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Dan Smolen asks internationally recognized Corporate Diva Dipika Trehan: will women lead future work?

A self-described “philanthrepreneur,” Dipika promotes the health, wellness, and professional success of women across the globe.

Her brands, the H.O.W. Forum and Corporate Diva, work across many verticals of holistic employee well-being and female empowerment. As Dipika explains:

“Women are looking for two things which they don’t deservingly receive: one is dignity of labor and the other is respect.”

In a wide-ranging discussion, Dipika:

• Describes her personal and professional background, the H.O.W. [Health of Women] Forum, and Corporate Diva. Starts at 4:26
• Digs into research about the challenges facing professional women. Starts at 9:30
• Supports the promise of women in the workforce. Starts at 14:43
• Explains why the workplace needs more women leaders. Starts at 15:39
• Offers reasons why “Male Samaritans” should support professional women. Starts at 23:05

Will women lead future work? We contend that it is a likely outcome.

About our guest:

Dipika Trehan earned a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from Lady Irwin College New Delhi and an MBA from the Institute of Management Technology Ghaziabad. She is an ET Now Top Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader (2020) and alumna of the Innovation in Women’s Health Program, Mashav (Israel). Dipika lives and works in Bangalore, India.

EPISODE DATE: February 25, 2022

Social media:

– LinkedIn

– Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:02 — 45.4MB)

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Dan Smolen discusses mastering the digital workplace with podcaster Neil Miller.

He helps careerists to make sense of digital workplace innovations, to be truly intentional in the future of work.

Neil calls himself a “thought stealer.” Actually, he is a best-practices synthesizer. Neil helps people and companies to succeed in the digital workplace.

What is more, his journey through life and career is unusual. With a college degree in religious studies, Neil moved to India. There, he supported top clients with content development. His dazzling experiences living and working there shaped his thought-leadership.

In a wide ranging discussion, Neil:

• Describes his work and the value proposition of The Digital Workplace. Starts at 4:15
• Takes us through his adventurous move to India, to live and work. Starts at 5:06
• Summarizes the 5 Levels of a Digital Workplace. Starts at 10:20
• Supports how untraditional life and work experiences foster future work leadership. Starts at 20:21
• Discusses how perpetual learning impacts workforce professionals. Starts at 22:35
• Relates the core skills he hopes to see scale in the workplace. Starts at 26:44

Mastering the digital workplace. It is critical for success in the future of work.

About our guest:

Neil Miller earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Lincoln Christian University. He lives and works in Indianapolis, Indiana.

EPISODE DATE: February 18, 2022

Social media:

– LinkedIn

– Podcast

– Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:30 — 59.8MB)

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Dan Smolen discusses workplace trends for 2022 with Kettle’s Dan Rosenzweig.

Most notably, Dan explains two trends this year with the biggest workplace impact: the clubhouse as the office and pop-up venues for work.

On one hand, clubhouses enable professional talent to gather safely and with engagement. On the other, pop-up venues allow companies to reassemble team members in laboratory-like settings. Pop-ups help people re-learn people skills and test out new leadership models.

In a wide ranging interview, Dan:

• Describes the clubhouse as the office model. Starts at 4:48
• Summarizes insight gathered from Kettle’s research. Starts at 12:24
• Discusses the Great Resignation and how pop-up space can be used to empower people at work. Starts at 15:30
• Explains how Human Resources or HR can be used to foster team leadership in intentional workplaces. Starts at 27:09

The workplace trends for 2022 signal a bright future of work.

About our guest:

Dan Rosenzweig earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Vanderbilt University. Prior to co-founding Kettle, he worked for other co-working providers. Dan lives and works in the suburbs of New York City.

EPISODE DATE: February 11, 2022

Social media:

– Facebook

– LinkedIn

– Twitter

– Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:17 — 47.2MB)

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Dan Smolen and podcast guest Achim Nowak delve into the Fourth Act Career.

In his first career act, Achim was a successful New York City-based theatrical director who, as a workaholic, sought perfection.

But a vision of a white house on a tropical island soon captivated his dreams.

Achim’s dreamy vision turned into reality. He found that white house on the tropical island of Tobago and moved in. As a result, he left the stage and his life in New York City. While on Tobago, Achim became an accomplished windsurfer.

But later on, needing a steady income, Achim moved back to New York to become a mediator. And that professional experience pivoted him to next act work that included helping CEOs and other C-suite executives, to:

“Show up with relaxed authority and amplify [their] personal influence for great success.”

Now, into his fourth act career, Achim has added to his résumé joyful work experiences. He is host and executive producer of the My Fourth Act Podcast; Achim interviews a wide array of professionals who, in their fourth career acts, do the work of their dreams. And, during 2021, he interviewed me on his podcast about my fourth act.

