Your Working Life with Caroline Dowd-Higgins

Your Working Life is an award-winning podcast series hosted by career and professional development author, speaker, and influencer, Caroline Dowd-Higgins. Featuring candid interviews with luminaries in the career, leadership, entrepreneurship, and wellness fields, listeners will benefit from wisdom about how to navigate life and career. Well-known personalities and industry experts including Tiffany Cross, Whitney Johnson, Guy Kawasaki, Melissa Daimler, and Marcus Buckingham give their personal take on how to thrive in your career. The podcast features a diverse array of experts with a special emphasis on female leaders, authors, and entrepreneurs.

The Doors You Can Open with Dr. Rosalind Chow 03/28/2025

The Doors You Can Open with Dr. Rosalind Chow Dr. Rosalind Chow is a professor of Organizational Behavior and Theory at the Tepper School of Business, and also affiliated with the group at Dietrich College. Her research, teaching, and writing focus on how we all participate in social systems in ways that have implications for the maintenance or attenuation of inequitable outcomes. She currently serves as the faculty director for , offered through the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University in partnership with Deloitte. CLIMB focuses on preparing Black and Latino professionals for leadership positions in the accounting industry. Prior to CLIMB, she served as the founding faculty director for the , an executive leadership program addressing the challenges facing the advancement of Black leaders in the Pittsburgh region. She holds a BA in Psychology from Columbia University, and a PhD in Organizational Behavior from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In it, Dr. Chow offers a myth-busting look at mentorship and explains why the new style of networking called sponsorship has more power to transform our relationships in and out of the workplace. Put simply, while mentors act on mentees, sponsors act on external observers – audiences — to change how they see proteges. Turning traditional models of networking on their heads, Dr. Chow reveals: Why sponsorship is more valuable and effective than mentorship Why the rewards of sponsorship far outweigh the risks Why being a sponsor is the key to ultimately finding a sponsor How gossip and chatter can be used for the collective good How we can intentionally increase diversity in our networks The four different categories of sponsorship: Prevent, Create, Confirm, and Protect How current approaches to networking work against women and people of color How to create opportunities for protégés that they wouldn’t typically have access to Insights into the lived workplace experience of people from marginalized groups — the pain from lacking sponsorship and the transformative power for recipients Why anyone can — and should — be a sponsor, regardless of perceived power or status Packed with original research and science-tested solutions, THE DOORS YOU CAN OPEN will inspire readers to do away with transactional networking in favor of authentic relationships, and in turn, help create stronger workplaces — and healthier connections — for us all. Suggested topics for discussion: What is sponsorship? Why is sponsorship more valuable and effective than mentorship and traditional networking? Why is being a sponsor the key to ultimately finding a sponsor? How can we become good sponsors and create opportunities for protégés that they wouldn’t typically have access to? How do current approaches to networking work against women and people of color? How can anyone be a sponsor, regardless of their perceived power or status? Socials: LinkedIn: Website: #sponsorship #mentorship #networking #dooropeners /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35913500

Tap Your Wild Courage with Jenny Wood 03/23/2025

Tap Your Wild Courage with Jenny Wood The music used in this episode is Keeping Score by Independent Music Licensing Collective (IMLC) Source: Free Music Archive (CC BY-NC-ND) In her 18 years at Google, Jenny Wood grew from entry-level to executive, and she most recently led a large operations team that helped drive billions in revenue per year. In 2021, she started a passion project within Google called Own Your Career, which grew to one of the largest career development programs in Google’s history. Through the program she founded, she has trained tens of thousands of people on: acing a job search, building relationships, personal branding, effective email writing, landing the right mentor, maximizing workplace influence, and most importantly, increasing confidence. Jenny’s writing has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Inc., and Forbes. She is an FAA-licensed private pilot, a daily hiker, an improv student, a tap dancer, and a zucchini bread connoisseur. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her two young children and her husband, Jon. She met Jon by chasing him off the NYC Subway, and the featured their story. WILD COURAGE: Go After What You Want and Get It A bold, empowering, and energizing guide to embracing your ambition and chasing after what you want from an executive who spent nearly two decades climbing the ranks at Google. What if the traits you need to get ahead are the exact opposite of what you’ve been told? To be successful you need to be Weird, Selfish, Shameless, Obsessed, Nosy, Manipulative, Brutal, Reckless, and Bossy. And that takes courage. is an energizing and empowering guide to embracing your ambition and chasing after what you want, from , an executive who spent 18 years from entry-level to executive at Google. Wood reclaims nine traits from their negative shackles and teaches you how to apply them in a savvy and sane way to supercharge your success, whether you’re trying to impress your new boss, snag a stretch promotion, or land a life-changing deal. Wood knows her way around courage. In this book, she shatters conventional wisdom about achieving your goals. She gives you permission to ditch your fear and chase after what you want, unapologetically. Wild Courage will teach you how to be: Ø Weird: Win as you or lose as “who?” Ø Selfish: Be your own champion. Ø Shameless: Kick impostor syndrome to the curb and self-promote with ease. Ø Obsessed: Push, persist, and perform at your highest level. Ø Nosy: Get curious to network confidently and learn from others. Ø Manipulative: Build influence with empathy and manage up like a pro. Ø Brutal: Draw lines and stick to them. Embrace the power of no. Ø Reckless: Err on the side of action and take healthy risks. Ø Bossy: Steer others to success, even if you’re not in charge yet. Wild Courage coaches you to smash through your fear of discomfort, failure, and the judgement of others, to embrace your boldest self in pursuit of what you want. To be successful, you need to have courage. Wild amounts of it. Wood can speak to: Getting what you want. Unapologetically. Increasing confidence at work—and in life. Communicating effectively and powerfully. Recognizing how tiny daily actions can have a big impact. Discovering work-life balance and the power of boundaries. From the collaborators behind the modern business classic All the Devils are Here comes a damning indictment of American capitalism—and the leaders that left us brutally unprepared for a global pandemic In 2020, the novel coronavirus pandemic made it painfully clear that the U.S. could not adequately protect its citizens. Millions of Americans suffered—and over a million died—in less than two years, while government officials blundered; prize-winning economists overlooked devastating trade-offs; and elites escaped to isolated retreats, unaffected by and even profiting from the pandemic. Why and how did America, in a catastrophically enormous failure, become the world leader in COVID deaths? In this page-turning economic, political, and financial history, veteran journalists Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera offer fresh and provocative answers. With laser-sharp analysis and deep sourcing, they investigate both what really happened when governments ran out of PPE due to snarled supply chains and the shock to the financial system when the world’s biggest economy stumbled. They zero in on the effectiveness of wildly polarized approaches, with governors Andrew Cuomo of New York and Ron DeSantis of Florida taking infamous turns in the spotlight. And they trace why thousands died in hollowed-out hospital systems and nursing homes run by private equity firms to “maximize shareholder value.” In the tradition of the authors’ previous landmark exposés, The Big Fail is an expansive, insightful account on what the pandemic did to the economy and how American capitalism has jumped the rails—and is essential reading to understand where we’re going next. SEE LESS From the collaborators behind the modern business classic All the Devils are Here comes a damning indictment of American capitalism—and the leaders that left us brutally unprepared for a global pandemic In 2020, the novel coronavirus pandemic made it painfully clear that the U.S. could not adequately protect its citizens. Millions of Americans suffered—and over a million died—in less than two years, while government officials blundered; prize-winning economists overlooked devastating trade-offs; and elites escaped to isolated retreats, unaffected by and even profiting from the pandemic. Why and how did America, in a catastrophically enormous failure, become the world leader in COVID deaths? In this page-turning economic, political, and financial history, veteran journalists Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera offer fresh and provocative answers. With laser-sharp analysis and deep sourcing, they investigate both what really happened when governments ran out of PPE due to snarled supply chains and the shock to the financial system when the world’s biggest economy stumbled. They zero in on the effectiveness of wildly polarized approaches, with governors Andrew Cuomo of New York and Ron DeSantis of Florida taking infamous turns in the spotlight. And they trace why thousands died in hollowed-out hospital systems and nursing homes run by private equity firms to “maximize shareholder value.” In the tradition of the authors’ previous landmark exposés, The Big Fail is an expansive, insightful account on what the pandemic did to the economy and how American capitalism has jumped the rails—and is essential reading to understand where we’re going next. SEE LESS From the collaborators behind the modern business classic All the Devils are Here comes a damning indictment of American capitalism—and the leaders that left us brutally unprepared for a global pandemic In 2020, the novel coronavirus pandemic made it painfully clear that the U.S. could not adequately protect its citizens. Millions of Americans suffered—and over a million died—in less than two years, while government officials blundered; prize-winning economists overlooked devastating trade-offs; and elites escaped to isolated retreats, unaffected by and even profiting from the pandemic. Why and how did America, in a catastrophically enormous failure, become the world leader in COVID deaths? In this page-turning economic, political, and financial history, veteran journalists Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera offer fresh and provocative answers. With laser-sharp analysis and deep sourcing, they investigate both what really happened when governments ran out of PPE due to snarled supply chains and the shock to the financial system when the world’s biggest economy stumbled. They zero in on the effectiveness of wildly polarized approaches, with governors Andrew Cuomo of New York and Ron DeSantis of Florida taking infamous turns in the spotlight. And they trace why thousands died in hollowed-out hospital systems and nursing homes run by private equity firms to “maximize shareholder value.” In the tradition of the authors’ previous landmark exposés, The Big Fail is an expansive, insightful account on what the pandemic did to the economy and how American capitalism has jumped the rails—and is essential reading to understand where we’re going next. SEE LESS Gather Your Courage. Overcome fear to achieve your biggest ambitions. Stand out to get what you want in life. Just don’t expect it to be easy. Chapter 1. Weird: Win as you or lose as “who?” Within your so-called weirdness lie your greatest strengths. Hone and highlight every ounce of weird you’ve got. Chapter 2. Selfish: Be your own champion. Give everyone a leg up at your own expense and get trampled. Start showing up for yourself. Chapter 3. Shameless: Find your swagger. Audacity—shamelessness—is a survival skill. How will you learn whether you’ve got the goods if you don’t act like it first? Chapter 4. Obsessed: Push, persist, and perform. None of these traits will serve you if you don’t learn to deliver—not for some company but to achieve your ambitions. Chapter 5. Nosy: Get insatiably curious. Curiosity drowns out fear and pulls you toward what is most exciting to you. Use it as a compass. Chapter 6. Manipulative: Build influence through empathy. Whether you’re selling a product, an idea, or yourself, the ability to win friends, allies, and supporters is all about mutual benefit. Figure out what people want and get it for them. Chapter 7. Brutal: The power of no. People-pleasing pleases no one and keeps you small. Brutality is cleaner, more effective, and far kinder. Cut through the bull and spare everyone’s time, energy, and attention. Chapter 8 Reckless: Err on the side of action. Better to learn from your mistakes than waste time predicting the consequences of every decision. Think fast and fearlessly—if you’re on the fence, do it. Chapter 9. Bossy: Steer others to success. All the traits and habits that looked so negative in this Table of Contents come together and create a leader. Cultivate allies, partners, and collaborators. Help them aggressively. Push them mercilessly. Win their gratitude. Achieve amazing things together. /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35825775

