Working Conversations

Episode 243: Embracing Healthy Disagreement for Stronger Teams and Sharper Decisions

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores the strategic benefits of healthy disagreement in teams. Drawing on research and real-world examples from leaders like Jeff Bezos and experts in psychological safety, she highlights how thoughtfully managed disagreement leads to better decisions, sharper thinking, and stronger collaboration. Dr. Janel shares practical approaches for designing disagreement into team culture, from establishing norms to structuring debate and modeling calm dissent. Whether you’re a manager or a team member, you’ll learn actionable principles for turning conflict into a catalyst for innovation and building high-performing teams that thrive on constructive debate and diverse perspectives.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/243

Episode 242: Master Microshifting: How Flexible Work Bursts Are Shaping the Workday

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores the concept of microshifting—breaking the traditional workday into flexible bursts tailored to individual energy cycles and life demands. She explains how microshifting emerged from post-pandemic work trends and highlights its benefits, such as improved well-being, autonomy, and global collaboration. However, she warns that without intentional design, clear communication, and trust, microshifting can fragment focus, create coordination chaos, and erode boundaries. Drawing on research and practical examples, Dr. Janel offers actionable principles for organizations to successfully implement microshifting, providing valuable insights for leaders, teams, and anyone seeking greater work-life balance.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/242

Episode 241: Adapting to Unannounced Change

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores how rapid, unannounced changes in technology—like unexpected software redesigns—can create frustration even among those who embrace innovation. Drawing on her own volatile experiences with changes in her bookkeeping and email software, she highlights the importance of key design heuristics: visibility, consistency, and user control. Dr. Janel connects these principles to leadership, noting that the way change is introduced makes all the difference in whether people adopt or resist it. Whether you’re a leader or a product designer, you’ll find actionable advice for rolling out changes that respect users’ needs and foster smoother transitions.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/241

Episode 240: How Big is Too Big? What the AWS Outage Can Teach Us

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores the ripple effects of a major AWS outage and the hidden infrastructure our digital lives depend on. She shares real-world examples of how a single system failure can halt food delivery apps, smart devices, company tools, and even government services. Through the lens of “normal accident theory,” Dr. Janel examines the complexity and tight coupling of massive technological systems and asks when scale becomes a liability rather than an advantage. With relatable analogies and thoughtful questions, this episode invites listeners to reflect on our growing dependence—and trust—in systems we barely understand.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/240

Episode 239: Hybrid Work Needs a Redesign

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson tackles hybrid work and why it isn’t delivering on promises of flexibility, connection, and productivity. Drawing on research and real-world conversations, she highlights the three core challenges—missing personal relationships, workspaces that hinder collaboration, and meetings that fall short. Dr. Janel offers nine practical fixes, from flipping collaboration days into connection days to redesigning meeting culture and workspace layouts. No matter your organization’s hybrid model, you’ll find actionable strategies for making hybrid work work better for everyone. Tune in to discover simple experiments that can drive meaningful improvements in your hybrid work experience.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/239

Episode 238: Garbage In, Garbage Out – Now with AI

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores the concept of “workslop”, the new term that refers to the low-quality, AI-generated work that lands in our inboxes and diminishes trust and productivity. Drawing on recent research and her own experiences, she explains why workslop is fundamentally a design problem rooted in skipping over empathy, context, and iteration, rather than a failure of AI itself. Dr. Janel offers practical, actionable steps to ensure your AI-assisted work is thoughtful, well-designed, and genuinely useful. Whether you use AI daily or occasionally, this episode will help you elevate your output and preserve both your credibility and your team’s effectiveness.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/238

Episode 237: It’s not Job Hugging – it’s Desperate Clinging

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson tackles the trending phenomenon of “job hugging,” a term she finds deeply misleading. She unpacks why so many employees are clinging to jobs out of economic fear, not affection, and highlights the costly impact of disengagement on both organizations and individuals. Dr. Janel argues for calling this behavior what it truly is: desperate clinging in uncertain times. You’ll learn why language matters in the workplace, where responsibility lies for this trend, and actionable steps leaders and individuals can take to create workplaces people choose to stay in rather than cling to out of fear.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/237

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Episode 236: How to Avoid Micromanaging

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores the concept of micromanaging through both personal and professional lenses. Drawing from a kitchen mishap with her son and her extensive management experience, she explains the usability principle of user control and freedom—and why it matters at work. Dr. Janel outlines three actionable strategies for leaders: set guardrails instead of roadblocks, be clear on margins of error, and trust but verify. Throughout the episode, she shares stories and questions to help listeners reflect on their own management habits and find the balance between hands-off leadership and providing necessary guidance.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/236

Episode 235: Meeting Strangers on the Internet – AKA Networking

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores how to make networking feel authentic, intuitive, and effortless by applying UX thinking and the principle of consistency in standards. She shares her own networking conventions across platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram, emphasizing the importance of being genuine, following up on promises, and networking consistently over time rather than just when you need something. Regardless of your experience with networking—whether online or in person—you’ll find actionable strategies and mindset shifts to help you build meaningful connections that serve both you and others in your network.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/235

Episode 234: Difficult Conversations Simplified

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores the concept of “kitchen sink conversations”—those difficult discussions where multiple unrelated grievances get thrown together and nothing gets resolved. Drawing on principles of minimalist design, she offers practical strategies for keeping workplace (and even household) conversations focused, productive, and empathetic. By sticking to one issue at a time, listening with empathy, and owning what you can change, Dr. Janel outlines a clear, actionable approach to de-escalating conflict and fostering real problem-solving, both at work and at home. Listeners will come away with tools to navigate tough conversations more effectively and constructively.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/234