In this Squiggly Shortcut episode, Helen shares a practical, step-by-step framework for asking for help at work in a way that feels confident, clear, and effective.

Many of us struggle to ask for help because we fear looking incompetent, don’t want to burden others, or try to push through on our own. Helen breaks down how to neutralize that anxiety, identify what kind of help you need - support, solutions, or a sounding board- figure out who can give it, and frame your ask so it’s actionable and easy to respond to.

If you’ve ever felt stuck or overwhelmed at work, this episode will give you a simple, Post-It-note-sized system to get the support you need and move your squiggly career forward.

Episode 527

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:

🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🦞 Join the Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you introduce yourself in a way that turns a polite “nice to meet you” into a genuine “tell me more”? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are Borrowing brilliance from Rebecca Okamoto’s TED Talk How to Introduce Yourself and Get Hired. They unpack five simple formulas you can use to make high-impact introductions — whether you’re meeting someone new, speaking at an event, or kicking off a meeting. This episode is all about short, practical introductions that help you be heard, remembered, and taken seriously.

Episode 526

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster

🇺🇸 PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

🎯 What You’ll Learn

- How to introduce yourself clearly and confidently

- Five practical formulas you can adapt for different situations

- Why “tell me more” is the goal of a great introduction

- How to make introductions feel natural, not scripted

- How to use questions to build connection quickly

📚 Resources Mentioned

How to Introduce Yourself and Get Hired — Rebecca Okamoto (TED Talk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_N3PGvnVKg

Impactful Introductions GPT - https://bit.ly/Impactful_Introductions

🔔S𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬:https://www.youtube.com/@SquigglyCareers?sub_confirmation=1

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:

▶️ https://youtu.be/NwgbPJ-pvao

▶️ https://youtu.be/c4Bm6IDGOKM

▶️ https://youtu.be/jdhXZrrc6nY

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this fifth and final episode of the Learn Like a Lobster skill sprint, Helen and Sarah introduce "Helpful How-Tos" - a simple, fun way to share knowledge that helps you learn faster and helps your team too. You'll discover why sharing makes learning stick, how to overcome confidence gremlins, and a practical (and fun) format you can use immediately with your team to keep learning and growing.

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:

🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

⏱️ Timestamps

(00:00) Thank you & Well done! 00:25 How lobsters guarantee their growth

(01:00) The double win of sharing learning

(01:40) Why organisations don’t sharing learning well

(02:20) Rubber duck debugging explained

(03:30) Overcoming the "expert" barrier

(04:02) Introducing helpful how-tos

(06:51) Helpful how-to: going to events (extrovert version)

(08:06) Helpful how-to: going to events (introvert version)

(09:19) Inspiration & 24hr action

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• Why "rubber duck debugging" works
• Ways to make knowledge sharing fun and low-pressure in teams
• How introverts and extroverts can share differently

Learn Like a Lobster Profiler – https://www.learnlikealobsterprofiler.com/

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to learning at work, it’s easy to wait for permission - from managers, organisations, or “the right moment.” In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how to lead your own learning, even when time, money, or support feel limited. This is Day 4 of the Learn Like A Lobster skill sprint, and the focus is on adaptability — the skill that helps you keep learning when things don’t go to plan. Helen and Sarah explain why relying on perfect conditions can stall your development, and how adapting your approach helps you stay resilient and relevant at work.

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:

🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

⏱️ Timestamps

(00:00) Lobsters, old shells, and self-sustaining growth

(01:04) Waiting for permission stalls learning

(02:01) Why adaptability matters at work

(03:23) Flexibility vs adaptability: the toolbox analogy

(05:08) Using AI to adapt in advance

(06:48) Live example: Learning goals & scenario planning

(09:48) Inspiration & 24hr action

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• The difference between being flexible and being adaptable
• How to anticipate barriers and adapt your learning approach
• How AI can help you plan for obstacles and take action now

AI Prompt:

Act as a squiggly career coach. My role is: [your role]. I work in: [describe your organisation and context]. My learning goal for the next 3 months is: [what you want to learn]. Identify realistic barriers that might get in the way of this learning. For each barrier, suggest adaptive responses I could use to keep learning anyway. Present the output in a simple table.

Learn Like a Lobster Profiler – https://www.learnlikealobsterprofiler.com/

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Day 3 of the Learn Like a Lobster skill sprint, and today Helen and Sarah share a simple way of reflecting on hard moments at work so you can learn faster, avoid recency bias, and take control in tough situations.

Because when work feels messy, reflection is often the first thing we skip - or overdo. In this episode, you’ll learn practical tools, including the 5:1 formula and the WWW/EBI framework, to help you regain perspective, stay in control, and turn difficult moments into learning.

