The career path hasn’t always been easy for Jawad Ahsan, the son of Pakistani immigrants. But along the way he chose to be a leader and to guide his own career by following his “North Star.” In his inspiring book “What They Didn’t Tell Me,” Jawad describes how he made his way up the corporate ranks by cultivating values like integrity, collaboration, accountability and positivity. Today he’s the CFO of Axon, a $6 billion public safety technology company. In this episode he shares lessons that helped him rise to the top while in his 30s. And he offers good advice for building your resilient career.

Choose to follow your North Star, says Jawad Ahsan

Jazzed About Work features lively, informal conversations about everything it takes to create a resilient and rewarding career. In each episode, host Beverly Jones interviews experts who can share their knowledge and workplace stories. Jones is an executive coach whose new book, “Find Your Happy at Work,” is a guide to moving past boredom and frustration and finding ways to flourish in your career. Bev and her guests discuss leadership, career development and the link between well-being and job success. Often guests go beyond the research and get personal, as they talk about their own professional paths. Every show blends good stories with practical suggestions for navigating your work life.

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In this episode, we explore careers in the travel field, and describe new kinds of opportunities for agencies that specialize in luxury travel. Our guest is Sandy Saburn, a leader at Gifted Travel Network, a fast-growing, female-led company in the high-end travel industry. Sandy has always loved taking trips. And after being a career coach, a marketing expert, and a business consultant, she switched gears and became a travel expert. Here she explains how the industry is evolving, and why there’s a new wave of opportunities for people who want to work in it. She shares tips about how you could get started in the travel biz, perhaps as an advisor, and she explains what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the field. Also, she reminds us that life is short, and now is a good time to plan those trips you were saving for the future. For more see: www.giftedtravelnetwork.com

And this link from Sandy shares info on the entrepreneurial mindset: https://www.giftedtravelnetwork.com/meredith-podcast

Life is short, so take that trip now, says travel expert Sandy Saburn

Today’s theme is the importance of creating a good fit between the way we prefer to work and the organization that employs us. Our expert guest, Dr. André Martin, is an organizational psychologist who spent 20 years as a leader in major companies like Mars, Nike, Disney and Google. He tells us about his new book, “Wrong Fit, Right Fit - Why How We Work Matters More Than Ever.” André says the way our job fits our work style is so important because our identities get all tangled up with what we do, and if we are dissed in the context of work, we feel bad throughout our life. André offers tips about finding the right job, and how to create change if your current job doesn’t suit the way you like to work. He suggests that you regularly take stock of your career and the stress it causes in your whole life. He explains the value of managing up. And he describes how some smart employers are helping their talent to find the right fit. For more, see: https://www.wrongfitrightfit.com

A job that fits can change your life, says psychologist André Martin

For some people, launching a job search seems more challenging than ever. Our repeat guest, Mark Anthony Dyson, says “think about it like the weather.” Job market conditions vary a good deal, depending on many factors, including your location, profession and skill set. But there are some broad trends worth watching. Mark warns that in some countries scammers are using fake job opportunities as way to collect private info, and we might see similar frauds in the U.S. He points to the dramatic change AI is having in the hiring process, and discusses the value of understanding at least AI basics. And Mark shares classic advice, like stay prepared for whatever happens by “thinking of job search as a lifestyle,” and keep learning and seeking opportunities to upskill. For more advice from Mark see: https://thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Job search expert Mark Dyson says beware of scams, know AI & keep learning

This is the second of two episodes about how stress reduces your job performance and satisfaction, and what you can do about it. Our guest, Gayle Williams-Byers, a retired judge, now teaches judges in her role as Senior Fellow with the National Judicial College. She has developed a course on mindfulness to help judges reduce stress, allowing them to make better decisions and keep things moving smoothly in their courtrooms. Here she explains a wide variety of mindfulness techniques that might work for you. Many are simple, like taking some deep breaths, thanking other people, journaling, and taking a brief walk.

Try these techniques to reduce stress, says Judge Gayle Williams-Byers

This is the first of two episodes about how stress impacts your career. When you’re stressed out, you’re not creative or good at solving problems. or making decisions. But our guest, Gayle Williams-Byers, a retired judge, says there are many was to manage stress. In her role as Senior Fellow with the National Judicial College, Judge Gayle not only teaches judges about matters of law, but she also explores ways to address some of their challenges. She says being a sitting judge is intensely stressful, and stressed-out judges don’t make their best decisions. So she has developed a course on mindfulness and how it can calm stress, help you put aside distractions and refocus, and enhance your decision-making. Here she explains mindfulness and suggests how and why you might get started, and in the next episode she provides more detail about specific mindfulness techniques.

Choose to follow your North Star, says Jawad Ahsan

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