Podcast Summary: The Leadership Dance – Ep. 30
Episode Title: Creating a high-performing culture, with James & Krista White
Host: Alissa Hsu Lynch
Guests: James D. White & Krista White
Air Date: December 1, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode of The Leadership Dance, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with father-daughter duo James D. White—seasoned executive and “people-first” board leader—and Krista White, millennial writer and organizational storyteller. Together, they explore the intricacies of creating a high-performing, resilient, and purposeful workplace culture, drawing on insights from their new book, Culture: How to Build a High Performing, Resilient Organization With Purpose. The conversation delves into practical strategies for intentional culture-building, generational shifts in workplace expectations, and personal leadership philosophies.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Writing Together as Father & Daughter
- Genesis of Collaboration: Krista joined James on consulting projects pre-pandemic, focusing on culture design.
- Krista White (02:24): “…we were doing what we talk about in the book. We kind of looked at each other, and we thought that there was something here that we were really passionate about…”
- Blending Perspectives: James brings an operating executive lens; Krista brings writerly craft and a millennial viewpoint.
- James D. White (03:38): “We found a mutual passion around building more inclusive company cultures…there really isn’t a voice of an operating executive…”
2. Organizational Culture: Designed or by Default
- Three Pillars of Culture:
- Knowing what matters
- Doing what matters
- Measuring what matters
- James D. White (07:10): “Our thesis of the book is every company has a culture and you have culture by design or default.”
- Metaphors for Culture:
- Culture is “the software that companies run on” (Tony Wells, 08:09).
- “All the things that we say we stand for, minus the things that you allow inside a company.” (Danny Meyer, Shake Shack)
3. Practical Rituals & Cascading Culture
- Rituals that Work: Example of Festival Foods holding 10-minute huddles in all stores to reinforce gratitude and purpose (09:19).
- James D. White: “That was the most visible example. This is a fantastic culture, you know, kind of living culture.”
- Red Flags: A disconnect between leadership’s stated values and actual behaviors, and lack of mechanisms to reinforce culture among frontline staff (09:00, 10:42).
- Krista White (10:42): “They don’t have mechanisms for cascading culture and reinforcing culture in those front lines…this disconnect between corporate HQ and the people who are interacting with customers.”
4. Listening with Heart & Operationalizing Culture
- James’s Approach at Jamba: Used “Start, Stop, Continue” feedback loops, including voices from frontline employees, consumers, board members, suppliers, and investors to guide the cultural turnaround (13:56–15:19).
- James D. White (13:56): “I always do… Listening with Heart. And it’s just a simple process…start, stop, and continue…”
- Formulating a turnaround plan over 90 days—ensuring fun, energy, and feedback mechanisms remain central to culture.
5. Generational Shifts in Workplace Values
- Millennials & Gen Z Priorities:
- Seek employers who value work/life balance, flexibility, and holistic employee well-being—not just compensation (16:13).
- Krista White (16:18): “We have a higher tendency to be loyal not to who pays us most, but who has the most value for us….opportunities that work better for us, that meet us where we’re at, that take us as full humans.”
6. Leadership Styles & Personal Habits (Quick Fire, 18:26–22:14)
- James: Servant leadership, developing full potential in people, consistent pushups for well-being—over 1 million since 2017 (18:32, 19:59, 20:06).
- James D. White (18:32): “I view myself as a servant leader…I’ve always been a proponent of developmental intervention.”
- James D. White (20:06): “So I do averagely about 300 push ups a day…”
- Krista: “Joyful” leadership, daily journaling, fostering fun and safety for her teams (19:18, 19:48).
- Krista White (19:18): “Joyful. It’s so important to me…people to feel like they can be themselves…”
- Krista White (19:48): “If it’s going to be a good day, needs to have some journaling in there…”
7. The Culture vs. Strategy Debate
- Which Comes First?
- Both are vital, but culture is foundational—"the software," the enabler of strategy (22:28–22:57).
- James D. White (22:28): “You can’t execute strategy without having culture…culture is the software that the company runs on.”
- Krista White (22:58): “It is certainly possible to execute without a meticulous focus on culture…But that’s not how you’re going to sustain…”
8. Middle Managers: The Hinge of Culture
- Critical for cascading culture and empowering people—particularly in larger organizations (23:56–25:35).
- Krista White (24:09): “…so important…for middle managers to be able to do just that, manage…to be people leaders.”
