Work. Shouldnt. Suck.

If you don't know where you're going — personally, professionally, as a team, as an organization — you'll have a hard time knowing if and when you ever get there. In this episode, we explore ways to create more transparency, accountability, and alignment in the workplace with tools like Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).

Lauren and Tim then close out the episode with a discussion that includes, among a myriad of other things, creating fan fiction based on Patrick Lencioni's work.

01:25 Erica Seldin & Nicola Carpenter

38:50 Lauren Ruffin

Erica Seldin is an organization designer and coach to leadership teams that seek purposeful growth and change. Erica founded the organization transformation consultancy August to spark movements toward a new way of working and organizing inside the world’s most ambitious companies. From global enterprises including PepsiCo and Colgate Palmolive to civic institutions like Planned Parenthood and NYC’s Department of Education, Erica has guided leaders and teams to design operating models better suited for the 21st century. Her approach is supported by over a decade of experience in organization development, digital transformation, and grassroots organizing. 

NICOLA CARPENTER works on the People team at Fractured Atlas, where she finds ways for tools and processes to better align with the organization’s purpose. She believes in tools so much that she sets personal OKRs every quarter. Prior to joining Fractured Atlas, Nicola worked for a variety of arts organizations including MoMA PS1, Walker Art Center, and Heidelberger Kunstverein, and she still has a particular love for museums. Originally from Minneapolis, she received a BFA in Art from the University of Minnesota and continues to stay creative through knitting and sewing clothes. She is currently in too many book clubs, but still somehow finds time to read books about organizational culture for fun. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @colacarp.

It's the end of a decade, and Lauren and I totally missed that's what everyone has been posting items about. In this episode, we sat down for a virtual fireside chat to record reflections on the past decade. Soft launch your new decade with a look back at ours...

2010: Lauren (01:37); Tim (02:41)

2011: Lauren (04:01); Tim (05:41)

2012: Lauren (06:42); Tim (10:25)

2013: Lauren (10:56); Tim (11:25)

2014: Lauren (13:23); Tim (16:29)

2015: Lauren (18:10); Tim (19:38)

2016: Lauren (22:52); Tim (23:36)

2017: Lauren (26:29); Tim (27:41)

2018: Lauren (30:45); Tim (33:17)

2019: Lauren (34.51); Tim (35:54)

Fractured Atlas is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting artists, creatives, and makers with the things they need to succeed and thrive. About five years ago, the organization committed itself to a journey of becoming an anti-racist, anti-oppressive organization. In this episode, we chat with Courtney Harge and Nicola Carpenter, two people who have been deeply involved in that work. We’ll explore some frequently asked questions they receive about the work and journey. We'll also discuss how unlimited vacation days, shared leadership, and fully virtual organizations can further this work, while at the same time creating new and different challenges.

Lauren and Tim then reflect on how the ARAO work intersects with their three years together working as part of the organization's four-person, shared, non-hierarchical leadership team and the personal journey of their coworkers. Then, in a seemingly random yet related tangent, Lauren discusses why Celine Dion is the only brand to back.

01:07 Courtney Harge & Nicola Carpenter

47:34 Lauren Ruffin

COURTNEY HARGE is an arts administrator, director, and writer originally from Saginaw, MI who has been working in the service of artists for the last fifteen years. She is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Colloquy Collective, an emerging theater company in Brooklyn, NY. Courtney is also a proud member of Women of Color in the Arts, and a 2016 alum of both APAP’s Emerging Leaders Institute and artEquity’s Facilitator Training. She holds a Masters of Professional Studies, with Distinction, in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute. You can find more information about her at www.courtneyharge.com and find her on Instagram and Twitter at @Arts_Courtney. Her credo (#HustlingKeepsYouSexy) is not merely a hashtag; it’s a way of life.

NICOLA CARPENTER works on the People team at Fractured Atlas, where she finds ways for tools and processes to better align with the organization’s purpose. She believes in tools so much that she sets personal OKRs every quarter. Prior to joining Fractured Atlas, Nicola worked for a variety of arts organizations including MoMA PS1, Walker Art Center, and Heidelberger Kunstverein, and she still has a particular love for museums. Originally from Minneapolis, she received a BFA in Art from the University of Minnesota and continues to stay creative through knitting and sewing clothes. She is currently in too many book clubs, but still somehow finds time to read books about organizational culture for fun. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @colacarp.

