The Thermostat with Jason Barger

A thermostat is proactive. It sets the temperature in a room. Controls the temperature. Regulates the temperature. But in today's distracted, fast-paced and digital world, it's easy for individuals and organizations to act more like thermometers, slipping into reactionary thinking, becoming scattered and inconsistent. The most compelling leaders, teams, organizations, families or collection of humans of any kind operate in thermostat mode. They calibrate their mind and heart to set the temperature for the vision and culture they want to create. Jason Barger, globally celebrated author, keynote speaker and founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, guides this journey to discover authentic leadership, create compelling cultures and find clarity of mission, vision and values. Learn more at JasonVBarger.com or on social media @jasonvbarger

The Thermostat with Jason Barger is a business podcast hosted by Jason V Barger, with 347 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Jason V Barger hosts The Thermostat with Jason Barger, a business show with 347 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #33

  Purpose as a Superpower with Tom Rath

  Aug 18, 202645 minS10

  Purpose is the greatest superpower people and organizations have in the world today. The best leaders and cultures know how to unleash their people by staying focused on the point. For Full Show notes visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/purpose-superpower-tom-rath/ Jason is joined by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tom Rath for an eye-opening conversation about dismantling the corporate hustle and turning purpose into a daily superpower. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In a fast-paced corporate world where employee engagement is hitting historic lows, how can leaders help their teams find true meaning? In this episode of The Thermostat , Jason V Barger sits down with Tom Rath—author of massive global hits like StrengthsFinder 2.0 , How Full Is Your Bucket? , and his latest book, What's the Point? . Together, they challenge the traditional narrative that purpose is a grand, elusive destination, reframing it instead as a daily practice that fuels sustainable high performance. This conversation moves beyond standard leadership platitudes to address the core mechanics of human energy and contribution. Jason and Tom explore why "follow your passion" is often flawed advice, how to leverage personal strengths outwardly to serve others, and why the 100-year-old industrial mindset of "first in, last out" is actively destroying team productivity. They also tackle the rapid integration of AI, urging leaders to shift their teams from passive responders to active builders. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers actionable insights on daily habit building, modeling healthy boundaries, and cultivating the connective tissue of purpose within modern organizations. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason welcomes listeners and sets the stage for a conversation on finding meaning and purpose in daily moments. Meet Tom Rath: An introduction to Tom's incredible background, the evolution of his work from StrengthsFinder to children's books, and how he sets his personal temperature. Applying Strengths Outwardly: Tom discusses how to use self-awareness tools not just to look inward, but to ask: "What do the people around me need?" The Myth of the Grand Purpose: Why we need to stop viewing purpose as a mythological destination and start treating it as a daily superpower built through small interactions. Why "Follow Your Passion" Falls Short: A breakdown of why passion is too self-centric and why focusing on contribution and meaning is better advice for incoming generations. Dismantling Hustle Culture: Jason and Tom challenge the "all gas, no brakes" industrial mindset, highlighting how daily habits like sleep and boundaries drive real productivity. AI and the Shift to "Builder" Mindsets: Tom shares how AI has transformed his workflow and why leaders must help their teams transition from passive responders to active creators. The Power of Congregation: Exploring the future of work and why creating connective tissue through intentional gatherings is a leader's greatest competitive advantage. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Micro-Purpose: Stop searching for a grand life mission and start asking "What's the point?" in daily meetings and tasks to build a consistent, daily superpower. Model Well-Being: If leaders preach work-life integration but send emails from the beach, the culture will default to exhaustion. True productivity requires modeling actual rest and boundaries. Embrace the Builder Mindset: Use emerging technologies like AI to offload routine responses so your team can focus on creative building and strategic contribution. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/purpose-as-a-superpower-tom-rath/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbarger/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonvbarger/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasonvbarger/ X: https://x.com/JasonvBarger

