How one manufacturing company changed conflict at work and at home!
Season 2 · Episode 65
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 • Duration 32:45
In this episode of The Compassionate Accountability Podcast®, Dr. Nate Regier sits down with Lori Walker, Senior Manager of Talent Development at ERMCO, to explore what it really takes to build a people-first leadership culture inside a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
When ERMCO's executive team set out to become an employer of choice, they recognized that technical excellence alone wasn't enough. Leaders needed practical tools to handle conflict, hold people accountable, and create stronger communication across every level of the organization. Lori shares how Compassionate Accountability became the foundation for a company-wide leadership development strategy designed to support both people and performance.
From the shop floor to executive leadership, this conversation explores what happens when organizations stop avoiding difficult conversations and start building the skills to navigate them productively.
In this episode you'll learn:
Why manufacturing environments often struggle with communication and conflict
How ERMCO is building Compassionate Accountability into leadership development
What happens when leaders avoid difficult conversations
How psychological safety impacts innovation and performance
Why practical conflict tools create stronger trust and accountability
How Compassionate Accountability is being scaled across 3,400 employees
Why these communication tools don't just work at work, they transform relationships at home too
Rapid fire questions include:
What is one thing leadership has taught Lori about people?
What did she used to believe about conflict that she no longer believes?
What risk did she take implementing this work in manufacturing?
What role does trust play in leadership and communication?
How has Compassionate Accountability changed the way she approaches difficult conversations?
If you're building leadership programs, navigating culture transformation, or trying to create healthier communication in high-pressure environments, this episode offers a powerful real-world example of what becomes possible when compassion and accountability work together.
Listen, reflect, and discover how one manufacturing company is changing conflict at work and at home.
Subscribe for more real client transformation stories
Accountability without compassion gets you alienated
Season 2 · Episode 64
Thursday, April 9, 2026 • Duration 29:36
In this episode of The Compassionate Accountability Podcast®, Dr. Nate Regier sits down with Dr. Samantha Shaak, Executive Director of the Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health and Vice President of Community Health at Lehigh Valley Health Network, to explore what it really takes to develop leaders who can collaborate across sectors, navigate complexity, and create lasting impact in their communities.
Addressing challenges like housing, education, homelessness, addiction, and mental health requires more than passion and good intentions. It requires leaders who can build trust, communicate across differences, and stay connected when the work gets hard. Samantha shares how the Pool Fellowship for Health in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley is equipping nonprofit, government, and community leaders with the self-awareness, communication skills, and conflict capacity needed to do exactly that.
In this episode you'll learn:
Why cross-sector leadership is essential for solving complex social issues
How trust is built, weakened, and restored in collaborative work
The role of self-awareness in leadership development
Where miscommunication and drama show up in partnerships
Why practical communication tools matter more than theory alone
What it takes to build a locally grown leadership program that lasts
Rapid fire questions include:
What is one truth about conflict?
What is one thing leaders forget about communication?
What is the most common "aha" you see from people in your program?
What is the most important thing you've learned about yourself along this journey?
If you're building a leadership program, investing in developing leaders, or trying to solve complex problems that no one organization can address alone, this episode offers a powerful example of what becomes possible when compassion and accountability work together.
How To Ignite Commitment And Keep Top Talent with Joe Mull
Thursday, August 1, 2024 • Duration 35:21
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes Joe Mull, who is an expert in developing leaders and building healthy work teams and cultures. Joe approaches the challenges of attracting and retaining talent in a unique way. He's the author of 3 books, including No More Team Drama and his newest, Employalty. He hosts the globally popular management podcast Boss Better Now, and his work as a leadership, workforce, and employee engagement expert has appeared in Entrepreneur, Fortune, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal.
Key Takeaways:
[3:06] Joe made up the word "Employalty" in an effort to translate the complex into the simple: Employer, Loyalty, and Humanity.
