DesuckifyWork®

Who holds the keys to advertising’s future?

No, it’s not AI. It’s the people who actually do the work. And leaders need to recognize that, if we want the business to have a future worth a damn.

Today’s guest on the DesuckifyWork™ Podcast has been fighting this fight for a while. Jack Skeels is the CEO and Founder of Agency Agile, a group that helps agencies (and other companies) create cultures that bring out the best in teams and chart a new way of being for managers and leaders.

New way of being? Sounds kinda scary… until you understand what it actually means—quieting the craziness in the agency world. 

It means finally getting a handle on scope-creep. 

It means getting work done faster, because you’re focused only on what matters. 

And it means trusting your teams to do the work they’re paid to do. So you can spend more time on big picture thinking. And everyone can be a whole lot happier. 

That last bit is the crux of Jack’s new book, “Unmanaged,” which demonstrates how managing less can help you manage better. Counterintuitive, perhaps, but if you’ve spent more than 5 minutes at an agency it also sounds pretty refreshing. 

So let’s sit back and let Jack show us how to unthink everything we thought we knew about this crazy business. 

You can follow Jack on LinkedIn where he shares everything and anything he’s working on. Check out his site at agencyagile.com. And please buy his book, Unmanaged, which should be a must-read for everyone in agency-land. 

Speaking of reading, there are all kinds of words on my site and even more on my Substack. Most of them even make sense! If you want to make sense of the role work plays in your life, let’s set up a free 30-minute “what the heck is coaching all about” call. I’ve been told I’m an excellent listener by several people. At least I think that’s what they said.

Bye, everyone!

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #coaching #adagency #adagencyculture

Ever wonder what the leaders of your company are thinking? What they truly care about? What terrifies them?Our guest today on the DesuckifyWork™ Podcast has a pretty good idea. Amii Barnard Bahn has worked with hundreds of C-suite executives, helping them become more self-aware, more inspiring and more in tune with the values that really matter to them and their organization. 

There’s a lot of tension in the workplace right now. And the best execs are out there trying to figure out a way through. Others, are stumbling and fumbling, often quite publicly. 

Amii and I talk about all of this and more during our conversation. 

We touch on the return to work mandates and how those choices are often driven by fear at the highest levels. We discuss the seemingly endless rounds of layoffs and what companies can do better, both in terms of process and how the layoffs are communicated. 

And we speak about how to make yourself more promotable, something that is often vaguely understood at best. Amii has developed a Promotability Index® and a companion guidebook that outlines clear steps to help you advance your career. 

By the way, we also touched on the importance of career growth, even if getting promoted up the ranks isn’t your goal. There is no one “right” path to a Descukfied work experience, after all. 

This episode is chock full of desuckification, thanks to Amii’s brilliance. You can follow Amii on LinkedIn. And you should absolutely check out her site at barnardbahn.com to learn more about her coaching, speaking and consulting expertise. 

Speaking of expertise, I also know a thing or three and you can learn more about it at thepuddingfactory.net. If you want to know more about the one or three things I know, let’s set up a free 30-minute “what the heck is coaching all about” call. 

Bye, everyone!

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #coaching #leadership #executivecoaching

If you’re on LinkedIn and you’re not following Sara Richmond, you are depriving yourself of joy. Plain and simple.

I like joy, so I follow Sara and was fortunate enough to speak with her on this latest episode of The DesuckifyWork™ Podcast. 

The conversation was delightful. Not in a sunshine and butterflies kind of way, although we had our moments. It was delightfully human. Complex. Nuanced. Dark at times. Hopeful elsewhere. Always real and full of laughter. Even at some of the not so bright and cheery stuff. 

This is what Sara brings to the world. A complex, honest, searching perspective that is exactly what we need more of in the work world, if you ask me. 

Less pre-packaged BS and more soul exhausting depth. Which is oddly energizing. 

We should share more of our pain…

More of our uncertainty…

More of our hanging by a fingernail hope…

We should connect in all the ways that bring us together and help us realize we need each other, all of us, if we stand any chance of desuckifying anything. 

I think this conversation is a good start. I hope you do too. 

You can follow Sara on LinkedIn. No, scratch that, you must follow Sara on LinkedIn. If you value the quality of your scrolled experience. 

Speaking of scrolling, you should take a quick scroll through my site sometime, it’s filled with helpful bits of info and lots of cats. Which is all you need to live a great life, if you ask me. If you’d like to ask me about cats or how to live a great life, let’s set up a free 30-minute “what the heck is coaching all about” call. 

Meerrrr! 😻

#desuckifywork #desuckifyworkpodcast #laughter #pain #humanity #coaching

I launched the DesuckifyWork™ Podcast late last summer. And I realize, 22 episodes later, I never really stated why. So, this is me, stating why. 

Episode 23. The Manifesto. Just me, 7 minutes. I hope you listen.

If you prefer to read the manifesto, check out the transcript above. ☝️

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #coaching #humanity #advertising #coachingforcreatives

What does it mean for work to have meaning? 

