Collaborative-Culture copertina

Collaborative-Culture

Collaborative-Culture

Di: Kristine Gentry and Monica M. Smith
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Collaborative-Culture: Bridging Perspectives, Building Stronger Teams

Culture shapes how we live, work, and collaborate—yet it remains one of our most misunderstood and underutilized assets. Collaborative Culture explores what culture truly means in our workplaces and across societies, revealing how it powers organizational and community success.

Hosted by cultural intelligence experts Dr. Kristine Gentry (Culture Grove) and Monica Smith (Tradewind Consulting), this podcast creates a forum for transformative conversations about the intersection of culture, leadership, and human connection.

Through candid interviews with thought leaders, revealing case studies, and proven strategies, we examine:

  • Building cultures that ignite collaboration and breakthrough innovation
  • Mastering cross-generational and cross-cultural workplace dynamics
  • Navigating the fine line between cultural appreciation and appropriation
  • Developing global leadership dexterity in our interconnected world
  • Preparing for the evolving future of work and its impact on teams
  • Implementing practical techniques for cultivating inclusive environments


For business leaders, people managers, HR professionals, and culture enthusiasts, this podcast challenges conventional thinking while delivering actionable insights to help you build environments where everyone thrives.

Culture isn't just a concept—it's your competitive advantage. Join us as we explore how to create cultures that work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Collaborative Culture Economia Gestione e leadership Management
Episodi
  • The Human Side of M&A: Culture, Trust, and What Happens Next

    The Human Side of M&A: Culture, Trust, and What Happens Next
    Apr 29 2026
    Episode Description

    In this episode of Collaborative Culture, Dr. Kristine Gentry and Monica Smith explore the human and cultural side of mergers and acquisitions.

    For years, leaders heard that roughly 70% of mergers failed. More recent research from Bain suggests that the story has changed: close to 70% of deals now succeed, especially among experienced acquirers that have developed stronger due diligence, integration practices, and what Bain describes as M&A “muscle.”


    But Kristine and Monica ask a deeper question: what does “success” really mean if the people who created the value leave, disengage, or feel invisible after the deal closes?


    They discuss why acquired employees often experience a loss of agency, why financial incentives alone do not solve retention, and how culture shows up in very practical integration moments from decision-making and risk tolerance to benefits, commutes, rituals, communication, and manager support. They also connect M&A lessons to broader leadership challenges in any season of organizational change.


    The conversation draws on research from Bain, Harvard Business Review, and Dr. J. Daniel Kim’s work on turnover among acquired startup employees, which found that acquired workers are significantly more likely to leave than comparable regular hires.


    This episode is for leaders, consultants, HR professionals, and anyone navigating growth, acquisition, integration, or large-scale change.


    In this episode, we explore:
    • Why M&A success depends on more than financial modeling
    • How culture affects execution, trust, innovation, retention, and performance
    • Why acquired employees experience a different transition than regular hires
    • The limits of bonuses, stock options, and financial incentives when belonging is missing
    • Why acquiring companies need to assess their own culture, not just the culture of the company they acquire
    • How rituals, decision-making norms, risk tolerance, and unwritten rules shape integration
    • Why mid-level managers are essential during mergers and acquisitions
    • How journey mapping can improve the acquired employee experience
    • Why leaders need to act on feedback before exit interviews reveal what went wrong
    • What M&A can teach every leader about navigating change

    Key Takeaway

    A merger may close on paper, but it succeeds, or fails, in the lived experience of the people expected to carry the work forward. Culture cannot be handled after the deal. It has to be part of the strategy from the beginning.


    Sources Mentioned

    Kim, J.D. (2024). "The Challenge of Retaining Startup Talent After an Acquisition." Harvard Business Review, February 12, 2024.

    Harding, D., Stafford, D., & Kumar, S. (2024). "A Better Approach to Mergers and Acquisitions." Harvard Business Review, May–June 2024.

    Milosevic, M., Rau, K., & Steelman, L. (2025). "A Guide to Building a Unified Culture After a Merger or Acquisition." Harvard Business Review, April 3, 2025.

    Thanks for Listening!

    We’d love to hear from you.


    Kristine Gentry, PhD

    kgentry@culturegrove.com

    🌐 www.culturegrove.com

    🔗 LinkedIn: Kristine McKenzie Gentry


    Monica M. Smith

    tradewindscareerconsulting@gmail.com

    🌐 www.tradewindscareerconsulting.com

    🔗 LinkedIn: Monica Mary Smith


    If you enjoyed the show, please: subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who cares about building better teams.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    36 min
  • AI Is Not a Tech Problem. It’s a Culture Problem

