Jazzed About Work

Today’s guest is Craig Butler, a respected leader in the effort to care for the nation’s natural resources and environment. Craig’s work as a public servant includes 6 years has head of the Ohio EPA. While there, he developed initiatives that have become national models for protecting drinking water standards and watersheds. He is now CEO of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, a large and unusual entity that for 90 years has been conserving water, preventing floods and supporting recreation resources for millions of people in Ohio. Craig describes why he chose public service and how he found opportunities. He talks about the power of collaboration and how getting things done may require working in partnership with other organizations. And he suggests how you might start a career focused on the environment, whether you are just now joining the work force, or are seeking a professional transition path.

Today’s guest is a widely respected government attorney, and my friend, Arlean Leland. She recently retired from an impressive Federal career, including more than two decades as Associate General Counsel for Civil Rights, Labor and Employment, at the powerful Department of Agriculture. Over the years her accomplishments brought many accolades, including multiple honor awards from both the USDA Secretary and the President of the United States. Arlean tells us about her life and career, starting with her modest beginning as the child of a teen mom. She describes how hard work, strong values and connecting with other people helped build her career. She says she knows what it’s like to be the only person of color in the room, and that experience has strengthened her belief in never treating people as invisible. We discuss the crisis surrounding some DEI and EEO programs, and Arlean shares tips for creating inclusion and diversity policies that will make your team stronger. For more see: https://exe-coach.com/about/

Our returning guest today is Erin Lewellen, CEO of Tilting Futures, a nonprofit that creates immersive programs to prepare young people for careers that might impact global issues. The organization -- which was once known as Global Citizen Year -- has found ways to thrive, despite major challenges, like COVID. Recently, Tilting Futures expanded its efforts to help Gen Z students develop skills, build optimism and get ready to change the world. Erin will talk about how her team evolved, including by gathering great data and building new partnerships. And she will describe some of the lessons they’ve learned through their 2000+ alumni. Finally, we’ll talk about how new experiences, and curiosity about other people, can change your life, wherever you are in your career. For more see: https://tiltingfutures.org

Our guest today, Kim Scott, is a popular expert on creating a more positive and respectful workplace. Kim helps leaders to create cultures where everyone does their best work and enjoys working together. Earlier, she was an executive coach at tech firms like Dropbox and Twitter, as well as a faculty member at Apple University. Here, Kim will tell us about her new book, Radical Respect – How to Work Together Better. It’s about creating organizations that support both belonging and individuality. Kim also will share practical tips about how to deal with bias, prejudice and bullying. For more see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimm4/

This episode features two retired judges are committed to decoding legal jargon and taking some of the mystery out of the legal system. Judge Tom Hodson and Judge Gayle Williams Byers – sometimes known as around WOUB at “The Judicial Twins” – are both teachers of judges. And now they have launched a podcast that explains prominent cases and everyday judicial procedures in language that the rest of us can understand. In their Next Witness…Please podcast, they don’t indulge in stodgy lectures. Instead they offer insightful comments and explain courtroom developments in plain English, and even with a dash of humor. For more see: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1248539126/next-witness-please https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-hodson-797365284 https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayle-williams-byers-a596216

Today, Judge David S. Tatel describes his remarkable new book, Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice. The book, co-written with his wife, Edie Tatel, beautifully weaves together several themes: his career as a civil rights attorney, his happy family life, the challenges of becoming blind, and the freedom made possible by his guide dog, Vixen. At the same time, it describes his growing concern about courts that disregard the principles of judicial restraint. In this episode, Judge Tatel shares his inspiring story, and gives us a sense of the joy he has found throughout his busy life. He also describes some of his worries about the state of our judiciary, and urges listeners to become involved citizens, including by voting. For more see: https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Blindness-David-S-Tatel/dp/0316542024 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_S._Tatel

Today’s guest, Giselle Ugarte, is an entrepreneur, an advertising whiz and a social media coach. And she has almost 300 thousand followers on the fast-growing platform, TikTok. Giselle believes in the power of video messages to tell your story, including in a job search. She says whatever platforms you prefer, your goal in social media should be to connect with other people, build real relationships and serve your audience, in addition to promoting your products or services. She describes why it’s more important to be authentic than to look your best. And she offers tips to help you up your social presence, wherever you are in your career.

In this episode, we explore careers in the travel field, and describe new kinds of opportunities for agencies that specialize in luxury travel. Our guest is Sandy Saburn, a leader at Gifted Travel Network, a fast-growing, female-led company in the high-end travel industry. Sandy has always loved taking trips. And after being a career coach, a marketing expert, and a business consultant, she switched gears and became a travel expert. Here she explains how the industry is evolving, and why there’s a new wave of opportunities for people who want to work in it. She shares tips about how you could get started in the travel biz, perhaps as an advisor, and she explains what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the field. Also, she reminds us that life is short, and now is a good time to plan those trips you were saving for the future. For more see: www.giftedtravelnetwork.com And this link from Sandy shares info on the entrepreneurial mindset: https://www.giftedtravelnetwork.com/meredith-podcast

Today’s theme is the importance of creating a good fit between the way we prefer to work and the organization that employs us. Our expert guest, Dr. André Martin, is an organizational psychologist who spent 20 years as a leader in major companies like Mars, Nike, Disney and Google. He tells us about his new book, “Wrong Fit, Right Fit - Why How We Work Matters More Than Ever.” André says the way our job fits our work style is so important because our identities get all tangled up with what we do, and if we are dissed in the context of work, we feel bad throughout our life. André offers tips about finding the right job, and how to create change if your current job doesn’t suit the way you like to work. He suggests that you regularly take stock of your career and the stress it causes in your whole life. He explains the value of managing up. And he describes how some smart employers are helping their talent to find the right fit. For more, see: https://www.wrongfitrightfit.com

For some people, launching a job search seems more challenging than ever. Our repeat guest, Mark Anthony Dyson, says “think about it like the weather.” Job market conditions vary a good deal, depending on many factors, including your location, profession and skill set. But there are some broad trends worth watching. Mark warns that in some countries scammers are using fake job opportunities as way to collect private info, and we might see similar frauds in the U.S. He points to the dramatic change AI is having in the hiring process, and discusses the value of understanding at least AI basics. And Mark shares classic advice, like stay prepared for whatever happens by “thinking of job search as a lifestyle,” and keep learning and seeking opportunities to upskill. For more advice from Mark see: https://thevoiceofjobseekers.com