We all know change is hard. It makes us feel uncomfortable. It can be a little scary. But change can also be a good thing. Change can be growth. And in the end, we don’t always get to choose when things change.

So what does it take to navigate all of the transitions that life throws at us when they seem to be coming more rapidly than ever before? How do we embrace change, develop, and grow?

Our guest today is Jordan Gross, an author and Mental Health Therapist on a mission to re-imagine personal development — and make it more accessible to everyone.

“No one pays the fee for the agency for one person. No one person is the answer to everything.” 

This is a piece of advice that Beth Freedman, CEO of the media agency Dentsu X, received earlier in her career. It’s the power of a team — the great people that support an organization — that fuels a business’ success. It served her well then, but it was invaluable as a leader navigating COVID-19 and the changes in the workplace that came with it.

In a world in constant transition, Beth believes that figuring out how to best navigate those changes takes a village of people who are there to guide and advise you through the learning curve. Whether you’re navigating your career or leading an organization through a global pandemic, it’s important to acknowledge what you don’t know, practice humility, and be unafraid to ask questions. No one person has all the answers. 

Learn more and find the complete show notes at https://www.conniewsteele.com/podcast

Resources:

• Connect with Beth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethfreedman/ 
• Learn more about Dentsu X: https://www.dentsu.com/uk/en

We now live in a world where “the workplace” can mean a lot of different things — and that has a huge impact on the workforce. 

The transition to hybrid and remote work environments can come with a host of benefits, like time freedom and location flexibility, but it also comes with its own unique challenges. In particular, how do you foster a strong culture that supports people when everyone is distributed?  How can you create a sense of connection with others when you haven’t met them in person? And how do you make sure your company’s values are constantly aligned with your people’s values?

Ken Babcock is Co-Founder and CEO of Tango, a business productivity software company that improves how organizations capture and transfer knowledge through their documentation solution. He is joined by Allie Klun, Head of Brand Strategy at Tango, to talk about creating an environment that is focused on helping people be their best at work no matter where they are. 

Learn more and find the complete show notes at https://www.conniewsteele.com/podcast

Resources:

• Connect with Ken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenbabcock/ 
• Connect with Allie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allieklun/ 
• Tango's Team Building Questions: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AuzvEOMsYTTf08GM-wXCRGkZUMQGN23npL3ScUBYZ3o/edit#gid=0 
• End of Week Reflections: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-p5FhmE1gU3Q6P48zpx4DNP4bG2xuU-2-ftqXg6phpRi9FQ/viewform

A daily commute to a job where you do the same thing every day. A workplace filled with coworkers who do the same. A long career in one industry. We’ve all heard this before. These are the old definitions of work, or at least the stories most of us were told about it. But this isn’t really the way things work, is it?

There are new rules of work. And a critical aspect that we all need to understand is that there will be another new set of rules tomorrow because we’re in a constant state of transition — so understanding and preparing for what’s next requires more than just learning a new set of definitions.

Gary Bolles shares what we need to know about The Next Rules of Work — and the next ones after that. Gary is the author of “The Next Rules of Work,” Chair for the Future of Work for Singularity University, and co-founder of eParachute.com, which builds on the insight from his father’s hit book, “What Color is Your Parachute?”

Learn more and find the complete show notes at https://www.conniewsteele.com/podcast

Resources:

• Learn more at https://www.gbolles.com/

Read “The Next Rules of Work:” https://www.amazon.com/Next-Rules-Work-Organization-Uncertainty/dp/1398601632

Life transitions, work, workplace, and career transitions — we have to adapt to so much these days. And I think a lot of people are starting to feel that lately. So I hope you’ll join me as we explore perspectives and stories about navigating these changes, and learning to evolve as organizations and people throughout the Fall.

Learn more at https://www.conniewsteele.com/podcast

I write a column for Shared Services Online titled “The Future is Human: Understanding & Shaping the Future of Work.” You can find the column at SSOnetwork.com and I’ll also be sharing audio versions of each article as bonus episodes in the podcast feed. This is the column for July 2023.

Resources:

• Read the column: https://www.ssonetwork.com/index.php/contributor/connie-steele 
• Learn more about Building the Business of You: http://www.conniewsteele.com/book

My goal with this season was to examine our roles, as both business leaders and people who work, in shaping the future of work.

