Podcasts about Glassdoor

Een boek over Ali Niknam lezen en daarna juist klant willen worden bij bunq. Wat zag Randal dat Jurian niet zag? Hoe schrijf je een biografie als de hoofdpersoon niet wil meewerken? NRC-journalist Stijn Bronzwaer onderzocht met twee collega's het leven van Ali Niknam, de ondernemer achter TransIP en bunq. Hij vertelt hoe je bronnen beschermt, interne documenten controleert en ook het perspectief van een tegenstribbelende hoofdpersoon overeind houdt. Randal en Jurian botsen ondertussen op de vraag wat je van een succesvolle ondernemer mag verwachten. Is die tomeloze werkdrift de motor van bunq, of inmiddels ook de rem? Het gaat over communiceren als computers, klanten die hun spaargeld verliezen aan oplichters en medewerkers die het werktempo later missen. En dan wil Randal zelf overstappen: de chatbot beantwoordt al zijn vragen, maar twee betaalde gezinsaccounts blijken een heel ander verhaal. Over Stijn Bronzwaer Stijn Bronzwaer is chef van de onderzoeksredactie van NRC en schrijft over technologie en de mensen achter techbedrijven. Met Joris Kooiman en Merijn Rengers schreef hij eerder De Machine, over Booking.com. Voor hun nieuwe boek Ali Niknam: De eenzame strijd van een techmiljardair onderzochten ze de opkomst, ambities en werkwijze van de ondernemer achter onder meer bunq. Stijn Bronzwaer op LinkedIn Artikelen van Stijn Bronzwaer bij NRC Ali Niknam bij NRC Boeken In deze aflevering 0:00:00 Een biografie die Randal juist richting bunq duwt0:02:21 Waarom Ali Niknam een heel boek verdient0:07:40 Een hoofdpersoon die niet wil meewerken0:12:27 Bronnen beschermen en documenten controleren0:23:00 Van jonge computernerd tot techmiljardair0:34:21 Waarom verzet tegen kritiek juist blijft hangen0:40:59 Spaargeld kwijt: wie krijgt de woede over zich heen?0:51:52 Robospeak, werktempo en de grenzen van micromanagement1:04:22 Luistervraag van Boba: zou je bij bunq willen werken?1:11:18 Luistervragen: overstappen naar bunq en praten met je bankrekening Sponsor: Alliander Kijk op https://werkenbij.alliander.com/ Genoemd in deze aflevering Ali Niknam: De eenzame strijd van een techmiljardair, de biografie die centraal staat in het gesprek. De Machine, eerder onderzoek van dezelfde auteurs naar Booking.com. bunq, de internetbank waarover de meningen aan tafel uiteenlopen. TransIP, het hostingbedrijf uit Niknams eerdere ondernemersjaren. Glassdoor, werknemersreviews die in het boek een rol spelen. Stijn Bronzwaer bij PersVeilig, achtergrond over juridische druk op onderzoeksjournalisten. Tips van de tafel Stijn: Controleer een intern document ook bij mensen die erbij waren; het document alleen is niet de hele verificatie. Jurian: Lees de biografie van Ali Niknam en leen hem daarna uit aan iemand met wie je erover wilt doorpraten. Randal: Reken bij een overstap naar bunq met alle gebruikers en benodigde passen in je gezin, niet alleen met het aantal rekeningen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indi Tatla, John Toon and Ryan Pearcy are back together for another OGs episode, with two lots of Apron news, a big raise in Germany and the full run-down of this year's Disruptor Awards. Xero has renamed Files to Documents and moved it into the Accounting menu, which John Toon calls the least controversial thing Xero has done in weeks. Ryan Pearcy links the change to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Indi Tatla then reads through a wave of Glassdoor reviews from Xero staff in Australia and New Zealand, and the panel talks about what they say about the culture, with some sympathy for the UK team. Glen Foster has joined Intuit to lead the mid-market and partner channel in the UK. Indi asks what he needs to get right. John Toon says QuickBooks has always felt like a sales conversation about licences, and Ryan Pearcy says the mid-market needs implementation partners and something closer to community. Apron has launched its QuickBooks Online integration, with supplier payments in 30 currencies and Virgin Points on the side, and Ryan wants to know whether it's truly embedded. Then Apron's new pricing from 1 December, tiered by document volume. Indi Tatla thinks the document limit is the lever bookkeepers will feel, while Ryan Pearcy likes that payments and documents stay unbundled. Limetax has raised €36m to bring German accounting firms onto an AI platform built on top of DATEV. John Toon explains why DATEV's cooperative set-up makes that approach clever, and Ryan Pearcy expects to see more tech companies buying firms in the UK. Also covered: Aqilla wins Best Cloud Service for Non-Profits and Charities at the Cloud Excellence Awards, Adfin launches card on file, and Indi runs through the Disruptor Awards winners, including Socket, Briefcase, Alexis Kingsbury, James Wright, The Modern Firm and Lucy Cohen, with thanks to partners Dext, Advancetrack, Accountex and Alternative Events. 00:00 Intro 03:25 FreeAgent 04:30 Xero renames Files to Documents 06:23 Xero's Glassdoor reviews 10:43 Glen Foster joins Intuit 14:40 Apron launches QuickBooks Online payments 17:53 Apron pricing changes from 1 December 22:12 Aqilla wins Best Cloud Service for Non-Profits 23:54 Limetax raises €36m 28:13 SuiteFiles 29:12 Adfin launches card on file 33:45 Disruptor Awards winners 42:19 Outro

In this special interview program, listen back to comments by Mesabi East head coach Dick Ratai and Greenway head coach Pat Guyer on the upcoming '93-'94 boys hs hockey season. Each coach touches on the "new" Class A and Class AA format after 2 years of the Tier I and Tier II format.↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockey friends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating & Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006- https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Go here to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program: https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/Virginia Family Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club- https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble: https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter): TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear from you: Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what's making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

“When people trade, even before fees and commissions, the average trade loses money.” — Alex Edmans Isaac Newton might be able to foresee the movement of the stars, but he couldn't foretell the madness of men. It was a lesson that cost the great physicist £4 million (in today's money) when he threw his fortune into the South Sea Bubble. This priceless parable in Newtonian psychology opens The Madness of Markets, the new book by Alex Edmans — London Business School finance prof, old friend of the show, and author of the bestselling May Contain Lies. Dr Edmans's prognosis is bracingly unflattering to guys like Isaac Newton and Mark Twain who splurge their fortunes on speculative ventures. Intelligence, he reminds us, is domain-specific, but many smart people simply aren't intelligent enough to realize this. So, in the age of Robinhood — when we can all trade anything from stocks, options, crypto to NFTs — the supposed wisdom of crowds is sometimes driven over the cliff by the irrational exuberance of dumb individuals. Speaking of driving off the cliff, ninety percent of us think we're above-average drivers, Edmans jokes, and this same delusion applies to markets. Unfortunately, such stupidity can be expensive for big brain types like Newton or Twain. “When people trade, even before fees and commissions, the average trade loses money,” he warns. So close your Robinhood account and stick your cash in the bank? No, not quite. Know your edge, Edmans reminds us. And when it comes to making sense of the current AI boom, Edmans offers some particularly wise words. The AI sector trades at 25 to 30 times earnings rather than Cisco's bubble-era 190, he notes, so it's unlikely anyone will lose their life's savings on Anthropic or OpenAI. That said, the good doctor Edmans advises, don't confuse your self-worth with your net worth. That's a rookie conceit that only somebody as smart as Isaac Newton would fall for. Five Takeaways •       Newton's £4 Million. The book leads with the smartest victim on record: Isaac Newton rode the South Sea Bubble, banked a tidy profit, dove back in at the very top, and lost £20,000 — £4 million today — lamenting that he could predict the movement of the stars but not the madness of men. (Andrew's companion case, via last month's Citizen Twain episode with Jeff Jarvis: Mark Twain, genius writer, ruinous investor.) The lesson is that smartness is domain-specific: beating the market requires knowing the company, the industry, and — crucially — what's already priced in. A great secretary of state evaluating Theranos is the Dunning-Kruger effect in a suit: expertise misapplied, one piece of the mosaic mistaken for the whole. Even Warren Buffett's edge, Edmans notes, is partly restraint — don't watch the market too closely, or you'll mistake noise for signal.•       Know Your Edge. Edmans's framework: play the market only if you can name your edge — knowledge (unique insight into a sector) or endurance (capital that can't be withdrawn by flighty clients). His endurance exemplar is Clare College, Cambridge, which borrowed £10 million in the depths of 2008 and put it all into equities via its “2048 Fund”: a decade later the portfolio had tripled while the loan had merely doubled. No edge? Then “be humble” and hold a low-cost, globally diversified index fund — because the alternative is expensive. In the age of Robinhood, the market for everything has been democratized; the zero-commission promise is a myth (retail options bid-ask spreads run 20 to 25 percent); and the brokerage data is brutal: the average retail trade loses money before fees. “I'm generally a libertarian,” Edmans concedes — but decisions that jeopardize your financial future deserve a warning label.•       Why the Ox Doesn't Apply. The week's second Surowiecki appearance (after the Brunton episode): Edmans explains why the wisdom of crowds — the county-fair ox whose weight the crowd guesses perfectly — fails in markets. Two reasons: nobody is emotionally attached to the weight of an ox, and the guesses are secret. Stocks invert both — in a bubble everyone bids high together, and trading is public: Reddit threads, boasting friends, influencers, and the survivorship bias of gamblers who only mention their wins. Hence Andrew's cocktail-party indicator, confirmed: when smart, successful people start telling you how much AI they're buying, the trade is crowded and richly priced. The contrarian lineage — Graham, Buffett, Greenblatt — exists precisely to take the other side of mimicry. Or, per Andrew's accepted inversion of the subtitle: why crazy investors make smart decisions — Ford's faster horses, Moneyball's walks, Jobs's refusal to ask customers what they want.•       Is AI a Bubble? Maybe Not. The hour's most contrarian calm. There are moments, Edmans says, when reasonable people could call a bubble in real time — Cisco in 2000 traded at a price-earnings ratio of 190, triple Microsoft's. AI today trades at roughly 25 to 30 times earnings; the bear case is that those earnings rest on capex (Meta's own investors say it's spending too much) that may not be sustainable. His verdict: fairly priced, or modestly overvalued — “something about which reasonable people have different views.” On using AI to invest, the rule is anti-confirmation: don't ask it why you're right or to advocate for your pitch; ask it why you're wrong, and let it gather mosaic pieces (Glassdoor culture scrapes) while humans still walk shop floors and read management's eyes. Andrew's gloss: it's unlikely anyone will lose their life's savings on Anthropic or OpenAI. The teaser: FT journalist Robin Wigglesworth — who blurbs this book “a maddeningly good read” and warns in the Times of the AI debt binge — visits this show soon.•       Cutting Our Flowers, Watering Our Weeds. Andrew's Claudeception question — what happens when Anthropic feeds The Madness of Markets into its AI and everyone turns contrarian? — got a data answer: when a trading strategy is published in the Journal of Finance, its returns fall by only about a third. Money stays on the table because psychology is stubborn: momentum (buy six-month winners) has worked since 1993, yet it fights the disposition effect — our temptation to bank winners and cling to losers, chasing casino losses, “cutting our flowers and watering our weeds.” Timing cuts both ways: six-month winners keep winning, three-year winners revert — the foundation of contrarianism — but calling the market's top or bottom is near-impossible, which is why Edmans bought heavily in late 2008 content to be “80 percent right.” And the closing wisdom, after Joe Kennedy's 1928 exit and Trump's well-timed memecoin: your self-worth should have nothing to do with your net worth — a rookie conceit, as Andrew's intro has it, that only somebody as smart as Isaac Newton would fall for. About the Guest Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School and a leading expert on market psychology. His research has featured in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on the BBC, and he has advised sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and asset managers worldwide. He is the author of May Contain Lies, an Amazon number-one bestseller disc...

