Understanding the dynamics of a multigenerational workplace is crucial for fostering a cohesive and effective team. With five generations currently in the workforce, each shaped by different historical contexts and experiences, it's important to navigate these differences to create an inclusive and productive work environment. This episode explores the challenges and opportunities that come with managing a diverse generational workforce, particularly focusing on the youngest generation entering the workforce—Gen Z.

My guest today is Shereen Sater, founder of The Curve Collective and an adjunct professor at Northwestern University. Shereen brings a wealth of expertise in training, workshop facilitation, and consulting, specifically aimed at helping companies support their employees’ early development. Her deep understanding of Gen Z and her experience in bridging generational gaps make her an ideal guide to this topic.

In our conversation, we debunk common stereotypes about Gen Z, discuss the importance of emotional intelligence and transparent communication, and explore strategies for leveraging the strengths of each generation. We offer practical advice on how companies can adapt their work models to better support Gen Z employees, ensuring that all generations can thrive together. Whether you're a manager looking to improve team dynamics or an employee navigating a confusing workplace, this episode is packed with insights to help you succeed.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The five generations at work and how historical context shaped them:
• [03:12] The Traditionalists
• [09:22] The Boomers 
• [15:46] Gen X 
• [19:50] Millennials 
• [25:23] Gen Z
• [34:26] The importance of providing context and clear communication for Gen Z employees 
• [42:18] How transparent communication can improve team dynamics and employee satisfaction in a multigenerational workplace
• [51:23] The impact of optionality on Gen Z and the potential for loyalty if they find the right fit
• [1:02:10] Why emotional intelligence is crucial for effective leadership in a multigenerational workplace

Resources:

• Learn more at the-curve.co
• Connect with Shereen on LinkedIn
• Download The Rethinking Gen Z Report from The Curve Collective
• Read: Purdue - Generational Differences In The Workplace
• Read: Sticking Points by Haydn Shaw

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• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media

Ever feel like what you’re doing at work doesn’t matter? Today’s guest, Edina Kalamperovic, SVP at Publicis Groupe, shares her journey from an immigrant childhood to becoming a senior leader who makes a big impact, revealing the pivotal moments and lessons learned along the way.

Edina dives into the challenges of navigating early career hurdles and the importance of having a purpose in your work. We discuss recognizing and overcoming burnout, and how stepping out of your comfort zone can open new doors. Edina’s leadership style emphasizes authenticity, transparency, and earning the trust of those you work with. 

If you're looking to take proactive steps in your career, understand the importance of authentic leadership, or learn strategies to overcome burnout, Edina’s story is sure to resonate. Let’s get into it!

Resources:

• Download the Energy Inventory Worksheet
• Read Edina’s work on Substack: edinakalamperovic.substack.com
• Connect with Edina on LinkedIn
• How to Restore Yourself from Burnout with Dr. Christina Maslach - How to be Awesome at Your Job

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• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media

Have you ever wondered how following your curiosity can shape an extraordinary career? In this episode, Jill Lyons, the SVP of Creative Operations at Maximum Effort, opens up about her transition from traditional TV production to directing creative operations in an innovative media firm. 

Jill talks candidly about the factors that influenced her career, including her history in journalism and the variety of positions she has played. We talk about her career as a pyramid, accumulating a wide range of experiences to build the base and then narrowing in on what you love the most. Jill also discusses her difficulties in letting go of predictability and perfectionism at work and surrendering to possibility. Join us for an inspiring conversation full of practical advice to help you explore and embrace your own creative career path.

Resources:

• Learn more about Jill at jilllyons.com
• Connect with Jill on LinkedIn
• Read Find Your Zone of Genius by Laura Garnett
• Read Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
• Reflected Best Self Exercise™
• Listen to 24. How do I define my personal brand? | Career Questions

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• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media

Taking charge of your career path can often feel overwhelming, especially when you're unsure of the direction you want to head in or feel stuck in your current role. In this episode, we explore how to intentionally design a career that aligns with your passions and strengths, offering practical advice on navigating internal career moves and leveraging your current position for growth and fulfillment.

My guest today is Mollie Amkraut Mueller, the founder and CEO of Crew, a company dedicated to helping individuals craft more fulfilling careers. Her innovative approach combines coaching, design thinking, and peer groups to provide a structured process that empowers individuals to take control of their career trajectories.

