The biggest mistake leaders make when someone is grieving?

They don’t acknowledge it.

They assume someone else will say something. They assume the employee will be fine. They assume distance makes silence acceptable.

It doesn’t.

When leaders fail to acknowledge loss, it signals disconnection. When they lean in with empathy, it builds trust.

Grief is already in your workplace. The question is whether you’re leading through it.

Watch the full episode of Gut + Science with Ashley Jones to learn how to build a true culture of caring.

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Grief doesn’t clock out when we clock in.

Nikki sits down with Ashley Jones, founder of Memento Foundation and grief and empathy consultant, to explore what happens when loss walks into the workplace. After navigating the unimaginable loss of her daughter, Ashley turned her pain into purpose, helping organizations lead through grief with courage, care, and emotional intelligence.

Together, they unpack what most leaders get wrong about grief at work, why empathy is not optional in modern leadership, and how cultures of caring are built long before crisis hits. This conversation challenges outdated beliefs about productivity, exposes the real cost of emotional avoidance, and offers a new leadership standard rooted in love, trust, and psychological safety. 💛

If you want to retain top talent, strengthen trust, and lead whole humans instead of job titles, this episode will change the way you show up.

Additional Resources:

🔗 Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynicolejones/)

🔗 Learn more about Momento Foundation (https://www.momentofoundation.org/)

🔗 Learn more about Bereave (https://www.bereave.io/)

🔗 Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

🔗 Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/?viewAsMember=true)

🔗 Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/)

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Leadership doesn’t start with strategy.
It starts with self-awareness.

The best leaders spend time understanding their strengths, their purpose, and what meaningful work truly looks like for them.

You only get one life, and you spend most of it working.
Why wouldn’t you understand the role you’re meant to play?

When leaders do this inner work first, they empower everyone around them to do the same.

Are you owning your 50?

#LeadershipGrowth #SelfAwareness #MeaningfulWork #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfWork

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Real leadership does not begin in the boardroom.
It begins in the mirror.

Amy Woodall challenges us to ask a simple but transformational question: What would love say to me right now? When people-first leaders learn to lead themselves with compassion, awareness, and accountability, everything changes. Culture shifts. Conflict softens. Confidence grows from the inside out.

If you want to create better teams, stronger relationships, and a more meaningful life, start with the one place you always have control. Yourself.

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This video is private.

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“Let me know if you need anything.”

It sounds supportive. It feels kind.

But it puts the burden back on the person who’s grieving.

Now they’re wondering:
Did you mean today? This week? This month?
Is it too late to ask?
Do you really mean it?

When someone is overwhelmed by loss, decision-making is already hard. Don’t hand them another task.

Instead of vague offers, make specific ones.

Real leadership removes weight. It doesn’t add to it.

Watch the full Gut + Science episode with Ashley Jones to learn how to lead through grief with empathy and clarity.

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If you can automate two hours of “robot work” each week, what could your people do instead?

Ferry Hoes challenges leaders to stop replacing humans with technology and start using technology to remove low-value tasks. Sending quotations? A robot can do that. Building relationships? That’s human work.

The real leadership question isn’t “What tech should we buy?”
It’s: What are your people truly great at, and how can you free them up to do more of it?

If you want innovation that drives growth and loyalty, start here.

#PeopleFirstLeadership #FutureOfWork #BrandHumanizing

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What if the most radical leadership move in today’s outrage culture is choosing love?

David sits down with Amy Woodall to unpack the deceptively simple but life-altering question: What would love do? What starts as a phrase that could live on a Hobby Lobby sign quickly becomes a bold challenge to our ego, our reactions, and the way we show up at home, at work, and in conflict. Amy breaks down the difference between love with conditions and love with accountability, and why matching hate with hate is easy, but meeting it with love requires courage.

From the “orange juice under pressure” metaphor to practical ways to shift dinner table disagreements, workplace tension, and even how we treat ourselves in the mirror, this conversation is a masterclass in conscious leadership. If you’re ready to stop reacting and start transforming your culture, your relationships, and yourself, this one will stay with you long after it ends. ❤️

Additional Resources:

🔗 Connect with Amy on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywoodall/)

🔗 Subscribe to Addicted to Betterment on YouTube! (https://youtube.com/@AddictedtobettermentDG?si=s1sCurvNtLin0v7l)

🔗 Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

🔗 Connect with David on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-gregory-45b15a1a5/)

🔗 Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/?viewAsMember=true)

Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/)

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What makes a simple branded mug, sweatshirt, or handwritten note unforgettable? Nikki welcomes promotional strategy expert Crissy Manwaring for a fascinating conversation on the deeper psychology behind swag and why meaningful brand experiences matter more than ever.

Together, Nikki and Crissy unpack the science of sensory triggers, emotional connection, and thoughtful gifting, revealing how leaders can turn everyday items into powerful cultural touchpoints. From onboarding moments to milestone celebrations, they explore how intentional brand artifacts can strengthen human connection, reinforce belonging, and elevate the employee and client journey.

If you lead people, build culture, or care about making your brand truly felt not just seen, this conversation will shift how you think about impact. Get ready to rethink swag as a strategic tool for meaningful work and meaningful lives. 💡

Additional Resources:

🔗 Learn how to build your strategy to swag! (http://promobuyguide.com/)

🔗 Connect with Crissy on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/crissymanwaring/)

🔗 Learn more about Robertson Marketing (https://www.robertsonmarketing.com/)

🔗 Listen to Crissy’s series on Working Forward, wherever you get your podcasts! (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/working-forward/id1706896732)

🔗 Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

🔗 Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/)

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If your company treats technology like the hero and people like the afterthought, it may not survive the next decade.

Nikki sits down with Ferry Hoes, founder of Brand Humanizing, to challenge the way leaders think about AI, automation, and innovation. Ferry shares a bold warning: organizations that fail to align humans and technology will quietly lose their people and their customers. Through personal stories of watching a chatbot replace real connection and sink a business, he unpacks why meaningful work and human trust still drive performance.

From task forces to tech integration mistakes to companies that get it right, this conversation is a masterclass for people-first leaders who want innovation that supports humans, not sidelines them. If you care about culture, customer loyalty, and long-term growth, this one will shift your lens. 💡

Additional Resources:

🔗 Connect with Ferry on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferryhoes/)

🔗 Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

🔗 Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/?viewAsMember=true)

🔗 Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/)

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Culture isn’t a mission statement on the wall.

It’s the vibe.
The energy.
The way leaders communicate.
The way meetings feel.
The way people walk into work every day.

Culture work matters because it determines whether people stand taller… or shrink.

Are you building a culture that lifts people?

#WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #CompanyCulture #FutureOfWork #PeopleFirst

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Love is not passive. It is not weak.
Real love requires strength, awareness, and the courage to go against the emotional current in the room.

Amy Woodall shares why choosing love means rising above ego, reactions, and the urge to match negative energy. People-first leaders understand that transformation does not happen by repeating what already exists. It happens when someone is willing to bring a different energy.

If you want to change your culture, your relationships, or your leadership impact, start by choosing the harder path. The one that requires intention. The one that requires love.

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