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↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockeyfriends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating &Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006-https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Gohere to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program:  https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/VirginiaFamily Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club-  https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble:  https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter):  TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear fromyou:  Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

Welcome back to the Pear Healthcare Playbook! Every week, we'll be getting to know trailblazing healthcare leaders and diving into building a digital health and biotech business from 0 to 1.We would greatly appreciate it if you took a moment to listen to the episode on either Apple or Spotify and leave us a rating! Your support helps our guests' insights reach a larger audience!Today we're thrilled to share our interview with Vikas Sabnani, Co-founder and CEO of Marit Health, a free, AI-powered career community platform built for physicians and advanced practice providers. Clinicians share their own compensation data and in exchange get access to tens of thousands of real peer-reported salaries across every specialty and state, including the details that actually matter like base pay, bonuses, call schedules, hours worked, PTO, and benefits. Think of it as a Glassdoor for medicine. Marit also runs an AI powered jobs platform that matches clinicians to roles based on their specific preferences. In just fifteen months since launching, more than 100,000 clinicians have joined, making Marit one of the fastest growing community platforms in medicine [1]. Before Marit, Vikas spent seven years at Glassdoor and then joined Transcarent as head of product. In this conversation, Vikas walks through his path from Glassdoor to healthcare, how Marit's co-founder started the company on a Google Sheet, the anonymization architecture that protects physicians in small specialties, and how the platform is turning transparency into a business.

Über Geld spricht man nicht? Von wegen! In dieser Folge von WORKolution nehmen Sarah Böning und Robindro Ullah das absolute Tabuthema der deutschen Arbeitswelt unter die Lupe: Gehälter, Lohntransparenz und was das neue EU-Entgelttransparenzgesetz wirklich für Bewerbende und Unternehmen verändert.Obwohl das Thema Gehalt laut aktuellen Daten der wichtigste Orientierungspunkt vor einer Bewerbung ist, verharren viele Arbeitgeber weiter im Schweigen. Warum das so ist, wie Gehälter die Candidate Journey beeinflussen und mit welchen Hacks ihr euch souverän auf das nächste Gehaltsgespräch vorbereitet, erfahrt ihr in dieser Episode.Das erwartet euch in dieser Folge:Das Verlangen nach Fairness: Warum Bewerbende nicht zwingend nach Höchstgehältern suchen, sondern vor allem Transparenz, Nachvollziehbarkeit und faire Bezahlung verlangen.Zahlen lügen nicht: Warum 70 % der Talente Stellenanzeigen mit konkreten Gehaltsangaben bevorzugen und wieso Unternehmenskultur allein ein Gehalts-Gap nicht wettmachen kann.Data Deep Dive & Mythen: Wo sich Bewerbende Gehaltsdaten beschaffen (Kununu, Glassdoor, Arbeitsagentur, Trendence Chancen-Checker & KI) und mit welchen Fehleinschätzungen Unternehmen oft zu kämpfen haben.Rechtliche Tabus im Recruiting: Welche Fragen HR im Vorstellungsgespräch stellen darf – und warum die Frage nach dem aktuellen Ist-Gehalt rechtlich unzulässig ist.Das EU-Entgelttransparenzgesetz: Was das Gesetz für Unternehmen ab 100 Mitarbeitenden bedeutet und wie es das Empowerment von Arbeitnehmenden stärkt.Praxis-Tipps: Wie ihr euren eigenen Gehaltsrahmen realistisch absteckt und souverän im Lebenslauf oder Vorstellungsgespräch kommuniziert.Links & Ressourcen aus der Folge:Trendence Chancen-Checker – Gehaltsdaten direkt aus echten Stellenanzeigen einsehen.Entgeltatlas der Bundesagentur für Arbeit – Regionale und demografische Gehaltsbenchmarks im Überblick.Eure Meinung ist gefragt!Welche Erfahrungen habt ihr mit Gehaltstransparenz im Bewerbungsprozess oder im eigenen Unternehmen gemacht? Habt ihr das Entgelttransparenzgesetz schon für euch genutzt?Kommentiert direkt im aktuellen LinkedIn-Post zur Folge.Schreibt uns eine E-Mail an: workillusion@trendence.comWenn ihr eure Geschichten mit uns teilt und wir sie im Podcast aufgreifen dürfen, lasst es uns in eurer Nachricht wissen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our Agile Tales as we continue our conversations with Rich Sheridan, founder, CEO, and chief storyteller at Menlo Innovations.Aside from founding and leading Menlo Innovations, Rich is also the author of the best-selling books Joy Inc. and Chief Joy Officer, which argue that joy is essential to productivity and profitability in the workplace. Rich recounts his journey from early programming success and a rapid rise to VP to feeling despondent amid chaotic, late, over-budget software delivery, which sparked a search for better ways to organize people. In this episode, Rich contrasts default culture with intentional culture, warning that values confined to posters and CEO “rah-rah” speeches breed cynicism unless reinforced through recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, feedback, promotion, and firing practices. He emphasizes “alignment” among outside perception, inside reality, and the leader's heart, noting misalignment creates organizational drag and even motivates companies to game culture awards. Using Menlo examples—public tours, pair-based work, an “extreme interview,” one-day and three-week trials, and peer-based “prosperity reviews”—he shows how clear signals and truth-telling sustain culture, including allowing negative Glassdoor feedback and using it for reflection.00:00 Welcome to Our Agile Tales01:40 Management Training Gap02:57 Podcast Legacy and Impact05:42 Default vs Intentional Culture09:28 Alignment Heart Reality Perception13:15 Tours and Truth in Action19:15 Hiring Extreme Interview Signals21:15 Peer Reviews and Mentorship Culture24:36 Glassdoor Free Speech and Feedback28:18 Closing and Next EpisodeAbout Rich SheridanRich Sheridan is the CEO and Chief Storyteller at Menlo Innovations and the best-selling author of Joy Inc. and Chief Joy Officer. He has spent years traveling across four continents and nearly 20 countries, helping organizations rethink not just how they work but also what it feels like to be part of them. His core message is simple: joy isn't optional—it's essential to productivity, profitability, and real team energy.Rich's ideas have been featured in Forbes, Inc., NPR, and Harvard Business Review. What sets him apart is that he's been living these principles for over 20 years at Menlo, the company he co-founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan—now known worldwide for its uniquely joyful culture.Follow Rich Sheridan at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menloprezYou can check out Menlo Innovations' tours and workshops at: https://menloinnovations.com/tours-and-workshopsMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comVisit us at https://www.ouragiletales.com/about

They break down the strange offseason injury of Puka Nacua after he reportedly walked into a glass door at a party. The conversation shifts to debunking trade rumors involving Keon Coleman and his fit with the Indianapolis Colts while also exploring Pablo Torre's investigative reporting on the 49ers. 01:25 - Nacua's Glass Door Injury 03:31 - Keon Coleman Trade Rumors 08:41 - Pablo Torre Podcast News

Hour 3 of Jake & Ben on August 13, 2026 David Locke, the Radio Voice of the Utah Jazz, joined today to break down the 2026 Schedule Release.  Puka Nacua reportedly cut himself running through a glass door at a celebrity party.  Audio Vault: Scotty G Gets After Ajay

Sorry, Disturbed listeners, there was a glitch in the Matrix, and the episode didn't release due to a technical error. Please enjoy Episode 287 better late than never! Featuring narrations by: Laura Intravia Dacey Else Laura Lockwood Ardenn Stolz Story 1: Someone to Cook and Clean  Narrated by: Laura Intravia A local handyman makes it clear that not only is he there to help, but he would also like someone to help him, and he won't take no for an answer.  Story 2: Just Beyond the Glass Door  Narrated by: Dacey Else  A young girl is living in her dream apartment, except for one little detail: the sliding glass patio door. She's always been afraid of sliding glass doors and how easily someone could break through one. Then one night, her fears come true. On her way to get a drink of water, she comes face to face with a man on the other side of her sliding glass door.  Story 3: The Dessert Diner  Narrated by: Laura Lockwood  A family road trip takes an interesting turn when they stop for breakfast in an old historical town. They go to a local diner that leaves them hungry for more.  Story 4: The Attachment  Narrated by: Ardenn Stolz A young girl brings home a new friend from a local haunt, but what she doesn't know is that this friend will follow her for the rest of her days. Hello, Disturbed listeners. We need your help in a truly terrifying way: a listener survey. Tell us all of your deep dark secrets; it'll only hurt for a few minutes. You'll find the link below! To show you how much we appreciate you,  we're giving away two $50 gift cards every month. We promise we won't stalk you when we're done. Click here for the Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Summary Quiet cracking,  distinct from quiet quitting, describes employees who are still showing up, still performing, sometimes performing really well, but are internally under pressure, uncertain about their job security, or unclear on what's expected of them. They're not checked out. They're just cracking quietly while holding it together on the surface.  In this episode, co-hosts Karen Swim, APR, and Michelle Kane address this trend and how it impacts Solo PR Pros. The Talent Trends 2026 report found 54% of respondents have experienced some level of quiet cracking, with one in five saying they experience it frequently or constantly. Gallup's 2025 engagement data shows only 31% of US employees were actively engaged at work. Karen and Michelle make the case that this is not an HR headline — it's a communications problem that solo PR pros are already standing in the middle of, and one they're uniquely positioned to surface and address. They walk through what quiet cracking looks like in client organizations, the say-do gap it creates between internal reality and external messaging, four objections practitioners will raise (with honest answers to each), a three-question filter for identifying quiet cracking clients, a live scenario drill on handling a client who just went through quiet layoffs, and what to do when the same isolation and uncertainty you help clients name applies to your own practice. Episode Highlights [01:22] Quiet Cracking vs. Quiet Quitting: Why the Distinction Matters: Karen draws the line clearly. Quiet quitting was behavioral — people doing the bare minimum on purpose. Quiet cracking is about people who are still showing up and often performing well, but are internally under pressure, uncertain about job security, or unclear about expectations. They're not checked out. They're holding it together while cracking on the inside. The distinction matters because quiet cracking is harder to see, harder to name, and — for PR practitioners — far more consequential to the external messaging they're being paid to manage. [02:43] The Data: 54% Have Experienced It, Only 31% Are Actively Engaged: The Talent Trends 2026 report found 54% of respondents had experienced some level of quiet cracking, with one in five reporting it frequently or constantly. Separately, Gallup's 2025 data shows only 31% of US employees were actively engaged at work. Michelle notes the real number is probably higher — people were likely reluctant to admit it. Karen and Michelle flag upfront that some regional figures they found alongside these reports are still working through their verification process and will be linked in the show notes as confirmed. [04:07] Why This Is a Communications Problem, Not an HR Problem: Karen's framing lands clearly: when a workforce is quietly cracking, the people experiencing it are also the people who talk — to friends, to Glassdoor, to LinkedIn, to reporters who cover their industry. Meanwhile, the company's external messaging is often saying the exact opposite of what's happening inside. In the past, a scandal or mass layoff was needed to make that gap visible externally. Now it leaks constantly in small ways, because everyone has a publishing platform in their pocket. The say-do gap between internal reality and external narrative is squarely a communications problem. [06:03] Why Solo PR Pros Are Already Standing in This Spot: The most common objection Karen anticipates: 'I'm an external comms person, this is an HR or culture consultant's job.' Her response: if you already do executive communications, thought leadership, or employer brand messaging, you're already standing at the exact intersection where internal reality and external narrative either line up, or they don't. The question to start asking: is what you're telling the outside world about this company's culture and people something that would hold up if anyone looked inside right now? That's a comms function, not an HR function. [09:01] Four Objections — With Honest, Bounded Answers: Karen and Michelle work through four objections the Solo PR Pro community will raise. One: I'll get pulled into HR issues I'm not equipped to fix. Answer: you're doing a narrative alignment check, not a culture overhaul Two: this feels like scope creep. Answer: keep the initial offer narrow and bounded, a message and narrative audit, maybe a leadership communications coaching session, scoped clearly upfront. Three: is quiet cracking just another buzzword? Answer: the underlying data isn't new, Gallup has been tracking disengagement for years, and it keeps getting worse; the label may fade but the problem won't. Four (the quiet one): will raising this insult the client and jeopardize the relationship? Answer: frame it as market context, not a diagnosis — here's a trend I'm seeing across industries; I wanted to flag it and ask a couple of questions. [13:05] How to Raise It Without Blowing Up the Relationship: Karen's approach: never lead with it and never frame it as an accusation. Bring it as market context — a trend showing up across industries that you wanted to flag and ask a couple of questions about. That framing lands completely differently than suggesting the client's organization is falling apart. Karen also names these as her favorite kind of client engagement: rich, layered, strategy-heavy work that uses PR skills in ways that don't always get deployed in day-to-day media relations. [14:33] The Three-Question Filter for Identifying Quiet Cracking Clients: Karen's three questions to run on any current or prospective client. One: is there a visible gap between the external messaging and what you would actually find if you talked to employees? That's the say-do gap check. Two: is leadership communicating clearly right now about anything that will create uncertainty — restructuring, return to office, layoffs, a merger, a rocky quarter? If not, that silence is the opening. Three: would a light-touch audit — not a full culture overhaul, just a message and narrative review — surface something useful? If all three are yes, you have a real offer to bring. [16:53] The Live Drill: A B2B Tech Client with Quiet Layoffs: Michelle runs a scenario: a long-retained B2B tech client just went through quiet layoffs — no public announcement, people disappearing from company Slack — while the careers page still says 'we invest in our people.' Karen runs it through all three questions: the say-do gap is glaring, leadership communication was absent, which created an uncertainty vacuum for remaining employees, and a light-touch audit of the careers page messaging is a completely natural scope conversation. The entry point: 'I noticed the careers page messaging hasn't been updated since before the reorganization. Do you want me to take a look at whether it still reflects where you are?' Not scary. Not confrontational. Exactly in scope. [20:54] Why This Connects Back to Why Solos Went Solo: Karen closes on the thread beneath the whole episode: a lot of solo practitioners went independent partly because they didn't want to be inside a workplace that was quietly cracking. Now they're watching that same dynamic play out for the clients they serve. The isolation and uncertainty they help clients name in their organizations is worth naming for themselves too — and it's a good reminder that none of them should be figuring out how to spot or address this stuff completely alone.   Resources & Additional Information Talent Trends 2026 Report — Quiet cracking research Gallup — State of the Global Workplace 2025 That Solo Life, Episode 349: The 4 Structural Fixes That Protect Solo PR Pros from Burnout Solo PR Pro membership community: soloprpro.com That Solo Life podcast website: thatsololife.com   Host & Show Info That Solo Life is a podcast created for public relations, communication, and marketing professionals who work as independent and small practitioners. Hosted by Karen Swim, APR, President of Solo PR Pro, and Michelle Kane, Principal of Voice Matters, the show delivers expert insights, encouragement, and practical advice for solo PR pros navigating today's dynamic professional landscape. Listen to all episodes and catch up on previous conversations at thatsololife.com. Did this episode inspire you? If you found value in this conversation, please take a moment to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us reach more solo pros just like you! Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockeyfriends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating &Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006-https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Gohere to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program:  https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/VirginiaFamily Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club-  https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble:  https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter):  TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear fromyou:  Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