Become the Manager You Want to Be with Sabina Nawaz 03/07/2025

Become the Manager You Want to Be with Sabina Nawaz Sabina Nawaz episode: The music used in this episode was Sweeping Broomstick by Jangwa from Free Music Archive (CC BY) Sabina Nawaz is an elite executive coach who advises C-level executives and teams at Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions around the world. Sabina gives dozens of keynotes, seminars, and conferences each year and teaches faculty at Northeastern and Drexel Universities. During her fourteen-year tenure at Microsoft, she went from managing software development teams to leading the company’s executive development and succession planning efforts for over 11,000 managers and nearly a thousand executives, advising Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer directly. She has written for and been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, NBC, Nasdaq, and MarketWatch. Millions of managers in today’s global economy—16 million in the U.S. alone—steer firms toward greatness or failure. Which way depends on the manager’s skill. Too often, bosses are turned loose without a roadmap, only to discover the traits that launched them to the top now block their success. At today’s breakneck business pace, there's no time for navel-gazing. So, how do you quickly become the manager who gets things done and people want to follow? How do you recognize what’s holding you back and affecting your relationship with your team? Global C-suite coach gives surprising answers and contrarian views in her new book YOU’RE THE BOSS: Becoming the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need) (Simon & Schuster, March 4, 2025). According to Nawaz, it’s not power that corrupts—it’s pressure. As a manager’s role grows, so does the pressure to deliver. Power, on the other hand, blinds. As a boss climbs the ranks, they grow more distant from their teams, often missing important cues. Taken together, pressure and power are career-killing forces that can turn even a well-meaning manager into someone no one wants to work for. Nawaz taps her lived experience as a Microsoft executive and backs it up with 12,000 pages of proprietary data drawn from thousands of 360° interviews. She distills insights from over 20 years of coaching CEOs and executives at organizations like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Motorola, Nordstrom, and the United Nations. Her myth-busting stories and data reveal the leadership secrets of highly successful managers that anyone at any level can use to succeed. Topics Nawaz explores in YOU’RE THE BOSS include: What makes one manager a superstar and another crash and burn Why being promoted is the riskiest time in your career and how to make sure you thrive Why managing yourself first pays off better and faster Power Gaps and Pressure Pitfalls – how to spot and avoid them before they derail your relationships and career The power of Blank Space – how doing “nothing” can reset your mind and management skills while amping up your creativity Mapping communication fault lines to short-circuit conflict before it starts Why busyness is a choice—and a trap – and how to avoid picking it Why you need a Yes List– to build habits, recalibrate your thought process, and create sustained results Why self-care for managers isn’t a maybe, it’s a must–and crucial to your team’s success Why everyone needs a Time Portfolio–a simple, quick tool to manage your time to achieve your goals Rediscovering your “why” –to stop pressure from stealing your passion and purpose Offering a fresh, evidence-based framework for managing pressure and power with grace and intelligence, YOU’RE THE BOSS provides proven strategies to become the boss you want to be—and others need—while experiencing less stress and greater impact. And that impact can go beyond the workplace. As Nawaz reminds us, “the more we upgrade our skill set at work, the more we feel enlightened and empowered outside the workday—and vice versa. We become better bosses, better spouses and partners, better parents, and better community citizens. Our experiences, both professional and personal, are made richer as we see ourselves and the path forward with clarity, inspire others, and make a potent difference in the world around us.” Social media: Website: LinkedIn: Instagram: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35581215

Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants with Jennifer Moss 02/28/2025

Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants with Jennifer Moss Jennifer Moss episode: The music used in this episode was Senility by Jangwa from Free Music Archive (CC BY) Jennifer Moss specializes in future-focused leadership development, expertly balancing employee well-being with performance. As an award-winning writer and internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, she specializes in transforming workplace culture using data-driven leadership strategies. Her book, The Burnout Epidemic tackled employee burnout and was among Thinkers50's "10 Best New Management Books for 2022." Book: WHY ARE WE HERE: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants by Jennifer Moss (Jan) Website: Questions/topics for discussion: 1. Your title asks a big, existential question - what is its significance and how does it relate to worker sentiment today? 2. Your previous books covered happiness at work and then the burnout epidemic at work. What is the thread that connects these three topics? They relate to health, happiness and high performance. 3. You write that work is “fundamentally broken.” How did we get here? 4. Your book comes out right around the five-year anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic but you barely mention it in the book - was this on purpose? Why? 5. Your book covers a lot of ground, and you’ve broken it down into three parts. Can you briefly outline the key areas of work that leaders must approach differently? 6. Let’s dig into the first area: hope. You write that we’re experiencing a surge of hopelessness - particularly amongst Gen Zs - that is deeply affecting organizational future readiness. Please explain. 7. We can’t talk about the state of work today without talking about flexibility and return-to-office mandates (with Amazon being the elephant in the room). Why are we still having these battles, five years after the pandemic disrupted where people work? 8. If RTO mandates aren’t the way forward, what is? How can leaders give employees the freedom and flexibility they want while also meeting organizational goals? 9. You also dig into the topic of generational bias at work – not just “ageism,” but also bias aimed at younger generations. Why is there so much division between generations at work right now, and how is it affecting the workplace? 10. What’s the key to overcoming this generational bias? 11. We’re in the midst of a huge backlash against DEI programs, and you write in your book that DEI strategies aren’t working. What went wrong, and what’s the path forward? 12. In the section on DEI, you write that it needs to become more inclusive of people living with disabilities and those who are neurodivergent. What does this look like in action and are there companies doing it right? 13. Your book points to stark data showing that women are breaking up with work. What’s driving them away from the workforce? 14. And yet, we’ve been talking about helping women break the glass ceiling for decades. Why haven’t we made more progress toward gender parity at work? What needs to change? 15. AI is a huge priority for companies, and it’s also a source of anxiety for workers. What did you learn from your interviews and research about how AI is impacting workers? 16. How can leaders navigate this AI anxiety and FOBO (fear of becoming obsolete) that their workers are experiencing? And what will happen if leaders don’t proactively address it? 17. Let’s talk about the loneliness epidemic at work - how did it come to be, and how is it impacting both individual workers and organizations? 18. Community, as you write, is the antidote to workplace loneliness. How can leaders build community and foster workplace friendships? 19. You write that rediscovering happiness at work starts with purpose. How do you define purpose, and how can organizations operationalize it? 20. Is there a company that’s getting all (or most) of these things right? 21. What is your biggest hope for the future of work? All social media links: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35482505

How to Get Along with Anyone with John Eliot 02/22/2025

How to Get Along with Anyone with John Eliot The music used in this episode was Hurt by Unheard Music Concepts from Free Music Archive (CC BY) Website: Book: HOW TO GET ALONG WITH ANYONE: The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and at Home by John Eliot and Jim Guinn The average American worker spends 156 hours a year engaged in moderate-to-intense workplace conflict, and managers spend twenty-six percent of their time addressing and resolving conflicts on their teams. It doesn’t have to be this way. Drs. John Eliot and Jim Guinn have three decades of experience building and facilitating team chemistry for Fortune 500 companies, professional sports franchises, schools, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and families. Eliot and Guinn discovered that people respond to conflict in one of five ways: avoid, compete, analyze, collaborate, or accommodate. If you can predict how someone will behave in a given circumstance, you can formulate a game plan. The secret is knowing which of the five patterns someone is wired to use under stress. HOW TO GET ALONG WITH ANYONE is a pragmatic hands-on book filled with actionable tips to help you navigate the arguments that emerge in day-to-day life with coworkers and loved ones, to foster better communication and more effective collaboration. About the authors Dr. John Eliot mentors executives and advises professional sports teams, coaches, and athletes on how to apply individual and organizational psychology principles for enhancing health, performance, workplace culture, and bottom line. He has consulted for, among others: NASA, the USOC, the Shepherd School of Music (which, while working with Dr. Eliot, passed Julliard to become the #1 music school in the United States), MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic, Accenture, Deutsche Bank, Shell, BP, Sony, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and scores of Fortune 500 decision-makers. His work has received considerable media attention, from being a featured guest on Donny Deutsch’s “The Big Idea” to ESPN, Fox Sports, MSNBC, Bloomberg, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, and many more. Dr. Eliot has held professorial appointments at the University of Virginia, Stanford, Rice, the SMU Edwin Cox School of Business, and the Texas Medical Center, all where he won institution-wide teaching awards. Dr. Jim Guinn is the president of the Resolution Resource Group, a training and development company that works with Fortune 500 companies, professional sports franchises, large-scale school districts, universities, law firms, and governments on effectively handling conflict. As a mediator, he has conducted over a thousand successful mediations involving family, organizational, civil, and governmental disputes. In addition to his firm’s corporate work with a large diversity of clients across HR departments, sales staffs, middle management, and boards, Dr. Guinn personally trains CEOs from all walks of life, plus numerous celebrities and sports icons. About the book Defuse any heated conflict by learning which of the five conflict styles you are and how to resolve even the most sensitive dispute with this must-read guide. The average American worker spends 156 hours a year engaged in the kind of moderate to intense workplace conflict that adversely impacts both performance and health. Managers spend twenty-six percent of their time addressing and resolving conflicts on their team—the equivalent of chewing up one full workday each week. But what if it didn’t need to be like this? What if there was a way to spend less time in stressfully interpersonal interactions and more time on the things that really matter? Through three decades of building and facilitating team chemistry for Fortune 500 companies, professional sports franchises, schools, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and families, Drs. John Eliot and Jim Guinn have reduced the time and cost of conflict resolution. With this on-the-ground experience combined with industry-leading science and research, Eliot and Guinn discovered people respond to conflict in one of five ways: avoid, compete, analyze, collaborate, or accommodate. Because our responses are ingrained byproducts of the subcortex in action, they are predictable. If you can predict how someone will behave in a given circumstance, you can formulate a game plan. The secret is knowing which of the five patterns someone is wired to use when smacked by a stressor. HOW TO GET ALONG WITH ANYONE is a pragmatic hands-on book to help you determine conflict types so you can navigate the arguments that emerge in day-to-day life. You’ll learn the formula for identifying your coworkers’ and loved ones’ conflict styles and how to use this information to foster better communication and more effective collaboration. Filled with fun, engaging examples and actionable techniques, HOW TO GET ALONG WITH ANYONE teaches you how to predict and prevent escalated conflict, arming you with practical tools for flipping the script on sticking points to nurture stronger and more meaningful relationships. Social media: @theconflictdocs /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35388355

How Disruptive Technologies Are Revolutionizing Work with Deborah Perry Piscione 02/16/2025

