Humans at Work with Michael Glazer

In this episode, we're rethinking leadership with Nicholas Janni, author of "Leader As Healer" and teacher at IMD Business School and the University of Oxford Said Business School. Nicholas introduces the revolutionary concept of leaders as healers, advocating for a shift from the hyper-rational, imbalanced corporate norms that prioritize doing over being. He shares how integrating emotional intelligence and deep personal connections can transform leadership effectiveness.

Join us as Nicholas shares how embracing our whole selves helps businesses and the people who work in them can thrive together.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on Apple or Spotify. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

• The critical role of leaders in addressing global crises through deep personal and emotional connection.
• How fostering emotional openness and vulnerability can transform leadership effectiveness and workplace dynamics.
• Integrating meditative and somatic practices to elevate leaders' perceptual fields and empathy levels.
• The substantial business benefits of emotionally intelligent leadership, from engagement to profitability.
• The necessity of taking a leadership approach that prioritizes emotional authenticity for transformative change.
• How physical awareness and presence enhance leaders' decision-making capabilities and overall effectiveness.
• Creating organizational cultures that foster resilience and satisfaction.

Nicholas' view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today

"Emotional the cultivation and welcoming of emotional authenticity. People being allowed to say how they're really feeling and being unconditionally met. There's nothing wrong with feeling frightened, sad. I think without that you'll never have well pay."

What "working with humans" means to Nicholas

"It means working with the full spectrum of who we are. And most workplaces in my great, extensive experience, function on a very small spectrum of who we really are."

Resources

Follow: Nicholas on LinkedIn

Visit: Matrix Development website

Read: Leader as Healer: A new paradigm for 21st-century leadership

For more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/

©Michael Glazer

We've all been there: put on the spot during a meeting and found ourselves tongue-tied. In this episode, we tackle the challenge of spontaneous communication head-on. I'm joined by Matt Abrahams, who is a Lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business and the host of the "Think Fast, Talk Smart," which draws in millions of listeners per episode. His TEDx Talk has captivated a global audience, and his latest book is titled, "Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot."

Today, Matt shares his insights into preparing for those unscripted moments, managing speaking anxiety, and mastering the mindset shifts critical for effective communication. We'll cover practical strategies for nailing Q&A sessions and confidently handling challenging conversations.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on iTunes or Spotify. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

· How preparation paradoxically improves your ability to speak spontaneously

· Making your message resonate and be memorable

· Creating a personalized anxiety management plan to reduce speaking anxiety

· A critical mindset shift that improves communication quality and effectiveness

· Reframing errors as learning opportunities to improve communication skills

· How improving our listening skills can make spontaneous speaking more effective

· Mastering Q&A sessions by engaging with people who are opposed to your ideas

· Methods for handling difficult questions in tricky scenarios

Matt's view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today

"I think we saw with the pandemic, just how raw some people can be. It exposed that and put a light on it. And it's important that we respect it and that we connect with it. As a teacher, I see it in my students, I see it my colleagues. So, I believe all of us have to take a step back and remind ourselves that first and foremost, we're humans, we have challenges and issues, both in inside ourselves and in the relationships we have. And I think we need to spend more time respecting that in offering to help those who are struggling."

What "working with humans" means to Matt

"To me, it is a reminder that communication is relational and about connection, not about transactions. We work with others, others who have their own existence, their own ideas, their own belief, and we need to remember that it's all about the relationship and the connection that we have and I think that is very powerful and very important."

Resources

Follow: Matt on LinkedIn

Visit: Matt's website

Read: Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot

For more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/

This episode examines the components of building and leading high-performing teams with guests Alison Grieve and Jenni Miller, experts in transforming team dynamics at some of the world's leading companies, including PepsiCo and ING.

Alison and Jenni share practical advice on the critical roles of trust, motivation, and emotional intelligence in team success, as well as advice on fostering resilience, enhancing virtual and hybrid collaborations, and creating a culture of accountability and empowerment.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on iTunes or Spotify. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

• The importance of understanding and managing emotions within teams.
• How daily and significant changes within teams can affect team performance.
• The responsibility of leaders and team members in recognizing and managing emotions.
• The need for us to recognize our own blind spots and develop better self-awareness.
• How unchecked assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.
• Recognizing that what motivates one team member may not motivate another.
• Feedback as a Tool for Growth: The significance of creating a culture of constructive feedback to foster personal and team growth.
• How shared experiences strengthen team bonds and trust.
• Concrete strategies to build trust and improve team performance.

