Unserious

It's no secret that the gap between stated company culture and the reality of the employee experience can be enormous. And we've all been there when the employee survey rolls back around with no real change from the last one. In this Upshots episode, designer and executive Leonardo De La Rocha returns to Unserious to share real ways to take action on company culture with tangible actions...

Uncertain times have a tendency to stop us in our tracks. But marketing leader and mental health advocate Andrew J. Coate posits that life may be more ambiguous than not and offers a practical and effective approach for managing ourselves during times of flux. Embracing the situation might not just be a matter of survival, but can even be a catalyst for growth and opportunity! "Look at ambigu...

The "sophomore slump" is a notorious curse for artists who set high expectations with the debut. Luckily here at Unserious, our expectations for season 2 were just to keep shining the light on more brilliant people and their wonderful ideas - and we were not disappointed! In this season closer, J.B. and Molly are joined by producer Micah to look back at favorite moments and surprises fro...

Work and life are often defined by milestone moments. But getting to the top of the mountain is only halfway; we need to plan for and manage energy to get all the way back down safely. In this Upshots episode, product and marketing leader and founder of PRUXM,  Natala Menezes, shares her insights for keeping the momentum post-launch. From setting strategic post-launch goals to the necessity of a d...

The journey to finding your own leadership voice is very personal and can be wildly confusing. Yes, it’s about authenticity, but it takes a long time to figure ourselves out.  Dr. Vignetta Charles is the CEO of ETR, which is committed to improving health outcomes and advancing health equity for youth, families, and communities, and is a lifelong advocate and leader in healthcare equity. She's...

In today's lean and efficient corporate world, the traditional mentor-mentee relationship may feel like a thing of the past. But in this Upshots episode, Kim-Long Nguyen, an operations leader in Asia and Europe, lowers the stakes through targeted conversations with leaders or peers. Kim-Long's approach of low pressure conversations on specific topics can blossom into valuable mentorships...

For many, a mother is the original mentor and manager in the job of life. The foundational lessons we learn in those early days at home quietly leave an imprint on our professional behaviors and relationships. The management of motherhood is hard enough, and moms who also work outside the home rarely get the rest they need or deserve. In this episode,  J.B. speaks with Laura Krafka, operations pow...

The thing about feedback is that we're often not open or trusting enough to give or receive it — as much as our culture statements might say otherwise. Having a structured method for advice and feedback is key to transforming teams into circles of confidants that accelerate growth. In this Upshots episode, Chase Harden, Lead Facilitator and head of Matching at Sidebar introduces the Chair of...

When we set out last year to explore how creative people make outsized impact during times of rapid change, generative AI was shaping up to be a huge part of the conversation.  We have a lot of questions, an underlying sense of uncertainty, maybe even dread. But ready or not, here it comes. In this episode, we're inspired by Manjula Nadkarni, a creative powerhouse and co-founder of Yuni, a pe...

The practice of vision writing can be challenging yet profoundly rewarding for personal and professional growth. In this Upshots episode, Jennifer Kattula, General Manager of Global Marketing at Microsoft Advertising shares her secrets to not just getting it done, but having fun. Jennifer's approach is an annual personal tradition of vision writing alongside family, turning this introspective...

Peter Drucker famously said that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Search for resources on building company culture and you’ll get lots of variations on a tried and true playbook: mission, vision, and values, strong narrative, great leaders - you know the drill. That playbook hasn’t changed - but the world sure has. In this episode, Leonardo De La Rocha, VP of Design at SimplePractice, shares...

We’ve all heard the stories of that young person who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, made it out of that small town or that rough neighborhood, and moved to the big city to make something of themselves. That concept of “I made it out” is so prevalent that we accept the premise without much thought. In this episode,  Nancy Gutiérrez, Lead Executive Officer & President of The Leadershi...

We've all struggled with delivering or receiving feedback on work. Feedback given at the wrong time or in the wrong format can cause all kinds of problems. In this episode, Sarahlyn Bruck, an award-winning author and professor of writing and literature, introduces us to an ingenious solution. The Feedback Barometer is a game-changer for navigating the murky waters of feedback in the creative...

