Crina and Kirsten Get to Work

There's a persistent and punishing myth out there: that a college degree is the only ticket to a good life. Spoiler alert—it's not. And the people hit hardest by this myth? Women without degrees, especially women of color, who are holding up families, caregiving, and entire communities while being boxed out of opportunity by arbitrary job requirements and social stigma. Four out of five non-graduates say they've experienced some form of judgment for not having a degree. Education-based stigma and discrimination among young adults not in 4-year college | BMC Psychology.  Many employers still cling to degree requirements as if they are a magic wand for competence. Meanwhile, a generation of students is waking up to the fact that college isn't the only (or even the best) path. In 2023, there were four million fewer college students than a decade ago. Interesting. But for non-college women, the journey without packing a college degree is anything but scenic. The economic reality is significant. Half of working-age non-college women aren't working full-time. Their median annual income is just $35,000—30% less than non-college men. And while non-college men still find decent-paying jobs in fields like manufacturing or construction, the landscape for women is shrinking fast. Their sectors—think retail, caregiving, service—are unstable, underpaid, and rarely lead to careers. Third Way. And yet, these women are the backbone of millions of households. Nearly four million homes with children rely solely on the income of a woman without a college degree. And while certificates and credentials could help, they don't offer women the same financial bump they give men. A woman earns just a 16% wage premium from a certificate; men get 27%. So why do degree requirements still rule? Employers think they signal capability. But studies are questioning the ROI of four-year degrees, and forward-thinking companies (and states!) are finally ditching the B.A. bias. More than 20 states have scrapped degree mandates for government jobs, and Congress is cooking up bipartisan plans to fund non-traditional learning paths through the Stronger Workforce for America Act and the Workforce Pell Act. The takeaway? The “paper ceiling” is cracking. But breaking it wide open means recognizing that skill, drive, and talent don't come with a diploma. It's time we rewrite the rules—and the résumés—to build a workforce that actually works for everyone. Another good read: Americans can get behind dropping degree requirements—but employers and hiring managers keep propping up the 'paper ceiling' | Fortune

Trust in leadership is eroding, with only about one in five employees reporting confidence in their leaders (Gallup, 2023). What's going wrong—and more importantly, what does it take to lead in a way that earns trust?  The answer to this question is simply bringing our authentic selves to our leadership.   Research on authentic leadership shows that effective leaders don't follow a specific checklist of traits or styles. Instead, leadership grows from a much deeper place: our life stories. Drawing from interviews with over 100 leaders and thousands of pages of transcripts, researchers found that great leadership is shaped through real-world challenges, self-reflection, and a willingness to lead from our values.  Discovering Your Authentic Leadership Authentic leaders aren't simply “being themselves”—they're doing the ongoing work of knowing themselves. That includes: -Reflecting on life experiences, including adversity, to understand what drives them -Practicing their values, especially when it's hard or costly -Balancing extrinsic rewards (recognition, promotions) with intrinsic purpose   (meaning, impact) -Building strong support teams that offer perspective, truth, and unconditional encouragement This research challenges the idea that leadership is about image, status, or "executive presence." Instead, proposes effective leadership grounded in honesty, clarity, and the courage to lead with integrity—even when it is uncomfortable or comes at a price. Our life experiences are what can create a platform for strong leadership - everything from working with some not-so-great bosses to how parents, losses, and major setbacks can unexpectedly shape our leadership style. Authentic leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about having the courage to live your questions out loud. Another good read: Why Trust in Leaders Is Faltering and How to Gain It Back.

If you're powering through your day like a caffeine-fueled robot with no off switch—stop. Your brain and body are not machines. We are more like rechargeable batteries, but we need to recharge.  On this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts discuss giving IT (all of IT) a rest.   SHOW NOTES A break is not a luxury—it's a necessity. A German study found that we respond to physical overload with back, neck and shoulder pain.  Our bodies are talking to us, but are we listening?  And our brains do something similar - short-circuiting into anger, passivity, or full shutdown mode (hi, doom scrolling in the bathroom).  Breaks help avoid those responses - and in fact are alarms from our bodies, brains and souls that we need to give it a minute (and maybe lots more)  While there is nothing wrong with guilty social media scrolls or fake “I'm just checking email” moments, we need actual pauses—time for your body and mind to reset. We may think that breaks are the enemy of productivity—but research says breaks are golden ticket to performance and productivity. Breaks replenish glucose, reduce stress hormones, and activate the brain's “default mode network,” a magical zone responsible for creativity, introspection, and those “aha” moments (yes, even Pixar movies have emerged from a well-timed lunch break). And it's not just your brain that benefits. Animal shelter workers who took breaks lasted longer in their careers, and team breaks build trust and improve collaboration. Even short “microbreaks” matter—especially when they come after tough meetings or demanding tasks. The barriers? Hustle culture, guilt, tech, and the glorification of burnout. But changing the narrative around unproductive time is crucial. Walk.  Get out in nature - heck, check out those orca videos.  Stretch. Nap. Stare at trees. Laugh at a meme. Walk your dog. Daydream. Call your mom. Whatever recharges you. Because the ultimate flex isn't grinding 24/7—it's knowing when to step away.  Good Reads: A Guide to Taking Better Breaks at Work – Harvard Business Review, Feb 2025 How to Take Better Breaks at Work, According to Research – Harvard Business Review, May 2023 Impact of Recovery Breaks on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders – Applied Ergonomics, 2023 The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World, Rosen & Gazzaley

Buckle up buttercups, we're diving into the panacea or peril of the four-day workweek. As always, we get to use our critical minds and decide for ourselves.   SHOW NOTES The five-day workweek is one of the the results of worker safer reforms in the 1930s.  As a society, we concluded and adopted laws that provided greater compensation for workers when they worked in excess of 40 hours in a week.   This was consistent with what has been a 100 year trend of working less - at least until the 1970s—when we started working more. This working more may explain the growing number of companies and countries (aka Iceland) that have adopted the four day work week,   Let's start with Iceland—the poster child for all kinds of worker and gender rights.  After a wildly successful pilot starting in 2015, 90% of its workforce now enjoys a 36-hour week, full pay, and more time for fjords, knitting, or just plain breathing. The best part? Productivity didn't drop. In some sectors, it rose, as did mental health and happiness. It sounds like employee satisfaction and improved mental health for the win!! Here in the U.S., four-day weeks are gaining ground. In 2024, 22% of workers said their employers offer one (up from 14% in 2022). But not all 4-day weeks are created equal. Some compress 40 hours into four 10-hour marathons, while others reduce hours and pay and, the best for employees, reduced hours without a reduction in pay.  Still, it's not all sunshine and extra Sundays. Critics warn of scheduling chaos, uneven workloads, and—gasp—selection bias in studies. And let's be honest, if the culture still glorifies overwork, slapping on a shorter week won't fix burnout. So what now? Tune in for the full scoop—history, data, debates, and what it takes to truly work less and live more. GOOD READS Iceland Embraced a 4-Day Workweek in 2019 – Now, Nearly Six Years On, All Gen Z Forecasts Have Materialized Days of Work over a Half Century: The Rise of the Four-Day Workweek - Daniel S. Hamermesh, Jeff E. Biddle, 2025 4 Day Week Global Challenging The Hype: Why A 4-Day Work Week Won't Solve Burnout A Guide to Implementing the 4-Day Workweek The rise of the 4-day workweek

We all know that our jobs can impact our health: from sleepless nights to skipped meals, your job can take it's toll. But research shows us that the cumulative impacts of these offenses might be harming you more than you think.  SHOW NOTES Emily, a mom on the internet, said the quiet part out loud: admitting they daydream about being hospitalized—not because they want to be sick, but because it's the only way they'd be "allowed" to rest without guilt. Another mom chimed in, saying her fondest memory of the year her third child was born was, bizarrely, the emergency appendectomy that forced her to let her husband give the baby formula, pawn off the toddlers, and finally sleep. It's not the hospital gown that's appealing—it's the mandatory break, the absence of decision-making, and the fact that, for once, no one needs anything from you. This kind of exhaustion isn't just a mom problem—it's a work problem, too. Work and health are in constant tug-of-war. When we sacrifice sleep to meet deadlines, skip meals to catch up, or forgo vacation because "the team needs us," the cost isn't just burnout; it's actual, measurable harm to our well-being. Studies have shown that people who don't take vacations die younger, those in high-stress, low-control jobs face skyrocketing rates of depression, and shift workers can experience full-blown health crises just from disrupted sleep. But work isn't inherently bad. Done well, it gives us purpose, community, pride, and even joy. The problem is when it tips into overwork, disconnection, and stress without relief. Research as far back as the 1930s and current research all point to the same thing: whether it's unemployment or toxic employment, when we lose the ability to balance work with health, meaning, and community, we suffer. And the kind of work we do can also impact our health:  miners; airline pilots, law enforcement - these are all jobs that even in the best of circumstances present challenges to taking care of our physical health. The message here is be aware of how your work impacts your health and consider measures to mitigate those aspects negatively impacting health and emphasize those aspects that improve your health.

Today on Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts have “the talk”—no, not that one. We're talking money—earning it, saving it, investing it, and, most importantly, not stressing ourselves into a financial spiral.  While our dynamic duo are certainly not investment experts, they are two regular chicks talking about what regular chicks think about and do with their hard earned dollars. First things first: stop punishing yourself for things beyond your control (looking at you, scale). Instead, focus on what is in your control—like making smart money moves, setting yourself up for financial success, and dodging bad investment advice from that one cousin who just put every penny they have in crypto. Women have historically been encouraged to save, but not necessarily invest. That's changing. More women than ever are putting their money to work—seven in ten now own stock, a massive jump from last year. Gen Z women are leading the charge, with 71% already investing in the stock market, outpacing older generations. Even so, financial stress is real. More than half of working women feel behind on retirement savings, and nearly half say money negatively impacts their mental health. Despite the challenges—hello, gender pay gap, unpaid labor, and single-parent superhero status—women are financial powerhouses. We are most proud of providing for our families, paying off debt, and saving for the future. Unfortunately, the financial industry still has work to do to provide the kinds of services we women want. Nearly two-thirds of us lady breadwinners say it's patronizing, catered to men, and assumes their spouse is the primary earner. But that hasn't stopped us from taking charge of their money. The reality? By 2030, women in the U.S. will control much of the $30 trillion in assets currently held by baby boomers. That's a serious power shift. What is the biggest money regret we have? Not investing sooner. But here's the good news: it's never too late. Step one is checking in on your financial health—do you know your 401k balance? Can you cover an emergency expense? Then, put your money to work.  Women are stepping up, showing up, and investing like bosses. So let's keep the momentum going—our future (and our wallets) depend on it.

