In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by Dethra Giles, a leadership strategist, Audacity Broker, and creator of the DARE Model for conflict resolution. Learn why so many leaders avoid conflict and how you can tackle workplace drama, navigate office politics, and confront uncomfortable situations head-on. From handling office saboteurs and gossip to embracing the audacity needed to lead, Dethra shares strategies that will help you navigate the toughest office dynamics. If you’ve ever felt undermined or struggled with conflict avoidance, this episode is for you!

We discuss:

Resources and Links

Dethra Giles

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Workplace Weirdness

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.

This is an honest, practical and sometimes weird conversation about navigating work without losing your integrity or yourself.

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by Randi Braun, CEO of Something Major and author of Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work, for a candid conversation about power, parenthood, and inequity at work.

Is work actually merit-based, or do our systems just tell us they are?

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion expert and thought leader Vernā Myers to unpack bias, inclusion, equity, and why conversations about difference have become so stigmatized at work.

From the myth of merit-based workplaces to how difference actually fuels innovation, Vernā shares insights from decades of experience, including her time as Netflix’s first VP of Inclusion Strategy. They also tackle real listener questions about appearance-based bias, career risk, and when recommending a friend at work goes wrong.

This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about fear, fairness, and what it really takes to build workplaces where people can thrive.

Resources and Links

Vernā Myers

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Workplace Weirdness

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.

What happens when someone actually tells the truth about Human Resources, recruiting, and HR tech?

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with HR industry truth-teller William Tincup for an honest, open and unfiltered conversation about feedback, broken HR systems, AI hype, onboarding failures, and why most HR tech is solving last year’s problems.

William shares why he once told a founder to delete their entire product, why positive feedback is overrated, and why HR leaders don’t care how your tech works- only whether it works.

We cover:

Why unsolicited feedback is often useless

The real problem with HR tech and AI

What onboarding should actually feel like

Why skills now expire faster than milk

How leaders should think about talent, growth, and discomfort

If you work in HR, lead people, sell HR tech, or just enjoy uncomfortable workplace truths- this one’s for you.

Subscribe for more conversations about the weird, wonderful, and wildly human side of work.

In This Episode:

William Tincup

Website - https://wrkdefined.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/williamtincup

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/williamtincup/reels/?hl=en

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Website - ⁠⁠https://www.mayakadar.com/⁠⁠

LinkedIn - ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/⁠⁠

Workplace Weirdness

Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

SpeakPipe - ⁠⁠http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness⁠⁠

Website - ⁠⁠http://workplace-weirdness.com⁠⁠

Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.

If your workplace runs on “vibes” and surprise criticism in Q4… congrats, you’ve unlocked the bad timeline. 

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Kane Calamari breaks down what real leadership, employee engagement, and HR strategy look like inside Ace Hardware, a company he says “should be failing,” and yet keeps winning.

We cover retail culture, co-op business models, leadership development, succession planning, retention strategy, and how to build trust with ongoing feedback instead of annual blindsides. Kane also shares how AI tools are already changing frontline work and why human leadership still matters most when cultures collide, teams merge, and communication breaks down (looking at you, Slack screenshots).

Hit the like, share and subscribe buttons for more conversations about workplace culture, HR leadership, management, career growth, and the weird stuff that makes you say: “there’s no way this happened at work.” But it did.

In This Episode

Resources and Links

Kane Calamari

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/

Workplace Weirdness

Email: [email protected]

SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness

Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.

Do office holiday parties still have a place in today’s workplace? And what happens when AI is put in charge of planning your office festivities? Spoiler alert: things can get a little chaotic! We’ll dive into the dos and don’ts of office holiday parties, including the biggest mistakes employees make (hint: drinking too much and kissing colleagues are just the beginning).

In this hilarious and insightful episode of Workplace Weirdness, we explore the intersection of AI, holiday parties, and the evolving workplace culture. We sit down with Jacob Morgan, a futurist, leadership expert, and author, to discuss how AI is reshaping office dynamics and what that means for both employees and employers.

We also talk about AI’s impact on the future of work and how employees and leaders should navigate this tech-driven evolution. From AI-generated tasks to employee well-being, we explore the balance between automation and authentic connections in the workplace. Is AI a threat to company culture, or is it the future of employee productivity?

This episode will help you remain future-ready as we head into the new year, whether you’re navigating the challenges of flexible work arrangements, AI technology, or workplace culture shifts.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Workplace Weirdness! Also, share it with your coworkers who might need a good laugh and some insights into the world of office oddities.