In our conversation, we dive into the importance of self-reflection, the concept of prototyping career changes, and the power of storytelling in career development. Whether you're looking to make a significant change or simply want to enhance your current role, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you design a career that truly resonates with who you are.

In this episode, we talk about:

• [02:38] Mollie’s career journey and how she founded Crew
• [14:11] Doing “me-search” to find your interests and uncover potential career paths
• [22:26] What design thinking is and how it can help with career development
• [29:34] How experimenting in your current role actually benefits your company
• [35:37] Common pitfalls of self-exploration and how to avoid them
• [40:48] Small ways to get started with career development
• [51:55] Tips to empower yourself in your career

Resources:

• Learn more about Crew at joinacrew.com
• Connect with Mollie on LinkedIn
• Book: Working Identity by Hermania Ibarra
• Crew Blog/Resources: joinacrew.com/blog
• Crew Career Design Model

Connect with me:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media

Doing something new can be as daunting as it is exciting. Angela Damiani, CEO and co-founder of NEWaukee, reveals her journey over the past 15 years, growing and evolving a client services company while staying true to the core value of constant innovation. We delve into NEWaukee’s motto, “change always in all ways,” and how it shapes their approach to projects and client relationships. 

In this episode, Angela shares her growth as a leader, her unique leadership style, and the challenges of managing a small, dynamic team. Join us as we explore Angela’s love for entrepreneurship, her innovative business strategies, and her commitment to leading authentically and intentionally. This episode is filled with insights and inspiration for anyone looking to navigate change, lead with empathy, and create a balanced, fulfilling career.

Resources:

• Angela’s personal website: angeladamiani.com
• Learn more about NEWaukee at newaukee.com
• Learn more about Newance at newance.co
• Connect with Angela on LinkedIn
• Read Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change by William Bridges
• The Nap Ministry's Rest Deck: 50 Practices to Resist Grind Culture by Tricia Hersey

Previous episodes mentioned:

• Setting intentions for the year: 07. Using Your Values to Guide Your Career with Antonio Garcia
• Building a different kind of business model: 12. Using Your Voice and Challenging the Norms with Tiffany Welton

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• selfatwork.com

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It’s undeniable that music plays a critical role in our emotional lives. Today’s guest is Sam Parvin, who went from managing music for Coca-Cola's global marketing team to creating her own successful music strategy agency, Parvin Music. In this episode, she reveals the secrets behind her career journey and how she aligns her work with her values and passions. We dive into how Sam's career journey is deeply intertwined with her love for music and her commitment to authenticity. 

We'll explore the pivotal moments that shaped her career, the challenges she faced in the corporate world, and how she found her true calling as an entrepreneur. Sam shares insightful strategies on managing energy and productivity, the importance of feeling a sense of belonging at work, and how she leverages music to create powerful brand identities. You’ll leave this episode with practical tips on aligning your work to when and how you can add the most value, and learn how to set yourself up for success in your work by knowing your non-negotiables.

Resources:

• Learn more about Parvin Music
• Follow Sam on Instagram: @samparvin
• Connect with Sam Parvin on LinkedIn
• Working with your female cycle: 
• Article: Why Syncing Your Business To Your Menstrual Cycle Is Key In 2021 from Forbes
• Podcast: Hormone Expert, Alisa Vitti, Shares How to Biohack Your Hormones and Cycle Sync Your Life For Optimal Wellness
• Book: The Optimized Woman: Using Your Menstrual Cycle to Achieve Success and Fulfillment by Miranda Gray 
• Scheduling your day using Ayurveda: 
• Podcast: 051: Why Changing Your Schedule Will Change Your Life with Ayurveda Dr Suhas Kshirsagar
• Book: Change Your Schedule, Change Your Life by Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

• Crafting your job to fit you better: 
• 14. Moving Towards Your Soul’s Purpose with Priya Shah
• 18. Finding a Way to Do The Work You Love with Michael Ulloa
• Understanding yourself using Enneagram: 
• 20. How do I find my Enneagram type? | Career Questions 
• 21. How can I develop my emotional intelligence with the Enneagram? | Career Questions

Connect with me:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media

Where has your journey toward authenticity in your career taken you? Justin Grant’s career path has taken him from corporate leadership in retail and merchandising to entrepreneurial success and back again. In this episode, he shares how he balances creativity and data while staying true to himself in the fast-paced fashion merchandising industry. 

Our conversation explores how Justin navigated transitions between companies and going back into corporate life after starting his own company. We dive into how he views career fulfillment today and how that’s changed over time.  Join me as we uncover Justin's insights and how being flexible can help you build a dynamic career.

