What if we chased human connection with the same focus we use to hunt for a full signal on our phones? We put that question to the test by bringing five generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Boomer, and Traditionalist, onto one stage and asking them to trade real stories. The result is a warm, funny, and eye-opening journey across life stages, tech shifts, and civic pride that shows how much we share and how our differences can actually power stronger communities. We kick off with simple gr...
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What if we chased human connection with the same focus we use to hunt for a full signal on our phones? We put that question to the test by bringing five generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Boomer, and Traditionalist, onto one stage and asking them to trade real stories. The result is a warm, funny, and eye-opening journey across life stages, tech shifts, and civic pride that shows how much we share and how our differences can actually power stronger communities. We kick off with simple gr...
What if we chased human connection with the same focus we use to hunt for a full signal on our phones? We put that question to the test by bringing five generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Boomer, and Traditionalist, onto one stage and asking them to trade real stories. The result is a warm, funny, and eye-opening journey across life stages, tech shifts, and civic pride that shows how much we share and how our differences can actually power stronger communities. We kick off with simple gr...
What if the strongest driver of performance isn’t a strategy deck but the quality of your community at work? We dive into how trust, clear accountability, and psychological safety transform teams from collections of roles into villages that solve harder problems together. Instead of choosing between “personal” and “professional,” we frame community as the shared ground where activities, places, and people meet, your neighborhood, your product squad, powered by the same habits of care and clar...
Have you ever wondered why your carefully worded suggestions get ignored, or why someone thought you were angry when you were simply being clear? The answer might lie in your influence style. In this illuminating episode, Ken and Patti Leith delve into the third component of their Interface Methods collaboration tool: influence styles. Building on previous discussions about detail orientation and information processing, they explore the fascinating dynamic between direct and cautious communi...
Art isn't just something to view—it's a catalyst for connection, hope, and transformation. That's the powerful message from Lela Davidson, Chief Operating Officer at Crystal Bridges Museum and the Momentary, who joined us to discuss the future of these remarkable institutions in Northwest Arkansas. Davidson reveals exciting details about Crystal Bridges' ambitious expansion, adding 100,000 square feet through what museums call a "reinstallation"—not simply expanding physical space, but reima...
What happens when you veer from the expected career path and embrace the unexpected turns life offers? Lela Davidson, Chief Operating Officer of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary, joins Ken and Patti Leith to share her refreshingly honest journey through the professional landscape. Davidson describes her career as "squiggly" rather than linear—starting as a CPA before moving through media, e-commerce, retail, and advertising before landing at one of America's premier a...
What happens when you bring together art, architecture, and landscape design with a clear mission to "create places people love"? The answer lies in Northwest Arkansas's remarkable transformation from a collection of small towns to a vibrant urban landscape that draws visitors and new residents from across the country. Jessica Hester, CEO and principal architect at Verdant Studio, along with Dayton Castleman, their director of creative placemaking, take us behind the scenes of their innovati...
What happens when the same behaviors that would prompt immediate police intervention on the street are normalized behind office doors? Dr. Jason Walker, a dual-doctorate psychologist and internationally recognized expert on workplace violence, bullying, and harassment, takes us on a compelling journey exploring this dangerous double standard. "Why is it if you are touched sexually in an unwanted way, if you were on the street, the cops would show up? But you're at work and you're like, well,...
Dr. Jason Walker, an internationally recognized expert with dual doctorates in psychology, pulls back the curtain on workplace bullying—a crisis affecting 75% of workers during their careers. Drawing from his own powerful personal experiences, Dr. Walker explains how workplace bullying isn't just "bad behavior" but a public health crisis costing our economy nearly a billion dollars annually. The conversation draws crucial distinctions between proper performance management and actual bullying...
The way we process information fundamentally shapes how we communicate, collaborate, and connect with others. In this illuminating episode, we dive deep into the "Tree vs Forest" dimension of the Interface Methods connectivity tool – exploring the profound difference between internal processors (Trees) who prefer thinking before speaking, and external processors (Forests) who develop their thoughts through conversation. This distinction goes far beyond simple personality differences. As we e...
What makes a community truly thrive in times of rapid growth? Robert Burns, Director of Home Region Resources for the Walton Family Foundation, returns to the Four Bars Podcast to dive deep into the art of community building and regional development. Have you ever relocated and felt that initial struggle to connect? Burns reveals that the first 30 days in a new place are critical to establishing lasting roots. "Put yourself out there," he encourages, "it's amazing just how one little convers...
