Gut + Science

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**Gut + Science**

Gut + Science is a leadership podcast for executives, people leaders, and high achievers who want to build stronger teams, healthier workplace cultures, and higher employee engagement.

Hosted by Nikki Lewallen Gregory, each episode blends people-first leadership, practical leadership development, and real-world insight from executives and thought leaders.

Through candid conversations and powerful stories, Gut + Science explores culture, coaching, communication, performance, employee engagement, and the human side of leadership, giving listeners practical ideas and perspectives they can put into action.

Latest Episodes:

Monday Fire: Special Gratitude Touches Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Happy Monday! Every Monday we drop some #MondayFire to help you get excited about your week. Here we go!

Our question for you today:

How can you recognize or thank a coworker?

Subscribe to get your Monday Fired up.

Healthcare Series: Using Reflection to Recharge | Maureen Fagan Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Maureen Fagan is the Chief Nursing Executive at University of Miami Health System in Miami, FL. She is passionate about leading resilience and helping people recharge.

In this episode, Maureen recounts her leadership journey this year on the frontlines of healthcare and shares best practices to help employees find their "reserves".

Truth You Can Act On

1. Listen to Hear and Empathize

Supporting Quotes

Maureen Fagan: "You see an executive that's on the floor in what we would call the trenches. That's our slang for being on the unit and seeing the patients and meeting the patients and hearing their stories, and I can see that when I do that nursing leadership in the end, the nurses on the frontline that are their staff step back and listen to me. They listened to me talking to the patient. And when I'm talking with the patient, I'm cognizant of the fact that I'm modeling the behavior, that I would like them to have the comportment of what I would like them to be providing."

Maureen Fagan: "You're staying on point with what the patient is explained to you. And if the patient is sad about, um, having gotten COVID and they just couldn't believe it, and that they didn't think it would happen to them, you're obviously saying, 'I'm so sorry that this happened to you.' You're being able to meet them where they are at this moment. So what you're doing is focusing the negative mindset that the patient is in currently, and then you're saying, in your mind, 'How am I actually going to be focusing on something positive?' So you're taking that mindset, that negative mindset, and giving it the reframe that we talked about to something positive."

2. Don't Take the Bait

Supporting Quote

Maureen Fagan: "I think if you reflect back and use the lens of objectivity, you know, I know I got triggered by when he, or she said this or that. And then that made me do what? I tell my staff, and I've told myself this for years, don't take the bait when something is happening right there. There might be somebody that you're having a conversation with and it's becoming provocative for some reason, and you want to make a point. I think if you actually respond back with, 'Well, you know, I think that because ___,', that actually just cascades. And so when you're looking back on this after the event is over or the conversation is over, I think when you reflect back that begins your process of how you restore and rejuvenate yourself based on your reflection."

3. Take Time to Recharge

Supporting Quote

Maureen Fagan: "Part of my self-care is when I get home, I am quiet for a solid hour. I don't watch television. I don't read. I sit outside and I think sitting outside, no matter what the temperature is, if you're dressed the right way to be able to actually breathe without your mask outside, without anyone else being around you is a saving grace in this pandemic."

4. Have Energizing Talks

Supporting Quotes

Maureen Fagan: "One of the things we like to do is to come on [Zoom] a little bit earlier and just chat it up. That's been fun because whoever is on early, you get to say hello to and talk about other things, too. And when the new folks come on, you can see them come on before they actually come on. So, if you're already talking, the other person realizes, 'Oh, you know, I really want to talk to these people, too.' And now we have another two minutes before we're actually going to start the Zoom. So I find that a lot of fun."

Maureen Fagan: "I think to be, to be a little silly changes the energy in a room and to be silly with, um, without hurting someone's feelings. So silly stays in a realm of being funny and being childlike in its environment. And that is a very high energy field to be like that it's like singing, singing is another very high energy field that you can capture. But silliness does that too."

Book Recommendations

Sponsor

Wambi.org – Wambi is about human connections. We view feedback as the fuel for interpersonal growth and are always striving to achieve the highest versions of ourselves and to lift others up along the way.

Monday Fire: Create a Vibe You Thrive In Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

Happy Monday! Every Monday we drop some #MondayFire to help you get excited about your week. Here we go! Our question for you today: What vibe can you create to help you thrive? Subscribe to get your Monday Fired up.

105: Embracing a "Feed-Forward" Mentality | Bill Auxier Nov 05, 2020

Show notes

Bill Auxier is the President and CEO of Dynamic Leadership Academy where he specializes in executive coaching, specifically in the healthcare industry.

In this episode, Bill breaks down the method called team stakeholder-centered executive coaching, and discusses the power of personal assessments and feedback.

To learn more about Bill and team stakeholder-centered executive coaching, you can tune into his podcast Rural Health Leadership Radio at rhlradio.com or visit his website at billauxier.com

Truth You Can Act On

1. Focus on One Thing to Make a Difference

Supporting Quote

Bill Auxier: "For the executive team, they felt like they needed to become better communicators, but one of their big picture objectives was improving employee engagement. So working with them, identifying a goal, a team goal around communication, and then working on that with each of the senior leadership team members, as well as a group. Each person created their own individual goal that contributed to the team goal, and through that stakeholder centered coaching process, we measure the results of their growth in their behavioral change and their growth and communication."

