Chaos is a candy store.

The disorienting swirl, a chance to be useful.

We’re swimming in that swirl right now. AI, layoffs, mergers, tariffs, the headlines bonking us on the head every time we try to surface.

We need a lifeline. No, scratch that. We need to become a lifeline.

That’s how this works. “They” are not going to save us. We are. And in the midst of the madness, opportunity is everywhere.

CB Bowman Ottomanelli has been gobbling up the chaos candy for much of her life. Finding ways to serve others when we need it most. How does she see the candy when most of us are getting clobbered?Strategic courage. She’s written books about it and has more on the way. It starts with framing change as an experiment, where learning is the primary goal. Life is a university. As we learn, we’re able to make small calculated leaps, which she calls Microcourage™.

Don’t leap without a net though. Make sure you have a personal board of directors to keep you honest and keep you from falling back into the swirl.

Who would be on your board?

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Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

——

You can follow CB on LinkedIn. And check out her site at courage-consulting.com. You should also visit acec-association.org to learn more about the executive coaching organization she created.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

——

Bonus question from CB to our audience:When is the last time you gave yourself permission to have strategic coverage?

All organizations are dysfunctional.

Those are the words of Michael Wade, consultant, advisor, author and former Equal Employment Opportunity Administrator for the City of Phoenix. And I tend to agree with him.

We’re just not that good at coming together to do stuff. We get in our way. We play politics. We blame. And we forget why we’re even doing the damn thing in the first place.

His solution? Three words: “wait a minute.”

Remember waiting? Pressing pause for a second to look inward, to see if we’re on the right track, to think. Remember thinking?

🐱 Imagine waiting a minute before deciding to redo the entire deck when all it needs is a few word changes.

🐱 Imagine waiting a minute before laying people off and realizing you can cut costs in a different way.

🐱 Imaging waiting a minute before scheduling a meeting that could easily be an email.

A few “wait a minutes” a day could save us hours of chasing down bad decisions. And help us do everything better than we’re doing it right now.

Here’s a good decision. Listen to Michael. He really knows his stuff.

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Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way. Today’s episode is a part of the ProHuman Series, in partnership with the ProHuman Foundation, where Michael is an advisor.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

——

You can follow Michael on LinkedIn. And check out his site at execupunditconsulting.com. And be sure to read his Substack newsletter as well. It’s awesome.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

——

Bonus question from Michael to our audience:How can you better connect with other people? What can you do to help the community? What can you do to help other people? Because there are people out there who are hurting.

It’s 3am. You wake up to discover you’re on the couch, cuddling with your laptop. You cringe, ugh, another night wasted, working through dinner, ignoring your family. You should get to bed and grab a few good hours before the day starts up again.

But then. Hey, it wouldn’t hurt to just crack that laptop open for a minute, make sure no critical emails have come through. I’ll just skim through a few to make sure…

“Good morning, honey!”What? Who? Where? You glance at your phone—it’s 7am. You’re still on the couch. Spooning the laptop again. Your spouse doesn’t bat an eyelash. Just another Tuesday.

F%ck.

This is work addiction. It’s insanely common. And it’s where MaryBeth Hyland was not so long ago. Now, she helps folks fuel their ambition in a healthier way. By connecting to what matters most—our core values. Finding the stuff that truly energizes us and doing more of it.

When we do that, we don’t feel the need to chase some invisible, unattainable marker of success into the wee hours each night. We feel full at the end of the day. We feel excited to share ourselves with family, friends, our pets, our other interests (wait, we can have those?!)

MaryBeth has traveled this road and come out the other side thriving. Just check out the view behind her on the video version of this episode to see how well things are going.

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Mary Beth on LinkedIn. And check out her site at sparkvisionnow.com to learn more about the awesome work she’s doing and get a free values assessment.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Mary Beth to our audience:What is the core value that’s serving you most in this season of your life?

To watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

What if the problem with our politics is also the problem with our workplaces?

Our inability to truly see the people around us, keeping us from doing anything meaningful.

They’re far right, far left, too hardline, too accommodating, stupid, evil, “the problem.”

They’re account, creative, production, legal, stupid, clueless, “the problem.”

What if “us vs. them” became “what can I learn from someone I disagree with?”

Wilk Wilkinson is trying to make this “what if” real, with his podcast “Derate the Hate,” as an advisor to the ProHuman Foundation and in his role as Director of Media Operations at Braver Angels.

The key is focusing on shared purpose. Something I find a lot of common ground on when I talk with folks I disagree with politically.

And something that workplaces need to do a much better job of creating. What was the purpose at most of ad agencies I’ve worked at? No idea. And that’s a problem.

