In this episode of the Building Better Cultures Podcast, host Scott McInnes speaks with Glenda Kirby, Chief Customer Officer at Poppulo, about the evolving role of leadership communication in a fast-changing workplace.
They explore how trust, transparency, and empathy form the foundation of strong organizational cultures, particularly in a world shaped by hybrid work, constant change, and emerging technologies like AI. Glenda shares practical insights from her experience helping global organizations communicate with millions of employees, as well as lessons from her leadership roles at LinkedIn and Indeed.
You will walk away with actionable ideas on communicating through change, building trust within teams, and developing leadership skills such as clarity under pressure, empathy, and authenticity.
Leadership communication, internal communications, organisational culture, trust in leadership, empathy in leadership, clarity under pressure, employee engagement, hybrid work, change management, communication strategy, workplace culture, leadership development, Poppulo, employee experience.
00:00 – Introduction to the episode and guest
01:00 – Glenda Kirby's background and Poppulo's global reach
03:00 – Why trust is central to strong workplace cultures
05:20 – Communication overload and cutting through the noise
08:50 – The growing complexity of leadership roles
12:20 – Why organizations still underinvest in communication skills
15:00 – Simple communication techniques leaders can use immediately
18:50 – The importance of empathy and authenticity in leadership
21:00 – Acting on employee feedback and building trust
24:40 – Understanding how different people receive communication
29:00 – Leading teams through constant organizational change
33:00 – The risk of over-communication during uncertain times
35:40 – Final reflections and leadership quick-fire questions
37:30 – The leadership skills that matter most today