The heartbeat of thriving communities isn't just in their development plans or economic metrics, it's in the genuine connections between people who call these places home. Robert Burns, Director of Home Region Programs at the Walton Family Foundation, brings this philosophy to life as he shares his journey from a rural North Carolina farm to leading transformative community initiatives in Northwest Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta. What makes Northwest Arkansas special? According to Burns,...
From a mud-stuck vehicle in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the halls of George Mason University, Dr. Charles Davidson's journey in peace-building offers profound insights into human connection across seemingly insurmountable divides. As both Director of Research and Practice at the Center for Applied Peace Strategies and President of Innovations in Peacebuilding, Davidson brings decades of on-the-ground experience working directly with former child soldiers and armed groups in some of th...
The journey from tactical operator to strategic leader requires more than just a promotion - it demands a fundamental shift in thinking. Brandon Taylor, Senior Vice President of Transportation at JB Hunt Transport, returns to share the pivotal moments and hard-won wisdom from his leadership journey. Brandon's career path took him from selling furniture in Miami to leading transportation strategy at one of America's largest logistics companies. Along the way, a powerful wake-up call from his ...
Brandon Taylor, Senior Vice President of Transportation at JB Hunt Transport, takes us on a deeply personal journey through his formative years and the values that have shaped his life and leadership philosophy. Growing up as a self-described "military brat," Brandon moved constantly throughout his childhood – from Michigan to Wyoming, England, Oklahoma, Germany, and California. This nomadic upbringing forged in him an unusual combination of introversion and extroversion; he gains energy fro...
Have you ever experienced that moment of frustration when someone isn't approaching a task "the right way" – meaning your way? That universal feeling stands at the heart of disconnection in our relationships, and it's exactly what we tackle in this enlightening episode. Ken and Patti take us behind the scenes of their growth advisory firm Edges and reveal the origin story of their behavioral assessment tool, Interface Methods. Unlike psychological assessments that identify relatively fixed t...
Taboos around money conversations can keep us financially stuck for decades. In this enlightening discussion with Iffy Ibekwe, Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at Arvest Wealth Management, we unpack why financial literacy matters and how community-based education can transform our relationship with money. Iffy shares the origin story of her popular Money Moves Book Club and the successful financial literacy conference she organized that attracted nearly 180 attendees hungry for knowle...
What does it take to uproot your family from a city you've called home for 21 years and move to a place you never imagined living? Iffy Ibekwe, Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at Arvest Wealth Management, shares the surprising journey that brought her from Nigeria to Dubai to Austin and finally to Northwest Arkansas. Iffy's story is a testament to holding plans loosely. Originally set on becoming a neonatologist like her father, everything changed when she watched the second tower fa...
Discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the workplace with our special guest, Vic Miles from Microsoft. Vic sheds light on how AI is automating routine tasks, paving the path for employees to engage in more meaningful work that fosters creativity and collaboration. Could this shift be the catalyst that draws employees back to the office for those invaluable face-to-face interactions? We explore this intriguing possibility, bringing historical patterns and current research to t...
Ever wondered how empathy might be the missing link between cutting-edge technology and real-world business needs? Join us as we chat with Vic Miles, the General Manager for Industry Strategies in the Americas at Microsoft, who brings a wealth of experience from his 15-year journey at the tech giant, including his impactful work with Walmart. Vic offers a fresh perspective on how understanding the end user's experience, even through simple tasks like running a cash register, can lead to groun...
Licensed therapist Jessica Turner returns to the Four Bars podcast to share her expert insights on the complexities of family dynamics during the holidays. Discover the keys to mastering the often-challenging art of setting boundaries and maintaining communication with loved ones. We promise that by the end of this episode, you'll have a toolkit full of strategies for creating a supportive environment, whether with your biological family or your chosen one. Jessica also opens up about her tra...
What if we chased human connection with the same focus we use to hunt for a full signal on our phones? We put that question to the test by bringing five generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Boomer, and Traditionalist, onto one stage and asking them to trade real stories. The result is a warm, funny, and eye-opening journey across life stages, tech shifts, and civic pride that shows how much we share and how our differences can actually power stronger communities. We kick off with simple gr...
