You don't need a payroll to build a team culture. You just think you do.

In this episode, I sit down with JC Hite, a partner here at Appreciation at Work and the owner of Hite Digital, to talk about hiring, leading teams, and what it actually takes to build team culture before you can afford to pay anyone.

JC walks through the four team members every small business owner already has, starting with yourself. If you hired someone who worked the way you work, would you give them a raise? That question alone will change how you lead.

We also get into why 89% of people will accept less money for the right culture, and JC's simple "video of awesomeness" trick for spotting who's really willing to go the extra mile before you ever make an offer.

If you're leading a small or remote team and wondering how to show real appreciation without a big budget, this one is for you.

CHAPTER BREAKDOWN
00:01 – Welcome & Meet JC Hite
00:22 – Setting Up Today's Conversation: Hiring, Teams, and Appreciation
03:04 – You Have a Bigger Team Than You Think
04:26 – Team Member #1: You Are the Hardest Person You'll Ever Lead
07:51 – Team Member #2: Why Your Spouse Belongs on the Team
13:12 – Team Member #3: Choosing the Mentors Who Shape Your Culture
15:39 – How to Ask for a Mentor (Even When You're Broke)
17:26 – You Have Agency: Choose It and Be Intentional
18:36 – Team Member #4: Hiring Your First Employees Without Fear
20:23 – The Real Data on Why People Leave
21:52 – The "Video of Awesomeness": JC's Hiring Filter
24:54 – Closing Thoughts & Where to Learn More

BOOKS MENTIONED
- The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

- The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman, Paul White (new edition with William Attaway and JC Hite coming out in October, 2026)

Interested in more training like this, where you can earn SHRM and HRCI continuing education credit? Check out the Appreciation at Work® HR Professional Membership at https://hr.joinaaw.com/.

Jim Uhl spent almost 30 years as a police officer before he became a leadership researcher, a Gallup-certified strengths coach, and the Chief Engagement Officer of Breaking the Chain Consulting.

Jim and I talk about the four missing links he sees holding organizations back: purpose and values, strengths, a culture of appreciation, and forgiveness. We get into why so many leaders build their culture by accident instead of on purpose, and why that gap is costing them their best people.

Jim walks through how he helped one client welcome four new hires on day one using each of the five languages of appreciation, and why none of them have any intention of leaving. We also talk about what trust is really built on, why AI can never replace it, and why intentional appreciation has to come from your own strengths to feel authentic instead of forced.

If you've wondered whether appreciation actually drives retention, this episode settles it.

BOOKS MENTIONED:

- Audacious: Forgiveness in the Workplace by Jim Uhl

- Stop Being Nice by Jim Uhl

- The Arch by Jim Uhl

If this conversation stirred something in you, go find Jim at breakingthechainconsulting.com, or learn more about his new book at audacious-book.com. You can reach him directly at juhl@breakingthechainconsulting.com, or follow him on Instagram @breakingthechain73 and on LinkedIn under his own name, Jim Uhl.

Interested in more training like this, where you can earn SHRM and HRCI continuing education credit? Check out the Appreciation at Work® HR Professional Membership at https://hr.joinaaw.com/.

If you've ever wondered why the way you say thank you doesn't always land the way you intend, this episode is for you. I sat down with Dr. David Knapp, president of Marathon Leadership in Thornton, Colorado, and author of the 2024 book Marathon Leadership: 26.2 Essential Lessons for Leaders, to talk about what happens when leaders finally understand the 5 languages of appreciation.

David has trained everyone from Silicon Valley startups to Fortune 100 companies to county public works crews in Colorado, and he shares two stories that show exactly what changes when people feel appreciated the way they actually want to be. We also talk about why leadership is a marathon and not a sprint, how to stay authentic while being intentional about appreciation, and the two biggest challenges leaders face when they try to put the 5 languages of appreciation into practice: hybrid work and generational differences.

If you lead people and want them to feel it, not just hear it, you'll want every minute of this one.

⏱ CHAPTER BREAKDOWN

00:22 – Meet Dr. David Knapp, President of Marathon Leadership

01:56 – From corporate HR to full-time leadership consulting

03:03 – How the 5 languages of appreciation found him

03:52 – The moment it clicked: not everyone wants appreciation the same way

04:36 – David's own appreciation language: words of affirmation

06:01 – Why it's called Marathon Leadership

07:37 – Two stories that prove appreciation drives real engagement

11:19 – Balancing authenticity with intentionality

12:43 – The two biggest challenges: hybrid work and generational gaps

15:40 – One practical step you can take this week

17:15 – Connect with Dr. David Knapp

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED

- Marathon Leadership: 26.2 Essential Lessons for Leaders by David D. Knapp, Ph.D.

Reach out to David through the contact button at marathonleadership.com, or email him directly at david@marathonleadership.com.

Interested in more training like this, where you can earn SHRM and HRCI continuing education credit? Check out the Appreciation at Work® HR Professional Membership at https://hr.joinaaw.com/.