Alison's and Jenni's views on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today

Alison

"I think isolation—so, talking about meetings, going into meetings, and nobody's got their video on their screen, so you can't see them. People are not communicating very well. They're just sending WhatsApp or Slack messages and emails. They don't meet physically. I think isolation then tends to make people feel that it's just about the task, and work becomes a tool because fun at work often comes from having solved a problem or overcome a challenge with someone else. And so, if we start to lose those, then I think it's really sad."

Jenni

"I was going to fully agree with what Alison said. I think it is the number one challenge that organizations are wrestling with at the moment in the debate about whether hybrids work or whether it's back to the office. I don't think it's actually a location issue. I think it's an isolation issue. So what people are picking up on is that people aren't as motivated or as productive as they could be if they're just working from home. That, the working from home bit, is not the issue. It's the fact that managers and teams aren't putting in mechanisms to make people feel still connected to the organization. You address that, and I imagine it's going to open up something really powerful and positive."

What "working with humans" means to Alison and Jenni

Alison

"There is a warmth and creativity that is so empowering [to that phrase], and inspiring and energizing. That's what it's about."

Jenni

"What's the alternative? It's working with robots and artificial intelligence. I'm hearing a lot of concern from people, asking, 'Are they going to replace me? What does that mean for my job going forward?'

Actually, the beauty of working with humans, as opposed to AI, is in solving really complex problems together, doing something for the first time that nobody's ever done before, being creative, and coming up with new ideas. Like, 'I may well be proven wrong, but I don't think that robots and AI can do that.' So, I believe that's what keeps us special and powerful as a species—all of that."

Resources

Follow: Alison and Jenni on LinkedIn

Visit: Management Dynamics

Read: Leading Edge: Strategies for developing and sustaining high-performing teams

Visit our website for a full transcript of this episode and for more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone.

Can improv help us unlock workplace success? In this episode, we explore the positive impact of improvisation on well-being, communication, and the nuances of our daily interactions. Patricia Ryan Madson, Stanford University Emerita and author of "Improv Wisdom," provides insights on how improv maxims can enhance the way we connect, create, and engage at work – and in life.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on iTunes or Spotify. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

• Learn how simple acts of noticing and acknowledging others can have outsized effects on their well-being and yours.
• Find out how the maxim of "Yes, And" can enhance teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving.
• Uncover strategies for tackling common fears and anxieties in the workplace through the lens of improv.
• Explore how the practices of improv can sharpen your mindfulness and presence.
• Hear advice for applying improv principles in many aspects of daily life.
• Learn how to cultivate gratitude for the often-overlooked contributions of others.
• Discover how improvisation can be a powerful tool for navigating change and uncertainty.
• Use improv to improve your communication skills, making you a better listener and collaborator.
• Hear how the ethos of improv can help build a work environment where every voice is heard and valued.

Patricia's view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today "I think that the greatest need is to discover the concept of 'enough'. I think the workplace and the mania for pushing forward for more and greater, this need in our consumer world, that in order to keep going, everything has to grow and grow. I think we need to say enough. And to find space, and to slow down, and to do less.

I think our world would be a lot better, certainly businesses would be, if instead of just looking at the bottom line as the measure of success, more companies would see that the health of the world depends upon all of us being able to slow down a little more, respect each other, maybe not consume as much.

I just turned 81. And so, I am looking at trying to notice how my world has so many things that I've been collecting over the years, and realizing that it's hard to get off that 'let's get some more stuff' wagon. But I'm a proponent now of every day trying to find something that I can rehome or give away, or find a different home for, rather than just adding more. So, the concept of enough and slowing down would be what I would wish for our workplaces."

What "working with humans" means to Patricia "'Working with humans' is a reminder somehow that we're all in this together. And that there's no way that I can really thrive and succeed if I'm trying to do it on my own. So working with humans means shifting that in fact, as I was thinking about that, my eyes kind of rolled back in my head and I felt myself sort of go into me, but it's I need to shift the attention so that I'm working with humans meaning never forget all of the others and my place in that to be helpful to them, to try to cause them less trouble and to make it work by doing my part."

Resources Read: Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up

Visit our website for a full transcript of this episode and for more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone.

