Growth Hacking Culture

Every HR leader knows the numbers. Absenteeism. Turnover. Declining performance. What most won't say out loud is who's driving them. Working parents. Not because they're less committed. Not because they can't handle pressure. But because we built the modern workplace for a reality that stopped existing decades ago — and nobody has had the courage to redesign it. Dr. Rosina McAlpine has spent over a decade working with hundreds of organizations and hundreds of thousands of working parents on exactly this problem. As CEO of Win Win Parenting and a former university researcher in work-family integration, Dr. Rosina McAlpine doesn't deal in feel-good programs and tick-box policies. She deals in data, systems change, and the kind of practical frameworks that actually move the needle. In this conversation with Ivan Palomino, Dr. Rosina McAlpine breaks down why the "leave your personal life at the door" model is now a business liability, what a genuinely family-friendly organization looks like beyond the branding, and how HR leaders can build the business case in numbers a CFO will respect. If you're an HR professional, a people leader, or an executive who suspects your organization is losing more than it realizes — this episode is your starting point. In this episode: The 5-point framework for a workplace where working parents actually thrive Why equity and equality are not the same thing — and why it matters for everyone The real cost of working parent burnout your finance team isn't tracking Why no program works without leadership role modeling behind it Where to start when the budget is tight and the skeptics are loud Connect with Dr. Rosina McAlpine: winwinparenting.com | drrosina.com Growth Hacking Culture is a top 5% global podcast hosted by Ivan Palomino, exploring the human side of leadership and workplace performance.

Most organizations are investing billions in leadership development, resilience training, and mindfulness programs — and burnout rates keep climbing. The problem isn't the intervention. It's that they're treating symptoms while the culture keeps producing the damage. In this episode of the Growth Hacking Culture Podcast, Ivan Palomino speaks with Dr. Irena O'Brien — cognitive neuroscientist and founder of The Neuroscience School — about what brain science actually tells us about workplace culture, stress, and organizational performance. Dr. Irena cuts through the corporate wellness theatre to deliver what the research really says: culture is not a soft layer on top of performance. It is one of the key conditions the brain uses to calculate threat, cost, effort, and possibility. And when that culture is chaotic, punitive, or overloaded — your people's brains are spending more of the day managing biological cost than doing the work you hired them for. In this episode you will discover: → The most dangerous neuroscience myth running loose in corporate culture right now → Why insight and awareness training don't create behavioral change — and what does → What psychological unsafe environments do to the prefrontal cortex over time → The concept of allostasis and why every CEO should understand it before making culture decisions → Why high performers burn out faster — and what the data says about culture vs. compensation as a driver of turnover → The 6-hour cognitive limit and how decision fatigue silently degrades your organization's judgment → Why working from home improved productivity for many — and what that tells us about energy and autonomy → How to organize work around your brain's actual energy peaks Free resource from Dr. Irena O'Brien: Applied Neuroscience Starter Kit — built specifically for this episode's audience: 👉 https://loveneuroscience.com/culture 🌐 Listen to her podcast, The Neuroscience of Coaching https://neuroscienceschool.com/podcasts/ About the host: Ivan Palomino 📩 Sign up for Simply Human (free monthly newsletter): https://simplyhuman.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow the Growth Hacking Culture Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-hacking-culture/id1610439533 📝 Visit Ivan's Blog: https://www.ivanpalomino.net/blog-ivan-palomino 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/ivanpalomino_ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanpalomino.official/

Most leaders are wired to push harder when things get tough. Evan Marks spent 25 years on Wall Street doing exactly that — until a panic attack stopped him cold at 46. What he built after that experience became M1 Performance Group, and a coaching philosophy that's now used by top executives, athletes, and traders around the world. His core argument: talent is table stakes. What actually separates the best from the rest is what happens in your head when everything goes sideways. In this conversation, Evan and Ivan get into the real stuff — the 35,000 decisions your brain processes daily, why "controlling your emotions" is the wrong goal, how to find composure when the pressure never lets up, and what regret has to do with any of it. No hacks. No toxic positivity. Just a honest conversation about what elite performance actually looks like from the inside. Evan's book The Quiet Edge drops soon. Find him at m1performancegroup.com And don't forget to listen to his latest TedTalk What if Your Worst Day Could Change the World Growth Hacking Culture is a top 5% global podcast hosted by Ivan Palomino, exploring the human side of leadership and workplace culture.