Status and power are major players in our work life and understanding how each works and how each can create more ease, meaning and joy in our work lives is a game changer.   SHOW NOTES Status is everywhere, whether we acknowledge it or not. It's reflected in whether we are acknowledged in a meeting, how fast our emails get answered, or whether we are invited - really anywhere. Unlike power, which controls resources (think money, hiring decisions, or influence), status is all about perception—how others value us. And the kicker? We can't just take status; it's earned (and re-earned) through the judgments of those around us.  Power is something given to you (and probably because of our status), unless of course you stage a coup, which is tricky in the workplace. :-) But here's where it gets tricky: women face the likability bind—the frustrating double standard that says we can be warm or assertive, but not both. Allison Fragale discusses her book, Likable Badass on Work Life with Adam Grant.  She shares how women often self-sabotage by downplaying success, rejecting compliments, or apologizing unnecessarily. The key to breaking free? We build status by owning our story, being bold about our ambitions and letting others see what's possible through our confidence. So, how do we build status? Two drivers lead the way: competence and care.  Competence is about doing good work, and also conducting ourselves in a way that inspires confidence in our competence.  We do this by showing up, adding value, and not being afraid to contribute our talents.  Have we made a commitment to be aware of where we can add value in the workplace?  Do our coworkers and bosses trust us to do what we say we will do and do it well?    Care is about earning respect and influence through authenticity and generosity. We are women - of course we know what “care” is - well, mostly anyway (and kudos to those of us who live a little more free in this area).  Care is sharing credit, lifting others up, being generous, seeing other people, doing something extra (selectively), letting others know we know the importance of our work and our commitment to that work.   As we show up and do our work with competence and care, we build status.  And status is what elevates us in the minds of others and leads to more opportunity and reward.  As we manage our status, we need to think of these two elements - competence and care and how we create that in the workplace.     Managing our status is about presenting our authentic self at work - it is not about being something you are not.  Listen in on how to manage your status . . .    Worklife with Adam Grant Likable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve by Allison Fagale

Happy 10th anniversary to the McKinsey & Leanin “Women in the Workplace” report! This is the largest study on the state of women in corporate America, and a bit of a tough pill to swallow as the authors analyze data from the past decade to understand progress, decline, and stagnation in women's representation and experiences.   The report's findings show that while companies have taken action that led to some progress—more women in leadership, better policies for employees, and increased efforts to foster inclusion—change is hard and messy. Gains are fragile and less extensive than they appear, and company commitment to diversity is declining. Despite an increase in women's representation and expanded company efforts, the workplace has not gotten better for women. Women continue to worry it will be harder for them to advance, and their day-to-day interactions look largely like they did in 2015.   The report also found that women continue to face barriers at the beginning of the pipeline. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women were promoted. This "broken rung" makes it nearly impossible for companies to support sustained progress at more senior levels. In addition, women's progress in senior leadership is fragile and diversity efforts are decreasing, which is concerning.   The McKinsey report concludes that the elements needed to create equity in the workplace are declining. It's clear that companies need to do more to support women's advancement and create a more equitable workplace!  This includes continuing to work on changing employee behavior, engaging men to be part of the change, and continuing to deliver the inclusion message…keep it up, sisters!

Today on Crina and Kirsten Get to Work our badass duo gets up close and personal with an exercise created by social scientist, author and speaker Alison Fragale.  Fragale has written a great book, How to be a Likeable Badass.  Fragale suggests one of the keys to being a likeable badass is asking for what you want—boldly, frequently, and strategically -- and she has developed an exercise on asking - the No Challenge. The Challenge: Get 10 Nos The idea? Ask for things you want until you get 10 rejections. Why? Because asking builds resilience and rejection isn't as painful as we think. What should you ask for?  Well, anything you want - from asking your partner to not only make dinner, but also clean up to a raise or more flexibility, maybe a sabbatical, or how about just an upgrade to your hotel room? This exercise illustrates that when we ask, we get more of that we want, build confidence around asking, learn more about the nuances of rejection (may the no is only for now but a yes may come later, maybe there is no to the ask, but yes to something else or maybe the question creates an opportunity for connection and better understanding).  And the more we ask, the less likely we are to leave opportunities on the table.   Not to say it is not hard to ask - it sure is.  We feel vulnerable.  We assume that people dislike us for asking, which is actually an incorrect assumption.  Asking someone for a favor makes them like you more, not less. People enjoy being helpful, and they're happier than we assume when they get the chance to say “yes.”  We overestimate how much we will inconvenience people and we fear loss more than we crave gain. Rejection stings—literally. Studies show social rejection lights up the same part of the brain as physical pain (some researchers even tried treating it with Tylenol—yes, really - and that worked at lessening emotional pain).  Likeable badasses don't wait for success to be handed to them—they ask for it. And if they hear “no” along the way? They shake it off, pop a Tylenol, and keep going.

Hope is often dismissed as fluffy sentiment, but is actually a powerhouse for transformation—especially in the workplace. Unlike optimism, which passively assumes everything will turn out fine, hope is active, intentional, and rooted in the belief that our actions can shape the future. It's the antidote to despair, the spark that turns possibility into reality. As Brene Brown reminds us, hope isn't a fleeting emotion; it's a cognitive process. It counters the suffocating weight of hopelessness, which arises from negative thought patterns and self-blame. Instead, hope is a skill—one that can be learned and harnessed to drive individual and organizational success. Psychologist C. Rick Snyder's research defines hope as the ability to create pathways to goals and summon the motivation to pursue them. This dynamic combo of "willpower" and "waypower" sets hopeful people apart, making them more effective problem-solvers and leaders. Rebecca Solnit takes it a step further: hope thrives in uncertainty. It acknowledges the unknown but embraces the idea that our actions matter—even if the outcome remains unknown. Optimists may wait passively for better days, but hopeful individuals roll up their sleeves and get to work. History is full of hopeful changemakers whose influence often became clearest after their time. In the workplace, hope is a game-changer. Studies show hopeful employees outperform their peers, producing more creative solutions and tackling challenges with grit. Hope ignites virtuous cycles: workers who feel supported develop stronger waypower, creating a ripple effect of collaboration and resilience. Organizations with shared visions of hopeful futures—whether it's making breakthroughs, changing lives, or improving margins—fuel collective motivation and perseverance. Leaders play a vital role in cultivating hope. Here's how they can turn hope into strategy: Set Shared Goals: Align teams around meaningful, values-driven missions.  Empower Teams: Give people agency over their work.  Celebrate Progress: Highlight wins, big and small, to reinforce a sense of control and accomplishment. Hope isn't naïve or impractical; it's a deliberate belief in action. It builds connections, creativity, and growth. By anchoring strategies in hope, leaders can steer their organizations through uncertainty toward brighter horizons. Hope doesn't just dream of a better future—it equips us to build one. GOOD READS Hope as the antidote;  The Strategic Power of Hope; ‘Hope is a​n embrace of the unknown​': Rebecca Solnit on living in dark times | Society books | The Guardian;  Research: The Complicated Role of Hope in the Workplace

In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work our hosts consider the silent exclusively female workplace challenge - menopause.  Menopause affects over 1 million women in the U.S. annually. Nearly 20% of all women are grappling with its symptoms right now, often in silence. Hot flashes, brain fog, and fatigue aren't just physical nuisances—they're cultural battlegrounds. Society often wraps a woman's worth in fertility, leaving those navigating menopause potentially battling stigma, shame, and a perceived loss of identity. Unlike aging men hailed as "silver foxes," menopausal women rarely get the same applause. So let's change that narrative. And the workplace is our first stop because, well, it's not such a great place for people experiencing menopause. A Mayo Clinic study revealed menopause costs American women an incredible $1.8 billion annually in lost work time. And we have lots to do with that time, folks!  Fifteen percent of participants reported cutting back hours or missing work due to symptoms, with the worst-affected women 16 times more likely to face “adverse work outcomes.” Disturbingly, over 1% of women quit or were laid off due to debilitating symptoms. Black and Hispanic women often face even harsher impacts, reporting higher rates of symptoms and workplace struggles. In the UK, a similar story unfolds. Nearly half of menopausal women report work-related challenges like low energy, poor concentration, and feelings of isolation. Many fear disclosing their struggles to employers; 47% avoid sharing the real reason for taking sick days. This culture of silence drives one in ten to leave their jobs entirely. So, why does menopause get such a raw deal? Unlike conditions like cardiac disease, menopause doesn't slot neatly into existing workplace health frameworks. The unpredictable, chronic nature of its symptoms demands nuanced solutions—something most workplaces lack. But change is on the horizon. Forward-thinking companies and organizations are beginning to recognize menopause as a workplace issue. From the British Menopause Society to the European Menopause and Andropause Society, folks are advocating for tangible support around menopause: flexible schedules, breathable uniforms, and health plans that cover menopause treatments.  Studies show interventions like yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, and work-life coaching can make a world of difference. With the right support, menopausal women can thrive—not just survive—in their careers. Let's ditch the stigma, embrace the conversation, and build workplaces where every stage of womanhood is valued. Menopause isn't the end; it's a new chapter, and it's time we wrote it right or maybe write it right?!  You get the point listeners. Study Shows the Staggering Cost of Menopause for Women in the Work Force Impact of Menopause Symptoms on Women in the Workplace;  Without support, many menopausal workers are quitting their jobs;  Menopause in the Workplace - Women's Health Concern

We acknowledge many of us enter this new year with some uncertainty - and maybe even some fear.  Some of us are just depleted.  As we go into 2025, we need to care for ourselves and each other, preserve our sanity and focus our energy.   January is a great time to reflect on what 2025 will look like for each of us - and not just because it is the beginning of the year, but also because we do the least amount of productive work in January as compared to other months of the year, which means we have some time to consider what we can do in 2025 to create more ease, meaning and joy.   Ideas for 2025:   -Try unexpected appreciation in the workplace.  Surprising coworkers with lunch or a compliment or if you are the manager, sending folks home an hour early can lift spirits. -Remember the why and connect with how we serve our customers and clients, which is best done through examples.  -Devote some time in the new year to experimentation - try something new with your personal routine or consider what Shopify did - cancelling all meetings for two weeks to reconsider what meetings were productive and necessary   Wishing you a 2025 filled with ease, meaning and joy.