So I started the season by sharing some definitions of the future of work that thought leaders and workforce organizations have come up with. They all share a lot in common, but in general, these definitions are passive; they imagine the future of work as a thing that is going to happen to work, workers, and organizations that we need to figure out how to respond to.

I didn't agree with that then, and after having these conversations, I'm even more confident; The future of work will be a result of the choices and decisions that people, organizations, and governments make today.

I think it is critical to acknowledge that we are not passive participants in this process — both individuals and organizations are co-creating the future of work.

Learn more and find the complete show notes at https://www.conniewsteele.com/podcast

Kate Roberts is a global social entrepreneur and champion for women’s leadership through business, philanthropy, sexual health, and art.

Kate has had a 30-year career of championing women's leadership through non and for-profit ventures, with a focus on women's sexual reproductive health, sexual wellness and exponential philanthropy. She co-founded Maverick Collective together with Melinda Gates and The Crown Princess of Norway, and more recently, founded The Body Agency, a global fem tech and e-commerce company, and its foundation.

Doing the inner work to figure out the alignment of what you are good at, what you love, what the world needs, and what you can be paid to do is important and illuminating — but few people are able to articulate how you take that alignment and put it into action in the real world like Kate.

Learn more and find the complete show notes at https://www.conniewsteele.com/podcast

Resources:

• Learn more at https://www.kateroberts.org and https://www.thebodyagency.com
• Listen to Sex, Body, and Soul: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sex-body-and-soul/id1578534520

I write a column for Shared Services Online titled “The Future is Human: Understanding & Shaping the Future of Work.” You can find the column at SSOnetwork.com and I’ll also be sharing audio versions of each article as bonus episodes in the podcast feed. This is the column for May 2023.

I share a lot of research in this episode, and if you’re interested in checking out those links, you can find them in the show notes below or in the article on Shared Services Online.

Resources:

Read the column: https://www.ssonetwork.com/index.php/contributor/connie-steele 

State of Work & Career Success 2023: https://www.conniewsteele.com/research 

COVID-19 Pandemic Continues To Reshape Work in America: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/02/16/covid-19-pandemic-continues-to-reshape-work-in-america/

How Many Americans Work Remotely?: https://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/publications/how-many-americans-work-remotely/ 

“Another Truth About Remote Work:” https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/09/work-from-home-numbers/620107/ 

“CEOs Are Blaming The Need For Mentorship to Justify The Forced Return of All Employees. Reality Calls For a Very Different Approach.:” https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/forcing-your-employees-back-to-the-office-full-time-for/450275 

Future Of Work Part 2: Stop Forcing Employees Back To The Office: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/01/27/future-of-work-part-2-stop-forcing-employees-back-to-the-office/?sh=7dab2c3e3ad4 

eLearning Industry Future of Work Study: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/01/27/future-of-work-part-2-stop-forcing-employees-back-to-the-office/?sh=7dab2c3e3ad4 

“Employees forced back to the office twice as likely to quit than those with choice says new survey:” https://www.hcamag.com/asia/specialisation/employee-engagement/employees-forced-back-to-the-office-twice-as-likely-to-quit-than-those-with-choice-says-new-survey/416519 

The Rise of the Whole Employee: 20 Years of Change in Employer-Employee Dynamics: https://www.metlife.com/content/dam/metlifecom/us/noindex/pdf/ebts-2022/MetLife_EBTS_2022.pdf 

“US Workers Back to Offices Rose to 49.9% in Past Week:” https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/us-workers-back-to-offices-rose-to-49-9-in-past-week

Audrey Wisch is co-founder and CEO of Curious Cardinals, a global mentorship community that connects K-12 students with passionate college mentors. And Audrey is the kind of person who makes me excited about the future.

People spend a lot of time talking about Millennials and Gen-Z. And if we’re being honest, a lot of the time people are talking about the younger generations, they’re complaining about how they just don’t make ‘em like they used to.

And it’s true — Gen-Z is different. Some have different priorities. Some approach their work and career differently. But this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We’re in the process of co-creating the future of work, and that process is only going to be improved by embracing these differences and including Gen-Z in that conversation.

After hearing from Audrey, I think you’ll agree that Gen-Z has a lot to add to the future of work.

Learn more and find the complete show notes at https://www.conniewsteele.com/podcast

Resources:

• Learn more at https://www.curiouscardinals.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-micay-wisch-39a95a1b2/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AudreyWisch