Our guest is Kathy Kidd, who started her career as a chemical engineer helping chem plants improve process safety. Since then she’s been a leader in a consulting group, and then a startup, and has held many roles at financial tech entity FINRA. Recently Kathy moved to the Impact Center, focused on developing women leaders and creating human-centered work experiences. Today Kathy discusses two questions that help define her career: How can we create work environments where everyone can contribute, feel valued, and flourish? And how can leadership support those possibilities? We talk about key workplace issues, like the challenges of assuring flexibility and managing hybrid teams, the need to stay connected even when you work remotely, and how strong teams require psychological safety. Connect with Kathy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-kidd-9b4073b0/overlay/photo/ Or email: kkidd@the-impact-center.org

Tech leader Kathy Kidd reimagines work environments

Jazzed About Work features lively, informal conversations about everything it takes to create a resilient and rewarding career. In each episode, host Beverly Jones interviews experts who can share their knowledge and workplace stories. Jones is an executive coach whose new book, “Find Your Happy at Work,” is a guide to moving past boredom and frustration and finding ways to flourish in your career. Bev and her guests discuss leadership, career development and the link between well-being and job success. Often guests go beyond the research and get personal, as they talk about their own professional paths. Every show blends good stories with practical suggestions for navigating your work life.

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For some people, launching a job search seems more challenging than ever. Our repeat guest, Mark Anthony Dyson, says “think about it like the weather.” Job market conditions vary a good deal, depending on many factors, including your location, profession and skill set. But there are some broad trends worth watching. Mark warns that in some countries scammers are using fake job opportunities as way to collect private info, and we might see similar frauds in the U.S. He points to the dramatic change AI is having in the hiring process, and discusses the value of understanding at least AI basics. And Mark shares classic advice, like stay prepared for whatever happens by “thinking of job search as a lifestyle,” and keep learning and seeking opportunities to upskill. For more advice from Mark see: https://thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Job search expert Mark Dyson says beware of scams, know AI & keep learning

This is the second of two episodes about how stress reduces your job performance and satisfaction, and what you can do about it. Our guest, Gayle Williams-Byers, a retired judge, now teaches judges in her role as Senior Fellow with the National Judicial College. She has developed a course on mindfulness to help judges reduce stress, allowing them to make better decisions and keep things moving smoothly in their courtrooms. Here she explains a wide variety of mindfulness techniques that might work for you. Many are simple, like taking some deep breaths, thanking other people, journaling, and taking a brief walk.

Try these techniques to reduce stress, says Judge Gayle Williams-Byers

This is the first of two episodes about how stress impacts your career. When you’re stressed out, you’re not creative or good at solving problems. or making decisions. But our guest, Gayle Williams-Byers, a retired judge, says there are many was to manage stress. In her role as Senior Fellow with the National Judicial College, Judge Gayle not only teaches judges about matters of law, but she also explores ways to address some of their challenges. She says being a sitting judge is intensely stressful, and stressed-out judges don’t make their best decisions. So she has developed a course on mindfulness and how it can calm stress, help you put aside distractions and refocus, and enhance your decision-making. Here she explains mindfulness and suggests how and why you might get started, and in the next episode she provides more detail about specific mindfulness techniques.

Mindfulness enhances your work, and your life, says Judge Gayle Williams-Byers

Our guest, Joan Lynch, is head of video and other content at WorkingNation, an innovative media company that creates well-researched and inspiring stories about everything related to jobs. Today, she discusses the state of employment in rural areas, which for years have struggled with aging populations and a lack of job opportunities. She says that now the situation starting to change, as more communities get broadband access. Joan also describes work trends for sectors that face special challenges, including neurodivergent and disabled communities, veterans, and single moms. And she shares insights about which industries are likely to be hiring in 2024. Finally, we discuss how workers increasingly want jobs where they can keep on learning, and how some employers are getting that message.

For more see, see this robust website: https://workingnation.com

New jobs are opening in 2024, says WorkingNation exec Joan Lynch

Today’s guest is our good friend – and WOUB colleague – Tom Hodson. His career has involved many types of expertise, and it seems like Tom never did just one job at a time. He spent years sitting as a judge, and also teaching other judges. He’s played many roles as a media expert. And he has enjoyed positions as an academic leader. In 2019, Tom and host Bev began a series of episodes where he openly described his thoughts and anxieties about the prospect of retiring. As we recorded, Bev coached him to explore the possibilities. Then when COVID hit, Tom did retire, but he wasn’t really ready. He felt isolated, and struggled with depression. Now, however, Tom has put together a portfolio of meaningful activities, and he enjoys this phase of life. In this show, Tom talks frankly about his retirement path, and offers tips about how you can prepare for an un-retirement portfolio that gives you what you need.

For more about Tom, see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-hodson-797365284/

And check out Tom’s wide-ranging podcast, Spectrum: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spectrum/id112453909

Tech leader Kathy Kidd reimagines work environments

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