Contagious Positive Energy: The Rocket Fuel of Great Leaders Let's talk about relational energy and why it's a game-changer for organizations! With new books bursting onto the scene every year, it's like rummaging through a treasure trove of ideas. But what if we told you that the magic ingredient isn't charisma, charm, or sheer brilliance? Nope! It's all about that vibrant, uplifting energy that flows between people!   SHOW NOTES   Enter Kim Cameron from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. While diving into the dynamics of various organizations, he made an electrifying discovery: some groups were absolutely buzzing with productivity, and it wasn't just luck. What was their secret? It's what we call relational energy — that wonderful sense of positivity that comes alive during interactions. Some people ignite our spirits, while others leave us feeling a little flat. You know the ones who light up the room just by walking in? Yup, that's relational energy in action!   So, why is this so important? Leaders who radiate positive energy are like magnets, attracting motivation and enthusiasm from their teams. When you surround yourself with these energizers, the performance of the entire organization skyrockets. Think about it: when a leader embodies positivity, the whole crew vibes off that energy, leading to a healthier, happier workplace.    Now, what makes someone a true positive energizer? It boils down to a handful of essential qualities. These folks genuinely care about others, uplifting everyone around them. They show support during tough times, inspire their teams to focus on the bright side, and celebrate successes. They embrace meaningful contributions and treat everyone with respect and kindness. Most importantly, they nurture a loving relationship with themselves, ensuring they radiate that positivity outward.   Why does this all matter? Research reveals that positive energizers significantly boost engagement, lower turnover, and foster a culture of well-being. When organizations are led by these energetic dynamos, they often see a flourishing bottom line too! It turns out the positive relational energy doesn't just benefit the workplace — it's like a health potion for our brains and bodies! Studies indicate that when we soak in this vibrant energy, we reduce stress, boost our immune systems, and foster healthier connections all around us.   GOOD READS The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy   Relational energy - what it is and why it matters to organisations

Women are responsible for over 85% of consumer spending. Not only do we buy for ourselves, but we purchase for everyone else in the house! (Don't get us started on the burden that represents). Why not consider using your economic power to support businesses that are owned by WOMEN!    SHOW NOTES Globally, women control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, and that figure could climb as high as $28 trillion in the next five years.   These numbers amount to women controlling and/or influencing 85% of all consumer spending.  Wow - that's a lot of votes with our economic dollars.  We buy for ourselves, our families, including children and spouses and so many of the people we care for.  And yes, women find the shopping experience unsatisfactory and in many cases shopping experiences are foolishly geared to men.  Ladies, let's leverage our economic voting power for women owned businesses.     The number of new women owned businesses is outpacing the number of businesses owned by men.  In 2021, women owned about 25% of all businesses in the US and by 2023, that number had reached 39%.  While women owned 39% of business in 2023, we employed about 9% of the employees and about 5% of all revenues.  Just under 40,000 women owned businesses employ 50 or more people.  This is all to say there are lots of small women owned businesses out there.   Women owned businesses face particular challenges - such as lack of access to capital - but the impacts of women owned businesses are significant, and that incongruity does not make sense.  So let's use our dollars to support the business making the most difference.  Women tend to start businesses to make a difference rather than just to make money; and women owned businesses are more likely to support their communities.     Turn Black Friday into a political act and shop women owned.   More good reads: Women Owned Directory  The 2024 Impact of Women-Owned Businesses Women-owned businesses | U.S. Small Business Administration Women Ownership Statistics 2024 | Advocacy New Report Finds Growth of Women Business Owners Outpaces the Market Supporting Women-Owned Business Giving Back To Communities | Bankrate

In this episode, we embark on a catharsis regarding bosses who change their minds, can't make a decision or jerk us around.    When bosses change their minds it impacts us as workers.  These changes mean we often redo our work or work we have done becomes unnecessary.  This impacts the meaningfulness of our work - and what was useful work is often not meaningful work when we just need to redo it.  The impact of mind changing can also make us feel disregarded and not valued - and demoralizing.   Implicit - and maybe obvious - in changing a decision is there is change and change is hard and lots of change can really mean chaos.     What are some approaches to managing situations when it seems like direction from those above us is changing?  Harvard Business Review suggests a “tee-up” with what changes in process, events and decisions have occurred that led to how your team got to a particular place - through whatever circuitous journey.  Another idea is to ask questions about the change, which can help us understand how we got to the place and may provide useful feedback to your boss.  Bosses do not have all of the information we have and communicating that can be helpful.   And it may be you just need a cocktail or a hot bath - or both - because change and revisiting work can be exhausting especially when it happens again and again.

Thinking about making a career change? Feeling stuck in your job? Curious how to change directions, after you've spent years (or decades!) building your career? You're not alone. According to an Indeed survey, the average age for people making a drastic career change is 39. The leading cause? Happiness.   SHOW NOTES   In this episode, we discuss signs that indicate it might be time to consider a career pivot, such as persistent unhappiness, lack of motivation, health implications, increased comparisons to peers, and reticence towards career commitments. We also share Crina's story of feeling burnt out and uninspired in her job, prompting her to consider a change.   Of course there are ways to make a successful career pivot, especially when you focus on the "working identity" approach. Instead of following the conventional wisdom of knowing what you want to do next before taking action, we explore why doing comes before knowing in the process of career change. And of course there are  pitfalls of relying on self-knowledge, advice from friends and family, and consultations with career professionals when considering a career pivot.   Tune in to learn more about how to navigate a career pivot successfully, what to expect after making a change, and how to build a new working identity that brings more happiness and fulfillment. Thank you for listening!   GOOD READS A Mid-Life Career Shift Is Not a Crisis — Here's Why You Should Consider One & How to Pull It Off

How much work is too much work? Can you ever turn it off? We're exploring the roots of workaholism, its impact on our lives, and—most importantly—what to do about it. What is Workaholism? The term was coined by psychologist Wayne E. Oates back in 1971, likening chronic overwork to addiction. Just like any other addiction, workaholism can interfere with our health, happiness, and relationships. So, how do we know if we're truly addicted to work or just really engaged? The answer lies in the motivation behind the grind. Could this be you? Sometimes we overwork because of external circumstances such as financial problems, distraction from an unsatisfying marriage, or maybe pressure from our workplace. The differentiating feature of real workaholism from similar behaviors is the excessive involvement of the individual in work when it is not required or expected. Norwegian researchers the University of Bergen created a work addiction scale which uses the following seven criteria to assess the likelihood that an individual possesses a work addiction: You think of how you can free up more time to work. You spend much more time working than initially intended. You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and/or depression. You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them. You become stressed if you are prohibited from working. You deprioritize hobbies, leisure activities, and/or exercise because of your work. You work so much that it has negatively influenced your health.   If you answered with “often” or “always” to any of these points, you may be a workaholic. And if we are agreeable, neurotic, intellectual or imaginative, we are more likely   People identified as workaholics often ranked high in terms of these three personality traits: Agreeableness – Workaholics are more likely to be altruistic, compliant and modest. Neuroticism – Workaholics tend to be nervous, hostile, and impulsive. Intellect/imagination -Workaholics are generally inventive and action oriented. But what to do about it? Redefine “urgent” Reinvent the to-do list Learning to say “no” and delegate Fixing the workaholic clock Controlling rumination Embracing rest and recovery Psychological detachment.  Physical activity.  Relaxation.  Mastery experiences (which mitigates the inclinations around workaholism)   Our lives are too precious to be consumed with work.  While work is fun and rewarding - it is not all things, so let's not get caught in workaholism or even workaholic behaviors.

A survey by LLC Inc. of over 1000 people across the US with an average age revealed that 83% of us have coworkers who annoys us, 21% have been so annoyed by a coworker they have considered quitting, and 52% say annoying coworkers prevent them from doing their best work.  Yowza - that is something.  And what don't we like about our coworkers? We do not like complainers, laziness, arrogance (our personal favorite), too much talking, negativity, entitlement (okay so maybe this is our favorite), poor communication, oversharing, or gossipping.   So, what do you do when you're stuck working with someone you dislike?  There are some good strategies, but first, get some perspective.  How much does it matter and are there ways of looking at it differently?   What to do:   As always, the person we control is ourselves, so when we have feelings of dislike for a coworker, looking inward can be very helpful.  Do you let your brain run with every little incident?  What do our reactions say about us?   Here is the hard one - be the grown up.  The emotionally intelligent grown up. We can stay away from the resentment spiral and remove ourselves from unproductive conversations. Work very hard to find something you like or admire.  People are rarely just one thing and we can usually find something to like or admire.   Being anything less than respectful ends up leaving us with metaphorical egg on our faces.  Try compassion and respect - who knows, we may find ourselves surprised by the person we dislike.   If we feel pretty confident with checking in with ourselves, being the grown up, seeing the good and embracing compassion and respect, we will find ourselves in connection, which of course is the big payoff.   And if we cannot get to connect, then we can be strategic about how we expose ourselves, which includes being very intentional about what we need from the interactions we really have to have with the coworkers we do not like.   Not everyone we work with needs to be our friend or even someone we like.  While it sure is great when it happens, we can work well when we respect others and ourselves.   Survey Reveals the Most Annoying Coworker Habits - LLC.org How to Work with Someone You Really Don't Like

Unpack the magic of saying “yes” more often, the beauty of spontaneous connections, and why your next best decision might just be unplanned.  Even at work! Most of us pride ourselves on our planning – we are prepared, we are ready for anything and we are efficient and effective – BUT, let's consider the unplanned. Spontaneity According to Webster's Dictionary, spontaneity is “without constraint, effort, or premeditation, unplanned or impromptu.” Spontaneous shows our openness, flexibility and our confidence in our ability to handle something new or unexpected.   Why You Need More Spontaneity in Your Life A poll by OnePoll for Cub Cadet, a tractor company, found Americans make an average of 18 spontaneous decisions per day.  Those who identify as spontaneous are more likely to be happy, content, and even stress-free. We're talking about major decisions here too: spontaneous job changes, last-minute vacations, or adopting that adorable rescue dog. Tiny Acts of Spontaneity at Work Spontaneity isn't just for your personal life; it's for work.  Spontaneity boosts creativity and enhances problem-solving.  The 10 minute walk you take may lead to a fresh brain and a great conversation with a colleague who you see when you walk in the door. We exercise our agency in the moment and we are refreshed and ready. Barriers to Spontaneity Lots of things get in the way of our spontaneity.  Fear of the unknown, a need for control, or others' expectations can make being spontaneous feel uncomfortable. But here's a challenge: free up a couple of hours this week, leave it unplanned, and see where your mood takes you. Even blocking free time in your calendar, which is kind of a plan, to see where our hearts and mind take us counts because of the spontaneity in the moment.  Spontaneity is the ultimate form of agency, folks. It's about trusting ourselves to handle whatever comes your way. How to be more spontaneous: 7 tips to live in the moment — Calm Blog.