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  Episode #32

  Breathing Oxygen into Your Culture

  Aug 11, 202627 minS10

  Just because you had a great team or organizational culture does not mean it is guaranteed for tomorrow. The best leaders and teams breathe oxygen into their people and the future culture. See the full show notes and access at: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/breathing-oxygen-in-your-culture/ Jason explores how the best leaders and organizations actively breathe oxygen into their teams and offers a six-step framework to fuel a dynamic, high-performing culture. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: Just because your organizational culture was thriving yesterday doesn't guarantee its health tomorrow. In this solo episode of The Thermostat , Jason V Barger tackles the reality that culture is dynamic—shaped moment by moment by how we think, act, and interact. To avoid complacency and toxic stagnation, executives cannot simply "set it and forget it." This conversation explores the critical distinction between "oxygen givers" who fuel team energy with solutions and gratitude, and "oxygen takers" who drain environments through gossip, blame, and triangulation. Backed by neurological insights from the National Science Foundation into how negative, repetitive thoughts clutter our decision-making, Jason outlines a proactive approach to clearing the air and optimizing focus. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode provides six actionable strategies to sustain a thriving ecosystem—from culture-driven onboarding to the undeniable power of congregation. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason sets the stage for a conversation on the specific mindsets needed to breathe oxygen into your culture and fuel your team. A Milestone Celebration: Thanking listeners as The Thermostat is recognized as the #13 top authentic leadership podcast in the U.S. by Million Podcasts. Culture is Dynamic: Why organizational health isn't static and the dangers of a "set it and forget it" leadership mentality. Oxygen Givers vs. Oxygen Takers: Defining the behaviors of people who inject life and possibility into a room versus those who suck the energy out through negativity. The Science of Cluttered Minds: Analyzing the reality that 80% of our 12,000 to 60,000 daily thoughts skew negative, and how that toxic air stunts decision-making. Identifying Your Air Quality: Taking a step back to evaluate the conditions, environments, and people that either energize your leadership or drain it. Strategies 1 & 2: Articulating the culture clearly and identifying the specific actions and behaviors that support or destroy your ecosystem. Strategies 3 & 4: Rethinking hiring and onboarding for the first 90 days, and the necessity of proactively developing emerging leaders. Strategies 5 & 6: The power of congregation through regional culture summits and why ongoing leadership development is required to model the temperature. Questions to Ponder: Jason leaves leaders with reflective prompts to help calibrate their personal and organizational thermostats. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Protect the Air Quality: Identify and address "oxygen takers" who rely on gossip and blame, while actively empowering the "oxygen givers" who focus on shared solutions. Define the Behaviors: Move your core values off the wall by co-creating clear, actionable behaviors with your team that define exactly what your culture looks like in practice. The Power of Congregation: Combat remote and hybrid isolation by prioritizing consistent, intentional gatherings to realign your team's mission and relationships. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/breathing-oxygen-into-your-culture/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbarger/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonvbarger/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasonvbarger/ X: https://x.com/JasonvBarger

