Podcasts by Dont Be a Jerk at Work
This is a podcast about workplace interactions. Our hope is that through conversation, stories, and years of bearing witness to many awkward, uncomfortable, and bizarre workplace situations, we will inspire others to bring their best selves to work and become better workplace humans.
Further podcasts by Tara Kemes, Sarah Markwick and Sandy Gunn
Podcast on the topic Karriere
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Quiet Quitting from 2022-10-11T13:00
There is a new phrase (well, not so new anymore) that is trending that we think is related to many of the conversations we have been having this season. And that ...
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What’s Next with Melissa Isaza — People&Culture Professional, Whirring Brain, Aspiring AND Inspiring Leader from 2022-08-16T13:00:14
We know that many people have made the big decision to change jobs over the past few years. And while making the decision to resign is often talked about as the h...
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What’s Next with Harmony Cornwell — Optimistic Introvert, Lover of Word Games and Director of Property Management with a Private Real Estate Company from 2022-08-02T13:00:17
While for some people the past couple of years has led to reflection and The Great Resignation, Listen
What’s Next with James Hughes — Father, Husband, and HCM Deployment Lead for Workday at Alight Solutions from 2022-07-12T13:00:39
We’ve recently discussed the notion of The Great Regret, and the disappoint...
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What’s Next with Mary Houle — Speech Pathologist, Storyteller, Shameless Self-promoter (WIP!) from 2022-06-28T13:00:34
This time, we are talking about The Great…Reimagining!
Although Mary Houle’s biggest claim to fame is playing the B...
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Loyalty Shmoyalty from 2022-06-14T13:00:36
Sandy and Tara talk about what employee “loyalty” means – today and in the past – and how it seems to be performing a disappearing act. So what’s next? How do employ...
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Goodness Gracious(ness)! Thinking About Resigning? from 2022-05-31T13:00:32
In this episode, we get into the nitty gritty around what the resignation experience is like from both an employee and an employer perspective. Resigning can be r...
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What’s Next with Haleigh Callison — Pro hockey player, egg donor, lumber trader, MBA bound! from 2022-05-10T13:00:44
We are super excited to speak with Haleigh about some major decisions she has made in her life, and what steps she took along the way. Haleigh is kind, thoughtful, i...
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What’s Next with Vince Sobrino, Managing Partner – Rumble Boxing from 2022-04-26T13:00:24
We were very happy to have Vince Sobrino as our guest. Vince was super candid and shared with us about how he made a massive career shift on just a bit of a whim ...
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What’s That Now? The Great Regret?? from 2022-04-12T13:00:43
So just when many of us have accepted and gotten used to the phrase, The Great ResignationListen
The Great (Fill in the Blank) from 2022-03-29T13:00:54
This season of DBAJAW was inspired by The Great Resignation so we thought w...
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The Great Cliché from 2022-03-15T13:00:11
This time, we talk about Tara’s very recent decision to quit her job and make ...
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The Topic of Cancer from 2022-03-01T14:00:54
In this episode, Sandy shares her great contemplation story and the “what’s next” moments that led to her decision to trade in full-time employment for self-emplo...
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What's Next??? from 2022-02-01T14:00:31
It’s 2022! What the heck!!?
We've been away for…awhile. First, it was our usual summer break. Then, we determined we...
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Time After Times from 2021-07-13T14:00:56
We are at EPISODE 83! And, we are wrapping up the end of our fully remote season 3!
We recorded on June 21 and were...
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Leaders Need to Show Up from 2021-07-06T13:58:13
We’ve talked about it before during various conversations -- the state of the world and racism, sexism, homophobia, and all the awful actions being perpetrated ag...
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No (Self) Doubt (Guardian Edition) from 2021-06-15T19:03:40
We’re back with the final Guardian episode for season 3! In the ...
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The Anguishing of Languishing from 2021-06-01T15:19:31
Burnt out. Languishing. Unmotivated. Tired. Stuck. Many of us have had these general feelings of malaise over the past 15 months and lately...well lately, it seem...
