Office Detox Podcast

In this humble finale to the Office Detox podcast, I talk about the 12th part of the Dirty Dozen. In a nutshell, no one can save you, you have to save yourself! But you don't have to do it alone. Thank you, lovely listeners, for being with me on this journey. 

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The thing about inequity in the workplace is that it is (I believe) that minority of people who put you in the situation like I was in, but it affects you strongly. In this episode, we explore the marriage and divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates, Microsoft and the Gates Foundation.

We also look at inclusive leadership, and how it means to lead inside and lead outside.

Sources

 https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/06/bill-and-melinda-gates-divorce-saga-next-phase

https://www.newsweek.com/timeline-allegations-bill-gates-money-manager-michael-larson-1595397

https://nationalpost.com/news/bill-gates-money-manager-accused-of-bullying-sexual-racist-misconduct-at-cascade-new-york-times

https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-reportedly-pursued-microsoft-employees-while-married-2021-5

https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-and-melinda-gates-marriage-2017-11#melinda-had-reportedly-been-seeking-a-divorce-since-2019-and-unnamed-sources-told-the-new-york-times-bill-had-pursued-other-women-while-married-38

https://www.catalyst.org/research/inclusive-leadership-report/

Music

Chris Zabruskie
Pain
What does Anyone Know About Anything

Kai Engel 
November 

Synth Kid 
Devotion

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What do you do when a work relationship has been working well for over a decade... suddenly doesn't? Sometimes a colleague has an addiction to drugs or alcohol that can throw off a whole project, team or even a state's judicial system. 

In this episode, we discuss Sonja Farak's addiction and how it crippled a state's judicial system.  If you are interested in this topic, you may want to check out "How to Fix a Drug Scandal" on Netflix. 

Research: 

https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/80233339 

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a31991509/sonja-farak-how-to-fix-a-drug-scandal-netflix/

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/apr/01/how-to-fix-a-drug-scandal-netflix-erin-lee-carr 

https://heavy.com/entertainment/2020/04/sonja-farak-netflix-drug-scandal/ 

 https://heavy.com/entertainment/2020/04/netflix-fix-drug-scandal-story/ 

Music Credit: 

Kai Engel: 
Dark Alleys 
Downpour 
Augmentations 

Chris Zabruskie: 
Pain 
That Kid in 4th Grade Who Liked the Denver Broncos 

Synth Kid: 
Chromatic 

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The topic of today’s podcast, “War Against Talent”. This is somewhat a play on words, if you are a corporate insider. You see, people in the recruiting industry talk about the “War On Talent” that we are all fighting to get the best people on the team. But, in reality, there is a “War Against Talent” with people hurting the talented people on the team.

Today’s story that we are going to focus on the botched hunt for Canada’s worst serial killer, Robert Pickton, and Geographic Profiler for the Vancouver Police, Kim Rossmo, who tried to warn them.

Research

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/10/12/investigator_tried_to_warn_of_serial_killer_pickton_inquiry_told.html 

https://web.archive.org/web/20110706182046/http://www.hamiltonhowell.ca/cases/rossmo.htm

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/changes-needed-to-prevent-another-b-c-serial-killer-profiler-1.544998

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Rossmo

http://tevlingleadle.com/rossmo-v-vancouver-police-department/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/ex-detective-stands-by-his-pickton-testimony/article4197532/ 

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/former-profiler-expected-to-tell-pickton-inquiry-why-the-police-ignored-his-serial-killer-warning

https://www.aptnnews.ca/the-disappearance-of-natasha-lynn-starr/ 

https://canadiantruecrime.ca/episodes/2017/12/6/15-robert-pickton-part-1 

http://tevlingleadle.com/rossmo-v-vancouver-police-department/ 

https://hbr.org/2010/04/envy-at-work 

Music

Kai Engel
November
Downpour
Smoldering 

Chris Zabruskie
They Call it Nature 
Last Night I Dreamed I Saw True Love In Your Eyes
That Kid in Forth Grade Who Really Liked the Denver Broncos 

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The topic of today’s podcast, “Nowhere to Turn” as in… today, when someone is experiencing a toxic work environment, there really is nowhere to turn to help – HR, management, Unions, Courts, changing jobs – it is all hard and there is no easy road. We discuss Lois Jenson and the first Class-Action sexual harassment case. In exploring the case, we chat about how this is still relevant for today's workforce.