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  Episode #31

  Inner Propaganda with Owen Fitzpatrick

  Aug 4, 202655 minS10

  How do the stories we tell ourselves impact our performance and cultures? What inner narratives are you perpetuating in your life, your leadership, and throughout your organizational culture? View the full access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/inner-propaganda-owen-fitzpatrick/ Jason is joined by social psychologist, keynote speaker, and author Owen Fitzpatrick for an eye-opening conversation about the internal stories that shape our leadership, culture, and reality. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In a world flooded with external noise and information, how do the most effective leaders manage their own minds to drive organizational performance? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with Owen Fitzpatrick, creator of Belief Leadership and author of Inner Propaganda . Drawing from his global experiences in over 100 countries and his profound personal journey, Owen challenges leaders to recognize that the most dangerous lies we face don't come from a screen—they come from the mirror. This conversation explores the hidden mechanics of human belief, shifting the focus from traditional task management to true "belief leadership." Jason and Owen explore how corporate culture is dictated by the stories teams tell themselves and deconstruct the concept of "naive realism." They also tackle the common vulnerability of cultural dissonance, challenging executives to move their core values off the office walls and actively embed them as "posters in their people." Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers actionable insights on silencing the "inner dictator," leading with genuine service, and mastering the psychological narratives that dictate success in business and life. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason welcomes listeners and sets the stage for a conversation on authentic leadership, celebrating the podcast's recent top 70 ranking. Meet Owen Fitzpatrick: Introduction to Owen's background as a social psychologist, screenwriting enthusiast, and global traveler who has studied human belief in over 100 countries. Setting the Temperature: Owen discusses managing the culture "inside" (inner propaganda) versus the culture "outside" (belief leadership) when dealing with high-stress environments. The Origins of Inner Propaganda: Owen shares a deeply moving personal story of writing a suicide note, the single question that shifted his belief, and why the most dangerous lies come from the mirror. The Mechanics of Belief: An exploration of "naive realism" and why new ideas must first "feel right" and "fit in" emotionally and socially before they ever make logical sense. Belief Leadership vs. Thought Leadership: Differentiating between managing actions, sharing good ideas, and actively generating the emotional certainty required for true leadership in teams. Flipping the Leadership Pyramid: A critical look at why coercive, top-down power always leaves a trail of destruction, and why true leadership rests on service and belief. Posters in the People: Jason and Owen discuss why words like "integrity" are merely table stakes, and how to define behaviors so that corporate culture becomes a living habit rather than a static poster. Silencing the Inner Dictator: Strategies for combating the internal voice that presents anxiety as objective fact, and the importance of intentionally directing your focus during turbulent times. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Master Inner Propaganda: Recognize and challenge your "inner dictator" before it distorts your strategic decision-making and spreads anxiety across your team. Cultivate Belief Leadership: Stop relying purely on logic and data to drive change; ensure your initiatives connect with your team's emotions and identity to generate genuine buy-in. Operationalize Core Values: Move beyond generic mission statements by clearly defining what your values look like in daily action, putting the "posters in your people." Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/inner-propaganda-owen-fitzpatrick/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbarger/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonvbarger/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasonvbarger/ X: https://x.com/JasonvBarger

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  Episode #30

  Soul on Fire with Bria Martin

  Jul 28, 202654 minS10

  It's common for leaders and cultures to rely too heavily on passion and achievement. The best set a temperature that brings rhythm to their soul and their fire. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/soul-on-fire-bria-martin/ Jason is joined by his long-time friend, Bria Martin, for an illuminating conversation about blending humanity with high performance using the Soul Fire framework. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In an era marked by historic burnout and low employee engagement, how can organizations drive results without destroying their people? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with Bria Martin, VP of Organizational Strategy and Culture at Ultragenyx. Bria shares her transformative journey from operating in a relentless "fire-only" management consulting mode to discovering that integrating humanity into leadership actually fuels sustainable success. This conversation challenges the traditional corporate hustle culture. Jason and Bria introduce the "Soul Fire" framework—a fluid dance that balances compassion, intuition, and connection (soul) with ambition, accountability, and execution (fire). They discuss how leaders act as the emotional "nervous system" of their teams and explore the crucial need for authentic, face-to-face connection to counter the rising tides of macro-level suffering and technological disruption. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers actionable insights on setting healthy boundaries, navigating the AI transition with discernment, and redefining the modern workplace with "joyful productivity." Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason sets the stage for a conversation on the rhythm between soul and fire to build congruence in leadership. Meet Bria Martin: Introduction to Bria's background in organizational culture and her current role as VP at a rare disease biopharma company. Setting the Temperature: Bria discusses prioritizing her family and her role as the "caregiver of the culture" at work. The Leader's Nervous System: Insights into how executives serve as the emotional regulators for their teams and the importance of daily grounding practices. The Wake-Up Call: Bria shares her powerful story of severe burnout in management consulting, sending client emails while in labor, and the perspective shift that changed her leadership style. The Soul Fire Framework: Deconstructing the duality dance between soul (compassion, connection) and fire (ambition, accountability) to sustain high performance. Current Culture Trends: A look at how global human suffering and the rapid integration of AI are fundamentally transforming the modern workplace. Joyful Productivity: Challenging industrial-era metrics to embrace a new form of productivity that leverages AI for efficiency while protecting human connection. The ROI of Culture: Evidence showing how high engagement, trust, and mission alignment drastically reduce turnover and elevate business outcomes. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Regulate the Nervous System: Recognize that your emotional state sets the climate; prioritize your well-being to be a calming, focused presence for your team. Balance Soul and Fire: Move away from burnout-inducing hustle culture by integrating compassion and intuition with accountability and execution. Navigate Tech with Discernment: Treat AI integration as a human and cultural transition, leveraging it to eliminate busywork and foster "joyful productivity." Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/soul-on-fire-bria-martin/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your Year Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbarger/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonvbarger/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasonvbarger/ X: https://x.com/JasonvBarger