How Disruptive Technologies Are Revolutionizing Work with Deborah Perry Piscione Deborah Perry Piscione is cofounder of the Work3 Institute, an AI and Web3 advisory firm. She is also a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and innovation and future-of-work thought leader. She is the author of multiple books, including the New York Times bestseller Secrets of Silicon Valley. She was previously a staffer in the U.S. Congress and at the White House, and she served as an on-air commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. Website: Book: by Deborah Perry Piscione, Josh Drean (Jan) Book promo: With disruptive technologies on the horizon, traditional employment models are becoming outdated. How will your organization adapt to the evolving landscape of work? Business is on the cusp of a profound transformation. Conventional work models are failing to adapt to the evolving needs and expectations of the modern workforce. Simultaneously, the emergence of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, coupled with web3 innovations, including the metaverse and decentralized work models, is unlocking a new realm of possibilities. It raises the question: Is the era of traditional employment over? The tools of tomorrow will amplify human potential, from collaborating in virtual spaces through digital avatars, to managing transactions transparently on blockchain. Those who embrace these technologies—and the ways people want to work—will unleash unprecedented levels of productivity and innovation. But those who don't risk losing out on the best talent, and even becoming obsolete. Employment Is Dead ventures into unexplored territories to reveal how these innovations can transform work into more democratic, human-centric, and empowering work experiences. Deborah Perry Piscione and Josh Drean bring to life the seismic shifts occurring in the workforce, propelled by employees' growing demand for autonomy, flexibility, and a sense of purpose in their work. The authors challenge leaders to embrace these changes, offering vital insights into navigating this new landscape. With compelling case studies and cutting-edge examples, this book is an essential read for those aiming to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital environment and harnessing disruptive technologies to redefine the future of work. Questions/topics: “Employment” and “work” used to be synonyms, but the title of your book declares EMPLOYMENT IS DEAD. However, people still want to contribute their skills and earn an income. How is “employment” different than “work”? In the book, you share the ten operating principles of Work3: partnership, transparency, autonomy, ownership, decision-making, flexibility, upskilling, incentives, interoperability, and community. How can they help unlock the full potential of a workforce? Each version of the internet has brought new ways of working. Can you talk about the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, and how Web3 is creating ways for people to collaborate on open source projects and distribute the collective returns equitably? Can you explain how GenAI can provide advanced training and upskilling opportunities, , enabling personal growth and development, which can prepare a workforce for new challenges? While some people know of Mark Zuckerberg’s passion project, the Metaverse, many haven’t considered its possibilities. Inthe book, you share the great example of how Accenture was able to use the metaverse to help connect its workers. Can you share what they did and how other companies can benefit? The primary challenge with contract work, even when it is enabled by blockchain, is the age-old problem of human approval. A worker can feel they have delivered a job to specification, but the project owner can disagree. How can intermediary companies help when this situation occurs? While the gig economy can eliminate the need for middlemen or managers, allowing workers to engage directly with clients or customers, how can individuals approach their personal development in the future and become aware of where they need additional skills? What do you see is the role of HR in the new future of work? While AI has a lot of potential, there are also ethical issues its use raises. What would be your advice be to people as they navigate these waters? Social media links: · Twitter.com: work3institute · Instagram.com: · Linkedin.com: work3institute /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35300090

Lead Well with Paula Davis 02/08/2025

Lead Well with Paula Davis By Paula Davis A holistic, research-backed framework that helps leaders design healthier team cultures to unlock high-performance and increase well-being intelligence at work. In the wake of the pandemic and on the cusp of the generative AI revolution, the world of work has undergone a seismic shift. Chronic stress, burnout, and employee disengagement have reached crisis levels, and leaders are struggling to keep their teams motivated and inspired amid relentless change and uncertainty. Conventional management approaches are no longer sufficient, demanding a new leadership framework to address the root causes of these challenges. To meet this moment, Lead Well: 5 Mindsets to Engage, Retain, and Inspire Your Team provides a timely and practical blueprint for a new era of leadership. Drawing on extensive research and workshops with thousands of leaders, Paula Davis, founder and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute and author of Beating Burnout at Work, offers a transformative approach to building high-performing teams that can adapt and grow, even in the face of persistent change. Lead Well offers actionable tools and insights to help you and your team today, including: · Five mindsets that can transform your team’s well-being at work; · The business case for prioritizing both team performance and well-being; · The systemic factors driving a shift in the way leaders must think to help their teams thrive; and · Tiny Noticeable Things (TNTs) to improve workload management, create sustainable productivity, deliver "sticky” recognition, and promote values alignment and meaning at work, Whether you’re a seasoned leader or an emerging manager, Lead Well will help you navigate today’s turbulent work landscape, which has never been more critical—or more achievable. Paula Davis JD, MAPP, is the Founder and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute. For 15 years, she has been a trusted advisor to leaders in organizations of all sizes helping them to make work better. Paula is a globally recognized expert on the effects of workplace stress, burnout prevention, workplace well-being, and building resilience for individuals and teams. Paula left her law practice after seven years and earned a master’s degree in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. As part of her post-graduate training, Paula was selected to be part of the University of Pennsylvania faculty teaching and training resilience skills to soldiers as part of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program. The Penn team trained resilience skills to more than 40,000 soldiers and their family members. Paula is the author of Beating Burnout at Work: Why Teams Hold the Secret to Well-Being & Resilience, which is about burnout prevention using a teams-based approach. Beating Burnout at Work was nominated for best new book by the Next Big Idea Club, which is curated by Adam Grant, Susan Cain, Malcom Gladwell, and Daniel Pink. Paula has shared her expertise at educational institutions such as Harvard Law School, Wharton School Executive Education, and Princeton. She is a two-time recipient of the distinguished teaching award from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She has been featured in and on The New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post and many other media outlets. Paula is also a contributor to Forbes, Fast Company and Psychology Today. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS/KEY TOPICS: · How can we learn to celebrate our wins at work, and why does it matter? · What advice do you have for anyone who is looking to get to the next step in their career? · What is a Lead Well mindset? How do you go about implementing it on your team? · Can you talk about the four factors impacting our experience at work—and why they matter? · How did the pandemic change work forever? As we enter into 2025, what should leaders be looking at in terms of hybrid, in-person, and/or remote workplace to make the experience more meaningful to employees? · Meaning and mattering at work means more to people than ever before. How can leaders help their teams flourish in a post-pandemic world? · We are at the intersection of human capital and GenAI. What do leaders need to get right and what are the risks of getting it wrong? · What is the case for prioritizing People + Performance Focused companies? · How can the “Me and We” approach save your team—and help it thrive? · How and why are the ABC’s (Autonomy, Belonging, and Challenge) the foundation of meaning at work? · What are the six leadership practices that foster meaningful work? · How can leaders prioritize sticky recognition and mattering on their team? · How and why is understanding generational views of meaning at work crucial to the future of work? · What is the role of resilience? And what are the four important resources resilient teams use to succeed? /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35204010

The Life Audit with Ximena Vengoechea 02/04/2025

The Life Audit with Ximena Vengoechea Ximena Vengoechea is a user researcher, writer, and illustrator, and the creator of The Life Audit. She is the author of several nonfiction books and journals, including the new book, and companion (forthcoming). Her previous books include , which received a starred review from Library Journal and was named one of BookRiot's Best Books of 2023, and , which was a Next Big Idea Club finalist in 2021. Her writing has appeared in Inc., The Washington Post, Newsweek, Forbes, and Fast Company, among others. She also writes , a newsletter about staying curious, getting creative, and living well. Ximena is a on topics such as empathetic and inclusive listening, navigating difficult conversations, and preventing burnout. A user researcher by training, she previously worked at Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and is an expert in bringing design thinking outside of the lab and applying it to our everyday world. In addition to her writing and speaking, she advises organizations and individuals on user research, executive communication, and living and resting well. Website: Books: and See separate press release with additional book promo info. Welcome to the Life Audit, an exercise in self-reflection that helps you clear the cobwebs of noisy, external goals and distractions, and revisit or uncover the real themes and core values that drive and inspire you. Think of it as spring-cleaning for the soul. For anyone looking to find fulfillment in every aspect of life—love, friendship, career, finances, and beyond—this encouraging handbook offers the tools to prioritize your goals and turn personal insights into action to create a beautiful, meaningful future. In this step-by-step guide, made irresistibly and uniquely engaging by insightful and entertaining illustrations throughout, you’ll learn how to use design thinking and creative exercises to: · Identify the core values and key themes hidden within your goals. · Overcome the internal judgments and outside expectations that stifle your growth. · Find the people, skills, and resources you need to nourish your dreams. · Design a practical, personal action plan you can follow with confidence and clarity. Whether you’re a recent graduate, contemplating a career change, facing a personal crossroads, or searching for satisfaction, The Life Audit is a safe space for dreaming big, a path to kickstart dreams previously on hold, and a rousing call to design a life that honors your values and desires every day. The Life Audit Journal An inspiring illustrated journal packed with creative and thought-provoking prompts to help you discover your passions, goals, and dreams and live every day with joy and purpose. Are you ready to design a fulfilling future and build the life you want? The Life Audit Journal is a unique and powerful guide filled with tools and practices to help you. Filled with bright, uplifting art and tons of space for reflection and goal setting, this enriching companion will help you uncover your personal and professional passions and make confident decisions based on those revelations. Featuring thought-provoking prompts, vibrant artwork, and interactive creative exercises, this self-discovery journal will guide you in learning to: · Identify your core values and goals · Overcome any obstacles that might stifle your growth · Find the people and resources to nourish your dreams · Design a personal action plan you can follow with confidence Social media links: · on Instagram, #thelifeaudit · on LinkedIn · on Substack · on Instagram /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35096995

Make Work Fair with Siri Chilazi 01/29/2025

Make Work Fair with Siri Chilazi Iris Bohnet and are leading gender experts and Harvard researchers. Their work centers on data-driven evidence to create accessible strategies to bridge the gender gap at work and create environments based on fairness. What makes Iris and Siri’s work different is that they focus on changing behaviors around equality, not attitudes. As they show, this helps us move from virtuous intentions to visible action without trying to tackle people’s deeply held beliefs. Iris and Siri explore these issues in their upcoming book (Harper Business; January 28, 2025; must-read nonfiction title by the ) It’s cliché to say that the numbers don’t lie, but the fact is, they don’t: · McKinsey’s latest report shows that while women today make up 29% of C-suite positions (compared with just 17% in 2015), women are still progressing slower earlier in the corporate pipeline, at the entry and manager levels. · New research has also come to light that women leaders face in the workplace Topics Iris and Siri can expand on include: People will always be biased—why we need to focus on behaviors, not attitudes to achieve fairness How to move from virtual signaling to concrete action Why we need to make the workplace compatible to women, not the other way around Your gain does not equal my loss—debunking common myths about workplace fairness The hiring process is broken and how to fix it Bias from above, bias from below—the vicious cycle that keeps women from leadership positions The middle management gender gap and how it impacts women’s career trajectories How flexibility creates fairness and unleashes talents It’s possible to fix America’s parental leave problem—here’s how Why we need norm entrepreneurs and how to become one Why we can’t settle for moral outrage anymore—to truly eliminate bad behavior in the workplace we need to make the change we want to see Women have certainly come a long way in the workplace. When the U.S. Census Bureau first started including data on women-owned businesses in 1972, there were only about 400,000 female business owners in the country. Fast forward to 2024, and there are over 13 million women-owned businesses, and when it comes to the Fortune 500, women CEOs now account for 10.4% of the list. At the same time, the gender gap—in terms of pay and leadership positions—still hasn’t been bridged, despite the best intentions of many companies. How do we achieve equality in the workplace so that everyone has the opportunity to work better and smarter—and more fairly? Iris Bohnet and Siri Chilazi, two leading gender experts and Harvard researchers, explore the concept of fairness in the workplace and offer novel solutions for professionals in their new book, MAKE WORK FAIR: Data-Driven Design for Real Results (Harper Business; January 28, 2025). As Bohnet and Chilazi explain, many well-meaning individuals and companies invest their time and resources in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives with less than stellar results. Because inequity is built into the structures, processes, and environments of our workplaces, adding these programs has been ineffective and often becomes a burden passed off to the individuals they are meant to help. In MAKE WORK FAIR, Bohnet and Chilazi offer data-backed, actionable solutions that build fairness into the very fabric of the workplace. Their methods—tested at many organizations and grounded in data proven to work in the real world—focus on changing behaviors, not attitudes. This helps us move from virtuous intentions to visible action without trying to tackle people’s deeply held beliefs. Using Bohnet and Chilazi’s framework, employees at all levels can embed fairness into their everyday practices. “For us, making work fair means designing workplaces where everyone can thrive and perform at their best,” Bohnet and Chilazi write. “This means giving all people—regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of their identity or background—access to a playing field where some people are not unfairly advantaged in a way they didn’t earn.” Offering an evidence-based blueprint, MAKE WORK FAIR shows you how to make fairness at work a reality, no matter your role, seniority, responsibilities, or where you are in the world. As Bohnet and Chilazi remind us, “To make change for good, we have to keep at it. The price of not persisting is simply too high—for each of us, companies and governments, and societies across the globe. Unfair work keeps the right people from doing the right job the right way in the right positions. That’s what we call a market failure in economics. So, let’s not keep failing.” /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/35004500