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:

🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

⏱️ Timestamps

(00:00) Lobsters grow in hard moments

(00:35) The lobster profile

(00:58) Why reflecting in hard moments needs more focus

(02:33) Thinkers vs doers: how we avoid learning

(03:45) WWW/EBI

(04:31) The 5:1 formula explained

(06:36) Fixing problems in teams

(07:39) Taking control in long haul hard moments

(09:35) Inspiration & 24hr action

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• Why reflecting during hard moments leads to better learning
• How to avoid overthinking or rushing past difficult experiences
• A simple 5:1 approach to constructive reflection and how to use WWW / EBI individually or in teams

Learn Like a Lobster Profiler – https://www.learnlikealobsterprofiler.com/

Download our template for 5:1 reflection: https://bit.ly/llal_5to1_reflectiontemplate

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Day 2 of the Learn Like a Lobster skill sprint, and today Helen and Sarah focus on one of the hardest - and most important - career skills: how to give and receive tough feedback. Learning doesn’t just happen after the difficult moment has passed - some of the most powerful development happens while things feel uncomfortable. In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how to learn in the hard moments — particularly when feedback feels awkward, emotional, or risky.

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:

🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

⏱️ Timestamps

(00:00) Lobsters grow in hard moments

(02:00) The fear of asking, giving & receiving feedback

(08:15) The “say the hard thing” framework

(05:55) Organisational silence

(06:54) A real feedback conversation

(09:12) Inspiration & 24hr action

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• Why tough feedback moments are powerful learning opportunities
• A practical framework for navigating difficult conversations
• How speaking up unlocks learning for individuals and teams

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Say the Hard Thing Scenario Planner - https://www.saythehardthing.ai/
• Margaret Heffernan on Organisational Silence - https://heffernanm.substack.com/p/the-silence-is-deafening
• Sophie Williams on challenging the unquestionable - https://www.amazingif.com/listen/progression-with-sophie-williams/
• Learn Like a Lobster Profiler: https://www.learnlikealobsterprofiler.com/

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Helen and Sarah are kicking off the Learn Like A Lobster skill sprint with Day 1: Learn As You Go.

In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how you can keep learning as part of your everyday, without having to find more time. They share practical ways to collect data for your growth - including understanding your strengths, tracking your listen-talk ratio, and optimising your productivity - to gain clarity, confidence, and actionable insights.

By combining self-reflection with simple data-gathering techniques, you’ll discover how small adjustments in what you already do can accelerate your career and help you be known for the impact you actually want to make.

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:

🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

⏱️ Timestamps

(00:00) Welcome

(00:57) Lobsters never stop growing

(02:02) Learn as you go: how to collect data

(03:07) What do you want to be know for?

(06:26) Your listen-talk ratio

(08:49) Knowing your notifications

(10:30) Inspiration & 24hr action

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• Why career growth is continuous and how to embrace learning as you go
• How to collect data on your strengths, listening, and productivity
• Ways to reflect on your impact and align it with your career goals

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Learn Like a Lobster Profiler – https://www.learnlikealobsterprofiler.com/
• Poised App – https://poised.com
• Fireflies AI – https://fireflies.ai

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

January is always a good moment to pause, think about the big picture and zoom out when we're thinking about the future and direction of our career. In today's shortcut, Sarah shares 5 questions to help you have useful career conversations whether that's with your manager, a friend or with yourself.

Episode 525

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:

🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🏃‍♀️ Join the Skills x AI Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🦞 Join our Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://bit.ly/4oZzJ3F

In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore the idea of spaciousness at work — a powerful alternative to constant busyness that’s less about managing time and more about managing attention. Borrowing brilliance from Megan Reitz and her research on spaciousness, they unpack why doing more isn’t always the answer, and how creating space can help you think better, feel calmer, and work more meaningfully.

Episode 524

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster

🇺🇸 PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn

🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 What is spaciousness (and what it’s not)

03:40 Why spaciousness is about attention, not time

06:37 The four dimensions of spaciousness

08:35 From “doing mode” to spacious ways of working

13:08 How tech, meetings and metrics keep us busy

18:47 Why we self-sabotage spaciousness

19:30 The 45-minute focus experiment

21:00 Interconnection and mapping your work system

24:05 Letting go of “shoulds” at work

27:06 What you want to feel proud of this year

29:05 Staying curious and open (even when you’re sceptical)

31:13 Measuring learning instead of just outcomes

🎯 What You’ll Learn

- What spaciousness really means at work

- Why being busy can block curiosity and insight

- The four dimensions of spaciousness and how they show up

- Practical experiments to create more focus and clarity

📚 Resources Mentioned

Megan Reitz’s research on Spaciousness: https://www.meganreitz.com/spaciousness

#165 Setting Yourself Up For Success – How to speak up at work with Megan Reitz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozgO1R1IL3w

AI tools for summarising reports (Claude)

Episode on noticing: https://youtu.be/rid3L_XdePQ

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🏃‍♀️ Join the Skills x AI Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.