Looking Up: A Unity Podcast

Why is psychological safety so vital, and why are underrepresented groups often the last to have it? Wharton School of Business professor Ingrid Nembhard walks us through the nuts and bolts of creating a culture where interpersonal risk taking is not just possible, but prioritized for high performance in an information economy.

We are joined by legendary executive coach Sally Helgesen, co-author of the bestselling How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion or Job. How can we network effectively in a hybrid workplace? Why should you stop criticizing that self-promoting colleague? Sally's superpower is concrete tips that cut through the noise.

Why are women especially vulnerable to burnout, and what does science say we can do to manage it? Sociologist and author Dr. Christine Carter tells us how to find our “sweet spot:” a science-based path to achievement where we find our greatest power with minimal stress.

The pandemic plunged an unprecedented number of women into mental health crises. In this episode we are joined by Kelly Greenwood, founder and CEO of Mind Share Partners, a national nonprofit changing the culture of workplace mental health. Kelly talks with Rachel and Paramita about the unique barriers women face to navigating mental health challenges on the job, and how managers can normalize conversations about mental health so that women can lead and work with integrity.

If you've ever found yourself reluctantly raising your hand to volunteer for yet another thankless task, do not miss this episode. Professor Lise Vesterlund stops by to talk about her new, co-authored book The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women's Dead End Work. Lise and her coauthors show how women are systematically asked and expected to take on tasks that go unrewarded, and offer simple strategies to say no with grace.

It's been said that meetings are where culture is created, groundbreaking ideas are shared and people learn whether they are valued. In part two of our conversation with Brad Johnson and David Smith, we explore what is lost when meetings limit full participation. Brad and David share simple strategies to level the playing field so all voices – and ideas – can be heard.

Many men are eager to help women fight bias and advance in their careers – but how exactly should they do it? Professors Brad Johnson and David Smith, authors of Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace, walk us through what practical allyship looks like. What do you say when someone is being offensive to women? How can you learn to see what was previously invisible to you? How should you tell a woman you want to help?

What if doing it all isn't the key to success -- and letting go is? Author and startup founder Tiffany Dufu shares how the birth of her first child led her to rebuild her life according to a new set of rules. In her book Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less, Tiffany shares actionable tools for women to embrace imperfection, expect less of themselves and seek more from others―so they can focus on what they truly care about, devote the necessary energy to achieving their real goals, and build a rich, rewarding life.

Author and workplace expert Lauren Smith Brody makes an unexpected argument about our lives as caregivers in a pandemic: we've been forced to rebuild the way we work and live in ground shaking ways—just as many of us did when we first became parents. At the same time, the pandemic has thrust many couples into throwback gender roles, and women are shouldering the brunt of childcare and housework. Lauren shares strategies from her bestselling book, The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom's Guide to Style, Sanity, and Success After Baby. Kelly and Rachel explore the upside to work from home, and how the pandemic will change the way we work forever. Episode Discussion Guide: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/image/02_Discussion+Guide_+Caregiving+in+a+Pandemic.pdf

Why do so many women avoid sharing their strengths, and why do they respond to compliments by putting themselves down? Kelly and Rachel turn the clock back to the earliest days of grade school, when many girls learn to be modest and boys learn to be outspoken. They uncover the surprising reason why self-promotion is about much more than tooting your own horn, and share strategies to talk yourself up in a way that won't leave you feeling icky. Episode Discussion Guide: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/image/05_Discussion+Guide_+Sharing+Our+Strengths.pdf

Kelly and Rachel speak with Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and the first Indian-American woman to run for Congress. Reshma tells the moving story of how failure set her free from life as a pleaser, and shares strategies from her bestselling book, Brave Not Perfect: How Celebrating Imperfection Helps You Live Your Best, Most Joyful Life. Together they explore how our earliest experiences shape how we feel about failure, why the stakes are higher for women of color who fail, and the best tools to transform failure into an opportunity for growth. Episode Discussion Guide: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/image/06_Discussion+Guide_+Failing+Well+.pdf

Research shows that sponsorship accelerates the careers of senior leaders, yet women consistently get less of it. PayPal CFO John Rainey and VP of Business Operations Martha Cass take us inside their sponsor-protégé relationship and examine how it has enhanced both of their careers. What is the difference a sponsor makes, and what's in it for the sponsor? As John quotes from Emerson, “Our chief want in life is for someone to inspire us to be the person we can be.”

Why are we so much kinder to others than to ourselves? Why do so many of us turn to self-criticism as a source of motivation? Kelly and Rachel unpack the research on self-compassion, which consistently shows that being an ally to yourself during times of suffering can make you more resilient, engaged and brave. Women are somewhat more likely to lack self-compassion, and Kelly and Rachel look at why, then practice the three steps for self-compassion developed by Professor Kristin Neff. Episode Discussion Guide: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/image/07_Discussion+Guide_+The+Promise+of+Self-Compassion.pdf

No matter how hard some of us work, or how much we achieve, we live with the nagging feeling that we aren't qualified for our positions. Why? Kelly and Rachel take on imposter syndrome, unpacking what causes it and the ways imposter thoughts can shape our behavior in lasting ways. When are we most likely to feel like imposters, and how should we manage it? Kelly and Rachel look at two simple strategies to quiet our inner imposter voice, then explore whether it's really a woman's responsibility to “fix” her imposter syndrome if her workplace is dominated by men. Episode Discussion Guide: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/image/01_Discussion+Guide_Imposter+Syndrome.pdf

Overthinking—repetitive, negative thoughts that focus on the cause or effect of our distress—leads to depression, decreased motivation and lower confidence. Kelly and Rachel unpack why women are significantly more likely to overthink, and share the actions and distractions that are our best bets to beat it. Episode Discussion Guide: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/image/04_Discussion+Guide_+How+to+Quit+Overthinking.pdf

Being brave isn't something that just happens to us; it requires learning and practicing a set of skills that everyone can improve at over time. Rachel and Kelly look at the research on what makes us brave in the face of uncertainty, and the powerful role privilege plays in who gets to take a risk. Episode Discussion Guide: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/image/03_Discussion+Guide_+Building+a+Brave+Career.pdf