Connecting the Dots: Exploring personality, team dynamics and workplace culture

What does it look like when one of the more rare personality types in nonprofit leadership faces a 10% budget deficit, a structural crisis, and the weight of an impossible mission of ending homelessness? In this episode, we sit down with Lisa Strandberg, Executive Director of Pillars Inc., a housing and homelessness nonprofit in the Fox Cities, to explore how an ENTJ navigates uncertainty with systems thinking, calculated confidence, and a hard-won capacity for vulnerability. Lisa's path to nonprofit leadership is anything but conventional, from chemical engineer at Kimberly-Clark to freelance writer to executive director of a $5.5 million organization. Along the way, she's had to confront the shadow side of ENTJ leadership: the lone wolf tendency, the impatience, the impulse to forge ahead with a machete while the rest of the team is still at the edge of the jungle. In this episode you'll hear about: - What it means to "dominate" uncertainty and why Lisa prefers clarifying assumptions over sitting in anxiety - The ENTJ shadow: stuffing emotions, sprinting to the finish line alone, and learning to show your work - How she navigated a 10% structural budget deficit by inviting the community into the decision and why that changed everything - The difference between being the smartest person in the room and being a trusted partner - Why surrounding yourself with feelers isn't just good strategy, it's survival - What "limitless" leadership actually looks like when you're humble enough to crowdsource solutions Whether you're an ENTJ trying to understand your own wiring, a leader navigating impossible odds, or someone who works alongside a driven, fast-processing commander type, this episode will give you language, perspective, and a few good laughs along the way. Connecting the Dots is hosted by Steve Utech (Founder, illumyx) and Ryan Gracyalny (Director of Training & Development, The Utech Group). About Lisa Strandberg Lisa Strandberg is the Executive Director of Pillars Inc., a housing and homelessness nonprofit serving the Fox Cities with approximately 65 employees and a $5.5 million annual budget. A chemical engineering graduate turned nonprofit leader, Lisa brings a rare combination of analytical rigor, systems thinking, and hard-earned emotional intelligence to one of the most complex challenges in her community. 💼 Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-strandberg-4a23715 🏠 Learn more about Pillars Inc.: pillarsinc.org ☕ Attend a Conversations Over Coffee event: pillarsinc.org/conversations-over-coffee ❤️ Support Pillars Inc.: pillarsinc.org/donations

What happens when a high-achieving, in-charge leader faces a challenge that can't be solved by sheer determination? In this episode, we sit down with Melissa Borowicz — CEO and owner of The Utech Group, organizational development expert, and co-author of Cracking the Rich Code — to explore what it looks like to face uncertainty through the lens of an ENFJ personality type. Melissa shares how her Big Five profile (94th percentile in adventurousness, 6th percentile in stress quotient) shaped her instinct to "always find a way" — and how an unexpected Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis in 2023 forced her to reckon with the shadow side of that same strength. We explore her development as a leader inside a second-generation family business, the tension between her natural independence and the need to receive support, and what she's learned about setting boundaries when your identity is built around achievement. In this episode you'll hear about: - What ENFJs look like under pressure — and what "laser beam eyes" and task-mode mean in practice - The difference between Interaction Styles (In Charge) and Essential Motivators (Catalyst) and how they showed up in Melissa's leadership journey - How her MS diagnosis accelerated both personal growth and organizational change - The framework she used to navigate life's most uncertain chapter — and why she wrote a chapter about it - Why "just do something" might be the most powerful advice for anyone stuck in uncertainty Whether you're a personality nerd, a leader navigating change, or someone facing something you didn't ask for, this episode will leave you thinking differently about how you're wired — and what your wiring reveals when life gets hard. Connecting the Dots is hosted by Steve Utech (Founder, illumyx) and Ryan Gracyalny (Director of Training & Development, The Utech Group). About Melissa Borowicz Melissa Borowicz is the CEO and Owner of The Utech Group, a second-generation family business specializing in organizational development, change management, and leadership training based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. With a master's degree in marriage and family therapy, Melissa brings a uniquely human lens to the complex dynamics of business — especially in family-owned companies navigating transition. Melissa is a co-author of Cracking the Rich Code, where she shares her personal chapter on mastering uncertainty and finding strength during her own Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. 📖 Get the book: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=awO0qfJfZPB9xi8titX8lrHqHoXBnCYtiFZlyvjqvoc 🌐 Website: www.utechod.com 💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melissaborowicz