Have you ever felt like your brain is on "auto-pilot"? You sit in the same chair, stare at the same screen, and follow the same routines until your office feels like a "sensory desert". Biologically, we are wired for discovery, yet the modern workplace often trades that natural curiosity for pure efficiency. In this episode, I’m joined by the "Creativity Explorer" himself, Fredrik Haren. Fredrik has traveled to over 75 countries to interview the world's most inventive minds, and he’s here to help us build what he calls the "Curiosity Architecture". We aren't just talking about "brainstorming" fluff. We’re diving into the real tactics—from the "50-Meter Rule" used by Swiss illustrators to the way an identical twin uses AI to "brainstorm with themselves". If you've ever felt that curiosity at work is an "admission of incompetence," this conversation will help you flip the script and turn "not knowing" into your greatest professional asset. 🎙️ In this episode, we explore: The 50-Meter Rule: Why turning around every 50 meters helps you see "twice as much forest"—and how to apply that to your desk. Micro-Rituals for the Office: Why simply shifting your chair 25 degrees can trick your brain out of a "biologically stuck" state. The Art of "Fractaling": How to find world-class ideas by diving deep into your own supply chain or the lives of your customers. Bypassing the Amygdala: How leaders can design meetings that signal "safety to play" rather than just "safety to comply". The "What Do You Think?" Rule: A life-changing tip for raising creative children and leading more innovative teams. 🕒 Timestamps: 00:00 – Why the modern office is a "Sensory Desert". 05:40 – The 50-Meter Rule: A ritual for seeing what others miss. 12:10 – The "Dopamine Trick": Breaking out of auto-pilot. 17:35 – Digital vs. Tactile: Why your brain needs physical artifacts. 23:15 – What is "Fractaling"? Finding the hidden value in your work. 30:10 – Designing "Safe" Meetings: Getting the best from your team. 35:30 – Questions > Answers: Rewiring the corporate reward system. 45:50 – AI as your "Digital Twin": Scaling your own curiosity. 52:40 – Final Thoughts: One small change to make to your desk today. 🔗 Connect with Fredrik Haren: Website: FredrikHaren.com Book: The World of Creativity About the host: Ivan Palomino Sign up for "Simply Human" (Ivan's free monthly email newsletter): https://simplyhuman.substack.com/ Follow the Growth Hacking Culture Podcast on Spotify or Apple podcast Visit Ivan Palomino's Blog: https://www.ivanpalomino.net/blog-ivan-palomino Follow Ivan Palomino on Twitter: https://x.com/ivanpalomino_ Follow Ivan Palomino on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanpalomino.official/

In this episode of Growth Hacking Culture, we dive deep into The Habit Factor—the scientific bridge between stated company values and actual employee behavior. Our guest, Christoph Merrill (The Habit Freak), argues that most culture initiatives fail because they rely on inspiration rather than habit formation. When the pressure of the corporate world hits, people don't fall back on mission statements; they fall back on their habitual defaults. If you want to transform your organization, you have to stop "managing" culture and start "hacking" habits. In this episode, we deconstruct: The Habit Loop in Business: How to identify the cues and rewards that drive current (and often counter-productive) office behaviors. Why Willpower is a Corporate Myth: Why even the most dedicated employees struggle with culture change without a habit-based system. Identity-Based Habit Formation: Moving your team from "following rules" to "embodying the brand" through consistent, repeatable actions. The 92-Day Habit Rule: Why short-term "culture workshops" don't work and the timeline required for a new habit to become the organizational default. The Zappos Model: Real-world examples of how habit-driven identity creates a self-sustaining high-performance culture. Whether you are an HR leader, a CEO, or a manager looking to improve team dynamics, this conversation provides a tactical blueprint for using habit science to drive measurable cultural transformation. Connect with Christoph Merrill: Want to learn more about mastering your defaults or bringing habit-based transformation to your team? Connect with "The Habit Freak" here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophmerrill/ Website: https://www.christophmerrill.com/ Show Notes & Timestamps 00:00 – The problem with "Values on Walls." 05:30 – Christoph Merrill’s journey into habit science. 11:15 – Why willpower fails in a corporate environment. 17:40 – Designing a "Default Operating System" for your team. 25:20 – The 92-Day Rule: Moving from initiative to instinct. 33:10 – Maintaining cultural integrity during high-stress periods. 42:05 – Practical first steps for "Culture Hacking" your department.

