Amplify Speakers Podcast – Episode 2
Unlocking Workplace Culture
In this episode of the Amplify Speakers Podcast, host Chris Sund interviews Shari Collins, an award-winning leadership expert and business owner. Shari shares her journey from the classroom to the boardroom — and how her background in teaching and positive psychology shapes a distinctive approach to building workplace cultures where people genuinely thrive. The conversation covers ageism, psychological safety, multi-generational teams, and the real ROI of investing in culture.
Watch or Listen to Episode 2
Episode Summary
Culture is the word every organization uses and almost none can clearly define. Shari Collins has made it her life’s work to change that. A former teacher turned award-winning leadership consultant and business owner, Shari brings an educator’s precision and a psychologist’s insight to the messiest, most consequential challenge in modern business — building workplaces where people actually want to show up.
In this conversation, Shari and Chris dig into what psychological safety really looks like in practice, why ageism cuts both ways across the generational spectrum, and how multi-generational teams — when built deliberately — become one of the most powerful engines of innovation and collaboration an organization can have. She also makes the business case for culture investment in terms any CFO can understand, grounding it in real ROI rather than soft sentiment.
At the heart of it all is a simple truth Shari returns to again and again: every person in your organization needs to feel valued and respected. Not occasionally. Every day. This episode shows you how to build that — systematically.
Key Takeaways
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Culture is defined by psychological safety and inclusivity — not perks or ping-pong tables
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Ageism affects both younger and older employees and must be addressed on both ends
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Multi-generational teams, when structured well, dramatically enhance collaboration and innovation
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Creativity thrives only in environments where psychological safety is genuinely prioritized
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Investing in culture produces measurable, tangible ROI for organizations
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Mentorship is crucial for developing effective leaders at every level
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Shari’s coaching approach is rooted in education, engagement, and positive psychology
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Global perspectives enrich our understanding of workplace dynamics and leadership
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The core human needs in any workplace are being valued and being respected
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Shari’s transition from teaching to business ownership gave her a unique lens on organizational culture
Standout Quotes
“Ageism cuts both ways. We have to stop making assumptions based on the number of years someone has been on the planet.”
“If people do not feel safe, they will not take risks. And if they will not take risks, you will never get their best ideas.”
“At the core, every person in your organization needs two things: to feel valued and to feel respected.”
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Shari Collins
01:16 Shari’s Career Journey: From Teaching to Business Ownership
04:46 The Importance of Workplace Culture
06:43 Defining Workplace Culture
08:14 Addressing Ageism in the Workplace
12:31 Strategies to Combat Ageism
18:25 Creativity and Psychological Safety
20:06 The ROI of Investing in Culture
22:37 Shari’s Unique Approach to Coaching
30:42 Global Perspectives on Leadership
33:16 The Core Human Needs in the Workplace
About Shari Collins
Shari Collins is an award-winning leadership expert, positive psychology practitioner, and business owner who has built a career helping organizations create cultures where people do their best work. A former educator, Shari brings the precision of a teacher and the insight of a psychologist to the complex, human challenge of building workplaces that are genuinely inclusive, psychologically safe, and strategically strong.
Her work spans industries, generations, and continents — bringing a global perspective to leadership development that few consultants can match. She is known for a coaching approach rooted in education and deep engagement, and for an ability to translate the science of positive psychology into strategies leaders can use immediately to build cultures that last.
Why This Episode Matters
Culture is not a feeling. It is a system — and like every system, it can be designed, measured, and improved. Shari Collins makes that case compellingly in this episode, and backs it up with the kind of practical frameworks that leaders can apply in their next one-on-one, their next team meeting, or their next all-hands.
For any leader who has felt the gap between the culture they want and the culture they have — and has not known quite how to close it — this episode is the place to start.
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