In This Episode:

[01:22] Understanding the Role of a Futurist

[02:52] AI and the Future of Work

[07:11] The Debate on Remote Work

[09:50] The Coffee Incident: A Career Turning Point

[12:05] Advice from CEOs: Taking Initiative

[13:03] Weekly Workplace Trends: Holiday Party Don'ts

[14:57] Listener Question #1: ADHD Accommodations

[20:37] Listener Question #2: Email Overload

[23:42] Cringeworthy Question: Religion at Office Parties

[25:52] Conclusion and Farewell

Jacob Morgan

Website - https://thefutureorganization.com/about/

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/

Workplace Weirdness

Email: [email protected]

SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness

Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.

Still using outdated hiring methods? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, we’ve got Lou Adler, the man behind Performance-Based Hiring, here to tell you why your traditional hiring process is not working for long term success. Lou’s been helping big names like AIG, LinkedIn, and McKinsey recruit top talent for decades, but he focuses on what candidates will actually do, not just their skills and experience.

Forget the old-school “ideal candidate” fantasy; Lou’s performance-based approach is changing the game. Lou’s method leads to better retention, higher performance, and lower turnover rates (which we can all agree is a win-win).

Oh, and don’t think you can just throw AI at the problem; human judgment is still key to hiring success. So if you want to get the best talent and build a killer team culture, Lou's got the secret.

Subscribe to our channel for more of this and learn how to hire smarter, not harder!

In This Episode:

Mentioned

Lou Adler

Website - ⁠⁠https://www.louadlergroup.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/louadler

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Website - ⁠⁠https://www.mayakadar.com/⁠⁠

LinkedIn - ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/⁠⁠

Workplace Weirdness

Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

SpeakPipe - ⁠⁠http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness⁠⁠

Website - ⁠⁠http://workplace-weirdness.com⁠⁠

Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.

Remote work just got a lot weirder.

How can you foster a work environment that is productive through effective leadership and emotional intelligence? 

Leading with authenticity, building teams that collaborate and thrive, and creating a workplace where everyone can flourish is crucial in a successful business. In this episode, we explore the power of emotional intelligence in leadership and the transformative impact of vulnerability on building strong, authentic workplace cultures. 

Claude Silver, the Global Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and author of Be Yourself at Work, shares her insights on how emotional optimism, bravery, and efficiency can shape the future of leadership and team success. She dives into the importance of acknowledging and regulating emotions at work, showing how self-awareness and emotional resilience can lead to empowered leadership. Through genuine, empathetic leadership, you can foster a workplace environment that is both productive and compassionate, encouraging individuals to bring their whole selves to work.

As we discuss the challenges of balancing emotional expression with professional responsibility, Claude shares how to embrace vulnerability without compromising effectiveness and why emotional intelligence is the key to better leadership, stronger team collaboration, and creating a healthy work culture. 

Don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations on leadership, career growth, and the most unexpected moments in office life!

In This Episode:

[00:00] Unexpected “Sick” Call

[01:22] Introducing Claude Silver

[02:35] Emotional Optimism, Bravery, and Efficiency

[08:08] The Role of Chief Heart Officer

[10:46] Identifying Superstars and Avoiding Politics

[16:13] Weirdest Workplace Moment

[16:53] Week in Work: The Modern Way of Navigating Overwhelm?

[20:52] Listener Question #1: Feeling Overlooked at Work

[24:53] Listener Question #2: Emotional Breakdown at Work

[29:13] Cringeworthy Question: Dealing with Inappropriate Behavior

[33:27] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Mentioned

Book: Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart - https://www.amazon.com/Be-Yourself-Work-Groundbreaking-Standing/dp/0063392437

Claude Silver

Website - ⁠⁠https://www.claudesilver.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/casilver

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/claudesilver/?hl=en

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Website - ⁠⁠https://www.mayakadar.com/⁠⁠

LinkedIn - ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/⁠⁠

Workplace Weirdness

Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

SpeakPipe - ⁠⁠http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness⁠⁠

Website - ⁠⁠http://workplace-weirdness.com⁠⁠

Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of workplace anxiety, recognition, and the impact of gratitude in leadership. Ever had the infamous Sunday scaries or struggled to manage a toxic boss? If so, this episode will resonate with you.

Resources & Links

Mentioned

Chester Elton

Maya Kadar Kovalsky

Workplace Weirdness

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.