Intentional Time Off with Laura Nguyen 01/20/2025

Intentional Time Off with Laura Nguyen LAURA NGUYEN is an experienced marketing executive and entrepreneur with an extensive background in data-driven marketing, digital marketing, and communications for Fortune 500 companies. She is the founder of Solle Solutions, a marketing consultancy. Laura is also a certified executive coach, helping mid-career, high-achieving leaders go from burned out to balanced through her coaching program and online community. Laura received her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science at Truman State University, and her Master in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. She lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with her family. Book: . The book is a compelling guide for those considering a career break to reinvigorate their productivity and boost their overall happiness. The challenge of maintaining career momentum and drive amidst chronic overwork and lack of work-life balance is a serious issue for many mid- and senior-level professionals. Career breaks are increasingly recognized as essential for long-term career success and personal happiness, yet many don’t pursue them for fear of professional repercussions. Laura’s insights will offer strategies and practical advice for intentional career pauses that enhance both personal and professional growth. Suggested topics for discussion: · What common fears do professionals have about taking career breaks, and how can they be overcome? · How can someone plan a career break without jeopardizing their professional trajectory? · What advice do you have for someone who feels burned out but is hesitant to take a break? · Can you discuss the long-term benefits of career breaks for high achievers? · What role do employers play in supporting career breaks? · How does taking a career break differ from simply taking a vacation? · In your book, you outline a “Compass Framework” for career breaks; can you explain its components? · What strategies can people use to build confidence and overcome self-doubt when returning to work after a career break? · How do cultural attitudes toward work impact the acceptance of career breaks? Website/social links: · · · /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/34929200

How to Feel Valued at Work with Lauren Neal 01/14/2025

How to Feel Valued at Work with Lauren Neal Lauren Neal is the Founder of and Chief Programme Creator at Valued at Work (UK) – a consultancy that creates workplace cultures where no one wants to leave, in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Since 2005, Lauren has worked as an engineer and project manager in the energy sector offshore, onshore, and onsite on multimillion-dollar projects across the globe. Chartered through both the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Association of Project Management (APM), Lauren is a sought-after speaker, writer, and consultant championing career progression within STEM and inclusive workplace cultures beyond the boundaries of demographics. Lauren’s book released in October 2023 – Valued at Work: Shining a Light on Bias to Engage, Enable, and Retain Women in STEM – became an Amazon #1 best-seller and is a finalist in the 2024 Business Book Awards. Book synopsis: Your gender stats are tumbling, women aren’t advancing, their feedback is poor, and too many are leaving. What’s going on? Women navigating a traditionally male-dominated technical sector too frequently feel invisible, frustrated, and undervalued in the workplace. Lauren Neal has been there, and she’s developed tried-and-tested approaches that male-dominated organizations can take to motivate and retain women. Because only a truly empowered, diverse workforce can drive the best business outcomes and innovations. Inspired by real-life stories, Valued at Work gives you the tools to take control and drive real change without alienating any of the workforce! Questions/topics of discussion: How can leaders ensure that women in STEM feel valued at work? Why high turnover is a real threat to the wider company culture Acknowledging disrespect and identifying toxic cultures How to confront bias at work? How can we uplift aspiring women into C-suite roles? Communicating with confidence - how do we put ourselves forward for promotions/development opportunities? Social media: LinkedIn - #valuedatwork /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/34822715

Refamulating with Claire McInerny and Julia Winston 01/04/2025

Refamulating with Claire McInerny and Julia Winston Claire McInerny is the Executive Producer of Refamulating, a podcast and newsletter that showcases all the ways to make a family. Claire is a podcast producer and writer based in Louisville, KY. Prior to podcasting she was a reporter for NPR stations in Indiana and Texas. Julia Winston is the host and co-creator of Refamulating. She is also a facilitator, designer and teacher of human connection in the workplace and beyond based in Austin, Texas. You can learn more about her work at . Topics/Questions: I'm really proud of the partnership Julia and I created - I wasn't meant to be a partner until we started working on the show more months, and we had a lot of big conversations that led to the relationship we have now. I've learned so much from Julia about business and owning a project with another person that I'd love to talk about! We make the podcast but we're also proud of our monthly, free event called the Refamily Dinner. We have an expert come in and share their experience of refamulating and our guests can ask them detailed questions. The topics of our dinners have been: being in a non-monogamous relationship, being a solo mom by choice and navigating family dysfunction at the holidays. Why did you choose podcasting as the medium to talk about family? What is your professional background? What have you learned about workplace culture throughout your career? What is the origin of Refamulating? (There is a 20-year iceberg beneath what appears to just be a podcast) How did you and Claire become business partners? How are you applying what you've learned throughout your career to Refamulating? What is your vision for Refamulating? What and how do you feel you need to learn and grow in order for Refamulating to be a success? Social media – Claire: · · · Social media – Julia: · Social media Refamulating: · /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/34719310

Navigating the Perfect Storm of Career and Burnout with Dr. Janna Koretz 12/02/2024

Navigating the Perfect Storm of Career and Burnout with Dr. Janna Koretz Website: Dr. Koretz is the founder of Azimuth, a therapy practice specializing in the mental health challenges of individuals in high-pressure careers. She has spent over a decade helping her clients face and overcome their mental health issues by developing a unique understanding of industry-specific nuances in fields like law, consulting, finance, and technology. Dr. Koretz has been featured in many publications, including Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal, focusing on the importance of recognizing career/identity enmeshment. She also writes and speaks on the challenges of discovering and living your personal values. Promotional info: Some workaholics lose their sense of self. That’s when you need to come to terms with the fact that “who you are” is not your career identity, according to , a clinical psychologist and expert on leadership and mental health. “A particular confluence of high achievement, intense competitiveness, and culture of overwork has caught many in a perfect storm of career enmeshment and burnout,” says Dr. Koretz. She is available for interviews around enmeshment between your career and personal identity and can discuss topics including: How to determine your personal values How to rebuild a well-rounded sense of self that revolves around your personal values How to establish a more manageable work life in order to explore who you are without work, even when you’re stuck in your high-pressure career Value misalignment: Strategies to identify your fundamental values and to solve any misalignment between these deeply-held values and your day-to-day work and lifestyle Navigating loss of a sense of self when you retire or lose your job How to free up time and live beyond your job title How to rebuild your personal social network Dr. Koretz is the founder of Azimuth, a therapy practice specializing in the mental health challenges of individuals in high-pressure careers. Dr. Koretz has spent over a decade helping her clients face and overcome their mental health issues by developing a unique understanding of industry-specific nuances in fields like law, consulting, finance, and technology. Discussion questions: ● REALISTIC STRESS MANAGEMENT: Using psychological science to deal with job stress, while also taking into account the hard realities of your industry and career path ● VALUE MISALIGNMENT: Strategies to identify your fundamental values and to solve any misalignment between these deeply-held values and your day-to-day work and lifestyle ● CAREER/IDENTITY ENMESHMENT: How to identify and deal with “career/identity enmeshment” — the merging of career and personal identity (going beyond the "workaholic" stereotype), leading to a loss of a sense of self when you retire or lose your job ● AVOIDING AND MANAGING BURNOUT: Tools to identify and ward off both personal and career burnout, and how to recover from burnout if it has happened ● WORK-RELATED SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Identifying and navigating after-work alcohol and drug abuse culture in high-pressure careers ● PROMOTION STRESS: Ways to manage and overcome promotion-related anxiety or self-doubt ● INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT: Coping with highly demanding (and even emotionally abusive) clients and managers ● GOLDEN HANDCUFFS: Adapting to an expensive lifestyle, with high rewards for “sticking it out” making it impossible to simply say no Social Media: Dr. Koretz's Linkedin: Azimuth Psychology Linkedin: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/34248650

