Leadership Is Stewardship

EPISODE 66 with guest kyle wells

Building Trust Through People-First Leadership

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about earning trust, investing in people, and taking responsibility for the well-being of those you lead. In this episode of The BOLT Podcast, Todd Bertsch sits down with Kyle Wells, President and owner of Champion Personnel, to explore what people-first leadership looks like in practice.

Todd Bertsch & Kyle Wells in the BOLT podcast studio

Kyle’s unconventional journey took him from temporary associate on a manufacturing shop floor to leading the company that originally placed him there. Along the way, he faced an unexpected leadership transition, inherited a struggling culture, and learned to lead through vulnerability, transparency, and trust.

Todd and Kyle also explore today’s hiring challenges, employee retention, the impact of AI on recruiting, mental fitness in the workplace, and why investing in people can create stronger organizations and better lives.

Watch the Full Episode

Watch Todd and Kyle discuss how leaders can build trust, strengthen workplace culture, and put people first.

Listen to the Podcast Episode

Listen to the full conversation for practical insights on leadership, hiring, culture, and creating workplaces where people want to stay.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why transparency and vulnerability build trust
How investing in people strengthens culture and retention
Why strong leaders put people before pride
How to lead teams through uncertainty and change
Why employees need to feel heard and valued
How the candidate experience affects hiring and retention
Why employer brand matters when attracting talent
How AI is changing recruiting and increasing the value of human relationships
How mental fitness can improve leadership under pressure
Why small improvements can create meaningful momentum

Key Quotes from This Episode

“Leadership by way of stewardship is ensuring the wellness of others before yourself.” — Kyle Wells

“People are the answer.” — Kyle Wells

“Don’t be afraid to seek the unfiltered truth about who you are and how you are.” — Kyle Wells

“Sometimes someone just needs someone to talk to.” — Kyle Wells

“Take one small step and believe in the momentum of it.” — Kyle Wells

Episode Timestamps

02:45 – An unconventional journey into leadership
07:19 – Why vulnerable leaders ask for help
10:19 – Rebuilding a struggling culture during uncertainty
13:21 – Investing in people to strengthen culture
18:53 – How leaders earn trust
21:34 – AI, technology, and the future of work
25:21 – Why leadership is about stewardship
30:40 – Closing the gap between hiring and employees
38:45 – Why transactional hiring creates distrust and ghosting
42:22 – Building mental fitness into workplace culture

Why People-First Leadership Builds Trust

Trust isn’t created through a mission statement or a single motivational speech. It develops when leaders consistently demonstrate transparency, humility, and concern for their people.

Kyle’s experience rebuilding Champion Personnel illustrates how leaders can strengthen trust by admitting what they don’t know, listening to employees, communicating openly during uncertainty, and following through on their commitments. When employees feel heard and supported, they are more willing to embrace change, contribute ideas, and remain invested in the organization.

How Better Employee Experiences Improve Retention

Employee retention begins before someone’s first day. The hiring process, onboarding experience, workplace culture, opportunities for growth, and relationship with leadership all influence whether someone chooses to stay.

Kyle argues that employers need to examine the experience they’re creating instead of simply blaming the labor market. Honest job expectations, meaningful career paths, strong onboarding, employee feedback, and an authentic employer brand can help organizations attract people who fit and give them reasons to stay.

Resources and Books Mentioned

The following books, tools, and resources were mentioned or referenced throughout this episode.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does leadership as stewardship mean?

Leadership as stewardship means prioritizing the well-being, growth, and success of the people you lead rather than focusing primarily on authority, status, or personal recognition. It requires humility, responsibility, and a willingness to put people first.

How can leaders build trust with employees?

Trust grows through consistent actions. Leaders can strengthen trust by communicating transparently, listening to employees, admitting when they don’t have all the answers, keeping their commitments, and creating an environment where people feel safe speaking honestly.

Why are companies struggling with employee retention?

Retention problems can stem from more than compensation. Poor hiring experiences, unclear expectations, weak onboarding, lack of growth opportunities, distrust, ineffective leadership, and a disconnect between what an employer promises and what employees actually experience can all contribute to turnover.

How can leaders start improving workplace culture?

Start small. Ask employees what is working and what isn’t, listen without becoming defensive, identify one meaningful issue, and take action. Sustainable culture change doesn’t require solving everything immediately. Consistent small improvements can build trust and momentum over time.

About Kyle Wells

Kyle Wells is President of Champion Personnel, a Cleveland staffing firm that has connected Northeast Ohio manufacturers with talent for more than 60 years. He prides himself on being a true champion of Cleveland and the people who build it, and his own path proves it. Kyle started on the shop floor as a temporary associate and worked his way up to lead the company, giving him a rare ability to build clarity and trust between Cleveland’s blue-collar workforce and the hiring table. At home, he and his wife live a joyfully full life, raising their children, including one-year-old twin daughters and a five-year-old son, along with three dogs and five cats.

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