Episode 55: Your Culture Is In Your Data With April Thomas
April first joined the show six months ago for Episode 40: Empathy Meets Efficiency. A lot has happened since then. For example, April has been on the road sharing her expertise. April has presented at the ASQ Lean and Six Sigma Conference and the Virginia and DC SHRM Conference. Her message is the same everywhere she goes. The soft stuff can actually be the hardest stuff. And your organization’s success with the soft stuff shows up in your data whether you're paying attention or not.
As a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt who began her career as a hospice social worker, April brings a unique perspective to leadership and continuous improvement. On this episode, she explains why psychological safety isn't just a feel-good concept. It's the condition that makes accurate data collection possible.
April also gets into what happens to a team after a layoff and how they are watching to see leadership’s response. April explains what leaders get wrong in those moments and what they should consider doing instead.
And if your organization has a retention problem, April has a message for you. Retention is not a strategy. It’s an outcome. The real question is, what kind of organization are you building? Ask yourself, would you want to work there?
This episode is for everybody. Even the data people. And maybe, especially the data people.
In this episode, you will hear about:
2:14 - What’s April been up to lately?
3:39 - April’s presentation at ASQ’s Lean and Six Sigma Conference
7:31 - How a lack of psychological safety affects data
9:47 - Discussing psychological safety with data-driven practitioners
12:09 - Recognizing a psychologically safe environment
16:20 - How practitioners in on-leadership roles can help build psychological safety
18:07 - How participants reacted during April’s session at ASQ’s Lean and Six Sigma Conference
22:43 - Organizational strategy and project prioritization
26:43 - One thing you can do this week to improve the culture of your organization
28:22 - Retention is an outcome, not a strategy
31:58 - The intersection of continuous improvement and Human Resources
34:39 - Layoffs and the ongoing work of continuous improvement
38:01 - The SCARF Model in the aftermath of layoffs
40:59 - Catching up with April since Episode 40
44:49 - The Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Foundation
49:06 - The soft skills can bring in the hard dollars
Additional Resources:
April's PSA from MADD Mid-Atlantic
The Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Foundation
The first annual Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Walk
Episode 40: Empathy Meets Efficiency with April Thomas
Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook
Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram
Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn
Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter
ASQ’s Lean and Six Sigma Conference
Virginia and DC SHRM Conference
Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam:
Host • MoreSteam
Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.
Org Culture Architect and Strategist
April Thomas is a people-focused leader and Lean Six Sigma expert dedicated to creating high-performing, engaged workplaces. With over two decades of experience, she specializes in strategic planning, process improvement, and workforce development. Passionate about fostering psychological safety and continuous improvement, April integrates empathy and data-driven strategies to drive sustainable change.
She holds advanced degrees in Social Work, Management & Organizational Behavior, and Strategic Management. April is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, Mental Health First Aid Instructor, and Grief Educator. She champions workplace wellness and serves in leadership roles with ASQ, Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Foundation, Peninsula ASAP, and Colonial Behavioral Health.