Welcome back to Connecting the Dots: Exploring Personality, Team Dynamics, and Workplace Culture... your go-to podcast for understanding how personality shapes leadership, decision-making, and organizational success. In this Season 3 kickoff episode, hosts Steve Utech and Ryan Graziani introduce a powerful new series: Facing Uncertainty. In today’s rapidly changing world, where business leaders, teams, and individuals are constantly navigating ambiguity, how you respond to uncertainty can define your effectiveness as a leader. But here’s the key: your response isn’t random, it’s deeply rooted in your personality. In this episode, we break down: -How different personality frameworks (including the Big Five and the 16 Types model) influence decision-making under uncertainty -Why some leaders freeze while others take bold action -The role of traits like adventurousness, cautiousness, excitement-seeking, and stress tolerance -Linda Berens’ Essential Motivators and Interaction Styles and how they shape leadership behavior -What to expect from this season’s upcoming interviews with real leaders navigating real-world uncertainty Throughout this series, we’ll bridge theory with real-life stories by profiling leaders across industries to uncover how personality drives behavior when the stakes are high and the path forward is unclear. If you're an HR leader, executive, consultant, or anyone interested in leadership development, personality psychology, team performance, or culture transformation, this series is designed for you. Interested in being a guest on the show or sharing your perspective on leadership and uncertainty? Reach out to us: Ryan: [email protected] Steve: [email protected]

Unlock the secrets to high-performing teams with our practical, actionable guide to the Big Five Teamwork Theory—a framework of 8 critical teamwork behaviors and attitudes that can transform how your team works together. In this episode, we break down Backup Behavior, Mutual Performance Monitoring, Adaptability, Mutual Trust, Team Leadership, Team Orientation, Closed-Loop Communication, and Shared Mental Models, showing how each element impacts team effectiveness. Unlike traditional models like Tuckman’s stages of team development or Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team, this approach gives leaders clear, actionable strategies to diagnose team performance gaps and coach teams for measurable improvement. Plus, we’ve created a free teamwork quiz so you can see exactly how your team stacks up and identify opportunities for growth: https://utech-fydrq1dd.scoreapp.com/ . Whether you’re a team leader, manager, HR professional, or aspiring collaborator, this episode will help you build stronger, more cohesive, and adaptable teams that consistently perform at their best.

In this final episode of our series on personality dynamics, we explore how Stress Quotient—also known as Emotional Stability or Neuroticism—influences your work and personal relationships. Join hosts Stephen Utech and Ryan Gracyalny as they unpack what it means to have high or low emotional reactivity, and how tendencies like worrying, self-doubt, or calm resilience affect communication, trust, and teamwork. You’ll learn how understanding your own Stress Quotient—and the emotional patterns of those around you—can improve conflict resolution, decision-making under pressure, and relationship satisfaction both at work and at home. If you’ve ever wondered why some people stay cool under stress while others spiral into anxiety, this episode gives you the insight to turn emotional awareness into relational strength. Listen now to discover how emotional stability impacts connection, collaboration, and confidence.

