise on navigating today's geopolitical landscape, technological advancements like AI, and the ethical frameworks that underpin sustainable societal progress. Discover how businesses and leaders can steer through unprecedented global changes with integrity and mutuality at the core. Tune in to this episode as we explore: The battle for AI control in society Maintaining equilibrium amidst global chaos The new relationship between economics and ethics Navigating corporate responsibility and values Mutual relationship vs. transactional thinking ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Today we hear from Ann Tenbrunsel, the David E. Gallo Professor of Business Ethics at the University of Notre Dame, and Lenny Wong, a retired research professor at the US Army War College. Explore how positive illusions about our ethicality lead to overlooked blind spots and understand the importance of embracing vulnerability for fostering trust and learning within corporate cultures. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand and navigate the ethical challenges in leadership and organisational behaviour. In this episode, we explore: The illusion of personal ethicality Embracing vulnerability to build trust Balancing high values with human flaws The impact of ethical blind spots Motivated blindness in decision-making The role of formal and informal systems Moving beyond moral licensing Links Mentioned: You Can Culture by Tobias Sturesson 025. Lenny Wong: Uncovering a Culture of Dishonesty 065. Ann Tenbrunsel: Are we as ethical as we think? Ann Tenbrunsel’s work Lenny Wong’s research works
As we celebrate our 100th episode, we've invited Richard Bistrong, CEO of Front-Line Anti-Bribery and Klaus Moosmayer, Chief Ethics, Risk and Compliance Officer at Novartis, to dive into the essential role of humility in leadership. Together with host Tobias Sturesson, they explore how acknowledging imperfections, owning mistakes, and repairing trust can lead to significant positive shifts in organizational cultures. Tune in to this episode as we explore: The roots and virtues of humility Humility vs. corporate arrogance Balancing transparency and investor expectations Personal journeys to embracing humility Effective responses to corporate scandals The pitfalls of corporate forgetfulness Building a culture where ethics thrive ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
In this episode, our host, Tobias Sturesson, reads the introduction of his book You Can Culture, which delves into his personal experience of becoming complicit in a toxic culture. We hope it offers you a compelling and insightful introduction to the concept of the four transformative leadership habits the book explores. You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success, launches October 8, 2024. Read more on youcanculture.com , pre-order it on Amazon or wherever you get your books.
In this special episode of Leading Transformational Change, we dive deep into the essential habit of ‘Getting Humble’ from my book, ‘You Can Culture’. I am joined by Andreas Almlöf from Heart Management to explore why humility in leadership is crucial for fostering a thriving, ethical culture in organisations. Listen in to hear an excerpt from the book, as well as practical advice on embracing vulnerability, taking ownership of cultural issues, and the power of reflection in maintaining values alignment. Tune in to this episode as we explore: Key insights from the ‘You Can Culture’ book Embracing vulnerability in leadership Overcoming fears of showing weakness Benefits of admitting mistakes Humility vs. arrogance in leadership Real-world examples of transformative change Rituals of reflection for leaders ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Richard Bistrong is a former VP of sales for a global multinational who faced legal challenges due to FCPA violations. Richard has transformed his career, becoming an advocate for compliance and ethics, and helping organizations navigate the tricky waters of corporate integrity. Richard delves into the complex interplay between corporate success pressures and ethical compliance, sharing candid insights and real-world strategies. This episode was originally released in 2020, but the conversation still rings true today. Tune in to this episode as we explore: Richard’s journey from success to scandal Navigating high-pressure ethical dilemmas The role of culture in compliance Managing ethical risks in volatile markets The critical influence of middle management Aligning corporate values with real-world risks Vulnerability and proactive communication for leaders ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
Mary Shirley is a lawyer with 20 years of ethics and compliance experience, which includes implementing, evaluating and monitoring compliance programs for multinational corporations. Tune in as she discusses the critical role of ethical leadership, her stand against bribery and values-driven decision-making. We’ll also delve into innovative initiatives that encourage ethical behaviour and the significance of integrating integrity into daily operations. In this episode, we explore: Creating a culture of integrity in healthcare The risks of merging legal and compliance roles Lead with heart, not just a checklist Encourage a culture where speaking up is celebrated … and the power of sharing compliance updates on LinkedIn ‘You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success’ is now available here .