Disability is Human with Dr. Stephanie Cawthon 11/26/2024

Disability is Human with Dr. Stephanie Cawthon Website: Stephanie W. Cawthon, PhD is author of DISABILITY IS HUMAN: The Vital Power Of Accessibility In Everyday Life, a researcher, and consultant who brings relatable insights and real-world skills to her mission that – when we tap the power of accessibility – we ensure disabled people can thrive and succeed. Dr. Cawthon’s groundbreaking research has been funded by over $50 million in federal and other grants. In 2023 she founded the National Disability Center for Student Success at The University of Texas at Austin, where she is a tenured Professor of Educational Psychology. She brings a lived experience to her work. In addition to her congenital hearing loss, she has several mental health and physical disabilities that have a significant impact on her ability to engage in important life activities. Dr. Cawthon earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Stanford University and her doctorate from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Social media: LinkedIn: Instagram: Interview Transcript (11/14/24) Caroline Dowd-Higgins (CDH) I'm Caroline Dowd Higgins. I'm a speaker, an author, and an executive coach. And today, I am delighted to welcome Dr. Stephanie Cawthon to the show. Stephanie is a researcher and a consultant who brings relatable insights and real-world skills to her mission that when we tap the power of accessibility, we ensure disabled people can thrive and succeed. And I must tell this amazing global audience, this is a very special episode today. Dr. Cawthon is deaf, and we're joined by two of her interpreter colleagues, Olivia and Amanda, and we are delighted that they will be simultaneously interpreting our conversation today. The audio version of the podcast will appear on all major podcast platforms. Stephanie, welcome. I'm delighted that you're with me today. 01:33.76 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Well, thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate having this time with you today. 01:38.70 CDH You are very welcome. So, let's dive right in. Stephanie, you are a professor, an author, and a lifelong advocate for the deaf community. What compelled you to write Disability is Human, your wonderful new book? 02:03.23 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Well, thank you for the opportunity to share that with you. So, the story really behind the book is a culmination of 25 years of experience with individuals, groups of people, students, and colleagues doing different workshops along the way in different spaces. What I've noticed is that many people feel hesitant or afraid of talking about disability. They don't know what to do or say. 02:28.46 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) They think: Do I need to help them? Do I need to make the world a better place? What does this look like for people with disabilities? And so, I thought it was time to take all the research and all the lessons that I've learned over the years and put it in a book where people could read it—those who want to make a difference. And honestly, it's for those who think, gosh, I don't know where to start. I wanted to give people a place to start, a platform to kind of jump from and where they can read some stories and say, ah, I get that. That makes sense to me. This is where I can start. It's not overwhelming. There are little steps, little things they can do along the way after reading this book. And so that's sort of what prompted my writing this one. 03:14.94 CDH Well, Stephanie, I'm deeply grateful because I learned so much from you in this book, and I'm eager for you to teach this global audience a bit today. But let me start. Something that I learned when reading your book was that disabled people experience high levels of discrimination, bullying, unemployment, reduced access to health care, and exclusion from faith communities and many, many more. So, I'd love for you to help this audience understand why those things are happening and how you have been an advocate to really change that. 04:03.59 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Well, sure, historically, in our culture and society, and it's everywhere. It's the view on disability that is often couched in a negative light. People are separated from our understanding of what's normal and what people prefer, right? By and large, people would say they prefer not to have a disability. It's hard. It makes life harder. And so, with that in mind, that is just ingrained within ourselves, and also within disabled people. And even at that point, disabled people often want to separate themselves and mingle more with those who have that common experience. 04:44.44 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) And so, if we think way back, even in education, we used to have separate schools, separate environments for those children with disabilities to learn and be educated. That is part of our history. That's ingrained. And that is how we all have learned about disability until much more recently. And so, if we think about that separation or segregation of people with disabilities, even from a young age, we realize how it impacts everyone and how they experience life. And part of why I wrote disability is human and the book itself is because it is a human experience, and it encourages people to consider everyone having a human experience, and at some point, we might all experience a disability. And so, with that in mind and that perspective, I feel like that really helps shape and navigate this thing we call life. And so, separating out people really doesn't help the situation, but that is a historical context in which we find ourselves. 05:53.16 CDH I appreciate that. That's excellent context. Stephanie, something that you said in the beginning really resonated with me. You said many people fear those that are disabled. And I have seen this in my own personal experiences. I've seen this in in workplaces and interviews. And I must say, too, it's also confusing. The word disability has been a questionable word in recent decades. And I have heard that “differently able” is a more appropriate term. Help me understand how we can honor all people with disabilities and address them with dignity and respect. 06:42.66 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Yes, words are definitely an issue. So, when I'm teaching, I teach a course here at UT, I refer heavily to language and the words that we use. Typically, what I say is ask the person what their preference is because it's not a one-size-fits-all. Not everybody identifies with their disability in the same way. Generational gaps play a part. For me personally, my view of language surrounding disabilities is evolving and changing on a regular basis. And so, person-first language has been a shift. And in academia, it seems that that is still the preference by and large. However, there has been a shift in the community to disability-first language. Because it's part of our identity. For me specifically, it's identity-based language. That is a more common thing, specifically with the younger generation, Generation X, you'll see people saying, hey, you know, introducing themselves and putting their disability kind of right in the mix. Instead of separating themselves out from it, it's more of an accepted and sort of a space where people reclaim that and have a more positive relationship with their disability as it's a part of their identity. I have become more and more comfortable using a disability to describe myself. Now, that's very new for me. Growing up, absolutely not. We were not talking about it. We were avoiding it. But figuring out how to reclaim that and garner some respect as I've done that has really been a shift for me personally and professionally. 08:30.86 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) I think it also matters on context, who we're with, where we are, thinking about the relationship in which we find ourselves. I am used to people with disabilities. And so, I talk about that. We set that up. And among ourselves in our culture and community, that is how we refer to ourselves. But when we're among other people, if they don't know about disability or if they're uncomfortable, I will try to sort of meet them where they are and build that bridge. So, it's respecting me and them based on where we are. So, I use both. Again, it really just depends on the situation and the people I find myself with in terms of how I use language surrounding disability. And another thing is, I often give advice to people to be careful how you approach the person themselves, right? So, language matters, words matter, and the person matters. And if a person with a disability says they want to use a particular type of language to describe them, that's the end of the story. It is really where I stand with that is respecting that person’s preference and going with that. 09:43.21 CDH That makes so much sense. Thank you for that clarity. Stephanie, my next question is about accessibility. And you write very eloquently in the book that accessibility is a vital power. So, tell me about that. And how do you define accessibility? 10:09.28 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Okay. Well, I'll start with a definition, but I'd like to go back to empowerment because those are two critical pieces and they're separate issues that are really powerful. So, accessibility for me, I'll give a definition often with two or three prongs. And so, what we're looking for is accessibility to information. Sometimes that's not too terribly clear, so I like to clarify it. And let's identify who we are. How did we grow up? What is our relationship to ourselves? And accessibility to my development, for myself, how did that work? How am I able to navigate the world? How did I grow up doing that? So, accessibility to our own development and growth, our own opinions and beliefs, and personally, with me and how I engage with other people, and not experiencing criticism, or if I have from other people, but not doing that to myself. Ableism is a big piece of this puzzle that we experience every day and sometimes we internalize that. So, accessibility is sometimes the deprivation of a way to experience life without ableism or without that lens. And so empowerment also goes back to self-esteem and how I can take in the world and feel that pride within myself. So, access to information is pretty common. That's a common one. 11:45.80 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Website accessibility and accessibility to employment. I think people understand that most often when we when we link it to that. So, if you can't see the pictures, do we have alt-text? That would be for a visual impairment or disability. If you're watching or showing a video, are there captions? These are all different ways that people access information that need to be considered in terms of accessibility. So, if there's a live film or the news, sometimes they'll put an interpreter on screen with some pertinent information. So, these different ways that we're accessing information and newsletters, it's the opportunities to access the same information as our peers out in the world. That is very important. How we elevate ourselves in any situation is that access to information. Another thing that I find to be really important that is often overlooked is access and relationships to other people. If you're isolated, a person with a disability doesn't have friends, they don't have access to social networking or that sort of social capital, like other people, their peers, how do you face barriers? Well, if you've got that network, that crew, your people, then you can sort of learn how to do that as a group. And I often feel like, but people say we may not need support. However, I find it to be the opposite, is access to others, going to happy hours, and it's a mixed crew, right? Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Let's say there are deaf people invited and a lot of hearing people who don't sign, will there be access to those others by way of a sign language interpreter? So, for me, it's those key moments. It's sometimes those little things, the incidental learning, those incidental social events. If the person does not have access to others, again, that's another piece of access that is often overlooked as those little incidental moments. You also mentioned empowerment when you asked me that question. So, access is power. Access is empowering. And giving that power to the people who need the access is imperative. Giving your employee, if you're a company or an HR person, you give them power to be independent to access all the things they need to, in this example, do their job. I think that's very important, and access is power. 14:32.03 CDH So, I'd love to talk more about that access in the work scenario. Sadly, I've been in organizations where they have not welcomed people with disabilities because they didn't know how to accommodate them and honor their needs. There must be a better way, Stephanie. So, teach us how can employers around the world welcome wonderfully talented people who have disabilities into the workplace so they can be high functioning? What's the first step? 15:14.06 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Well, the things that I mentioned in the last question, allowing access to all the different areas of employment, I think often people wonder if they're being hired because of their talents or is it the disability? Will I be accommodated? So just having that welcoming space and that attitude right off the bat is really good. So, people feel like they will be able to build their skills and their competencies in that space and not really be resisted because they have a disability. So that is a great place to start by reading my book. Lots of different tips and tricks in there, places to start. And I think a second thing is just keeping in mind your audience. Are their clients involved? Is it a product? Is it a person who's in production who is paying for products and services? I think that's imperative to remember because if you are producing a product the statistics show that one in four people at any time has a disability so a company may hire a person who at that moment does not have a disability, and then they experience a disability, or your consumer, depending on the type of business you own and operate, you might be serving customers with disabilities and your return on this investment will be huge if you design and approach your products, your services, your clients with a disability and accessibility in mind, because it supports all the different audiences, all the different clients and stakeholders. Regardless of who you're serving, it really benefits everyone to make all of the products or services you're creating and distributing more accessible. It helps everyone regardless of their status or label. And so, a person with disabilities is going to be purchasing things, right? Just like everyone else. So, acknowledging that and recognizing that, knowing that if your product or service is accessible, the disabled community will be able to purchase or experience whatever it is you are selling or providing. And so, I think that's a really important piece of this as well, to not only be mindful of who you're hiring, but who you're serving as well. So, people feel like they have a way to access your products or services. 17:50.75 CDH That makes great sense. And I'm deeply grateful that that information is also in the book. And very soon we're going to talk about how we can buy your book. But my last question today, Stephanie, you talk about helper syndrome. Tell us what helper syndrome is and how it relates to ableism and disability. 18:21.83 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Certainly. So, one thing that you should know is I grew up with the helper teachers, they wanted to help kids learn and grow. And seeing that helping within the service field is sort of just the way it is health care, social workers, and the like, that is often what draws people to those fields. And so, I acknowledge and recognize that helping is a good thing. And I would like to say that full stop. This is an and-not-a-but full stop because helping can become an identity, not an outcome for a disabled person. And so, if they're always getting helped, if my agenda is to help, help, help, help, help, instead of teaching the person how to self-advocate. Or giving them the tools to be empowered to move forward in life on their own. It's very different and it gets really close to ableism. Sometimes that line is really skewed. I try to focus on empowering people and giving that trust yourself. You can succeed without me, for example, and if I'm the person in that scenario, you don't need me. However, if I feel like, or the helping person feels like, we've got to help them because they can't. I've got to do it for them. I must help. That often is a negative connotation, and it seeps into the person we are trying so desperately to help. They then experience learned helplessness and the cycle continues. It's quite the opposite of what we want. That helper mindset, while it's good, it also can become a detriment. And so, how we do that is by shifting our attitude and our mindset and really communicating clearly and openly, coming into that relationship as a partnership, not a helper being helped. And my need to help them may sort of overtake what they needed. So really emphasizing and being on the same page with the person you're working with, being in collaboration with them versus the mindset of helping them. 20:47.37 CDH I love that, Stephanie. That is such an aha moment for me. And I appreciate that collaborating with them, not always doing it for them. And my observation is that people might be well-intentioned, but to your point, we're taking the power away. And you are someone who celebrates empowering those with a disability. So, thank you for that. That was very powerful. 21:19.81 CDH Okay, well, let's talk about how we can buy your incredible book and workbook. It is called Disability is Human: The Vital Power of Accessibility in Everyday Life. And of course, it's available on Amazon and all major book retailers. But Stephanie, would you be so kind as to tell this global audience how they can connect with you after today's show? 21:51.88 Amanda Ford (voicing for Stephanie) Certainly. Thank you so much. There are two great ways. I am on LinkedIn every day. So you can follow me on LinkedIn and connect with me there. I also have a newsletter that comes out monthly. You are welcome to sign up for that on my website. It's my name, Stephanie Cawthon.com. 22:11.74 CDH Fantastic. Stephanie, Olivia, and Amanda, I am so grateful that you spent time with me today. I learned a lot, and I'm delighted that we learned together. So, thank you for stretching me, helping me grow, and for the incredible message that you shared with this global audience. And I also want to give a special shout out to my extraordinary podcast colleagues, Laura Deck, executive director of publicity and communications and Claire McInerney, our executive producer. Thank you for making this show awesome for our global audience. We now have listeners in 34 countries. I'm Caroline Dowd Higgins. Thank you for listening. /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/34154105

