Per My Last Email

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss Kyle’s experience of paternity leave so far, what’s been the most surprising to him, and how he’s feeling about returning to his 9 to 5.  00:00 Intro 01:32  Stats on maternity vs. paternity leave in the U.S. 05:02 Research on the impact of taking paternity leave on a father’s brain 08:11 How pat leave has been for Kyle 13:53 Kyle’s feelings around returning...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle debate what they consider to be some non-obvious but very real truths about the nature of work and career. Plus, listen ‘til the end of the episode to hear Kaila’s bonus productivity hack.  00:00 Intro 00:26 “Per YOUR Last Email” segment 02:32 Non-Obvious Truth #1 05:30 The 3 “right” ways to be exploited at work 11:35 Non-Obvious Truth #2 19:33 Non-Obvious Truth #3...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss and debate the four types of jobs that they think everyone should have at least once in their career. Plus, listen ‘til the end to hear Kaila’s work fail of the week.   00:00 Intro 01:06 Job #1 06:21 Pros and cons of working for a name brand  10:54 Job #2  20:04 Job #3  23:44 Job #4  29:32 Sequencing your career trajectory 32:08 Kaila’s work fail of the week...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss the ins and outs of office politics, what it REALLY is, and how to improve on your office politicking skills in order to advance your career.  00:00 Intro 03:09 The two buckets of office politics 07:48 Can you opt out of office politics? 10:24 Advice for groups who face more biases in the workplace 12:57 MIT study on promotions based on potential 15:07 Kaila...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and how to artificially generate it when you find yourself lacking motivation.  00:00 Intro 00:51 Intrinsic motivation vs extrinsic motivation 03:08 Kyle’s intrinsic motivation vs Kaila’s extrinsic motivation 08:56 How Kaila hacks her motivation 14:52 Research-backed strategies for increasing motivat...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle dive into some conversation-sparking Reddit “Am I the A******?” submissions, and give their candid opinions on each. From whether or not you should share details of your personal life with your coworkers, to the ethics of applying for the same job as a friend, Kaila and Kyle bring some strong opinions.  00:00 Intro 00:53 Scenario #1 - Retirement Gift 05:14 Scenario...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle talk about their biggest work fails, a different way to think about failure beyond simply as a “learning opportunity,” and share tactics on how to best move through and recover from failures in both work and career. 00:00 Intro 00:40 Kaila’s biggest work failure 04:20 Kyle’s biggest work failure 09:34 The problem with “I don’t fail, I either win or I learn.” 17:46 A...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss what having high agency at work really means, the problems having high agency poses in certain contexts, and how to cultivate more of it in order to help your career.  00:00 Intro 01:20 Defining what having “high agency” is  06:52 The elements of high agency 10:34 An important point about having agency 14:17 An important element of truly effective high agenc...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss the viral Steve Madden interview and debate whether CEOs and corporations should be expressing their political views, as well as how to navigate politics in the workplace. 00:00 Intro 01:24 Steve Madden’s viral Cutting Room Floor interview 06:26 Lulu Cheng Meservey on “going direct” as a business leader 07:29 Stats on how different generations feel about com...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle dive into the problems with being a “people pleaser”, and how to balance being agreeable enough while also being effective and impactful at work. Plus, Kaila introduces The Workplace People Pleasing Matrix.  00:00 Intro 00:44 Defining what “people pleasing” actually is 01:55 Why the term “people pleaser” is inflammatory 06:09 Stats on agreeableness and income 07:53...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss work stress and whether we’ve been thinking about it in the wrong way. There’s clearly such a thing as too much stress, but what about too little? And is there an ideal amount of stress we should be aiming for in order to be most successful at our jobs? 00:00 Intro 00:24 APA stats on stress and anxiety 02:53 Kaila’s relationship with work-related stress 06:5...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss common career tropes and debate whether or not the sayings hold up. Is HR really not your friend? Are your connections more important than your skills? Listen and find out. 00:00 Intro 00:36 Career myth #1 - “No one knows what they’re doing.” 07:35 Career myth #2 - “HR is not your friend.” 12:51 Career myth #3 - “It’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know.” 1...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle are joined by Yale professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast, Dr. Laurie Santos, to talk about the small ways you can find more meaning in your job, and the adjustments that help increase our happiness and well being at work.  00:00 Intro 00:44 Dr. Laurie Santos Intro 01:47 How much does your work factor into your overall happiness? 