2. Pivot Feedback to Feed-Forward

Supporting Quote

Bill Auxier: "Feedback is important to me because I can learn from it, but I can't change anything, whereas feed forward is a suggestion on how I can improve in the future. We can't change the past. We can learn from the past, but we're all striving to perform better in the future. And that's why we want to emphasize feed forward because to a certain extent, we got to let go of the past. The past is behind us. We learn from it, yes, but we need to let go of the past. Then in that moment live in the present and then work towards the future. And that's what feed forward is all about."

3. Change Your Behavior

Supporting Quote

Bill Auxier: "If I told you that I was wanting to become a better listener, because I think I need to be a better listener, and I think it would make a big impact on our ability to work together. So occasionally I'd like to ask you for some feedback and feed forward. I can read all kinds of books, I can Google how to be a better listener. I can read all these articles. I can be doing all these trick things in my brain to be a better listener, but if I never asked you if I'm being a better listener, how am I going to know if I'm being a better listener? I can learn from that. I'm constantly asking you for feedback and feed forward, so after a while, you're going to say, 'Hey, I guess they are taking this seriously, and he really does want to become a better listener.' And then when I implement an idea that you suggested to me, you're actually going to notice it because you suggested it to me...And so not only am I changing my behavior, you're noticing how my behavior is changing because we're always talking about, and so that's how you can change behavior and the perception of that behavior simultaneously.

4. Say "Thank You" After Feedback

Supporting Quote

Bill Auxier: "When you ask someone for feedback, after someone tells you, you can only respond with two words, sometimes three words, but those two words are 'Thank you', or you could include their, their name, 'Thank you, Nikki.' The reasoning behind that is, has anyone ever asked you for feedback about something, you give them feedback and then they tell you why you're wrong? Does that encourage you to give that person more feedback? No, because they didn't really want feedback. They want you to agree with whatever they did. So if you're going to ask for feedback, and if you're going to build trust, and if you're gonna encourage others to do this again, when you ask for feedback or when you ask for feeds forward, after you listen to what they say, you don't interrupt them. You let them tell you what they're going to tell you. You can only respond with two or three words. 'Thank you', or "Thank you, NAME.' That's it."

Book Recommendations

Triggers by Mark Reiter and Marshall Goldsmith
What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

Monday Fire: Build That Habit Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

Happy Monday! Every Monday we drop some #MondayFire to help you get excited about your week. Here we go! Our question for you today: What habit can you build today? Subscribe to get your Monday Fired up.

Monday Fire: Bring People Together Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

Happy Monday! Every Monday we drop some #MondayFire to help you get excited about your week. Here we go! Our question for you today: How can you be a catalyst to bring people together? Subscribe to get your Monday Fired up.

104: Win Every Day | Mark Miller Oct 22, 2020

Show notes

Mark Miller is the VP of High-Performance Leadership at Chick-fil-A and the best-selling author of nine books, including his most recent, Win Every Day. For over twenty years, Mark and his team at Chick-fil-A have researched what drives organizational performance and applied it to their everyday operations.

In this episode, Mark shares practices and tools to help leaders execute and cultivate a healthy workplace.

Truth You Can Act On

1. Commit to Pursuing Mastery

Supporting Quote

Mark Miller: "We actually think mastery, even though it's maybe not an everyday word, that it is the right word. I want to be really, really clear. The goal here is to do the right thing the right way every time, but it's not the expectation. And we think there's a huge difference. If an expectation is unrealistic or impossible, it will de-motivate people, but a goal, particularly a challenging goal, can inspire people."

2. Own the Numbers

Supporting Quotes

Mark Miller: "We cannot find a high performance organization on the planet that does not put a priority on measurement. And we went down that track early and we said, measurement is critical. Measurement is essential. And it is one of those enablers of accountability. But we didn't want it to be just about measurement. It's about an individual saying, 'I will own the numbers. I will take personal responsibility for the outcomes, and then I will do what I can do to impact and have a positive effect on those numbers.'"

Mark Miller: "I hear a lot of leaders who make excuses and blame people for their numbers. The best leaders say, 'We've got to own these numbers. Even if they were impacted by circumstances, beyond our control, they are our numbers and they are the reflection of the behaviors, and they are the outcome of our efforts.' We've got to get on the solution side of this. We cannot move to the blame side. The best leaders rarely blame other people. They accept responsibility and they say, 'How do we turn this around? How do we solve this?'"

3. Help Others Win

Supporting Quote

Mark Miller: "I think it has to become the culture of your organization. And I think culture is really the collective habits of the people. And if this is articulated, if this is part of the vision that the leaders share, if the leaders model this, if they'll actually coach for life, as opposed to just coaching for work, and then they create the expectation. They recognize and reward people who do actually help others win and know that everyone else has committed the same thing. And it is counterintuitive on many levels, but it has turbocharged some organizations that I'm aware of because it gave permission to people to do what they wanted to do."

