Session Overview: In the Midwest, “nice” is a leadership default, but not always a performance driver. While being nice can create short-term harmony, it often results in long-term dysfunction: avoided conversations, a lack of clarity, and underperformance cloaked in politeness. In this interactive, no-fluff session, Alex Draper (Founder of DX Learning and author of CARE to Win®) and Richard Rykhus (Head of Global L&D at Shure) challenge the norm of “Midwest Nice” and introduce a new, practical standard: Kind Leadership, where leaders lead with a system that build an environment where candor and care can flourish. Why? Because culture is a mirror of leadership. And if leaders model avoidance or ambiguity under the guise of being "nice," those habits cascade through teams. This session invites HR, Talent, and Learning professionals to explore what it takes to evolve their culture from comfortable avoidance to courageous alignment.

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What You’ll Experience Through candid storytelling and peer-driven discussion, you’ll explore:

• • Why “nice” is often rooted in conflict avoidance, not care—and how it undermines trust and performance
  • How “kind” leaders use clarity to reduce ambiguity, accountability to inspire ownership, and care to build trust
  • Real-world examples of nice in action and example from those shifting norms without sacrificing empathy

You’ll also reflect on your organization’s spot on the DX Nice–Kind Spectrum, and leave with actionable tools to:

• • Hold people accountable without being harsh
  • Offer feedback without micromanaging
  • Build psychological safety without enabling underperformance

Who Should Join This session is designed for HR, Talent, and L&D leaders across the Midwest who want culture to show up in day-to-day behaviors, not just posters and slogans. If you're responsible for:

• • Building trust across levels
  • Helping managers lead through ambiguity
  • Making performance expectations more human and more clear

…this session is for you. You'll connect with peers facing similar cultural friction points—especially in organizations where kindness and courage need to coexist. How It Works We’ll start with a short insight from Alex Draper (drawing from CARE to Win®) and then move into real-time reflection and peer dialogue. Together, we’ll unpack:

• • How to build clarity without control
  • How to set high standards without shame
  • How to use empathy without enabling

This isn’t theory. You’ll walk away with:

• • Practical tools to embed CARE (Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, Equity) into your culture
  • A lens to assess where leadership behaviors might be blocking performance
  • A renewed sense of possibility for your role in reshaping norms.

Why This Matters Now According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report, only 23% of employees are engaged globally, and trust in leadership is at a historic low. Midwestern cultures, often defined by humility and harmony, risk stagnation if discomfort is avoided. As Alex Draper writes:

“Empathy without clarity is enabling. Clarity without empathy is cruelty. But together, they unlock accountability with care.”

Want to go deeper? This discussion draws on Care to Win: The 4 Leadership Habits to Build High-Performing Teams (Revised Edition) (Oct 28, 2025). Explore the book on Alex's ELE Bookshelf

Join the ELE Conversation These every-other-Friday discussions are part of ELE’s ongoing peer exchange for leaders shaping talent and work in the AI era. Come ready to listen, contribute, and learn alongside peers testing ideas in real organizations and sharing what they’re learning.

Recordings are posted to ELE Insights within 2–4 business days.