Episode 145: Building Cultures That Don't Collapse: Why Values Beat Skills Every Single Time with Janice Brathwaite, CEO, Workplace Transformations.

In this powerful episode of The Throttle Up Leadership Podcast, Dr. John Dentico welcomes Janice Brathwaite, CEO and founder of Workplace Transformations, who brings over 17 years of healthcare leadership experience and a signature five-pillar process for organizational transformation. Janice's journey from being told she wasn't "cut out for college" to becoming a nationally recognized executive coach demonstrates how adversity can become fuel—a theme that runs throughout her approach to building resilient teams and cultures. Her work centers on a fundamental truth: you can teach someone a skill, but you cannot teach them values. Through her value-based hiring methodology, Janice helps healthcare organizations align their mission statements with their actual practices, creating psychological safety where employees can point out problems without fear of retribution. Together, John and Janice explore why burnout isn't about hours worked but conditions endured, why Gen Z won't tolerate organizational inauthenticity, and how AI represents opportunity rather than threat for those willing to learn new skills. They dig into the "big hug" phenomenon—when leaders pretend to solicit input but have already made decisions—and why mission statements longer than one sentence signal confusion. This conversation is a masterclass in honest leadership, reminding us that culture isn't a plaque on the wall but a living foundation that either holds up the building or lets it collapse. Chapter Headings: 00:00 Introduction: Meet Janice Brathwaite, Workforce Transformation Expert 02:00 Growing Up in Newport: When "Not Cut Out for College" Became Fuel 05:00 Value-Based Hiring: Finding Who People Really Are Beyond the Resume 07:00 Mission Statements That Actually Matter: One Sentence Rule 09:00 Why Values Misalignment Leads to 18-Month Turnover 11:00 Beyond Paychecks: The Multi-Generational Search for Meaning 13:00 The Stuff Under the Rug: Avoiding Problems Doesn't Make Them Disappear 15:00 Healthcare's Factory Problem: When Efficiency Kills Purpose 18:00 Leadership Is What People Do Together: The Contribution Model 20:00 Psychological Safety and the Power of Speaking Up 22:00 AI Isn't the Enemy: Learning to Let Go of the Death Grip 24:00 When Leaders Must Lead Change (Or It Won't Happen) 27:00 The Beautiful Office Nobody Wanted: The Illusion of Input 29:00 The Five Pillar Process: Diagnose, Align, Attract, Activate, Sustain 33:00 Values First, Skills Second: The Foundation That Holds Buildings Up 36:00 If the Mission Statement Doesn't Capture You, Move On If you enjoy our podcasts please like, share and subscribe we genuinely appreciate your support.