In a world of greenwashing, wall-to-wall podcast ads, and affiliate marketing "listicles," it's really hard to know if a brand is actually as sustainable and ethical as it claims.  Well, Amanda has been looking into this kind of stuff for years, so in this episode they will show you exactly what they do when they want to figure out the true story of a brand.  And specifically, we will unpack Quince as an example!In this episode:Is Quince as sustainable and ethical as their marketing seems to claim?What are some obvious red flags that a brand is not sustainable and ethical?Why are sustainable fashion organizations, writers, and activists no longer receiving as much funding as they once did?Why does Amanda feel "weird" about the Commons app?Why is a job review site (Glassdoor) a surprisingly useful addition to your slow fashion toolbox?And why can't we shop our way to a better world?Also: Six years of Clotheshorse...and introducing, CONWAY!Helpful links and reading:@sustainablefashionfriend@alookbehindtheseamsGood On YouEco-StylistCobbled Goods"Not everyone is loving Quince's dupes," Chantal Fernandez, The Cut."Williams-Sonoma sues Quince over sales of 'dupe' products," Jonathan Stempel, Reuters."Beyond Compare? Quince Battles Class Action Over Its ‘Traditional Retail' Pricing Model," ArentFoxSchiff"I got a cease and desist from Quince," Ecocult.Amanda's first post about the Esprit sweatshirt (you can also find this on IG)"About that viral Esprit sweatshirt...the revolution will not be for sale at Costco." (you an also find this on IG)The new Clotheshorse PO Box: 69 Main Street, Box 16  New Providence, PA 17560Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/Until the end of July, use promo code THEPRICEISRIGHT to get 50% off all merch! Amanda and Dustin care for a colony of 12 feral cats and they want to get them all fixed this spring. So help them cover that cost by picking up some hot deals on Clotheshorse merch.If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it's a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded by designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz. Ruby just launched CLO3D for Custom Fit: a 12-week beginner-friendly online course in virtual patternmaking with CLO3D software. Instead of making sample after sample, you can now customize avatars that match your real body measurements and fit-test garments virtually—before cutting into a single piece of fabric. You can also work from your pre-existing paper or PDF patterns! This course is designed to get you over the initial hump to working confidently in the program. It includes 300+ bite-size video lessons spaced out over 12 weeks, weekly live Q&A calls for accountability, a custom body scan to use as a you-sized virtual dress form, and a super supportive community of like-minded designers that are all learning together in a cohort. Perfect for indie patternmakers, emerging designers, or anyone who wants to design clothes that actually fit their one-of-a-kind body.Learn more about the course, as well as our in-person sewing and patternmaking workshops at www.slowfashion.academy.Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Selina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts.  Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one's closet for generations to come.  Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon Footprint.Republica Unicornia Yarns: Hand-Dyed Yarn and notions for the color-obsessed. Made with love and some swearing in fabulous Atlanta, Georgia by Head Yarn Wench Kathleen. Get ready for rainbows with a side of Giving A Damn! Republica Unicornia is all about making your own magic using small-batch, responsibly sourced, hand-dyed yarns and thoughtfully made notions. Slow fashion all the way down and discover the joy of creating your very own beautiful hand knit, crocheted, or woven pieces. Find us on Instagram @republica_unicornia_yarns and at www.republicaunicornia.com.Cute Little Ruin is an online shop dedicated to providing quality vintage and secondhand clothing, vinyl, and home items in a wide range of styles and price points.  If it's ethical and legal, we try to find a new home for it!  Vintage style with progressive values.  Find us on Instagram at @CuteLittleRuin.

Jeremy Zakis describes being five minutes late for breakfast, leading his dog, Dallas, and local magpies to protest through a glass door. The animals vigilantly monitored the food preparation to ensure they were fed ham and cheese. Both Dallas and the birds finished their meal within twenty seconds. (12)

Recorded live at APTA CSM, this episode features JR Bonhomme, a recruiting leader at PRN Physical Therapy, a company operating across 275 locations in 17 states. JR pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to attract and keep great PTs in today's landscape, whether you are a student searching for your first job or an owner building a team that lasts.Will and JR cover what students get wrong when researching employers, why most practice owners are losing great hires before they even respond, and what PRN does differently to stand out in a crowded market.What you will hear in this episode:Why students need to look past the base salary number and what they should be evaluating instead. How to research a company's culture using Glassdoor, Indeed, and even Google patient reviews. Why speed is the single most important variable in modern recruiting and what 24 hours really means. The daily sourcing habit JR uses before he opens a single email. How being present at university career fairs gives smaller clinics a real recruiting edge.What PRN's Transition to Practice program does for new grad retention. Why offering schedule flexibility keeps clinicians longer than raises alone. What the book Mutiny on the Bounty taught JR about leadership and team management.The story of an eighth grade music teacher who changed the direction of JR's life.This one is practical, honest, and full of specific moves you can use right now.Send us Fan MailVirtual Rockstars specialize in helping support or replace all non-clinical roles.Learn how a Virtual Rockstar can help scale your physical therapy practice.Subscribe here to our completely free Stress-Free PT Newsletter for your weekly dose of joy. 

↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockeyfriends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating &Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006-https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Gohere to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program:  https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/VirginiaFamily Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club-  https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble:  https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter):  TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear fromyou:  Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

Most organizations are extraordinarily good at activity and extraordinarily bad at progress. Meetings that produce more meetings. Initiatives launched before the last ones landed. Leaders who are permanently busy and chronically stuck. This is not a strategy problem. It is a pattern problem, and patterns live in culture, not in org charts. This episode examines the invisible cycles that keep organizations in motion without forward momentum: the norms, assumptions, and unspoken rules that make dysfunction feel like diligence.  In this episode: Meagan Bond, Tom Bradshaw, LindaAnn Rogers, Nic Kruegar, Stacy Lee, Rich Cruz I/O Career Accelerator Course: https://www.seboc.com/job Visit us https://www.seboc.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/sebocLI Join an open-mic event: https://www.seboc.com/events References: Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House. Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999 Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley. Gallup. (2025). State of the global workplace: 2025 report. Gallup. Glassdoor. (2025). The hidden costs of layoffs: Workforce trust, engagement, and organizational performance. Glassdoor Economic Research. Keller, S., & Aiken, C. (2009). The irrational side of change management. McKinsey Quarterly. McKinsey & Company. (2021). The state of organizations 2021: Ten shifts transforming organizations. McKinsey & Company. Overmier, J. B., & Seligman, M. E. P. (1967). Effects of inescapable shock upon subsequent escape and avoidance responding. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 63(1), 28–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0024166 Peterson, C., Maier, S. F., & Seligman, M. E. P. (1993). Learned helplessness: A theory for the age of personal control. Oxford University Press. Russell Reynolds Associates. (2025). Global CEO turnover index: 2024 year in review. Russell Reynolds Associates. Samuelson, W., & Zeckhauser, R. (1988). Status quo bias in decision making. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 1(1), 7–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055564 Society for Human Resource Management. (2019). The high cost of a toxic workplace culture: How culture impacts the workforce—and the bottom line. SHRM. Society for Human Resource Management. (2024). SHRM Q4 2024 civility index: The state of workplace civility in the United States. SHRM.

Connect With ChazSomewhere between 50 and 60 percent of Americans are actively considering a new job this year. There are 2.3 open jobs in the United States for every available worker to fill them. And more than 50 percent of new hires never show up for their first day because they accepted another offer in the window between signing and starting.Joey Coleman has spent his career teaching companies like Zappos, Whirlpool, Hyatt, and NASA how to keep the people they spent months recruiting. His book Never Lose an Employee Again applies the same eight-phase framework he built for customer retention to the employee experience. In this conversation with Chaz Wolfe, Joey walks through every phase, identifies where even the biggest companies break down, and gives contractor business owners the exact moves to make before another great employee walks out the door.Key Takeaways:Phase 1, Assess: Your prospective employee is assessing you before you ever meet them. They are reading your Glassdoor reviews, checking your LinkedIn, and looking at who they know that works for you. Your employer brand exists whether you manage it or not.Phase 2, Accept: The moment they accept the offer, the clock starts. What happens next in the first 24 to 48 hours determines whether they actually show up on day one.Phase 3, Affirm: New hire remorse is scientifically proven. More than 50 percent of people who accepted a job offer in one study never showed up for their first day because they had accepted another offer. Your job is to reaffirm their decision aggressively between offer acceptance and day one.Phase 4, Activate: Day one is not orientation. Day one is a choreographed experience. You already know their significant other is going to ask how the first day went. Why are you not engineering that answer?Phase 5, Acclimate: More than 50 percent of companies spend less than two days onboarding. Only 5 percent spend more than a month. If you want them to stay longer than a month, invest more than a month getting them up to speed.Phase 6, Accomplish: People do not take jobs for the paycheck. They take them to grow, learn, gain flexibility, and be part of something bigger. Track each employee's actual goal and celebrate when they hit it. Not with a check. With an experience, a gift, or a meaningful acknowledgment.Phase 7, Adopt: Your longest tenured employees are the ones you are paying the least attention to. They are also the most dangerous to lose. The institutional knowledge and client relationships that leave with them can be catastrophic.Phase 8, Advocate: If your open positions are not being filled by referrals from current employees, you do not have advocates. You have adopters at best. Advocates actively recruit people into your culture because they genuinely love where they work.Every six months, sit down with every direct report and ask what their goal is for the next six months. Then pay for it, support it, and give them time during the work day to pursue it. When you create space for people to grow, they walk through fire for you.Follow your employees on social media. They are publicly broadcasting what matters to them. Use that information to show up in their real life in a way no one else does.If you are a contractor business owner doing $1M+ and you feel stuck in the day-to-day, we built GTK for you.Through peer mastermind and 1:1 coaching, we help you:increase profitinstall real systemsbuild a team that runs the businessget your time backVisit www.gatheringthekings.com for information on how to apply.Connect with Chaz Wolfe (Host):WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTube Vacation With Entrepreneurial FamiliesEntrepreneur families grow closer, dream bigger, & build legacy together. Join our Family Vacation.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showLike what you heard? Share this episode with a friend and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Join the conversation by visiting GatheringTheKings.com and apply to connect with other high-performing entrepreneurs and their families.

