“I think my deepest ambition for work is that it’s a place where we don’t just have well-being, but we have well-being in its true sense, great social connections, great relationships. It’s not lonely anymore. It’s not miserable. That we support each other and challenge each other, but it’s also a place of personal growth and development… And that we go to work to grow and evolve as humans, as well as deliver a great service to other people.”
S03E12 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Helen Sanderson, founder of the UK-based home care organization Wellbeing Teams, which transformed its workplace culture by prioritizing trust over hierarchy through self-management principles. In this episode, Helen reflects on the challenges of transitioning from a traditional leadership role to fostering a culture rooted in autonomy, direct communication, and empathy. She discusses how such a shift demands fundamental changes in both leadership mindset and organizational structure, emphasizing the need for leaders to model desired behaviors rather than impose top-down mandates.
At Wellbeing Teams, psychological safety is treated with the same importance as physical safety, cultivating an environment where team members feel secure enough to voice concerns, take risks, and express their authentic selves. Helen reveals how building a culture of trust and value not only enhances employee satisfaction but also leads to higher-quality client care. Tune in to explore the tangible benefits of rethinking workplace dynamics through empathy and empowerment.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Score provides an X-ray of your organizational culture, allowing you to measure and manage it.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• How self-management principles transform both leaders and organizations.
• Why psychological safety is the foundation of innovative workplace cultures.
• Practical approaches to fostering team autonomy and empathy.
• The importance of direct, transparent communication in enhancing team dynamics.
• Why modeling desired behaviors is essential for authentic culture development.
• How leaders can unlearn entrenched behaviors and embrace vulnerability.
Further resources:
• Helen Sanderson Associates Website: https://www.helensandersonassociates.com/
• Helen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helensandersonhsa/
• Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness, by Frederic Laloux: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20787425-reinventing-organizations
• The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self, by Martha N. Beck: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55481231-the-way-of-integrity
• Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, by Charles Duhigg: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157981748-supercommunicators
• The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, Amy C. Edmondson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40275161-the-fearless-organization