At work we constantly have to stand up to tell our stories, advocate for resources, and convince our teams and leaders to join us. Navigating internal and external workplace communication can be daunting, but in this episode Elisabeth Diana, Head of Communications at HR one stop shop Deel, shares her playbook for developing messages that are on-point, authentic, and strategic. And using examples f...

Do your team icebreakers ever elicit a groan? Have you ever stressed out being asked to share your innermost feelings at the top of a meeting? In this episode of Upshots, learning experience designer Lauren Vono shares a treasure trove of strategies for creating inclusive team-building icebreakers that aren't just fluff - but generate real connection and lay the groundwork for better collabor...

Great relationships are crucial to producing great work - at home and in the workplace. Striking the perfect chord between personal life and a demanding career with high-profile notables is not an easy task. In this episode, J.B. and Molly explore the delicate balance with guest Adria Marquez, founder of Latidos Media and former Director of Digital Content in the Obama administration. Adria's...

Introducing Upshots, a new Unserious short format to kick off your Monday morning with one quick idea that you can put to use today.  Have you ever unwittingly held your team back by being overly hands-on? In this first episode of Upshots, producer Micah Vono is joined by Ian Saville, a coach and founding partner at the collabic, who casts a spotlight on the counterintuitive effects of leaders rol...

We’ve all complained about office politics… someone was able to influence a decision or get a project over the line through the shear force of their personality or relationships. But what are we really complaining about? Power. In this episode, Ebele Okobi, CEO of The New Humanitarian, discusses the dynamics of power: challenging it, finding it, using it, and sharing it. This conversation takes yo...

Embracing failure as a force multiplier for growth and creativity is a core belief here at Unserious. So in this our final episode of the season, we journey back to the origins of our podcasting adventure, reflecting on some of our favorite moments and valuable insights we learned along the way. In this episode, Unserious producer Micah Vono joins J.B. and Molly to talk about storytelling and narr...

Research shows that joy and high performance are tightly correlated, so it's worth asking: why don't we play more? And how can the power of play help us produce better, more innovative, and more personally satisfying work? In this episode, J.B. and Molly speak with Lauren Cooke, the creative director behind diverse brands like Alamo Drafthouse, Mondo, Snap Kitchen, and Bestow Life Insura...

When we think about our best work, the things that come to mind are probably about the work itself, but guest Denise Burchell poses that team member relationships are the real determiners of success. In this episode, J.B. and Molly learn how to design those relationships for maximum impact and innovation as Denise shares valuable insights garnered from years spent leading cross-disciplinary teams....

Creative processes and frameworks are often presented as neat and linear orders of operation. But looking closer, we'll find a circuitous mess of unexpected twists, turns, and detours that we hope are worth it in the end. In this episode, J.B. and Molly explore with rogue creative director Mary Michael Pringle the crucial roles of joy, play, and vulnerability for fostering creativity in the w...

At the advent of a transformative time in technologic history, skills like empathy, compassion, collaboration, and curiosity are becoming more crucial than ever. In this episode, J.B. and Molly speak with magician-turned-technologist Ryan Modjeski, the driving force behind the top-grossing literacy app, Reading Rainbow's Skybrary, as well as UNICEF KidPower and most recently, Empatico. Ryan s...

In this first episode of Unserious, J.B. and Molly speak with design leader and coach Courtney Kaplan about practical ways to manage creativity and personal growth during a particularly difficult time in the workplace. She shares advice from founding design operations at Facebook, highlights how leaders can create safe spaces for their teams and manage stress effectively. Finally, Courtney discuss...

Welcome to Unserious! Get to know hosts J.B. Skelton and Molly McMahon as they kick off a season of exploring how to manage and manifest creative impact in an era of constant disruption. Also, there are fireballs.  Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com , and on Instagram and Threads at  @unserious.fun .