Podcast

In this episode, Errol Amerasekera from At The Edge: Lessons in Culture and Leadership, discusses the importance of designing a cultural workout for teams and organisations. He uses the analogy of culture as a muscle to highlight three key principles: the frequency of cultural workouts, the need for slight discomfort to foster growth, and the importance of actively practicing culture rather than just discussing it. Errol provides practical examples and reflections on how leaders can effectively implement these principles to enhance their team’s culture.

In this episode of At The Edge: Lessons in Culture and Leadership, Errol delves into the controversial topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). He explores why DEI has recently fallen out of favor and discusses the economic, political, and social factors influencing this trend. Errol offers three practical steps for leaders to navigate the complex terrain of DEI, advocating for its integration to identify those core business objectives that drive performance. The discussion highlights the importance of viewing DEI not as a socio-political obligation but as a strategic advantage for fostering innovation, inclusion, and overall business success.

In this episode of ‘At The Edge: Lessons in Culture and Leadership, Errol discusses the importance of constructive feedback for leaders and coaches. He introduces eight essential strategies to improve feedback practices, emphasizing the balance between empathy and clarity. Errol highlights the significance of personalized feedback styles, clear intentions, appropriate timing, engaging in conversations, encouraging a growth mindset, fostering psychological safety, recognizing signs of dissociation, and following up regularly. He concludes by encouraging viewers to become feedback champions, integrating these strategies to create a culture of trust, growth, and high performance.

In this episode, Errol from ‘At the Edge: Lessons in Culture and Leadership’ explores the critical role of composure in high-stakes situations. He explains that while skills, talent, and intelligence are important, they are not enough for optimal performance under pressure. The prefrontal cortex, which governs logical thinking and emotional regulation, gets hijacked by the amygdala during perceived threats, leading to poor decision-making. Errol delves into the neurological impact of pressure and offers a two-step process to enhance composure: psychological rewiring to decouple past negative experiences with pressure, and fostering a psychologically safe environment. By understanding and applying these insights, individuals and teams can improve their ability to perform well under pressure.

Errol from At the Edge Lessons in Culture and Leadership discusses the importance of psychological safety in teams and organizations. He outlines the true meaning of psychological safety, debunking common misconceptions and emphasizing its dynamic, non-binary nature. Errol explains why psychological safety is crucial for high performance, particularly in fostering openness, risk-taking, and growth. He then presents a practical three-step strategy to increase psychological safety: tracking levels of safety, linking behaviors to shifts in safety, and reinforcing behaviors that promote it. This episode aims to help leaders and coaches create environments where team members can thrive and reach their highest performance.

In June 2025 Errol Amerasekera, the owner of Bluestone Edge, delivered a keynote address for the Tasmanian Transcultural Mental Health Network in Launceston, Tasmania. Errol kicks off the presentation by discussing the impact of racism on mental health. Sharing personal experiences as a child of Sri Lankan immigrants in Australia, he highlights the systemic and structural nature of racism. The presentation delves into how racism perpetuates itself, its psychological dynamics, and offers strategies for creating inclusive and high-performing organizational cultures. Key topics include systemic and structural racism, internalized oppression and dominance, stereotypes, and the importance of fostering psychological safety in the workplace.