From the sexualized Kamala t-shirts to the way women are treated in areas such as caregiving, menstruation, and menopause, misogyny is pervasive in our society.   Misogyny is defined as the hatred, contempt, or prejudice against women or girls, which keeps them at a lower social status than men, perpetuating the social roles of patriarchy. Misogyny can manifest in obvious and subtle ways, affecting women in various aspects of their lives.   Feminist scholars like Andrea Dworkin and Kate Manne have shed light on the insidious nature of misogyny in our culture.  Dworkin argues that society regards women as contemptible and subjects them to violence and discrimination, while Manne describes misogyny as a shock collar that enforces women's subordination in a patriarchal society.   The demographics most affected by misogyny is also alarming,  with BIPOC women experiencing its effects in conjunction with racism. From medical research to athletics and law enforcement, examples of misogyny in plain sight illustrate the lack of value placed on women in our society.   Finally, there's the importance of fighting misogyny in the workplace, advocating for oneself, and celebrating International Women's Day. There are so many amazing women and influential figures like Drew Afualo, who uses her platform to combat misogyny and empower women.    Join us as we unravel the complex web of misogyny, sexism, and patriarchy, and explore ways to challenge these harmful ideologies in our daily lives. Good Reads: Misogyny - Wikipedia Kate Manne: The Shock Collar That Is Misogyny  Celebrating International Women's Day! [2024 DEI Resources] | Diversity for Social Impact How Misogyny Became Part of Our Culture & Workplaces | InHerSight How to Fight Misogyny in the Workplace | Inc.com

As if FOMO were not enough, now we consider FOBO, or the fear of obsolescence, in this climate of ever changing technology.   SHOW NOTES   Obsolescence is a reduction in our competence as an employee resulting from a lack of knowledge of new work processes, techniques, and technologies that have developed since we completed our education - and that we have somehow missed out on acquiring.  As humans we have been becoming obsolete since we stood up on two feet - the hunter gatherers became farmers, the farmers became factory workers and the factory workers have become technology and service industry workers.  We know how to do this - on the macro level, as an economy and society.   Trucking is a great example of worker obsolescence.  In the early 20th century, truck drivers replaced the cart and horse for deliveries and now the promise of self-driving trucks, making truck drivers obsolete, has done a couple of things in the market - truckers are generally older and the wages have risen according to NPR.   The mysterious threats and impacts of workforce obsolescence : NPR.  Older workers with less time in the workforce are willing to keep or go into these jobs, but younger workers with more time to work are far less willing to enter an occupation that may very well go away.   According to a recent Gallup Poll 22% of workers are worried that technological advancements will make their jobs obsolete, a 7% jump since 2021. The increase is being driven "almost entirely" by college-educated workers. The Gallup data shows that men and women currently express equitable trepidation levels when it comes to being replaced by technology.  Good to know there is some equity in FOBO!   Fearing obsolescence is not just self-doubt, rather, we fundamentally question our ability to participate in the workforce. When we experience this kind of fear, it can affect our behavior at work and our experience of ease, meaning and joy.  In a study of counterproductive work behaviors, researchers found some common counterproductive work behaviors in workers who were experiencing FOBO: attention-seeking behavior; being hypervigilant; and drawing unhealthy comparisons.  We can counteract FOBO by focusing our efforts on training - either for the current job or a new one; taking on new opportunities, saying yes and telling yourself the truth about your skills and your current job and its future - and being willing to consider what is next. MORE GOOD READS   How to Stop Worrying About Becoming Obsolete at Work (hbr.org). U.S. Workers Face Growing Fears Of Becoming Obsolete— Here's How You Can Fight Back Against ‘FOBO 'Face Your Fear of Becoming Obsolete

Questions are vital in all interactions as they transform the mundane into the mysterious and reveal what we don't know. They're the Swiss Army knife of communication, spurring learning, innovation, trust, and even mitigating business risks. SHOW NOTES Asking great questions isn't just for consultants and lawyers (aka Crina and Kirsten). It's a universal skill that makes you more likable, empathetic, and approachable. This ability fosters better decisions and collective intelligence, whether you're a marketing guru or a freelance artist. Per the norm, we find gender issues embedded in question asking.  Men and women use questions differently. Men often ask fewer questions interpersonally but more in professional contexts. Women, however, are less likely to ask questions in high-stakes professional settings but more in personal conversations. A 2018 study found women were less likely to ask questions in academic seminars, often due to feeling less confident or intimidated by the speaker.  Interesting, yes? There are all kinds of questions and it is good to get clear about these when asking questions. Investigative Questions: What's known? These questions can dig deep to unearth nonobvious information, like the time the French railroad overlooked platform measurements and bought train cars that were too large for existing platforms, leading to costly train modifications. Speculative Questions: What If? These broaden perspectives, sparking creativity. What if we create Productive Questions: Now What? These assess resources and execution plans. Interpretive Questions: So, What? These synthesize information, turning analysis into actionable insights. For instance, Tesla's revolutionary appeal was missed by competitors because competitors focused on Tesla's minor imperfections. Subjective Questions: What's Unsaid? These address personal reservations and emotional dynamics. British Airways missed the emotional reaction of its public when it rebranded.  Listening: The Unsung Hero To ask good questions, you must listen actively. Presence, curiosity, and connection are key. As Daniel Ek of Spotify says, questioning always circles back to purpose: “Why are we doing things? Why does it matter?” Questions are more than a tool—they're an art form. From igniting innovation to fostering deeper connections, mastering the art of asking questions can unlock endless possibilities. So, why are you still talking? It's time to ask your next great question and listen.

While adversity often results in some kind of growth, many challenges are painful and exhausting - and yet, most of us need to continue to show up at work even during these hard times.   Show Notes The adversity from personal challenges can lead to personal growth, enhancing life appreciation, personal strength, relationships, spiritual growth, and recognizing new life paths. Although painful experiences are something any of us want, many people experience Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG).  No one really wants or asks for that gift, but there it is - even at work.   When we are managing employees in crisis, we can be most helpful by bringing our best in terms of compassion and flexibility. Managers should set a compassionate tone, offer creative solutions, and check in regularly without becoming overly involved or making unfulfillable promises - and even with flexibility remember boundaries. Consistency in treating similar situations among employees is crucial. Personal crises can impact our work lives - everything from divorce, bankruptcy to illness and death. During a crisis, brain function is impaired by stress. It's essential to process emotions fully to avoid burnout. Stress perception impacts our functionality: however, viewing stress as a challenge can enhance concentration and performance, while viewing it as a threat increases fear. Key questions to foster a challenge response include identifying control points, specific actions, strengths, and resources. 10 Ways to Function at Work When Your Life is a Mess Vent Wisely: Vent to a friend outside of work, not coworkers. Manage Information: Inform your manager and selective coworkers about your crisis, keeping work as a non-therapy zone. Prioritize Clients: Maintain professional boundaries with clients, sharing minimal personal information. Prioritize Tasks: Make lists of non-negotiable tasks and break them into manageable pieces. Use a timer for focus. Take Personal Days: A productive day off is better than multiple unproductive days at work. Respect Flexibility: Ensure your flexible schedule meets both personal and organizational needs. Utilize Benefits: Leverage Employee Assistance Programs, bereavement leave, etc. Set Boundaries: Establish clear work-life boundaries to manage stress. Seek Help: Enlist support from team, family, or friends to manage life outside of work. Colleague Support: Encourage compassion, flexibility, and regular check-ins without becoming overly involved. While adversity often results in PTG, leading to renewed life appreciation, enhanced strength, deeper relationships, spiritual growth, and new life directions, we acknowledge that these challenges are painful and exhausting - and yet, most of us need to continue to show up at work even during these hard times.   Good Reads 10 Ways to Function at Work When Your Life is a Mess How to work when your life is a mess | Alexandra Samuel PERSONALITY PROCESSES AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Rethinking Stress: The Role of Mindsets in Determining the Stress Response | Semantic Scholar Working Through a Personal Crisis (hbr.org) How Adversity Makes You Stronger How to Manage an Employee Who's Having a Personal Crisis

We are surrounded by entrenchment - in our communities, at work, in our families and certainly politically.  Entrenchment happens when an attitude, habit, or belief becomes so firmly established that it morphs from “what I believe” into “who I am,” and it makes change difficult and unlikely. Enter fault lines: the cracks that split groups into subgroups based on aligning attributes like race or age. For instance, young Latino players might form a clique separate from older white players in a Major League Baseball team, creating internal conflicts that erode team cohesion and performance. Faultlines can breed conflict and hamper communication, however, they can also foster a sense of belonging within subgroups. Accountants and marketers might struggle to collaborate due to their different professional languages, yet find comfort and cohesion within their own teams. To combat entrenchment, leaders need to first understand the different types of subgroups and their effects. Consider spatial presence, surface-level characteristics like gender or race, knowledge bases, and deep-level identities like values and beliefs, which all play roles to a greater and lesser degree in subgroup formation and entrenchment. Observing team interactions—who talks to whom, who aligns with whom—can reveal existing subgroups. Leaders should also be aware of their own potential alignments with these subgroups.  To break down these entrenched barriers, leaders can mix up team memberships, emphasise shared goals and adversaries, encourage formal and informal time spent together, and engage boundary spanners who can navigate between groups. Embracing curiosity about other subgroups is also key. Other Good Reads: Toward A Temporal Theory of Faultlines and Subgroup Entrenchment - Meister - 2020 - Journal of Management Studies - Wiley Online Library   Is Your Organisation Digging Trenches or Building Bridges? Faultline Theory: Why Teams Fall Apart | by Small World Solutions Group | Medium

On this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our gal pals focus on memory, how memory affects the workplace and how we can address or minimize memory issues.  Crina had several experiences where people she was in meetings with or spoke to had wildly different recollections of what was said.   Let's shout out to the ladies' memories - which are better than males - at least according to  The Wonder Of You: Why Women Have Better Memory Than Men.  This may be because memories “stick” better when we pay attention, focus on details and they are accompanied by feelings. It is kind of like telling ourselves a story and it makes our memories better.   Neuroscientist Lisa Genova has done a deep dive into memory and neurological disorders - in fact, she is scientist turned fiction writer telling stories about the experiences of people who experience neurological disorders.  Her most recent book, Remember: The science of memory and the art of forgetting is non-fiction.  She tells us that memory is essential to almost everything we do - walking, talking, interaction, watching a movie, eating. Without memory, we are  untethered to the life we live.     Our brains are designed to remember what is meaningful, emotional, surprising, new and what we repeat and practice. This applies to our four kinds of memory: muscle memory, semantic memory (facts and information),  episodic memory (what happened in your life) and working memory (doing things like writing, talking and problem solving).   We create memory when our brain takes in information, weaves it together and stores it to a neural circuit we can later access.  Every memory actually changes our beautiful brains.  And our memories are surprisingly accurate.  We can train our brains to be better at memory, but the passage of time does impact the reliability of our memories.     Stress, lack of sleep, poor diet and lack of sleep can impact our memories. In short, think self-care for a better memory.  In addition, writing things down, repeating what you have heard, telling yourself stories, making connections and calming down can all improve memory.     This is all to say memory is remarkable and also not always reliable - if we take care of ourselves and pay close attention our memories will better serve us.