The construction sector takes the least of a hit on the National Federation of Independent Businesses' Optimism Index, while retail suffers worst decline. Add that to a Glassdoor survey reporting that employee confidence is at record lows and burnout is on the rise, and it's no wonder that owners rate the financial health of their small businesses at good to excellent. Wait, what? Host Gene Marks explains why this might be happening. There also are new AI laws in a handful of states creating additional compliance complexities, especially around AI-driven employment decisions and discrimination risks. Listen to the podcast.   Topics: 00:00 – Introduction 00:19 – Optimism Declines Again 02:00 – Employee Confidence and Burnout 04:57 – State Step Up with AI Laws   06:43 – Episode Wrap-up Additional Resources Meet Paychex: https://bit.ly/3VtM6bs Register for AI webinar: https://bit.ly/ai-webinar-series DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

Austin shares his 3 step process for anticipating every interview question so that you can feel well prepared and super confident!Time Stamped Show Notes:[0:25] - How to anticipate interview questions[0:40] - Prepare for the common questions[1:54] - Research interview questions on GlassDoor.com[4:37] - Check out other people's answersResources Mentioned In Today's Episode:Interview PreparationGlassDoorWant To Level Up Your Job Search?Click here to learn more about 1:1 career coaching to help you land your dream job without applying online.Check out Austin's courses and, as a thank you for listening to the show, use the code PODCAST to get 5% off any digital course:The Interview Preparation System - Austin's proven, all-in-one process for turning your next job interview into a job offer.Value Validation Project Starter Kit - Everything you need to create a job-winning VVP that will blow hiring managers away and set you apart from the competition.No Experience, No Problem - Austin's proven framework for building the skills and experience you need to break into a new industry (even if you have *zero* experience right now).Try Austin's Job Search ToolsResyBuild.io - Build a beautiful, job-winning resume in minutes.ResyMatch.io - Score your resume vs. your target job description and get feedback.ResyBullet.io - Learn how to write attention grabbing resume bullets.Mailscoop.io - Find anyone's professional email in seconds.Connect with Austin for daily job search content:Cultivated CultureLinkedInTwitterThanks for listening!

This week we're bringing you a conversation Michael Tamblyn had in 2021 with Natalie Zina Walschots about her extremely fun novel called Hench. It's about a world where superheroes are out there saving the day in super ways, while villains, who are a lot like you and me, run organizations bent on taking over the world while also trying to keep scores up on Glassdoor. Natalie's just released a sequel to Hench, and it's called Villain.    [From 2021:] We learned about some of the fantastical worlds Natalie enjoyed exploring as a young reader "often for sheer escapism," as well as the writers she drew inspiration from while starting out as a writer herself, and as a lifelong student of supervillainy: Robert O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Z for Zachariah High fantasy including J. R. R. Tolkien, but also Shannara, Dragonlance, and "anything with a wizard holding an orb on the cover" or "a skeleton holding a sword" Christian Bök, Karen Solie, bp Nichol, and other writers "doing super weird things with language and the structural materiality of language..." Soon I Will Be Invincible "was the first book I read from the perspective of a supervillain." "Paradise Lost is really important to me ... the relationship between Satan the adversary to the world informs the way I write villains." Neil Gaiman's Sandman, where "a character who's a villain in one context becomes the protagonist in another." Vicious by V E Schwab Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and various writings of Catherynne M. Valente for their "messed up fairy tale feel."

Pope Leo XIV released his AI encyclical alongside Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah. Huawei claims it can match 1.4nm chips by 2031, China imposed travel restrictions on AI talent, cybersecurity hiring surged amid the AI "bug-pocalypse," and American Airlines picked Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi. Pope Leo XIV presents Magnifica humanitas, his encyclical on AI, calling for AI regulation, protection for children against hypersexualized AI images, and more (NYT) Huawei says it aims to make 1.4nm chips by 2031 using its "LogicFolding" tech, which is based on its new Tau Scaling Law intended to bypass Moore's Law limits (Nikkei) Sources: Chinese government agencies begin imposing overseas travel restrictions on individuals involved in advanced AI work, including at Alibaba and DeepSeek (Bloomberg) As AI tools like Mythos create a "bug-pocalypse", Glassdoor says Q1 cybersecurity job postings rose 11% YoY, and executive search firms are turning away clients (NYT) American Airlines picks SpaceX's Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi on more than 500 planes; SpaceX already has contracts with United Airlines, Southwest, and others (CNBC) Google Fitbit Air review: slim, comfortable, and stylish, robust tracking, seven-day battery life, and cheaper than Whoop, but can only be worn on the wrist (The Shortcut) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when HR tech giants crush earnings while the rest of the industry faces massive layoffs? In this special episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, Joel Cheesman is joined by guest co-host J.T. O'Donnell to deliver a dose of optimistic realism on the chaotic state of the 2026 job market. Before diving into the heavy-hitting industry news, the duo kicks things off with plenty of humor, swapping banter over deviled egg recipes, Memorial Day cookout plans, upcoming European travel, and why Southwest Airlines is making headlines with a strict new ban on humanoid robots. They also share a quick streaming recommendation for Apple TV's Your Friends and Neighbors and give a nod to the Crime Junkies podcast before getting down to business.The core of the episode spotlights a deeply divided job market where massive tech layoffs collide with explosive corporate growth. Joel and J.T. break down the staggering down-sizing trends hitting Meta and LinkedIn, contrasting those cuts with the massive, expectation-shattering earnings report just released by Recruit Holdings, the parent company of Indeed and Glassdoor. J.T. lends her expertise to LinkedIn's aggressive new strategy to launch thousands of gated, paid creator-led virtual events to combat generic platform "slop." Finally, the hosts look at the changing face of automation, analyzing how artificial intelligence is shifting call center dynamics abroad, and exploring Amazon's eerie new Alexa capability that generates fully synthetic podcasts on demand.

Back in 2006, The Devil Wears Prada introduced audiences to one of cinema's most iconic workplace bosses: Miranda Priestly. At the time, her leadership style -demanding, authoritarian and often toxic - felt strangely familiar to many people working in corporate environments. But nearly twenty years later, workplace culture has changed dramatically, and we see that play out in cinemas at the moment with the movie's sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2. In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, hosts Dave Corkery and Mary Cullen are joined by Insight HR consultants Aoife Dolan and Joe Redmond, to explore how The Devil Wears Prada and its sequel reflect the evolution of leadership, workplace expectations and employee rights over the past two decades. Guests • Aoife Dolan — HR Consultant, Insight HR • Joe Redmond — HR Consultant, Insight HR Topics include: • How The Devil Wears Prada reflects workplace culture in 2006 versus today • Miranda Priestly's leadership style and the evolution of toxic workplace behaviours • Generational shifts in expectations around work-life balance, wellbeing and psychological safety • The impact of social media, Glassdoor and public WRC decisions on employer reputation • Why employees today are more willing to raise grievances and speak up about toxic behaviour • The relationship between pressure, burnout and workplace conflict • The importance of psychological safety in creating healthy, high-performing workplaces Key Takeaways for HR Leaders • Toxic leadership styles may still exist — but employees are increasingly willing to challenge them. • Psychological safety and dignity at work are now essential expectations, not optional extras. • Generational shifts are changing attitudes toward work-life balance, wellbeing and leadership. • Organisations that ignore toxic behaviour risk reputational damage, retention issues and increased complaints. • High performance should never excuse bullying, harassment or inappropriate conduct. • Employer reputation is more exposed than ever through social media, Glassdoor reviews and public WRC cases. • HR teams play a critical role in coaching leaders, addressing poor behaviour and shaping healthy cultures. Referenced Episodes and Resources • Episode 263 — Generational Differences in the Workplace with Dr Mary Collins • Episode 261 — Neurodiversity & Psychological Safety in the Workplace • Workplace Bullying Webinar featuring Adrian Twomey • Insight HR Workplace Investigations Get in Touch  If you're not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you'd like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn. About The HR Room Podcast The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review. We love to hear your feedback, we take requests, and we're always here to support you with your HR challenges. Immediate HR support 

You've probably had one. Maybe you even have one right now. And if Glassdoor data is anything to go by, you're far from alone—mentions of "toxic boss" in workplace reviews have surged 6.7x since 2018.

Martina ha trent'anni, è cresciuta in Calabria ed è figlia unica di due impiegati statali che le hanno insegnato che «il lavoro è importante, soprattutto perché tante persone attorno a te non ne hanno uno. Perciò, se ce l'hai stabile, te lo tieni. Anche se non ti piace». Quel mandato Martina lo onora alla lettera. Si laurea in tempi rapidi all'Università della Calabria, si trasferisce a Milano per la magistrale in Bocconi e, una volta finiti gli studi, trova subito un impiego in una grande azienda, in ambito dati, con un contratto a tempo indeterminato. In cinque anni cambia tre lavori, sempre con stipendi crescenti. Oggi guadagna 42mila euro lordi all'anno, ha risparmiato, ha investito, ha imparato a negoziare. È, in tutto e per tutto, una persona che ha raggiunto la stabilità.Eppure, da qualche mese, qualcosa si è messo in movimento. Sono i progetti che fa fuori dal lavoro a riaccenderla in un modo che il contratto a tempo indeterminato non le restituisce. Per la prima volta, Martina si chiede se la strada percorsa la rappresenti ancora. «Da un punto di vista razionale, se mettiamo a tavolino i miei Excel e le mie stime, potrei decidere di sondare altri terreni e avere un paracadute. Ma il mio punto di vista emotivo non me lo permette. Distaccarmi da questa concezione, per quanto razionalmente abbia tutte le carte per farlo, è difficile».È quello che oggi si chiama job hugging - l'abbraccio al proprio lavoro anche quando non lo si ama più - e che secondo Glassdoor riguarda il 93% dei lavoratori. La paralisi di Martina, però, non è quella di chi non vede alternative: è quella di chi le vede tutte, le ha calcolate, e non riesce comunque a sceglierne una, perché le è difficile discostarsi da ciò che le è stato insegnato. «Non è tanto la RAL, la quantità di soldi in sé, quanto la stabilità che il lavoro a tempo indeterminato in un'azienda grande ti dà». Lo stipendio che permette a Martina di sentirsi tranquilla è anche quello che le impone di restare in una città che, per come è strutturata oggi, le chiede tutto quello che guadagna. E forse è anche per questo che, quando le si chiede dove si vede tra cinque anni, l'unica risposta possibile è una che fino a poco tempo fa avrebbe escluso: «Forse mi vedo in Calabria, di nuovo. Non l'avrei mai detto, però in realtà poi si cambia».

↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockeyfriends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating &Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006-https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Gohere to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program:  https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/VirginiaFamily Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club-  https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble:  https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter):  TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear fromyou:  Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

Kokorogamae is one of those Japanese ideas that sounds ancient, but lands right in the middle of modern business. It means clarifying your true intention before you act. In leadership, sales, supplier relationships, and corporate culture, that intention leaks out in everything we do. People notice. Clients notice. Staff notice. And in the age of LinkedIn, Google reviews, Glassdoor, and instant reputation damage, the market notices very quickly. What does kokorogamae mean in Japanese business? Kokorogamae means your inner stance, your true intention, and the attitude sitting behind your actions. It combines kokoro, often translated as heart, spirit, or mind, with kamae, the stance taken in martial arts before action begins. In traditional Japanese disciplines such as shodo calligraphy, ikebana flower arrangement, tea ceremony, and martial arts like kendo or aikido, the master prepares the mind before moving the hand. The ink is ground carefully. The flower stems are stripped with attention. The body settles before training begins. Business should be no different. Before leaders, salespeople, executives, and entrepreneurs act, they need to ask: what is my real intention here? Do now: Before your next major decision, ask: "Is my kokorogamae self-serving, client-serving, team-serving, or enterprise-serving?" Why does true intention matter in leadership? Leadership trust begins before the leader speaks, because people read intention faster than they read strategy documents. A boss may talk about coaching, empowerment, and people development, but the team quickly senses whether the real goal is their growth or the boss's promotion. In Japan, where long-term relationships, hierarchy, reputation, and group harmony still influence business behaviour, kokorogamae matters deeply. The same is true in the US, Europe, and Australia, but the cultural signals differ. A multinational may call it leadership authenticity. A startup may call it founder values. An SME may simply call it "doing the right thing". Whatever the label, employees know when leaders are using them as stepping stones rather than investing in their capability. Do now: Leaders should ask their team, directly or anonymously: "What do you believe my true intention is when I manage you?" How does kokorogamae affect company culture? A company's culture is the accumulated evidence of its real intentions, not the slogans written on the wall. Values like integrity, teamwork, ESG, compliance, and inclusion mean little if daily behaviour says, "We win by squeezing whoever has less power." This becomes obvious in supplier relationships. Some global corporations talk loudly about ethics and governance while imposing 60-day, 90-day, or even 120-day payment terms on small suppliers. For a large company, that may be cash-flow management. For a small business, cash is oxygen. SMEs often pay each other on 30-day terms because they understand survival pressure. That is kokorogamae in action: partnership versus domination. Do now: Review your payment terms, procurement rules, and supplier conversations. They reveal your company's real ethical stance. What is the right kokorogamae in sales? The right kokorogamae in sales is not to get the sale; it is to earn the reorder. A single transaction is easy to chase, but lifetime buyer value is built through trust, suitability, and long-term partnership. Salespeople under pressure can drift into bad intention. A low base salary, high commission structure, or aggressive manager can push them to recommend whatever has the best margin rather than what best serves the client. That may work once. It rarely works twice. In B2B sales, especially in relationship-driven markets like Japan, the reorder, referral, and reputation are far more valuable than the quick win. The buyer remembers whether you solved their problem or just solved your quota problem. Do now: Sales leaders should measure repeat business, referrals, retention, and customer trust, not just monthly revenue. What happens when a business has bad kokorogamae? Bad kokorogamae eventually becomes visible, and today it becomes visible at internet speed. In the past, a poor operator could move from client to client, town to town, or deal to deal, leaving unhappy buyers behind. That game is much harder now. LinkedIn posts, online reviews, business forums, search engines, and AI-driven summaries can surface reputational patterns very quickly. A person who fails to pay suppliers, mistreats partners, or sells poor-quality products may think each incident is isolated. It is not. Digital reputation compounds. One public complaint can trigger others, and suddenly the market sees the pattern. In 2025 and beyond, your kokorogamae is no longer private. It becomes searchable. Do now: Audit what clients, suppliers, staff, and partners would say about your intention when you are not in the room. How can executives build better kokorogamae? Executives build better kokorogamae by aligning intention, action, incentives, and accountability. It is not enough to privately believe you are ethical; your systems must reward ethical behaviour. Start with leadership questions. Are managers promoted for developing people or merely hitting numbers? Are salespeople rewarded for client success or only revenue? Are suppliers treated as partners or pressured because they lack bargaining power? Are internal teams encouraged to beat competitors or fight each other for political advantage? Toyota-style continuous improvement, Dale Carnegie-style human relations, and modern leadership development all point to the same lesson: intention becomes behaviour when it is reinforced every day. Do now: Align KPIs with the behaviour you claim to value: trust, repeat business, talent growth, collaboration, and client outcomes. Final summary Kokorogamae is the quiet force behind business success. It is your real intention before the meeting, before the sale, before the negotiation, before the leadership decision. When it is right, people feel it. When it is wrong, people expose it. In modern business, especially in reputation-sensitive markets like Japan, trust is not a branding exercise. It is the outward proof of your inner stance. The secret ingredient is not mysterious. Clarify your true intention, align it with ethical action, and build relationships that can survive scrutiny. Quick actions for leaders and salespeople Ask what your team, clients, and suppliers believe your real intention is. Reward repeat business, referrals, and long-term trust. Stop using power imbalances as a business model. Treat suppliers as partners, not pressure points. Make your kokorogamae visible through consistent behaviour. FAQs What is kokorogamae? Kokorogamae is a Japanese concept meaning your true intention or inner stance before action. In business, it describes the attitude behind leadership, sales, negotiation, and trust. Why is kokorogamae important in sales? Kokorogamae matters in sales because buyers sense whether you want to help them or merely close them. The best sales intention is to earn the reorder, not just win the first transaction. How does kokorogamae relate to leadership? Leadership kokorogamae is the real intention behind how a leader treats their team. Staff quickly know whether the boss wants to develop them or use them. Can bad kokorogamae damage reputation? Yes, bad kokorogamae can damage reputation quickly because poor behaviour is now searchable and shareable.LinkedIn, reviews, forums, and AI search make business behaviour more visible than ever. Author bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" in 2018 and 2021 and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）, and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

Learn more about Brian here: I used to think success meant pushing through.I had the title, the team, the 4.8 Glassdoor rating. On paper, it looked like I'd made it. But one morning, staring at a packed calendar of meetings, check-ins, and dashboards, it hit me—I didn't see myself anywhere in the day ahead.That moment cracked something open. It wasn't a breakdown. It was a wake-up call.I wasn't burned out. I was misaligned.For years, I followed the script: lead well, stay loyal, don't rock the boat. But inside, I was drifting—further from purpose, further from peace. And I realized: if I kept pushing through week after week—deadlines, deliverables, and decisions—I'd lose the man my wife married… the father I wanted to be… the leader I could've become.So I got clear. I built what I couldn't find in the systems around me: a strategy grounded in values, not just performance. A framework to help high-achieving men stop reacting and start designing what comes next—with intention, profit, and alignment.Today, that framework powers Janus Life Coaching.I work with successful professional men who are ready for a new chapter—but don't know how to turn restlessness into a plan. I help them recalibrate, reconnect with what matters, and make a confident next move.If you've ever thought,“I can't stay here… but I don't know where to go,”This is your moment.Let's build a map that actually fits your life, your truth, and your leadership.https://januslifecoaching.com/Don't forget to sign up for our LinkedIn workshop here: https://www.thetimetogrow.com/scale-your-business-blueprint-workshop

Early on, William Vanderbloemen's search firm was exactly the kind of business HubSpot, the marketing platform, was built to help. William had a highly specialized audience, his team produced content that his audience needed, and HubSpot helped make sure the right people found it. Back then, he tells Kate Morgan and Jaci Russo, HubSpot's promise was that it could help a David compete with a Goliath, and that's what it did for Vanderbloemen Search.But that was almost 20 years ago, long before AI began reshaping how people discover information. Now, William contends, the rules are changing. If you create strong content for a specific audience, large language models can do more and more of the work of connecting that content to the people looking for it. Which raises a question: If that's where marketing is headed, do small businesses still need a sophisticated platform like HubSpot? In this week's episode, William shares his doubts.Along the way, the three owners also discuss why Kate changed her mind about selling her business, whether companies really need to pay attention to their Glassdoor reviews, and what a plumber should tell an SEO agency that wants a monthly retainer of $12,500.

↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockeyfriends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating &Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006-https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Gohere to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program:  https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/VirginiaFamily Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club-  https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble:  https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter):  TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear fromyou:  Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

Ever wonder why some COOs quietly double revenue while others burn out cleaning up someone else's mess?Cameron Herold unpacks the “second in command” reality with Rick Marini, serial entrepreneur, private equity veteran, and former COO powerhouse at iconic brands like Grindr. They dive into the realities most leaders dodge: gutting toxic teams, the cost of misaligned culture, and the real career advantage of NOT being CEO. You'll get the battle-tested playbook for earning team trust, breaking through stagnant growth, and building companies where A-players fight to stay.Miss this episode, and you risk leading a team that resents you, losing your top talent, or—worse—sleepwalking into irrelevance while your competition surges ahead. Listen now before your window to upgrade your influence and execution closes. This is unfiltered COO intelligence you won't find anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights15:05 – How do you fix a company doing $100M with a 1.8-star Glassdoor? The turnaround playbook starts here.17:15 – Three straight owners, one legendary LGBTQ brand: The wild truth about trust-building at Grindr20:08 – Held hostage for a million? Why Rick Marini and team had to moderate user content—and what it taught the company21:04 – The one line that made an exec break down in the NYSE lobby, and how you really know your team would run through walls for you25:16 – A-players vs. B-players: The uncomfortable signs you're settling, and how to actually spot (and hire) difference-makers31:08 – Do you really have the right COO? How private equity calls BS on CEO/COO dynamics42:00 – With AI moving this fast, how do you NOT get blindsided? The war room approach to offense vs. defense46:06 – Mentorship, “work from home,” and why Gen Z will lap you if you hide behind ZoomAbout the GuestRick Marini is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Catapult Capital and the Co-Founder, President and COO of Rails, and a renowned operator, investor, and board leader with over 25 years scaling and transforming businesses. Previously CEO/COO at Grindr and Rails, Rick specializes in high-stakes turnarounds, talent strategy, and innovative culture design for tech and consumer brands.

Send us Fan MailYou are not underpaid because your worth is low. You are underpaid because of what you agreed to.That distinction matters more than you think.In this episode, I sit down with leadership strategist, TEDx speaker, and career coach Candyce Hunt to unpack a hard truth that too many mid-career professionals avoid. Your worth is infinite. It is not something an employer can define, measure, or pay. But your compensation is a negotiated agreement based on the value you demonstrate and articulate.If you have ever felt stuck, overlooked, or underpaid despite doing great work, this conversation will challenge how you think about salary, visibility, and your role in shaping your career trajectory.Candyce shares a pivotal moment in her own career when she accepted an $85,000 salary, only to later discover her predecessor earned $175,000 for the same role. What followed was not just frustration. It was a wake-up call about confidence, positioning, and the cost of staying silent.We break down what keeps high-performing professionals stuck in underpaid roles, including the internal bargaining, the fear of speaking up, and the belief that working harder will eventually fix the problem. It will not.What You Will Learn in This Episode:Why you cannot negotiate your worth but you must negotiate your valueHow underpaid offers happen and why accepting them creates long-term consequencesThe internal dialogue that keeps high performers quiet and stuckWhen leaving a role is the most strategic way to reset your compensation baselineHow to build a facts-driven case for higher pay using documented results and outcomesPractical tools like PayScale, Salary.com, and Glassdoor to research compensation benchmarksHow to audit your professional circle and stop taking advice from people who diminish your voiceThe shift from doer to strategist and how visibility drives career growthHow to position yourself as a solution to real business problems, not just a task executorConnect with Candyce HuntWebsite | LinkedIn | Podcast Watch her TEDx Talk: Get Off the Clearance RankEmail: admin@5minutecareerhack.comSupport the showVisit https://johnneral.com/resources to: Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletterGet The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.Connect with John on LinkedIn here.Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.  Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching. Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.  