Research:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/feb/03/gender.world
https://www.virginiamn.com/one-of-the-first-silence-breakers/article_88fcd506-dd3c-11e7-a9fd-0f0affa3de04.html
https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2018/01/04/conflict-interest-hr-roles/


Music:

Chris Zabruskie
Hide Their Secrets
Stories About a World that Once Was
That Hopeful Future
Thoughtless

Kai Engel
Denouement
Maree
October

Synth Kid
Heartache

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Have you ever been a part of an organization that seemed more like a cult than a regular workplace?

In this episode, I discuss the famed sex cult NXIVM and its leader, Keith Raniere. I also look into one of his followers, Sarah Edmondston. Bringing it to an everyday situation, when an organization turns into a cult, it begins to be more about serving the leader, than serving the purpose for which it was started.

Resources
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/uncover/uncover-season-1-escaping-nxivm-1.4675949

https://culteducation.com/group/907-nxivm/34368-the-making-of-vanguard.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/15/keith-raniere-the-leader-of-the-nxivm-sex-cult/#75be810135a9

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/852-keith-raniere-s-twelve-point-m/14c1838fee817b774dfc/optimized/full.pdf

https://www.thecut.com/2019/04/nxivm-sex-cult-case-a-complete-timeline-of-events.html

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46113727-scarred?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=PA9dwzMj3M&rank=1

Music

Chris Zabruske
A Day in the New Sector
The Kid in 4th Grade Who Really Liked the Denver Bronkos
Last Night I Dreamed I Saw Love In Your Eyes
Thoughtless

Kai Engel
Contention
Headway

Synth Kid
Wanderlust

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According to Security Magazine, employee thefts cost US businesses 50 Billion per year. One of the most egregious thefts ever investigated by the FBI was Rita Crundwell, City Comptroller of Dixon, IL, who embezzled over 53 Million dollars over the course of 22 years. 

By the time of her arrest, she had over 300 horses across 22 farms in 13 states. She had a motorcoach which seems similar to a very fancy looking tour bus, that she upgraded 5 times, worth 2.1 million dollars. 

My promise to you, my dear listeners, is to go through what I think of as “the dirty dozen”. It is the “dirty dozen” of what makes business so dirty and hard. And so if you are a young person, you can go into it with your eyes open. If you are investing in training or any other type of business, you are seeing it from a real view. If you are someone who has been around for a while and waking up to what your environment is really about, you can come on this bus too. 

I truly think a small minority of people are making it way too hard for the rest of us.

Research:
All the Queen's Horses: https://www.allthequeenshorsesfilm.com/
Security Magazine: https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/88432-employee-theft-costs-us-businesses-50-billion-per-year

Music: 
Chris Zabrieskie
Grey Skies Remix 
Stories About the World that Once Was 
What Does Anyone Know About Anything 
The Wizard of Lies

Kai Engel: 
Devotion 

Synth Kid: 
Trapped in the Upside Down 
 

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You can't have a leader without a follower. Music Entrepreneur Derek Sivers introduced first follower theory at the 2010 TED (technology, entertainment, design) conference. According to Sivers, the first follower is what transforms an individual with a unique idea into a leader. Here is a shortened version of his talk. I will put a link to it in the show notes.  

First Followers are a part of the toxic work environment today, as they give the leader that "follower glow". In this episode, we talk about the death of Kirby Brown, follower of self help guru James Arthur Ray. Ray, who got famous from the movie "The Secret" led three seekers to their deaths in 2009 in a sweat lodge ceremony gone wrong. Kirby Brown, an entrepreneur and a seeker died that day. We look at this story in the context of followers and what can be done. 