Nobody Cares About Your Career with Erika Ayers Badan 11/15/2024

Nobody Cares About Your Career with Erika Ayers Badan Erika Ayers Badan is a digital innovator, disruptor, and seasoned executive on the cutting edge of content creation, distribution, and monetization of premier and culturally relevant content. As an early adopter of internet culture, Ayers has always been interested in what’s next, driving digital entrepreneurship and large-scale revenue growth within companies. Ayers Badan was recently named CEO of Food52 after serving as a board member and advisor since 2019. Ayers Badan currently serves on the boards of the Premier Lacrosse League, and global public safety technology leader Axon Enterprise (AXON). Ayers Badan is the author of forthcoming book “Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure is Good, The Great Ones Play Hurt and Other Hard Truths.” Intertwined with anecdotes from her own career, Ayers Badan shares inspiring insight into how work really works, and how you can get it to work for you. As the first-ever CEO of media magnate Barstool Sports, Ayers Badan led the company through explosive growth (+5000% in revenue and significantly more in audience), expanding the company from a regional blog to a national powerhouse brand and media company. During her 9 years steering the company, Barstool became a top ten podcasting publisher in the US, with the world's #1 sports, hockey, golf, and music podcasts, and a top 6 brand globally on TikTok. Ayers Badan has launched over 35 brands, including breakout franchises like Pat McAfee and Call Her Daddy. Following Barstool’s exponential growth, Fast Company named Ayers Badan as one of its "Most Creative People in Business" in 2018, citing Barstool Sports' expansion into multimedia and merchandising during her tenure. That same year, Forbes ranked her 25th on its "Most Powerful Women in U.S. Sports.” In 2019, she was ranked #19 on The Big Lead's list of "The 75 Most Powerful People in the Sports Media Business." That year, she was also included on Crain's New York's "Notable Women in the Business of Sports.” Adweek named Ayers Badan as one of its "Most Powerful Women in Sports" in 2017 and 2020. Ayers Badan has also held several senior roles at influential media and technology organizations, including President of BKSTG, CMO for AOL, VP of Branding at Yahoo! and Senior Director of MSN Branded Experiences for Microsoft. NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR CAREER is for first-time job seekers who think no company will ever want them, people stuck in second or third jobs who don’t know how to move on to the next thing, and for those who have the job they thought was their brass ring but who discovered it’s not all that. In the book, Badan intertwines compelling stories from her own work experiences with straight-forward, no-nonsense advice. Peppered with humor, quick-wit, and compassion, topics in the book include: Work pays you to learn. It’s a privilege, so treat it like one. Do what makes you happy and f*ck anyone who says otherwise. Your career and your life don’t have to make sense to anyone but you. Know what your company is paying you to do. Don’t be an asshole at work. Run toward what scares you. Take risks and bet on yourself. Failure comes in all different sizes. Success is the worst teacher. Have a vision and stick with it. Nothing ever good happens after 11:00 P.M. How to get feedback without having a tantrum. Remember, nobody cares about your career, and this is a good thing. Social Media: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/33944417

Improbably Successful with Juan Silvera 11/08/2024

Improbably Successful with Juan Silvera Website: Juan Silvera is a marketing, communications and digital product strategy executive and author with 30+ years real-life experience with some of the largest financial services firms in the world and with marketing agency startups. He is currently Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, a $45 billion lending institution. He has held executive marketing roles at Rabobank, Wachovia / Wells Fargo, Bank of America and MUFG Union Bank. In addition he was principal in three digital marketing startups, two in the U.S. and one in Europe. During his career he has lived and worked in countries and cities from San Francisco, to Salzburg, Austria and from Charlotte to Mexico City, Miami, Utrecht, Netherlands and Caracas, Venezuela. His book, Improbably Successful: Proven Career Growth Strategies for the Rest of Us, provides real-life advice designed to propel careers at any stage of a professional’s journey. Juan is an alumnus from Cal State Los Angeles’ School of Business and Economics and from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School, where he earned his MBA. Juan and his wife Angela are originally from Medellin, Colombia and live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Book: IMPROBABLY SUCCESSFUL: Proven Career Growth Strategies for the Rest of Us In today’s hypercompetitive global job market, the best planned career path, coupled with a great formal education, is not enough to get ahead. And if you happen to be a woman or a person of color, it is even tougher. The good news is that there is a set of proven career management strategies and best practices that can propel your career. Starting in the mean streets of Medellin, Colombia and weaving through decades of startups and executive roles in financial services around the world, Juan Silvera’s Improbably Successful provides real-life advice designed to boost your career, whether you are mid-career, a seasoned pro, or a recent college graduate. Simple, clear, and ready-to-use strategies and tactics for: Career goal setting Understanding non-linear career paths Moving for growth Effective networking Managing your professional brand Developing your executive presence Mastering communications Nailing job interviews Using your uniqueness to your advantage Juan Silvera's book is a guide for career achievement for those who may not fit the stereotypical profile of a senior executive. It is a practical career management guide for the rest of us! Social media: · X: · LinkedIn: · IG: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/33853272

The Language of Success with Theresa Slater 11/04/2024

The Language of Success with Theresa Slater Theresa Slater is the President of Empire Interpreting Service, which she founded in 2003. She built her company into a respected, award-winning organization with more than 300 interpreters and an array of customer-centric services. A speaker, author and advisor to new entrepreneurs, Slater’s love for business drives her on her path. Slater’s new book, (Business Expert Press, Aug. 30, 2024), is both autobiography and a how-to (or how not-to) guide for entrepreneurs. Learn more at . It’s Time for Women Entrepreneurs to Know They’re Worthy This segment is about how one woman’s journey from destitute teen to triumphant business leader is instructive for would-be women entrepreneurs. The Big Idea: Statistics on failure rates for women-owned businesses would give would-be women entrepreneurs pause. Some and nearly 50 percent by their fifth year. Further, women must battle feelings that they don’t “measure up” and that they’re not worthy of becoming business leaders. The So-What: Theresa Slater’s personal journey from starting at below bottom to being a successful business leader is unorthodox, but instructive. It began when she left home at age 15 with just a ninth-grade education and only babysitting jobs for work experience. Her desperation in just being able to survive day-to-day greatly shaped her life and how she eventually came to run her own business. She came to realize that women tend to worry too much about what others think and lose opportunities “sitting in the corner worried about whether we’re worthy.” Key Messages: Reflecting on the ways that grit, drive, and purpose got her through hardships and led her to become a successful business leader, Slater addresses: How to overcome imposter syndrome and self-doubt How to bootstrap your business and attract clients Why businesswomen must learn to stop apologizing How to move through the stages of doing everything yourself, to pulling away and becoming the strategic thinker Why entrepreneurs must commit to self-care How the drive for self-improvement never ends SOCIAL MEDIA: X Account - @TerreSlater/ Hashtags : #LanguageServiceProvider #interpreting #AmericanSignLanguage #interpreters /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/33782407

Delight in the Limelight with Linda Ugelow 10/26/2024

Delight in the Limelight with Linda Ugelow Linda Ugelow (YOU-guh-lo) is a speaking confidence coach, podcast host, and author of the book, and hosts a podcast of the same name. Formerly stricken with public speaking fear herself, she now helps entrepreneurs, coaches, and business leaders transform their experience of speaking from dread to delight whether online or on stage, in the media or the meeting room. Website: Book promo info: It was a great opportunity…but stage fright made you pass. How does one get over their fear of speaking? Linda Ugelow is a speaking confidence coach, podcast host, and author. With over 160K followers on TikTok, she helps people all over the world. She holds a Master’s degree in Expressive Therapy and Movement Studies. Having performed as a singer, bassist, percussionist, and principal dancer for over three decades, she’s experienced at being in front of people. Yes, you can eliminate your nerves. This life-changing book is organized in three parts starting with how to uncover and resolve the root cause of your fear. This is not the usual “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” philosophy. Her methods are practical, sometimes funny, and healing. You’ll learn how to: Reveal and Heal the Root Cause of Your Anxiety Transform the Inner Critic Heal Your Self-Image Reset Your Mindset Enjoy the Sound of Your Voice Relax into Your Confident Presence When you’re done, public speaking, whether it’s in an online meeting with co-workers or on a stage in front of thousands, will become as natural as talking with friends. Are you ready to conquer your fear? Questions/topics to discuss: The mistakes people make in trying to deal with their fear of speaking How did you first get over your speaking anxiety? How to find and clear the root causes of speaking anxiety. What are the best ways to handle the inner critic when you speak? What about overcoming Impostor Syndrome? Are the nerves speaking in person different than the ones on camera? What is the role of the voice in speaking confidence? What can people do to manage their nerves when they’re put on the spot? Social Media Links: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/33623412

Discover Your Work Joy with Beth Stallwood 10/21/2024

Redesign Work to Have Quality of Life with Brigid Schulte 10/11/2024

Redesign Work to Have Quality of Life with Brigid Schulte Brigid Schulte is the author of the bestselling Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time and an award-winning journalist formerly for the Washington Post, where she was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize. She is also the director of the Better Life Lab, the work-family justice and gender equity program at New America. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband and two children. Over Work Talking Points: ● Redesigning Work to have Time for Quality of life. How to more deliberately prioritize quality of life in our hectic day to day lives, focusing on meaningful work, caring for and connecting with others, and time to rest and play? That’s why it’s so critical we create smart and effective work cultures. Drawing from the change agents featured in the book, Brigid can show that, while they use different methods to redesign work for more quality of life, there are key strategies that are universal. The first is articulating a vision of a different future and believing it’s possible. The second is recognizing that change happens in a variety of ways, and that individuals, organizations, and policymakers all play a role. (With key takeaways for each) ● Defining what “Good Work” is - a combination of meaning, fairness, and cooperation - and why it’s better for everyone – including businesses and the economy. The U.S., the richest country in the world, ranks 5th among advanced economies in the share of low-wage workers in the workforce – 44 percent. Americans are working harder and harder and feeling like they’re falling farther and farther behind. And far from the lazy worker trope, 70 percent of those who receive Medicaid or SNAP benefits work full time. How we can make all jobs good jobs. How one venture capitalist will only invest in companies that provide good jobs. And why, beyond human wellbeing, our economy – and our democracy - depend on it. ● Why Americans work such long hours, what it’s costing us and how we can change. Are short work hours the answer? Knowledge workers work around the clock - even on vacation - in one job and low-wage and hourly workers are taking on multiple jobs and side hustles to survive. U.S. laws and policies that make it hard for workers to organize and demand better reinforce the overwork culture. Surveys show Americans choose more work and money over time off, and that we’d work even if we didn’t have to. Brigid can share what she’s learned from reporting on efforts to change Japan’s work-til-you-die or “karoshi” culture, and how Iceland improved both gender equality and wellbeing - and productivity - with shorter work hours. (Hint: long hours don’t make work more productive, time off does.) ● How addressing 10 psychosocial stressors at work - like long work hours, work-life conflict, and toxic work cultures - will make work and life better for employees and employers alike. Work stress is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. and something we all need to be taking more seriously. Brigid can talk about how short work hours movements are operational excellence missions in disguise and can boost productivity as well as wellbeing and gender equality., and how organizations and the entire country of Iceland have transformed as a result of working shorter, smarter hours. ● Real Wellbeing at Work, and why it matters. Why workplace wellness programs that focus on the individual as both the problem and the solution aren’t working, and why the solution to the burnout epidemic isn’t lunchtime yoga or a meditation app, but managers and organizations rethinking the way we work and acknowledging that those “right sizing” layoffs are part of the problem. Real wellbeing is about systems-level solutions like reasonable workloads, having more choice, control, and autonomy over time, and being rewarded fairly for one’s efforts. Brigid can talk about the lessons learned from the pandemic and, beyond the Return to Office fights, can share the strategies that successful organizations are using to remake work so that workers are happier and healthier and work itself is better. ● Why we need to make room for care at work. More than 70 percent of the workforce has care responsibilities. Yet caregiving falls most heavily on women, who spend anywhere from 2 to 10 times more time than men on the unpaid work of care and home. More than 2 million women were forced out of the workforce because of care duties during the pandemic. The numbers have been rebounding largely because of the widespread adoption of flexible work and a better understanding of how care is work. There’s still a long way to go, but the changes we’re making now are making work and life better for everyone - including businesses. ● What would it take to create lives of work-life enrichment, rather than work-life conflict, and changing our focus from time scarcity to time serenity? Brigid can share stories of how work is changing in Scotland and other countries seeking to create “Wellbeing Economies” and measure their success by how happy and healthy their people are at work and in their lives. ● What does the future of all work look like? In a rapidly changing future of work, when AI, automation and technology will destroy jobs, create others and where there may not be enough work to go around, how will humans survive – and find meaning? Three possible futures, and why it’s critical to redefine what work itself is, and how it shapes our identities. (The key is tying it to the common good and how we make the world a better place – which was the point of the Protestant Work Ethic from the outset.) Social media: Facebook: Twitter: LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/33418302

