The Dignity of Work

Ready, Set, Grow is a podcast series that builds on Career Path Services' monthly learning sessions, exploring ideas and perspectives that deepen understanding and belonging. In this first episode, we mark Hispanic Heritage Month by discussing the history and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities to Washington State's workforce. Through reflections on family, migration, and agricultural labor, the conversation connects that history to challenges workers still face and the importance of cultural pride, bilingual support, and opportunity.

This episode, which formerly aired as Summer Snippet episode, features a discussion with Cami Eakins, CEO of Career Path Services, on the timely topic of self-care during election season stress. Cami shares practical strategies for maintaining well-being and productivity in the workplace even during turbulent times. Tune in to hear valuable tips for finding joy at work, including aligning tasks with personal strengths, taking mindful breaks, and celebrating accomplishments. The practices that are shared in this episode are beneficial not just during elections, but as ongoing strategies to enhance workplace satisfaction and personal well-being.

In this episode, we sit down with Kathy Coffey Solberg, author of the groundbreaking new book, Reweaving What Matters: Practical Tools for Workplace Transformation (available at creativecouragepress.com). Using the tactical metaphor of a fiber weaving loom, Kathy reveals why applying quick, technical fixes to complex corporate problems never works. She introduces her two-phase Unweaving and Reweaving framework, offering modern leaders actionable steps to honestly evaluate broken organizational foundations, rebuild internal trust, and protect the humanity of middle management. Tune in to discover how to systemize change, navigate the messy middle of growth, and lead your workforce with true dignity.

In the third episode of our Summer Reading Series, Doug shares why Thomas Lewis's book, A General Theory of Love, feels even more relevant today than when it was first published. Joined by Cami and Lisa, the conversation explores the biology of empathy, why people are wired for connection and interdependence, and how relationships help us grow, heal, and change. Together, they also discuss what genuine human connection offers in an increasingly AI-driven world and why empathy remains essential to building healthier workplaces, families, and communities.

In the second episode of our Summer Reading Series, Lisa shares how James Clear's bestselling book, Atomic Habits, helped her transform her health and continues to shape her approach to work and life. Joined by Doug and Cami, the conversation explores why small, consistent improvements create lasting change, how strong systems matter more than ambitious goals, and why consistency—not intensity—is the key to developing healthier habits and becoming the person and leader you want to be.

Why Strong Ground? In the first episode of our Summer Reading Series, Cami shares why Brené Brown's latest book is at the top of her reading list this summer. Joined by Doug and Lisa, the conversation explores the ideas that stood out most, why they matter for today's leaders, and how they connect to building stronger workplaces rooted in trust, courage, and humanity.

In the third and final episode of You Belong Here: Building Pathways to Belonging, Cami Eakins, CEO of Career Path Services; Lisa Grund, Strategic Communication and Relationship Partner for Career Path Services; and Dr. Anna Valiavska, organizational researcher and professor, move from naming the barriers to belonging toward the everyday practices that help build it. The conversation explores how organizations can make belonging part of their infrastructure—not an extra initiative or aspirational value—by embedding it into decision-making frameworks, onboarding, team meetings, performance conversations, communication practices, and leadership accountability. Through practical examples and honest reflection, the episode offers listeners concrete ways to reduce ambiguity, build trust, create clearer pathways for participation and development, and ensure that belonging remains part of how work gets done every day.

In the second episode of You Belong Here: Building Pathways to Belonging, Cami Eakins, CEO of Career Path Services; Lisa Grund, Strategic Communication and Relationship Partner for Career Path Services; and Dr. Anna Valiavska, organizational researcher and professor, examine the often-unspoken standards that shape who is recognized, trusted, and rewarded as a leader. Through candid personal stories and workplace examples, they explore how expectations surrounding professionalism, executive presence, emotional expression, appearance, communication style, and access to professional networks can privilege certain ways of showing up while creating barriers for others. The conversation also offers practical ways organizations can move beyond trying to "fix" individual leaders and instead examine their systems through more inclusive evaluation practices, belonging-centered manager training, and greater equity in delegation and decision-making authority.

In this episode of The Dignity of Work, Cami Eakins, CEO of Career Path Services, Lisa Grund, Strategic Communication and Relationship Partner for Career Path Services, and Dr. Anna Valiavska, organizational researcher and professor, explore what it truly means to build a culture of belonging in the workplace. Together, they discuss why belonging is more than a policy, training, or initiative, examining the difference between technical fixes and adaptive leadership, the challenges of treating belonging as someone else's responsibility, and the subtle ways organizations can unintentionally silence important voices. Through personal reflections, leadership lessons, and practical examples, the conversation offers thoughtful guidance for leaders seeking to create workplaces where people feel valued, heard, and empowered to thrive.

What happens when life forces you to start over? In this episode of More Than a Label, Nicole shares how losing a job became the beginning of an unexpected new chapter as she launched her own pet sitting business with support from Career Path Services and the WIOA Dislocated Worker program. Joined by workforce professional Elizabeth Neal, the conversation explores career pivots, resilience, and the emotional realities of rebuilding after hardship. Together, they discuss what people truly need when navigating uncertainty—not just employment support, but encouragement, dignity, and the belief that a setback does not define a person's future.