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Is She Confident? Or Is She a Jerk? from 2021-05-18T13:38:16
We’ve talked about imposter syndrome (aka newbie nerves, productive discomfort) and today we are talking about something a little different. While we have noticed...
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My Boss is a Jerk! (Guardian Edition) from 2021-05-04T13:52:39
This is our 4th episode in our DBAJAW Guardian series – a series of episode...
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Time for Some Feedback on Feedback from 2021-04-20T16:12:32
We learn and grow when we know how we are doing, and, for most of us, our go-to method for figuring out how we are doing is to rely on the feedback of others. Sti...
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Bringing Your Whole Self to Work from 2021-04-06T09:26:12
*Tech note: our sound is more hollow than usual in this episode. Endeavouring to improve for next time!*
One of the ...
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COVID is a Jerk! (Guardian Edition) from 2021-03-23T13:38:04
Our latest episode is the 3rd in our DB...
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This is Still Hard - A Pandemic Lament from 2021-03-09T17:31:57
Look. For many people, it’s been a long year (yes, a YEAR!) of very little face to face and much more screen to screen. Through it all, we have tried to adapt in ...
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Mirror Mirror from 2021-02-23T14:55:24
Lately, it seems that we have had a lot more time to be introspective. Maybe it’s because of COVID (for sure, it is partially related to COVID), maybe it is becau...
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Toxic Positivity at Work from 2021-01-26T18:56:07
We thought it would be a strong contrast to follow up our gratitude episode with one on toxic positivity. Before we could even get into a discussion on this topic...
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Gre-Attitude? Grrr-Attitude? What’s Your Attitude About Gratitude? from 2021-01-12T15:00
Are you a glass half full, silver lining, always-look-on-the-bright-side kind of person? Are you good at turning towards what you have? Does practicing gratitude ...
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Hindsight is 2020...Our Word of the Year Recap from 2020-12-31T15:46:08
It’s that time! We reflect on the words we had identified to guide us through 2020. Needless to say, this year really wasn’t what any of us expected. Did the word...
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Everyone is a Leader to Someone from 2020-12-29T15:17:49
Has anyone ever said anything to you that has just stuck? That definitely happened to us when our good friend and co-host, Tara Kemes, casually said one day, “Eve...
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No Pressure (Guardian Series) from 2020-12-01T15:39:45
We mentioned at the beginning of the season that we are trying some new things! We are excited to introduce our DBAJAW Guardian series where we focus on the persp...
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Don’t Make Me (m)Ask You Again! from 2020-11-17T15:46:02
In this episode, we are visiting the topic of the pandemic, again. Because, let’s be real, it’s our reality! And it significantly impacts E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Listen
Arrested Development from 2020-11-03T16:15:15
*We had some connectivity issues at the start of this episode that affected the sound quality. Thanks for bearing with us! Clears up after the first several minut...
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Don’t Let ONE Jerk Ruin it ALL! from 2020-10-20T14:54:54
During recruitment, one thing that consistently comes up from candidates is that they want to work somewhere with a good team and people that work well together. ...
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Unpacking the WHY Behind ED&I from 2020-10-06T15:14:47
In this episode, we chat with our colleague and friend, Alex Goodman. Alex is an HR pro and works in the animation industry. She joins DBAJAW as a guest to have a...
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You Can’t Mask a Jerk! from 2020-09-22T14:47:13
We’re back! We’ve taken a summer break and now...here we are, at the start of season THREE!
Before we get into our ...
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Remote Reflections from 2020-07-21T18:29:21
Wow. We are at episode 60! Not only have we recorded a 40-episode this season, we have recorded 11 of them remotely. Thanks to our amazing editor Kylie for making...
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Who do you BE? from 2020-07-07T17:17:53
WHAT do you want to be when you grow up? Or, what do you want to DO when you grow up? This is a classic question that, probably, many of us have been asked in our...
