The Busyness Paradox

Live from the Southern Management Association conference in St. Pete Beach, FL, Frank and Paul interview Cornel University's Dr. Mike Lynn, arguably the world's foremost researcher on service tipping. We discuss the pros and cons of tipping as a form of compensation, demographic differences in tipping rates and, of course, the sudden proliferation of tipping into seemingly every facet of our lives. If you're tired of tipping at self-service cash registers, you'll enjoy this one. And if you're a management researcher, listen up! Stunningly, with the exception of Dr. Lynn, this dramatic shift in service work compensation has flown almost completely under our radar so far. Let's get cracking folks. Links to People and Publications Mentioned in This Episode:- Dr. Michael Lynn - Michael D. Johnson and Family Professor of Services Marketing, Cornell University- The moral imperative of tipping- A Traveler's Guide to Tipping in a Changed World- Danny Meyer's Restaurants Will End Their No-Tipping Policy- Service sweethearting: An effective way to increase tips?- Giving vs. Giving InCome visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

Fans of American College Football were recently treated to a baffling display of heroic determination. Needing only to touch a kneecap to a blade of grass to secure a hard fought victory, the University of Miami's gridiron team bravely stole defeat from the jaws of victory. How? With unnecessary busywork, of course.  Come visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

Larry Thornton and Dave Ketchen join us to discuss their award-winning graphic novel, "You Have to Live, Why Not Win?" and Larry's journey from racial segregation to success as an entrepreneur, author, teacher and artist. This is our most inspirational interview yet and will make you question your perceptions of yourself and others. In a good way. We promise. If you listen to one episode of the Busyness Paradox, make sure it's this one.As Frank summarized in his review of the book (in press, Academy of Management Learning & Education):Ultimately, indeed, you have to live, and with generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, becoming more prevalent in the work- place, the characteristics of communication skills, relationship skills, disposition, deportment, and demeanor introduced in this book are certain to help students differentiate themselves through their ability to relate to others, thus giving them a greater opportunity to win.Links to People, Places, and Books Mentioned in this Episode:- You Have to Live…Why Not Win? A Graphic Novel- Why Not Win? Reflections on a fifty-year journey from the segregated South to America's boardrooms - and what it can teach us all- Why Not Win Institute- Larry Thornton- Dave KetchenCome visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

We humans have a love/hate relationship with change. Many of us are probably alive today because some cave-dwelling ancestor said “on second thought, let's not try that new shortcut through viper country cousin Erg suggested before he mysteriously disappeared.” Yet we also fear the consequences of NOT changing with the times: obsolescence, boredom and generally getting left behind as the world moves on. And so we cling to the familiar, instinctively pushing back against the mere suggestion that there are new and better ways to do our jobs or live our lives. All while harboring a dread fear of what would almost certainly happen if we don't embrace the very changes we are afraid of. Join us as we ponder this paradox of paralysis, where the only thing we fear more than change is the consequences of not changing.  Come visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

Have you ever gotten a pay raise and then, looking back, sort of wished you hadn't? It's become a surprisingly common phenomenon as employees have found hidden strings attached to the Covid-era generosity shown by employers. To discuss this unusual predicament, we sought out someone with a usual perspective on the workplace: meet Dr. Caleb Sanchez, a former police officer turned business psychologist. Join us as Dr. Sanchez, founder of Executive Equilibrium, shares his advice for adjusting to the shifting realities of the post-Covid workplace.Come visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

With all the fanfare about artificial intelligence these past few months, listeners have asked us: "Will ChatGPT put an end to busywork?" Like all self-appointed experts, we took the question straight to ChatGPT. It tells us that "ChatGPT is designed to provide automated assistance and support...helping employees perform tasks more efficiently and effectively, reducing the amount of busywork they need to do." We're…cautiously optimistic. Come visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

It's that time of year when endless news reports about March Madness-related “time theft” bubble up to the surface (get it? like teams on the bubble? anyone?) They all bemoan the incalculable dollar amount, which dozens of studies nonetheless claim to calculate, lost to employees watching basketball instead of working. Our take: if your employees are doing what you pay them to do and you're furious that they didn't do more because they were watching basketball, you're the time thief.Mentioned in this episode:Who's The Real Time Thief?March Madness Underscores Cost of Workplace Time Theft Stealing time at work: Attitudes, social pressure, and perceived control as predictors of time theft. Journal of Business Ethics, 94, 53-67.Employee time theft: Conceptualization, measure development, and validation. Personnel Psychology, 75, 347-382.Come visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

Join us as we pat ourselves on the back for reaching the fabled 52-episode milestone. Because 52 is way more exciting than 50. Not because we had already passed 50 episodes without realizing it. Why would you even think that? Anyways, publishing 52 episodes has taught us that podcasting shares a (wait for it…) paradox with many seemingly simple jobs: the more skill and effort you put into it, the less skill and effort the average consumer thinks it requires. This is a frustration well-known to car mechanics, tailors, and football kickers whose reward for making hard jobs look easy is to be told "anyone can do that!" by observers who endeavor to make easy jobs look hard.  And so we dedicate this 52nd episode spectacular to them and to all of you who appreciate the value of legitimately “hard" work, even if your customers do not.Links to resources mentioned in this episode:07:20 Alabama football recruiting: Nick Saban turns down huge NIL request14:43 Electric Vehicles Battery Problem16:16 Leno: Appreciation for hard work is fading, and old cars aren't easy29:50 Are You Entertained—Or Addicted?41:25 Episode #7: BS Jobs56:50 Bone Valley podcastCome visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