Use Your Gut Feelings to Get Ahead with Jessica Pryce-Jones 10/05/2024

Use Your Gut Feelings to Get Ahead with Jessica Pryce-Jones Jessica Pryce-Jones is author of She started her career in finance where she learned about numbers, strategy, and leadership. After ten years in the corporate world, she completed a psychology degree – she wanted to understand why some of her bosses were brilliant and others were dismal. Those insights launched a new career facilitating, coaching, designing interventions and writing. Clients include multinationals in healthcare, professional services, FMCG, banking, creative, education, manufacturing, publishing, and engineering industries as well as the public and not-for-profit sectors. Pryce-Jones has also worked as adjunct faculty in leadership development at many business schools including Cambridge Judge, Cass, Cornell, Chicago Booth, Cranfield, London Business School, and Saïd (Oxford); she is a Fellow of Harvard’s Institute of Coaching. She has written two previous books, Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success and Running Great Meetings & Workshops for Dummies. Pryce-Jones divides her time between France and the UK, but works all over the world. Do you want speedier decisions? Better outcomes? And avoid costly mistakes? Your gut can help you. In fact, intuition is an essential tool that all leaders use to get to the top. If you’ve ever made a choice that looked illogical but proved to be right or had a sixth sense about something, your intuition was at work. Those hunches play a critical role in everything from deciding which job to take, who to hire and what to focus on. Which means that summoning intuition on demand and listening to what it’s telling you are vital at a time of radical change and instability. This ground-breaking book draws on the latest science, eye-opening anecdotes from senior leaders and the author’s own insights gained over 25 years’ coaching. It will show you that intuition is a practical, learnable, and immediately applicable skill that will accelerate your career. Social media: LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/33341967

Empowering Women Leaders in Higher Ed with Chastity Carrigan & Kim Van Lue 09/29/2024

Empowering Women Leaders in Higher Ed with Chastity Carrigan & Kim Van Lue Thriving Women Leaders in Higher Education Imagine a safe space to talk about your career, life challenges and aspirations with fellow high-achieving women leaders in Higher Education. Imagine an intimate cohort of national women that distinctly understand the challenges you face - a group who inspires and supports you to achieve your unique goals to live a meaningful life and career. Thriving Women Leaders is a virtual executive coaching program specifically designed for successful women leaders in the field of Higher Education. Rising Women Leaders This program is designed for high potential women on the rise. Leaders at the Director/Senior Director, Executive Director, and Assistant/Associate Vice President level with an eye towards career growth. We’ll tackle managing and leading, influencing and negotiating, delegating, and giving/receiving feedback – plus communicating up, down, and across the organization, so you can lead with confidence. Executive Women Leaders This program consists of high achieving senior women leaders at the Vice President level and above in higher education. Exclusive programming that tackles the scenarios unique to senior women leaders like leading transformational change, leading from the inside out, navigating challenges your male colleagues don’t face, and leading with coaching. Kim Van Lue, ACC, MBA, Founder Northspring Leadership and Co-Founder Thriving Women Leaders Kim has lead teams for more than 20 years in a wide variety of environments. She has learned from some incredible mentors who taught her how to gain trust, manage competing priorities, address conflict in healthy, productive ways, make decisions despite insufficient or incomplete information, and motivate others around a common vision. She has experienced firsthand how great leadership can act as rocket fuel propelling everyone on the team to new heights. And, she knows that weak leadership and toxic cultures can be soul-crushing and can drive even the most resilient talent to burnout. Kim has executive roles in diverse organizations ranging from the VP of Talent Management for a large industrial distributor to the chief HR leader for a non-profit with a large public higher education institution. For two decades, she has partnered with senior leadership teams to deliver strategic HR and talent solutions that enable the business. From being voted employee of the year by her peers at a family-owned software company to receiving multiple CEO Awards as an executive in a Fortune 500 company, Kim has been consistently successful no matter the industry, size, ownership structure or culture. She has been a culture chameleon who quickly identified the unspoken norms that were key to success in each environment. As a strategic HR leader, she is eager to champion and model the healthy organizational or group norms, and other times, she has worked to shift or alter group norms in ways that more fully aligned with the intended business culture and outcomes. Chastity Carrigan, Vice President of Development, Texas A&M Foundation Chastity Carrigan has built her career on her passion for higher education philanthropy. Currently serving as Vice President for Development with the Texas A&M Foundation, she has more than 22 years’ experience matching donors’ passions with university’s needs. Ms. Carrigan provides development leadership for Texas A&M Health (including the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Public Health, and the School of Pharmacy), Texas A&M University - Galveston, the School of Law, the School of Engineering Medicine and the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Prior to this position, she served Mays Business School as well as led the development teams at the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and the University of Tennessee College of Business Administration. Ms. Carrigan, a Lexington, Kentucky native, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Advertising and her master’s degree in higher education administration from Texas A&M University but considers herself a Kentucky Wildcat and Texas Aggie at heart. Personally, Chastity is an avid college sports fan and animal lover. She enjoys traveling, reading, music, exercising, and celebrating her blessings of the closest circle of girlfriends and family. She shares her home with her significant other, Dennis and their 11 year-old Yellow Labrador, Gus. /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/33251917

Harnessing the Power of Group Intelligence with Siobhan McHale 09/06/2024

Harnessing the Power of Group Intelligence with Siobhan McHale Siobhan McHale has worked across four continents, helping thousands of leaders to create more agile and productive workplaces. She also has been on the “inside” as the executive in charge of culture change in a series of large, multinational organizations. One of these inside jobs was a radical seven-year change initiative at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) Bank that transformed it from the lowest-performing bank in the country into one of the highest-performing and most admired banks in the world. Professor John Kotter used her work with ANZ as a Harvard Business School case study designed to teach MBA students about managing change. Her book, , will be published on Sept. 3, 2024 from HarperCollins Leadership. Book promotion: Growing up on a farm in Finea, a small village in southern Ireland, McHale watched the bees as they swarmed in the orchard of her family’s farm. This fascination with bees led her to investigate the intricacies of human ecosystems and she would go on to spend three decades studying groups in the workplace. This experience taught her about the power of harnessing the Hive Mind and the group intelligence needed to create meaningful and lasting change. Over the past 30 years, McHale has helped thousands of leaders to create more agile and productive workplaces. Her approach comes – not from the ivory tower – but from her insider role as the executive in charge of transformation in a series of international firms. One of these inside jobs was a radical seven-year change initiative at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) Bank that transformed it from the lowest-performing bank in the country into one of the highest-performing and most admired banks in the world. Professor John Kotter used her work with ANZ as a Harvard Business School case study designed to teach MBA students about managing change. In The Hive Mind at Work, McHale answers: What are some of the lessons we can learn from how bees operate? Why is group intelligence (GQ) more effective in bringing about workplace change than the traditional IQ and EQ options? What can leaders do when workplace change is too slow? What skills are necessary for navigating change in today’s more complex work environment? Why do so many workplace change efforts fail to deliver? Social media: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/32948467

How to Create a Psychologically Safe Workplace with Gina Battye 08/31/2024

How to Create a Psychologically Safe Workplace with Gina Battye Gina Battye is the Founder and CEO of the . Her mission is to create work environments where people thrive. Gina’s expertise has been sought after by the world’s largest multinational corporations, spanning countries and cultures. As the visionary behind the 5 Pillars of Psychological Safety, the Hierarchy of Psychological Safety and Lux, the psychological safety diagnostic tool, Gina’s contributions have earned widespread recognition. Her work has been featured extensively in global press outlets, and she serves as an advisor for TV and film. Gina is also the author of Mastering Psychological Safety: Your definitive guide to cultivating a psychologically safe workplace In The Authentic Organization: How to Create a Psychologically Safe Workplace, CEO of the Psychological Safety Institute Gina Battye, delivers a hands-on manual to create work environments where people thrive. You’ll discover actionable strategies to establish a psychologically safe workplace; challenging and transforming workplace attitudes and outdated workplace cultures. Expect to experience a paradigm shift where psychological safety is at the core, enabling an inclusive culture and catalyzing organizational success. This book goes beyond the mechanics of creating a safe workplace, it also empowers individuals to unleash their authentic selves, not just surviving, but truly thriving, both professionally and personally. You’ll gain valuable insights and practical guidance to bring your authentic self to work, effectively navigate workplace interactions and create a highly conducive environment for teamwork and collaboration. Ultimately, you will have everything you need to drive cultural change and take an active role in creating a psychologically safe environment that empowers your team and transforms your entire organization. Gina masterfully navigates you through her distinctive approach, the world-renowned 5 Pillars of Psychological Safety framework, meticulously designed to cultivate an environment where your organization and people thrive. Within these pages you will encounter: A transformative process that empowers individuals to bring their Authentic Self to work, tapping into hidden capabilities to excel in their professional lives. A comprehensive communication framework that equips individuals to effortlessly master effective workplace interactions. A ground-breaking methodology that cultivates an environment where teams thrive and collaborate effectively in a calm and focused workplace setting. Social media: · · · /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/32847377

Redefine Change Management and Define Your Leadership with Mindy Vail 08/09/2024

Redefine Change Management and Define Your Leadership with Mindy Vail Mindy Vail has more than two decades of experience in leadership development, change management, education, and public speaking. Working with emerging leaders to veteran executives, her focus is cultivating a growth mindset and fostering resilience. Her new book, (April 16, 2024), provides a wellspring of inspiration for leading meaningful organizational change. Learn more at . GUEST WEBSITE: Segment-- Creating a Supportive Environment for Organizational Change This segment is about what leaders can do to promote a growth mindset, organization wide that embraces change. The Big Idea: Today, change management is an integral part of organizational strategy. Yet change in any form or context tends to disrupt our sense of stability and security. Whenever new concepts, methods, or ways of thinking are introduced, they inevitably come up against resistance. Apprehension about the future impedes progress and undermines well-conceived change efforts. Yet leaders who turn a blind eye to these issues erode trust and morale, while triggering defensiveness and opposition. The So-What: Effective leadership during times of change involves recognizing and empathizing with the responses of others. It requires that leaders acknowledge employees’ struggles, facilitate open communication, and offer support. Adhering to a thoughtful approach throughout any change initiative enables leaders to strengthen their own and their teams’ resilience. In doing so, they promote change not as a disruptor of stability, but as a catalyst for the organization’s necessary growth and evolution. Key Messages: A seasoned change management consultant, Mindy Vail applies her expertise to address: · What neurological processes and instinctual responses get in the way of effectively navigating change · How to support employees who perceive change as a threat to their sense of stability, competence, or identity · How to embrace change as a natural and necessary part of organizational growth and evolution · How to promote collaboration and cross-pollination to build agile teams · How to foster a culture of creativity and experimentation to drive innovation /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/32511962

