180. Hell In The Hallway with Kristy Busija

FINE is a 4-Letter Word

Does it sometimes feel like no good deed goes unpunished?

What if I told you that no scandal, setback, or stumbling block goes unrewarded, if you’re willing to take the time to solve the puzzle?

As a puzzle-solver programmed to challenge the status quo, ask questions, and lean into her natural curiosity, Kristy Busija (BYOO-SEE-YA) learned both of these lessons when she got fired for doing the right thing.

Growing up, Kristy’s parents instilled classic values – have a good work ethic, act with integrity, abide by the Golden Rule, and catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

These same values created conflict in her work when she conducted an employee assessment where participants were told their responses would be kept confidential, but her bosses demanded she give them the data anyway. They fired her for – get this – not living the “values” of the company!

If that’s supposed to be fine, there’s a reason why Fine is a 4-Letter Word!

In a moment, when you meet Kristy, you’ll discover how this set off a journey of learning and self-actualization where she found out, as she says, it’s hell in the hallway.

All these doors – what rooms do they lead to? What did others see in Kristy through the peepholes in those doors that she couldn’t see in herself?

How does she solve this puzzle? What’s the next conversation?

Now hold that thought for just a second as I share a special invitation with you.

Kristy’s hype song is "Do It Again" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Resources:

• Kristy Busija’s website: https://nextconversationconsulting.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristybusija/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nextconversationconsulting
• Claim your copy of “The 2nd Wind”, the anthology that contains Kristy’s chapter called “It’s Hell In The Hallway”, by visiting https://buy.stripe.com/3cs6rtcga1kIaGcdR7.

Invitation from Lori:

This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit.

Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication.

Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because there are…

• Annual all-hands meetings where once a year you hear a well-rehearsed speech, employees clap politely, and everyone leaves with the same unanswered questions they came in with.
• "Open door policies" that no one ever uses because people are uncomfortable walking in to talk with someone they don’t feel like they know very well.
• "Fun" team-building events like escape rooms, trust falls, and awkward, out of fashion happy hours
• Generic "we appreciate everything you do" emails with zero personalization or sincerity.
• Company values posted on a wall with no substance behind them.

But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to...

• Strengthen culture by sharing authentic stories from leadership and employees.
• Create connection so that remote and in-office teams know and understand each other and are eager to collaborate
• Foster community where everyone feels like they belong.

That's where I come in. I’m now hosting and producing internal/private podcasts for forward-thinking companies.

Think old-school printed newsletter in a modern, updated format. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?!

If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to facilitate communication, foster connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com.

Because when people feel heard, they engage.

When they engage, they perform.

And when they perform, the business succeeds beyond projections.

So with that, let’s meet Kristy. It looks like she may have some questions for US!