Episode Details

How can leaders build trust, strengthen workplace culture and preserve human connection in a technology-driven world? In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and  Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai, speaks with Joel Hines, Human Experience Designer at Being Human, speaker, storyteller, facilitator, trainer and author. Joel shares practical insights into human-centred leadership, psychological safety, storytelling and constructive workplace feedback. Drawing on a career spanning mental health, education, technology and organisational development, he explains how leaders can create environments where people feel safe to contribute, collaborate and perform at their best.

Joel’s unconventional career began in acute mental health and occupational therapy before moving through fitness training, IT, software development and primary school leadership. Each experience strengthened his understanding of how people connect, communicate and respond to different environments. His five years as a primary school principal also taught him how to manage the needs of students, parents, teachers, communities, boards and funders. These lessons eventually shaped Being Human and Joel’s work helping organisations address cultural challenges, disengagement, conflict and stalled growth.

Storytelling and play sit at the heart of Joel’s facilitation approach. He explains that workshop participants quickly want to understand who the facilitator is, whether they can trust them and what they will gain from the session. Purposeful games, shared experiences and personal stories can lower barriers, spark curiosity and prepare groups for more honest conversations. Joel also recommends introducing light, engaging questions into staff meetings and stand-ups to help colleagues understand each other beyond their job titles, while leaders can strengthen trust by sharing their own experiences and modelling the openness they expect from others.

The conversation also explores self-awareness, vulnerable leadership and the role of AI in modern workplaces. Joel encourages leaders to recognise their strengths and blind spots, admit when they do not have an answer and invite their teams to contribute by asking, “What do you think?” Andrew and Joel discuss how AI can reinforce existing assumptions or return generic, agreeable responses without thoughtful prompting. Human creativity, healthy debate and collaborative problem-solving remain essential, with AI serving as a tool for testing ideas, challenging assumptions and exploring alternative perspectives.

Joel concludes with a practical framework for giving constructive workplace feedback. The process begins by reviewing what happened, identifying what went well and considering what could be done differently next time. Leaders should ask whether the recipient is open to feedback, respect their boundaries and finish the conversation with a clear action. Comparing feedback to a gift, Joel explains that the recipient ultimately chooses how and when to use it. Through consistent trust-building, honest communication and action-focused feedback, leaders can help people grow while creating healthier and more connected workplace cultures.

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