We all know the story. After worshipping at the altar of "lean" for decades, we spent two years wondering where all the toilet paper and pickup trucks went. Covid reminded us that too much efficiency could be colossally inefficient, slack was back, hooray. Then you tried to board that Southwest flight a couple months ago and you realized the germ-like aversion to slack had taken root far beyond the manufacturing sector. In this episode, we discuss how keeping "slack in the system" in all aspects of our lives helps us stay happy, productive, and safe from the horrifying dystopia foretold by Garfield In Paradise. (chrome, chrome, chrome…bop bop a re-bop)Mentioned in this episode:1:40 - Episode #50: Unions, Strikes, and Your Rights with Dan Gilmore3:20 - FTC Holds Public Forum on Proposed Rule Banning Use of Non-Compete Agreements10:20 - The Employment Situation - December 202210:50 - Episode #48: Let's Get Down(sized)!11:05 - The Lords of Easy Money: How the Federal Reserve Broke the American Economy14:20 - Billionaire Charlie Munger says to stop complaining everyone is five times better off than they used to be15:00 - The 15-Hour Workweek15:40 - Episode #41: Time For Niksen (not that Nixon)20:15 - Why 2023 Could Finally Be the Year of the 4-Day Workweek20:15 - Episode #44: Charlotte Lockhart and the 4-Day Week25:20 - Southwest Airlines Has Fallen Apart39:00 - Garfield in Paradise Come visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

If you're like us, you grew up being told that American labor unions were a fading relic of the past. After a string of successful organizing drives and a stunning 406 strikes in 2022, we're beginning to question that assumption. Reflecting on the ongoing labor strife in the American railroad industry, we decided it was time to bring in an expert to discuss the current state of organized labor in the U.S. In this episode, Dan Gilmore, Attorney at Law and Founder of Squire Strategies, joins us to not only discuss the ins and outs of modern labor unions but he also teaches us about the rights of non-unionized workers that very few Americans are aware of.  If you have a job - any job - you're going to want to listen to this episode.Come visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

Back in March 2020, millions of workers around the world abruptly learned that their jobs didn't always require their presence at a specific desk in a specific building at a specific set of times each and every week. After a bumpy start, many began to appreciate the flexibility, autonomy and, to varying degrees, empowerment this new approach to work afforded. Others decided it wasn't for them. A few decided it wasn't for anyone. That a vocal minority is bent on pushing us all back into our offices and cubicles should come as no surprise to longtime listeners. But who are these committed defenders of the pre-pandemic status quo? And what are their motivations? That's where things get a bit interesting.Mentioned In This Episode:9:15 - Privilege and Pro-Office Pablum33:25 - Calling Out Kardashian (Busyness Paradox Episode #38)37:14 - Much Ado About WUSI (Busyness Paradox Episode #27)46:40  - Time For Niksen (not that Nixon) (Busyness Paradox Episode #41)If you find this topic interesting you might enjoy these earlier episodes as well!- Chasing Productivity & Creativity in Work From Home (WFH)- Couch or Cubicle?- Shady Statistics and the Status Quo- The 15-Hour Workweek- WFH is Dead! Long Live WFH!- Expanding the Compressed Workweek- Charlotte Lockhart and the 4-Day WeekCome visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

“Everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” So says Mike Tyson, and so it is with layoffs. No one starts a new job expecting it to end with a pink-slip. Even when the grim employment reaper is seen milling about our own workplace, it's easy to convince ourselves that he's only harvesting other people's jobs. And yet, almost half of us will be downsized at least once in our careers. Join us as we discuss some warning signs and proactive steps to take when layoffs are afoot. Also, please help us figure out the plural of ostrich. We'd Google it but we laid off our Assistant Senior Vice President of Internet Searches. Mentioned in This Episode:15:30 - The delusional demands of some Twitter employees 19:00 - Striking Back: Protecting Your Paycheck When Your Job Goes Off The Rails 22:50 - Do You Have Too Many Employees? 22:31 - Boring Job Burnout 24:10 - BS Jobs 24:00 - How Common Are BS Jobs? 26:30 - How to Deal with Layoff Anxiety30:00 - The 15-Hour Work WeekCome visit us at busynessparadox.com to see episode transcripts, blog posts and other content while you're there!