Who knew that our ears could boost your business game? Active listening skills can amp up collaboration and productivity by a whopping 25%. Learning the art of listening also increases employee satisfaction by 30%. And a staggering 80% of workplace drama stems from poor communication. Clearly, listening isn't just kind — it's powerful.  We spend about 45% of our waking hours listening. For the average American, that's around 7.58 hours a day. We hear between 20,000 to 30,000 words daily—way more than the 16,000 words we speak. Sadly, over 70% of workers suffer from poor listening habits, impacting learning (85% of what we learn is from listening) and problem-solving abilities.  Listening Statistics – Word Finder by WordsRated; The Biggest Bang for Your Organization's Buck? Active Listening Skills   Hearing is just your ears doing their job. Active listening? That's your brain going into overdrive, focusing on sounds and extracting meaning. It's a full-on mental workout involving attention, contemplation, and response.  According to Harvard's Robin Abrahams and Boris Groysberg, active listening breaks down into three parts: Cognitive: Pay attention to all the info, both spoken and unspoken. Emotional: Keep calm and carry on, even if you're annoyed or bored. Behavioral: Show you're interested with verbal and non-verbal cues.   Ingredients for Active Listening Presence: Be in the moment. Put down your phone, make eye contact, and show you're engaged. Avoid jumping to conclusions or trying to "fix" things right away. Curiosity: Stay curious and humble. Ask questions to clarify and understand before you respond. Keep power dynamics and past feedback in mind.   Connection: Listening is about forming a connection. Understand and honor what the speaker values. This approach can lead to better progress for both parties involved.     Mastering the Art of Active Listening Know Your Style: Identify if you're task-oriented, analytical, relational, or critical. Each style suits different situations. Choose Wisely: Determine the best listening style for the moment by considering the conversation's goals and the speaker's needs. Stay Focused: Don't let insecurities or distractions (like checking emails) get in the way. Use mantras or meditation to keep your mind on track. Ask Questions: It shows you're engaged and deepens your understanding. Questions can also uncover hidden emotions or unspoken points.   Remember, listening is more than just nodding and saying "Mm-hmm." It's about asking insightful questions and being truly present. If we stay curious, stay present, we can not only hear but understand and connect on a deeper level.  Active listening isn't just a nice-to-have skill; it's a game-changer. So, lend an ear, and who knows? You might just hear the next big idea. What's Your Listening Style? What Is Active Listening?

From embracing discomfort to seeking advice, Crina and Kirsten dive into Dr. Adam Grant's new book on the science of achievement. Discover how grit and persistence can lead to mastery, no matter where you are in your journey. SHOW NOTES In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work our hosts discuss Adam Grant's new book on the science of achievement.  Ever thought about what you'd like to get better at? Crina wants to learn how to have more fun and Kirsten is still working on figuring out “no.”  Sigh. Mastery can start at any chapter of your life. Take Laura Ingalls Wilder, who penned her first success in her 60s, or Vera Wang, who leapt from ice skates to runway gowns. Julia Child didn't publish her first cookbook until 50, and Phyllis Diller took up stand-up comedy at 37.  Or consider Steve Martin who spent years doing the labor of writing his own jokes to get really good at it - he did not start out being good, he learned to be so very good. Dr. Adam Grant argues in his new book Hidden Potential that those who might lack natural flair but possess the grit to persist, embrace discomfort, and seek advice often outpace the naturally gifted. Think about it: the kid on the soccer field who isn't the fastest but keeps pushing might just outshine the rest with sheer willpower. Society tends to glorify innate talent.  First off, it is just fun to watch someone who is innately good at something.  We may value innate talent because it gives us an easy out when we are not naturally good at something - we do not have to experience the discomfort of trying.  And yet we know that real satisfaction comes from finding our way through the tough stuff.  Child prodigies often find real-world challenges daunting precisely because they haven't navigated the messier, less predictable paths of life.  The dichotomy of talent and challenge is fundamental to understanding our hidden potential. Grant suggests that we embrace the discomfort that signals we are learning, mix up our routine to keep things interesting, and engage in the dual dance of seeking and giving advice.   And there is so much more in Hidden Potential so give it a read.

In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our “hosts with the most” discuss not giving a #%$X!  Yes, friends, there are times when we should care less about work.  Our precious mental, emotional and even spiritual energy are really better used on something else.   There is so much we can care about at work - what other people think, what other people do, outcomes we cannot control, what information we do not have - just so much and yet when is it really worth it to care?     Our duo starts with what is worth caring about: Our personal relationships. The responsibilities we agree to take on at work, in community, or with our family and friends. Our professional/ personal development - being our best selves, which also includes really liking who we turn out to be. Our financial security. Our values and ethical and moral principles - living with integrity.   Work weaves its way through many of the things we care about.  The challenge with work is that many of us tend to define ourselves by our work.     Harvard Business Review interviewed 700 employees and concluded that while passion at work is generally a good thing, too much passion leads to burnout and a little detachment goes a long way to creating a sustainable relationship with work, with reduced burnout, enhanced creativity, increased resilience, better focus and better decision making. Don't Let Passion Lead to Burnout on Your Team (hbr.org)   So how to do we give less of a #%$X without getting ourselves into the #%$X?   Ask yourself why:  Carefully consider why you care so deeply about something?  Is it just about ego or is it really consistent with the list above (relationships you value, principles you hold dear . . .).   Ask yourself whether your response/involvement is really that important: Doing nothing can be perfectly appropriate; and remember most people care far less about what we do than we think.   Pur your job in context: A job is not the be all and end all of your life and if it is, that is a new issue to consider.    For most of us a job funds our lives and those of the people we love.   Create boundaries between work life and personal life. Boundaries between work and personal are key to caring a little less when caring is overwhelming.  Do you leave on time, do you check your emails all evening, do you cancel time with friends and family because of work emergencies?  Creating stronger boundaries can help us create that work life balance, which may just need a little less caring.   And remember there are really always four responses to a situation:   Exit: remove yourself from the situation; do nothing; LET THEM  Voice: take action and try to improve the situation Persistence: stay in, kind of grin and bear it Neglect: stay but reduce effort   We have options in deciding how much we care.  And we need to wisely use our caring energy.

Let's have some good news about women at work. And what better place to look than in the news from all over the world.   In a great story out of Australia, we can all have a good chuckle about an art installation that excluded men and the legal challenge that ensued from a man who felt he was not getting his money's worth because he could not access an exhibit only available to women.  The Court disagreed with the man who filed the suit finding that he was  experiencing exactly what the artist wanted him to experience - exclusion.  Museum behind ladies-only art exhibit sued by man who was denied entry - National | Globalnews.ca    And here in the US, women are reentering the workforce at a record pace.  This resurgence appears to be linked to women coming back to a more diverse set of industries and positions more women in leadership and the flexibility offered by hybrid work.  3 Reasons Women Are Reentering The Workforce At A Record Pace   In a study commissioned by the non-profit Girls Who Code and its Moms First campaign,  Boston Consulting Group found that on-site childcare, close to site childcare, backup childcare and childcare stipends had impressive returns on investment - anywhere from 90% to 425% - all we can say is WOW!  BCG Report, 2024 - Moms First   NPR reported on Icelandic women continuing their tradition of striking to create equity in pay for women and non-binary people.  Women and nonbinary Icelanders go on a 24-hour strike to protest the gender pay gap   And last up - we know women have typically had to work harder than men for the same pay and recognition.  This travesty does not apply to exercise.  The Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that women get more benefits than men from the same amount of exercise.   And that is the good news, listeners.

On this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work our hosts explore executive presence for women at work. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, an economist and the CEO of Hewlett Consulting Partners, said that executive presence is the difference between merit and success.  We can sometimes cringe when we hear and talk about executive presence because it can feel like a call to be someone other than who we are - the requirement to fit into a mold to be a leader.  No, say our hosts!!  The new executive presence is about authenticity and inclusion.     Hewlett conducted surveys in 2012 and again in 2022 that tell a story of significant shifts in our view of executive presence.  The New Rules of Executive Presence (hbr.org).  Hewlett says, “[t]he old ideal—shaped and embodied by white male CEOs who ruled the U.S. and European corporate worlds through the beginning of this century—has long been eroding.”     Executive presence is made up of gravitas (think confidence and decisiveness); communication (think clear and  direct) and appearance (think authenticity).  In 2012, Hewett's survey showed that having “a blue-chip” pedigree was important for gravitas, and that characteristic did not even make the list in 2022.  In 2022, respect and inclusiveness were more important to executive presence than they were in 2012.  Another shift was seen in the communication element of executive presence where in 2012 “forceful” was important and in 2022 “listening to learn” was important to executive presence.  Even our view of executive presence as it relates to appearance has changed - while being polished is still important, authenticity has risen to one of the most important factors in the appearance component.     Executive presence is learnable - and you do not have to master all of the elements.  Focusing on your authentic strengths can improve your executive presence.  Hewlett's work tells us two important things: 1. we can be our authentic selves and have executive presence; and 2. executive presence in the workplace is more inclusive than ever before.  

Microstress differs from traditional stress in its subtlety and frequency. These small, often unnoticed stressors can accumulate and greatly impact our well-being, both mentally and physically. Join us as we uncover the hidden impacts of microstress and explore strategies to combat its effects for a healthier, more balanced life. SHOW NOTES While traditional stress arises from major life events, microstressors are small, often unnoticed, and yet they can accumulate and significantly affect our well-being. Microstress, unlike what we think of as more conventional stress, does not provoke the same physiological response as bigger stress - so our body is not working to protect us from stress in the same way.  Microstressors can be categorized into three main types: Draining our capacity to get things done: These microstressors often make us feel like we're failing at work and in our personal lives. Examples include misalignment with collaborators on roles or priorities, uncertainty about others' reliability, and an overwhelming number of tasks or responsibilities. Draining our emotional reserves: These microstressors are caused by others and can leave us feeling emotionally depleted. Examples include feeling responsible for the success and well-being of others, confrontational conversations, and a lack of trust in our social network. Challenging our identity: These microstressors can trigger feelings of discomfort, making us question if we're truly living in line with our values and goals. Examples include pressure to pursue goals that don't align with our personal values, attacks on our self-confidence or worth, and negative interactions with family or friends. The effects of microstress extend beyond mental health, impacting physical well-being as well. It disrupts the body's ability to maintain internal balance, leading to issues like "brain fog," where cognitive function is impaired - and even affects our body's ability to process food. Despite these challenges, there are strategies to mitigate the effects of microstress. Pushing back against microstress in practical ways—such as learning to say no to small requests, managing technology to reduce interruptions, and readjusting relationships to prevent others from putting microstress on you—can be effective. Rising above these stressors, by keeping them in perspective and not letting them consume us, is another valuable approach. Human connection emerges as a powerful tool in combating microstress. Engaging with others helps develop brain circuits that manage our reactions and emotions, alleviating the burden of stress. By cultivating diverse connections and engaging in meaningful activities, we can create a multidimensional life that buffers us against the effects of microstress. Join us as we explore the world of microstress, uncovering its hidden impacts and discovering strategies to combat its effects. Learn how small changes in daily life can lead to significant improvements in overall well-being. 