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Out of Sight But Not Out of Mind from 2020-06-26T14:56:49
Remote working. Virtual teams. That is the situation many of us find ourselves in now. Before coronavirus, the consensus on the effectiveness of remote working se...
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The Gift of Asking for What You Need from 2020-06-17T21:13:48
These days, if you are fortunate to be healthy and working, you are probably working from home. If you are a boss, you have likely discovered that a “management b...
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Let's Talk Mental Health At Work from 2020-06-09T21:50
We have noticed that COVID-19 is impacting us and the people we work with in waves. And now, with many people working remotely, it is hard to know if our colleagu...
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It's a Sign! from 2020-05-26T16:11:29
Are signs in the workplace really effective? How can we communicate to colleagues that we don’t like their behaviour without coming across as a jerk ourselves? He...
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HR is a Jerk from 2020-05-19T17:03:27
On a recent episode of the podcast, Skimm’d From the Couch, the hosts (Carl...
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Leggo My Ego! from 2020-05-14T14:53:42
In this episode, we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly that can result from our egos taking centre stage. Egos can definitely lead to some jerky behaviour...
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That's Not My Place from 2020-04-28T15:22:54
Is minding our own business always a good thing? Ooooo, good question! Often, when people come to us with an opinion, suggestion, or concern that they have yet to...
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Don't Be a Jerk During HOME Work from 2020-04-21T15:17:11
There are many front-line workers courageously working to support us during COVID-19. Thank you so much to them!
For...
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Putting Down The Gavel from 2020-04-14T15:19:37
What can we do differently at work to be less judgy and how can we learn to better mind our own business?
Even when...
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Imposter Syndrome, What a Poser! from 2020-03-31T15:11:20
Due to COVID-19, this is our first remote podcast recording! The show must go on!
Imposter syndrome describes feelings of s...
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Attention Attention from 2020-03-24T15:32:46
A few episodes ago we conversed about emotional intelligence and how developing a high EQ may help us to reduce some jerky behaviours. Continuing on that thread, ...
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Play Nice With Others from 2020-03-17T23:58:28
We talk all the time about the importance of NOT being a jerk at work and yet when we look around, there are so many examples of successful jerks out there. How d...
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You Must Be Mistaken from 2020-03-10T14:41:35
Phrases like, “we learn from our mistakes,” and “fail fast, fail often” imply that there is no shame in making a mistake. Is that really true? Or are we mistaken?...
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Sweet Emotion from 2020-03-03T01:06:59
Though definitions vary, Emotional Intelligence, or EQ generally refers to the capacity of a person to be aware and in cont...
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What's Your Intention? from 2020-02-25T15:57:09
Many companies have a tradition of creating funny videos, skits, or events as part of their corporate fun. Earlier this year, Manulife Financial issued a public a...
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Fear is a Jerk from 2020-02-18T19:14:35
We all have that little voice that tells us we could screw up, get hurt, look stupid, fail. Sometimes it's a whisper, sometimes it's using a megaphone. It's fear,...
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Words to Live By 2020 from 2020-02-11T14:18:03
At the start of 2019, we each identified a word that we would use to guide us, inspire us, and remind us of how we wanted to move through the year. We’ve done tha...
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The Friend Zone from 2020-02-03T21:53:34
How do we navigate friendships at work? Does it make a difference if you were already friends rather than if you have become new friends at work? What if there is one friend who report...
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Pay Your Dues, Or You Lose from 2020-01-28T15:50:16
Is the practice of paying your dues long OVERDUE for a change?? A common belief that we all grew up with was that to get ahead, you’d have to pay your dues. That ...
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It's All About Me from 2020-01-14T22:26:47
Minisode - Don't Say Another Word...Yet! from 2019-12-31T17:52:29
At the start of 2019, we each picked a word for the year that we believed would be meaningful for us and would be our guide as we traveled through 2019. Now, here...
