Jazzed About Work

The average job search brings many ups and downs, twists and turns, and emotional challenges, say leadership and career coaches Cathy Wasserman and Lauren Weinstein. But you can prepare yourself, and find smart ways to navigate the transition. In their book, The Empowered Job Search, the two say that a job hunt is inherently disempowering, but there are ways you can cultivate a new mindset and kee...

Charlie Schilling is a senior executive with Emeritus, a global company that is partnering with leading universities to create new ways to deliver professional education. In this episode, he discusses the vital need to upskill and reskill the American workforce. We talk about the millions of workers who want to change their careers. Charlie says Emeritus is focused on delivering workers affordable...

As millions of workers walk away from their jobs, or at least explore new options, many companies are exploring ways to better motivate their people. Our guest today, Liza Haffenberg, has worked around the world as a branding and culture change expert, and now she’s a leader at the marketing firm StrawberryFrog. Here she describes how employers can transform their cultures in ways that encourage t...

The pandemic has accelerated an already budding trend: the expansion of remote work. And some professionals who can work from anywhere are opting to move to communities that offer lower costs, more space or different lifestyles. In this show, Evan Hock, COO of MakeMyMove, explains how towns with declining populations are willing to pay remote workers to relocate. Evan’s company has created a marke...

Jonathan Fields, often known as ‘the Good Life Guy,” says we each have a special imprint – something that fills us with meaning, joy, purpose and possibility. Today, Jonathan describes how our perfect job options are explored in his book, “Sparked: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come Alive.” And he shares information about a free personal assessment you can take online to hel...

Our guest, Raj Subrameyer, was a shy, uncertain young man when he came to the U.S. from India, in 2008. Now Raj is a successful author, a keynote speaker, and a big-time tech-career strategist. In his book, Skyrocket Your Career, he explains that the shift didn’t happen overnight. He had an “awakening” and decided to chart his own course. Here he describes his change process and explains how you c...

Today we talking about creating fun at work. Our guest is Bob Nelson, a leading authority on employee recognition and engagement. Widely known as Dr. Bob, he has written more than 30 books about motivating people. Here he explains how he started out as an introvert with little knowledge of books, then turned himself into a successful writer and world-class speaker. Bob offers tips to aspiring auth...

Today’s episode is the second of two in which Tom Hodson plays the role of host and talks with Beverly Jones about her new book, Find Your Happy at Work. Tom and Bev agree that you can’t flourish in your work life if you aren’t well, and that self-care is a foundation of career success. Bev suggests you focus on four realms of your well-being: body, brain, emotions and spirit. The starting point i...

This show is the first of two in which Tom Hodson steps in as host and interviews Beverly Jones about her new book, Find Your Happy at Work. The conversation focuses on how many of us sometimes feel stuck in a rut, burned out or just plain tired of our job. It includes tips from Bev’s book, about how to quickly find more joy and meaning in your work. Bev says that work and play have a lot in commo...

Dr. Omar Dawood is passionate about promoting better work environments, including by encouraging self-care and helping employees to deal with stress and anxiety. Omar is a medical doctor and stage IV cancer survivor with over 25 years of senior management, medical research and clinical experience. And he is the Chief Medical Officer for Calm, which is well known for its popular app for meditation,...

You may know Crowded Kitchen from Instagram, where it has almost 200,000 followers. Or from its vast and lovely website featuring photographs and recipes of plant-based food. Did you also know that Crowded Kitchen has grown from a personal social media account to a flourishing family business? Our guests today are its founders -- Beth Sinclair and her daughter, Lexi Harrison. They talk about why a...

This episode focuses on Artificial Intelligence, and how AI is reshaping the workplace. Our guest is Raj Tumuluri, founder and CEO of Openstream, which produces artificial-intelligence-based virtual assistant technology for businesses. Raj will describe how consumers and workers already are interacting with AI on a regular basis. He’ll address the concern that robots are about to take over our job...

It seems COVID-19 has made us more aware of the importance of compassion, and more thoughtful about how to support our colleagues, as well as friends and family. Today’s guest is Earl Johnson, a founder of the spiritual care function at the American Red Cross, and a man who understands compassion. Earl is an expert in psychological first aid, and he teaches others to support both victims and first...