Healthcare Series: A Culture Philosophy in 5 S's | Bernie McGuinness Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

This episode of Gut+Science Healthcare is a throwback to a guest Bernie McGuinness, Chief Executive Officer at Majestic Care. The business specializes in community-based skilled nursing throughout Indiana, including short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, and memory care. With more than 20 years of experience in senior healthcare management, Bernie understands the inherent stresses of the modern-day healthcare professional.

You'll hear Bernie share how he fosters a "culture first, people first" organization and his desire to develop emotional ownership for his care team members. He also breaks down his "Five S's" strategy; a system that empowers people to take big ideas and turn them into daily strategies for sustainable and prolonged growth.

Truth You Can Act On - The 5 S's

1. Shine

First impressions make incredible impacts. Continued impressions create expectations. What does your physical work environment say about your culture? Set a high priority on fostering a clean and inspiring environment to demonstrate the value of your employees.

2. Smile

Turnover is high in many industries, including healthcare. Don't overlook or undervalue the basic need of all employees: to feel welcomed and appreciated. A warm greeting manifests a winning culture of people-first.

3. Start Strong

Start each and every day out strongly. Promote the importance of employees arriving and starting their tasks on time. Start every meeting exactly when scheduled. These daily acknowledgments of respect fuel a culture of success.

4. Swagger

A confident employee shouldn't be a random anomaly. Confidence stems from a deep understanding of not only internal products but also dynamics within your industry. Strive for swagger by providing your employees with tools to be informed and engaged.

5. Show Off

It's easier for management to take pride in what they do, as they tend to see the bigger picture of how all of the moving parts come together. Foster this sense of pride and ownership within your workforce by promoting employees at all levels to share their success stories.

Sponsor

Wambi.org – Wambi is about human connections. We view feedback as the fuel for interpersonal growth and are always striving to achieve the highest versions of ourselves and to lift others up along the way.

Monday Fire: Where are you settling? Oct 12, 2020

Show notes

Happy Monday! Every Monday we drop some #MondayFire to help you get excited about your week. Here we go!

Our question for you today:

What areas of your life are you settling for being mediocre?

Subscribe to get your Monday Fired up.

103: Create Brand Ambassadors from Within | Jennefer Pursifull Oct 08, 2020

Show notes

Jennefer Pursifull is the VP of Marketing and Sales at Medxcel, where she believes in the importance of collaboration. At Medxcel, Marketing and HR join forces to increase overall engagement of both clients and employees. She knows when you have employees who are proud of the company, telling their stories is the best way to spread a company's brand. In this episode, you'll learn how she builds brand ambassadors by equipping people to tell their stories .

Truth You Can Act On

1. Align Marketing and HR

Supporting Quote

Jennefer Pursifull: "We have a research side of our marketing group, and they really do the customer relationship survey. They oversee our service, transactional surveys on customer satisfaction, and then they do this piece of associate engagement research. And in the last year we have developed an associate index that we combined with our relationship and service, transactional service strategy to create a health index for our remote sites. Our associates do their job out in hospitals and healthcare locations, and so they're dispersed across the country. And one of the things that our HR team really struggled with was understanding the environment within each one of those sites. We now have this index, and we come together with HR, and we look at the index, how the site is doing. We look at the data within that site, and then HR really focuses on kind of the HR basics--the training and leadership development skills, understanding what needs to be supported from technical education and leadership education--and our team looks at what are those drivers of engagement and how do we support the connections between the leaders? And what's around the pieces that will make the greatest impact on how our associates build pride and build their confidence and their support of the organization?"

2. Do Research First

Supporting Quote

Jennefer Pursifull: "I think anytime you start something new, you really need to start with the data. And that's what we did. We started with the research on our customer side, then we added the research on understanding our associates engagement level, and then we use the analytics it takes to bring those two together. So start with the data. Once you have the data that will guide you, watch what your next steps are. Where do you need to focus to build your associate engagement levels? And that's just working on the assumption that the associates engagement level, as it goes up, move towards a brand ambassador position. And we have absolutely seen that result once that associate engagement level is high and your associates are just naturally telling the story of your organization and how they fit and work within this organization."

3. Equip Employees to Be Brand Ambassadors

Supporting Quote

Jennefer Pursifull: "There are a lot of internal ways that we tell those stories, and as you tell them, you actually encourage people to share their stories. But then our brand team very much uses these stories externally, and we use them in social media. We use them in identifying sometimes a story that will turn into an actual case study in one of our accounts where we can focus on a successful service delivery partnership with a customer. We use it on our website, and we use it when we're out speaking and those opportunities really to share the stories that our associates have shared with us."

Book Recommendations

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

Sponsor

The Zone – The Zone is the space where happiness and high performance coexist. We believe in making organizations more human and for this to happen we should not have to trade one for the other. We're offering 10 free coaching sessions to Gut+Science listeners. Visit https://thezone.co/gutscience/coaching to get started.

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