96: The Hidden Cost of Fear: Building a Culture That Engages | Tom Willis

Release Date:

Nov 26

Are You Leading a Disengaged Team?

According to Gallup, 70% of employees are disengaged at work, with over half actively looking for new jobs. For a 600-person company, that means 420 people don’t really care about what they’re doing. This sobering reality costs the US economy $500 billion annually in stress-related absences alone. In this episode, Tom Willis, co-author of “The Great Engagement” and former CEO of Cornerstone, examines how leaders can transform their organizational culture from fear-based to purpose-driven. He explores the crucial connection between engagement and personal aspiration, explains why traditional engagement initiatives often fail, and provides practical strategies for creating a coaching culture that unlocks human potential.

What You’ll Learn:

Why asking “Are you open to feedback?” triggers the same brain response as hearing footsteps in the dark

How unconscious “cultural mindsets” sabotage engagement and what leaders can do about it
The paradox of slowing down to speed up organizational effectiveness
Why engagement without personal aspiration is meaningless
The critical difference between having “a high need for perfection” versus being “a perfectionist”
How to “listen the greatness” out of people instead of trying to force development
The power of switching from fear-based to “agape love” leadership
The importance of creating psychological safety for authentic coaching relationships

In This Episode:

(00:00) Introduction to Tom Willis – Damon and Darren introduce Tom Willis, leadership consultant and culture expert, to discuss building exceptional workplace cultures.
(02:00) The Cost of Disengagement – Tom shares alarming statistics about workplace disengagement and how leaders can take immediate action to address it.
(05:30) Culture Eats Everything – Tom explains why culture is the most powerful tool a CEO has and how leaders can actively shape it.
(08:33) Engagement Equals Action Plus Empowerment – Tom introduces his formula for engagement and shares why empowerment and alignment are key.
(12:00) Overcoming Unconscious Purpose – Tom discusses how fear-based mindsets derail leadership and how leaders can shift to purpose-driven decision-making.
(17:00) Coaching and the Role of Listening – Tom emphasizes the power of listening in leadership and how it unlocks potential within teams.
(21:30) The Elevate System – Tom introduces his behavioral model, Elevate, designed to help leaders assess and adapt their leadership approach.
(33:18) Practical Advice for CEOs – Tom shares advice for CEOs on creating a culture of trust, vulnerability, and accountability.
(40:00) Final Thoughts on Leadership – Tom reflects on the importance of serving others and fostering agape love in the workplace.

About Our Guest:

Tom Willis brings unique insights to leadership development, having served as both a school superintendent and CEO of Cornerstone. The co-author of The Great Engagement and creator of the Elevate System, Tom combines his education experience—including teaching in Africa—with business acumen from PricewaterhouseCoopers consulting. A graduate of Michigan and Notre Dame, he helps organizations build stronger cultures through conscious leadership practices.

Resources Referenced: