AquatiZoo podcast

A look into the inner workings of a zoo or aquarium accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Leadership, management, and career details that might interest someone who might be looking for a change or just might be curious about their favorite animal-related facilities!

Building Trust 01/31/2025

Building Trust Trust is important, but how can we develop it with the people around us? Believe it or not, there are things that we can do to purposefully and thoughtfully with our teams, friends, and family. Today we discuss the possibilities when it comes to developing healthy, trusting relationships with others. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35092875

Animal Encounters 01/24/2025

Animal Encounters Aquariums and zoos may have up close and personal interactions with certain animals to enhance the learning experience. How are these animals selected? What preparation goes into such an interaction? Today we discuss the interesting details surrounding animal encounters. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34965625

Resistance to Demands 01/17/2025

Resistance to Demands When you're the leader and your team seems to be resisting what you're telling them to do, it can be frustrating. Today we look at ways to examine the problem and determine how to handle those who resist doing tasks. And no, it's not an immediate HR problem! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34887945

The Side Hustle 01/10/2025

The Side Hustle Whether it's for fun or necessity, many of us take on what are known as side hustles. A little extra income for talents you already have or for learning something new can't hurt, right? Today we discuss the idea of side work especially as an aquarium or zoo professional. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34699840

Discussing Politics at Work 01/03/2025

Discussing Politics at Work We all have thoughts and opinions, obviously. Politics can be a rather polarizing topic of conversation, however, and it's always a good idea to consider many factors before delving into political discussions in the workplace. Today we explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of discussing politics in the workplace. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34699125

Security 12/20/2024

Security You may have noticed them, but have you paid much attention to the group charged with maintaining peace and order in an aquarium or zoo? Today we discuss the scope and types of issues that they deal with on a daily basis to keep things calm and fun. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34460320

Developing Self-Awareness 12/13/2024

Developing Self-Awareness Sometimes, we understand our impact and how we are perceived, but not always. Self-awareness doesn't come naturally to everyone, but there are ways to develop it over time. You are capable of taking some time to reflect, ponder, and make choices to improve your impact. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34423750

Revisiting: Animal Enrichment 12/06/2024

Revisiting: Animal Enrichment An animal in human care should have the same opportunities to thrive as their wild counterparts (minus, perhaps, the constant threat of predators...). With that in mind, keepers have to get creative in how to make life fun, interesting, and intriguing for our animal friends. How do we know what to do? What kind of thought and preparation goes into enrichment? A lot is happening that you might not have considered in what seems such a simple idea. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34310945

Revisiting: Applying and Interviewing 11/22/2024

Revisiting: Applying and Interviewing You've found a job that you want, but now what? Here are a few helpful hints to increase your chances of getting your foot in the door and landing that position. It takes a lot of preparation, but if you're really ready to move on, it's got to be worth it, right? Good luck, and happy job hunting, friends! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34072351

Revisiting: Conservation 11/15/2024

Revisiting: Conservation One of the central principles, goals, and missions of aquariums and zoos is to conserve the natural world. This might mean individual species or entire ecosystems. How do we approach this vast challenge? What are our methods? How might guests get involved? Take some time to ponder, research, and join in! Helpful links: /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33904407

Revisiting: The Skill of Apologizing 11/08/2024

Revisiting: The Skill of Apologizing Revisiting some advice for those who might need it. Vulnerability and discomfort are a part of admitting you've made a mistake. Take it a step further and apologize. It doesn't feel so great initially, but it will eventually pay off in the end. Free your guilty mind and let's all be better humans! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33844972

Revisiting: Crisis Management 11/01/2024

Revisiting: Crisis Management Please excuse the lack of new episodes for the moment. School work is occupying much of my time these days! Please enjoy a popular older episode and I will be back with something new as soon as I can! Aquariums and Zoos have to be ready for all sorts of scenarios in order to keep the guests, animals, and staff safe. We might be surprised by things on occasion, but we try to be methodical about our response so that everything goes smoothly. Hurricanes? Fire? Animal escape? We prepare for all sorts of things... just in case. www.magicalvacationplanner.com/staff/lori-semple /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33734132

Doing a Little Extra 10/18/2024

Doing a Little Extra Did you know that aquarium and zoo professionals often volunteer to take on more work than what falls within their job description or organization? Today we discuss the pros and cons of taking on more and being generous with your time and efforts in your field. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33432632

