Hidden in Plain Sight: All Things Asian in the Workplace

In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Wei Zheng, professor of management and leadership, to explore what inclusive leadership really looks like in practice. Wei shared her research on women leaders and the double bind they face: the pressure to project both competence and warmth. She also unpacked why leadership is less about title and more about adding values aligned with organizational goals. We...

In this episode, we dig into the nuances of humor at work—why it connects, why it misfires, and why it can feel especially risky for Asian and Asian American professionals. We each share stories about jokes that landed, moments that didn’t, and how context, rapport, and power dynamics shape what’s “safe” to say. Together, we reflect on authenticity, self‑deprecation, and how humor can ease tension...

In this episode, we unpack what “meaningful work” really means while discussing our first jobs. Eccho recalls engineering oil‑and‑well designs and later learning the ropes at Microsoft. Duoc reflects on the fun and growth he found at McDonald’s and Best Buy. Jenny remembers AMC Theatres, where the perks, especially the free movies, made the job shine. Together, we explore the importance of finding...

In this episode, we journey through the landscape of burnout—moving from overwork to exhaustion and self‑doubt, and ultimately returning home with clearer boundaries, renewed meaning, and a wiser sense of what’s worth carrying. From Eccho’s six‑year grind of full‑time work plus a PhD, to Jenny’s constant vigilance while working in Colombia, to Duoc’s weekend‑work relapses fueled by poor management...

In the first episode of 2026, we dive into the wonderfully awkward world of bragging at work, inspired by Peggy Klaus’s book Brag: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn. We unpack whether the backlash we fear is real—or just the stories we tell ourselves—especially for Asian professionals navigating cultural expectations. Along the way, we trade personal tales, geek out on objective data, and laugh abo...

We're tackling the age-old question: “Whether ’tis nobler to suffer in the mind or take up arms against our troubles!” Just kidding—we hosted another book club! This time, we’re reviewing "Brag: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" by Peggy Klaus. We explore the concept of bragging, its role in the corporate world, and the cultural nuances of self-promotion. Tune in to hear how we...

In this episode, we explore the evolving impact of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) on the workforce, with a focus on how GAI can affect Asian American professionals. Drawing from recent research, we highlight how tasks requiring human agency—such as interpersonal communication and organizing—are gaining value, while roles centered on data processing and analysis face increasing automation...

We're back from our summer break! In this episode, we are joined by Tyng Kam, a certified career coach with thousands of hours of coaching experience. Tyng shares insights from what she refers to as a "non-linear" career journey, which spanned multinational corporations, startups, and educational institutions across the U.S., Germany, and Malaysia. Tyng highlights her involvement with the National...

In this episode, Jenny and Eccho welcome Dr. Lea Lynn Yen to explore Asian American perspectives on affirmative action and corporate DEI initiatives. Dr. Yen shares insights from her research on the model minority stereotype and colorblind racial ideology as they relate to affirmative action. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the complexities of racial dynamics and the importance of cr...

In this episode, we examine recent executive orders affecting DEI, including EO 14173 and EO 14174. We then discuss setbacks, organizational responses, and strategies for resilience. Resources for the nerds: Article about the paradox of meritocracy in organizations and how this can actually fuel bias favoring men compared to equally high-performing women. The Society of Industrial Organizational P...

In this episode, we bring Jenny and our audience up to speed on Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2025. Eccho and Duoc share the insights they gained from this year's conference. Together, we discuss the prevalence of AI, the impact of current executive orders and how it impacts the work on DEI research, and talks on the perceptions of East vs. South Asians in the workplace.

We’re back with a very special guest, Dr. Caryn Block, Professor of Psychology and Education and Chair for the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University! You may have heard us talk about Caryn numerous times throughout the podcast. That’s because the three of us met in Caryn’s research group 10+ years ago. Caryn  encouraged and supported us to study dy...

This month, the three of us hosted our very own mini book club. We chatted about our thoughts on Dr. Jenny T. Wang's Permission to Come Home, sharing what it means to take up space as Asians, our relationship with work and play, and the meaning of home. 

In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Mark Martell, Director of the Asian American Resource Center, discusses his journey as a Filipino American living in Miami to becoming a leader in higher education. He emphasizes the importance of representation, sharing how his lack of visible Asian American mentors influenced his career. Mark's work includes research on microaggressions and teaching...

In our latest "clip" we wrap up season 3 and share updates for season 4. For example, we'll be going from bi-weekly to monthly episode drops. But don't worry. We'll be back with a lot more guests, original content, and fun times in 2025. See you in January! 

This week, we spoke to co-founders of Asians in IO Psychology, Alex Hsu and Dr. Shannon Cheng. Alex is a senior people analysts manager for a global people analytics team. Shannon is a scholar and practitioner whose research focuses on DEI in the workplace from a multilevel perspective, looking at interactions between the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and society as a whole.  Asi...

In the latest episode, Eccho, Duoc, and Jenny chat about intersectionality among AAPIs. With a little help from AANHPI Data Community Data Explorer, we highlight notable similarities and important differences associated with different intersectional identities within the AAPI diaspora.    If you want to follow-along, check out the link to aapidata.com .  For the identity exercise, c...

Dr. Sy Islam, is an associate professor of Industrial Organizational I/O psychology at Farmingdale State College, a co-founder and Vice President of Consulting with Talent Metrics, and a published author. He joins us to talk about his upbringing and how he got his start in IO psychology. We also talk about the importance of humor and the effective ways to use it in building relationships in the wo...

Dr. Vivian Woo, published author, Lead People Science at Culture Amp, and Chair of 2024 Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology spoke to us about the journey she took to becoming an industrial organizational psychologist. Vivian spoke about the challenges she faced in graduate school, mentorship, or lack there of, as she progressed,  the obstacles she navigated at work, and advice sh...

We bid adieu to the Paris Olympic Games and unpack some of the themes that we noticed about the treatment and portrayal of AAPI and Asian athletes competing at the highest level of sports.  Disclaimer: we had some audio trouble with our microphones, so the sound quality may have suffered a little bit in this episode.  Reddit link: Asian representation at the Olympic games Emma Navarro be...

In this episode, we debate the use of the terms "underrepresented" and "underrecognized." What's the upside of using one term over the other? Is this just wordsmithing or is there more to shifting the way we talk about marginalized minorities? And what does it mean for us Asians?  https://hbr.org/2023/04/why-we-should-stop-saying-underrepresented

We're back and we're kicking off season 3 with the following question: what food from your culture do you feel comfortable bringing to work? What's considered a delicacy, or a yum, might be viewed by others as a yuck. So how do you navigate that, especially at work, if you're the type that likes to bring your lunch to work? We discuss these and a whole lot more!

To wrap up season 2, the three of us met up in NYC to record the last episode of the season in-person and debrief a recent organizational psychology conference we all attended. We share the latest insights we uncovered on topics ranging from leader prototypes to AI coaching, dwelling on the sessions that resonated with us. If you're curious about what an I/O psychology conference looks and feels l...

Shradha, an organizational design expert and leader, joins us in our virtual studio to chat about everything from executive coaching to the immigrant experience and what it was like for her to transition from working at a large international company in India to doing organizational design work for another global firm in the US.  Link to Shradha's podcast: Unpacking Organizations: The Practiti...

Hidden in plain sight welcomes its first ever guest speaker, Beiwen! Beiwen, a seasoned DEI consultant, sat down with us to talk about the rewards and challenges of doing DEI work. Is there such a thing as DEI gone wrong? What is virtue signaling? Is it harmful? Is your organization doing DEI just to check the box? Lastly, where and how do Asian American and Asian professionals fit into the DEI di...