Jessica Fain is a product leader at Webflow and former Chief of Staff to the CPO at Slack, where she worked alongside April Underwood and many past podcast guests including Stewart Butterfield, Annie Pearl, Tamar Yehoshua, and Noah Weiss. She's spent her career learning how executives actually make decisions—and why most people completely misunderstand the process.We discuss:1. Why great ideas often don't get buy-in2. Why executive calendars are “like strobe lights” and why the first 30 seconds of a meeting matter so much3. Why executives are usually optimizing for a global maximum while you are often optimizing locally4. The best question Jessica uses when a leader says something that seems wrong: “That's so interesting. What led you to believe that?”5. Why you should go in to learn, not to convince6. Why showing only one option is a mistake7. Why AI will make influence more important, not less—Brought to you by:Omni—AI analytics your customers can trustLovable—Build apps by simply chatting with AIVanta—Automate compliance, manage risk, and accelerate trust with AI—Episode transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-art-of-influence-jessica-fain—Archive of all Lenny's Podcast transcripts: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yxi4s2w998p1gvtpu4193/AMdNPR8AOw0lMklwtnC0TrQ?rlkey=j06x0nipoti519e0xgm23zsn9&st=ahz0fj11&dl=0—Where to find Jessica Fain:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-fain-79b8989—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Jessica Fain(03:53) Why influence is the highest-leverage skill in product(04:47) Why great ideas fail without executive buy-in(06:00) How executives actually think(09:05) The fundamentals: context-setting, communication, and empathy(10:22) Stop pitching for approval—start co-creating with execs(12:59) Influence vs. politics (and why people get it wrong)(15:44) How to disagree with execs without losing trust(17:20) Going in to learn, not to convince(19:08) How to present ideas(26:05) The Minto-style approach and tailoring your communication to each exec(28:22) Why Jessica doesn't like the question “What's top of mind for you?”(30:24) Understanding incentives to unlock buy-in(32:10) Aligning product work with company strategy(35:10) Quick summary(37:31) Disarming the executive(40:49) Speed matters: why fast follow-up builds momentum(43:32) How to run high-impact meetings (the 60-second rule)(47:00) Why influencing execs is part of your job(49:15) Asking for more resources and thinking in 10x bets(52:23) What to do when your idea gets rejected(54:18) Clarifying information(56:50) How to build trust and make ideas stick(58:30) Shrinking big ideas into experiments(01:02:27) Common mistakes people make when influencing leaders(01:06:00) How to grow into your next role(01:09:32) How AI is changing influence and product work(01:17:55) Using AI to simulate exec feedback and improve pitches(01:21:15) Protecting our brains from overwhelm(01:22:44) Lightning round and final thoughts—Referenced:• Box: https://www.box.com• Slack: https://slack.com• Brightwheel: https://mybrightwheel.com• Webflow: https://webflow.com• April Underwood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilunderwood• Lessons in product leadership and AI strategy from Glean, Google, Amazon, and Slack | Tamar Yehoshua (Product at Glean, ex-Google and Slack): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/you-dont-need-to-be-a-well-run-company-to-win-tamar-yehoshua• Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com• Behind the scenes of Calendly's rapid growth | Annie Pearl (CPO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-scenes-of-calendlys-rapid• Calendly: https://calendly.com• Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.co.in/index.htm• The 10 traits of great PMs, how AI will impact your product, and Slack's product development process | Noah Weiss (Slack, Foursquare, Google): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-10-traits-of-great-pms-how-ai• Ethan Eismann on X: https://x.com/eeismann• Slack founder: Mental models for building products people love ft. Stewart Butterfield: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/slack-founder-stewart-butterfield• Ilan Frank on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilanfrank• Checkr: https://checkr.com• Ali Rayl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alirayl• Rachel Wolan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelwolan• How Webflow's CPO built an AI chief of staff to manage her calendar, prep for meetings, and drive AI adoption | Rachel Wolan: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-webflows-cpo-built-an-ai-chief• Barbara Minto's website: https://www.barbaraminto.com• How Slack invests in big little details through Customer Love Sprints: https://slack.design/articles/sweating-the-small-stuff• Building product at Stripe: craft, metrics, and customer obsession | Jeff Weinstein (Product lead): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-product-at-stripe-jeff-weinstein• The Enneagram Institute: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions• The Pitt on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/The-Pitt-Season-1/dp/B0DNRR8QWD• Towel warmer: https://www.amazon.com/FLYHIT-Large-Towel-Warmer-Bathroom/dp/B0CB5K34L2• Casa: https://getcasa.com• Jimi Hendrix: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix• Greek Theatre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Theatre_(Los_Angeles)—Recommended books:• Pachinko: https://www.amazon.com/Pachinko-National-Book-Award-Finalist/dp/1455563927• Homegoing: https://www.amazon.com/Homegoing-Yaa-Gyasi/dp/1101971061• A History of Burning: https://www.amazon.com/History-Burning-Janika-Oza/dp/1538724243• The Overstory: https://www.amazon.com/Overstory-Novel-Richard-Powers/dp/039335668X—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

The team digs through the archives of The Lonely Office and notices a pattern: even as work keeps changing, human nature doesn't. From AI-driven layoffs to the strange new reality of job searching, Aaron, Matt, Leah, and Ken revisit some of the show's most revealing conversations about meaning, work, and what might come next. Important Note from the TLO team: Hey TLO listeners, for those who enjoyed our bonus series Ask a Recruiter, that conversation is still going. This spring, find AAR live on Glassdoor's LinkedIn and YouTube, where hiring managers, career coaches, and talent leaders give you real talk on the job market - and ask your questions in real time. To be notified, follow us on LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/company/glassdoor Also, 50 years working at a 7/11, bro gets an email

Every classroom uses texts.Novels.Articles.Word problems.Scientific explanations.Historical documents.Even the periodic table.But the real question isn't simply what text we choose.The deeper question is:What experiences are students having through those texts?In this episode, Jocelynn explores the powerful literacy framework developed by scholar Rudine Sims Bishop—mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors—and explains how this framework applies across all subject areas, not just English Language Arts.Through real classroom observations from both science and literature lessons, she demonstrates how teachers can transform everyday instructional materials into opportunities for identity development, perspective-taking, and deeper engagement.This episode also introduces three practical instructional moves educators can use to guide students beyond surface-level reading and into meaningful learning experiences.Because powerful teaching isn't just about selecting the right text.It's about how we help students encounter it.In This Episode, We Explore• What the mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors framework is and why it matters in today's classrooms• How instructional decisions influence the way students experience texts• Why window texts require intentional guidance from teachers• How classroom moments that seem small can become powerful learning opportunities• Coaching insights for helping teachers reflect on student responses and plan forwardThe 3 Instructional Moves Discussed in This Episode1. Help Students See Themselves in Learning (Mirrors)Mirrors allow students to recognize their identities, experiences, and humanity in what they are learning.When students encounter mirrors in curriculum, they receive an important message:People like me exist in academic spaces.Mirrors strengthen identity development, belonging, and confidence in the classroom.2. Guide Students Through New Perspectives (Windows)Windows allow students to look into experiences different from their own.But simply exposing students to different perspectives is not enough.Teachers play a critical role in helping students:• slow down• ask deeper questions• consider context• move beyond judgment toward understandingWithout guidance, windows can remain surface-level exposure rather than meaningful learning.3. Invite Students to Step Into the Experience (Sliding Glass Doors)Sliding glass doors invite students to actively engage with the perspectives they encounter.Students move beyond observation and begin:• analyzing• questioning• connecting ideas• imagining the experience from another perspectiveThis is where some of the most powerful learning can happen.Coaching Corner ReflectionEducators and leaders can reflect on these questions:• What signals do students receive about whose experiences belong in learning spaces?• Where do mirrors already exist in my curriculum?• What window texts might require more intentional guidance for students?• How can I design opportunities for students to step through sliding glass doors and engage more deeply with ideas?Implementation IntentionReflection becomes powerful when it leads to action.Consider completing this sentence:This week, I will __________ at __________ for __________ in __________.

↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockeyfriends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating &Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006-https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Gohere to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program:  https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/VirginiaFamily Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club-  https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble:  https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter):  TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear fromyou:  Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

This special archive episode takes us back to summer 2020, when Steve Mellor interviewed Alison Hadden for his Women Changing the World series. What he only learned afterward was that Alison had found out just one day earlier that her cancer had returned and was terminal. She never mentioned it during the conversation. Instead, she spoke with clarity, strength, and intention about leadership, resilience, and living like there is no time to waste.Alison passed away in January 2022, but her message continues to inspire anyone seeking to live with more purpose, courage, and gratitude.About the Guest: Alison Hadden was a sales and marketing leader, athlete, and founder of the No Time to Waste Project. She built her career at high-growth companies including Active, Glassdoor, and Mindbody, and became known for her energy, leadership, and purpose-driven approach to life. After facing cancer, she turned her experience into a mission to help others live with greater gratitude, joy, and urgency.About the EpisodeSteve revisits a conversation first released when the podcast was still called Career Competitor. Part of the Women Changing the World series, this interview stands out for Alison's remarkable presence and perspective in the face of devastating news.Rather than focusing on her diagnosis, Alison shared a message that still resonates: live with intention, lead with courage, and don't waste time on what doesn't matter.Key Takeaways:Leadership through adversityThe athlete mindset in business and lifeGrit, resilience, and perspectiveCancer, identity, and transformationGratitude, joy, and human connectionLiving with urgency and intentionLinks and ResourcesNo Time to Waste Projectnotimetowasteproject.comSend a textSupport the showConnect with Steve Mellor Stay connected and keep growing with Steve: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163 Connect with GrowthReady Join the community and keep your growth journey going: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor Official Website - https://growthready.com/ ---- This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

↓↓Please hit Subscribe above & Share with your hockeyfriends. ▼▼Adam Johnson's Foundation: https://gracf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661The Rink Sport Bar- https://www.therinksportsbar.com/Arrow Auto- https://www.arrowautosupply.com/Aspire Heating &Control- www.aspireheatingandcontrol.comFortune Bay Casino- www.fortunebay.comZorbaz Grand Rapids- (218) 326-1006-https://www.zorbaz.com/lake-pokegamaIntegral Hockey Twin Ports/Iron Range- https://www.facebook.com/share/1CGhwoMeJD/?mibextid=wwXIfrGrand Rapids Chevrolet GMC- https://www.grandrapidschevroletgmc.com/MN Hockey Camps- https://www.mnhockeycamps.com/ Iron Range Plumbing & Heating- https://www.ironrangeplumbing.com/ Gohere to learn more about Jack's FASCIA STRENGTH & POWER program:  https://jackthompsoncoaching.com/fascia-strength--power/VirginiaFamily Dental- https://www.virginiafamilydental.net/Jackson Hole Moose hockey Club-  https://snowkingsec.com/moose-hockey/#/team/IcrJqqbc0HExKlCmGoat Sports Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn--fsBpA4--LegYAuplhAGoat Sports Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GOAT-Sports-103631275092231Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4tzCsGnFXbTw8ZMgdMHtrJ?si=_o-XMLATRXyAI4uZ3ATBNARumble:  https://rumble.com/v5endii-91224-tea-with-ms-mcgill-show-presented-by-fortune-bay-resort-and-casino-fe.htmlX (Twitter):  TeaMcgillWe'd like to hear fromyou:  Goatsportsmediallc@gmail.com#MNironrangehockey #irchockey #section7ahockey #section7aahockey #MNHShockey#MNboyshockeyA production of G.O.A.T. Sports Media LLC

