In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper sits with the messy middle of leadership — those moments when the data says what you don’t want it to.
She works through five questions and two scenarios that expose how easy it is to avoid, rationalize, or overwork our way around uncomfortable numbers. Instead of teaching or prescribing, Tara opens up her own thought process, weaving in honesty, candor, and the hard-earned reminder that metrics are signals, not sentences.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to the Culture Focused Practice Podcast
00:40 The Owner's Room: When Data Tells You What You Don't Want to Hear
01:38 Question 1: Am I Ignoring Data or Hoping It Self-Corrects?
04:29 Question 2: Do My Feelings About the Numbers Reflect Fear of Failure or Fear of Being Seen?
07:24 Question 3: What Conversations Am I Avoiding Because of These Numbers?
11:53 Question 4: How Do I Separate the Story in My Head from What's on Paper?
13:35 Question 5: What Does My Team Need from Me When the Numbers Look Bad?
16:37 Scenario 1: Client Retention Numbers Dropping
21:33 Scenario 2: Revenue Projections Not Lining Up
28:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
If this episode hits home, subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future Owner’s Room conversations — and share it with a friend who might need to hear this too.