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Dan Smolen asks the question: are bosses crushing worker dignity?

Answering this question, and many others, is Dr. Betty Johnson. She is the founder of Bridging the Difference LLC; it helps company leaders embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to ensure worker dignity.

As the Covid pandemic ebbs, and more of their talent work remotely, managers are using Zoom sessions in ways that they may believe are effective, but actually rid their people of dignity.

Requiring people to be “on camera” throughout long, heavily attended Zoom sessions, whether or not they participate in discussion, can have a toxic effect.

And people of color and women–especially older women–are often the-most negatively affected by such “on camera” requirements.

Dr. Johnson wants to change that.

In a wide ranging discussion, Dr. Johnson:

• Provides the unique value proposition for her company, Bridging the Difference LLC. Starts at 4:53
• Describes the misuses of Zoom sessions by managers to gather their people. Starts at 6:07
• Illustrates surface acting and its psychological impact on talent. Starts at 9:51
• Explains the positive affects of “being listened to.” Starts at 16:13
• Digs into how bosses crush worker dignity and unintentionally create “drama triangles.” Starts at 20:35
• Offers strategies for making Zoom sessions better. Starts at 27:08
• Defines Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and provides ways to positively frame it for management to embrace. Starts at 40:35

Are bosses crushing worker dignity? Some are. But with intentional leadership from their management, people can find positive meaning in the work that they do.

About our guest:

Dr. Betty Johnson is a keen observer of people in the workplace. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Ph.D. in Leadership from Antioch University. Dr. Johnson lives and works in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Dan Smolen establishes a Dominatrix’s Guide to Future Work with executive coach Dana Pharant.

Dana is a former dominatrix who now uses her skill to help entrepreneurs and career professionals. They learn to overcome past traumas to live and work joyfully.

What is more, Dana’s clients apply skill to escape from ingrained behaviors that bottle up their emotions. And when they do that, they can achieve “10X” success.

In a provocative and wide-ranging discussion, Dana:

• Lays out the unique value proposition she provides her clients. Starts at 4:17
• Defines what a dominatrix does. Starts at 7:01
• Explains how “surrendering” can help many, including controlling-type people. Starts at 11:43
• Describes “sexual energy” and how it empowers career professionals. Starts at 14:56
• Supports the notion that managers need to embrace vulnerability. Starts at 20:11
• Provides a “10X” client success story. Starts at 26:11
• Guides listeners to greater future of work success. Starts at 33:03

As part of a Dominatrix’s Guide to Future Work, Dana believes we all must learn to embrace vulnerability in the workplace:

“The first thing is being vulnerable. And saying right out: this is awkward. I’ve lost my skills in how to relate to people. Just say it! Say what it is!”

About our guest: Dana Pharant grew up in a cult and survived years of every kind of abuse imaginable. After years as a dominatrix, she applied her skill into a useful and healing resource for entrepreneurs and career professionals seeking success. Dana lives and works in Barrie, Ontario (Canada).

EPISODE DATE: April 22, 2022

Social media:

– LinkedIn

– Twitter

– Website

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Dan Smolen explores how to make work from anywhere work with guest John Lee.

He is the co-founder of Work From Anywhere, a resource that helps people across-the-globe to overcome international barriers-to-entry. When that happens, career professionals may live and work in the place of their dreams.

John and his family are experienced digital nomads. And recently, they seized the opportunity to relocate from Ireland to Portugal. Their new community offers lower taxes, great schools, and wonderful quality-of-life.

In a wide ranging discussion, John:

• Describes the value proposition for his brand, Work From Anywhere. Starts at 4:22
• Explains what happens when people get to live and work where they please. Starts at 5:27
• Summarizes key learning in his research with companies and career professionals. Starts at 10:13
• Identifies some of the easing barriers-to-entry. Starts at 12:37
• Discusses surprising diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) insight from Work From Anywhere’s White Paper. Starts at 18:25
• Addresses the negative impact of location bias. Starts at 20:24
• Provides examples of cool destinations for living and working. Starts at 22:08

Our best days lie ahead when we make work from anywhere work.

