Why Your Team Isn't Engaged (And What To Do About It) | Dr. Joey Fawcett (Episode 164)

What if the toxic leadership patterns you experienced early in your career are the same ones you're unknowingly repeating today? Dr. Joey Fawcett went from being cussed out at a radio station to becoming one of the leading voices on positive workplace culture—and his journey will change how you think about leadership forever. In this episode, Dr. Joey shares how a near-death experience as a nine-year-old entrepreneur cemented the word "positive" into his brain, why "muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone," and the one leadership skill that changed everything for him.  If You've Ever... If you've ever felt like your team just isn't engaged enough, this conversation is for you. If you've ever wondered why you keep repeating leadership patterns you swore you'd never use, this conversation is for you. If you've ever blamed your team for problems that might actually start with you, this conversation is for you. If you've ever struggled to balance giving direction with giving your team space to grow, this conversation is for you. If you've ever wanted to create a truly positive workplace culture (not toxic positivity), this conversation is for you. What You'll Learn: \-   Why Dr. Joey's first business as a nine-year-old almost killed him—and what it taught him about positive leadership      \-   The toxic radio station experience that shaped his entire career mission      \-   How to break free from repeating the leadership patterns you experienced (even when you hated them)      \-   The power of active listening and why it's more important than having all the answers      \-   When to take action as a leader and when to practice "positive patience"      \-   Why unstated expectations always lead to resentment in your team      \-   How to create a culture where people become the best version of themselves      \-   The identity question every leader needs to answer to be effective      Key Quote "Whether the consequences are intended or unintended, we're still responsible for them in as much as our behavior prompts them. That's what happened with me. I was just mismatched and just wasn't comfortable within my identity." - Dr. Joey Fawcett Key Timestamps 00:01 - Introduction and Welcome 00:40 - Dr. Joey's First Business: The Lawn Mowing Disaster at Age 9 03:09 - Week in Duke University Hospital Under a Mist Tent 03:27 - Mom's Powerful Words: "I'm Positive You're Gonna Make It" 05:40 - Station Owner's Toxic Response and Introduction to Toxic Culture 09:10 - The Toxic Experience: Repeating What You Hated 12:14 - Personal Identity Crisis: "I Wouldn't Want to Work for Me" 13:44 - The Key Practice That Changed Everything: Active Listening 20:45 - The Identity Question: Who Are You as a Leader? 24:30 - When Your Team Isn't Engaged: Look in the Mirror 31:25 - Taking Responsibility for Everything in Your World 36:15 - The Difference Between Solving and Serving 40:30 - Growing Culture, Growing People, Growing Profits 43:30 - Better Workplace = Better Partners, Parents, Community Members 49:30 - Where to Connect with Dr. Joey Fawcett Connect with Dr. Joey Fawcett Work Positive Website: http://workpositive.today Books by Dr. Joey: \-   Work Positive in a Negative World      \-   Leader's Soul      Find Dr. Joey at speaking events and on social media through his website. Subscribe for More Real Conversations If you're an entrepreneur or leader who's tired of the surface-level advice and wants real, honest conversations about what it actually takes to build a business and lead a team, hit that subscribe button. New episodes of Today's Business Leaders drop every week with founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs who are doing the work and sharing the real lessons—not just the highlight reel. About Today's Business Leaders Today's Business Leaders is where real entrepreneurs share real stories. We don't do the polished, perfect nonsense you see everywhere else. We talk about the failures, the breakthroughs, the late nights, and the lessons that only come from actually building something that matters. Hosted by Gabe Arnold, founder of Business Marketing Engine, this podcast is for entrepreneurs who are playing the long game and want to learn from others who are doing the same. #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #WorkCulture #PositiveLeadership #BusinessPodcast #TodaysBusinessLeaders #EntrepreneurMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamCulture #BusinessGrowth