Ever wondered what happens when we flip traditional corporate hierarchies, allowing the young to mentor the old? This episode zeroes in on reverse mentoring, showcasing its power to drive innovation and foster understanding across generations. Patrice Gordon, a pioneer at Virgin Atlantic and author of the book "Reverse Mentoring: Removing Barriers and Building Belonging in the Workplace."

Patrice explains how embracing uncomfortable moments and challenging our assumptions can lead to growth for both people and organizations. She also shares advice for setting up and running reserve mentoring programs and strategies for bringing more humanity into our organizations. Tune in to discover how you can harness the potential of reverse mentoring to not only enhance leadership but also create a more inclusive, dynamic workplace.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on iTunes or Spotify. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

• Explore reverse mentoring's role in driving innovation and understanding between generations.
• Gain insights from Patrice Gordon on fostering inclusive leadership and authentic self-expression at work.
• Learn strategies from Virgin Atlantic's reverse mentoring for cultivating an inclusive culture.
• Steps to implement effective reverse mentoring programs for organizational change.
• Tackle misconceptions and challenges in reverse mentoring and DEI for better outcomes.
• The role of trust in reverse mentoring success and how to assess and build it.
• Criteria for selecting the right participants for pilot mentoring programs.
• Establishing psychological safety for impactful mentorship relationships.
• Enhancing workplace communication and connection through reverse mentoring.
• Keeping reverse mentoring programs alive and impactful with leadership commitment.

Patrice's view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today

"I think it's about connection. So post-pandemic, like, you know, you've got better up service talks about like people who don't feel connected at work, people who would rather not be connected with the people at work, and people who really want to be connected with people at work.

And so for me, well-being is about connection. Especially when we're talking about in a hybrid world, when we're talking about, you know, a lot of the work that I do is with the Gent with Gen Z and it's about them entering the workforce properly for the first time, and how things that we maybe took for granted being like seasoned, seasoned corporate employees.

But what does that look like now especially being like digital natives, and now heading into a space where it may not actually be the Digital First, it's more people first. But really that connection and building authentic connection within an organization where people are more like people's opinions or views are more polarized than ever.

And now we're living our lives at work as well. So, historically, we maybe didn't have the opportunity to bring all of our viewpoints and opinions to the office. But now we have no option but to write because it's just weaved into every part of our being now.

And so connecting at a deeper level, from a pace of like honesty and transparency, but also with respect, that all feeds into that connection piece for me."

What "working with humans" means to Patrice

"Be more human. Like, bring as much of yourself to work as you feel comfortable in doing I always say, and, but it's recognizing people's individuality and respecting that and acknowledging that you have these wide policies.

But actually, the one-on-one interaction those conversations…just will mean so much more to people to feel like seen and heard and valued. And I think everyone just needs to create bit more time to do that."

Resources

Follow: Patrice on LinkedIn

Visit: Eminere

Read: Reverse Mentoring: Removing Barriers and Building Belonging in the Workplace

Watch: How reverse mentorship can help create better leaders

Visit our website for a full transcript of this episode and for more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone.

© Michael Glazer

Facing gender bias is tough. Add ageism to the mix, and the workplace becomes a whole different challenge. This episode examines the landscape for women over 50 in the workplace, spotlighted through Dr. Lucy Ryan's insights from her book, "Revolting Women." Addressing the dual hurdles of ageism and gender bias, Dr. Ryan explains how societal expectations shape professional experiences. She shares compelling stories about navigating menopause and caregiving, alongside strategies for midlife women. The discussion includes advice for employers, such as having midlife check-ins, to create a more inclusive and equitable environment.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on iTunes or Spotify. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

• Understand the fusion of ageism and sexism affecting workplace dynamics for women.
• Strategies for managing age and gender perceptions in professional settings.
• Practical tips for addressing menopause impacts in the workplace.
• Advice for navigating the compound challenges of caregiving, menopause, and mental health.
• Innovative approaches to combat workplace discrimination and bias.
• Steps to create menopause-friendly and supportive environments for midlife women.
• Key strategies for organizational adaptation to support midlife women's needs.

Lucy's view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today

"I'm a leadership coach, and one of the things that happens with almost every single client I coach is they don't have enough space to reflect. And it's not built into the workplace. It's as if people are going from call to call to call to call...So where do we reflect? Where do we get space to breathe? So, I would really like that to happen?"