About our guest:

John Lee received bachelors and masters degrees in accounting from University College of Dublin. He lives and works in Cascais, Portugal.

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Dan Smolen digs into the WHY of building workplace leadership culture with guest Bret Packard.

Over a 30-year corporate career, Bret “crushed it” at managing large global teams tasked with scaling profits and market dominance. And, he was rewarded well for his hard work.

But Bret discovered early on that he wasn’t the leader of people that he wanted or needed to be.

Inspired by the corporate manager to whom he reported, Bret embarked on a journey to connect well with the people on his teams. And when he emerged as an effective leader, his people enjoyed better engagement and more success in their work and careers.

Bret also benefitted from a career-long commitment to journaling. Often, he refers to the 30 years of insight that fills the pages of the 89 journals that he kept. Bret draws on the wisdom in those journals to empower The Packard Network‘s followers to become effective leaders.

In a wide ranging discussion, Bret:

• Describes The Packard Network and its value to people in the workplace. Starts at 4:45
• Provides a summary of his 30-year corporate career and his journey to becoming a good and effective leader. Starts at 7:16
• Explains why building a workplace leadership culture is important now and to the future of work. Starts at 13:03
• Provides insight on why leaders must adopt new skill to empower Generation Z workforce members. Starts at 18:41
• Answers the question: are we hiring the right people to be leaders that the workplace needs? Starts at 28:11

Bret reflects on his own leadership journey, saying:

“I was a master at managing. So, things like strategy, plans, processes–that was me. But the part that I didn’t have down pat was connecting with people through vision, culture, ecosystem, and the way [that you communicate] with people.”

Building workplace leadership culture helps people to own their professional success. It truly is mission critical in the future of work.

About our guest:

Bret Packard earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

EPISODE DATE: April 8, 2022

Social media:

– LinkedIn

– Facebook

– Instagram

– Twitter

– YouTube Channel

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:05 — 37.7MB)

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Dan Smolen interviews Lucas Krump on supporting men in future work.

Lucas is the CEO and Co-Founder of EVRYMAN, a platform of resources, groups, retreats, and more. It empowers men to lead fuller and more connected lives.

Men struggle with their relationship to work as much as they do in expressing their emotions. What’s more, men quite often craft identities–their personal narratives–around work and career.

Now, emerging from a two-year pandemic, many men grapple with workplace disruption and figuring our their purpose.

In a wide ranging discussion, Lucas:

• Describes EVRYMAN and its value proposition. Starts at 4:15
• Relates to why it is important for men to slow down–to relax, open up, and connect. Starts at 5:55
• Provides his backstory as a young man and successful executive that led him to EVRYMAN. Starts at 6:58
• Speaks to the emotional and behavioral disconnections that men suffer. Starts at 16:00
• Discusses The American Dream and what motivates men, disconnected from work, to engage with EVRYMAN. Starts at 21:54
• Offers insight as to how the pandemic impacted the future of work for men. Starts at 25:37

Supporting men in future work is important. And yet, Lucas is most often asked this basic question: what does it mean to be a man? His response:

“EVRYMAN does not define what it means to be a man, That’s a sacred space. Instead, what men are asking is: how do I be all of myself inside the [post-pandemic] workplace?”

While this topic seemingly relates to men exclusively, it is in the interest of all of our listeners to be a part of this discussion.

We all have male friends and family members. And they may benefit in life and in the future of work with new frames for expressing emotion and engagement such as those offered by EVRYMAN.

About our guest:

Lucas Krump received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Kansas. He also earned an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. Lucas lives and works in Hudson, New York.

EPISODE DATE: April 1, 2022

Social media:

– LinkedIn

– Instagram

– Twitter

– Website