Resources:

• Connect with Justin on LinkedIn
• Psychology Today: Job, Career, Calling: Key to Happiness and Meaning at Work?
• DisruptHR: Stop Taking Work Personally | Sandhya Sudhakar

Connect with me:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media

Alma Quiroga is on the hunt for her next big career opportunity, and she’s here to share the wealth of career lessons she's gathered along her journey. In our conversation, we explore how Alma’s career journey is informed by her personal insights and her passion for using storytelling as a tool to make sense of her career path. We'll trace back through her experiences, discussing what she's learned about what works best for her in a work environment and how she's leveraging this knowledge in her search for the next right fit.

If you're currently exploring new career opportunities or simply interested in how to articulate your career story authentically, this episode will offer valuable insights. Join us for a journey through the highs and lows of defining and finding success on your own terms in the workplace. You're sure to leave with a smile—and maybe a new way to tell your own career story.

Resources:

• Learn more at almaquiroga.com
• Connect with Alma on LinkedIn

Connect with me:

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• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

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Welcome to a fresh episode of "Working Your Way," where today we tackle the complex and often misunderstood topic of personal branding, as part of our Career Questions series. Joining me, your host, Sandhya Sudhakar, is Cat Coffrin, brand strategist and founder of Captivating Consulting. Together, we dive deep into the essence of personal branding—not just as a tool for career success, but as a crucial component for personal well-being at work.

Today's discussion isn't about crafting a facade or a marketable persona. Instead, we explore personal branding as a journey to a clearer and stronger sense of self. We start by addressing the current challenges in the workplace that complicate our ability to truly know ourselves, discussing the external pressures that so many of us internalize along the way.

Cat and I will share our approaches to guiding clients through the internal journey of reconnecting with your sense of self, uncovering insights that aren't always obvious, and determining how to best communicate your unique value. This conversation promises to be rich with strategies and stories that illuminate the path to understanding and articulating who you are in both life and work.

So, whether you're looking to refine your professional image or seeking a deeper connection with your own identity, this episode will equip you with the knowledge and tools to begin your personal branding journey. Remember to keep a notebook handy—you won't want to miss the reflection prompts and actionable tips we're sharing today. Let's dive in and discover how to transform our self-awareness into a powerful expression of our professional selves.

In this episode, we talk about:

• [03:53] The cultural identity crisis people are facing in their careers and lives
• [25:15] Why personal branding is so essential
• [29:49] Cat’s career journey and how she applied personal branding to herself
• [43:36] Taking an internal approach to building a personal brand: What data to use
• [51:20] Why people resist bringing up their past and how much to share
• [01:02:55] How to utilize your personal brand
• [01:17:29] Tools and resources

Resources:

• Learn more about Cat’s work at captivatingco.com
• Connect with Cat on LinkedIn
• Read Cat’s Blog
• Listen to the Working Your Way Enneagram series:
• 20. How do I find my Enneagram type? | Career Questions
• 21. How can I develop my emotional intelligence with the Enneagram? | Career Questions
• Reflected Best Self Exercise
• CliftonStrengths Online Talent Assessment

Connect with me:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media

In this episode, I'm thrilled to talk with Jemilly Castro, Vice President of Strategy at Remezcla. Jemilly opens up about the complexities of representing her cultural identity within the predominantly white corporate spaces of the advertising world. Her career journey beautifully illustrates the struggle and empowerment that come from embracing who you are in professional settings.

Jemilly discusses the early challenges of her career, where she often had to mute or exaggerate aspects of herself to fit into the expected mold of a Latina professional. These experiences spurred profound personal growth, leading her to embrace her true self without conforming to external expectations. We also delve into how Jemilly incorporates gratitude into her daily life, balancing her successful career with personal hobbies that range from scuba diving to pottery, enriching her life beyond her professional identity. Join me as we explore how Jemilly has navigated the highs and lows of authenticity in her career and how she is embracing a new, more grounded chapter of her life. 

Resources:

• Learn more at jemilly.com
• Follow Guest on Instagram: @jemilly
• Connect with Jemilly on LinkedIn
• Podcast: Brené with Emily and Amelia Nagoski on Burnout and How to Complete the Stress Cycle
• Calm: 8 gratitude exercises to cultivate a more grateful mindset
• Positive Psychology: The Neuroscience of Gratitude and Effects on the Brain

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• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA Media