Embarrassing yourself is the key to success - well, not exactly, but there are benefits to embarrassment.  In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts delve into this unusual emotion - embarrassment - hot head, panic, stomach upset, racing heart, sweating - and all of the things.     SHOW NOTES   Science tells us embarrassment is a unique emotion - unlike an emotion such as fear, we need to think before we can feel this emotion.  Rowland Miller at Sam Houston University tells us, “we become embarrassed when we perceive that the social image we want to project has been undermined and that others are forming negative impressions of us.”  But there is more to embarrassment.     John Sabini of the University of Pennsylvania and his colleagues found embarrassment is likely to arise when a person anticipates a disruption of smooth social interaction and/or faces a situation without clear social expectations . She is not worried about making a bad impression, but rather she does not know what to do next.   Sabini defined three kind of embarrassment: Faux-pas - food in your teeth when meeting your new boss center-of-attention - being the guest of honor at a surprise party sticky-situation embarrassment - having to fire someone or give hard feedback    Crina adds a fourth type, vicarious embarrassment, to this list - the feeling of being embarrassed for others.     Embarrassment serves a few important purposes.  Embarrassment signals others that we know we stepped in it and these negative feelings discourage us from doing it again and encourage us to make repairs with others.  It can also encourage us to prepare for a situation to avoid being embarrassed.   Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found people who expressed more outward signs of embarrassment while describing their embarrassing moments (such as tripping) also reported a tendency to be more "prosocial" — that is, kinder and more generous.   Researchers also found that when the study's actor expressed embarrassment, study participants found the actor more trustworthy and wanted to affiliate with him more.  Embarrassment can humanize a leader because it helps break down the barriers between team members and the leader and ultimately allows for stronger connections to form.  Does the leader have some humor about her embarrassment or are they prickly and defensive about the embarrassment?  A leader's response to embarrassment can set the tone for the team.     When we think about how to respond to embarrassment, research suggests most people tend to overestimate how much others notice our embarrassment. We can help put embarrassment in context by detaching ourselves and thinking about how we would react as an observer of our embarrassing situation.  It's likely we will find grace, distance and context in that exercise.     We know embarrassment does not feel good, but it communicates we care and presents opportunities to consider our behavior and be more connected with those around us.   The Surprising Perks of Being Embarrassed Oh no you didn't! Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Countering embarrassment-avoidance by taking an observer's perspective | Motivation and Emotion

There are good reasons why women don't speak up at work, but that silence is not serving us. When we communicate publicly, assertively and honestly for the rights and needs of ourselves and others, we're shifting the power dynamics that have held us all back.  SHOW NOTES   First, we know that women are more likely to speak up for others than they are for themselves.  We also know from the research that women are far more likely to be interrupted and talked over.  A 2014 study by Harvard Business Review found that while men and women see this as a problem, men tend to attribute this to a woman's failure to make their point in a strong, clear way - or getting rattled and allowing themself to be interrupted.  Women tend to attribute this to feeling isolated and not liking conflict.   Our hosts delve deeper into what the research says about why and here is what they found: Insinuation anxiety, which is the fear of insinuating distrust or disapproval of someone else. Fear of embarrassment, need we say more? Pluralistic ignorance, which is when we tend to sit around thinking someone else in the group will speak up - also known as the bystander effect.   When we do not speak up , we end up less of all the good things - physical and emotional well-being and more of what we do not want, stress and unhappiness.   There are some key times to speak up: when our boundaries are violated, when we notice someone is upset, when something goes against the rules, when we recognize danger and when no else does.   Dr. Sunita Sah at Cornell University suggests preparing to speak up can be helpful and asking for more time if you need it.  Crina and Kirsten add, being clear, avoiding over-explaining, being compassionate and honoring your preferences.   The benefits of voicing your thoughts are high - more authenticity and more satisfaction.  It is also critical that each of our very special and unique voices are heard.   MORE GOOD READS Speak Up at Thanksgiving. Your Health Demands It The Unavoidable Trap of Politeness: Why Is It So Hard to Just Say “No”? ‹ Literary Hub Opinion: Why you find it so hard to resist taking bad advice - Los Angeles Times Women, Find Your Voice (hbr.org)  Speaking Up for Yourself Is Important — 11 Steps to Get It Right Why Is It So Hard to Speak Up at Work? - The New York Times The Effect of Gender on Interruptions at Congressional Hearings | American Political Science Review | Cambridge Core 

Love and work embrace as hosts Crina and Kirsten explore how to infuse our work with love. From expressing love through our tasks to cultivating a service mindset and practicing generosity, this episode serves up a recipe for success that's as fulfilling as it is rewarding. Let's bring more love into how we do our work!  SHOW NOTES Crina and Kirsten dive into love and work, where Albert Brooks,  Oprah Winfrey,  Marcus Buckingham, Bob Rosen and Joe Ricciardi serve as guides to infuse our conversation about doing our work with love. Forget the notion that work and love should be kept in separate corners of our lives; we're here to blend them together like the perfect cocktail - at work!  As Kahil Gibran said, “work is love made visible.”  Our work is an amazing opportunity for us to express love - something we are made to do. Our duo digs into the different flavors of workplace love. There's love of purpose, love of accomplishment, love of colleagues, and even love for ourselves. Each adds its own unique flavor to the workplace stew, creating a recipe for success that's as fulfilling as it is rewarding. There is also the opportunity to infuse the work we do with love, which is something we do not talk about as often - how we talk with customers and clients; how we build the thing we are building at work; how we write the memos and letters and emails - with each task there is the opportunity to infuse the task with love.   How do we put this into practice?  We can adopt a service mindset, practice generosity, show compassion, and create trust. And let's not forget to sprinkle gratitude on top—it's the secret ingredient that ties everything together.  Expressing love in our work is a blend of these concepts. So, as we bask in the love of Valentine's Day, let's make a pact to bring more love into how we do our work.  GOOD READS What's Love Got to Do With Work? | Psychology Today Marcus Buckingham: Why “Love” Is the Key to Career Success (hbr.org) The Only Career Advice You'll Ever Need - The Atlantic How To Bring More Love Into Your Work - Eat Your Career Love At Work: Here's How To Truly Show Love To Your Colleagues This Valentine's Day (forbes.com)

In the world of work, where productivity and success are often measured in tangible outcomes, the concept of social capital emerges as a crucial element. It goes beyond the conventional understanding of networking and friendships, delving into the interconnected networks, shared norms, and trust that form the glue holding people and organizations together.  And there are chickens . . . . Crina begins with a story about her husband, Barry, that illustrates what can be the natural and organic creation of social capital. Despite facing skepticism from some team members who deemed it a waste of time, Barry's emphasis on communication among co-workers is creating a cultural shift at his work, fostering collaboration and teamwork. This anecdote parallels a study of chickens, yes, chicken!  The study reveals that individual productivity, while initially successful, ultimately hampers overall success when it comes at the cost of suppressing others and focusing on self. Robert Putnam's research at Harvard helps us understand that social capital extends beyond the workplace, encompassing community bonds and shared values. It differs from mere friendship or networking, encompassing trust and reciprocity - and it is kind of all of those things rolled into one. Social capital is a catalyst for societal well-being, impacting employment levels, academic performance, physical health, economic growth, and even crime rates - and really impactful to teams.  Research highlights the numerous benefits of social capital in the workplace, including lower turnover, improved performance, increased knowledge transfer, innovation, and career mobility.  Social capital at work looks like giving, connecting, and valuing others' expertise without expecting immediate returns is emphasized. It's about building trust and authenticity through reliability, transparency, vulnerability, and empathy.  Social capital is not a quid pro quo - or you scratch my back and I will scratch yours. However, the downside of social capital is also acknowledged. Tight-knit networks may inadvertently exclude non-members and create conformity pressures, potentially limiting personal freedoms. Social capital is not just a soft skill but an imperative for individuals and organizations. It involves creating a culture that values relationships, fosters trust, and recognizes the unique contributions of individuals. In the dance of productivity and success - and well being -  social capital gets us a long way to creating a harmonious and thriving workplace experience.

On this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts delve into the topic of “happierness” and explore the secrets to building a fulfilling life in 2024.  How is that for ease, meaning and joy in 2024!! Drawing insights from renowned social scientist Arthur Brooks and the incomparable Oprah Winfrey, let's navigate through the complexities of the human experience. In the pursuit of “happierness,” we come to understand that happiness is not a constant state but rather a dynamic interplay of three crucial elements: enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning. Unlike the elusive state of perpetual happiness, happierness proves to be a more achievable and sustainable goal. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been catastrophic for public happiness, with percentages of those happy and unhappy experiencing a dramatic shift. Long-term trends indicate a gradual decline in happiness, further exacerbated by the advent of social media, proving detrimental to overall well-being. Contrary to popular belief, money, power, pleasure, and fame are not the key drivers of happiness. True happierness stems from faith, family, friends, and work that serves others, offering a deeper and enduring sense of fulfillment. Breaking down the components of happiness, we discover that enjoyment is distinct from pleasure, involving shared experiences and memories that contribute to lasting joy. Satisfaction arises from the struggle and progress toward goals, requiring a delicate balance between ambition and contentment. Meaning, the understanding of one's purpose and the significance of actions, completes the trifecta. Work, being a significant part of our lives, plays a pivotal role in happiness. The happiest workers find joy in earning their success by creating value and feel a sense of purpose by serving others. Positive relationships at work, commitment, and a genuine desire to make a difference contribute significantly to job satisfaction. And the key to the happiness puzzle seems to be metacognition, or the ability to step back and observe one's emotions, emerges as a key to happiness. Being aware that happiness is contagious, individuals can consciously choose their emotional responses and influence their well-being positively. Developing emotional intelligence involves tools such as journaling to improve metacognition, gratitude practices, laughter, and storytelling to create a diverse emotional bank, promoting better emotional well-being. Choosing hope over optimism becomes a powerful strategy in the pursuit of happiness. Deep friendships, family relationships, and the ability to turn attention away from negativity contribute to a more resilient and content life. Embark on this insightful exploration of happierness and learn how to build the life you want in 2024. Remember, happiness is not a destination but a journey of continuous growth and self-discovery.

In this special New Year's episode, we reflect on the past year and discuss our plans for 2024 as we continue to pursue  EASE, MEANING and JOY! SHOW NOTES Did you know that January 1st has been celebrated as New Year's Day since 45 B.C.? The month of January is named after Janus, the ancient Roman god symbolizing transitions and new beginnings. Crina shares her learnings from 2024, including how to travel alone and the importance of letting go of control in her daily life. She discovered that even small changes can have a significant impact on one's life. Kirsten, on the other hand, realized that her goals were inconsistent, particularly in relation to travel, health, and savings. For the upcoming year, Kirsten plans to focus on mastering the things that have been working well for her and finding more happiness in her life. This includes refining her reactivity, exercising regularly, spending time outdoors, and nurturing her friendships. Crina's plan for 2024 is to continue traveling as much as possible and also prepare herself for aging well physically and financially. Both of us are on this journey of self-improvement in service of ease, meaning, and joy in our lives.  In the next episode, we will discuss the importance of learning in every situation. And don't forget to stay tuned until the end for some hilarious outtakes in our blooper reel!