    AI Is Not a Tech Problem. It’s a Culture Problem
    Apr 15 2026
    Show DescriptionIn this episode of Collaborative Culture, Monica Smith and Dr. Kristine Gentry take a second look at artificial intelligence and ask a more important question: why are so many AI initiatives failing to deliver results? Drawing on recent research and real-world company examples, they make the case that AI is not just a technology shift. It is a culture shift.They explore why fear, uncertainty, status loss, weak communication, and organizational politics can quietly derail even the most promising AI strategy. They also highlight what successful organizations are doing differently, from building trust and transparency to creating learning cultures where employees feel empowered rather than threatened.This conversation is a practical reminder for leaders: if your people are not part of your AI strategy, you do not really have one.Show NotesIn this episode, Monica and Kristine unpack why AI adoption succeeds or fails based on culture, not just capability. They discuss the growing gap between AI investment and actual return, and why so many organizations still treat AI implementation like a software rollout instead of a behavior-change effort. They explore several of the biggest human barriers to adoption, including uncertainty, fear of replacement, and fear of status loss. The conversation looks at how employees respond when they do not understand the technology, do not trust leadership’s intentions, or feel that using AI might make them look less credible or more expendable. Monica and Kristine also highlight examples of companies taking a more effective approach. They discuss organizations that celebrate AI learning, create bottom-up innovation challenges, invest in broad employee development, and give frontline teams more power to solve problems. These examples reinforce a central idea of the episode: culture shapes whether AI becomes a threat, a wasted investment, or a tool for real improvement. The episode also addresses the less visible side of AI transformation, including politics, resource hoarding, hierarchy disruption, and quiet resistance. Monica and Kristine argue that leaders have to pay attention not only to systems and tools, but to incentives, identity, trust, and the stories people are telling themselves about what AI means for their future. In this episode, we discuss:Why AI adoption is a culture challenge, not just a tech challengeWhat current research says about weak AI ROI and failed initiativesThe three human fears that often derail AI adoptionWhy trust, transparency, and training matter more than hypeHow behavioral science helps explain employee resistanceWhat leaders can learn from companies using AI wellWhy culture is the strategy behind successful transformationHow power dynamics and organizational politics interfere with adoptionWhat leaders should ask before rolling out AI in their organizationsSources referenced in this episode: • "The Secret to Successful AI-Driven Process Redesign" — H. James Wilson & Paul R. Daugherty, Harvard Business Review (Jan–Feb 2025) • "Overcoming the Organizational Barriers to AI Adoption" — Jin Li, Feng Zhu & Pascal Hua, Harvard Business Review (Nov 11, 2025) • "How Behavioral Science Can Improve the Return on AI Investments" — David De Cremer et al., Harvard Business Review (Nov 19, 2025) • "How Company Culture Drives AI Strategy Success" — Lara Shewchuk, Fast Company (Nov 6, 2025) • "AI Without Culture Change Is Just a Failed Proof of Concept" — Fast Company (Dec 16, 2025)Thanks for Listening!We’d love to hear from you.Kristine Gentry, PhDkgentry@culturegrove.com🌐 www.culturegrove.com🔗 LinkedIn: Kristine McKenzie GentryMonica M. Smithtradewindscareerconsulting@gmail.com🌐 www.tradewindscareerconsulting.com🔗 LinkedIn: Monica Mary SmithIf you enjoyed the show, please: subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who cares about building better teams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    30 min
  • How Work Really Gets Done: Inside Kristine Gentry’s C.U.L.T.U.R.E.™ Framework

    How Work Really Gets Done: Inside Kristine Gentry’s C.U.L.T.U.R.E.™ Framework
    Apr 1 2026
    Show descriptionIn this special Episode 20 of Collaborative Culture, Monica Smith turns the mic toward co-host Dr. Kristine Gentry for a deeper look at the framework behind her work helping organizations build stronger, more intentional cultures. Drawing on her background as a cultural anthropologist and founder of Culture Grove, Kristine explains why culture is often misunderstood, why surface-level values work falls short, and what leaders can do differently to create lasting change. Together, Monica and Kristine unpack the C.U.L.T.U.R.E.™ Framework: Clarity, Understanding, Leadership, Trust, Unwritten Rules, Rituals, and Evolution, and they explore how each element shapes the way work really gets done inside organizations. Show notesIn this milestone Episode 20, Monica flips the script and interviews co-host Dr. Kristine Gentry, founder of Culture Grove, cultural anthropologist, and co-founder of Podium Project, about the framework that guides her culture work with organizations. Kristine shares why she created her C.U.L.T.U.R.E.™ Framework: because too many organizations talk about culture without really understanding what it is or how to shape it intentionally. In the conversation, she explains that culture is more than stated values or perks. It is the shared beliefs, behaviors, assumptions, and rituals that shape how work actually happens. Monica and Kristine walk through each part of the framework:C – ClarityWhy organizations need more than values on the wall. Kristine explains the importance of being specific about vision, values, and the behaviors those values are meant to drive. U – UnderstandingA reminder that organizations are made up of people with different lived experiences, identities, and perspectives—and that real collaboration requires leaders to understand those differences. L – LeadershipA conversation about why culture cannot be delegated away. Leaders set the tone, and culture work only succeeds when leadership actively models and reinforces it. T – TrustKristine breaks down why trust is foundational for innovation, idea-sharing, and collaboration—and how misalignment between words and actions quickly erodes it. U – Unwritten RulesOne of the most powerful parts of the episode. Kristine shares examples of hidden norms, power dynamics, and assumptions that shape workplace culture without ever being formally stated. R – RitualsFrom meetings to onboarding to recognition, rituals communicate what matters and quietly reinforce culture every day. E – EvolutionCulture is never one-and-done. Kristine explains why organizations have to keep tending culture over time as people, technology, markets, and expectations change. The episode also explores how Kristine’s training in anthropology shapes her approach. Rather than jumping straight to solutions, she emphasizes observation, listening, and understanding the current culture before trying to change it. That perspective carries through her consulting, this podcast, and even Podium Project’s mission to expand visibility for women and underrepresented voices. Key takeawaysCulture is not just values statements or branding languageLeaders shape culture whether they do so intentionally or notUnwritten rules often have as much impact as formal policiesTrust and understanding are essential for collaboration and innovationSustainable culture change starts with listening before fixingCulture must be revisited and evolved over time Thanks for Listening!We’d love to hear from you.Kristine Gentry, PhDkgentry@culturegrove.com🌐 www.culturegrove.com🔗 LinkedIn: Kristine McKenzie GentryMonica M. Smithtradewindscareerconsulting@gmail.com🌐 www.tradewindscareerconsulting.com🔗 LinkedIn: Monica Mary SmithIf you enjoyed the show, please: subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who cares about building better teams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    38 min
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