Dean E. Carter is the CEO of Instill, a company dedicated to driving cultural transformation within organizations through advanced AI and real-time organizational intelligence. With a proven track record of stabilizing at-risk engagements and building billion-dollar businesses, Dean has held senior executive and board leadership roles at renowned companies such as Patagonia, Sears, Fossil, and Guild, and is the co-author of the #1 bestselling book Employee Experience Design. He is widely recognized for developing innovative employee experiences, nurturing the next generation of leaders, and shaping workplace cultures that balance both business performance and human wellbeing.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [02:41] Dean E. Carter’s North Star for leadership and lasting impact
- [05:30] Why designing employee experiences starts with relationships
- [07:23] The fastest way trust breaks down at work
- [08:18] Why process often trumps trust and what’s missing
- [10:07] The PREP Framework pillar creates the biggest ripple effect
- [18:34] Key differences between leaders who say and show they value people
- [25:07] How AI can strengthen relationships when used intentionally
- [29:00] Why the future of work demands a regenerative approach to people
In this episode…
Uncertainty has a way of exposing the cracks in leadership. When pressure mounts and answers are unclear, what actually keeps people aligned, motivated, and willing to stay in the boat together?
According to Dean E. Carter, a longtime people-first leadership thinker, trust is built through everyday actions, not grand speeches. He points to simple but powerful moments, like keeping your word, listening with intent, and leaving people and organizations better than you found them, as the real foundations of leadership. In times of disruption, those habits become the difference between teams that fragment and teams that rise together
In this episode of In Good Company: Where Relationships Drive Results, Lisa Kilrea is joined by Dean E. Carter, CEO of Instill, to discuss how leaders build trust in uncertain times. They explore why trust breaks down when leaders default to process over people, how relationships drive performance even in crisis, and what it means to design employee experiences with — not for — your teams. Dean also shares advice on using transparency, consistency, and learning to lead people through change with confidence.
Resources mentioned in this episode
- Lisa Kilrea on LinkedIn
- WSI eResults
- Dean E. Carter on LinkedIn
- Instill
- Employee Experience Design: How to Co-create Work Where People and Organizations by Dean E. Carter, Samantha Gadd, and Mark Levy
- Shannon Ellis on LinkedIn
- Patagonia
- Guild
Quotable Moments
- “If people are engaged in anything they build, they’re much more likely to be engaged with it.”
- “You can have an amazing process, and if you’re not trust-building the entire time, it won’t work.”
- “They’re like a garden that you weed and nurture over time.”
- “Leave people, organizations, and communities a little bit better than you found them — that’s my guiding North Star.”
- “For what I put into my work, I believe the company gives back equal or greater value to my life.”
Action Steps
- Keep your word consistently: Following through on commitments is foundational to trust and signals reliability in uncertain times.
- Design experiences with employees, not for them: Involving people in shaping change increases engagement, ownership, and long-term success.
- Prioritize relationships over rigid processes: Strong relationships enable teams to navigate complexity when processes alone fall short.
- Lead with transparency during hard moments: Being honest about reality while offering hope helps teams stay aligned and resilient.
- Create space for people to be fully human at work: Allowing employees to bring their whole selves fosters loyalty, performance, and meaningful connection.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is sponsored by WSI EResults Manufacturing Marketing — revolutionizing digital marketing for the manufacturing industry.
At WSI EResults, we help B2B manufacturers, OEMs, and industrial distributors elevate their digital presence through AI-powered, data-driven strategies designed to generate targeted, impactful leads.
From AI-powered SEO and content marketing to tailored campaigns built for the unique challenges of the manufacturing sector, WSI EResults delivers the tools and expertise to help your business stand out, grow, and thrive.
Learn more at wsi-manufacturing-marketing.com. Your blueprint for smarter, more effective manufacturing marketing.