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Minisode - Bah Humbug! from 2019-12-24T15:17:05
It’s that time of year when Christmas shows up at the workplace. If you like Christmas, it means this could be a real high point of the year! If you don’t have an...
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Energy Vampires from 2019-12-17T16:08:10
Do you ever notice how some colleagues leave you feeling energized while others suck the life right out of you? If you find yourself feeling drained after interac...
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Quit Jerking Me Around! from 2019-12-10T15:10:58
If transparency and authenticity are key to being a great leader, what do you do when you are asked a tough question you don't feel you can or are even allowed to...
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Can We Really Cry if We Want To? from 2019-12-04T04:37:04
What is it about crying at work that is soooo uncomfortable? It seems like being authentic and vulnerable is desirable, and yet, if tears are part of exuding auth...
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Apply Yourself, Dammit! Part 4 from 2019-11-26T15:50:39
Well, we thought we had a lot to say in the first three parts of this series. In part 4, we really go to town. To really do awesome in an interview, it takes work...
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Apply Yourself, Dammit! Part 3 from 2019-11-18T20:44:35
Between the three of us, we have done a LOT of interviews. Some of our most memorable experiences come from our recruiting experience and the candidate interviews...
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Apply Yourself, Dammit! Part 2 from 2019-11-12T15:41:16
In part 2 of our 4-part series (Apply Yourself, Dammit!), we share our insider’s perspective on how to make your resume stand out and we answer that age-old question, “Do I really need to write ...
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Apply Yourself, Dammit! Part 1 from 2019-11-05T15:32:31
It’s finally time! With all of us having done a lot of past work in recruitment, we definitely wanted to cover some getting-a-job-related topics. Oh, do we have s...
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The Value of Values from 2019-10-29T13:56:23
Many of us are familiar with company values (you’ve seen them on your corporate website, marketing materials, or maybe you know them off by heart) but few of us think about our personal values a...
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Exiting Gracefully from 2019-10-23T00:10:07
How you leave a company can make just as much of an impression, if not an even bigger one, as how you arrive. In this episode, we reminisce about some memorable d...
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Jerk and Confidence from 2019-10-16T14:27:07
Decisions, decisions... from 2019-10-09T03:21:20
We make decisions every day, all day. At work, how do we make tough decisions, and not be a jerk even when it may not be a popular decision? When is it suitable t...
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To Gift or Not to Gift from 2019-10-01T18:08:49
To gift or not to gift? That is the question the ladies disagree about, I mean, discuss in this week’s epi...
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Sharing is Caring from 2019-09-24T15:22:23
Authenticity, vulnerability, accessibility, connectivity, all the ‘ity’s’! Showing up at work with these traits can definitely lead to a more engaged work culture...
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Until We Meet Again from 2019-09-17T14:41:05
What makes an effective meeting? Are there actually meetings you can’t wait to attend? It seems like we believe a good meeting is hard to find. And to host! Wheth...
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Personal Space from 2019-09-09T21:23:41
After last week's toilet episode, we thought we'd keep the personal space conversation going. This time, we're talking about the pros and cons of open floor plans...
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Season Two! Episode 21: When Your Workplace is in the Toilet from 2019-09-03T03:31:24
We’re back! Like we started our first season, we thought it would be a good way to kick things off by discussing etiquette at work...this time, in the bathroom. H...
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My Boss is a Jerk Part 3 from 2019-04-09T04:20:44
In part 3 of, “My Boss is A Jerk,” we wrap up our discussion about typical boss archetypes and behaviour patterns and talk about the best ways to communicate with these boss types. On this episo...
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My Boss is A Jerk, Part 2 from 2019-04-02T13:56:23
This episode is a continuation of last week’s discussion on boss archetypes and behaviour patterns. On this episode, we talk about, “The Micromanaging Boss,” “The Moody Boss,” and “The Reluctant...