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  Episode #29

  The Leadership Recharge with DJ DiDonna

  Jul 21, 20261 hourS10

  What if the future of work was focused on human beings flourishing and greater outcomes followed? Research suggests there is a great opportunity for leaders and cultures to embrace sabbaticals. Jason is joined by Harvard Business School lecturer and Sabbatical Project founder DJ DiDonna for an eye-opening conversation about the strategic necessity of extended rest and the true power of a leadership recharge. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In an era of relentless connectivity and mounting burnout, how do the most effective leaders sustain high performance without sacrificing their well-being? In this episode of The Thermostat , Jason V Barger sits down with DJ DiDonna, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and founder of The Sabbatical Project. Drawing from deep social science research, DJ challenges executives to rethink the traditional corporate grind and exposes the hidden dangers of "functional workaholism." This conversation moves beyond standard time-management advice to address the core mechanics of human recovery and corporate retention. Jason and DJ explore the profound difference between a standard vacation and a true sabbatical—an intentional, extended leave from routine work. They deconstruct the business case for "big time off," revealing how providing structured recovery windows actually audits key-person risk, drives unparalleled loyalty, and aligns perfectly with the rising cultural demands of the next generation. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers actionable insights on eradicating the "worker devotion norm," utilizing inflection points in your career, and optimizing your team's long-term performance. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason welcomes listeners and sets the stage for a conversation on the power of recharging as a leader and a human being. Meet DJ DiDonna: Introduction to DJ's background teaching entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School, his creation of The Sabbatical Project, and his personal six-week Buddhist walking pilgrimage in Japan. Thinking in "Chunks": DJ shares his perspective on organizing life into intentional chapters and using sabbaticals as inflection points so your career doesn't become one giant "run-on sentence." Sabbatical vs. Vacation: Defining a true sabbatical as an "extended leave from routine work on purpose" and why the mental background script of work must be completely shut down to truly heal. The Vacation Deficit & Functional Workaholism: Discussing the 768 million unused vacation days in the U.S. and the trap of performing well on the outside while rotting away on the inside. The Duration of Disconnection: Why a short break isn't enough to drop your work identity, and the research supporting the ideal length for an effective sabbatical. The Business Case for Big Time Off: Deconstructing the corporate fear of extended leave—how over 80% of employees return after a sabbatical and why it builds a resilient, cross-trained organization. The Worker Devotion Norm: How leaders must proactively model taking time off to empower their teams to do the same, breaking the cycle of unused paid leave. The 30-Minute Cafe Challenge: A powerful exercise to help leaders zoom out, confront their future regrets, and make concrete plans to prioritize personal passions over non-stop productivity. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Eradicate Functional Workaholism: Shift your team's mindset to recognize that constant busyness does not equal effectiveness, and that chronic lack of rest is an operational risk. Culture Ownership & Role Modeling: Fight the "worker devotion norm" by actively taking and celebrating time away. If executives don't unplug, their teams never will. The Sabbatical Strategy: Utilize extended leave as an equitable benefit to attract Gen Z talent, audit your company's key-person dependencies, and significantly boost long-term employee retention. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/the-leadership-recharge-dj-didonna/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbarger/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonvbarger/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasonvbarger/ X: https://x.com/JasonvBarger

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