Magic in the Room Podcast #39: The Year Ahead – Predicting the Unpredictable

January 12, 2021

What will 2021 have in store for you? The impact of the year 2020 on a grand scale is unknowable and will likely continue to emerge for decades to come. In this episode, Luke, Chris, and Hannah discuss the potential trends in organizational culture, human networks, globalization, and other areas that might lie ahead in the new year and beyond.

After many months of being confined to our homes and enduring limited freedom of movement, 2020 was notoriously tough. Here in 2021, things are beginning to look much more positive. Today’s podcast starts with the question, what are you most looking forward to when we’re not constrained?

 

Hannah shares how she will return to Norway and spend some time with her family. Sticking with the travel theme, Hannah also wants to find a beach somewhere and soak up some warmth and sunshine in her life. Although Luke is looking forward to adventures with his family in the mountains, he also missed the simple things in life, like walking into a client’s office for the first time.

 

Luke is looking forward to soaking up the culture of a client’s workspace and understanding its personality in a way that doesn’t come across in a video conferencing call. The sense of discovery and the opportunity to connect with people and help them is something that Luke has missed more than anything.

 

Chris agrees that one of the most exciting aspects of no longer being constrained is connecting differently again. He also shares how he is missing the shared experiences we all took for granted. Going on adventures with his kids, riding bikes and scooters, or waking up deciding to take his family to Disneyland.

 

However, this episode’s big focus is exploring your company vision for 2021 and how a leadership mindset will guide you forward. Hannah discusses how many people are discovering their areas of expertise no longer exist or are relevant in the world. She warns how this could quickly lead to resentment.

 

We have the power to choose our mindset. It’s easy to become angry if you have spent a great deal of time learning how to operate effectively within a system that changed forever. Alternatively, we can recognize the new reality and learn additional skills to build a better plan, and then learn how to thrive in a new system. All of this ties back to our previous episode of  learning nimbly.

 

It is possible to change our mindset by choosing to look at every change as an opportunity to learn. As we move from entitlement to gratitude, we can all let go of resentment. Rather than building pre-pandemic solutions, we also have an opportunity to approach things with fresh eyes as we emerged from a period when we were feeling around in the dark.

 

How are you positioning yourself or your business to succeed in 2021 as we prepare to enter a new world? Share your experiences by messaging Chris, Hannah, and Luke at  info@purposeandperformancegroup.com.

Magic in the Room #199: The Power of Mattering

By Sarah Whitfield • April 7, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke Freeman, Hannah Bratterud, and Chris Province dive into the concept of “mattering,” inspired by Zach Mercurio’s work, and explore why it is a foundational driver of engagement, performance, and culture in organizations. They challenge leaders to move beyond assuming people matter to actively ensuring individuals feel that they matter by being valued and by contributing value to a shared purpose. The conversation highlights how mattering differs from belonging, why it cannot be replaced by perks or efficiency, and how leadership behaviors like attention, recognition, and presence directly shape whether people feel seen, heard, and understood. Through examples ranging from workplace dynamics to broader societal trends like social disconnection, they argue that disengagement, conflict, and even poor performance are symptoms of a mattering deficit. Ultimately, they position mattering not as a soft concept, but as a measurable, actionable leadership responsibility that underpins trust, resilience, and long-term success.

Magic in the Room #198: The GUEST Experience

By Sarah Whitfield • March 3, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke, Hannah, and Chris explore how the concept of mattering transforms customer experience through their practical GUEST framework. Building on the idea that people thrive when they feel noticed, affirmed, and valued, they argue that exceptional service is not just about efficiency or technical competence, but about intentionally designing experiences where guests truly feel significant. They unpack the five elements of the GUEST model: Greet with empathy, Uncover needs, Express gratitude, Share names, and Teach benefits. They show how each step reinforces belonging and loyalty, whether in a 30-second interaction or a 30-year relationship. The conversation highlights the difference between service and hospitality, the power of recovery when mistakes occur, and the leadership responsibility to embed mattering into culture rather than leaving it to chance.
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