Workplace Weirdness

In this special summer-edition episode of Workplace Weirdness™, Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Alan Philips, founder and CEO of The Marketing Department, to unpack the strange, powerful forces behind brand obsession, company culture, and how to create an influential movement.  Alan shares his eccentric stories working with industry leaders and celebrities, from Mr. Beast to DJ Khalid at Reef T...

In this episode of our Workplace Weirdness™ summer series, “Out of Office,” Maya Kadar Kovalsky shares her own bad boss story and revisits conversations with guests who have survived bosses of every variety, from the yellers, screamers, and office tyrants who throw things, to the masters of the backhanded compliment whose manipulation is far quieter, but no less damaging.  The episode is a must-wa...

In this episode of our Workplace Weirdness™ summer series, “Out of Office,” Maya Kadar Kovalsky explores the theme of "rookie mistakes" and “rookie smarts” in the workplace, highlighting how early career blunders often lead to valuable learning experiences.  We hear stories from various guests from past episodes who share their early career journeys, with missteps such as overconfidence in a corpo...

In this Summer special episode of Workplace Weirdness™ Out of Office, Maya Kadar Kovalsky turns real guest stories into a practical resource for anyone thinking about a career pivot. From unexpected job changes to bold reinventions and strategic "half-steps," guests from past episodes share stories of taking risks, embracing change, and discovering that careers rarely follow a straight line. Their...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness™, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky speaks with Amin Hasani, founder of Hasani Studio, about his journey as an industrial designer and the importance of accessibility and the impact of AI in product design. They also discuss the challenges faced by immigrants in the workplace, particularly regarding work visas, and share insights on navigating cultural differences.  T...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness™, Maya talks to former journalist turned marketing consultant, Nicole Ramirez to talk about what’s really going on in the current workforce. From parental leave bias and return-to-office whiplash to burnout that nobody wants to admit out loud.  Nicole gets into why dads still get side-eyed for taking leave, how RTO can feel like a corporate plot twist, what b...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Laura Close, Co-founder of AI workforce data platform, Included,  to unpack how AI is changing hiring, career strategy, and what it really means to stay ready for what’s next. They also dig into what work looks like when middle management is shrinking, promotions keep going to external hires, and employees are stuck navigat...

This is a special one-of-a-kind Turn the Tables episode of Workplace Weirdness. For the first time, Maya Kadar Kovalsky is in the hot seat. And stepping in as the guest host is Marketing Strategist and TOP 50 Business Thinker In The World, Dorie Clark. Maya opens up about her own weird workplace moments and lets us know the person behind the mic, how she thinks about work culture, and what shaped...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya sits down with Lucy Adams, former Head of HR at the BBC and CEO of Disruptive HR, to unpack why so much of modern HR still feels stuck in compliance, process, and risk management instead of influence, credibility, and real business impact. Lucy shares what she learned from leading HR at The BBC, one of the world’s most scrutinized institutions, why annu...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya sits down with recruiting expert, writer, and speaker Kat Kibben to unpack the strange (and often frustrating) realities of modern hiring.  Kat brings over 15 years of experience, starting at Monster.com.  They are known for helping teams write inclusive job postings and rethink how hiring actually works. A longtime voice in human-centered hiring, Kat s...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by Dethra Giles, a leadership strategist, Audacity Broker, and creator of the DARE Model for conflict resolution. Learn why so many leaders avoid conflict and how you can tackle workplace drama, navigate office politics, and confront uncomfortable situations head-on. From handling office saboteurs and gossip to embracing the aud...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by Randi Braun, CEO of Something Major and author of Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work, for a candid conversation about power, parenthood, and inequity at work. From salary parity and exploitative hiring practices to emotionally manipulative managers and the motherhood penalty, this episode tackles the real sit...

Is work actually merit-based, or do our systems just tell us they are? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion expert and thought leader Vernā Myers to unpack bias, inclusion, equity, and why conversations about difference have become so stigmatized at work. From the myth of merit-based workplaces to how difference actually fuels...

What happens when someone actually tells the truth about Human Resources, recruiting, and HR tech? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with HR industry truth-teller William Tincup for an honest, open and unfiltered conversation about feedback, broken HR systems, AI hype, onboarding failures, and why most HR tech is solving last year’s problems. William shares why...

If your workplace runs on “vibes” and surprise criticism in Q4… congrats, you’ve unlocked the bad timeline.  In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, Kane Calamari breaks down what real leadership, employee engagement, and HR strategy look like inside Ace Hardware, a company he says “should be failing,” and yet keeps winning. We cover retail culture, co-op business models, leadership development, s...

Do office holiday parties still have a place in today’s workplace? And what happens when AI is put in charge of planning your office festivities? Spoiler alert: things can get a little chaotic! We’ll dive into the dos and don’ts of office holiday parties, including the biggest mistakes employees make (hint: drinking too much and kissing colleagues are just the beginning). In this hilarious and ins...

Still using outdated hiring methods? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, we’ve got Lou Adler, the man behind Performance-Based Hiring, here to tell you why your traditional hiring process is not working for long term success. Lou’s been helping big names like AIG, LinkedIn, and McKinsey recruit top talent for decades, but he focuses on what candidates will actually do, not just their skills an...

Remote work just got a lot weirder. In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, we dive into a real-life story that reveals just how far remote workers are willing to go to keep up appearances while pulling off this remote work scam. You won’t believe the lengths some employees are going to: working two full-time jobs without anyone knowing! But it’s not just about the scam. We’re also joined by David...

How can you foster a work environment that is productive through effective leadership and emotional intelligence?  Leading with authenticity, building teams that collaborate and thrive, and creating a workplace where everyone can flourish is crucial in a successful business. In this episode, we explore the power of emotional intelligence in leadership and the transformative impact of vulnerability...

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of workplace anxiety, recognition, and the impact of gratitude in leadership. Ever had the infamous Sunday scaries or struggled to manage a toxic boss? If so, this episode will resonate with you. We’ll discuss how mental health plays a crucial role in the workplace, especially when it comes to leadership and company culture. We’ll also tackle the challe...

Let’s take a deep dive into the most chaotic part of office life: bad bosses. What do you do when your boss is the definition of toxic leadership? Do you run, or do you stick it out and learn from them? In this Workplace Weirdness episode, we’ll explore how toxic bosses can make or break your career, and how understanding their behavior can help you develop better leadership skills. We’ll discuss...

Welcome to Season 2 of Workplace Weirdness! In this episode, we share funny stories about workplace crushes, dating disasters, and cringe-worthy encounters that will make you cringe (and laugh) out loud.  Have you ever had a crush on a colleague or found yourself in an unexpected workplace romance? You might relate to this episode! We share experiences on workplace crushes, dating a coworker, and...

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky chats with Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40, about leadership, learning from failure, and why “dumbassery” might just be the secret ingredient to great leadership. Gary explains how embracing vulnerability, admitting you don’t have all the answers, and messing up a few times along the way can actually make you a stronger leader. Gary...

What does neuroscience have to do with leadership? How do you pivot from frog dissections to Fortune 500 boardrooms? And what do you do when your boss says you’re "great behind closed doors"... and not in a good way? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by the ever-dynamic Meredith Haberfeld, CEO of ThinkHuman and longtime advisor to companies like Spotify, So...

Ever wondered what happens when you trade agency ownership for creative leadership?  In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Paul McDowall, brand architect, former agency owner & co-founder of ClarkMcDowall, to discuss his unconventional career journey from Liverpool to New York and his transition into leadership at Vault49. Paul shares insights from dec...