It was quite the weekend for Nordic skiing in the United States. The World Cup visited Lake Placid, NY, and I was there along with 14,000 plus other spectators to take it all in. We saw some of the biggest names in cross-country skiing take to the line and race in the snow and even in the rain. As an avid Nordic skier, it was awesome to see it all happen in a location that I have skied (although at much slower speeds).

One of the main attractions was the retirement of Jessie Diggins, the greatest Nordic athlete ever to come out of the United States. Her legacy however goes well beyond the Olympic medals and world championships. When she talks about her career and her impact, she focuses much more on the culture she helped to create on the US Nordic ski team, and the larger impact on youth skiing.

One of her trademarks is wearing glitter on her cheeks during her races. At the event, hundreds (if not thousands) of people were also wearing glitter. While perhaps a small symbol to some outside of this culture, it speaks to how the outcome of the race is not the only thing. Rather, it is the joy of participating in a community with others who share the passion you all have for this activity.

On her legacy, she said the following:

“I think the team is going to be just fine without me,” Diggins said. “And I feel like that’s how I know I did my job. There’s so much leadership coming from so many people, because this team is filled with individuals who have put their heart and their energy into the team and who spend time thinking about, How can I make this team better? Not just what can I get and how can the team help me, but how can I make sure that we succeed? And I think that is why we succeed.”

On the point of leadership, I welcome Dalmo Cirne to Experience by Design podcast. Dalmo wrote the book “The 4 Streams of Leadership: Transform Yourself into an Overachiever Manager.” In this book, he talks about how being in a position of leadership doesn’t prepare you for being a leader. People often are promoted into leadership positions because of their technical competence, but that doesn’t translate into effective leadership.

We talk about the overtaxing of middle management when placed into this position, and how it impacts those who are reporting to them. We discuss the concept of leadership and the importance of understanding and managing different streams in an organization, including downstream (team and projects), upstream (communication with upper management), and sidestream (interactions with peers in other departments).

Dalmo examines the nature of leadership, agreeing that while organizational hierarchy is necessary for making difficult decisions, true leadership is demonstrated through actions and behaviors rather than just position

Dalmo highlights the significance of understanding one's own motivations for seeking leadership roles, contrasting those who are naturally drawn to leadership with those who seek it for external recognition or financial gain.

Finally, we have some conversation about the properties of snow, including heavy and wet New England snow versus light and fluffy Colorado snow. And what better time to talk about snow and leadership than with the retirement of Jessie Diggins and the emergence of the next generation of Nordic leadership for US cross-country skiing!

Dalmo Cirne: https://dalmocirne.com/

Dalmo Cirne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalmocirne/

“The 4 Streams of Leadership”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1510785183

Well we did it, folks! Experience by Design podcast has hit 25,000 downloads. I don’t know what all that means in real terms other than a lot of you like to listen to this on a regular basis. First, that’s a testament to the great guests who spend their time talking with me about their lives and their work. Second, it is a testament to you for being interested in these stories and the field of experience design. Third, I guess it is a testament to me, even though I don’t feel comfortable giving myself credit.

So thank you for 25,000 downloads. And I promise more great guests for the next year.

We have had a run of great episodes on employee experience, and it is one of my favorite topics to explore in experience design. In discussions of workplaces, the framing typically is either around the workers (at the bottom of the org chart) or the leadership (at the top of the org chart). When people talk about organizational change, it is framed as either ‘top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’. These formulations leave something important out: the middle.

In many ways, middle management often goes unresourced, underappreciated, and stressed. But it also is where things need to get done, and ultimate strategic success can depend.

My guest today on Experience by Design is the author of the book “The Elevated Leader” who talks about ‘the messy middle’ in organizations. Laurie Maddalena is first notable characteristic is that sociology was her favorite class. Along with that topic, we explore the challenges of having five generations in the workplace right now, and what that means for management and leadership.

She talks about the Six Saboteurs in the workplace, which she lays out in her book and consulting. We explore how there are no “hard skills” or “soft skills”, but rather just essential skills. The key goal is to create environments where people can do and become their best.

Laurie provides practical leadership tools with training that gives actionable tips rather than vague statements. She stresses the need for career paths besides leadership. We explore the evolution of human resources into being a strategic partner that are shaping the culture of the workplace.

Finally, we talk about while conflict is natural and necessary for team growth, the key is managing it constructively rather than avoiding it. Laurie also offers a free assessment tool to help leaders identify and overcome their specific saboteurs.

Laurie Maddalena: https://www.lauriemaddalena.com/

Laurie Maddalena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriemaddalena/

“The Elevated Leader”: https://www.lauriemaddalena.com/elevated-leader-book

You probably know that there are a lot of podcasts out there to listen to. By one estimate, as of January 2026 there are 4.58 million podcasts. That’s a lot of people churning out content that runs the gamut of topics and guests. If you look at the podcast stats, you also will see that nearly one-third of podcasts are 20-40 minutes in length.

Which makes Experience by Design stand out in a somewhat unique way in terms of the length of my conversation with guests. Only about 15% of podcasts last an hour or more.

So why go for an hour when most podcasters go for a much shorter length? Stories.

Part of my goal here at ExD is to hear the stories that people have to offer, to learn about the people behind the products and offerings. I like to think about it like “Humans of Experience Design.” As an ethnographer, I like to hear people’s stories. I’ve also found that people like sharing their stories. In many ways, the manner in which we share stories is what makes us human, or more human.

My guest today knows all about telling stories. Bill Blankschaen is here to talk about his book “Your Story Advantage: A Proven Path to Maximize Your Impact, Influence, and Income.”

Bill’s background has roots in his study of English and History, both of which are rich in stories. He then found himself leading a private school. While rewarding, he felt a calling for something more, and that was to help people tell their stories. This led to his company StoryBuilders, “a creative team of storytellers who are passionate about serving people with excellence in genuine, high-trust relationships.” Bill and StoryBuilders provide coaching, assistance with writing, getting it ready for launch, and getting it in front of your audience. They have worked with a range of business leaders, political figures, cultural influencers, and many more, helping to tell their stories and get their message out. Bill also is a multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer and business founder.

Bill and I talk about the path to finding purpose in life by engaging in your passion. We explore writing as a journey of exploration rather than just a final product. Bill relates about working with people who have a clear vision on what they want to do, as well as those who just have the desire to tell a story but not quite sure how. We also talk about the emergent area of hybrid publishing. While self-publishing has become more accessible, it’s still important to ensure quality and align publishing strategies with the author’s goals. He also emphasizes StoryBuilder’s approach to customize the publishing approach to each author’s needs.

Finally, Bill talks about the role that AI is starting to play in the writing and publishing process, and how it should compliment creativity rather than replace it.

StoryBuilders, LLC: https://mystorybuilders.com

Bill Blankschaen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billblankschaen/

“Your Story Advantage: A Proven Path to Maximize Your Impact, Influence, and Income”: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Story-Advantage-Maximize-Influence/dp/1954521901