DX Learning Solutions

ELE Group, LLC

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, <a style="font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.ele.llc/members/alex-draper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Draper</a> (Founder of DX Learning and author of CARE to Win®) and <a style="font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.ele.llc/members/richard-rykhus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richard Rykhus</a> (Head of Global L&amp;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.
.
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-8919" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DraperAlex-crop.jpg" alt="Experiential Learning:" width="946" height="512" />

What You’ll Experience
Through candid storytelling and peer-driven discussion, you’ll explore:

<ul>
 	<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
 	<li>Why “nice” is often rooted in conflict avoidance, not care—and how it undermines trust and performance</li>
 	<li>How “kind” leaders use clarity to reduce ambiguity, accountability to inspire ownership, and care to build trust</li>
 	<li>Real-world examples of nice in action and example from those shifting norms without sacrificing empathy</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
You’ll also reflect on your organization’s spot on the DX Nice–Kind Spectrum, and leave with actionable tools to:
<ul>
 	<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
 	<li>Hold people accountable without being harsh</li>
 	<li>Offer feedback without micromanaging</li>
 	<li>Build psychological safety without enabling underperformance</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Who Should Join
This session is designed for HR, Talent, and L&amp;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:
<ul>
 	<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
 	<li>Building trust across levels</li>
 	<li>Helping managers lead through ambiguity</li>
 	<li>Making performance expectations more human and more clear</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
…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:
<ul>
 	<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
 	<li>How to build clarity without control</li>
 	<li>How to set high standards without shame</li>
 	<li>How to use empathy without enabling</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
This isn’t theory. You’ll walk away with:
<ul>
 	<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
 	<li>Practical tools to embed CARE (Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, Equity) into your culture</li>
 	<li>A lens to assess where leadership behaviors might be blocking performance</li>
 	<li>A renewed sense of possibility for your role in reshaping norms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
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:

<blockquote data-start="1038" data-end="1155">
“Empathy without clarity is enabling. Clarity without empathy is cruelty. But together, they unlock accountability with care.”
</blockquote>
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 <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/bookshelf?member=alex-draper">Alex's ELE Bookshelf</a>
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 <a href="https://www.ele.llc/insights">ELE Insights</a> within 2–4 business days.
&nbsp;

Beyond Midwest Nice: Building high performing environments of Clarity, Candor, and Courage

single-event

future of work

Your Teams

Learning Circles

digital transformation

alex.draper

innovation

upskilling

leadership development

talent development

richard.rykhus

Complimentary

online event

complimentary event

Talent Strategy

Culture Change

psychological safety

collaboration

accountability

trust

employee experience

Future of Work

Engagement &amp; Culture

continuous learning

reskilling

L&amp;D

performance

matt.sernaker

organizational culture

david.scherer

manager effectiveness

HR leaders

AI in HR

change leadership

workplace adaptation

knowledge sharing

High Performing Teams

actionable insights

practical strategies

cindy.pinkstaffmiller

people-first leadership

1Q2026

AI and learning

AI reskilling

leadership habits

care to win

Alex Draper

DX Learning

learning leaders

values in action

leadership in practice

Human Synergistics

This live discussion provided a compelling, data-driven look at how talent leaders can use assessments and behavioral analytics can drive agile
mindsets and support enterprise transformation.

<blockquote data-start="429" data-end="539">
“We weren’t just changing behaviors—we were holding people accountable to them. If you weren’t going to model the new culture, you might not stay.” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/angie-zeigler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angie Zeigler</a>
</blockquote>
That one quote captured the clarity—and courage—required to shift culture from aspiration to reality. But it was also reinforced by the bigger picture:

<blockquote data-start="429" data-end="539">
“Engagement is just one of the many outcomes of culture—alongside productivity, quality, and intention to stay.” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/cathleen-cooke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cathleen Cooke</a>, Human Synergistics
</blockquote>
Her point is a critical reminder: engagement surveys alone don’t give you the full picture. To build a truly high-performing culture, talent leaders must look deeper—at the underlying norms, expectations, and systems shaping behavior. That’s where tools like the Organizational Cultural Inventory® (Human Synergistics’ OCI) come in, helping leaders measure and diagnose where to focus their efforts to make the biggest positive impact on your culture.


<hr data-start="1218" data-end="1221" />
🔑 Key Takeaways for Talent Development Leaders

<ol data-start="1277" data-end="1943">
 	<li data-start="1277" data-end="1384">
Culture is measurable. Tools like Human Synergistics’ Organizational Cultural Inventory (OCI)
make the invisible visible, enabling targeted interventions.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1385" data-end="1505">
Start at the top. Culture won’t shift unless your senior leaders model and are held accountable for the change.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1506" data-end="1650">
Values ≠ behaviors (unless you operationalize them). Define behaviors clearly and embed them into hiring, development, and performance.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1651" data-end="1784">
Don't stop at engagement. Culture influences everything from turnover to profitability—so build your case with broader data.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1785" data-end="1943">
Sustained change needs many levers. One program won't fix culture. Think systemically: programs, processes, and accountability structures all matter.
</li>
</ol>

<hr data-start="1945" data-end="1948" />
🎯 Practical Actions You Can Take

<ul data-start="1990" data-end="2407">
 	<li data-start="1990" data-end="2077">
Conduct an OCI or similar assessment to compare your ideal vs. current culture.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2078" data-end="2167">
Launch leadership development programs tied directly to the cultural gaps identified.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2168" data-end="2253">
Review your performance management process—does it reward the behaviors you want?
</li>
 	<li data-start="2254" data-end="2330">
Audit hiring and onboarding practices to align with your target culture.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2331" data-end="2407">
Track progress and share stories of change to build momentum and belief.
</li>
</ul>
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📈 Companies with thriving cultures grew 682% in revenue over 11 years. Not because of a one-time initiative—but because they measured, aligned, and sustained their culture work. For talent leaders, this is the opportunity—and the challenge: to become the architects of environments where people thrive and performance follows. Culture change isn’t a project. It’s a leadership discipline.

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Beyond Midwest Nice: Building high performing environments of Clarity, Candor, and Courage

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