Conflict often shows up when people have different approaches to structure, organization, and follow-through. In this episode of Connecting the Dots, Stephen Utech and Ryan Gracyalny dive into how the Big Five trait of Conscientiousness influences conflict in both business and personal relationships. Whether it’s the clash between highly organized, detail-driven individuals and those who prefer a more flexible, spontaneous style—or tensions that arise when expectations around deadlines and accountability differ—Conscientiousness plays a major role in shaping how we experience and resolve disagreements. Stephen and Ryan unpack common conflict patterns tied to Conscientiousness, share practical examples from their work with leaders and teams, and highlight strategies for turning these differences into productive outcomes. This conversation will help you better understand yourself and others, strengthen collaboration, and reduce unnecessary friction. This is Part 4 of our five-part series on conflict and the Big Five, where we explore how each trait shows up in moments of tension and what it means for healthier relationships.

Discover how Agreeableness, one of the Big Five personality traits, shapes conflict styles in relationships and the workplace. Stephen Utech and Ryan Gracyalny break down how empathy, cooperation, and directness show up in conflict — and how couples and teams can leverage differences in Agreeableness to improve communication, trust, and problem-solving. High scorers, known for their warmth, empathy, and desire for harmony, may avoid conflict or give in too quickly to keep the peace. Meanwhile, those lower in Agreeableness tend to be more direct, skeptical, and willing to push back — which can be valuable for objectivity but sometimes comes across as critical or combative. Through real-world stories, Stephen and Ryan reveal how differences in Agreeableness can create tension in relationships — from one partner wanting to smooth things over to the other insisting on addressing the hard truths. They also share strategies for recognizing these patterns, balancing empathy with honesty, and using diverse approaches to conflict to strengthen both partnerships and teams.

Discover how Openness to Experience, one of the Big Five personality traits, shapes conflict dynamics in both personal and professional relationships. Stephen Utech and Ryan Gracyalny explore how high and low scorers approach disagreements, problem-solving, and change — from curiosity-driven brainstorming to grounded, practical solutions. Learn how to bridge differences, communicate effectively, and turn diverse thinking styles into a strength in your relationship or workplace team. They unpack how high scorers, with their love of novelty, abstract thinking, and exploration, tend to approach conflict with curiosity, brainstorming, and “what if” thinking — sometimes to the point of overwhelming more practically minded partners or colleagues. In contrast, those lower in Openness may prefer familiar approaches, concrete solutions, and proven methods, which can feel grounding and stabilizing but may also be perceived as resistant to change. Through real-world examples from couples and workplace teams, Stephen and Ryan explore how differences in Openness can lead to misunderstandings — like one partner wanting to explore new possibilities while the other wants to stick with what works — and how these same differences, when understood, can become a source of strength. Whether in love or business, they offer insights on bridging these differences, fostering mutual respect, and leveraging diverse thinking styles to solve problems more effectively.

This is the first episode in our 5-part series exploring how the Big Five personality traits shape the way we work, lead, and live—starting with Extraversion. Whether you're navigating team dynamics, managing a relationship with your spouse or sibling, or raising kids with a very different energy level than your own, Extraversion plays a powerful role. In this episode, we unpack what Extraversion really is—and how it shows up in both healthy dynamics and conflict across your work and personal life. You'll learn: ✅ How people high in Extraversion see those lower in it—and vice versa ✅ What happens when these differences lead to misunderstandings or tension ✅ Common phrases that signal conflict rooted in this trait ✅ A 5-step framework to bridge the gap and improve communication Whether you're energized by crowds or prefer quiet mornings alone, this episode offers insight into how your style impacts the people around you—and how to build better relationships at work and at home, one trait at a time.

In this final episode of our four-part “Red Flags at Work” series, we dive into one of the most unsettling but important workplace realities: Corporate Psychopaths. These individuals may be charming, charismatic, and seemingly competent—but underneath lies a manipulative, self-serving nature that can wreak havoc on teams, culture, and long-term success. Join us as we break down: -The different flavors of psychopathy (clinical vs. subclinical) -How to spot red flags in leadership, hiring, or peer interactions -Tactics these individuals use to manipulate people and systems -What organizations and individuals can do to protect themselves and others This episode is a must-listen for HR leaders, managers, and anyone navigating power dynamics in complex organizations. 🔎 Don’t just manage red flags—understand them before they do damage.