What "working with humans" means to Lucy

We forget often that we are working with humans…But I think the organization is so busy with processes. We have jargon for everything. We have all the process going on change processes, target operating models, we have more jargon than you can throw at a person every single day. And we forget that we've just got human beings with their own lives, difficulties, joys going on every day. And that means that we need to build compassionate conversations into our workplace."

Resources:

Follow: Lucy on LinkedIn

Visit: Lucy's website

Read: Revolting Women: Why midlife women are walking out, and what to do about it

For a full transcript of this episode and for more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/

©Michael Glazer

Do you excel in analytical, strategic and goal-oriented tasks yet often get bogged down in thinking through how to unstick yourself from complicated situations or challenges? This episode focuses on how tapping into the power of your right brain can help you move forward through seemingly intractable challenges.

The right brain is our gateway to seeing the big picture, infusing fresh ideas and deeper understanding into your life. It's the part of our brain that helps us interpret the world through our senses and is vital for empathy, enabling us to forge genuine connections with others.

Our guest is Yda Bouvier, and she has a unique mix of business expertise and physics knowledge, which includes over a decade working in senior roles at Boston Consulting Group. She's also an accomplished executive coach and the author of the recent book, "Leading with the Right Brain".

If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate it on Spotify. Your ratings hep more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

· An exploration of the unique functions of the left and right brain in life and decision-making.

· A revealing look at the brain's ability to simplify complex information.

· An examination of the evolutionary reasons for the predominance of left-brain thinking.

· A discussion on effective strategies to engage the right brain for holistic problem-solving.

· Insights into using metaphors in coaching to unlock deeper understanding and solutions.

· Practical advice for using right-brain thinking techniques to tackle complex challenges.

· A unique perspective on integrating business, physics, and executive coaching expertise.

Yda's view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today

"I think the [greatest] unmet need in the workplace is still for people to feel really seen, seen and heard, and acknowledged for just simply who they are and what they bring. I feel that we're just as a we're not good at…making others the other feel seen and heard."

What "working with humans" means to Yda

"When I think about working with humans, I immediately think about the transition we're all in at the moment. Part of it is trying to figure out how to work with increasingly intelligent machines. And, you know, I'm facing that as an individual, but if you're running an organization, this is something that is absolutely top of mind.

Now, when I think about working with humans, it seems to me that because machines are developing so fast, we need to develop quickly and cultivate the unique human advantages that we bring. It's not hard to argue that computers and AI compete more easily with the qualities of the left side of your brain, and that the right side of your brain allows for a uniquely human advantage. So, we can really leverage that.

But also, when we work with the right side [of the brain], AI is just another team member we can collaborate with. Working with humans then also means working with machines because you can see AI as a team member. This may be a funny twist you haven't thought about yet.

But when I think about working with humans, I think about us really using our human advantage to also be able to work with intelligent machines."

Resources:

Follow: Yda on LinkedIn

Visit: Yda's website

Read: Leading with the Right Brain

For more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/

©Michael Glazer

Dr. Robert Lefkowitz shares anecdotes and wisdom from his extraordinary career. This episode delves into the power of storytelling and narratives, building a legacy based on mentorship, overcoming harsh criticism, and using personal values at work.

Lefkowitz won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2012 for "for studies of G-protein-coupled receptors." His memoir is titled "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm". Today, more than half of all prescription drug sales are of drugs that target either directly or indirectly the receptors discovered by Dr. Lefkowitz and his trainees.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on Spotify. Your rating helps more people like you discover the podcast!

• The importance of crafting and telling stories
• How revising an old story we tell ourselves can pay off professionally
• Coping with challenges and setbacks
• Constructively decoding rejection
• Why learning to say no to career opportunities matters
• Bob's criteria for making career decisions
• Advice for making life's most important decisions
• Bob's first rule of mentoring: tailor it for each and every person
• How Bob wants to be remembered

"You're coming to turf that's very near and dear to my heart...Both my parents had premature heart attacks. My father died of his fourth heart attack at 63. He had his first one when he was 50. So there were clearly strong genetic factors favoring heart disease in my family...I developed angina and had quadruple bypass surgery. That was 30 years ago, and I'm still here and still kicking.

