Jason celebrates the last year of the podcast and highlights the themes and conversations that resonated with so many people across teams and cultures.
SHOW NOTES
Jason introduces Season 9 episode 51 of the podcast, Cheers to 2025!. Welcome back to the podcast on corporate culture and leadership and thank you for listening. We engage thought leaders like CEOs, CFOs, managers, VPs, directors, and more for this podcast. We wish to create content that engages your mind and heart and allows you to step back and think and add some positivity to your life. We deep dive into today’s topic.
We can’t control everything but what we can control is our response. Still a lot of work to do but wanted to remind the audience what is within our control is the temperature we create in the organizations and teams we work with.
Please leave a review for the podcast It really helps the podcast to spread these messages out into the world. Please share this podcast with your organization, on your team, or in your life to help spread these messages. Thank you!
If any of these topics are interesting to you please or you want a deep dive on any specific topics, please reach out to us at info@jasonvbarger.com
Cheers to 2025!
As 2025 draws to a close, the instinct for many leaders and organizations is to immediately sprint toward the next goal, the next quarter, or the next “shiny object.” However, the most effective corporate culture is built not just on forward momentum, but on the discipline of reflection.
In the Season 9 finale of The Thermostat Podcast, Jason V. Barger invites listeners to pause and celebrate the path traveled over the last year. With over 310 episodes now in the library, this episode serves as a retrospective on the critical themes that have shaped the landscape of leadership in teams throughout 2025. It is a reminder that we become better at everything we do in the future when we first take the time to appreciate where we are right now.
Summary: A Year of “Breathing Oxygen”
This episode acts as a capstone for a year dedicated to developing leaders and compelling cultures. Jason reviews the “micro-pods” and in-depth interviews that defined the season, highlighting the shift toward more human-centered leadership strategies.
The conversation reinforces the podcast’s core mission: to breathe “good oxygen” into leaders so they can set the temperature in their organizations rather than simply reflecting it. From the nuances of work-life rhythm to the evolving definition of accountability, the episode encapsulates the mindset required to thrive in the modern workplace.
Key Themes for Leadership in 2025 and Beyond
Looking back at the past year, several distinct patterns emerged that are essential for anyone focused on organizational development:
1. Congruence and “Repeated Beingness”
A major focus of 2025 was the concept of congruence—ensuring that a leader’s thoughts, words, and actions are aligned. Jason emphasizes “repeated beingness,” which suggests that culture isn’t built on one-off events but on how leaders consistently show up for their people every single day.
2. EAT Leadership
The acronym E.A.T. (Empathy, Accountability, and Trust) surfaced as a vital framework. High-performing teams are realizing that these three elements are not mutually exclusive; rather, they rely on one another to create psychological safety and performance.
3. Redefining Accountability
The podcast challenged the traditional, often punitive view of accountability. Instead, the focus has shifted to the reciprocal nature of accountability, where it is viewed as a supportive mechanism for growth rather than a tool for blame.
4. Work-Life Rhythm vs. Balance
Moving away from the elusive concept of “balance,” the discussions this year favored “rhythm.” This distinction acknowledges that work and life are dynamic, requiring a fluid approach rather than a static 50/50 split.
Insights on AI and the Future of Culture
During the listener Q&A segment, Jason addresses the elephant in the room: Artificial Intelligence. His take is pragmatic and human-centric. The competitive advantage in the coming years will not go to those who ignore AI, nor to those who rely on it entirely.
Success belongs to leaders who commit to learning AI tools for efficiency while simultaneously doubling down on their ability to connect human beings. The best cultures will use technology to handle tasks, allowing leaders to focus on the uniquely human aspects of leadership in teams.
Notable Quotes
“We will be better at everything we do in the future when we fully appreciate where we are first.”
“The advantage is going to… those who know how or commit to learning how to use AI tools to maximize our efficiencies and our efforts and have an ability to connect human beings at the same time.”
“We are all ambassadors for the culture we want to create in our life and work. We have to own the vision we want to be a part of.”
Questions to Ponder
As you prepare to turn the calendar page, Jason leaves us with inquiries to help calibrate our mindset for the year ahead:
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What is the temperature that you are trying to set in your life and your work in the year ahead?
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How will you step back to appreciate the path you have walked before launching into the next journey?
Links and References
Follow @JasonVBarger on social media for even more insights and new video content.
For more insights and practical tips, be sure to check out Jason V Barger’s book Breathing Oxygen. This book dives deeper into the concepts discussed in this episode and provides additional strategies for fostering a positive mindset and effective leadership.
By incorporating these practices into your summer routine, you can breathe new life into your personal and professional endeavors. Remember, as Jason says, “The best leaders, teams, and cultures on the planet stimulate progress by recalibrating their thermostat together.”
Please leave a review for the podcast It really helps the podcast to spread these messages out into the world. Please share this podcast with your organization, on your team, or in your life to help spread these messages. Thank you!
If any of these topics are interesting to you please or you want a deep dive on any specific topics, please reach out to us at info@jasonvbarger.com
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Remember, the best leaders, teams, & cultures stimulate progress by recalibrating their thermostat together.
If you like the podcast, have a question, or just want to share your thoughts about daring to begin please leave a comment below or please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.
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ABOUT THE THERMOSTAT
Conversations and micro-thoughts to engage your mind and heart.
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, is the host of The Thermostat, a podcast journey to discover authentic leadership, create compelling cultures and find clarity of mission, vision, and values.