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIn 2026's 'forever layoff' era, women leaders who master continuous improvement leadership outperform peers, reduce their layoff risk, and accelerate promotions. Olaf Boettger's 27-year Kaizen framework — courage, humility, discipline — turns daily small improvements into extraordinary career results.Key stat: Toyota workers are 2x more productive than competitors using this same system.? QUICK TAKEAWAYS•       Continuous improvement leadership doubles your career productivity vs. peers who stop learning•       The 3 capabilities every woman leader needs: courage to name problems, humility to keep learning, discipline to stay consistent•       Kaizen's daily 15-minute team meeting is directly applicable to your own career self-management•       GE's turnaround under Larry Culp proves CI works in any industry — finance, tech, healthcare, or your own career•       In 2026's 'forever layoff' climate, CI skills signal indispensable strategic value to any organizationIf you're a woman leader in 2026, the job market has changed dramatically — and not in your favor. Glassdoor's Worklife Trends report calls it the 'forever layoff': small, rolling cuts that never make headlines but keep talented executives in a constant state of anxiety. Meanwhile, AI is reshaping roles at every level, and the competition for standout positions has never been fiercer.As an executive coach with over 30 years of experience (MA, MFT, PCC) and host of the Women's Leadership Success Podcast — ranked in the top 1.5% globally with over 750,000 downloads — I've interviewed more than 144 of the world's top leadership experts. When I heard Olaf Boettger's approach to continuous improvement leadership, I immediately knew this was the missing framework most women leaders had never considered.Olaf spent 27 years at Procter & Gamble and Danaher — two of the most operationally excellent companies on earth — mastering the Japanese Kaizen philosophy. What he discovered translates directly to career acceleration: the same system that doubled Toyota's worker productivity and powered GE's biggest turnaround in American history can supercharge your leadership brand and make you the candidate no one can afford to pass over. The 2026 Career Reality: Why 'Working Hard' Is No Longer Enough The data is sobering for women leaders right now. According to Glassdoor's 2025 Workplace Trends report, small layoffs — under 50 people — now represent 51% of all job cuts, up from just 38% in 2015. These 'forever layoffs' create cultures of anxiety where talented women question their value daily.At the same time, female manager engagement dropped seven percentage points in 2025 alone — the steepest decline of any group, according to Gallup research. Women leaders are being asked to do more with less, carrying teams through AI disruption and RTO mandates, while their own career advancement stalls.The traditional answer — work harder, be more visible, volunteer for every high-profile project — simply isn't scaling. In a market where 45% of employers rate the job outlook as 'fair' at best, you need a completely different strategy. You need continuous improvement leadership. ? Ready to transform your career trajectory?  Download our FREE Leadership Branding Blueprint Accelerator and discover:•       A proven system to document your impact and accelerate promotions•       How to build a leadership brand that makes you the obvious choice•       A measurable framework for expanding your organizational influence•       Strategic positioning for high-visibility, career-defining initiatives•       The same approach Sabrina uses with Fortune 500 executives to 3x their promotion speed? GET YOUR FREE LEADERSHIP BRANDING BLUEPRINT ACCELERATOR What Is Continuous Improvement Leadership? The Kaizen Framework Explained Continuous improvement — known in Japanese as Kaizen, meaning 'change for the better' — originated at Toyota nearly 90 years ago. After World War II, with limited resources and a need to compete globally, Toyota developed a system to extract maximum quality and efficiency from every process. That system, now called the Toyota Production System, became the foundation of what we know as Lean, Six Sigma, and the Danaher Business System.For women leaders, continuous improvement leadership means applying these same principles to your career, your team, and your organization. It is not a one-time initiative or a January resolution. It is a daily practice — a permanent operating system.The Three Foundation PrinciplesOlaf distills continuous improvement leadership into three core principles:Kaizen — The belief that there is always a better way. This is not about being self-critical; it is about being growth-oriented. Every interaction, presentation, and leadership decision is an opportunity to iterate and improve.Go to Gemba — Go to the real place. Stop relying on slide decks and secondhand reports. As a leader, this means visiting your stakeholders, understanding what your team actually experiences day-to-day, and staying close to the work that creates value.Customer focus — Always anchor to what your 'customer' values. In a career context, your customers are your executive stakeholders, your team, and the business outcomes you're hired to deliver. Everything you do should be filtered through: does this add value for them?The Three Capabilities That Determine SuccessAccording to Olaf, your mindset determines everything. Leaders who succeed with continuous improvement possess three non-negotiable capabilities:CapabilityWhat It Looks Like in PracticeWhy Women Leaders Need It NowCOURAGEHonestly naming when your performance or your team's is 'red' — even when the culture rewards positivity over truth.In 2026's performance-pressured environment, leaders who surface problems first are seen as strategic — not weak.HUMILITYStaying open to learning regardless of your experience level. As Olaf says: the best leaders he's known, including P&G's CEO A.G. Lafley, were the most humble.Imposter syndrome tempts women to prove they already know everything. Humility is the counterintuitive superpower.DISCIPLINEShowing up for improvement consistently — not just in January. Committing to the decade, not the quarter.Career advancement compounds. The women who stand out in 2026 are those who have been quietly improving for years. The Business Case: What Continuous Improvement Leadership Actually Delivers For skeptics — and Olaf acknowledges that many leaders initially resist this approach — the numbers make a compelling argument. Toyota, the originator of this system, generates roughly twice the revenue per employee compared to its nearest competitors. Danaher, where Olaf spent the bulk of his career, has sustained approximately 15–16% compound annual growth for 40 consecutive years.The most visible example is GE's transformation under Larry Culp — the former Danaher CEO who took over when GE was in deep financial trouble. Using continuous improvement as the operating backbone, Culp and his teams executed what many consider one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in American business history, eventually splitting GE into three highly successful independent companies.On a practical level, Olaf shared a specific case study from a Danaher acquisition: a company delivering orders on time just 50% of the time. Using CI methodologies, that number rose to 95%. For context, if Amazon delivered your packages on time half the time, you'd stop using Amazon. A 45-percentage-point improvement is not incremental — it's transformational. TRY THIS NOW (10 Minutes)Apply Olaf's Red/Green method to your career right now: Identify one goal you have for your career this quarter (promotion, salary increase, high-visibility project).Set a specific target. Write your current actual. Color code it: are you green (on track) or red (below target)? If red — write one sentence explaining why.Then write one action you will take this week to close the gap. That's continuous improvement leadership in action. Do this every Monday.  How to Apply Continuous Improvement Leadership to Your Career in 2026 The beauty of Kaizen is that it scales from a Toyota factory floor to your personal career strategy. Here's how to translate Olaf's framework into your daily leadership practice:The 15-Minute Daily Leadership HuddleAt every Danaher facility, teams hold a 15-minute standing meeting every morning. They review five metrics — safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity — and ask: are we red or green? If red, why? Who does what by when?For your career, your five metrics might be: stakeholder relationships, project delivery, skill development, visibility, and team performance. A daily or weekly 10-minute self-check asking those same questions creates the discipline of continuous improvement at the individual level.Visual Management for Your CareerOlaf emphasizes making performance visible. In organizations, this means color-coded boards. For your career, this translates to maintaining a simple achievement tracker — a running document of your wins, metrics, and impact — that you review weekly. This directly feeds your Leadership Branding Blueprint and becomes the evidence base for promotion conversations.The Growth Mindset + Kaizen ConnectionOlaf's PhD research connected him deeply to Carol Dweck's work on fixed vs. growth mindsets. Dweck's research demonstrates that individuals who believe abilities can be developed through dedication consistently outperform those who believe talent is fixed. Continuous improvement is the operational expression of growth mindset — it gives you the system that turns that belief into measurable career results. Your 7-Step Continuous Improvement Career Action Plan Step 1 (10 min): Define your career target.

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Brian Halligan co-founded HubSpot, ran it as CEO for about 15 years, and now coaches Sequoia's fastest-growing founders as their in-house CEO coach.We discuss:1. His LOCKS framework for evaluating founders2. Why you should build your team like the 2004 Red Sox3. Why hiring “spicy” candidates beats consensus picks4. Why enterprise sales will be the last white-collar job AI replaces5. Some of my favorite “Halliganisms”—Brought to you by:Sentry—Code breaks, fix it faster: http://sentry.io/lennyDatadog—Now home to Eppo, the leading experimentation and feature flagging platform: https://www.datadoghq.com/lennyWorkOS—Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs: https://workos.com/lenny—Episode transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/sequoia-ceo-coach-why-its-never-been—Archive of all Lenny's Podcast transcripts: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yxi4s2w998p1gvtpu4193/AMdNPR8AOw0lMklwtnC0TrQ?rlkey=j06x0nipoti519e0xgm23zsn9&st=ahz0fj11&dl=0—Where to find Brian Halligan• X: https://x.com/bhalligan• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brianhalligan• Delphi: https://www.delphi.ai/bhalligan• Podcast: https://sequoiacap.com/series/long-strange-trip—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Brian Halligan(03:56) The perpetual state of constructive dissatisfaction(05:25) Coaching CEOs(07:49) The art of interviewing and hiring(11:21) Getting the most out of reference calls(13:10) Homegrown talent vs. big company hires(16:31) Traits of successful CEOs(19:40) Brian's LOCKS framework for evaluating founders(21:34) Are great CEO's born or made?(23:41) Giving effective feedback(25:54) The future of go-to-market strategies(31:56) Understanding forward deployed engineers(34:17) How the CEO role has evolved over the last 20 years(38:10) Halliganisms(01:01:18) The CEO's role in scaling a company(01:02:41) Lightning round and final thoughts—Referenced:• Dev Ittycheria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dittycheria• HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com• Parker Conrad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerconrad• McKinsey & Company: https://www.mckinsey.com• Brian Chesky's new playbook: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/brian-cheskys-contrarian-approach• Jensen Huang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenhsunhuang• Winston Weinberg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winston-weinberg• James Cadwallader on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsca• Gabriel Stengel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabestengel• He saved OpenAI, invented the “Like” button, and built Google Maps: Bret Taylor on the future of careers, coding, agents, and more: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/he-saved-openai-bret-taylor• Scaling Entrepreneurial Ventures: https://orbit.mit.edu/classes/scaling-entrepreneurial-ventures-15.392• OpenClaw: https://openclaw.ai• Ruth Porat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-porat• Mike Krzyzewski: https://goduke.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mike-krzyzewski/4159• Dalai Lama's 18 Rules for Living: https://www.prm.nau.edu/prm205/Dalai-Lama-18-rules-for-living.htm• Zigging vs. zagging: How HubSpot built a $30B company | Dharmesh Shah (co-founder/CTO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-30-years-of-building• Kareem Amin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kareemamin• Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com• Tobi Lütke's leadership playbook: Playing infinite games, operating from first principles, and maximizing human potential (founder and CEO of Shopify): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/tobi-lutkes-leadership-playbook• Katie Burke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-burke-965767a• Jerry Garcia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Garcia• Bob Weir: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Weir• Phil Lesh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Lesh• Ron “Pigpen” McKernan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_%22Pigpen%22_McKernan• Marc Andreessen: The real AI boom hasn't even started yet: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/marc-andreessen-the-real-ai-boom• The American Revolution: https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-american-revolution• Delphi: https://www.delphi.ai• Sonos: https://www.sonos.com• Yamini Rangan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaminirangan• The Boston Red Sox: https://www.mlb.com/redsox—Recommended book:• Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History: https://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Lessons-Grateful-Dead-Business/dp/0470900520—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Interviews are not just about what you know. They are about how you think on your feet, respond under pressure, and show up with confidence when you do not have a perfect script. In this episode of Ask a Recruiter, Leah Ova sits down with improv coach and communication expert Holly Mandel to explore how improv techniques like “yes, and,” presence, and active listening can transform your job interview performance. Holly Mandel is the founder of iMergence and a former Main Company member and instructor at The Groundlings. She works with professionals and Fortune 500 teams to build confidence, clarity, and real time communication skills that translate directly into high stakes conversations. Together, Leah and Holly tackle tough interview questions from the Glassdoor community, from “Tell me about yourself” to curveballs like “How would you sell ice cream in the Arctic?” They break down practical tools you can use immediately, including how to pivot mid answer, manage interview anxiety, project warmth and energy on Zoom, and build the kind of charisma that gets you to the next round. If you are job hunting, preparing for a promotion, or simply want to communicate with more authority and authenticity, this episode gives you actionable strategies you can try this week.