How do we lead with soul in a world run by code? In this episode, we explore the concept of Human-Centric AI Leadership with renowned strategist Paul Gibbons. We dive deep into his framework of the "Great Collisions"—the friction points where human agency, empathy, and algorithmic decision-making meet in the modern workplace. Paul discusses why the rise of AI doesn't mean the end of human influence, but rather a call to strengthen our uniquely human capabilities. If you are a leader or professional trying to navigate the shift toward automation without losing the "human touch," this conversation provides the ethical and practical roadmap you need. Key Takeaways: The Agency Collision: How to maintain professional autonomy when algorithms begin to suggest—or make—decisions for us. The Empathy Gap: Why artificial intelligence can simulate empathy but never truly replicate the human connection required for effective leadership. Navigating the Great Collisions: Practical steps for integrating AI into your workflow while protecting employee morale and agency. The Future of Management: Why "Human-Centric AI Leadership" is the most critical skill set for the next decade. Episode Highlights [00:00] – Introduction: Defining Human-Centric AI Leadership. [05:30] – What are the "Great Collisions" at work? [12:15] – Why Human Agency is the antidote to "Algorithmic Anxiety." [20:45] – Empathy vs. Simulation: Can AI truly understand human needs? [28:10] – The Ethics of Automation: Avoiding the "Black Box" leadership trap. [37:50] – Case Studies: Successes and failures in the collision of humans and tech. [48:20] – Actionable advice for leaders navigating the next 5 years of AI. References: Adaptive Adoption™ — Why AI Adoption Fails and How to Fix It His book - BRAINS BODIES MINDS (The Great Collisions, Volume I): How AI is Transforming Medicine, Therapy, and Wellness Think Bigger Think Better Newsletter with Paul Gibbons

The world is full of exhausted leaders who have been conditioned to believe that leadership is a performance—a set of KPIs to hit and a professional mask to wear. But what if the very act of trying to lead is what is stopping you from being effective? In this episode of the Growth Hacking Culture podcast, we sit down with Will Steel, a former RAF pilot and executive coach who argues that your leadership genius is already within you, buried under a lifetime of social conditioning. We explore the ontological approach to leadership: focusing on the nature of being rather than just doing. Will shares powerful stories from his time in the Royal Air Force and his work across the globe, illustrating how stripping away internal "noise" and limiting beliefs allows your natural authority to emerge. If you are tired of the corporate mask and ready to lead with radical presence, this conversation is for you. 🕒 Timestamps: 0:00 – Why the world is full of exhausted leaders 4:15 – The Leadership Paradox: Why "doing" isn't enough 9:30 – Lessons from the RAF: Failing the officer course to find your voice 14:50 – Breaking the Persona: Stripping away the "Professional Mask" 20:10 – Leadership as Subtraction: Removing internal blocks 26:45 – Radical Presence: Learning to truly listen and be "gotten" 32:20 – The Goth Phase & The Rock Climber: How we create our identities 38:05 – Managing High-Stakes Pressure: Boards, teams, and internal noise 44:15 – Ontological Coaching vs. Traditional Training 49:30 – Real-World Transformation: Will’s story of radical reconciliation 56:00 – Final Thoughts and Resources ✅ Micro-Actions for Authentic Leadership: To move from "doing" leadership to "being" a leader, try these small shifts this week: Catch the "Monkey Mind": When in a meeting, notice when you start thinking about what to say next instead of listening. Intentionally return your focus to the person speaking. Practice Subtraction: Identify one "professional mask" or behavior you use to look smart or capable. Try to interact once today without using it. The "Who Am I" Inquiry: Reflect on your job title. Remind yourself that the title is what you do, not who you are. Admit a Blind Spot: If you lose presence or get defensive, simply say: "I’m sorry, I wasn't listening/I got defensive. Can you say that again?" Notice how it increases trust. Connect with Will Steel: Website: https://willsteel.com/ Book: Free to Lead - https://a.co/d/0iNwsQ4i