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My Boss is A Jerk, Part 1 from 2019-03-26T14:05:58
There are all kinds of bosses out there. Some are good, some are bad, and most are somewhere in between (a work in progress). There are so many different boss types out there that we’ve turned t...
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Psst…Have You Heard? from 2019-03-12T14:14:52
This episode was inspired by a Harvard Business Review article titled, “Stop Complaining About Your Colleagues Behind Their Backs.” The premise of the article is that most people engage in workp...
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Help, I Don’t Fit in Here! from 2019-03-06T04:14:58
The idea of workplace culture has been buzzy for a while now and it’s very common for employees to list "a positive company culture" as the number one requirement for their workplace. On this ep...
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The Inadvertent Jerk from 2019-03-01T06:05:29
This episode was inspired by one of our listeners. Jake’s questions are: How do you manage jerk behavior that is intended to be humorous? How does intended bonding turn into harm? We lo...
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To Stress or Not to Stress from 2019-02-19T14:46:13
One of biggest influences on how we act and behave is our stress level (real or perceived). On this episode, we talk about stress and work…how it presents in you and in others, how it impacts yo...
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Office Love from 2019-02-14T14:41:50
This is our first episode topic suggested by a few different listeners. They asked: How do you navigate a new romantic relationship between two existing employees?
In this episod...
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Motivate Me from 2019-02-05T15:05:05
In this episode, we explore the concept of career paths (how we move up, how we move sideways, and how we move out), the importance of coaching conversations, and the work that is required on yo...
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Dress to Express, Not to Impress from 2019-01-29T14:43:38
What are you wearing to work tomorrow? Do you have body art? Piercings? Colourful hair? Does any of this matter in your workplace? Should any of this matter in your workplace? In this e...
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Gratitudes, Vol. 1 from 2019-01-22T14:43:30
On our episodes to date, we’ve talked about many frustrating and jerky behaviours that we’ve experienced and observed over the years as well as ways to not be a jerk at work. On today’s episode,...
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Minisode: 2019 Intentions from 2019-01-17T14:46:07
It’s a new year and for many (including us), it’s a time for reflection and goal setting. In our first ever minisode, we each talk about our “word for the year”; the word that represents how we ...
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The First Cut is the Deepest from 2019-01-15T15:03:03
Losing your job, especially for the first time, is one of the most stressful life events a person can go through. In this episode, we share our termination stories and talk about how you can mov...
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Should I Stay or Should I Go? from 2019-01-08T15:21:24
Feel like you need a change of scenery? Tired of your current role? Annoyed by your boss? Maybe it’s time to consider a job change. For some, the idea of changing jobs is super exciting but for ...
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Why Didn’t Someone Tell Me This BEFORE I Became a Manager? from 2019-01-01T07:11:08
Are you a new manager (aka the boss)? Considering applying for a manager role? In this episode, we discuss the questions you should ask yourself before deciding if this is for you and w...
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Use Your Egg Noggin! from 2018-12-19T01:13:34
It's December and for a lot of people, that means an office holiday party to look forward to. Or not.
In this episode, we get into the good, the bad, and the ugly of the office holiday pa...
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We. Are. At. Work. from 2018-12-11T04:34:50
#metoo and #timesup have empowered people to share their experiences and situations and have amplified the need for employers to examine their workplaces to ensure that they are fair and respect...
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When The Talking Gets Tough from 2018-11-28T05:54:52
Have you ever avoided a tough conversation at work? Although we don’t have a magic solution or an online form that will solve your problem for you (yes, we’ve been asked for those!), there are ...
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You Should NO Better from 2018-11-28T04:46:46
Consider this: every time you say ‘yes’ to something, what are you saying ‘no’ to? Why is saying ‘no’ so hard for some of us? How can you say no without coming across as a jerk, feeling guilty...
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You Should KNOW Better from 2018-11-07T04:48:35
Have you ever felt like your co-worker needed a lesson in adulting? When it comes to kitchen etiquette, respect for people’s time, and personal hygiene, shouldn’t we all just know bett...
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