It can mean a lot of things actually. 

And it can show up differently for everyone. 

But when it shows up? The effect is undeniable.

With meaningful work, employees are seven times more engaged, 64% more fulfilled on the job and 69% less likely to leave the company. 

Those numbers come from today’s guest on the DesuckifyWork™ Podcast, Tamara Myles. Tamara is an author, consultant, speaker and researcher who is currently working on her next book, More Than a Paycheck: How Leaders Can Answer the Growing Demand for Meaning at Work, set to be published in early 2025.

During the show, we talked about the 10 principals of Highly Meaningful Work and how they don’t just apply to office-based careers. They’re pretty universal. 

We spoke about how one of those principles, onboarding, is so under appreciated and yet so critical. 

And we touched on one of my favorite areas… the importance of recognizing possibility and nurturing potential in everyone. We could do a whole show on just that alone!

Tamara incredibly smart, thoughtful and one billion percent committed to helping people find meaning in their work. You should listen to her. 

You can follow Tamara on LinkedIn and check out her site at tamaramyles.com.  And put a note on your calendar for early 2025 so you can grab a copy of her new book. I put it on mine in ALL CAPS because I won’t listen to myself unless I’m shouting. 

Speaking of shouting, you should give me a shout if you’d like to learn more about the work I do. We can set up a free half-hour “what the heck is coaching all about” session. I promise I’ll keep the volume at a reasonable level. 

BYE EVERYONE!

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #meaningfulwork #coaching #coachingforcreativeleaders 

Quick. Your company is about to be bought. Or merged. Or otherwise smashed together with a group of strangers. 

What’s your first thought? 

Chances are you’re not jumping up and down with glee. There may be stomping and kicking, however. 

Our guest today on the DesuckifyWork™ Podcast helps companies avoid the common pitfalls of mergers, acquisitions and large-scale transitions. Jennifer Fondrevay is a consultant, author and has been called the Brené Brown of M&A. With good reason.

She helps leaders see the value in a people-first transition strategy. Not just because it’s the right thing to do (it is) but also because it’s the smart thing to do, if you care about the success of the transition. 

Did we mention that 70-90% of mergers and acquisitions fail? Perhaps that will wake up a few folks. 

When you do transitions right, they don’t lead to kicking and screaming. They lead to transparency, understanding and the ability to see new possibilities. 

We talk about that and so much more during the show. We had particular fun diving into the 10 personas that show up when faced with the uncertainty of a big transition. 

From the Dominatrix to the Former Rock Star to the Know-it-All and Know-Nothing, you’ll recognize each of them from past experience. You may even recognize a few in yourself. 

And that’s okay. We’re all human. And if we recognize that, we’re already a long way towards creating a better experience next time a big shake up comes our way. 

This is Jennifer’s superpower. Bringing humanity into this process so we cannot just survive it, but thrive in it. Sounds pretty desuckified if you ask me. 

But don’t ask me. Ask Jennifer. She rocks. Take a listen and see for yourself. 

You can follow Jennifer on LinkedIn and check out her site at jenniferjfondrevay.com. You should also check out her book, Now What?: A Survival Guide for Thriving Through Mergers & Acquisitions. It’s a delightfully human take on a frequently inhumane topic. 

Speaking of delight, I think my website if pretty groovy too. Check it out at thepuddingfactory.net. If you’d like to learn more about the work I do, please visit https://calendly.com/teejaybee/30-minute-whattheheck to set up a free half-hour “what the heck is coaching all about” session. 

Hope to hear from you soon. Bye, everyone!

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #mergersandacquisitions #transitions #coaching #leadership 

Can smaller agencies save the ad business? I think so. And our guest today on the DesuckifyWork™ Podcast gives us plenty of reasons to believe. Drew McClellan runs the Agency Management Institute with his wife, Danyel. 

They help small to mid-sized agencies make the hard work of running the business easier, less lonely and more profitable. 

Drew helps us understand just how that can happen during our conversation. The key takeaways? Be human. Don’t hide your flaws. Own them. Show the team that you’re open to working on them. 

Live by your values. Don’t just post them in the break room. Talk about the regularly and help people see how they can live them through the work they do.

Pull back the curtain. You run a business. Your team knows this and wants to understand more about it. How can their work contribute to the success of the agency? Why does it matter… in the big picture? 

These are all things that smaller agencies can do really well. And if they do, they can bring a lot of hope back to an industry that has felt a bit off course for a while now. 

We can do work that matters. We can create environments that treat people well. We can make our clients a ton of money and make the world a bit kinder in the process. 

It’s not a zero sum game. It’s an invitation to embrace creativity and humanity in all that we do. And I hope more of us respond to that call with enthusiasm and curiosity. 

Listen to Drew for even a few minutes and I think you’ll be on board. 

You can follow Drew on LinkedIn and check out his site at agencymanagementinstitute.com where you’ll find their podcast, info on courses, their blog and a ton of other great content. Drew also hangs out on Instagram, Facebook and Threads, so look for him there too. 