[4:05] The subtitle of Joe's book is powerful: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work; what does he mean by New Age of Work?
[5:39:] What are some of the biggest challenges we are facing today regarding leadership, the workforce, and employee engagement?
[6:43] Joe talks about the people who decide to become entrepreneurs.
[8:49] Joe addresses the missing aspects no one is talking about.
[10:14] Joe describes the ingredients for commitment.
[11:19] Where does the great boss factor lay?
[11:45] The key to talent retention: Join, stay, care, and try.
[14:14] Joe dives deep into what motivates employees.
[16:20] Why does Joe still use the word 'boss'?
[19:50] What is Joe's most enlightening idea?
[21:25] Creating a more humane workplace starts with a simple question: What would make this place the very best place to thrive in your profession?
[23:00] Joe discusses the business case and the necessary mind shift to retain talent.
Practical Implementation of Inclusion for All People with Dr. Liz Wilson
Monday, July 1, 2024 • Duration 34:29
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes Dr. Liz Wilson, a Behavioral Scientist, Organizational Transformation Expert, and founder of Include Inc. Originally from Australia, she is now based in the United States. She has developed a robust new framework that seeks to shift the focus of inclusion from a list of categories and identities to addressing the needs of all people.
Key Takeaways:
[2:18] What are some of the formative moments along Dr. Liz's way that got her to where she is today?
[5:45] Dr. Liz shares her unique perspective on inclusion.
[7:42:] Dr. Liz created a framework called The Eight Inclusion Needs Model that accomplishes 'transcend and include' (which involves compassion and accountability).
[10:11] First need: Access.
[10:24] Second need: Space.
[11:06] Third need: Opportunity.
[11:19] Fourth need: Representation.
[11:40] Fifth need: Allowance.
[12:28] Sixth need: Language.
[12:53] Seventh need: Respect.
[13:28] Eighth need: Support.
[14:17] Dr. Liz explains why this framework works more effectively than previous models for inclusion.
[16:03] What is the difference between understanding (and even appreciating differences) and inclusion?
[17:47] What has been Dr. Liz's experience introducing her model for companies to implement?
[21:06] Dr. Liz discusses the most significant struggles people encounter when practicing her framework for inclusion.
Emotional Assertiveness: The Happiness Equation with John Parr
Episode 53
Saturday, June 1, 2024 • Duration 36:17
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes John Parr, his friend, colleague, thought partner, and sounding board for nearly 20 years. John served in the Royal Navy as an Electronic Engineer, has managed a Substance Abuse Recovery Center, has been a therapist, a corporate consultant, an executive coach, and a professional trainer. He's recognized for his work in communication skills and emotional assertiveness. He's an author of books on these topics and created the Emotional Assertiveness Model, a practical framework to express emotions and build relationships authentically.
What's In This Episode:
How John's childhood and experience in the Navy formed his philosophy.
What is emotional assertiveness and why is it important?
What's the difference between EQ and EI?
What gets in the way of emotional assertiveness?
Overview of John's book, Fore-play, Fair-play & Foul-play.
What does emotional assertiveness look like in action?
Overview of John's books, trainings, and certification offerings.
Key Takeaways:
[3:01] John briefly overviews some of the foundational influences that have shaped his view of life.
[4:35] John talks about his experience managing a Substance Abuse Treatment Center.
[5:18] How did John become interested in the power of effective communication and interpersonal skills?
[7:18] What is emotional assertiveness, and why is it so important?
[9:51] How are emotional assertiveness and intelligence related?
[11:23] What gets in the way of human beings being emotionally assertive?
[14:50] John explains the meaning of fore-play, fair-play, and foul-play.
[19:10] John discusses the core of his book Fore-play, Fair-play, and Foul-play.
[22:25] Happiness is a core homeostatic emotion, and then there are three other emotions: sad, angry, and afraid.