Almost three years in, we think it's safe to conclude that history will view the 2020's as "an interesting time to be alive." But a silver lining of these turbulent times has been the widespread rethinking about how work should "work." The resulting push toward previously-unthinkable levels of flexibility, empowerment and compensation has met with some friction, however. The resulting labor unrest, strikes, and (our favorite) the paradoxical threat of widespread layoffs amid historic staff shortages, has made a lot of us understandably anxious about our current and future jobs. In this episode, we discuss strategies for keeping your career and your sanity from going off the rails.Links to Topics Discussed in This Episode:1:01 - Rail workers push to strike. Here's why they're angry.9:08 - Timeline of strikes in 20229:59 - Alabama Miners Slam Corporate Media Blackout Of Struggle (video)10:30 - Striking Alabama coal miners refuse to pay $13.3 million in ordered damages17:45 - Great Apprehension: Majority of Americans ‘are fearful of losing their job,' analyst says23:01 - How to Deal with Layoff Anxiety25:53 - Rumours and gossip demand continuous action by managers in daily working life Visit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

By now you've probably heard about "quiet quitting," the latest workplace trend to blow the minds of journalists and social media posters alike. This stunning act of rebellion involves employees doing the work they are paid to do. Seriously. That's what quiet quitting is. It's neither quiet nor quitting, but it's a movement nonetheless. The hoopla, of course, is about what these mutinous workers are NOT doing. They're not making charitable donations of their time and energy to their employers. They're not responding to work emails at their kids' birthday parties. They're not spending extra (unpaid) hours in the office as a matter of course. They're not viewing the contents of their job descriptions as "the bare minimum." And so, in solidarity with this movement, we present a stripped-down, "bare minimum" deep-dive into quiet quitting. Articles and Books Discussed in this Episode:What Is Quiet Quitting on TikTok?If Your Co-Workers Are ‘Quiet Quitting,' Here's What That MeansQuiet Quitting: Why Doing the Bare Minimum at Work Has Gone GlobalEmployees Say ‘Quiet Quitting' Is Just Setting Boundaries. Companies Fear Long-Term EffectsA Look at 'Quiet Quitting' — and Whether It's a Good or Bad ThingThe Backlash to Quiet Quitting Smacks of Another Attempt by the Ruling Class to Get Workers Back Under Their Thumbs: Am I Wrong?Tessa West: Jerks at Work: Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About ThemVisit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

We've all seen the signs and memes. We've heard the cranky scorn from talking heads, business owners, politicians and old men yelling at clouds. No one (except them) wants to work anymore! Everyone (except them) is lazy! In this episode, we challenge the ironically lazy thinking behind these claims and ask those who feel this way to consider an alternative explanation: maybe people just don't want to work for you?Mentioned in this Episode:16:21 - A Brief History of Nobody Wants to Work Anymore21:18 - Why so few teenagers have jobs anymore24:40 - Exclusive: Hyundai subsidiary has used child labor at Alabama factoryVisit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

You asked us to talk more about four-day work weeks, we did you one better. Join us for a discussion with Charlotte Lockhart, founder and managing director of the 4 Day Week Global Foundation! With operations in North America, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Europe, Charlotte and her husband, Andrew Barnes (author of The 4 Day Week), are at the literal forefront of this movement. If you've ever questioned the Monday-Friday, one-size-fits-all approach to work scheduling, we think you'll like what she has to say.Links to People and Publications Mentioned in this Episode:4 Day Week Global: 4dayweek.comCharlotte LockhartAndrew BarnesBook - The 4 Day Week by Andrew Barnes:PaperbackAudiobook (Audible)Audiobook (Audible UK)Visit us at busynessparadox.com and check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

With all the changes brought about by Covid-19, you might not be surprised to hear about a huge uptick in research on the effects of shortened work weeks. You might be surprised to hear that this sudden burst of scholarly interest began - and ended - in the 1970s. What did our (presumably) bell-bottomed forebears learn about the pros and cons of ditching the traditional five-day workweek? Why did it take a pandemic to rekindle our interest? Visit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

There is such a thing as "good" busyness - that baseline euphoria you feel when you're humming along, pummeling your to-do list like it owes you money. There's also such a thing as fake busyness - that absurd phenomenon where adults convene in an office and pretend to be doing important work stuff. Look over at your employees or coworkers. Which type of busyness do you see? Are you sure? Join us as we discuss the telltale signs of a culture that rewards fake busyness and some things managers can do to help employees focus on being productive instead of acting productive. Visit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

That's it! We're starting a church...Links to articles, episodes and topics discussed in this episode:0:30 - The U.S. tried permanent daylight saving time in the 1970s — then quickly rejected it2:10 - What Happened the Last Time the U.S. Tried to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent?3:30 - The Nocturnals5:40 - Nixing Busyness with Niksen13:42 - We Put the Cult in Culture17:11 - Goldman Sachs wants workers back in office 5 days a week—‘a stampede' of other companies could follow, experts say20:30 - Young Bankers Have an Absurd Work Life24:05 - Transcard 29:32 - Gen Z Does Not Dream of LaborVisit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

