The Culture Matters Podcast
The Culture Matters Podcast with host, Jay Doran, is a platform to talk with business owners, executives, and cultural alike to get inside each individual's eco-system in which they practice culture in the workplace. We speak to some of the most interesting people about why culture is important.
The Culture Matters Podcast
Season 89, Episode 1057: 2025 NYE Lollapalooza Episode 10: Lead with Amity, Move Expeditiously
Episode 10 of the New Year’s Eve Lollapalooza feels like a collective “second wind” — the kind you get when a conversation becomes less about performance and more about presence.
Jay Doran and co-host Mike Calhoun are joined by Morgan DeNicola, Ruth Lee, David Levine, and John Duffin for a deeply human dialogue centered on the words each person is carrying into 2026:
- Morgan: Leadership
- Ruth: Amity (agreement without avoidance — the ability to stay clear without becoming hard)
- David: Coherent (alignment, resonance, and living in a way that matches what you say you value)
- John: Expeditious (speed + urgency — refusing to squander the moment)
John opens with urgency and intentional thinking — including the decision to step away from social media when it’s engineered for outrage instead of clarity. Ruth expands the room with Amity, reframing “agreement” as a skill: holding strong views without needing to fight, and moving from reaction to choice in high-stakes environments.
Morgan shares how a year of pivoting turned into a clearer call to step fully into leadership — not from ego, but from responsibility. And David brings the future into the present: after decades as a technology entrepreneur, he’s preparing to launch an AI-driven platform designed to make wisdom more accessible — capturing the “blueprints” of mentors, coaches, and leaders so more people can benefit between live sessions and high-ticket containers. (Launch shared in the conversation: February 20, at Conscious Life Expo in LA.)
This episode is a reminder that the next year doesn’t need a thousand goals. Sometimes it needs one word that tells the truth.
If someone in your life feels scattered, reactive, or stuck — share this episode. And if this conversation sparked something in you, leave a review so it reaches the people who need it most.