Making Compassion Practical For Anyone with Amy Luckey
Episode 52
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 • Duration 39:18
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes Amy Luckey to today's conversation. Amy is an Executive Coach who specializes in working with neurodivergent leaders (diagnosed or not), helping them overcome challenges and reach their goals.
Dr. Nate and Amy discuss today the role of compassion in coaching leaders and provide actionable tips for implementing compassion in the workplace. They also dive deep into the importance of allowing suffering while being with and seeing others.
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Key Takeaways:
[3:03] Why is it relevant to implement compassion in the workplace?
[5:11] Is it important to have a common definition of compassion? Yes, but Amy proposes a much more experiential approach.
[9:45] Experiencing compassion must come together with talking and reflecting on it.
[11:49] What are some of the components of compassion?
[17:36] Compassion: Struggle with or being with someone in their suffering?
[21:48] Dr. Nate discusses developing emotional fluency and self-awareness based on Brene Brown's research.
[24:27] Amy talks about the notion of being seeing.
[28:41] How can we bring more compassion into Corporate America?
[30:06] Amy shares some tools she uses when working with clients.
[35:01] Dr. Nate and Amy explore the significance of pausing.
Training AI For Interpersonal Intelligence and Caring with Jesh DeRox
Monday, April 1, 2024 • Duration 40:59
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes Jesh De Rox, a cultural Anthropologist, speaker, and entrepreneur whose work explores the link between emotional intelligence, creative genius, human connection, and joy.
Jesh is the co-founder and CEO of Superfeel. This revolutionary social wellness platform uses deep insights from neuroscience and anthropology to help people authentically express themselves, meaningfully connect, and grow.
Key Takeaways:
[2:49] Jesh shares Dr. Nate's presentation's impact on him.
[6:06] How did Jesh become interested in photography?
[10:04] Jesh explains what he defines as a "Personal Wall."
[12:09] Jesh figured out how to lower these "Personal Walls".
[13:53] What are some of the strategies that Jesh developed to help lower these personal walls?
[18:25] Jesh explains how connection can be created only by reintroducing creative interaction.
[20:57] Jesh and Dr. Nate play the color game.
[24:39] Jesh prefers Interpersonal Intelligence rather than Artificial Intelligence.
[27:14] We are constantly obsessed with survival, which can be an obstacle to accessing higher places in our consciousness and connecting authentically with people.
[28:17] What does Superfeel offer to its users?
[29:04] Jesh talks about one of the problems in the algorithm design.
[32:44] What can the public expect from Superfeel? How does it work?
[34:32] Jesh built a technology that is capable of caring.
[35:38] Superfeel will be launching in the following month.
50th Episode: Drama in Organizations: Wasting the Opportunity of Conflict with Cy Wakeman
Friday, March 1, 2024 • Duration 39:07
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes Cy Wakeman to this special 50th episode of The Compassionate Accountability Podcast. Cy is a drama researcher, international leadership speaker, and consultant. In 2001, she founded Reality-Based Leadership. Cy works with organizations globally to ditch the drama, hardwire accountability into their teams, and turn excuses into results.
Key Takeaways:
[2:18] What did motivate Cy to research drama?
[6:24] CY defines drama and how that relates to leadership training.
[7:28] Cy advises to consider drama as waste (and organizations know what to do with waste in their processes)
[8:22] What are the key sources of trauma? Ego and lack of accountability are the first two drama triggers.
[11:03] Conflict is just energy! Either we waste it or take advantage of it.
[13:05] Love up (compassion) and Call up (accountability).
[19:30] Cy explains the notion of Reality-based Leadership, considering that multiple things are true simultaneously and expanding on the future of leadership.
[22:21] We all want success and happiness.
[27:15] Reality-based thinking: Given this reality, what are some ways we can be great?
[30:56] You have drama in your organization because you hired it, you enabled it, or you are it.
[34:39] Cy talks about how she helps organizations.
[35:50] Cy shares what is on the horizon for her now: Transitioning her organization to her team.
