We’ve heard all the usual suspects when it comes to remote engagement—Slack check-ins, virtual happy hours, maybe an annual engagement survey if we’re lucky. But what if the problem isn’t the tools, but the assumptions? In this episode, David Rice sits down with Dr. Adora Ikwuemesi, whose recent qualitative study of remote workers in Nigeria reveals a much deeper, more nuanced picture of what truly drives—or erodes—remote engagement.

Adora walks us through her seven-part framework that emerged from conversations with 24 remote workers. Spoiler: it’s not just about more communication; it’s about better connection. From the physical realities of working without reliable electricity, to the surprising role that fun plays in fostering commitment, this conversation strips engagement down to its real-world components—beyond perks and policies. If you think your team is “fine,” you may just be missing the silence before the storm.

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• Check out Dr. Adora’s website and Kendor Consulting Ltd

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Candor is easy to value and hard to operationalize. It takes more than writing "feedback" on a poster and hoping people magically feel safe being honest. In this episode, I talk to Valentina Gissin, Chief People Officer at Garner Health, about how her team institutionalizes candor and turns culture into lived behavior—not empty slogans.

We dig into radical practices like publishing peer and upward feedback company-wide, cultural onboarding through case studies, and pushing back against the illusion of "culture fit" during hiring. Valentina also shares what she carried over (and what she left behind) from her time at Bridgewater, one of the most studied and controversial company cultures in corporate America.

This conversation is a blueprint for any leader asking the hard question: how do we make our culture real at scale?

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• Connect with Valentina on LinkedIn
• Check out Garner Health

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Most new managers aren't failing because they're bad at the job. They're failing because no one ever told them what the job actually is.

In this episode, David talks with Lia Garvin, author of The New Manager Playbook, about the real barriers keeping new managers from delivering results. It's not a lack of ambition or intelligence. It's a complete absence of clear expectations, practical support, and trust—from both directions.

They unpack why performance reviews so often feel arbitrary, how workplace surveillance backfires, and why calling your team a "family" is setting everyone up for disappointment. Whether you're newly promoted or managing the managers, this episode will reframe how you think about delegation, accountability, and what it really takes to lead.

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• Connect with Lia on LinkedIn
• Check out Lia’s book: The New Manager Playbook and the Managing Made Simple podcast

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