In an engaging and wide-ranging podcast discussion, Achim:

• Describes the My Fourth Act Podcast and the work he does for senior executives. Starts at 5:14
• Relives his first, second and third career acts. Starts at 7:34
• Explains how his career in theater as a director impacts his current work with corporate executives. Starts at 14:39
• Discusses the experiential commonalities that bubble up amongst his fourth act guests. Starts at 16:23
• Illustrates a day in the life of his fourth act. Starts at 21:49
• Takes us through what he believes Generation Z and the cohorts that follow may find profound and meaningful about the future of work. Starts at 29:02

This we know: the fourth act career is quite often personally satisfying and professionally fulfilling.

About our guest:

Achim Nowak earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Theater Arts from the George Washington University, and, a Masters of Arts in Organizational Psychology and International Relations from New York University. He lives and works in Hollywood, Florida.

EPISODE DATE: February 4, 2022

Social media:

– Facebook

– Instagram

– LinkedIn

– Podcast

– Episode 23: The Beauty of a Side Hustle (with guest Dan Smolen)

– Website

– Published Work

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:44 — 53.3MB)

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Dan Smolen discusses employee experience and future work with Professor Diane Gayeski.

Professor Gayeski teaches Strategic Communications at Ithaca College’s Park School of Communications. What is more, she is a noted thought-leader in employee experience or EX.

In the future of work, EX is a linchpin for people to find and do meaningful work.

In a wide ranging podcast interview, Professor Gayeski:

• Defines employee experience or EX. Starts at 4:07
• Discusses management by objectives (MBO) and the pivot to more talent-driven success outcomes. Starts at 6:49
• Contrasts tangible and intangible assets and their importance in the workplace. Starts at 18:47
• Digs into how members of the Gen Z cohort will approach work. Starts at 22:20
• Describes citizenship behaviors and their benefit to workforce professionals. Starts at 27:10

The connection between employee experience and future work is critical. To that end, Professor Gayeski believes that:

“employee experience has to be very carefully designed so that we don’t get to yet another version of management by objectives cranking out performance.”

About our guest:

Professor Diane Gayeski is Dean Emerita of Ithaca College’s Park School of Communications; currently, she teaches Strategic Communications at the school. Diane earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ithaca College and a Ph.D. in Education and Communications from the University of Maryland. She lives and works in Ithaca, New York.

EPISODE DATE: January 28, 2022

Social media:

– LinkedIn

– Putting employee experience on the balance sheet (October 11, 2021)

– Twitter

– Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:11 — 69.0MB)

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Dan Smolen discusses a startup parent’s workplace culture fix with entrepreneur and podcaster Sarah K. Peck.

Sarah is the CEO and founder of Start Up Parent and host of the popular Start Up Parent Podcast.

As a former start up executive, and the mom of two young children, Sarah is leading the charge to improve start-up business environments. To that end, she wants start-up enterprises to become as innovative in workplace culture as they are in technological advancement. Sarah truly is impacting the future of work for noble purpose. 

In a wide ranging interview, Sarah:

• Introduces Start Up Parent and its value to workforce professionals. Starts at 4:17
• Recalls her career journey as a start-up executive and chief corporate storyteller. Starts at 5:54
• Discusses how “frenetic” start-ups impede cultural innovation at work. Starts at 8:58
• Offers insight on how to change the narrative to make start-ups a better place for parents to work. Starts at 17:48
• Provides a personal account of being a business professional and mom. Starts at 34:17
• Describes the kinds of questions working parents should ask to further their future work goals. Starts at 43:12

Sarah’s startup parent’s workplace culture fix helps this space become more hospitable.

About our guest:

Sarah K. Peck earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Biology from Denison University and a Masters of Arts in Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives and works outside of New York City.

EPISODE DATE: January 21, 2022

Social media:

– Website

– Start Up Parent Podcast

– LinkedIn

– Instagram

– TikTok

– Twitter

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:03 — 61.9MB)

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Dan Smolen discusses Myers Briggs and the Great Resignation with expert Edythe Richards.

As 2022 begins, an estimated 20 million American workers opted for the Great Resignation. With such an unprecedented exit of active workforce members, we wondered about the correlation between Myers Briggs Type Indicators and the Great Resignation.

To help guide us through this critical discussion, we bring back Edythe Richards. Edythe is a world-renowned Myers Briggs expert who helps people discover their Myers Briggs Type. With such insight, people benefit greatly in their lives and careers.