I invite each listener to start by getting clear on your own purpose. In life and at work. Why do you show up each day? What would the best day look like? What would the worst?

Once you answer those questions, start talking to the folks around you. And more importantly, start listening.

—

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way. Today’s episode is a part of the ProHuman Series, in partnership with the ProHuman Foundation, where Wilk is an advisor.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

—

You can follow Wilk on LinkedIn. And check out deratethehate.com to learn more about his work and check out his podcast.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

——

Bonus question from Wilk to our audience:When you think about the 2,080 hours a year you’re putting into your current job, is that the place where you’re going to fulfill the purpose that you have in life? And if not, is there a way for you in your mind to make that the most meaningful place that you can be to spend your working life?

If you would like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

There’s a controversial piece making its way around the interwebs right now, called “The Great Feminization” by Helen Andrews.

Despite its edgy title and often-incorrect conclusions (in my opinion), it’s generating some useful conversation.

How can men and women work together in a way that is beneficial to all?

Rachel Wallis Andreasson brings a POV to this topic informed by 30+ years as a leader. And she collaborated with 3 other authors to create The Sixth Level, a book about leadership that infuses a distinctly female perspective into this conversation.

The Sixth Level model is derived from the narratives of 16 women leaders as seen through the lens of Self-in-Relation theory, which defines the psychology of women as oriented to connection and care.

🐱 It creates a framework for creating cultures where no one wants to leave🐱 Reframes “soft skills” as leadership strengths🐱 Introduces four core differentiators: intrinsic motivation, mutuality, justness, and ingenuity

We also touched on the frustrating truth that a lot of “feminine” work is not valued very highly. Caretaking, teaching, social work, etc.

I think we’d do well to bring the full spectrum of approaches to the table. From the “feminine” to the “masculine” and anything in between. Let’s see what we learn.

Personally, I’m grateful that work cultures have evolved to a place where I can be more vulnerable, more caring and more connected in my approach. If you prefer the boiler room world, have at it.

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Rachel on LinkedIn. And check out thesixthlevel.com to learn more about her book and the philosophy behind it.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Rachel to our audience:Who could you reach out to today that you have a difference of opinion with, and you just want to have a conversation and start reconnecting?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

How you feel about human nature tells you everything you need to know about leadership.

If you think human nature has stayed constant over the years, you’ll find great value in the words of Socrates, Confucius, Jesus, Shakespeare and Sarah Breedlove (the first self-made black woman millionaire in the US).

If you think human nature has evolved over time, you’ll see little point in the wisdom of the past and constantly seek out new thinking to guide your approach.

Richard Battle falls firmly into the first camp. And he’s written several books—including his latest, AmeriCANS Who Made America!, spotlighting past wisdom for our present and future benefit. And we talked about a bunch of it on this week’s podcast.

🐱 How his great-great grandmother’s 100+ year old table showed him that our actions today can influence folks in the next century.

🐱 How a four-minute radio interview in the back office of a car dealership helped a man grieving the loss of his daughter.

🐱 How an early “dead end job” can teach our future self more about leadership than most modern day “gurus.”

In fact, I can’t help but wonder if most gurus take advantage of those who believe in an ever-changing human nature, shellacking ancient wisdom with buzzwords and bullet points for easy consumption.

No buzzwords here. Just a fresh look at some old-school truths that can help us lead better right now.

—

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

——

You can follow Richard on LinkedIn. And check out his site at RichardBattle.com where you can learn more about each of his 12 books.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

——

Bonus question from Richard to our audience:Where do you want to be at the end of your work life? And are you taking steps to get there?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

Should we get rid of HR?

That’s the bold suggestion put forth by Jamie Gutfreund, this week’s guest on the DesuckifyWork® podcast.

Why get rid of it? Because it’s become a fear-based function that stifles creativity, prevents honest conversations and enforces a “referee” culture that treats team members like children vs. adults who are capable of sorting through hard stuff on their own.

What would be build in its place? Great question. Jamie and I explore that and more during our conversation. We touch on:

🐱 Generational differences at work

🐱 What real psychological safety looks like

🐱 How to balance different levels of ambition within a team, including how those folks are compensated

🐱 The influence of the creator economy on how we work and get our messages out to the world

🐱 The role of executive leadership in driving culture and how no HR initiative can overcome the tone set by the C-suite

The main takeaway? Let’s be adults and let’s get out of own way already.

Sounds pretty freakin’ awesome to me. Who’s in?

—

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

——

You can follow Jamie on LinkedIn. And check out her column in Forbes about the creator economy.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

——

Bonus question from Jamie to our audience:Why do we judge people in the workplace solely on their state of ambition? Are we saying that everyone has to be equally ambitious? What if I just want to go to work till five o’clock and I’m okay being compensated and rewarded based on those expectations?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

Here’s what you’re admitting when you don’t develop your talent.