Every few months someone proclaims the death of this working-from-home silliness. Citing indisputably indisputable sources, they assure us that our long nightmare of comfort and efficiency is over. "Rejoice!" they tell us! All who toil in their comfy clothes under the scornful eye of their pet cat, "Buttons"...fear not! The commutes, cubicles, and in-person meetings that are the God-given right of every man, woman and child with at least an associates degree from a regionally accredited college or university will be yours again soon. But then someone invariably comes along with "comprehensive data" that "reflects the real world" and ruins the party. Alas, it's our sad duty to report new evidence that, once again, confirms our darkest fears: that every job and every employee is different and that cramming us all back into the one-size-fits-all world that recognized the sanctity of on-site work just ain't happening. Sigh. Links to People, Publications, and Podcasts Mentioned in This Episode:0:24 - John Martin, Ph.D., Wright State University0:27 - Fed-Up Managers Declare Wfh Is Over, as 77% Say They'd Fire You or Cut Your Pay for Not Coming Back to the Office1:04 - Asana Report: Anatomy of Work Global Index1:16 - Shady Stats and the Status Quo9:12 - Inflation and the Paradoxical Pay Raise15:15 - SHRM (Society for Human Research Management)25:36 - The Efficiency Paradox26:21 - BS Jobs28:09 - Manage Things, Lead People: The Curt Tueffert Interview30:22 - The "Year of Structure" Episodes: The Four-Day Work Week The Year of Gettin' S**t DoneVisit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

Been a whole lot of quitting goin' on these past couple years. Early on we celebrated triumphant stories of the over-worked and under-appreciated declaring that enough was enough. These days we're hearing less inspiring tales, where reasonably content employees change jobs and find that the greener pasture they sought was actually an algae-covered swamp. Join us as we lean heavily on internet dating metaphors to describe the simple tactics employees and employers can use to  look before they leap. Mentioned in This Episode:72 Percent of Workers Regret Resigning--and It's Not Their FaultWoman goes on Tinder date to get a lift to other man's house during Uber strikeVisit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

Here at the Busyness Paradox, we share a deep and sincere commitment to not giving a rat's a** about the antics of the inexplicably famous. But we bear no ill will toward those who lean in to the meta-paradoxical wonderland of unearned success and fame derived from being famous. Except when the undisputed queen of this leisure class declares 51% of the population to be lazy dregs who "don't want to work." We don't know much about you Kim Kardashian, but we've got a bone to pick with you. Intermission Music: Track: My Best Friend  Music by https://www.fiftysounds.comMentioned in this Episode:Kim Kardashian Is Facing Backlash For Her "Advice For Women In Business"Visit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

Excessive busyness is bad, especially when you don't have enough of it. Not gonna lie, even we at “The Busyness Paradox” didn't see that busyness paradox coming. Two researchers in France did, however, and we're  joined by one of them! Dr. Ioana Lupu's recently-published study shows how our relentless pursuit of “optimal busyness” - that euphoric, Goldilocks state of productivity that exists between being underworked and overwhelmed, and always seems juuust out of reach - can lead us down the path of burnout. Tune in to hear her insights on what employers and employees can do to avoid this sad fate and share your own thoughts with us at input@busynessparadox.com. People, Papers and Paul's Obscure French Film Recommendations in this Episode:00:26 - Dr. Ioana Lupu, ESSEC Business School00:45 - Dr. Joonas Rokka, emlyon Business School 00:46 - Feeling in Control: Optimal Busyness and the Temporality of Organizational Controls22:23 - Episode #22: The Efficiency Paradox44:20 - Ressources Humaines (Human Resources)Visit us at busynessparadox.com for the transcript to this episode. Check out some of our blog posts and other content while you're there!

As the Business Paradox returns from a quick break, we take a few minutes to answer your questions, take stock of the Business Paradox's first 15 months of existence, and reflect on the time we started a heated hoodie cult.

This just in: A guy asked for a billion-dollar bonus. Late-breaking reports (from last week) indicate that it went...poorly. As always, The Busyness Paradox is nowhere near the action, bringing you our on-the-spot analysis of this ballsy Bolivian billionaire's brash beatdown (fine, "Bolivian-American" but we had a good thing going with that alliteration).Mentioned in this "breaking news" episode:Masayoshi Son - Founder, CEO and Chairman of SoftBank, CEO of Softbank MobileMarcelo Claure - CEO of  SoftBank Group International, COO of SoftBank Group Corporation (please don't ask us what all these different SoftBanks are all about)12:20 - Episode 13: We Put the Cult in Culture15:58 - Episode 34: Inflation and the Paradoxical Pay RaiseVisit busynessparadox.com to see this episode's transcript and webpage

What's a paradoxical pay raise? It's the kind where you get a raise and earn less than you did before. “Impossible!” you say? Odds are good you'll soon think differently. On the one hand, companies big and small are socking away money to dole out raises in 2022. On the other, inflation is licking its lips, ready to devour those raises and go back for seconds. Join us as we discuss strategies for navigating this bumpy terrain with your buying power (mostly) intact. Mentioned in This Episode:7:33 - The Peter Schiff Show: Fed Unveils Field of Dreams Monetary Policy14:03 - Big Pay Raises Are Coming in 2022, So Make Your Game Plan Now

