Jazzed About Work

Today’s returning guest is Laura Hamill, an organizational psychologist who has helped many companies create environments where both employees and the business can thrive. Laura will tell us about her thought-provoking new book, The Power of Culture – Bringing values to life at work. It describes “culture” as the collective set of reasons why employees behave the way they do. Laura suggests that effective leaders support a culture that treats workers with compassion. She says improving a culture starts with spotting patterns in the way people actually behave. And she emphasizes that while culture needs to be aligned with the organization’s strategy, it is also important that cultural attributes reflect “human values,” like integrity and kindness.

For more see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurahamill/recent-activity/all/

And: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Power-of-Culture/Laura-Hamill/The-Economist-Edge-Series/9781639367283

This is the second of two conversations with career expert Kerry Hannon, featuring tips for launching a job search in this jittery market. Kerry is a prominent author and journalist, and her column on Yahoo draws millions of followers. She’ll explain why online searching isn’t enough and suggest ways to connect with potentially helpful people. We’ll talk about using LinkedIn as an important tool. She’ll talk about highlighting your soft skills, framing your personal story and demonstrating that you are pro-active.

For more see: https://kerryhannon.com

https://www.yahoo.com/author/kerry-hannon/

Today we talk about the challenging job market. Our guest is Kerry Hannon,

a leading expert on career and finance issues and a prominent author and journalist. Kerry is an in-demand, energetic speaker and media presence, and her column on Yahoo draws millions of followers. She describes the “jittery” job market, and we share tips to help you search for a job now, or prepare for a new gig in the future. We will continue the conversation in our next episode, with more of Kerry’s suggestions for finding work and thriving when jobs are not abundant.

For more see: https://kerryhannon.com

https://www.yahoo.com/author/kerry-hannon/

Today we welcome one of our favorite guests: internationally known leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry. He addresses issues related to managing remote and hybrid teams, then focuses on his intriguing new book, “FLEXIBLE LEADERSHIP: Navigate Uncertainty and Lead with Confidence.” Kevin says that in today’s complicated work environment, leaders should -- and can -- learn how to adapt to constant change. He says becoming a more flexible leader requires 3 steps: change your mindset, learn new skills, and build different habits. And he describes one way to become more adaptable starting today.

For more about Kevin’s book see: https://kevineikenberry.com/flexible-leadership/ KevinEikenberry.com/gift

Today’s guest, leadership expert Siobhan McHale, says it may look like bees are just buzzing around, but actually a honeybee colony gets things done by creating a sophisticated eco-structure. Each bee has a specific job, and each remains tightly connected with the rest of the hive, for the good of all.

Inspired by the bees’ shared wisdom, Siobhan has written a fascinating book, The Hive Mind at Work, about how leaders can harness the power of group intelligence to create meaningful and lasting change. She explains how leaders are more likely to succeed if they understand that every person is connected and interacting with all their colleagues. She says group dynamics are a powerful element of human organizations, and understanding how they shape routine processes is a key to creating change. And she described her instructive framework, the Nine Laws of Group Dynamics

At work, and maybe at home, it can feel like we’re juggling far too many projects. And some of them aren’t as successful as we’d like. Today’s guest is Kory Kogon, vice president of content at FranklinCovey, a top international leadership and productivity company.

Kory is an expert on matters like creating organizational cultures that build confidence and promote success. And she is a bestselling author. Here she tells us about her recent book, an updated, easy-to-read edition of Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager. Kory explains the 5 phases of an effective project, and she shares practical tips for designing and implementing projects that will help you manage challenges and move forward

Today’s guest is Craig Butler, a respected leader in the effort to care for the nation’s natural resources and environment. Craig’s work as a public servant includes 6 years has head of the Ohio EPA. While there, he developed initiatives that have become national models for protecting drinking water standards and watersheds. He is now CEO of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, a large and unusual entity that for 90 years has been conserving water, preventing floods and supporting recreation resources for millions of people in Ohio.

Craig describes why he chose public service and how he found opportunities. He talks about the power of collaboration and how getting things done may require working in partnership with other organizations. And he suggests how you might start a career focused on the environment, whether you are just now joining the work force, or are seeking a professional transition path.

Today’s guest is a widely respected government attorney, and my friend, Arlean Leland. She recently retired from an impressive Federal career, including more than two decades as Associate General Counsel for Civil Rights, Labor and Employment, at the powerful Department of Agriculture. Over the years her accomplishments brought many accolades, including multiple honor awards from both the USDA Secretary and the President of the United States.

Arlean tells us about her life and career, starting with her modest beginning as the child of a teen mom. She describes how hard work, strong values and connecting with other people helped build her career. She says she knows what it’s like to be the only person of color in the room, and that experience has strengthened her belief in never treating people as invisible. We discuss the crisis surrounding some DEI and EEO programs, and Arlean shares tips for creating inclusion and diversity policies that will make your team stronger.

For more see: https://exe-coach.com/about/

Our returning guest today is Erin Lewellen, CEO of Tilting Futures, a nonprofit that creates immersive programs to prepare young people for careers that might impact global issues. The organization -- which was once known as Global Citizen Year -- has found ways to thrive, despite major challenges, like COVID.

Recently, Tilting Futures expanded its efforts to help Gen Z students develop skills, build optimism and get ready to change the world. Erin will talk about how her team evolved, including by gathering great data and building new partnerships. And she will describe some of the lessons they’ve learned through their 2000+ alumni. Finally, we’ll talk about how new experiences, and curiosity about other people, can change your life, wherever you are in your career.

For more see: https://tiltingfutures.org