🐱 You’re admitting you don’t expect people to hang around very long.

🐱 You’re admitting you’re willing to let people just figure crap out on the job no matter how long it takes or how many mistakes get made.

🐱 You’re admitting that there’s nothing special about the work you do—any schmo off the street can jump in and deliver on day one.

🐱 You’re admitting you’re unaware of the cost of people figuring crap out on the job. Or the cost of high turnover. Or the cost of having an undifferentiated, commoditized work product.

🐱 You’re admitting that any messaging you have on your site or internally around building a strong culture is performative BS.

Karen Crane knows a thing or fifty about talent development. She is a coach and talent consultant who spent years helping ad agencies build award-winning teams.

And she and I share a frustration that so many agencies fall short in this area. F*ck around a find out seems to be the most popular training methodology.

And it’s a damn shame because the industry is filled with smart, clever problem solvers who are capable of designing a thousand ways to help people grow in their careers.

But… we’re too busy, it’s too expensive, clients are so demanding…. blah, blah, blah.

Sure. Yes. Understood.

Those are the exact reasons you need to do it. So you’re less busy on nonsense work and focused more on work that matters. So you get paid more, because you work on higher value projects. So your clients are happier, because your teams are delivering work at a level they never even thought was possible.

That’s what happens when you develop your talent.

Admit it: sounds totally worth it, right?

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Karen on LinkedIn. And check out her site at coachkarencrane.com and her Substack newsletter at karencrane.substack.com. They’re both filled with awesome stuff.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Karen to our audience:What does a desuckified workplace look like? What do you need to be unsuckified at work?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

Imagine if we were more civil at work.

Not more polite. Politeness is BS. Civil. From the Latin, Civitas. Meaning citizen. A well-functioning member of society.

Societies work when we have hard conversations. When we bring a shared respect for our common humanity. When we’re willing to offend. And be offended.

This is not where we are right now. As a society or at work.

We avoid the hard conversations. We substitute through-our-teeth agreement for respect. We turn offense into passive aggression.

Layer that in with a culture that rewards a near-constant state of navel gazing and the results aren’t pretty.

Lexi Hudson knows we can do better. And she wrote a book, “The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves” that tells us how.

It’s not about following a rigid set of rules. It’s about leaning into time-tested wisdom that has been at the center of great societal advances, from Ancient Greece to the modern civil rights movement.

Lexi’s translation for today’s world?

Be less like Larry David, angling for every scrap of ego-fuel we can find no matter the cost to others.

Be more like her grandmother, Margaret. A magnanimous soul, self-composed, generous, other-oriented and real.

—

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way. Today’s episode is a part of the ProHuman Series, in partnership with the ProHuman Foundation, where Lexi is an advisor.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Lexi on LinkedIn. And check out her Substack newsletter at civic-renaissance.com, an ongoing conversation on the power of civility to help us create the good life.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Lexi to our audience:What are the kinds of incivility that people are experiencing in the workplace right now and to what extent has that to do with being online and not in person in recent years?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.

Radical Moderation.

Sounds like an oxymoron. But it’s actually a way we can save our world and our workplaces from whatever the hell it is we’re all going through right now.

We’re in a low trust, high volatility time. And it affects everything. From the most horrific news headlines to the way we relate to the person in the desk across from us. Our armor is up. Which isn’t exactly conducive to conversation or collaboration.

Lauren Hall is an author, speaker, professor, university administrator and coiner of the “radical moderation” term. We talked on this week’s podcast about how embracing this mindset can help us connect more deeply with everyone in our lives.

It starts with avoiding binary thinking. Life is lived in the gray, no matter what your social media algorithms try to tell you.

From there, we need to understand issues in their full complexity.

To do that, we need to be curious and humble, especially when we’re confronted with ideas we don’t like.

Lauren gives one of the most incredible examples of someone who chose to embrace those ideals—Darryl Davis. A black man who has spoken with dozens of KKK members and influenced many to renounce their white supremacist views. His story is remarkable.

I don’t expect most of us to live up to the model of someone like Daryl. But man, wouldn’t the world be a better place if we tried?

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way. Today’s episode is a part of the ProHuman Series, in partnership with the Prohuman Foundation where Lauren is an advisor.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Lauren on LinkedIn. And check out her Substack, The Radical Moderate’s Guide to Life (Lauren Hall). It’s the perfect antidote to our click-bait riddled feeds.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to help your teams bring their absolute best to work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Lauren to our audience:Are you happy with the politics that we have now? Do you feel as though what's happening is serving our communities?

If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, please click here.