Peace at the Water Cooler

Jessica Childress, a lawyer, author, and workplace culture expert, returns to the show for a deeper look at what toxic workplaces really do to people on the inside. Not the office politics. The quiet internal damage that slowly strips away confidence, identity, and direction. We discuss real-life examples, including the subtle red flags people often ignore, the way self-doubt takes hold, and why s...

That smirk? That "accidental" oversight? That email CC’d to your boss for "visibility"? Yep, we’re talking about passive-aggression, and it’s everywhere. In this episode of Peace at the Water Cooler , Saranne Segal delves into one of the most maddening (yet maddeningly common) behaviours in the modern workplace: passive aggression. It’s subtle. It’s slippery. It’s usually deliv...

It started with chocolate on the couch and The Good Wife on the TV. One fictional mediation scene later, I was Googling courses and rethinking my entire legal career.  When a fictional lawyer sparked a very real career pivot, I had no idea it would lead me from the courtroom to the mediation room. In this season opener, I share the story behind that shift: from practising family law to becoming a...

Ever wonder why people make decisions at work that just don’t make sense? On this episode of Peace at the Watercooler , I’m joined by Dan Ariely , world-renowned professor of psychology and behavioural economics and bestselling author of Predictably Irrational . Dan has spent years researching how and why we make irrational choices, and today, he’s here to share his fascinating insights.  From why...

In this episode of "Peace at the Water  Cooler," we delve into the transformative concept of "Radical Candor"  with renowned author, Kim Scott. Join us as Kim shares valuable insights drawn from her experiences at Google, Apple, Qaltrics, Dropbox, and Twitter, providing practical wisdom on leadership, feedback, and fostering a healthy workplace culture. Kim not only imparts pro...

In this episode, I chat with employment lawyer and Executive Director of Source Workplace, Sean Melbourne . Having been in the industry for over 20 years, Sean brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to our conversation.  We discuss the pros and cons of lengthy workplace investigations, including the optimal timeframe, hidden costs and challenges and what workplaces can do to avoid them.  This i...

In this episode, I chat with attorney Jessica Childress, founder of a boutique employment law firm based in Washington, D.C . An advocate of civil rights, especially in the workplace, Jessica is passionate about empowering employees to know where they stand when it comes to psychological safety.  We discuss her forthcoming book and e-course , “ Peace: Leaving a Toxic Workplace on Your Own Terms ”,...

Join us on "Peace at the Water Cooler" as we dive into an extraordinary conversation with the remarkable Seth Godin. In this episode, we explore the art of effective communication, personal development, and work-life balance. In anticipation of his new book, "The Song of Significance," Seth shares his insights on effective communication, fostering collaboration, and cultivating...

Welcome to the latest episode of "Peace at the Water Cooler"! I'm excited to chat with Sommer Nisbet, General Manager @ The Dream Collective and an expert on diversity and inclusion. Sommer joins us to share valuable insights on promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, tackling challenges faced by underrepresented groups in leadership, and measuring the impact of diversit...

In this episode, I chat with Dr Jacinta Buchbach, Head of Respect at Work in leadership development. Jacinta has personally suffered from negative and bullying behaviours in the workplace, and she brings these experiences together with her academic training to educate leaders in creating better workplaces, resilience and wellbeing. We discuss how society is at a turning point, with employers now o...

After the unprecedented circumstances of the last two years, working people are on the brink of change once again as offices reopen with full force. Coming out of the work-from-home vacuum, stress levels are skyrocketing. The returning workforce will, on the whole, require assistance and reassurance from their employers on their return to the office. Saranne talks with Lissy Abrahams about how to...

Life is richer when you care about people. Perhaps not something you expect to hear from an Ivy-league career executive and former CEO of Westpac. But that’s what industry leader and author Brian Hartzer believes. Saranne has the pleasure of discussing employee engagement, going back into the office Elon-style, and Brian’s book, The Leadership Star  which contains so much practical value and advic...

Have you ever worked with a person so awful that you can hardly bear going to work? Jerks at work are found in most workplaces and can cause all sorts of problems for the company, such as high staff turnover, absenteeism, conflict, and toxic workplaces. For the employee, they commonly cause stress, anxiety, low motivation and a whole host of other issues. Saranne talks with Tessa West about jerks...