So how did that come to be? Because I, as a cardiologist, paid meticulous attention to risk factors that I can alter. The one I can't alter, of course, is my genetics. But there are lots of others that you can. So in the workplace, if I could focus on two things, one would be the food that people are eating. [Addressing] the vending machines, and the crap that they serve in the cafeteria. So healthier eating.

The other is exercise. Okay, I'm a nut about both subjects. So, for most of my career, I would go out, and about noon time with a very close friend of mine who's a faculty member. And we would go for a run at lunchtime. And I wish there were more emphasis on that facilities that were conveniently available, and ways to structure the work day so that people are given breaks to go out and exercise.

I think wellness is very, very important. And then of course, you know that there's the whole stress business, which there are various ways to handle. But I think an emphasis on wellness is extremely important. It has been for me, the fact that I'm still here 30 years later, I work full time at 80 [years old]. I'm still full time, and I just renewed my grants for another five years. I'm still at it!"

"One of my most closely held core values is human dignity. And to me, one of the most important things about working with people is to show everybody the same level of respect.

I don't care if a Nobel laureates coming into my office, or -- I have a great relationship with the guy who picks up the trash every day, he comes in. And I'll say, "Hey, I got some great stuff for you here!" You know, I'll hand in my trash can. I say, "be careful with it!" as I banter with him. I don't care if you're picking up the trash or you're a Nobel Laureate. I want to show you the respect that, to me, every human being deserves.

Now there's a balance. One of the things I learned when I was in Hebrew school as a kid that I remember to this day is there was a there's an ancient Jewish texts, called Pirkei Avot, which means Stories of the Fathers. These are sage pieces of advice passed down for centuries and centuries. One of them is attributed to him ancient rabbi whose name was Hillel.

Hillel had this saying, it goes something like this. "If I am not for me, who will be for me? If I am only for me, who am I? If not now, when?" And there's huge wisdom in that. But to me the balancing between self-interest because, in the end, you're responsible for yourself. Because, if I'm not for me, who will be for me? But on the other hand, if I'm only for me, then who am I?

You got to take care of others. And to me, that's what it's all about."

Read: Bob's profile on Wikipedia and at Duke University's website Read: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm: The Adrenaline-Fueled Adventures of an Accidental Scientist Watch: Bob's Nobel Lecture (slides and transcript also available) Read: about Pirkei Avot

For more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/

©Michael Glazer

With employee disengagement at alarming levels despite significant investments in training leaders in coaching skills, there's a pressing need to reevaluate and get practical about making coaching truly effective for people in managerial roles. This episode zeroes in on how to address this gap, introducing insights and tools for leaders to genuinely engage and empower their teams.

Dominic Ashley-Timms, CEO of Notion, has firsthand experience across 37 countries, providing a fresh and nuanced perspective on leadership, culture, and organizational transformation. Having co-authored "The Answer Is a Question", Dominic brings an innovative approach to everyday coaching, rooted in the STAR® model he co-created.

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on Spotify or iTunes. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

• The vital role of questions and their effectiveness.
• Crafting questions that stimulate constructive thought processes.
• Advanced questioning techniques for seasoned managers.
• External cues (also called triggers) and their role in influencing behavioral shifts.
• Molding triggers to fit seamlessly into a manager's coaching approach.
• Pinpointing moments ripe for coaching interventions.
• Addressing the knowledge gap in framing effective questions.
• The strategy behind intentional questioning.
• Exploring question facets: their classification, delivery, and timing.
• Varied question styles for clarity, comparison, and an outward focus.
• Emphasizing the need for pause, reflection, and then ask the right question.

"The issue is not so much about how we're being taught well-being; it's more about adapting our behavior and changing our mental models. We need to redefine what our roles are as managers. This is not just an individual conversation but also an organizational one. Within my company, we're facilitating discussions with leadership teams of major organizations to explore what they expect from their managerial layers. Unfortunately, many organizations aren't having this crucial dialogue.

The goal should be to create an engaged, contributing workforce where people can operate at their highest level and feel valued for it. To achieve this, managers need to be skilled in fostering such an environment. When it comes to well-being, we all need to feel seen, acknowledged, and respected. Most management training programs focus on transactional skills; they're episodic and don't foster a continuous mindset shift.

We need to move away from the traditional role of the manager as the "problem solver" or the one who "keeps the lights on." Instead, managers should enable their team members to give their best, inviting and valuing their contributions. This shift in behavior can lead to more trusting and engaging relationships with team members. When we started this work 15 years ago, we were often measured by improvements in engagement scores. It's not complicated—if you want to improve engagement, then engage more.