Believe it or not, there was a time when having house cats interrupt work meetings was considered weird. Alas, we've been doing this pandemic thing for almost two years now and things have changed. We decided it was a good time to get a boots-on-the-ground perspective on just what those changes look like and how real-world companies have adapted. Join us as we discuss the new world of leadership, sales, work/life-balance, Zoom mishaps and much more with guest Curt Tueffert, Vice President of Sales Development for DXP Enterprises, a $1 billion industrial distribution firm.People, Places and Things Mentioned in This Episode:Guest: Curt Tueffert (https://www.linkedin.com/in/curttueffert), Vice President of Sales Development, DXP Enterprises (dxpe.com)00:30 - Five Stones for Slaying Giants: Critical Success Factors for Business and Life27:40 - Episode #5: Chasing Productivity & Creativity in WFH Click here for the episode transcript and webpage

It's time for one of our favorite new year's traditions: blatantly ripping off another podcast's new year's tradition! Taking inspiration from the excellent Cortex show's use of yearly themes, we take stock of our “Year of Structure” and look ahead to 2022's theme. Join our discussion about how the “annual theme” approach can improve your work and non-work lives and let us know what wacky workplace topics you'd like us to dig into in the year ahead. Stuff Mentioned In This Episode:0:32 - Cortex Episode #123: 2022 Yearly Themes3:18 - Your Theme by CGP Gray8:28 - Omnifocus9:10 - Sanebox10:41 - Keyboard Maestro11:02 - Elgato Stream Deck19:36 - Episode #22 - The Efficiency Paradox22:48 - Getting Things Done22:53 - Episode #12 - Technology and Productivity: An Insider's Perspective (with guest Stephen Robles)26:20 - Incremental Improvements: Change Your Life One Small Step at a Time by Mike Brodsky26: 42 - The Compound Effect by Darren HardyVisit busynessparadox.com to view this episode's webpage and transcripts

*****BREAKING NEWS!!!******Your (sort of) regularly scheduled episode of The Busyness Paradox has been postponed so that we can bring you coverage of a stunning development unfolding in Germany. Just moments ago, we learned that, 8 days ago, a German court single-handedly raised the bar for paradoxical workplace...stuff. In its landmark ruling, the Bundessozialgericht ruled that injuries sustained during an employee's morning commute from his bed to his desk constitute a workplace injury because he - crucially - did NOT eat breakfast before falling down the stairs. Join us as we tackle the question on everyone's mind ("huh?") and come to terms with the fact that we're officially a top 50 podcast.** In the business management category**** In Saudi Arabia Links to stuff mentioned in this episode:00:12 - Fall on walk from bed to desk is workplace accident, German court rules02:25 - Man gets $45K severance package after declaring job "too boring" (Busyness Paradox Episode 28: Boring Job Burnout)Click Here for Transcript and Episode Web Page

Many people experience job burnout at some point in their lives. When they do, it's often the boss that takes the blame. But what happens when the boss burns out? Companies have been learning the answer to that question the hard way since the pandemic started. While executives develop policies to meet employees' needs for safe and flexible work arrangements, the actual implementation of these ever-changing policies has quietly pushed many a boss to the brink. Join us as we tip our caps to the often-underappreciated middle managers of the world. Links to Topics, Articles and Other Content Mentioned in this Episode:3:30 - Manager Burnout Is Only Getting Worse11:26 - Burnout (Psychology Today)14:44 - Episode #27: Much Ado About WUSI17:44 - PRODUCERS NOTE: On behalf of the Busyness Paradox, I would like to apologize to scholars of mid-20th century American politics for Paul's error here, in which he accidentally attributed an anecdote about George McGovern to Hubert Humphrey. When confronted by our team of fact checkers, Paul expressed shock and disbelief that he he hadn't made the whole thing up. He then muttered something about being "pretty f------ close considering they both got curb-stomped by the same guy in consecutive elections that happened before I was even freaking born," which is about as close to an apology as you're going to get from these guys. - J. Wuntaek Click here for transcript and episode webpage

Imagine a life where technological gains make us so productive that 15 hours a week constitutes a “full-time” job. The insane ramblings of two would-be men of leisure? Indeed. But also the prediction of a famous economist. No not the movie guy, the other one: John Maynard Keynes. According to his 1930 prediction, not only is such a reality possible, we're about 20 years late in achieving it. Was Keynes wrong or have we squandered our productivity gains on busywork?People, Places and Other Things Mentioned in This Episode:00:24 - Sarah Canatsey, Instructional Developed, University of Tennessee at Tennessee01:22 - Secret Side Hustles: Episode #26, Twice the Work in Half the Time: The Dual-Career Individual02:21 - Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren by John Maynard Keynes05:19 - The 15-Hour Workweek: Keynes and AOC Disagree08:59 - FIRE: Financial Independence/Retire Early15:09 - Frank W. MacDonald and The Chattanooga Times Free Press15:11 - Medal of Honor Heritage Center15:14 - Houston Museum of Decorative Arts15:16 - UTC Veterans Entrepreneurship Program17:02 - Too much time management: Episode #22, The Efficiency Paradox19:53 - Episode #8, The Email Paradox: Inefficient Efficiency (Part 1)19:53 - Episode #9, The Email Paradox: Inefficient Efficiency (Part 2)19:53 - The Thing About EmailClick here for transcript and episode webpage 

