Jazzed About Work

Jonathan Fields, often known as ‘the Good Life Guy,” says we each have a special imprint – something that fills us with meaning, joy, purpose and possibility. Today, Jonathan describes how our perfect job options are explored in his book, “Sparked: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come Alive.” And he shares information about a free personal assessment you can take online to help you understand your ideal career path. Jonathan also talks about the Good Life Project, the media and community-building platform that serves as home for his popular podcast of the same name. See more: https://www.goodlifeproject.com

Our guest, Raj Subrameyer, was a shy, uncertain young man when he came to the U.S. from India, in 2008. Now Raj is a successful author, a keynote speaker, and a big-time tech-career strategist. In his book, Skyrocket Your Career, he explains that the shift didn’t happen overnight. He had an “awakening” and decided to chart his own course. Here he describes his change process and explains how you can use it to discover your ideal job. And he talks about how to make a plan and get moving toward the career you want. See more: https://www.rajsubra.com

Today we talking about creating fun at work. Our guest is Bob Nelson, a leading authority on employee recognition and engagement. Widely known as Dr. Bob, he has written more than 30 books about motivating people. Here he explains how he started out as an introvert with little knowledge of books, then turned himself into a successful writer and world-class speaker. Bob offers tips to aspiring authors about how to sell books. And he shares insights from his latest book, Work Made Fun Gets Done – Easy Ways To Boost Energy, Morale, And Results. With this book, Dr. Bob and co-author Mario Tamayo say fun is a serious part of a healthy workplace, producing both happier workers and exceptional performance. For more, see: https://drbobnelson.com

Today’s episode is the second of two in which Tom Hodson plays the role of host and talks with Beverly Jones about her new book, Find Your Happy at Work. Tom and Bev agree that you can’t flourish in your work life if you aren’t well, and that self-care is a foundation of career success. Bev suggests you focus on four realms of your well-being: body, brain, emotions and spirit. The starting point is whichever realm is easiest for you to address – the four are interconnected, and improving one impacts everything. They discuss easy ways to trigger a big shift, like cultivating kindness and gratitude, taking breaks from work, and taking small steps to inspire bigger ones. For more see: https://www.clearwaysconsulting.com

This show is the first of two in which Tom Hodson steps in as host and interviews Beverly Jones about her new book, Find Your Happy at Work. The conversation focuses on how many of us sometimes feel stuck in a rut, burned out or just plain tired of our job. It includes tips from Bev’s book, about how to quickly find more joy and meaning in your work. Bev says that work and play have a lot in common, and Tom asks how he can make his tasks feel more like play. They discuss strategies for becoming more engaged, including finding learning opportunities and dealing with boredom. For more see: https://www.amazon.com/Find-Your-Happy-Work-Fulfillment/dp/1632651866

Dr. Omar Dawood is passionate about promoting better work environments, including by encouraging self-care and helping employees to deal with stress and anxiety. Omar is a medical doctor and stage IV cancer survivor with over 25 years of senior management, medical research and clinical experience. And he is the Chief Medical Officer for Calm, which is well known for its popular app for meditation, relaxation and sleep. In this show, Omar discusses challenges some may face as they step into the post-COVID workplace. He describes ways employers are helping their team members to address questions related to well-being and mental health. And he offers tips for supporting your wellness. See more: https://www.calm.com

You may know Crowded Kitchen from Instagram, where it has almost 200,000 followers. Or from its vast and lovely website featuring photographs and recipes of plant-based food. Did you also know that Crowded Kitchen has grown from a personal social media account to a flourishing family business? Our guests today are its founders -- Beth Sinclair and her daughter, Lexi Harrison. They talk about why and how they built their business, and what it’s like when your colleagues are your family.

They also talk about food, including why they focus on a plant-based diet. See more: https://www.crowdedkitchen.com

This episode focuses on Artificial Intelligence, and how AI is reshaping the workplace. Our guest is Raj Tumuluri, founder and CEO of Openstream, which produces artificial-intelligence-based virtual assistant technology for businesses. Raj will describe how consumers and workers already are interacting with AI on a regular basis. He’ll address the concern that robots are about to take over our jobs, and describe how AI is now creating more jobs. He’ll offer suggestions about how you might prepare for a career related to AI. And he will describe how AI is changing the way HR departments are screening candidates.

See more: https://openstream.ai

It seems COVID-19 has made us more aware of the importance of compassion, and more thoughtful about how to support our colleagues, as well as friends and family. Today’s guest is Earl Johnson, a founder of the spiritual care function at the American Red Cross, and a man who understands compassion. Earl is an expert in psychological first aid, and he teaches others to support both victims and first responders after a major disaster. Today he shares tips from his book, Finding Comfort During Hard Times. He talks about how to nurture people struggling with trauma, whether from massive events or everyday kinds of crises. And he shares stories about his career, which took him from being a minister, to a top fashion model, to a caregiver in the time of crises.

Today’s show focuses on one of our favorite topics: compassionate, effective networking. Our guest is Rebecca Leder, a senior manager at Salesforce, where she has lots of opportunities to bring people together. Rebecca tells us about her new book, KNOCK, which presents a framework for connecting with people in meaningful ways. She describes her method for intentionally and genuinely interacting with others as you develop your career. It’s all about making authentic, mutually helpful connections, and nurturing them to grow into long-time, supportive relationships. And Rebecca discusses how and why relationship-building is so good for you. See more: https://theknockmethod.com/book/