Helping someone grow, even beyond your own team, is leadership at its best.

Help to open doors. Don't guard them.
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Happy pets, happy teams. Foster a pet-friendly culture with OnePack Plan™ pet insurance: https://www.onepackplan.com/introductory-video/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rufftruth_podcast

#TheRuffTruth #LeadershipStories #PeopleFirstLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #BetterLeadership

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Work is always evolving. So are the leaders, teams, and cultures shaping it.

We’re introducing Work in Progress, the newly refreshed evolution of Fringe from PeopleForward Network. The conversations you know and love are still here, now under a name that better reflects what people-first leadership is really about: learning, growing, experimenting, and continuously finding better ways to work.

From leadership development and employee engagement to well-being, talent, culture, and the future of work, Work in Progress brings together big ideas and practical perspectives designed to help you build stronger teams and more meaningful workplaces. Because no leader, team, or culture is ever truly finished. We’re all a work in progress.

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

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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Want people to actually retain and apply a new skill?

Matt Moog explains why doing the work and learning from others can have a much greater impact than simply sending someone through a course.

The takeaway for leaders: create opportunities for people to practice, observe, get feedback, and learn in the flow of work.

Hear more from Matt Moog on Gut + Science with Nikki Lewallen Gregory.

#Leadership #WorkplaceLearning #EmployeeDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment #TalentDevelopment #ManagerCoaching #FutureOfWork

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

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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The skills your people need tomorrow may look completely different from the ones they rely on today. So how do you build an organization that can keep learning, adapting, and growing at the speed of change?

Nikki sits down with Matt Moog, founder and CEO of Career Bird, to unpack what it really takes to create a continuous learning culture. They explore why skills-based organizations are gaining momentum, how the 70/20/10 framework brings development into the flow of work, and why managers must evolve from assigning work to actively coaching growth.

Matt also shares how leaders can connect learning to real business outcomes, create clearer career paths, and give employees greater confidence in where they are headed. If you want learning to become more than a training initiative and start driving performance, retention, and advancement, this conversation offers a practical place to start.

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmoog/

Learn more about Career Bird: https://careerbird.ai/

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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Want a great relationship? Start with the person in the mirror.

Nikki shares a powerful reminder: building the partnership you want is not about waiting for someone else to become the right person. It starts with becoming the best version of yourself and modeling what you hope to receive in return.

Great relationships begin with intentional growth. ❤️

#Relationships #PersonalGrowth #RelationshipAdvice #SelfImprovement

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

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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Success can look impressive on the outside while quietly draining the life out of you on the inside.

Nikki and David sit down with financial abundance coach Roya Mattis to explore what happens when achievement comes from forcing, fear, and proving instead of alignment. Roya breaks down the life cycle of change, why the uncomfortable “messy adolescence” of reinvention is actually a sign of growth, and how balancing masculine structure with feminine flow can create wealth that feels sustainable instead of exhausting.

They also unpack the deeper desire beneath our pursuit of money, why peace cannot be postponed until the next financial milestone, and how wealth can become a powerful amplifier for generosity, impact, and purpose. This conversation challenges people-first leaders to stop simply chasing more and start creating prosperity that actually feels like their own.

📲 If any of this resonated with you and you are curious about programs offers or possibilities, click this link: http://www.CallWithRoya.com

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

Connect with Roya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roya-mattis-speaker-strengthening-your-deep-wisdom-accessing-desire-4a43427/

Learn more on Roya’s website: https://www.royamattis.com/

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

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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Wealth doesn’t only show up in your bank account.

Sometimes, it looks like someone showing up for you, sharing what they have, or giving simply because they love you.

Roya Mattis offers a powerful reminder that when we expand our definition of wealth, we begin to recognize how much abundance may already be present in our lives.

What if you measured wealth by more than money?

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

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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An open door means nothing if people regret walking through it. Psychological safety starts when leaders stay curious instead of defensive.
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Happy pets, happy teams. Foster a pet-friendly culture with OnePack Plan™ pet insurance: https://www.onepackplan.com/introductory-video/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rufftruth_podcast

#TheRuffTruth #LeadershipStories #PeopleFirstLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #BetterLeadership

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The relationship you want starts with the person in the mirror.

David shares a powerful reminder: before focusing on who you want to attract, ask yourself who you are becoming.

You may not be that person yet, but growth starts with intention, self-awareness, and doing the work to become the kind of partner you hope to find.

#RelationshipAdvice #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness #HealthyRelationships

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

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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Emotional intelligence isn’t just a leadership skill. It’s leadership.

April Morgan explains why great leaders know themselves, manage their reactions, understand how others feel, and bring compassion into the conversations that matter most.

And when a difficult conversation needs to happen? Emotional intelligence helps you have it with respect.

Strong leadership starts with self-awareness and shows up in how you treat people.

🎙️ Hear more from April Morgan on Gut + Science with Nikki Lewallen Gregory.

#EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #PeopleFirstLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

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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The strongest leaders know performance starts long before the metrics. It starts in the relationships we build.

Nikki sits down with April Morgan, founder and CEO of Elevate People Ops and author of “Married to the Job”, to explore why work is, at its core, a relationship. April shares how trust, emotional intelligence, honest conversations, and genuine connection shape everything from engagement to retention and performance. 💛

From spotting the subtle signs of a struggling team to navigating uncomfortable conversations and keeping remote employees connected, April offers practical ways leaders can strengthen relationships every day. In a workplace increasingly shaped by AI and automation, this conversation is a powerful reminder that technology can make communication easier, but people still need to feel valued, heard, and cared for.

Subscribe for more people-first leadership insights!

Additional Resources:

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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You can't say "I trust you" while checking in every ten minutes. Real trust creates room for great work.
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Happy pets, happy teams. Foster a pet-friendly culture with OnePack Plan™ pet insurance: https://www.onepackplan.com/introductory-video/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rufftruth_podcast

#TheRuffTruth #LeadershipStories #PeopleFirstLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #BetterLeadership

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