You’ve got a beautifully designed “Core Values” poster hanging in your office but here’s the hard truth: it means absolutely nothing if your actions don’t align with it. In this episode, we tackle the uncomfortable reality of how your team learns what really matters not from what’s written on the wall, but from what you reward, promote, and tolerate.

We dive into the cost of protecting toxic high performers, the silent damage it does to your culture, and why good employees leave when bad behavior is excused. You’ll hear why vague values like "integrity" and "collaboration" fall flat, and how to turn fluffy words into enforceable, actionable standards that actually shape your company culture.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why core values don’t matter unless they come with consequences
  

• The “Rachel” problem: when high performers hurt your team
  

• The ONE question to ask yourself when defining a real value
  

• Why letting go of a toxic top performer might be your strongest leadership move

Connect with Sara Lowell:

Email: sara@youarerembertllc.com

Book your call 👉https://calendar.app.google/4bSRA473TPfT2Q2d9

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youarerembert/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youarerembert

That person you just hired? They're human. And yet, I've watched countless business owners treat their team members like doormats the moment they walk through the door (or log into Slack). In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on one of the most damaging myths in business: that contractors and freelancers don't deserve the same leadership attention as full-time employees. Spoiler alert: this mindset is quietly killing your business culture and your reputation.

In this episode, I share real examples of how poor leadership ripples through your business, affecting everything from team retention to client relationships. We explore why labels don't excuse poor leadership and break down the tangible benefits of treating every team member as a human first. You'll walk away with five actionable strategies you can implement immediately to transform your leadership approach and create a culture where people actually want to stay and contribute.

Key Takeaways

1. The Contractor Myth Is Costing You Big Time Just because someone sends you an invoice doesn't mean they're not part of your team. When you treat freelancers and contractors as "just vendors," you create a revolving door of disengaged talent who won't invest in your business success.

2. Your Internal Culture Directly Impacts Your External Success How you treat your team behind the scenes becomes public knowledge faster than you think. Poor leadership doesn't just affect retention — it damages your reputation with clients, partners, and potential hires in ways you might not even realize.

3. Human-First Leadership Has Measurable Business Benefits Teams that feel seen, heard, and valued stay longer, care more, and contribute beyond their job descriptions. The five simple strategies shared in this episode can transform your team dynamics starting today.

Here's my question for you: If your team members were asked anonymously whether they feel like valued humans or just task-completers in your business, what do you think they'd say and more importantly, what do you want them to say?

Connect with Sara Lowell:

Email: sara@youarerembertllc.com

Book your FREE call 👉https://calendar.app.google/4bSRA473TPfT2Q2d9

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youarerembert/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youarerembert

We address the transition every growing solo entrepreneur faces: moving from doing everything yourself to building scalable systems. If you're constantly explaining the same processes, watching tasks fall through the cracks, or feeling like the bottleneck in your own business, this episode reveals why winging it stops working when you add a team.

We break down the mindset shift from "doer" to "designer" and share five essential systems every solo business needs to implement for sustainable growth. You'll discover why you cannot scale chaos and how simple, repeatable processes become the foundation for team success, easier onboarding, and finally stepping back from doing every single task yourself.

Key Takeaways:

• The 5 Essential Systems: Client onboarding, task management, communication protocols, file storage, and feedback systems - start with just one and document it thoroughly

• Mindset Shift Required: Your job isn't to do the work anymore, it's to design how the work gets done and build systems that empower your team to succeed

• Team Involvement is Critical: Get input from the people actually using your systems - they'll tell you what works and what needs improvement for maximum effectiveness

Ready to Transform Your Business?

Pick one system from the list this week and document it as you teach someone else to do it. Your growing business has outgrown what you can hold in your head - and that's actually a sign of success.

Get a FREE Business Systems & Team Audit to identify what's working, what's broken, and where your team needs better support. https://www.youarerembertllc.com/teamgrowthaudit 👉https://www.youarerembertllc.com/teamgrowthaudit

Connect with Sara Lowell:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youarerembert/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youarerembert

You keep pushing forward, but something’s off. Deadlines get missed. Morale is slipping. Your team isn’t clicking, and you can’t figure out why. Here’s a clue: it’s not about motivation. It’s about capacity and ignoring it is one of the biggest leadership blind spots out there.

In this episode, we dig into what it really means when a team member says, “I’m at capacity” and why how you respond matters more than you think. If you're leading without checking your team's limits, you might be fueling burnout without even realizing it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why capacity issues are not a team weakness, they’re a leadership signal
  

• How to identify early signs of burnout before it impacts performance
  What questions to ask when a team member says they’re overwhelmedReady to support your team without the guesswork?

• Get a FREE Business Systems & Team Audit to identify what's working, what's broken, and where your team needs better support. https://www.youarerembertllc.com/teamgrowthaudit 👉https://www.youarerembertllc.com/teamgrowthaudit

  Post Mentioned in this episode: https://www.threads.com/@youarerembert/post/DLpWBrJsH3h?xmt=AQF0LsfZ_YZee7vRi979gWDGxBhOLff81A9xa9F_GK5FOQ

  
  

  Connect with Sara Lowell:

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youarerembert/

  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youarerembert

  
  
  

Welcome to The Human Way to Lead the podcast for business owners and team leaders who are tired of burnout, chaos, and outdated leadership advice.

I’m your host, Sara Lowell, and I’m on a mission to humanize the workplace because your business starts with the people.

I’m sharing what this show is all about, what you can expect in each episode, and why it’s time to rethink the way we lead teams. If you're building, growing, or managing a team and want to do it with clarity, empathy, and real results this podcast is for you.

What to Expect:

• Short, impactful, zero fluff
  

• Straightforward insights on leadership, culture, and systems
  

• Real talk about what’s working and what’s not when it comes to leading humans
  

• Strong opinions, actionable advice, and simple ways to lead better
  

Let’s connect:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youarerembert/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youarerembert

FREE Audit: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/teamgrowthaudit