Feeling overworked and dreaming of a new job with lots of downtime? One where marathon solitaire sessions fill the time between naps and happy hours? Careful what you wish for…making 10 hours of work fill a 40-hour week ain't all it's cracked up to be.  If your employer is infected with the busyness bug, you're likely to experience the delightfully paradoxical form of burnout that occurs when you're actually underworked but everyone around you is pretending to be overworked. Tune in as we try to unpeel the paradoxical onion of boring job burnout in this episode of The Busyness Paradox. Links to stuff mentioned in the show:1:33 - Episode #25: Nixing Busywork with Niksen2:17 - Man gets $45K severance package after declaring job "too boring"13:13 - Episode #3: Are You Too Good at Your Job?22:54 - Free online courses offered by Harvard University:Web Programming with Python and JavaScriptNon-Profit Financial StewardshipJon Snow and the Cholera Epidemic of 1854Case studies in Functional GenomicsImproving your Business Through a Culture of HealthBecoming a More Resilient Leader in Turbulent Times29:21 - Episode #27: Twice The Work In Half The Hours: The Dual-Career Individual30:45 - Episode #10: The Four-Day Work WeekClick here for transcript and episode webpage 

A while back, we published an episode called "Who You Callin' WUSI?" about the simple assessment we developed to measure employees' propensity to perceive abusive managerial behaviors where others do not. The show got way more interest than we anticipated, so naturally we've been looking for an excuse to revisit our beloved WUSI scale. So you can imagine our excitement when we learned that two researchers from the University of North Carolina - Charlotte were investigating the impact of WUSI in comparison to other factors that can bias employees' perceptions of abusive supervision. In this episode, we interview this unique duo - coming from both academic and corporate backgrounds - to discuss their findings and their implications for any managers out there who'd rather not be falsely accused of bullying their employees.(Our apologies for some rough spots in the remote audio at several points in this episode!)Our Guests:Brooks Durham - Vice President Operations and General Manager, LD IndustriesDavid Woehr - Belk Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Management, University of North Carolina - CharlotteClick here to visit the episode webpage 

Have you ever considered supplementing your full-time job with...another full-time job? Is it even possible to work two full-time jobs simultaneously? In this episode we learn that yes, yes it is. How? By leveraging the inefficiencies of the arbitrary 40-hour work week (ruthlessly exposed by the shift to remote work) and using the idle time of one full-time job to do another full-time job. Sound crazy? Go ask the growing community of employees that have begun to live by the motto: "Work Two Remote Jobs, Reach Financial Freedom."Links:These People Who Work From Home Have a Secret: They Have Two JobsOther articles by Rachel Feintzeigoveremployed.com: Work Two Remote Jobs, Reach Financial FreedomClick here for episode transcript and webpage

In the spirit of Halloween, we reflect on how a failed attempt at finding a gas station in upstate Vermont led us to ponder the question: do ghosts affect the workplace? No really, hear us out. Even if YOU don't believe in ghosts, some of your employees probably do. So what do you do if your staff refuses to work third shift, clean that one hotel room, or serve that semi-translucent customer who just materialized out of thin air? These are the questions no one's asking folks, but that won't stop us from trying to answer them.

You know those expressions like, "do more by doing less" and "work smarter not harder"? Bush league. In this episode we reveal the true secret to doing more: doing nothing. To much of the world, it's a bafflingly paradoxical truth. To the Dutch, it's simply called niksen.Articles and Books Mentioned in the Episode:Niksen: Why the Dutch concept of doing nothing is the key to happiness - The TimesHow I learnt the Dutch art of doing nothing - The TimesInvent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, with an Introduction by Walter IsaacsonJeff Bezos Says He Makes Time in His Schedule to Do NothingThe Problem With Management by Numbers - The Busyness Paradox

Remember that movie where George Clooney flew around the world firing people so their actual bosses didn't have to? We were all aghast that learn that companies could outsource such a thing. Then we pictured ourselves as absurdly handsome jet-setters with super-elite frequent flyer status and wondered where we could sign up. Sadly the golden age of fire-for-hire has passed us by. Suddenly we're seeing computers not only break the news, but actually make the decision to fire employees. What could possibly go wrong? 

