CULTURESTOKE ARTICLES
Our articles page is dedicated to anyone and everyone looking to strengthen their leadership skills and build a better company culture. Discover tips, trends, ideas, and insights and get inspired to ignite positive change for happier people and better business results.
Stop Asking for Training When What Your Team Needs Is Leadership
Training can build skills, but it can't fix every performance problem. If your team knows what to do but isn't doing it, the answer may have less to do with training — and more to do with leadership, accountability, and the behaviors leaders model every day.
Ten Years Later: Reflections on Building the Dream
Ten years ago, Marty left a successful career without a clear plan for what came next. What followed became CultureStoke and a decade-long lesson in work, family, risk, relationships, and building a life that matters.
What If Productivity Is Making Us Worse?
What if "peak productivity" is one of leadership's most expensive myths? It's time to rethink what sustainable performance really looks like.
On Becoming: The Endless Journey of Discovering Self
Growth is important. Understanding why you're growing may be even more important. A reflection on achievement, self-worth, and the motivations that quietly shape who we become.
Ready or Not, Here They Come: What Gen Z Is Telling Us About Work
Gen Z “romanticizing” the 9-to-5 says more about the state of work than it does about them. If we’re paying attention, it’s not a trend—it’s a signal—and the path forward is clearer than we think.
The Shoe Was Untied. The Culture Was Tight.
A story about care, permission, and the conditions leaders create .
Stop Wishing, Start Living: How to Set Goals That Actually Work
From “someday” to done. Learn how to set goals that help you accomplish what matters most - and feel proud along the way.
The Triangle That Explains the Problems You Keep Solving Twice
Your team is doing well - but why does everything feel harder than it should? The Triangle framework reveals which side of your business - People, Culture, or Infrastructure - is wobbly, and shows how small, intentional moves can restore flow, boost results, and make work feel lighter again.
Crossing the Great Divide: How to Get to the Heart of Accountability
True leadership starts with accountability. Discover why it’s hard, why it matters, and how to practice it with courage, trust, and impact.
from miscommunication to momentum: turning quirks into wins
Every team has its quirks - but when those quirks go unspoken, they turn into tension. This simple tool helps teams communicate their work styles and reduce friction, creating a foundation for better performance.
when people leave, it’s rarely about the money.
What turnover reveals about leadership, culture, and the cost of looking away.
Confidence: The Science, Struggle, and Practice of Believing You Can
That rush when you do something you didn’t think you could? That’s confidence. Learn how to build more of it - and why it’s key to leadership, growth, and opening up life’s possibilities.
To Coach or Not To Coach: That IS the Question.
You might be wearing the hats of supervisor, teacher, mentor, and coach without even realizing it — and knowing when to use each one is a game-changer. Ready to become more intentional, effective, and impactful in how you lead? Let’s dive in.
You’re Not Broken. You’re Weird and You’re Wired: The Psychology of You
Explore self-regulation—the ability to stay cool, calm, and in control, even when life throws you curveballs. When you understand the psychology of you, you stop reacting and start leading.
The MOST Important Intelligence
Boost communication, strengthen leadership and resilience all while enhancing productivity, collective success and the human experience.
The Business Document That Transformed Our Business (And Tripled Revenue and Profits) in 24-Months
Knowing deep down your business has unlimited potential, but not sure where to start? This is the first step.
Surviving the Holidays: 3 Proven Strategies to Reduce Stress, Set Boundaries, and Find Joy
Feeling stressed about the holidays? Learn how to navigate family dynamics, manage seasonal anxiety, and prioritize gratitude, boundaries, and fun for a happier holiday season.
An Open Letter to My Fellow Imposters
Feel like an imposter sometimes? Guess what—you're in good company. Most leaders do too. The key isn’t having it all figured out, but learning how to silence that inner critic and unleash your potential. Curious how? Let’s dive in.
Expecting Unicorn Talent on a Hobby Horse Budget
Strategies and Pitfalls in the Quest for Budget-Friendly Talent Excellence