Discover How to Be Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons with Jessica Chen 08/02/2024

Discover How to Be Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons with Jessica Chen Bio/Website: · · Book: Jessica Chen is an Emmy-Award winner, top virtual keynote speaker, and CEO of Soulcast Media, a global business communication training agency. Her client list includes Google, LinkedIn, the CDC, Medtronic, Mattel, HP, DraftKings, and many more. Prior to starting Soulcast Media, Jessica was a broadcast television journalist. She is also an internationally recognized top LinkedIn Learning Instructor where her communication courses have been watched by over 2 million learners and featured in Forbes, Fortune, and Entrepreneur. She lives in Los Angeles. Ever wonder why the “loud” people at work get noticed, rewarded, and promoted? Do you worry that you need to be loud to succeed at work, too? When Jessica Chen entered the workforce, she felt like everything she had been taught growing up in a Quiet Culture household—where deference, humility, harmony, and dogged hard work were praised—failed to set her up for success in the “real world.” Her ingrained values were in direct contrast with what was actually needed to stand out in a Loud Culture workplace. The result? Feeling underappreciated, passed over for opportunities and promotions, and completely stuck. Building on the lessons she learned as an award-winning TV news journalist, Chen—who now speaks at Fortune 100 companies and whose LinkedIn Learning courses have been watched by over 2 million people—introduces a new way of getting noticed at work, without being loud, aggressive, or boastful. In Smart, Not Loud, Chen teaches readers how they can look within, to the values they already hold, to more effectively show up. Packed with actionable tips, Smart, Not Loud unveils a new path to getting noticed and getting ahead at work. This is the road map readers need to authentically show up in the workplace and truly feel seen. Topics: · 5 tips for advocating for yourself at work—and why it matters · Why you don’t have to be the loudest one in the room to get noticed (at work and in life) · How to confidently say “no” with the TEF (Tone-Explain-Follow) Approach · Why avoiding conflict won’t help you to avoid conflict—and what to do about it · How to celebrate your wins at work (it may take practice!) · Why Western and global company cultures value and reward those with Loud Culture traits: they aren’t afraid to speak up and make themselves known · The differences between Quiet Culture vs. Loud Culture and why we can tell the difference the moment we start working · The way we were raised affects how we show up in the workplace—and the world—today · What to do when our Quiet Culture values mute us, and hold us back · Don’t underestimate Quiet Culture people – they are overcoming obstacles every day to show up · The Four Cultural Reframes and how we can use them for self-reflection · Why avoiding conflict won’t help you to avoid conflict—and what to do about it · How we reframe being assigned work we don’t want to do from a “waste of time” to “time well spent” · Don’t allow fear to derail you -- things to considering when circling back · How to set boundaries and set expectations at work—and in life Social Media Link + Followers · Twitter: @jessicachenpage LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/32417637

Convince Me with Chip Massey & Adele Gambardella 06/22/2024

Convince Me with Chip Massey & Adele Gambardella Adele Gambardella and Chip Massey are the co-founders of , a crisis communications and training firm, and co-authors of Adele owned an award-winning PR agency in Washington, DC for 15 years, where she served as spokesperson for a variety of Fortune 100 companies, including DuPont, Deutsche Bank, Lockheed Martin, SAP, and Verizon. She has also served as PR strategist, corporate counsel, and crisis management for clients that include the United Nations, Facebook, Johnson & Johnson, and President Biden. She has taught crisis communications and business at Princeton, Cornell, George Mason, and Georgetown, and is a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Inc., and Entrepreneur. Chip is a former FBI hostage negotiator and special agent. In his 22-year career in the Bureau, he has led high-profile cases, spearheaded the New York FBI Office's Crisis Negotiations Teams, and won the prestigious FBI Directors Award. He is the co-founder, with Adele Gambardella, of the Convincing Company, a crisis communications and training firm, where he guides executives and their teams in how to apply the Bureau's negotiation techniques to business situations. Book: In the book, they share fascinating stories—including life-or-death scenarios from Chip’s FBI days—and blend the tactics of hostage negotiation and crisis PR to teach people how to persuade others in any business situation. Learn how to master the art of convincing others in any business situation―with insider tips from a former FBI hostage negotiator and a top DC publicist. From CEOs communicating with board members to managers negotiating salary increases and entrepreneurs looking to raise capital, it's impossible to overstate the role of persuasion in making your personal and professional goals a reality. The ability to convince others―respectfully and effectively―is one of the most important skills you can master, whatever your profession. In Convince Me, you'll find eye-opening, behind-the-scenes details revealing how some of the best in the business ply their trade. Delivering compelling, real-life stories that give you an inside look at the kinds of techniques and strategies that prove effective in high-risk situations, former FBI hostage negotiator Chip Massey and top DC publicist Adele Gambardella show you how these tactics can be used in any business situation you'll face. You'll find fascinating tips on how a hostage negotiator reads people, rooms, and situations at a glance and gain insights from the neuroscience of convincing. Armed with useful, ready-to-use strategies and insightful advice as to how, when, and with whom each tool can best be used, you'll finish Convince Me feeling more capable and confident about your own powers of convincing others. Topics of discussion: · The four essential elements of effective convincing: Timing, believability, likability, and repeatability. · How to use a technique called “forensic listening” to get better results when selling, negotiating, managing a crisis, interviewing potential hires, in board meetings, defusing a stressful situation, and more. · Tips from an ex-FBI hostage negotiator on how to get people to open up and reveal their “unstated narrative” – the thing they’re really after – so you can better persuade them. · The five steps that FBI hostage negotiators use to defuse a situation – and how you can use them at work. · How to read people in just 22 seconds · Four FBI tactics for gaining someone’s trust · The FBI behavioral analysis tools that will help you master the art of reading people · The two convincing styles – heart (emotion)-led or head (fact)-led – and how to change your convincing approach depending on the situation and person · Business negotiation tips from an ex-FBI hostage negotiator · In a crisis, your instincts are your worst enemy. The most common mistakes leaders make when facing a crisis – and what to do differently · How to master your fear and make better decisions in a crisis Social media: Book: Company: LinkedIn (Adele) LinkedIn (Chip) /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/31847537

Quick Confidence with Selena Rezvani 06/17/2024

Quick Confidence with Selena Rezvani Selena Rezvani is a recognized consultant, speaker and author on leadership and self-advocacy. Named by Forbes “the premier expert on advocating for yourself at work,” she’s the author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling book Quick Confidence, and also wrote the award-winning Pushback and The Next Generation of Women Leaders, all about ways to make your voice heard and negotiate your needs at work. Selena addresses thousands of professionals each year at places like The World Bank, Under Armour, Microsoft, P&G, and many others. Today, she’s a columnist for NBC News’ Know Your Value. Selena is based in Philadelphia where she lives with her husband Geoff and 11 year old boy-girl twins. Book: : Be Authentic, Boost Connections, and Make Bold Bets on Yourself In Quick Confidence: Be Authentic, Create Connections and Make Bold Bets On Yourself, best-selling author and renowned leadership speaker Selena Rezvani delivers an effective and eye-opening new approach to building confidence and presence for professionals. In the book, the author walks you through―and helps you leap over―the 9 most common obstacles that stand in the way of building authentic confidence. She offers digestible actions, behaviors, and exercises you can use to change the way you think and the way you present yourself to others. Relying on sound, scientifically validated data, the book helps you zero in on one actionable method at a time, from making a memorable entrance to stoking confidence in those around you. You’ll also find: Mental, physical, and interpersonal routines that will lock in your new and confident persona for lasting change Techniques for using silence strategically and refusing to overexplain to enhance your credibility and presence Ways to overcome the intimidation factor that goes hand-in-hand with dealing with powerful people A hands-on playbook for professionals at all stages looking for effective confidence-building advice that goes beyond “fake it ‘til you make it,” Quick Confidence is a fun and rewarding journey to a renewed self-image and enhanced well-being. Social Media: TikTok: LinkedIn: Instagram: Facebook: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/31771517

Suddenly in Charge with Roberta Matuson 06/08/2024

Holding it Together with Jessica Calarco 06/02/2024

Holding it Together with Jessica Calarco Jessica Calarco is a sociologist and associate professor at the , an award-winning teacher, a leading expert on inequalities in family life and education, and the author of (Portfolio/Penguin, June 2024). Jessica has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, and CNN. She also blogs at ParenthoodPhD and is a mom of two young kids. Book synopsis: Other countries have social safety nets. The U.S. has women. Holding It Together chronicles the causes and dire consequences. America runs on women—women who are tasked with holding society together at the seams and fixing it when things fall apart. In this tour de force, acclaimed Sociologist Jessica Calarco lays bare the devastating consequences of our status quo. Holding It Together draws on five years of research in which Calarco surveyed over 4000 parents and conducted more than 400 hours of interviews with women who bear the brunt of our broken system. A widowed single mother struggles to patch together meager public benefits while working three jobs; an aunt is pushed into caring for her niece and nephew at age fifteen once their family is shattered by the opioid epidemic; a daughter becomes the backstop caregiver for her mother, her husband, and her child because of the perceived flexibility of her job; a well-to-do couple grapples with the moral dilemma of leaning on overworked, underpaid childcare providers to achieve their egalitarian ideals. Stories of grief and guilt abound. Yet, they are more than individual tragedies. Tracing present-day policies back to their roots, Calarco reveals a systematic agreement to dismantle our country’s social safety net and persuade citizens to accept precarity while women bear the brunt. She leads us to see women's labor as the reason we've gone so long without the support systems that our peer nations take for granted, and how women’s work maintains the illusion that we don't need a net. Weaving eye-opening original research with revelatory sociological narrative, Holding It Together is a bold call to demand the institutional change that each of us deserves, and a warning about the perils of living without it. Questions/topics of discussion: · What is a “DIY society” and how does it differ from a society with a safety net? · How does women's labor maintain the illusion that we don't need a social safety net? · Why shouldn’t we celebrate the fact that mothers are back at work in a post-pandemic world? · Why won’t advising women to make traditional “good choices,” like obtaining a college degree, securing a job with a high salary, or working in STEM, help solve the gender pay gap? · How does denying women access to paid leave, and affordable, reliable childcare force them to stand in for a safety net? · How do women keep the economy from crumbling? · How would businesses benefit from universal paid family leave and universal childcare? · What would a robust safety net actually look like? Social media: · Twitter: · Instagram: · Threads: · LinkedIn: Website: /episode/index/show/ab86f711-aaf0-44b0-8574-6923e29229ad/id/31548767