Choosing the Right Role Models 10/11/2024

Choosing the Right Role Models When we're feeling unsure, it's tempting to draw upon past experiences for guidance, even when they weren't so effective or pleasant. Today we discuss emulating behaviors and habits of other people, and why it may or may not work for you. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33413067

The D-E-R Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment 09/20/2024

The D-E-R Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment It's relatively easy to envision how the first portion of the SPIDER model of enrichment works, but the second portion is just as important. Today we discuss how we know our enrichment and training ideas are working and how we carry those ideas into the future. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33131582

Workplace Politics 09/13/2024

Workplace Politics Even when we've had our fill of politics, it's important to remember that politics in the workplace can be very important to consider when it comes to one's words and actions. There can be impact even when the choice is made to avoid workplace politics. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33031882

The S-P-I Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment 09/06/2024

The S-P-I Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment It's fun to be able to think creatively on behalf of the animals every now and again. If you've ever wondered how animal care professionals come up with the enrichment ideas that we do, this is a quick rundown of the first half of the process. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32937367

Nice vs. Kind Confrontation 08/30/2024

Nice vs. Kind Confrontation It's not uncommon for people to think they're doing something good by withholding their corrections in hope that the other person will figure it out on their own. Confrontation can be intimidating, after all. Today we discuss how and why difficult discussions should be done with kindness in mind. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32802752

Holistic Enrichment Programs 08/23/2024

Holistic Enrichment Programs Keepers are only available for a small portion of the day. We have to consider the experience of the animals all through the day, though, so let's take a closer look as to how and why we care what the animals are up to when we aren't around. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32673647

Middle Management 08/02/2024

Middle Management It is perhaps not everyone's dream to be a middle manager, but rest assured, being in the position between a team of individual contributors and senior leadership requires special skill and awareness. It's not for the faint of heart! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32378057

Burnout 07/26/2024

Burnout Mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion occurring at the same time can affect all aspects of our lives even when the stress is only experienced in one portion. What is burnout and what can be done about it? /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32298407

Authority vs. Influence 07/19/2024

Authority vs. Influence The terms might seem interchangeable, but there's a big difference in using power via authority or influence. The manner in which followers respond is just as different. Today we discuss the nuances and use of authority as opposed to influence. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31953062

Mental Health and Dealing with Loss in Animal Care 07/12/2024

Mental Health and Dealing with Loss in Animal Care It's important for animal care professionals to understand how they cope with loss because it will happen. While the animals that we work with are not pets or family members, losses can hit hard. Coping and healing are hard, but essential. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31952427

A Culture of Trying 07/05/2024

A Culture of Trying Innovation and creativity sometimes have a cost, and that can be mistakes and unplanned outcomes. Is it worth it, though? Certainly! Today we talk about developing a culture of trying and why it's important. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31898327

Quality of Life 06/28/2024

Quality of Life This is a topic that we don't discuss a openly very often, but there come times in animals' lives when they get older or injured or sick that the staff must have meaningful conversation about the animal's day to day experiences. We discuss their future and how we should respond. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31897172

How Close is too Close? 06/21/2024

How Close is too Close? It can be difficult to navigate how to integrate into a new work environment and getting to know new coworkers. Should you share more about yourself? Less? Today we discuss the decisions to be made when joining a new work team. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31741677

Governmental Affairs 06/14/2024

Governmental Affairs Aquariums and zoos may very well be involved with work that helps to shape the language and direction of laws and protections that affect themselves as well as animals. It's delicate work, but helpful in conserving animals and habitats on a larger scale than within the walls of their institutions. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31740722

Zoo and Aquarium Summer Camps 06/07/2024

Zoo and Aquarium Summer Camps Did you know that many aquariums and zoos run summer camps and programs? In case you'd never considered this as an option if you were looking for an interesting experience for a special young person, today we discuss the good opportunities in summer camps. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31330577

People Skills for Technical Folks 05/31/2024

People Skills for Technical Folks When you have a technical job or a technical mind, it can be challenging to navigate issues with people. We can't address the problems in the same way with analytics, logic, and facts. Today we discuss how to go about developing skills for engaging people. www.magicalvacationplanner.com/staff/lori-semple /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31125918

Safety Protocols 05/24/2024

Safety Protocols It's understood that working with wild animals carries a lot of risk. Each institution spends a lot of time pondering and creating a lengthy list of safety protocols to help their staff stay safe even in the most challenging of scenarios. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/31125633

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