When a capability gap appears in your organization, you have three levers to pull: Build the talent internally, Buy it through external hiring, or Borrow it through fractional or contract work. In Episode 17, hosts Morgan Ashworth (MSIOP, MLS) and Dr. Elizabeth Fleming (PsyD) take you inside the Build, Buy, and Borrow levers — what they are, when to use them, and what quietly goes wrong when organizations rely on instinct instead of strategy.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why hiring for "the role today" instead of the role in 18 months is one of the most expensive talent mistakes organizations make

• How structured interviews, open-ended questions, and value-based scorecards reduce bias and improve hiring decisions

• Why gut instinct — while valuable — is actually one of the weakest predictors of job performance (and what the research says to use instead)

• The real hidden costs of a bad external hire: cultural friction, disrupted internal candidates, extended ramp-up time, and downstream turnover

• When the Borrow lever (fractional, contract, temp) is the most strategic financial and operational choice — and what legal landmines to avoid

• The 3 diagnostic questions every leader, HR professional, and business owner should ask before making any talent decision

• Why workforce planning is not just an HR responsibility — it's a leadership imperative

• The Build, Buy, Borrow talent framework

• External hiring strategy and forecasting

• Pay transparency compliance by state

• Structured vs. unstructured interviews

• Person-job fit vs. person-organization fit

• Cognitive, personality, and motivational assessments as predictors of job performance

• Value-based interview structures and scorecards

• 90-day introductory period best practices

• The fractional and contract workforce economy

• Temp agencies and temp-to-hire models

• Seasonal workforce planning and demand forecasting

• Contractor misclassification risk (W2 vs. 1099)

• Succession planning and time horizon thinking

• Operational maturity applied to people strategy

In this episode of Organizational Sherlocks, Dr. Elizabeth Fleming and Morgan Ashworth unpack imposter syndrome—why it shows up, why transitions amplify it, and how to work through it without waiting for confidence to magically appear. We focus especially on moments like graduation, career changes, and new roles, where expectations are high and feedback can be unclear. You’ll learn how to use self-leadership to interrupt imposter thoughts, and how organizations can create the kind of structure that helps people succeed—through clearer onboarding, better feedback loops, and “small win” momentum.

Whether you’re a new grad trying to find your footing, a manager supporting a high performer, or HR designing onboarding and development programs—this episode is a practical playbook you can apply immediately.

Key topics

• What imposter syndrome is (and where it comes from)
• Why transitions trigger it (graduation, new roles, career pivots)
• Who it affects most—and why high performers aren’t immune
• Organizational strategies: onboarding, structure, clarity, support
• Individual strategies: feedback, self-efficacy, tracking small wins
• Normalizing imposter syndrome as a common experience (not a personal flaw)

S3, Ep.15 - Your Sales System Is Broken: Behavioral Science Explains Why | with Dr. Deepak Bhootra

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Morgan Ashworth sits down with Dr. Deepak Bhootra, B2B sales practitioner and organizational researcher, to explore why sales environments are one of the most revealing windows into how organizations actually function. What does performance under pressure really look like? And why do so many well-designed systems still produce burnout, disengagement, and inconsistency?

If you've ever wondered why your sales team knows what to do and still underperforms, or why investing in process doesn't seem to move the needle, this conversation reframes sales as a behavioral system rather than a revenue function. Dr. Bhootra draws on hands-on B2B experience and academic research in organizational commitment and job satisfaction to unpack what organizations are actually measuring (and missing), how system design shapes motivation and commitment, and why AI will amplify a broken system, not fix it.

Whether you manage salespeople, build organizational systems, lead culture change, or advise businesses on performance, this episode gives you a new lens for diagnosing what's really driving results and what a sustainable, human-centered sales system can look like.

Topics we cover:

• Sales as a behavioral system — not just a revenue function
• Sales longevity vs. career longevity
• The measurement problem: what organizations track vs. what actually drives performance
• How system design shapes motivation, commitment, and disengagement
• The role of scripts and role play in sales training
• Coaching the person, not just the numbers
• The sales manager's evolving role in a post-COVID world
• Emotional intelligence and the difference between managing and leading
• Followership - and what it reveals about effective leadership
• Self-awareness as a daily growth practice
• Celebrating small wins as a behavioral strategy
• AI, autonomy, and the risks of optimizing systems without understanding human behavior

Sound bites:

• "Sales longevity is about surviving stress."
• "Self-awareness is a daily ritual."
• "Celebrate small wins loudly."
• "AI won't fix a broken system - it will amplify it."
• "You're not coaching numbers. You're coaching a person."

Keywords:

Sales, Organizational Psychology, Behavioral Systems, Sales Performance, Sales Longevity, Career Development, Self-Awareness, Leadership, Followership, Emotional Intelligence, Sales Training, Role Play in Sales, Motivation, Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, System Design, People Management, Coaching, AI in Sales, Future of Work, Sales Management, High Performance, I/O Psychology, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Business Psychology, Organizational Sherlocks, Dr. Deepak Bhootra

Resources Mentioned:

• ICF Coaching Certification
• Sandler System Methodology
• AI in Sales: Strategies and Tools
• Organizational Psychology Books
• Dr. Deepak Bhootra on LinkedIn

Coachability gets talked about like a personality trait...either you “have it” or you don’t. In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Fleming and Morgan Ashworth break that myth and explore coachability as a dynamic, learnable capacity shaped by mindset, motivation, and the systems people work inside. Using growth mindset, self-determination theory, and systems theory, they walk through how to assess readiness for change, spot the difference between resistance and misfit, and tailor coaching interventions that actually stick. You’ll leave with a clearer way to give feedback, design development plans, and remove organizational barriers so people can grow—without blaming the individual for a system problem.