- James D. White (25:35): “…the leadership’s responsibility to invest…making sure the incentive system is structured for the middle management…to take care of the people…”
9. Case Study: Building Boardroom & Company Culture
- Alignment is Key: Board culture and company culture should be unified and mutually reinforcing; hands-on involvement with frontline realities is crucial (26:29).
- James D. White (26:29): “…we try to create space for all the talent that sits on this fantastic board to be able to add value to the management team…[and] to be aligned with the CEO and the management team.”
10. Memorable Culture Moments
- Krista: Leading a student literary magazine reinforced empowering editors, humanizing work, and the importance of checking in with people (28:38).
- James: At Bay Club, annual summits blend honoring organizational legacy with ongoing cultural renewal—inviting even competitors to observe (31:16).
- James D. White (31:16): “They have at least an annual renewal kind of refreshment of culture…”
11. Navigating AI and Technology in Culture
- Human First: Avoid excluding people in AI transitions; prioritize reskilling and upskilling, redefining jobs, and deploying freed capacity meaningfully (33:36).
- James D. White (33:36): “…you need to actually focus on the humans first, reskilling and upskilling the work and the capacity created by AI.”
- Empathy remains irreplaceable—a distinctly human advantage (36:25).
- James D. White (36:25): “AI can’t have empathy…empathy is something only the humans can do.”
12. Career Advice for Staying True to Yourself
- Krista: Clarify your values, pick your battles, don’t aim for perfection—focus on what matters most (36:53).
- James: Stay curious and invest continuously in learning; prioritize well-being, both mental and physical (37:31).
- James D. White (37:31): “The investment in building capabilities and staying curious creates opportunities…priority your physical health…”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “You have culture by design or by default.” — James D. White (07:10)
- “Culture is the software that companies run on.” — Tony Wells, paraphrased by James D. White (08:09)
- “Listening with Heart.” — James D. White on his foundational leadership approach (13:58)
- “If it’s going to be a good day, needs to have some journaling in there, preferably first thing in the morning.” — Krista White (19:48)
- “I view myself as a servant leader. I’ve worked to really unlock the full potential…” — James D. White (18:32)
- “Middle managers are the hinge of culture.” — Krista White paraphrased by Alissa Hsu Lynch (23:56)
- “AI can't have empathy…empathy is something only the humans can do.” — James D. White (36:25)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:01 – James’s pushup ritual: discipline and habits
- 02:23 – How and why James & Krista chose to write books together
- 05:47 – Father/daughter perspectives: Krista’s “Notes app” vs. James’s “notepad”
- 07:10 – Pillars of intentional culture: Knowing, Doing, Measuring
- 09:19 – Festival Foods daily huddle: Living values in practice
- 10:42 – Red flags: when culture breaks down
- 13:56 – Jamba Juice turnaround: “Listening with Heart”
- 16:13 – Generational shifts in workplace expectations
- 18:32 – Quick fire: Leadership styles (servant, joyful)
- 20:06 – James’s 1 million pushup milestone
- 22:28 – Does culture or strategy come first?
- 23:56 – Middle managers as the “hinge” of culture
- 26:29 – Boardroom culture and alignment with company
- 28:38 – Krista’s editorial leadership: Humanizing teams
- 31:16 – Bay Club: Annual culture renewal summit
- 33:36 – AI, technology, and keeping people first
- 36:53 – Final career advice: values, learning, well-being
Tone and Atmosphere
The conversation is lively and warm, with a tone that’s both practical and inspiring. The dynamic between James and Krista, peppered with quick laughs and supportive affirmations, reflects their philosophy of listening, collaboration, and the importance of human connection in leadership and culture-building. Practical tips are woven together with personal anecdotes, examples from real companies, and big-picture trends shaping the future of organizations.
Final Takeaways
- High-performing cultures are intentionally designed, not accidental.
- Alignment between purpose, people, practice, and measurement is critical.
- The most powerful organizational changes come from listening deeply, involving every level of the workforce, and nurturing genuine empathy.
- Middle managers are an often-overlooked cultural linchpin.
- While technology changes quickly, timeless human values—like empathy, trust, and well-being—are irreplaceable foundations for sustained success.
For more: Check out the Whites’ new book Culture: How to Build a High-Performing, Resilient Organization With Purpose for actionable frameworks and stories from their work at the intersection of leadership, inclusion, and transformation.