In this episode, Edythe:

• Provides a quick review of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Starts at 4:27
• Explains how Myers Briggs insights factor into the Great Resignation. Starts at 6:29
• Offers five factors that motivate people in the Great Resignation. Starts at 12:53
• Discusses the loss of people skill and the need for workplace remediation to create new team leadership outcomes. Starts at 30:50
• Describes how the pandemic changed perceptions of MBTI. Starts at 38:29

Understanding Myers Briggs and the Great Resignation can help people to uncover key career sticking points.

And, among the factors affecting people in the workplace is boredom. Similarly, Edythe says that:

“Boredom is one of the clearest signs that [you are] in a career or a workplace that doesn’t suit your personality.”

About our guest:

Edythe Richards received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware and a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling from Seton Hall University. Her nationally recognized career counseling consultancy, A Top Career, is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.

EPISODE DATE: January 14, 2022

Social media:

– Website

– EQ at Work Podcast

– Myers Briggs Question Corner Podcast

– LinkedIn Page

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:29 — 11.7MB)

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Dan Smolen says people should use SWOT to focus on career success.

That’s right. The time-honored business management tool, the SWOT analysis, can help careerists to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Getting to blissful work and experiences takes great planning and imagination. And this time-honored business tool can focus our minds on finding and doing meaningful work.

SWOT helps entrepreneurs focus for career success. That is, because, it prepares brands, businesses and themselves for abundant scale. And there is no doubt that SWOT can also help us supercharge our careers.

What are your career strengths?

Perhaps it is strong project management skill? Or maybe it is a strings of sales successes? Whatever they are, list them.

What are your career weaknesses?

Perhaps you lack access to the kind of training you fell will make your career successful. Identify and list them.

What are your career opportunities?

Maybe you seek work in EVs or renewable energy? Dream about them, then list them.

What are your career threats?

Suppose that you are used to working remotely, and you enjoy the experience, but your company leadership wants you back in the co-location? Whatever renders you career threatened, list them on the form.

I’m certain you will find benefit in using SWOT to focus career success. With it, you will establish the foundation for your career empowerment story. With a starting point, you will begin  the first big step in making the work that you do, or hope to do, truly meaningful.

EPISODE DATE: January 7, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:01 — 9.7MB)

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Dan Smolen believes that good health and future work will be informed by pandemic responses.

As 2021 draws to a close, the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus has spread like wildfire. And clear to many people now is this: because about a one-third of the nation remains unvaccinated, we will, for the foreseeable future, encounter more Covid variant outbreaks.

Good health and future work are inextricably linked. And that is, because, future variants will impact how and where we work.

We all want good health. And it is among our new year’s wishes to loved ones and friends. But, as a nation we lack the resolve of previous generations to respond to pandemics. Once, we mass vaccinated against Polio Militis and other diseases, thus eradicating them. However, with over 100 million Americans unwilling to vaccinate, we are ensured a future in which Covid becomes endemic.

Our guest earlier this year, infectious disease expert Dr. Rob Citronberg, predicted that annual Covid booster shots are most definitely in our future. And that is, because:

“This [Covid-19] is not going away. In fact, there is no doubt that it is going to become endemic.”

To that end, there are implications for our good health and future work.

Workforce professionals who once may have reliably returned to co-locations will now opt for hybrid workplace venues. How people engage during the workday will change as well. And hiring managers now must learn how to adapt and embrace a new way of engaging with, and leading, people.

During 2021, it took a pandemic turned endemic to turn the future of work present. And in 2022, breathtaking work and workplace changes will happen with all deliberate speed.

Whether you rolled up your sleeves to get Covid jabs or if you resisted, know that your choice fully informed the future of work. And, as a result, we are never going back to a pre-pandemic normal.

EPISODE DATE: December 31, 2021

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:43 — 9.3MB)

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Dan Smolen reflects on the Holiday Season and one tired, burned out workforce.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! Have you arrived at the holiday rested or refreshed? Or are you a burned out mess?

According to a recent post on FortuneDaily:

“The physical and emotional exhaustion that turns into workplace burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of hundreds of microstressors on the job that ultimately lead to employees hitting the wall, mentally checking out, or even quitting their jobs entirely.”

As the Great Resignation extends, millions of people each month do leave their jobs, often with no new ones to replace them. Thus, one tired, burned out workforce reels.

On the podcast this week, we reflect on a recent tweet authored by organizational psychologist and best-selling author Adam Grant:

“The holidays shouldn’t be a time to recharge. They should be a time to celebrate. If work is exhausting people to the point that they’re using their time off to recover, then you might have a burnout culture.”

EPISODE DATE: December 24, 2021