In this episode we reflect on Oliver Burkeman's recent column, Escaping the Efficiency Trap - And Finding Some Piece of Mind and the paradoxical reality that the relentless pursuit of efficiency in our jobs and lives often leads to chronic inefficiency. People, products and links mentioned in this episode:Coach Bobby Bowden dies at 91SisyphusEscaping the Efficiency Trap and Finding Some Peace of Mind by Oliver BurkemanPomodoro Timers and Eisenhower Box techniques:Chasing Productivity & Creativity in WFHFocus Matrix and BeFocused AppsPast Reflections on StructureGetting Things Done by David AllenConflicted podcastDavid Sparks (aka MacSparky) and "moving the needle"

In this episode, we discuss paid time off. While being paid to not work might seem like a paradoxical idea, we take it a step further and talk about why more paid time off can be a profitable move by employers. Historically, this view has not been as popular in the US as it is in the rest of the world, but are times changing? (Originally recorded April 2, 2021)

In those heady days between the Covid vaccine roll-out and the Delta variant, a most unexpected paradox began to emerge. After a year of working from home and yearning for social interaction, millions of people got vaccinated and...stayed home. We had to call in reinforcements for this one, folks. David Cox, a Gallup-certified strengths coach, instructor, training specialist and former police officer to discuss the toll that prolonged isolation can have on our physical and mental health. He shares insights into how remote workers and their employers can work together to avoid these problems and, most importantly, he identifies the warning signs isolation-induced anxiety and depression that managers need to look for in their remote employees. Links to people and topics discussed in the episode:00:05 - David Cox: Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Certified in Gamification, Change Agent, LMS Administrator; Instructional Designer, Classroom Instructor, Virtual Instructor. 14:30 - Technology and Productivity: An Insider's Perspective19:45 - Niksen: The value of doing nothing23:00 - Apple Fitness26:00 - Podcast: Shady Statistics and the Status Quo35:30 - What's a Health Coach?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is your next performance evaluation. Everyone sees the world through their own perceptual lenses and we often form different perceptions of the same people, performance, and policies. Join us as we discuss strategies for managing these perceptions in the workplace - our own and those of the people we work with. Topics Discussed and Related Readings:1:15 - Perceptual biases in management5:00 - Different social-perceptual biases7:50 - Pessimistic attribution styles7:55 - Different forms of narcissism10:00 - Examples of tools to offset perceptual biases at work:Harvard Business Review: Outsmart Your Own BiasesDeloitte Insights: Mitigating bias in performance management11:15 - Watch bezels14:50 - Travel to find your biases22:00 - More than 40% of managers that are sent abroad fail26:15 - Busyness Paradox Episode #15: Who You Callin' WUSI?

A recent Forbes article titled, "Study shows people working from home are having sex, dating, taking naps and doing hustles on company time" (yes, that's the actual title) leads us to believe that either a) you all had a way more fun pandemic than we did or b) the article is a case study in bending statistics to fit your narrative. A decidedly pro-busywork narrative in this case. Join us as we unspin some stats and discuss the dangers of basing management decisions on slanted reporting. People,  Products and Publications Mentioned:1:58 - Study Shows People Working From Home Are Having Sex, Dating, Taking Naps And Doing Side Hustles On Company Time4:00 - E-conolight Survey19:30 - Generations are Arbitrary. Act Accordingly37:00 - An Epidemic of Wage Theft Is Costing Workers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars a Year40:40 - Correct version of Elvis Presley quote butchered by Paul: "Don't criticize what you don't understand, son. You never walked in that man's shoes."43:00 - Toggl Time Tracking and Timery for Toggl 44:10 - HRTracker 44:18 - Start a Cult!Stop by our webpage to check out our blog posts and for links to other episodes 

It's April 2021. We've spend the past 15 months in a global pandemic. Unemployment rates are staggeringly high. What do you do? If you're like 4 million Americans, you quit your job!Please rate and subscribe/follow our podcast. Join the Busybody family and share your ideas or workplace experiences with us. If you have a topic you would like for us to cover, email us at input@busynessparadox.com or tweet us @busynessparadox. Articles, People, and Products Mentioned:LA Times - Summer of QuittingCNBC - 1 in 4 Workers Considering QuittingBook - The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

With Covid seemingly on the ropes, the world of work is poised to finally return to normal. Not everyone is thrilled about that. Some savor the end of makeshift home offices, Zoom meetings, and isolation from coworkers. Others dread the return of long commutes, office politics, and wearing pants. Many would like to see a hybrid blend of on-site and remote work become the new normal. What's an employer to do? In this episode, we argue that they don't have to appease all of these employees. Only the ones they wish to keep. 

An employee accuses you of being an abusive boss. Their proof? They THINK you're an abusive boss. Research has led many states to pass laws intended to protect employees from abusive supervisors. Sounds good, right? But who determines the difference between legitimate reprimands, constructive criticism and abuse? In this episode we discuss our largely ignored (until recently) attempt to remove some of the subjectivity and bias from this determination: a little thing called WUSI. 