In this episode, we sit down with Kirsten Liston, Founder and CEO of Rethink Compliance, to explore how modern compliance is evolving... from policies and enforcement to culture, behavior, and influence. If you’ve ever wondered why people “know the rules” and still break them, or why compliance training can feel performative (and ineffective), this conversation reframes compliance as a systems-and-psychology challenge. Kirsten shares how organizations can make compliance stick by designing environments that support ethical decisions, using data analytics to understand what’s really happening, and communicating expectations through storytelling and creative training strategies that people actually remember. Whether you’re leading change, managing risk, building culture, or trying to get buy-in without authority—this episode gives you practical ways to move compliance from a department to a shared organizational capability.

Topics we cover

• Compliance as a reflection of human behavior
• The evolution of compliance: rules → culture
• Measuring compliance impact with data analytics
• Why “check-the-box” training fails (and what works instead)
• Storytelling + creative communication in compliance training
• Building leadership buy-in and cross-level commitment
• ROI of a strong compliance culture (risk reduction + trust)
• The “bad apples” problem—and why systems still matter
• Compliance realities in small and scaling organizations

S3, Ep.12

Overcoming Why Performance Metrics Don’t Work: The Application of Gamification in KPIs to Change Performance

Episode Summary:

What makes KPIs effective: pressure and consequences, or systems that help people stay motivated and make meaningful progress?

In this episode of Organizational Sherlocks, Elizabeth Fleming and Morgan Ashworth explore how gamification can transform KPIs from stressful report cards into tools that support engagement, accountability, and healthier performance cultures. They examine why traditional KPI systems often create anxiety, disengagement, or short-term compliance, and how organizations can use psychological principles to design metrics that people are more willing to engage with.

Using practical examples and organizational psychology insights, they discuss how visual dashboards, progress tracking, SMART goals, recognition, and feedback loops can make performance management feel clearer, more motivating, and less punitive. They also unpack how leaders can balance accountability with realism, tailor KPI systems to different types of employees, and avoid turning motivation into manipulation.

Whether you’re a first-time manager, a department leader, an HR business partner, a people analytics professional, an executive sponsor, a strategy lead, or a consultant helping organizations improve performance, this conversation offers a practical reframe for how KPIs can drive progress without creating fear.

Topics Covered:

• Gamification as a motivational tool
• Visual dashboards and progress tracking
• Goal-Setting Theory and SMART goals
• Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
• Self-Determination Theory and employee engagement
• Expectancy Theory and connecting effort to outcomes
• Behavioral reinforcement and recognition
• Flow Theory and designing realistic challenge levels
• Social Comparison Theory and healthy competition
• Change management in KPI implementation
• Accountability without punishment
• Designing KPI systems around human motivation

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Sound Bites:

• "KPIs should motivate, not punish."
• "Gamification changes the game entirely."
• "Know what motivates your team."
• "A good KPI system does not just measure performance. It teaches people how to make progress."
• "The question is not whether accountability matters. It is what kind of accountability creates growth instead of fear."

Keywords:

KPIs, gamification, motivation, performance management, dashboards, goal setting, organizational psychology, employee engagement, accountability, workplace psychology, leadership, HR strategy, people analytics, change management, managers, executives, consultants, strategy, decision-makers

What if generational tension at work is not really about age at all?

In this episode, Morgan and Elizabeth explore what is really happening beneath the surface when younger and older professionals struggle to connect at work. They discuss why generations should not be treated like personalities, how context shapes workplace expectations, and why psychological safety, healthy conflict, and curiosity are essential for stronger teams.

This conversation highlights how a 25-year-old and a 45-year-old may approach work differently, but can often create better ideas together than they would apart. From flexibility and meaning to communication and innovation, this episode reframes generational tension as something leaders, employees, and organizations can learn from rather than fear.

S3, Ep.10 - Leadership Myths That Hold New Managers Back: Why You Shouldn't be the Smartest Person in the Room

Episode Summary:

What makes someone a strong leader: technical expertise, or the ability to help others do their best work?

In this episode of Organizational Sherlocks, Elizabeth Fleming and Morgan Ashworth challenge some of the most persistent myths about leadership, especially the idea that people leaders must always have the answers or fully understand every detail of their team’s work. They explore the transition from technical expert to effective leader and explain why leadership success depends more on trust, communication, sound judgment, and team development than on being the smartest person in the room.

Using practical examples and organizational psychology insights, they break down what leaders should focus on instead: creating clarity, removing obstacles, asking better questions, empowering employees, and building teams that can operate without constant intervention.

Whether you’re a first-time manager, a senior leader, an HR partner, or a consultant helping organizations develop talent, this conversation offers a useful reframe for what leadership really looks like in practice.

Topics Covered:

• Leadership myths and misconceptions
• The shift from technical expert to people leader
• Why leaders do not need to know every step of the work
• Trust, delegation, and team empowerment
• How strong leaders create clarity instead of control
• Leadership development and readiness
• The psychology behind identity, expertise, and authority
• Practical strategies for building self-sufficient teams

Sound Bites:

• “Trust is key to effective leadership.”
• “You don’t need to know every step.”
• “Having the answers isn’t the key.”
• “Your job is not to do the work better than everyone else. Your job is to create the conditions where other people can do their best work.”
• “Strong leaders prove their value by growing problem solvers.”

Keywords:

leadership, leadership myths, people leadership, management skills, new managers, leadership development, team empowerment, delegation, organizational psychology, trust in leadership, manager training, people management, leadership transition, employee development, organizational development