However, many managers are so preoccupied with their task lists that they neglect the people-engagement aspect of their roles.

We argue that reversing this trend has significant benefits, not just for teams, but also for managers. Adopting an operational coaching approach to management has been reported to reduce stress and create a more balanced work week.

Recent research has even shown that the relationship with one's line manager has a greater impact on mental well-being than relationships with a spouse, pastor, or doctor. Considering the number of hours spent at work, it's easy to understand why a relationship with a manager can have such a significant impact on mental well-being.

So, we are at an inflection point. If you are a line manager responsible for people, it's time to consider how you will engage differently in the next phase of your career."

"The tenets of management haven't really changed over the last century. When we examine organizations, we often refer to the workforce as a "resource." In consulting, it's termed "human capital management," and we have Human Resources departments. We haven't really moved beyond viewing humans merely as resources.

We recently gave a significant talk in London about re-humanizing management. The focus is on helping managers understand that their role extends beyond merely ensuring that work proceeds. They are also there to engage the workforce and take them along on the journey. Working with humans is exactly that — if people aren't actively contributing to the work, there's no progress.

If we were to ask ourselves what percentage of the available talent in our workforce we are truly tapping into, the answer might be unsettling."

Follow: Dominic on LinkedIn Visit: Notion website Read: The Answer Is a Question

For more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/

©Michael Glazer

How is the intersection of technology and human experience reshaping our workplaces? In this episode, we explore the dynamic evolution of work environments, where technology and human-centric practices are becoming increasingly intertwined. You'll hear about leveraging technology to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces, simplifying work processes through AI, and shifting the focus from productivity to impact.

Stela Lupushor is the founder of Reframe.Work Inc. She is also Program Director for the Strategic Workforce Planning and Talent Management Councils, as well as the Human Capital Analytics Institute Senior Fellow shaping the research agenda of the Conference Board. She offers a unique blend of expertise in her latest co-authored book, "Humans at Work: The Art and Practice of Creating the Hybrid Workplace."

If you enjoy the show, please rate it on Spotify or iTunes. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!

Episode Highlights

• Insights on technology's immediate impact in today's work environment.
• Strategies for effective, real-time workplace measurements.
• Tips on reducing workplace friction to boost productivity and well-being.
• Understanding the importance of everyday moments in employee retention.
• Recognizing the power of addressing small, individual workplace challenges.
• Balancing employee privacy with organizational needs.
• Redesigning workspaces for mental health and improved focus.

Stela's view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today

"From a well-being perspective, [it's] the need to interact with an organization that is not designed to work around us. We look at the technology stack as something that IT managers manage, and it's all about cost containment and making it secure. And that comes at a cost of a lot of compliance training, not to say that none of that is necessary; it's very important. But it's more compliance-driven than experience-driven.

When we think about the physical workspace, it's again designed to minimize the costs and maximize the number of people that can fit within a square foot. And not necessarily designed to have the environment work around us for what we need, whether we have a permanent or temporary disability, whether we need quiet space at that specific time of the day. And with the combination of both digital world and physical world, we increasingly live in that in-between, regardless of what work you do, there's bound to be technology involved.

So, redesigning that experience, to allow us to seamlessly move through it without having context switching and friction points and forgotten passwords, inaccessible devices, will reduce the mental health impact, mental taxing in dramatic ways and really leave space for us to do the focused work or whatever it is that makes sense for us as humans at that time."

What "working with humans" means to Stela

"It is about creating the environment where people can truly maximize their human potential at work. I don't believe that there are bad people for jobs. I don't believe there are bad jobs for people; I believe there's a mismatch. So, the more we can think through the lens of what are the superpowers of this individual, or what are the superpowers they would like to have, and how we can create that environment for them to thrive? I think that's when organizations succeed. That's when individuals are loyal and bring their full potential. That's when the economy benefits, and that's when families at home benefit as well. So, it's a net positive."

Resources

Follow: Stela on LinkedIn

Read: Humans at Work: The Art and Practice of Creating the Hybrid Workplace

For more episodes that give you fresh perspectives and actionable ideas for making working with other humans better for everyone, visit our website at https://en.peoplefocusconsulting.com/resources/podcast/

©Michael Glazer