We Americans tend to look down on jobs that perform essential services while heaping praise on any gig that involves an office and a desk. We Americans can't figure out why restaurants, hotels and retail establishments can't fill their rosters at a time of high unemployment. Perhaps one paradox explains the other?If the list below is not formatted properly in your podcast app, click here! Or visit busynessparadox.com/2021/05/28/podcast-show-crap-jobs-some-loveTime stamps, people, and products mentioned:2:18 - $136K COVID fine shows OSHA is in for the long haul4:11 - When Employers Can Require COVID-19 Vaccinations9:55 - HSBC top staff to hot desk after scrapping executive floor12:43 - Labor Shortage or Terrible Jobs?, The 'Capitalism is Broken' Economy26:54 - Why Are Young People Pretending to Love Work?32:27 - Like Me - The Truth (podcast)35:42 - The Religion of Workism Is Making Americans Miserable, Nicky Loh

Do you work for a company or a cult? The idea is simple: attract energetic, young college graduates with the promise of fulfilling their wildest dreams and desires. Grown-up playgrounds for offices. Free food! The opportunity to change the world while playing beer-pong! Kind of low pay. Heaps of reassuring praise. Very long hours. Office keg parties: that are mandatory! Brilliant managers! Whose wisdom is never to be questioned. Super cool coworkers who share your love for the company. Because those who didn't just...vanished one day. Join us as we discuss this niche cultural trend that has emerged over the last two decades. Also, learn how to join our new Busybody cult! (Electric hoodies required)Episode "sponsor":  Golden Calf ConsultingIf the list below is not formatted properly in your podcast app, click here!Links, people and products mentioned in this episode:0:51 - Can You Tell the Difference Between a Cult and Your Startup?5:01 - Dr. Christina Villarreal1:10 - Margaret Singer - Wikipedia1:20 - Dan Lyons1:45 - Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up ...2:34 - Silicon Valley4:22 - Paul's Heated Hoodie7:40 - Michael PorterCompetitive Strategy by Michael Porter10:28 - Theranos - WikipediaBad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup14:27 - You Should Run Your Startup Like a Cult. Here's How. | WIRED20:09 - Foundering Season 1: The WeWork StoryThe Stanford Prison ExperimentPhilip ZimbardoThe Lucifer Effect24:46 - Startup Culture: Why Do Some Millennial-Led Startups Have Toxic Cultures? | HR Technologist26:47 - Jim Collins: Getting Your Core Values Right (on Mars!)35:02 - Steve Jobs on Hiring A-Players

Task lists, calendars, passwords, email, webcams...have they made your job more efficient or have they BECOME your job?In this episode, Stephen Robles from Apple Insider joins us to discuss strategies for using our digital devices as the productivity tools they're meant to be. Tune in to hear his expert advice on apps, books, project management strategies, workplace communication, an ingenious email filter we can't believe we didn't think of ourselves, and other tips for getting your job, your software, and yourself in sync. If the list below is not formatted properly in your podcast app, click here!0:01 - Hello Busybodies!Stephen Robles (@stephenrobles), Apple InsiderApple InsiderApple Insider PodcastHomekit Insider PodcastAndrew O'Hara, Apple InsiderCortex Podcast3:47 - How the pandemic has changed work in the technology journalism sectorJason Aten, Inc. Magazine5:30 - Home office upgradesEpoc CamCamo7:55 - Email strategies and brain dumpsFocus Matrix (Eisenhower Box app)The "unsubscribe" filterGetting Things Done by David AllenMerlin Mann14:23 - Task management apps and tipsThingsToDoistTrelloAsanamonday.comgitflowOmni-Focus17:06 - Project Management Creativity, Inc.Work Life with Adam Grant23:28 - Workplace communication strategies iA WriterGrammarly28:20 - Productivity Apps lightning roundPastebot (clipboard manager)1PasswordTextExpander KeysmithKeyboard Maestro ReederNetNewsWire37:25 - It never hurts to ask (except when it does)39:16 - We're here to help! Or find someone who can.40:23 - Congratulations to four of our mentors retiring from Florida State University: Pam Perrewé, Jerry Ferris, Caesar Douglas and Lee Stepina!

Frank and Paul have a special guest on this episode. Dr. Bento Lobo, department head of the Finance and Economics department and First Tennessee Bank Distinguished Professor of Finance, shares his input on our Masters of Busyness Administration episode. After our interview with Dr. Lobo, we discuss the widespread problem of financial illiteracy and steps we should all be taking to protect the money we spend so much of our lives working to earn. Please rate and subscribe/follow our podcast. Join the Busybody family and share your ideas or workplace experiences with us. If you have a topic you would like for us to cover, email us at input@busynessparadox.com or tweet us @busynessparadox. 

Five days on, two days off. Repeat. But why? Please rate and subscribe/follow our podcast. Join the Busybody family and share your ideas or workplace experiences with us. If you have a topic you would like for us to cover, email us at input@busynessparadox.com or tweet us @busynessparadox. 

Email is one of the most efficient forms of communication ever created. Email is almost universally viewed as a threat to efficiency, on and off the job. How can both of these statements be true? By being the most paradoxical paradox we've tackled yet, that's how!In the first part of this two-part episode, we discussed the challenges associated with email overload and the annoying truth that becoming more efficient at something can simply increase the amount of that thing we're expected to squeeze into our days, if we're not careful. In Part 2, we dive into the troubling implications of email abundance for productivity, mental health and overall well-being.Please rate and subscribe/follow our podcast. Join the Busybody family and share your ideas or workplace experiences with us. If you have a topic you would like for us to cover, email us at input@busynessparadox.com or tweet us @busynessparadox.