How Compassion Comes Alive in Community with Caverly Morgan
Episode 49
Thursday, February 1, 2024 • Duration 36:30
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes Caverly Morgan to today's episode. Caverly is a spiritual teacher, author, speaker, and nonprofit founder. She is the founder and Lead Contemplative of Peace in Schools—a nonprofit that created the nation's first for-credit mindfulness class in public high schools. She is also the founder of Presence Collective, a community of cross-cultural contemplatives committed to personal and collective transformation, creating spaces for wisdom exchange and belonging.
Caverly blends the original spirit of Zen with a modern, nondual approach. Her practice began in 1995 and has included eight years of training in a silent Zen monastery. She has been teaching contemplative practice since 2001. Caverly is passionate about creating opportunities to experience compassion and connection in the community.
Caverly shares today how she is manifesting compassion and accountability in the world.
Key Takeaways:
[2:40] Caverly shares some highlights of her journey that brought her where she is today.
[4:05] Caverly became attracted to the question: Is it possible to move through life either without suffering or less of it?
[4:56] How does Caverly define compassion?
[7:12] Caverly defines compassion as an experience.
[8:52] Caverly talks about the link between her work and compassion as an innate ability.
[10:54] How do we bring compassion into our workspaces?
[11:29] Are there common barriers that people face to practice compassion?
[13:17] Always striving vs. Contentedness: If we are at peace, do we lose our motivation?
[15:40] Caverly is not a fan of self-improvement and she explains why.
[18:09] Caverly shares some valuable examples of the value of interconnection.
[21:13] Ask yourself: What blocks in our environment prevent us from truly showing the heart of who we are?
Building A Culture of Compassionate Accountability at Adobe: With Jeff Jacobs
Episode 48
Tuesday, January 2, 2024 • Duration 45:20
Dr. Nathan Regier, your host, welcomes Jeff Jacobs to today's episode. Jeff has a 30-plus year career in Human Resources spanning numerous Global Leadership roles. He is currently the Senior Director of Organizational Effectiveness at Adobe. In that capacity, he serves as an executive coach and internal consultant to senior leadership teams across the company.
Dr. Nate and Jeff discuss the particularities of his position at Adobe; they explore the features of a healthy team and the challenges a team must confront to achieve its best performance. Jeff shares his vast knowledge of psychological safety, vulnerability, diversity, and inclusiveness based on his extensive experience in leading high-performing teams.
Key Takeaways:
[3:40] Jeff talks about a conference both he and Dr. Nate recently participated in.
[5:15] Jeff shares some of his background and journey that led him to his current position at Adobe.
[6:57] What about Jeff's Senior Director of Organizational Effectiveness position at Adobe is unique?
[9:26] What makes a team healthy?
[11:00] Jeff addresses compassion and inclusivity as crucial features of a healthy team.
[12:40] Where does conflict come in for high-performing teams?
[15:13] What is psychological safety? How does it contribute to high-performing teams?
[18:50] What does "radical candor" really mean?
[21:15] Jeff expands on the key to effective feedback.
[22:20] How does vulnerability contribute to high-performing teams?
[24:57] Why do so many leaders perceive vulnerability as a weakness?
[27:27] What are some of the systems and processes that can support high-performing cultures?
Listen, reflect, and learn what's possible when conflict becomes a catalyst instead of collateral damage.
Subscribe for more real client transformation stories
Visit www.nextelement.com to learn more about Compassionate Accountability
Share this episode with a leader who's in the thick of it
"A healthy team starts with trust and psychological safety." #oncompassion
"Leveraging diversity is not just about accepting and valuing differences; there is an inherent conflict in diversity and also an inherent opportunity." #oncompassion
"Psychological safety is the foundation that enables someone to lean into the discomfort." #oncompassion
"Culture is to build one relationship at a time." #oncompassion
"Vulnerability is one of the most profound leadership strengths that exists." #oncompassion
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