TTI Success Insights Podcast: Working Progress

Can conflict be constructive? Marcus Straub thinks so. The founder of LIG Coaching & Consulting shared the dangers of artificial harmony, where teams avoid disagreements at the expense of progress, and how active listening, curiosity, and healthy debate help clear roadblocks and strengthen collaboration.Straub also explores how trust and behavioral differences shape team dynamics, emphasizing the importance of leaders who listen without judgment and employees who speak up courageously. The takeaway? Conflict isn’t the enemy—avoiding it is.

Are you ready to challenge some of the biggest beliefs we hold about work and capacity? Creative entrepreneur Eric Torres did when he left the corporate world because of burnout. He unpacks the “why” behind burnout, from “everything is urgent” cultures to the physical toll stress can take on our bodies—and shares what he learned about setting boundaries, rethinking multitasking, and building a more sustainable career.

"When you don't have psychological safety on a team, what you're doing is taping over every warning light on your dashboard."Dr. Philip Shero joined us for the latest episode of Working Progress to explore what it takes to lead in today's rapidly changing workplace. From creating psychological safety to developing future leaders, Dr. Shero shares practical strategies that help leaders move beyond individual performance and build teams that thrive.Discover why the transition from top performer to effective leader requires a mindset shift, how succession planning should become part of every organization's leadership strategy, and why listening may be the most important leadership skill of the future.

“The next level of greatness depends on the quality of the culture, which depends on the quality of the relationships, which depends on the quality of the conversation. Everything happens through conversations.” Exploring your team's behaviors with intentionality requires the right tools and the right kind of leader. In the latest episode of “Working Progress”, Dr. Andria Salvá, an industrial-organizational psychologist and executive coach, shares how strong cultures are built intentionally through consistent communication, trust, accountability, feedback, and leadership modeling the behaviors they want to see. 

What’s the real cost of rapid business growth? Leadership expert Stephen Doyle says it’s employee burnout—and most leaders don’t see it coming until top performers start checking out. In the latest episode of Working Progress, Doyle breaks down why burnout isn’t caused by hard work alone, but by a lack of clarity, purpose, and connection. Learn how great leaders scale companies without sacrificing their people by creating alignment, understanding individual motivations, and removing the barriers that drain teams fastest.

In this episode of Working Progress, we explore what it means to equip leaders with “tools for the future” in an AI-driven world. TTI Master Distributor for Australia and New Zealand Trevor O’Sullivan dives into how emerging technologies can enhance productivity, personalization, and decision-making without compromising the human connection at the heart of effective leadership.O’Sullivan discusses rethinking AI as a collaborative teammate rather than a competitor, redesigning workflows instead of simply layering in new tools, and fostering a culture of experimentation, continuous learning, and trust. But while AI can augment performance and unlock efficiencies, great leadership still depends on intentionality, adaptability, and keeping people at the center of every decision.

Edouard Levit, retired TTI Master Distributor, delves into the evolution of the DISC continuum, a new model that transforms the vertical DISC graph into an expanded behavioral analysis examining eight elements of DISC rather than the traditional four. Levit explains that eliminating ‘low’ scores provides a more complete and positive picture of behavior. Dig into new possibilities for individuals and business leaders, painting a fuller, more colorful picture than the old DISC model. These insights can transform communication, conflict resolution, and connection.

If you want to build a resilient, high-performing team, you have to start by honoring the people who make it possible. Amy Lafko, author of People First, shares how leaders can create strong, engaged teams by shifting from customer- or patient-first models to a true people-first strategy.Her approach focuses on understanding core behaviors, motivations, and natural talents, then aligning individuals with roles where they can thrive. By leveraging assessments and data to create a shared language, Amy outlines how leaders can build “frictionless teams” grounded in trust, clarity, and accountability.

Our last episode of the year features TTI COO Vanessa Boettcher discussing how small businesses can develop and retain talent during a tough economy. Her main advice: know your people, understand their skills, embrace flexibility, and use the right tools. Vanessa’s biggest leadership lesson of 2025: always ask questions, never assume. Her final advice to COOs: stay connected, stay humble, and remember, people matter. 

Staying authentic while adapting to uncertainty, cultural differences, and diverse communication styles isn’t easy, but Dr. Andy Molinsky is here to help. As a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Brandeis University and the author of Global Dexterity. Dr. Molinsky explores how authentic leadership requires conviction, customization, and common ground.