If you’ve listened to this episode and thought, hey, TJ seems like a good dude to have a conversation with, please reach out. We can set up a free half-hour “what the heck is coaching all about session.” Always happy to chat about non-coaching topics like cats, Snoopy, hockey, peanut butter and Eddie Van Halen as well. 

Hope to hear from you soon. Bye, everyone!

#advertising #adagencies #humanity #coaching #creativity #coachingforcreatives 

What kind of relationship should you have with the person who is trying to kill you?

Quick, you don’t have much time to think.

Today’s guest on the DesuckifyWork™ Podcast has an answer that may surprise you. 

He chose to treat his would be killer with kindness and generosity. A disturbed young man, feeling lost and hopeless, opened fire on police officers outside a home in Las Vegas. Allyn Goodrich, a S.W.A.T. officer arrived on the scene with his team, ultimately helping to diffuse the situation. 

When the young man came out in cuffs, Allyn walked the man to the officers who would bring him in to the station. The young man said he wished he’d been shot and killed. But Allyn connected with him as a human being and shared his own perspective of how he deals with intense stress. He gave him the gift of compassion and understanding when it would have been easy to choose a different path. 

Puts things in perspective when you’re dealing with a tough client or a fussy co-worker. But I think Allyn’s approach still applies. Treat everyone with respect and grace.  

We also touched on the need for mental health support at work during our conversation, whether you are in an office or in uniform. 

We discussed the value of finding the good in any job, focusing on what you can control and showing up with pride in the work you do, no matter what it is. 

And we talked about Allyn’s book, October Strong, which is one of the best I’ve read in quite some time. 

This was one of those conversations that changed me, no doubt. I think it may do the same for you. 

You can follow Allyn on LinkedIn where he talks about leadership, teamwork and a whole lot more. And you can find his book, October Strong on Amazon or check out OctoberStrong.com for more details. All proceeds from the book go to The Wounded Blue, the nation’s largest organization that supports officers who’ve been hurt or injured in the line of duty.

If you listened to this show and thought, hey, TJ might be worth talking to about life, career, business, cats, etc., please visit https://calendly.com/teejaybee/30-minute-whattheheck to set up a free half-hour “what the heck is coaching all about” session.

Thanks for listening, everyone. Bye!

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #courage #honor #pride #commitment #coaching

Have you ever talked to a crocodile wrestler?

I have.

And it was fun as hell.

Our guest today on the DescukifyWork™ Podcast is Martin Barnes, self-described crocodile wrestler and founder of Eight Seconds to Connect, where he coaches folks on pitching and presenting. 

As you can imagine, telling people you wrestle 2,000-pound reptiles is a pretty good way to get someone’s attention in less than 8 seconds. And when you hear Martin tell the story behind his monicker, that connection only deepens. 

You may know Martin on LinkedIn as the guy who uses simple sketches to tell powerful stories. Those sketches are a great example of his ability to grab and hold your attention, in the midst of a million other pixels competing for your eyeballs. 

We touch on that and so much more during our conversation.

We talk about how you can actually learn to love pitching and turn anxiety into joyful anticipation. 

We talk about how the skills we develop as presenters can help us communicate with more intention in any situation. 

And how a small stack of Legos is all you need to understand the keys to a successful pitch. 

Who doesn’t love Legos?

You can follow Martin on LinkedIn and check out his site at eightsecondstoconnect.com. The site is loaded with good info and just a ton of fun to explore. 

You know what else is fun? Subscribing to the podcast here on Substack. And if you listen to the show and think, hey, this dude might be worth talking to about life, career, business, cats, etc., visit https://calendly.com/teejaybee/30-minute-whattheheck to set up a free half-hour “what the heck is coaching all about” session.

So… who’s ready for some crocodile wrestling? 

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #coaching #pitching #presenting #communication 

How often are you, you? 

Are you, you when you show up at the office? Or log in to Zoom? Are you, you when you have a job interview or post something here on LinkedIn?

If not, why? We need you. And we need everyone to bring the best of their humanity forward, if we have any shot at this whole Desuckifying thing. 

Bringing the best of humanity forward is the mission of today’s guest on the DescukifyWork™ Podcast, Paul MacFarlane. 

Paul works in advertising. But more importantly, Paul works on advertising. With an unwavering belief that brands can save the world.

That brands can heal.

Brands can unite. 

Brands can create meaning.

But only if we put every drop of our humanity into the work. 

So let’s do that, shall we?

And let’s follow Paul on LinkedIn and check out his site at thepaulmacfarlane.com. You’ll be glad you did.

And I’d be beyond glad if you check out my site at  thepuddingfactory.net, follow the podcast on Substack, YouTube or just about any other podcast app and subscribe to the DesuckifyWork™ newsletter at tjbennett.substack.com. 

Bye, everyone!

#desuckifyworkpodcast #desuckifywork #humanity #coaching #branding