In this episode of the Millionaire Car Salesman Podcast, your hosts, Sean V. Bradley and LA Williams tackle one of the biggest threats to dealership growth heading into 2026… staff retention and leadership breakdowns! "Losers allow their emotions to dictate their actions, but winners choose which emotion to use to get the desired result." - LA Williams Dealerships are spending more money than ever recruiting, hiring, and onboarding… only to lose good people faster than they can replace them. Sean and LA break down why the old dealership playbook is no longer working, what today's salespeople and BDC professionals actually value, and how leadership habits inside the store are either building loyalty, or pushing talent out the door. "If your best people don't see a future with you, they'll build one somewhere else." - Sean V. Bradley They also explore how modern tools like AI and automation are changing the market, but why technology alone won't fix a culture problem. This episode shines a light on the leadership mistakes that quietly create turnover, the importance of real training beyond basic sales tactics, and what it takes to create a dealership environment where top performers actually want to stay. If you're a dealer, GM, manager, or team leader trying to build a stable, high-performing team in 2026 and beyond… this episode is a must-listen. At NADA? So are WE! Meet the Millionaire Car Salesman Podcast Hosts at Booth #3315W and grab a FREE DRINK on us while entering to win some FREE PRIZES!    Key Takeaways: ✅ Evolving Workforce Needs: Understanding modern employees' desire for flexibility, transparency, and a non-toxic workplace is fundamental for dealerships aiming to retain talent. ✅ Leadership and Culture: Effective leadership requires not only management skills but also nurturing a positive culture where people feel recognized and valued. ✅ Career Path Development: Clear career growth opportunities and continuous professional development are crucial in retaining skilled employees. ✅ Pay Plans and Promises: Align compensation strategies with genuine roles and responsibilities to build trust and mitigate employee frustration. ✅ Daily Leadership Practices: Implementing daily coaching, clear communication, and a system of recognition can significantly impact employee satisfaction and dealership success.   About Sean V. Bradley Sean V. Bradley is an accomplished expert in automotive sales training with nearly 30 years of experience in the industry. He is the President of Dealer Synergy, a renowned company that provides comprehensive training, consulting, and marketing solutions to automotive dealers. Sean is also the creator of the Millionaire Car Salesman podcast, where he shares insights on improving sales team performance, leadership issues, and industry trends. About LA Williams Known as "The Blind Master," LA Williams is the Vice President of Dealer Synergy. Despite his visual impairment, LA has excelled in the automotive industry, demonstrating remarkable leadership and communication skills. He is a prolific speaker, trainer, and co-host of the Millionaire Car Salesman podcast, where he brings a unique perspective to the world of automotive sales. Don't miss out on LA's NADA Session on Feb. 5th at 12:30 PM PST in Las Vegas!     Boosting Dealership Performance in 2026: Mastering Employee Retention and Leadership Key Takeaways Employee retention is more about leadership and culture than recruitment. Effective training that encompasses skill, professional, and personal development is crucial. Social proof through online reviews significantly impacts recruitment and retention success. In the rapidly evolving automotive industry of 2026, dealerships are challenged not only to attract but also keep quality workers amidst technological and cultural shifts. As laid bare in a candid discussion from the Millionaire Car Salesman podcast, industry veterans Sean V. Bradley and LA Williams delve into the core problem areas and present innovative strategies for car dealerships. They assert that solving retention issues boils down to fortifying leadership, improving workplace culture, and ensuring clear communication. The Changing Landscape of Recruitment and Retention A New Era of Employee Expectations Today's employees desire more than just financial compensation; they seek transparency, flexibility, and a positive workplace environment. Bradley emphasizes, "Employees value time flexibility and transparency, especially the younger generation. They won't tolerate a toxic culture." As such, dealerships need to adapt their recruitment strategies and workplace conditions to align with these expectations. This means offering not just monetary incentives, but valuing employees' time, ensuring work-life balance, and recognizing individual achievements. This shift reflects broader workplace trends where employees are increasingly unafraid to leave unsatisfactory jobs for better opportunities. Building an All-Inclusive Training Strategy Comprehensive training is the backbone of employee satisfaction and retention. Bradley illustrates the importance of multi-faceted development by saying, "If you're not training them on product knowledge, on the road to the sale, on Internet sales… you're not doing enough." Today's sales landscape demands more than traditional selling skills; it requires proficiency in CRM systems, social media, and AI technologies. By setting a high standard and providing adequate resources and training, dealerships can create an empowered workforce capable of exceeding sales goals. Culture and Leadership: The Heart of Employee Retention Nurturing a Positive Workplace Culture Workplace culture is the invisible force that significantly influences employee retention. Williams and Bradley highlight how recognition and respectful treatment can transform workplace morale. Bradley candidly shares, "Happy employees equal happy customers." When employees feel valued and recognized, their dedication and loyalty grow, which in turn positively influences customer experiences. To foster such a culture, dealerships should focus on team-building and personal development alongside professional growth. Celebrating personal milestones and achievements through social media or team meetings fosters a sense of community and belonging. Providing emotional and practical support not just ensures employee well-being but results in enhanced performance and customer satisfaction. Fixing Leadership Gaps to Drive Success A crucial step in improving employee retention is addressing leadership deficiencies. As Williams asserts, "Top salespeople don't automatically make great leaders… Leadership development is paramount." Promoting based purely on sales success can lead to leadership gaps; instead, focus should be on developing comprehensive management skills amongst promising employees. Managers should embrace roles that include mentorship and coaching, striving for emotional intelligence, and delivering fair criticism in a constructive manner. Regular one-on-ones and feedback sessions should be structured not just for performance reviews, but for mutual growth and progression. Creating clear career paths for every role reflects a transparent approach, ensuring employees see their future potential within the company. Reputation, Social Proof, and Retention The Power of Social Proof Through Online Reputation In today's digital landscape, online reviews extend beyond customer opinions and into employment evaluations. Many dealerships remain unaware of how platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed are crucial in shaping perceptions of potential hires. Bradley stresses the importance of these review sites, stating, "People research your store before they apply." Negative employment reviews can deter top talent from joining a dealership. Proactively managing these reviews can enhance a dealership's appeal, suggesting a focus on reputation management alongside customer service. Positive employment reviews reinforce trust and attract quality candidates, ultimately aiding in achieving retention goals and enhancing overall dealership reputation. Aligning Brand and Employment Messaging The alignment of external brand communication with internal employee experience creates a strong market position and fosters employee loyalty. Bradley champions this by advocating for consistent positive messaging on dealership social media, celebrating employee milestones and achievements. This tactic not only strengthens workforce morale but also attracts potential employees by spotlighting a vibrant, supportive workplace culture. Intertwining these aspects — adopting modern recruitment practices, refining leadership qualities, and enhancing online reputation — sets a solid foundation for enduring success amidst the complexities of 2026. Following the Buick slogan "When better automobiles are built, Buick will build them," progressive dealerships will attract and retain top-tier talent by building better workplaces first. The future belongs to dealerships that not only adapt to change but forge change, beginning within their own ranks.     Resources + Our Proud Sponsors: ➼ The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group: Join the #1 Automotive Sales Mastermind Facebook Group with over 29,000 automotive professionals worldwide. The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group is the go-to community for car salespeople, BDC agents, sales managers, general managers, and dealer principals looking to increase performance, income, and leadership skills. Inside the group, members collaborate daily on automotive sales strategies, lead handling, phone scripts, closing techniques, CRM best practices, dealership leadership, and accountability systems. Learn directly from top automotive trainers, industry mentors, and high-performing sales leaders who are actively winning in today's market. If you're serious about growing your automotive career, increasing car sales, and building long-term success, join The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group today! ➼ Dealer Synergy: Dealer Synergy is the automotive industry's #1 Sales Training, Consulting, and Accountability Firm, with over 20 years of proven dealership success nationwide. We specialize in helping car dealerships increase sales, improve processes, and build high-performing Sales, Internet, and BDC departments from the ground up. Our expertise includes automotive phone scripts, rebuttals, CRM action plans, lead handling strategies, BDC workflows, Internet sales processes, management training, and accountability systems. Dealer Synergy partners directly with dealership leadership to align people, process, and technology, ensuring consistent results and scalable growth. From independent dealers to large dealer groups and OEM partnerships, Dealer Synergy delivers measurable performance improvements, stronger teams, and sustainable profitability. ➼ Bradley On Demand: Bradley On Demand is the automotive industry's most advanced interactive training, tracking, testing, and certification platform for car dealerships — built to develop top-performing teams across Sales, Internet Sales, BDC, CRM, Phone Skills, Leadership, and Management. In addition to LIVE virtual automotive training classes and a library of 9,000+ on-demand dealership training modules, Bradley On Demand now includes AI Phone Roleplaying and Coaching to help salespeople and BDC agents practice real dealership conversations before they ever get on the phone with customers. This AI-powered roleplay technology strengthens phone scripts, objection handling, appointment setting, lead follow-up, and closing skills, while providing measurable coaching feedback for continuous improvement. Bradley On Demand empowers dealerships to train faster, coach smarter, improve call performance, increase closing ratios, and sell more cars more profitably — all through structured, trackable, modern automotive training.

Ep. 250: As captain of his HS baseball and basketball teams, Mark McClain began building a leadership playbook that would one day guide him as founder and CEO of SailPoint Technologies—recently named to Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list. In this episode, you'll learn: How to balance executing in your role with building your career with his 90/10 rule. How to recalibrate goals before you drift too far off course. The three traits Mark looks for in every hire. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.  Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/  Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.  Special thanks to Karson Hills and Chase Nagel for making this episode possible.  

Hubert Joly is a Harvard Business School lecturer and globally recognized leadership thinker focused on re-founding business around purpose and people. A former Chairman and CEO of Best Buy, he led one of the most celebrated corporate turnarounds of the past decade by rejecting cost-cutting playbooks in favor of purpose-driven strategy. At Harvard Business School, he co-leads flagship CEO programs and advises organizations on developing next-generation leaders. Joly serves on the boards of Johnson & Johnson and S&P Global, is a trustee of the New York Public Library, has been named among the world's top CEOs and management thinkers by HBR, Barron's, Glassdoor, and Thinkers50, and is the bestselling author of The Heart of Business. In this episode we discuss the following: When Hubert became CEO of Best Buy, he resisted the instinct to cut, cut, cut. Instead, as a first-time CEO, he chose to be a learn-it-all rather than a know-it-all—constantly asking, What's working? What's not? And what do you need? He then held himself to a strong “say-do” ratio, making sure his actions matched his words. I was also struck by the hierarchy he emphasized at Best Buy: people, business, finance. Of course a company has to make money. But when meetings start with finance or strategy, the implicit message is that people come second. Best Buy ultimately clarified this by defining its purpose as enriching lives through technology by addressing human needs. Another powerful idea was Hubert's reminder that culture changes faster than we think—if behavior changes first. If you want to be customer-centric, don't just talk about customers. Spend time with them. Behavior shapes culture surprisingly fast. Give a name or brand to our behavior change goals.

"Maryland Man" Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from ICE custody but due back in court today. The White House explains the state of the economy. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem accosted by hecklers and Democrats at the Capitol yesterday. Jeffy is very concerned about President Trump's hand. Glassdoor's word of the year is "fatigue." Would you want to have a warm Christmas or a frigid Christmas? Charlie Kirk's suspected killer smirks in court. Nicolas Maduro: "Don't worry ... be happy ... and just spits ... not war." Important cases in front of the Supreme Court right now. Kansas City has some serious restrictions on "holiday" displays at city hall. Kris tries to explain Three Kings Day. Is the Michigan coach scandal a taint on "all black men"? 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:27 Maryland Man Released 04:23 State of the US Economy 08:40 Obamacare Subsidies are About to Expire 11:41 White House on President Trump's Hand Bandages 17:15 Kristi Noem Accosted by Protesters on Capitol Hill 19:23 Fake Cardinal Protests Kristi Noem 21:21 Bennie Thompson SUCKS! 22:29 Seth Magaziner is a LIAR! 26:59 Shri Thanedar Calls for Kristi Noem to Resign 28:01 President Trump Impeached?...THINK AGAIN! 33:22 Caller Kent 35:32 Fat Five 48:37 Caller Dawn 49:35 Caller Paula 51:02 Stephen Miller Calls Out CNN 54:39 Tyler James Robinson's Court Appearance 1:02:30 Maduro Sings to Trump - "Just Spits, Not War"? 1:06:12 Caller Tim 1:13:03 Two Important Cases in front of SCOTUS 1:30:38 Ryan Clark's Weird Rant about Sherrone Moore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices