Reboot For Connection

For companies searching for the best working environment for their employees post-Covid, the future might be hybrid. An example of the hybrid work model is for employees to spend certain days in the office for team meetings and collaboration and the rest of the time working from home. The framework is flexible and gives people the autonomy to structure their work around their lives.

An organization working hard to help businesses better prepare and transition into a hybrid work environment is Ricoh. In today's conversation with their Head of Software Engineering & Design, Nathan Thomas, and their Lead Design Consultant, Dean Bagnall, we'll discover how companies should approach a blended working model and what Ricoh is doing to help.

Instead of considering the physical world (in-office) and the digital world (remote) separately, organizations should find ways to mold them together to create an environment where people can work from anywhere, at any time, and still collaborate effectively. Nathan brings up examples of companies that are handling collaboration space mindfully so people can feel safe while getting their jobs done. To learn more about how your company can adapt to a new working era, listen to the full episode!

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Show notes:

Learn more about Ricoh

Connect with Nathan Thomas

Connect with Dean Bagnall

You might be surprised to hear that free-flowing and timely sharing of information within the cannabis industry, particularly in dispensaries, is stunted and nowhere as modern as the product. To understand why, we invited GreenScreens' CEO & COO, Shawn Cutter and Amber Saba to join today's conversation.

As a leading digital signage provider for cannabis dispensaries and brands, GreenScreens takes pride in putting their customers at the center of their business. They operate on the mantra that their success is their client’s success. In this episode, Shawn and Amber talk about how GreenScreens is empowering the cannabis sector to escape the stigma that surrounds it and to thrive by delivering accurate, real-time information to help educate and connect with people.

Amber and Shawn also share their experience working with ScreenCloud, how the partnership has enabled them to move quickly and adapt to changes, and help their customers transform their retail experience. Tune in and learn more about information sharing in the cannabis space and what GreenScreens is doing to drive positive changes in this new marketplace.

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Show notes:

Learn more about GreenScreens

Connect with Shawn Cutter

Connect with Amber Saba

When we think of a process, we often associate it with a rigid and tedious plan or policy we must follow from A to Z. In this episode, we'll view processes through a different lens.

Ryan Campbell, Director Of Business Operations at Alianza, looks at processes as a collaborative and alignment tool that brings people together. He believes processes enable people to become more intentional about their work, focus on things that matter, and as a result, accomplish more. Ryan stresses the importance of process documentation: it’s really challenging to improve a process if you don’t make an effort to document it.

Ryan also shares the benefits of information radiators (such as ScreenCloud’s product!) in enhancing transparency, ownership, and accountability, as well as driving a sense of urgency across the company. Last but not least, if you aspire to develop a career in business operations, Ryan has some valuable advice you would not want to miss!

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Show notes:

Learn more about Alianza

Connect with Ryan Campbell

Returning to work after an extended career break can be challenging, even demoralizing. The longer we’ve been away from work, the harder it is to maintain the confidence we once had. As a result, we tend to feel anxious, overwhelmed, and dejected. We underestimate our strengths and capabilities.

In this conversation with Katherine McConnell, we’ll explore the inner turmoil and struggles of a successful professional who decided to look for work after spending some time off to take care of her family. Katherine’s track record before her career break, driving substantial revenues and growth at large organizations, is impressive. Yet, when she tried to navigate her way back into the work environment, she was frustrated and disheartened.

Listen to the full episode to learn more about Katherine’s story and why companies should do a better job at recognizing people with non-linear career paths, whose curiosity, capabilities, and transferable skills can add incredible value to any teams.

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Show notes:

Connect with Katherine McConnell

One of the most talked-about mental health problems in the workplace today is burnout. The German-American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger first borrowed the term in the 1970s to describe a state of exhaustion caused by prolonged overwork he observed in his colleagues. Since then, burnout has taken on further definitions and complexity.

In this episode with Natascha Katzwinkel, we’ll explore the main components and symptoms of burnout and what leaders can do to help their teams prevent and fight this mental condition. Natascha underlines the importance of vulnerability. She believes that when leaders are vulnerable, they don’t feel threatened by others’ criticism—and that’s where real confidence resides.

Natascha also brings a fresh perspective on the topic of conflict at work. We often perceive conflict as a negative thing that threatens what we’ve worked so hard to create. But Natascha suggests that even though it can be uncomfortable and painful, conflict is valuable in helping us learn and grow. Without conflict, there will be no progress.

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Show notes:

Connect with Natascha Katzwinkel

What do we do when we feel under too much pressure at work, when uncertainty seems unbearable, or when fear almost immobilizes you?

A common individualistic approach is to put your head down, keep things to yourself, and power through. But this comes at a high cost. In the pursuit of getting things done, we inadvertently say no to meaningful connections. As a result, we feel lost, disconnected, unhappy. Multiply that to hundreds or thousands of people in an organization, and you have a pretty miserable workforce.

In her rawness and earnestness, the thoughtful engineer coach, Andrea Clough, offers a fresh perspective on dealing with fear and pressure as well as her view on ego. She highlights the importance of being connected with yourself before you can connect with others and how we must take action to create and maintain real connections. She identifies areas leaders should work on to build a happy, engaging culture, including awareness of yourself and the people around you, self-development, and learning to accept and express your feelings, even if they're negative.

Overall, leaders or no leaders, professional or personal life, this is a conversation to listen to and ruminate on.

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Show notes:

Connect with Andrea Clough

Our working environments are evolving. While in the past it was common to spend decades at a company, it’s no longer the trend in today's workplace and shouldn’t be expected. Employers should instead focus on helping employees grow and achieve their long-term goals, even if those goals include them eventually moving on to their next endeavors. The relationship should end on good terms to create an alliance for the future.

In this conversation with Markella Apergi, our Lifecycle Marketing Manager, and Ginni Lisk, People and Culture expert, we’ll explore how companies can create a people-first culture. Ginni believes that emotions should be seen as a strength instead of weakness because we're all humans at the end of the day. In Ginni’s view, the more an employee feels respected, accepted, and heard by the leadership team, the more motivated they are to go above and beyond and deliver great work.

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Show notes:

Learn more about Unleashed

Connect with Ginni Lisk and Markella Apergi

Remote work used to be a coveted perk glorified by pictures of people sipping cocktails on an island on a Monday morning. With the arrival of 2020, remote work is now a by-product many of us don’t desire yet can’t get rid of. However, since there is no “back to normal” anytime soon, the only way to move forward is to accept this reality and embrace remote work.

In this episode, Nancy Wood, a people operations expert, joined us to chat about the role of community and leadership in today’s working environment. Nancy is a long-time remote work enthusiast who believes companies should look at the new work movement as a strategic initiative, an opportunity to test things that might be impossible or difficult to conduct in the office. She explains why leaders should strive for compassion instead of empathy. Nancy also highlights the importance of listening and uncovering the deeper layers of the conveyed message, so you can understand not only what’s being said but also what’s not being said.

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Show notes:

Connect with Nancy Wood

Synthetic media is one of the most exciting developments in recent years. It uses AI-driven technologies to partially or fully generate video, voice, images, or text. Synthetic media can transform the consumer media landscape by democratizing content production, maximizing human creativity, and allowing new ways of communication and storytelling to emerge.

Unfortunately, as with any disruptive technology, certain bad actors will choose to misuse or even abuse synthetic media for malicious purposes. The dangers and fear of misinformation and deepfakes are real. With that in mind, what does the responsible application of synthetic media look like?

In this conversation with Victor Riparbelli, Cofounder and CEO at Synthesia, we’ll take a closer look at Synthesia’s pioneering work in shaping the future of synthetic media. Victor shares his vision for the company and the ethics guidelines they’ve adopted as a core part of their business to help protect users from harmful actors.

Victor believes education is the number one factor in fighting deepfakes. He encourages us to be more critical of the content we see and learn how to distinguish between authentic and manipulated media. This process will surely take time, but it’s a worthwhile pursuit in protecting us from the negative impact that the abuse of synthetic media can bring.

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Show notes:

Learn more about Synthesia

Connect with Victor Riparbelli

There is a reason why people refer to data as the new oil in recent years. Data helps businesses identify discrepancies, improve existing processes, make better decisions, and stay ahead of the competition. Quality data beats opinions every day.

With that in mind, there is no shortage of companies that are aware of the immense value of data and aspire to create a culture around it. Yet, many fail when it comes to the actual execution.

In this insightful conversation with Geckboard's Founder and CEO, Paul Joyce, we get a comprehensive picture of why companies go wrong when implementing a culture of data and how they can turn the situation around. Paul argues that this is a people issue dressed up as a technological one, and thus, it requires a human-first approach. This means:

Full commitment from leadership to making changes

Representing data not as a punitive measure but as a tool to help people work smarter and perform better

Designing new processes respectful of your target audience's behaviors

Bringing data to people (not the other way around) and making it easy for them to digest

For a closer look at how you can build a company connected and driven by data, listen to the full episode.

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Show notes:

Check out Geckoboard

Connect with Paul Joyce