03:33 Dr. Santos’ take on t...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss the problems with the current conversation around AI, and debate the issues with and the benefits of the technology for the workforce, society, and individuals. 00:00 Intro 00:57 The problem with the discourse around AI 05:42 Why we’re not having good faith arguments around AI 09:43 The three use cases for AI that Kaila found helpful 17:28 Kaila’s concerns w...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle talk about the value of giving your job its own performance review, the most effective way to do it, and the lowest rated jobs from their own career experiences.  Get your copy of the Rate Your Job Template here! 00:00 Intro 06:46 The Rate Your Job Template 13:38 Explaining the template through an example 15:55 How Kaila used the Rate Your Job Template when choosing...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle dive into what exactly constitutes a “side hustle”, and the circumstances in which it IS and ISN’T worth having one. Not all side hustles are created equal. 00:00 Intro 03:11 Average income earned from a side hustle 05:11 The issue with the term “side hustle” 08:00 The most common types of side hustles 14:45 “Acceptable or Not?” game 20:46 Considering how a side hus...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle dive into tips and tactics on the best way to protect your job and prepare yourself for potential job cuts during a recession. 00:00 Intro 00:27 Listener email 03:19 What happens during a recession 06:24 What you can do to prepare yourself professionally if you are currently employed 09:10 “T-Shaped skills” 13:45 The importance of weak ties 19:09 Why you should cons...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss the reason why efficiency shouldn’t be the goal at work, and how to actually get better at your job. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Our obsession with efficiency 02:26 The problem with the conversation around AI 06:46 What you lose when you focus too much on efficiency 11:42 When Kaila over-focused on efficiency in her career 18:06 How to actually get better at your job...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss how to have those difficult conversations at work with career advice expert Erin McGoff of @advicewitherin. From addressing your lazy coworker to handling your micromanaging boss, Kaila, Kyle, and Erin offer specific tactics and approaches for conducting these challenging conversations. 00:00 Intro 00:55 How Advice With Erin got started 03:49 Stats on how mu...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle dig into the details of the Rippling v Deel corporate espionage lawsuit, and why—even if you aren’t a corporate spy yourself—it should matter to you. 00:00 Intro 00:51 Background 07:26 Our reaction to the Rippling v Deel case 12:36 Remembering what Slack really is 18:08 What kind of information is okay to take with you from a job, and what is not 20:11 Noncompete cl...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle get philosophical and discuss the ethics of working for a company that doesn’t align with your values. Is it ever acceptable to work at a job that you perceive as immoral? And what can you do if you have to work at such a place? 00:00 Intro 05:30 Whether or it’s morally okay to work somewhere that goes against your values 09:08 Another important caveat when it comes...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss the difference between nepotism vs. networking in the workplace, and how to make nepotism work for you even when you don’t think you have the connections you need to secure an opportunity. 00:00 Intro 00:46 Defining a “nepo baby” 04:54 How common workplace nepotism actually is 09:03 When people are, and are not okay with workplace nepotism 12:52 Is nepotism...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss whether or not millennial managers are too soft, the different styles of management, and how to navigate giving tough feedback. 00:00 Intro 02:29 How Kaila and Kyle define a “millennial manager” 07:49 The difference between a good millennial manager and a bad millennial manager 10:08 Previous generations vs millennials in terms of management styles 15:08 “Pr...

We’ve done it again—this week Kaila and Kyle read and respond to your “am I the a**hole?” submissions around your work-specific situations…and they do not hold back. 00:00 Intro 01:02 AITA scenario 1 | vengeful quitter 05:37 AITA scenario 2 | “friend” exploitation 09:57 AITA scenario 3 | senior exec’s personal tragedy 14:44 AITA scenario 4 | Reddit submission Want to get all of Kaila & Kyle’s care...

In this episode, Kaila and Kyle discuss the recent headlines around DEI, the potential implications of these measures, and what actually makes the most effective teams. 00:00 Intro 00:43 Recent headlines around DEI 06:05 Listener email  12:04 Stats around DEI from Morning Brew’s Insights and Analytics team 16:34 Why having a diverse workforce helps your business outcomes 20:04 An example of DEI ef...