Episode 28-Who Has Your Back? Talking about Communications with Karen Whitaker and Lois Sonstegard

In the third of our series of five podcasts with Karen Whitaker, Vice President at Grin + Beam, Lois Sonstegard asks her about communications within the corporate world. They also discuss the importance of someone watching out for you or “having your back.”

Acccording to Gallup research, when employees feel connected, productivity can increase as much as 14 percent. That’s why communication and transparency within a company are so important. Karen tells us what she’s learned about trusting her co-workers and the importance of building your own network.

So if you want to know:

How the need to protect yourself can drain productivity
The importance of providing real-time feedback to employees
What millennials want from their managers
Why you should include diverse opinions in your network


About Karen Whitaker

As Vice President of Business Development for Grin + Beam, Karen is responsible for leading business and relationship strategies enterprise-wide for this company that offers an innovative approach to oral health.

During her 15-year career in clinical care, Karen has proven to be a true “connector” in the healthcare community. She has worked with public and privately owned companies, start-up ventures and merging entities to help these organizations develop a competitive advantage through strategic positioning, planning and patient education practices.

From corporate settings to the operating room, Karen has had hands-on experience in sales, marketing and clinical education. Her gift for forging relationships is a result of her professional values: accountability, compassion, honesty and reliability. She is a champion for women in the workplace, and her reputation for fairness and equality has never wavered.

About Lois Sonstegard, PhD

Working with business leaders for more than 30 years, Lois has learned that successful leaders have a passion to leave a meaningful legacy. Leaders often as