Today’s show focuses on one of our favorite topics: compassionate, effective networking. Our guest is Rebecca Leder, a senior manager at Salesforce, where she has lots of opportunities to bring people together. Rebecca tells us about her new book, KNOCK, which presents a framework for connecting with people in meaningful ways. She describes her method for intentionally and genuinely interacting wi...

Today’s guest, Mark Anthony Dyson, says the U.S. job search process has changed considerably in the last year. Mark is a well-known career writer, podcaster and speaker, and his robust website, The Voice of Job Seekers, offers a wide range of helpful career information. In this episode, he discusses evolving trends, like the wave of interest in “upscaling.” He describes new resources, like additio...

Jazzed About Work guests often mention LinkedIn as an important tool for learning about career trends and building your network. Today’s guest is actually from LinkedIn, and he’ll be focusing on some of the deeper aspects of connecting with other people. His name is Scott Shute, and not long ago he was LinkedIn’s vice president of global customer operations. Then he made a significant shift, and n...

Today’s theme is how to help your team members grow and thrive by building coaching into your everyday conversations at work. Our guest is Wendy Swire, an executive coach, leadership consultant and pioneer in the art of using neuroscience to help people become more engaged and productive on the job. She’s also co-other (with Teresa Kloster) of “Anytime Coaching,” which offers a practical model for...

It’s time to create more productive and welcoming workplaces. Today’s guest is Laura Krista, a White American cross-cultural consultant whose commitment to building diverse and collaborative work teams dates to her early years working in Japan. She’ll talk about her book, “The Business of WE,” which describes the benefits of fostering connections among people of varied backgrounds. And Laura will...

Our returning guest, Joan Lynch, is a jobs expert who is in touch with some of the hottest trends related to the future of work. She is also the Chief Content Officer of WorkingNation, a nonprofit media group focused on both the jobs skills gap and solutions for the American economy and our working people. In today’s show, Joan guides us through key developments related to the current unemployment...

David Ibarra is an entrepreneur, leadership consultant and well-known speaker. But he says his real mission is working with employed adults who drift through jobs feeling unsatisfied. And David models what it takes to take charge of your own destiny. The son of a Mexican immigrant father and rural Utah mother, David spent much of his youth in foster care. In his book “Stop Drifting,” he describes...

The career path hasn’t always been easy for Jawad Ahsan, the son of Pakistani immigrants. But along the way he chose to be a leader and to guide his own career by following his “North Star.” In his inspiring book “What They Didn’t Tell Me,” Jawad describes how he made his way up the corporate ranks by cultivating values like integrity, collaboration, accountability and positivity. Today he’s the C...

Although we have moved beyond rigid standards about how to dress, Jordan Stolch, Founder of MiKADO Personal Styling, says the way you shape your look still matters at work. In this episode, Jordan explains that dressing for success doesn’t mean you have to be a fashionista. Your goal should be to feel and project confidence. Even when you work remotely, it’s empowering to create the impression tha...

In this Special Edition of Jazzed About Work, your usual host Beverly Jones reviews with guest host Tom Hodson some of the topics from past episodes but more importantly, previews what’s to come in 2021 Beverly and Tom also delve into career issues confronting us during the pandemic and Beverly gives advice on what is helpful during these troubled times. She encourages anyone who feels stuck in th...

In this episode we talk about why core values are so important in shaping an organization, and how well-defined values can be a powerful management tool. Our guest, serial entrepreneur Darius Mirshahzadeh, shares tips from his book, “The Core Value Equation.” He describes how strong organizational values can help you make decisions. He talks about ways to create and bring life to your value statem...

In 2020, Federal government jobs were among the most secure. And with more than 2 million people on its payroll, the government is the nation’s biggest employer. Every day, USAJOBS lists hundreds of vacancies at agency facilities across the country. And maybe some there would suit you? Author and trainer Kathryn Troutman has a deep understanding of how the system works, and for decades she’s been...