Unserious

In today's lean and efficient corporate world, the traditional mentor-mentee relationship may feel like a thing of the past. But in this Upshots episode, Kim-Long Nguyen, an operations leader in Asia and Europe, lowers the stakes through targeted conversations with leaders or peers. Kim-Long's approach of low pressure conversations on specific topics can blossom into valuable mentorships - or fall by the wayside with no harm done. This is a must-listen for anyone aiming to advance their professional journey through strategic support of their community.

"In this day and age, it's really hard to get people to commit so I'd rather get small doses of yeses before you officially become mentor and mentee.” - Kim-Long Nguyen

Cheat sheet @ bit.ly/upshotsnguyen

You can connect with Kim-Long on LinkedIn or follow her travel and business content on Instagram and TikTok. 

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

For many, a mother is the original mentor and manager in the job of life. The foundational lessons we learn in those early days at home quietly leave an imprint on our professional behaviors and relationships. The management of motherhood is hard enough, and moms who also work outside the home rarely get the rest they need or deserve. In this episode,  J.B. speaks with Laura Krafka, operations powerhouse and author of The Human Side of Motherhood, to unpack the many parallels along the way to guiding children and grown-ups to find their purpose and potential.

"I see that greatness in people... if I can figure out how to best support them, they're going to reach their potential... farther than I even imagined that they could." - Laura Krafka

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn or laurakrafka.com. The Human Side of Motherhood is available on paperback or audio/Kindle. 

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

The thing about feedback is that we're often not open or trusting enough to give or receive it — as much as our culture statements might say otherwise. Having a structured method for advice and feedback is key to transforming teams into circles of confidants that accelerate growth. In this Upshots episode, Chase Harden, Lead Facilitator and head of Matching at Sidebar introduces the Chair of Focus, a surprisingly effective method for feedback that unlocks potential and cultivates a culture of transparency, empathy, and continuous improvement.

"This approach of providing live and candid feedback while the receiver is off-camera nurtures an environment of openness, honesty, and trust." - Chase Harden

Cheat sheet @ bit.ly/upshotsharden

Connect with Chase on LinkedIn and check out Sidebar at sidebar.com.

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

When we set out last year to explore how creative people make outsized impact during times of rapid change, generative AI was shaping up to be a huge part of the conversation.  We have a lot of questions, an underlying sense of uncertainty, maybe even dread. But ready or not, here it comes. In this episode, we're inspired by Manjula Nadkarni, a creative powerhouse and co-founder of Yuni, a personal, multi-modal AI for creative people. Manjula shares empowering points of view on how creative people can use generative AI in a way that expands human potential while safeguarding the originality that defines us. 

"Creativity isn't just about what you make, it's about how you're inspired to think. It's always about people and I don't think that's going to change.” - Manjula Nadkarni

Check out Yuni at hiyuni.co

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

The practice of vision writing can be challenging yet profoundly rewarding for personal and professional growth. In this Upshots episode, Jennifer Kattula, General Manager of Global Marketing at Microsoft Advertising shares her secrets to not just getting it done, but having fun. Jennifer's approach is an annual personal tradition of vision writing alongside family, turning this introspective activity into an enjoyable and meaningful ritual. Whether it's shaping the future of your career, focusing on family, or enhancing personal well-being, Jennifer's insights will help you prioritize what truly matters, enabling you to turn your dreams into actionable realities.

"These are ambitious and exciting and inspirational things... A vision should energize you and allow you to reconnect with what's important to you.” - Jennifer Kattula

Cheat sheet @  https://bit.ly/upshotsjenkattula

Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn.

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Peter Drucker famously said that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Search for resources on building company culture and you’ll get lots of variations on a tried and true playbook: mission, vision, and values, strong narrative, great leaders - you know the drill. That playbook hasn’t changed - but the world sure has. In this episode, Leonardo De La Rocha, VP of Design at SimplePractice, shares his extraordinary transition from engineer to design guru and the impact of visual storytelling in forging a company's culture. Along the way, he shares wisdom bombs and secrets from his time behind the scenes at Intuit, Spotify, Facebook, and Yahoo!.

"The cultures that embrace building and outside-in perspectives are some of the best cultures on the planet." - Leonardo De La Rocha

00:00:10 Intro
00:01:26 Components of Culture
00:13:00 Hire, Fire, Boss!
00:17:19 Culture in Distributed Workplaces
00:21:30 Trade-Offs and ROI
00:26:50 The Uphill Battle
00:29:54 Equity and Inclusivity Through Co-Creation
00:36:18 Reflections and Outro

Connect with Leonardo on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Facebook's Analog Research Lab
• Intuit's Follow-Me-Homes 
• Pecha Kucha

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

We’ve all heard the stories of that young person who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, made it out of that small town or that rough neighborhood, and moved to the big city to make something of themselves. That concept of “I made it out” is so prevalent that we accept the premise without much thought. In this episode,  Nancy Gutiérrez, Lead Executive Officer & President of The Leadership Academy and co-author of the new book  Stay and Prevail, questions the value of the "leave to succeed" mindset for people, community, and the workplace.

"When we realize how similar we are, we're able to advance work with perspectives that will help to do it in a faster, more productive, more enlightened way." - Nancy Gutiérrez

00:00:10 Intro
00:01:48 Leave to succeed
00:12:17 Hire, Fire, Boss!
00:15:40 Bringing diverse teams together
00:19:50 Affinity groups, mentorship, code-switching
00:31:42 Reflections and outro

Learn more about Nancy at leadershipacademy.org.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Stay and Prevail: Students of Color Don't Need to Leave Their Communities to Succeed by Nancy Gutiérrez and Roberto Padilla

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

We've all struggled with delivering or receiving feedback on work. Feedback given at the wrong time or in the wrong format can cause all kinds of problems. In this episode, Sarahlyn Bruck, an award-winning author and professor of writing and literature, introduces us to an ingenious solution. The Feedback Barometer is a game-changer for navigating the murky waters of feedback in the creative process. She breaks down how this simple rating system empowers her students to own and guide the type of feedback they receive. Plus, Micah gets the inside scoop on Sarahlyn's latest book, "Light of the Fire."

"It's a way to set boundaries from unwanted or unhelpful feedback... I think everyone wants to feel heard and not just talked at." - Sarahlyn Bruck

Cheat sheet @ bit.ly/upshotsbruck

Connect with Sarahlyn at sarahlynbruck.com. 

Mentioned in this episode:

• "Light of the Fire" is available everywhere books are sold.

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

At work we constantly have to stand up to tell our stories, advocate for resources, and convince our teams and leaders to join us. Navigating internal and external workplace communication can be daunting, but in this episode Elisabeth Diana, Head of Communications at HR one stop shop Deel, shares her playbook for developing messages that are on-point, authentic, and strategic. And using examples from recent press events from Calista Flockhart, Taylor Swift / Tree Paine, we work backwards to dissect and speculate on the stories behind the stories.

"You cannot spin your own stuff. You have to be able to own when something is not going well. You are the truth teller. You're not paid to say yes. You are paid to tell the truth." - Elisabeth Diana

0:10 Intro
3:01 Strategic Communications for Influence
13:55 Hire, Fire, Boss!
17:37 Data and Anecdotes for Persuasion
21:25 Pop Culture Communications Critiques
31:08 Reflections and Outro

Connect with Elisabeth on Threads @ediyork

Mentioned in this episode:

•  Deel Global Trends report
• Calista Flockhart New York Times interview
• Taylor Swift Eras Tour Bonuses
• Swift Skips the Times Gala

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Do your team icebreakers ever elicit a groan? Have you ever stressed out being asked to share your innermost feelings at the top of a meeting? In this episode of Upshots, learning experience designer Lauren Vono shares a treasure trove of strategies for creating inclusive team-building icebreakers that aren't just fluff - but generate real connection and lay the groundwork for better collaboration.

"Some folks connect on the surface level and other people by going really deep. The secret sauce is for both of these groups to be able to harmonize.” - Lauren Vono

Cheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/upshotsvono

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.