Interested in exploring the topic further? Check out Nicola’s collection of Resources for White People to Learn and Talk about Race and Racism.

The process of grieving in the workplace often goes undiscussed. This episode connects with people who have experienced the death of loved ones while working, and explores how we might improve this journey that most of us will confront during our careers.

02:32 Sophia Park

22:25 Melissa Haber 

38:33 Jim Rosenberg 

59:15 Lauren Ruffin

SOPHIA PARK is part of the External Relations team at Fractured Atlas. She studied neuroscience at Oberlin College, and conducted research in neurotoxicology and neurodegenerative disorders before pivoting into the arts. Before joining Fractured Atlas, she worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She loves the arts, and runs a small exhibition project called Jip Gallery based in New York City. She is also a writer - you can find her writing in StrataMag and Womanly. In her spare time, she likes to run longer than normal distances, find a good spot to go salsa dancing, or sit in front of art work she enjoys.

MELISSA HABER is the Assistant Director of Volunteer & Student Services at Montefiore Medical Center. Previously, she was a Project Manager for Community Workforce Programs at Montefiore. Melissa was born and raised in southern Brazil and moved to the United States as a teenager. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Boston University, and master’s degrees from Sarah Lawrence College (Health Advocacy) and New York University (Arts Administration). She is passionate about increasing equity in the health care workforce, eliminating disparities in outcomes, and improving patient experience. In her previous career in Development, Melissa raised funds, wrote grants and planned events for organizations such as the Joyce Theater, Parsons Dance, and the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center. Melissa lives in Westchester with her husband, daughters (ages 10 and 13) and dog. She enjoys reading, writing, taking pictures and yoga.

JIM ROSENBERG is Lecturer and Director, Corporate Engagement, Healthcare Division at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee where he works with healthcare leaders who are transforming access, affordability, equity, and excellence in healthcare. Jim designs and delivers degree and non-degree executive education programs, and supports leaders through personalized consulting, teaching, facilitation, and coaching. Jim also works with a diverse mix of mission-driven leaders on strategy, innovation, and growth projects through Workbench, his consulting business. His background includes experience in both nonprofit and commercial organizations, including venture-backed startups, mission-driven nonprofits, and Fortune 500 corporations. Jim holds an M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. You can learn more about Jim's work at www.workbenchdc.com and his career at www.linkedin.com/in/jimrosenberg. 

In this episode, Tim chats with Lauren Ruffin about the launch of a new AR/VR co-op, Black capitalism, Work as the new religion, Vocations & Callings, Figuring out physical mail distribution for an entirely virtual workplace, and at what point you might own too many bicycles.

LAUREN RUFFIN has over 15 years experience in policy, marketing, non-profit management, business development, fundraising, and strategic planning in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. She is the Co-Founder of Crux and has served as Chief External Relations Officer for Fractured Atlas, the nation's largest association of artists and creators, since 2016. At Fractured Atlas, she is responsible for the organization’s marketing, communications, community engagement, and fundraising. She also leads Artist Campaign School, a new educational program that trains artists to run for political office.

Prior to joining the team at Fractured Atlas, Lauren served as Director of Development for DC-based organizations Martha’s Table and the National Center for Children and Families. She was also fortunate to serve in various roles at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Children’s Defense Fund, New Leaders, and AAUW. Prior to transitioning to the nonprofit sector, Lauren was Assistant Director of Government Affairs for a boutique firm in Washington, DC where she represented a broad array of clients, including Comcast, SiriusXM, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the City of Philadelphia.

In her spare time, she can be found mountain biking with her dog or gesturing wildly at the teevee in support of Duke University’s men’s basketball team. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a degree in Political Science and obtained a J.D. from the Howard University School of Law. Lauren serves on the governing board of Black Girls Code and on the advisory boards of ArtUp and Black Girl Ventures.

Pilot episode of the new Work. Shouldn't. Suck. podcast. What’s in store for this adventure? Listen to find out.