Books 

Fear - Bob Woodward
Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered - Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark 

Research 

https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/first-follower-theory

https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement?language=en

https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/4/5038930/the-death-dealer-james-arthur-sweat-lodge-deaths-in-sedona 

http://www.seeksafely.org/

https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/james-arthur-ray-arizona-sweat-lodge/story?id=11016900

https://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/james-rays-first-victim-colleen-conaway/

http://www.seeksafely.org/resources/self-help-fact-sheet/

http://www.seeksafely.org/2019/02/08/happybirthdaykirby-wish/

https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/mixes

Music 

Kai Engel 

Downpour 

Great Expectations

Synth Kid 

Wizard of Lies 

Chromatic 

Chris Zabrieskie 

The Oceans Continue to Rise 

Stories About a World that Once Was 

Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Have you ever dealt with paranoia in the workplace? Or the "blame game" on overdrive?

All of us have an inner warning system that alerts us to danger. But with the paranoid personality, it’s as if this system is stuck in overdrive, sounding alarms about you, me, neighbors, co-workers, ethnic groups, foreigners, the government and on and on. Their skewed perspective dominates their life, and the lives of the people that work with or for them. Key traits include: being easily insulted, holding grudges, questioning motives, challenging the rules, fears, dislikes or hates those who are different.

We take a look at Snapchat or the parent company, Snap's VP of People, Talent Acquisition and Global Security Jason Halbert. Learn about how working with paranoia in the workplace can affect you, and what you can do.

Note: This episode includes some explicit language.

Research
https://www.theinformation.com/articles/employee-complaints-about-snap-personnel-chief-led-to-outside-inquiry
https://nypost.com/2018/01/19/snapchat-threatens-leakers-with-jail/
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/01/snapchat-goes-full-scaramucci-threatens-leakers-with-jail-time
https://www.thedailybeast.com/this-is-the-data-snapchat-doesnt-want-you-to-seehttps://www.neowin.net/news/snap-incs-human-resources-chief-jason-halbert-departs-the-company/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/silicon-valley-internal-work-spying-surveillance-leakers
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/05/how-zuckerbergs-billionaires-club-can-atone-for-facebook
https://www.wired.com/story/inside-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-2-years-of-hell/

Music

Chris Zabriskie
John Stockton Slow Drag 
What Does Anybody Know About Anything 
That Kid in Fourth Grade Who Really Liked the Denver Broncos
I Don't See Branches, I See the Leaves
The 49th Street Galleria 

Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

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Have you ever walked into a place, and it is a pressure cooker? Like the pressure is so high you can hardly breathe? Like the pressure is so high, that it will blow at any minute? You may be working in an emotionally unstable workplace.

In episode 3 of Season 1 of Office Detox, we explore the unstable workplace, through the lens of the suicides of Gaetan Mootoo and Roz McGregor of Amnesty International.

On the night of the 25th of May, Gaetan Mootoo killed himself, aged 65, in the Paris offices of the famous human rights NGO. This researcher specializing in French-speaking Africa, unanimously respected, has spent his entire career, started 32 years earlier, there. He left behind his son, Robin and his wife Martyne.  Five weeks later, 25-year-old intern, Roz McGregor. "Roz has been overwhelmingly described as a smart, motivated, ambitious, and enthusiastic person. She has been described often as 'bubbly'. Roz's work at IAP was of high quality and she was recognized as an excellent intern."

We dig into this story, and everything behind it. We also give tips on what you can do if you are in an emotionally unstable workplace right now. 

Research

Books:
Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro - this includes the emotionally unstable personality "checklist"

Report:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/org60/9763/2019/en/

Articles:
https://blogs.mediapart.fr/edwy-plenel/blog/100618/gaetan-mootoo-1952-2018-elegance-one-just

http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20180528-mort-gaetan-moutoo-droits-humains-afrique-amnesty-international

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ga%C3%ABtan_Mootoo

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/oct/22/amnesty-faces-scrutiny-as-inquiry-links-paris-workers-suicide-to-his-job

http://www.tlaxcala-int.org/article.asp?reference=24789

https://www.facebook.com/PayYourInterns/posts/we-are-deeply-saddened-to-read-the-story-of-roz-mcgregor-a-28-year-old-intern-wo/2168292216782484/

Music
Chris Zabriskie 
Nature
Thoughtless 

Kai Engle
Aveu
Denouement
Downpour  
November 

Synth Kid
Devotion 
Heartache 
Trapped in the Upside Down

TCM Underground
The Wizard of Lies 

Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

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