Unmasking the truth: In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, they dive deep into the importance of authenticity in the workplace. However, a shocking study reveals that more than 3 in 5 workers are hiding something about their identity from their employer, with fear of backlash and career advancement concerns being the main reasons. So, to reveal or not to reveal? That is the question. SHOW NOTES Authenticity is about being genuine, your original self - and there is also an element of being worthy of acceptance.  Authenticity does not mean you need to share your life story or connect with everyone on a deep personal level or share every unfiltered thought or opinion you have.  We know from the research that being authentic makes all things work better - engagement, performance, innovation, retention, belonging - just all of it.  And according to the Harvard Business Review - it makes us more ethical. Why Authentic Workplaces Are More Ethical (hbr.org)   And, we are still hiding things at work.     A recent study by JobSage found more than 3 in 5 workers said that they are currently hiding at least one thing about their identity from their employer and 64% said that they've experienced backlash after revealing something about themselves, most often being treated unkindly or ignored completely.  What do people hide?  The top three are political views, information about their families, information about their own mental health.  JobSage reported that employees hide things about themselves to avoid making people uncomfortable (49%), avoid being stereotyped (43%) and, understandably, out of fear that revelation might impact their career advancement (41%).  Interestingly, men and women are almost equally likely to be hiding something from their employer (66% and 62%, respectively), but for slightly different reasons. While men don't want to make people uncomfortable, women are more concerned about being stereotyped.  A shocking 4 out of 5 employees have repressed some aspect of their identity for the sake of their career.   Some of this hiding is wise and protective.  But according to Dorie Clark, author of Stand Out, there are impacts to hiding.  It consumes energy, it can create the loss of confidence and increased fear, career stagnation and isolation, as well as stifling creativity.    The Real Dangers of Hiding Our Whole Selves at Work: An Interview with Dorie Clark - Navalent…   Listeners, you are precious creatures - not everyone gets your preciousness - use your energy wisely - whether you reveal or not.     More good reads: Authenticity at Work: Everything You Need to Know (betterup.com) Re-thinking authenticity at work | LSE Business Review Find all of our episodes (and cool pictures of Crina and Kirsten) at https://yougettowork.com/

We are diving headlong into the topic of leadership.  Grab your metaphorical popcorn; start your commute or head out the door on a walk- this one is thought provoking! Our co-host, Crina, is on a mission because, in her words, so many people are impacted by the "people in charge." Today's episode is an exploration of leadership, exploring why it's so darn crucial in our modern jungle of responsibilities. Newsflash from the Fortune 500 universe – it's raining women CEOs – relatively speaking anyway! In January 2023, the Fortune 500 list had a glow-up moment with more than 10% of companies now led by women. Finance, healthcare, retail – you name it, women are turning corporate landscapes into their own VIP parties. Leadership is a dance of focus, influence, perspective, and emotional connections. According to the leadership maestros, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall, the secret sauce is meeting the "we" and the "I" needs of your team. But how do we get that secret sauce of the “I” and the “we?”  Project Aristotle, actually a deep look by Google on what makes better teams, reveals the magical ingredients, from creating psychological safety (no public shaming, please) to modeling dependability and providing crystal-clear structures.  The societal expectations we women often wrestle with? Turns out, those are the very things making women fantastic leaders. Decades of psychological research agree; when women lead, magic happens. Dr. Alice Eagly's studies reveal that women make better leaders, with a dash of transformational leadership and out-of-the-box thinking. We know leadership can be stressful and University of Southern California research finds that women make better decisions than men when under stress. Ladies, our brains are like stress-proof shields, managing cortisol like wizards handling wands. Women leaders make work better.  Women leaders aren't just breaking glass ceilings; they're transforming the leadership landscape into a place where there is more ease, meaning and joy.  Find all of our episodes at https://yougettowork.com/

In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, get ready to dive deep into the world of artificial intelligence! We're here to get you psyched about the endless possibilities AI brings. But hold on, before we can fully embrace AI, there are a few things standing in our way. Maybe it's our lack of awareness or understanding that's holding us back. Or perhaps it's concerns about privacy and security. And let's not forget those resistant-to-change folks out there. But hey, just like any other skill, we can overcome these obstacles with a little practice and training. Here's some mind-blowing news for you: a recent Goldman Sachs report reveals that generative AI could impact a whopping 300 million jobs every year across various industries. We're talking healthcare, education, social work, finance, law - you name it! That's HUGE. But guess what? AI isn't just a game-changer for everyone; it's a game-changer for women too. From inclusive hiring practices to learning platforms for skill development, remote work support, and empowering women entrepreneurs - AI has their back. Now, we can't ignore the potential downsides either. If AI is trained on biased data or designed without considering equality, it could perpetuate gender bias. That means discrimination and inequality might become part of AI's programming. And who knows, AI might even snatch jobs traditionally held by women. All that being said, AI can also be a whole lot of fun! So why not give it a shot? Sign up for ChatGPT, Bard, Copilot, or Bing and let your imagination run wild. Write a letter, plan an office party, or even whip up a killer job description with the help of AI. The possibilities are endless!

In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts dish on workplace spouses - but hold tight because, as usual, they have some opinions on workplace romance they need to get out there first!   The origin of the term “work wife” is from 19th century UK and was first used to describe a very close and aligned working relationship between a government minister and his male secretary.  The term then went on to describe female assistants as work wives - taking care of the male bosses personal needs at work.  We have moved away from this - thankfully!   Today the term workplace spouse describes someone at work who is a gender to which we are attracted and with whom we share something of an exclusive, intimate, nonsexual bond with at work.  We need to take care with labels as what we call something can be self-fulfilling.  Simply Hired  reports that half of women and 45% of men report having a work spouse at work and a significant percentage of these folks feel sexual attraction to each other.  In a time where we recognize the benefits of keeping sex out of the workplace, why do we continue to sexualize people who are really friends - let's just have more friends.   Listen as Crina and Kirsten take issue with sexualization of the workplace - and advocate for workplace friends.

Why vote - in part to elect more women.  The research shows that the kind of legislation and policies women sponsor, advocate for and support make a meaningful difference to the experience of women at work and in the community in general.   The state of the world and participation in the executive and legislative parts of government remains unequal.  There are 195 countries in the world and only 26 countries have women heads of state - and the US is not one of those countries.  Only 6 countries in the world have reached gender parity in their legislative branches of government - and the US is not one of those countries.  Facts and figures: Women's leadership and political participation | UN Women – Headquarters.   When women are able to gain access to these roles activities the government engages in change.  For example, In India, local jurisdictions with women-led councils are more likely to have a clean drinking water project as compared to male-led councils.  Women are also more likely to champion issues of gender equality, such as the elimination of gender-based violence, parental leave and childcare, pensions, gender-equality laws, and electoral reform.   As the National League of Women Voters tells us - EVERY VOTE COUNTS.  So get informed and vote - you can change the trajectory of women's experience at work and in our communities.

Get ready for us to take off the gloves and go at it with female rivalry in the workplace.  SHOW NOTES Female rivalry is something that has been identified as keeping and holding women back from success in the workplace - and from equity, which is another one of those messages to us that our lack of equality in the workplace is our own fault - because we are catty and mean.  A large meta-study in the Journal of Organizational Behavior found the research on this topic is conflicted and concluded that the studies thus far on this issue have been inadequate to reach a real conclusion. There appear to be two competing perspectives on this issue – one is that women compare, compete and undermine each other; while the other is that women support and cooperate with each other.  What our hosts believe is that female rivalry as something in itself does not exist and rather when it exists it is the product of a biased and dysfunctional system. Let's start with bias. Women are expected to be communal and collaborative and supportive in the workplace.  However, the workplace also expects us to compete for influence, promotions, and power.  When woman act in opposite of the expectations around the “nice” behavior and engage in the competitive behavior, they are more harshly judged than their male counterparts.  This is yet another situation where the same behavior is differently judged based on gender.  As Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant write “[w]omen aren't any meaner to women than men are to one another. Women are just expected to be nicer. We stereotype men as aggressive and women as kind. When women violate these stereotypes, we judge them harshly." What the research does say is the fewer opportunities there are for women, the more likely women are to report female rivalry.  When there are fewer opportunities for women, there is often something wrong or dysfunctional about the system, which results in dysfunctional behavior from women.  This is not to say queen bees do not exist – just like men – but it is to say women are more harshly judged for it and tit is more likely to occur in an environment when there are fewer opportunities for women. More good reads: Catty, bitchy, queen bee or sister? A review of competition among women in organizations from a paradoxical‐coopetition perspective - Kark - Journal of Organizational Behavior - Wiley Online Library Gossip, Exclusion, Competition, and Spite: A Look Below the Glass Ceiling at Female-to-Female Communication Habits in the Workplace Opinion | Sheryl Sandberg on the Myth of the Catty Woman - The New York Times What everybody needs to know about female rivalry in the workplace - AB Media & Communication  

In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work our hosts reconsider a fundamental part of this podcast and our experiences at work – meaning.  Meaning is the why of what we do, the significance of our work, the point, what makes what we do worthwhile – big stuff. Research shows that meaningfulness is more important to us than any other aspect of our jobs — including pay and rewards, opportunities for promotion, and working conditions. When we experience our work as meaningful, we're more engaged, committed, and satisfied.   Meaningful Work | Michael F. Steger. When we experience meaning at work, our performance it better, we are more loyal, our jobs become more dear to us to such an extent that we are willing to give up money, we are more engaged, our attendance is better, we are more likely to be promoted and we experience more well-being,  7 Surprising Benefits of Doing Meaningful Work. Leaders have a significant role in creating meaning at work for those they lead.  Leaders who are able to communicate the work's greater impact, recognize and nurture potential, articulate values and act on those values with their own personal integrity and give employee's some freedom and autonomy in their work are more like to have employees articulate their work is meaningful. 7 Surprising Benefits of Doing Meaningful Work. As individual women at work, we can experience more meaning in our work by being more mindful and aware- of both ourselves and others.  As we are more aware of our environment, we are better in our daily interactions and able to see and articulate what we need and be more aware of what our co-workers need. As we are more mindful and aware, we are more creative in our solutions to problems, and as we solve problems, we experience more meaning. What Makes Work Meaningful? Meaning may be the most important element of workplace satisfaction.  It can turn the mundane into the magical.

You need play, you are never too old for play, play is fun - and play at work makes work so much better.  Bring on the joy!   What is play? It is an in the moment activity with the goal of amusement or fun.  Our mammalian brains love play.  The bigger the brain in an animal, the more play the animal seems to engage in.  This is because play is how we learn and explore the world - and mammalian brains have made this activity feel good so that we are motivated to do it.  In one study of play in bears, bears who played more were more likely to survive.   But what about play at work?  Research has found evidence that play at work is linked with less fatigue, boredom, stress, and burnout in individual workers.   Play is also positively associated with job satisfaction, sense of competence, and creativity.   Studies show that when a participant receives a task that is presented playfully, they are more involved and spend more time on the task. It also improves our emotional, attitudinal, cognitive being.  Teams of workers can benefit from play via increased trust, bonding and social interaction, sense of solidarity, and a decreased sense of hierarchy.  Furthermore, findings suggest that play at work can benefit whole organizations by creating a friendlier work atmosphere, higher employee commitment to work, more flexible organization-wide decision making, and increased organizational creativity.  WOW! As we mature, we develop a style or mode in which we are most comfortable being playful. Dr. Stuart Brown, author and founder of the National Institute of Play, calls these styles of playfulness, “play personalities.”  These are not based on scientific data, rather Dr. Brown discerned them from thousands of interviews and observations: Connector, Joker, Kinesthete, Explorer, Competitor, Director, Collector, Artist/Creator, Storyteller, and Connector.     Which play personalities speak to you?   Read more at:  How to Have Fun at Work Science of People Cultivating a sense of playfulness at work and in life Forced Fun Sucks - So Why Do Organizations Keep Doing It? How to Have Fun at Work Everything You Wanted To Know About Play At Work (But Were Afraid To Ask) Stuart Brown: Play is more than just fun | TED Talk

On this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts reset the state of women at work after a restful and relaxing hiatus.     Joan Williams and her daughter Rachel Dempsey, wrote What Works for Women at Work.  Joan has decades of experience as a law professor and she runs a project focused primarily on women at work called Work Life Law at Hastings Law School.  Rachel is a journalist.   The authors have characterized womens' experiences at work into four patterns:   Prove it Again stems from assumptions about how women will behave at work.  This pattern looks like being penalized for mistakes that men make with little or no consequence; having to defend your decision or back it up with data, even if you are a seasoned professional; and the “stolen idea.”   The Tightrope stems for the precarious balance women are expected to strike between masculinity and femininity.  This pattern looks like being “too much” or “not enough”, being either a bitch or a doormat; and being pressed into traditionally feminine roles, such as taking notes.    The Maternal Wall stems from the strong negative competence and commitment associations triggered by motherhood and prescriptive bias (mothers should be at home). Joan and Rachel say “the ideal worker is expected to be unreservedly devoted to work, while the ideal mother is expected to invest similar levels of devotion to her children. As a result motherhood is perceived as incompatible with high levels of work effort.”  This pattern looks like not getting hired or promoted because of the assumptions others make about the obligations of motherhood.   The Tug of War stems from women working in what is a dysfunctional system.  Rather than supporting each other, we can pit ourselves against one another, we can also buy into male norms. Sometimes our different strategies to deal with a dysfunctional system pit us against each other.   Joan and Rachel remind us of a few important premises when we consider these four patterns: There is a stubborn gap at the top between men and women and their success at work A lot of what we are told at work is wrong Denial does not help - we cannot assume our excellence will save us from these experiences Everyone's a little bit sexist Know the rules, then break them - “there is no right way to be a woman”    The book is full of strategies to address the four patterns and a chapter on lessons learned from the research.    Joan's Work LIfe Law institute has developed what they refer to as bias interrupters, which are assessments and training to address the bias which is the root of the four patterns.  Check out Bias Interrupters on the Work Like Law website.   Joan and Rachel's book is a comprehensive look at women's experience at work.  They remind us what we experience is real, they help us to clearly define that experience and they provide excellent strategies, tools, lessons and stories for us to best manage that experience.  

A key to time management is learning how to say, “no.” Join us in this final rerun of the summer and revisit time management, how your values dictate your priorities, and when to say, “no”. 

We know you will enjoy the chance to revisit this important topic as part of our summer focus on rest, relaxation and vacations! As a reminder...Our minds and bodies need rest from things like mental stimulation, social encounters, creative endeavors and emotional outputs. Taking time to truly rest your mind, body and soul is the ultimate self care regiment and a direct line to ease, meaning and joy at work, and in life!   SHOW NOTES       Why do We Working Women Need Rest?   According to Saundra Dalton-Smith in The 7 Types of Rest that Every Person Needs,  “[w]ithout attention to rest, we are creating a culture of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically tired and chronically burned-out individuals.”  According to psych central, 70 percent of visits to the doctor are due to stress-related health issues. “Rest is the only way to engage the part of our nervous system that allows for relaxation.” It is literally vital for our physical and mental health.”  The 7 types of rest that every person needs | (ted.com)   What Does the Data Say about the Effectiveness of Rest?   Researchers at Stanford did a series of experiments looking at the effects of walking on creativity, as measured by a test of divergent thinking—which asked people to come up with novel ways of using an everyday item, like a brick or a doorstop. The researchers compared participants' performance under four conditions: while walking on a treadmill, while seated inside, while walking outside, or while being wheeled outside in a wheelchair. Their results showed that walking and being outside each separately led to better performance on the test. Moreover, in one experiment, the researchers showed that the benefits of walking on creativity did not fade immediately, but carried over into performance on future tests. ”https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_resting_more_can_boost_your_productivity   The company Basecamp added another day to the weekend and found productivity unchanged.  Workers got done in 4 days what had taken 5.  8 Minute Read Why Restorative Rest Makes You More Productive And How To Achieve It   How Do We Achieve the Restorative Rest    Whether you schedule a walk with a friend (or by yourself), commit to get up from your desk once every hour to get a glass of water, meditate for 10 minutes before you start your day or book your solo vacation - get it on your schedule!     If you want to restore your creative energy - get inspired by listening to music, getting outside in nature, watching the sunset or enjoying beautiful art. If you want to restore your physical energy, sleep - of course, but also just sitting.  If you find yourself irritable and unable to concentrate, you may have expended too much mental energy - which is classic Kirsten.  Schedule a time to take a breath.  Crina schedules lunch and commits to healthy, nutritious food and it is an anchor in her day and restorative in many ways. If you are on sensory overload - turn everything off and shut your eyes - just for 10 deep breaths - and avoid going home and turning the tv on - find some quiet. Emotional energy is complicated - are you holding others emotions or has life just sent you on an emotional roller-coaster?  Identify what you need - maybe you need to authentically express your emotions in a safe place or to wrap a metaphorical quilt around your tender soul?  Social rest is an obvious one for those of us who are introverts - we need time to ourselves, and so do those of us who are extroverts - we just tend to need less of it and sometimes not realize it.  Spiritual rest is the energy to find deep meaning, a sense of purpose and belonging and love.  When those things are missing from our lives, it may be time to up our spiritual energy quotient.  It could be faith or religion, but Dalton-Smith suggests that you can cultivate a sense of purpose with music, uplifting and inspiring videos, focusing on the magical - such as the bloom of a flower or dew on a leaf - and then going back to these moments when you feel disconnected.   Check out Dalton-Smith's article above - it is a rich trove of ideas and the inspiration for this show.

This episode is #3 in our summer of rest, relaxation and (appropriately) encore episodes! We know you'll love this rerun and find inspiration in our exploration of this very important topic!   SHOW NOTES    Caring for yourself is not self-indulgent, it's essential to your well-being. Regardless of what you're told by the patriarchy, self-care is a way of life, not a product you can buy.Lets all remember the quote from poet and writer Audre Lord who writes, “Caring for myself is not self- indulgence. It is self preservation, and this is an act of political warfare.”  Crina and Kirsten talk about self-care from the Audre Lorde perspective. Not as a massage or a bottle of fancy bath bubbles, but as actions that put our needs before those of others to create practices that are restorative. Crina and Kirsten discuss their own restorative practices and how to create those so that you can bring your best self to all things, including your work. GOOD READS The history of self-care The problem with self-care

Burnout is still an issue for so many of our listeners. In fact burnout is so pervasive that over seventy-five percent of the workforce is currently, or has previously experienced it.  As a refresher, it feels like depletion, exhaustion, disconnection, negative emotions and reduced capacity...sound familiar?  You're not alone!    SHOW NOTES Burnout is a  real diagnosis - and defined as “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” by the World Health Organization.  This relatively new diagnosis is defined as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and 3) reduced professional efficacy. Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”   Christina Maslach (creator of the Maslach Burnout Inventory) first identified the syndrome - and it came out of her work with healthcare workers and their families.  Here are her inventory questions:   How often are you tired and lacking energy to go to work in the morning? How often do you feel physically drained, like your batteries are dead? How often is your thinking process sluggish or your concentration impaired? How often do you feel emotionally detached from co-workers (or customers) and unable to be sensitive to their needs?   Does it sound like you?  If you are like most of us - yes, at least some teimes.   How does this happen?  When we carry too much for too long and cannot effectively process our emotions, our neurological system gets overloaded - and we are unable to effectively deal with this overload.   Who does this happen to?  Well, all of us, but those of us that are anxious or have a low self esteem or poor boundaries are thought to be more likely to suffer burnout, according to a study of Spanish nurses.  According to authors Rachel Montane and Erika Pryor, women of color also carry the emotional burden of discrimination, fear of retaliation - and of course much of the emotional labor of diversity in the workplace..   Employers contribute to burnout by unfair treatment, an unmanageable workload, unrealistic deadlines, poor communication and a lack of support.   Enter Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski, authors of Burnout, who just happen to be identical twins.  They have concluded, based on their research, that the key to preventing burnout is to manage the emotions you are having so that we do not become emotionally exhausted.  They encourage us to process the emotion - actually turn towards it, and feel it.  Scary!!  But we can do it.   Here are the twins' suggestions to deal with, process and get on the other side of our emotions.   Engage in physical activity Try breathing exercises Make positive connections with people you love and care about (call someone or better yet go for a walk with a friend) Laugh - a great big belly laugh Hug for 20 seconds - the full slightly uncomfortable 20 seconds Cry - they promise it will not go on forever Be Creative - paint, sing, dance, write   The key is to send our body a signal that the danger is over, we are safe.  And how do we know our emotions have been processed and we are “done?”  The twin doctors promise your body will tell you.   Be aware of your depletion clues.  Are you sleeping well and enough?  Are you engaging in activities where you do not think of work? Are you taking breaks at work?  Do you have work-life boundaries?   The solution to burnout is actually more than self-care.  It is more about managing emotions.    While burnout is prevalent, there are things we can do to recognize our vulnerability, determine whether it is happening to us and work to relieve that chronic stress through the processing of emotions.     More good reads: How to Recover From Burnout & Love Work Again According to Science   How to Eliminate Burnout and Retain Top Talent  

Crina and Kirsten are on summer break and recommend revisiting one of their favorite episodes: “You Need More Vacations.”  Follow their lead, take another listen and plan some refreshing, rejuvenating, reviving, restoring and revitalizing time away from work.  Enjoy!   SHOW NOTES Before our hosts take off on the vacation topic, they consider the advantages of shorter, yet still meaningful breaks in your day.  Crina talks about her time with trees, and as usual, Kirsten has her head in a book called Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday, which discusses the benefits of space to your intellectual, physical and spiritual well-being.     The data about vacations very clearly tells us that vacations increase productivity and satisfaction in the workplace.  In fact, studies show that even planning your vacation can lift your spirits.  And, just an additional 10 hours of vacation can improve performance according to a study by Ernst & Young.   Too many people let cost, pets, concern about work coverage, too much work, fear of being gone from work or home get in the way of what is an uplifting and rejuvenating experience, including the 52% of Americans who do not use all of their vacation.  WHAT??!!   Our host end this show with some tips about how to make getting out of and coming back to the workplace easier, a discussion about whether you work while you are on vacation (mostly no) and how to make the most of your time away.  So get out there and enjoy!   GOOD READS 5 reasons you need to take a vacation according to science. Opinion | Relax! You'll Be More Productive Why You Need to Take a Vacation (Even When You Can't Afford One) USTravel.org What to Do With a Day off