Mon, 28 December 2015
Today my guest for the Future of Work Podcast is Alexis Gonzales-Black. Alexis is the former organizational design lead for Zappos, and is currently the co-founder of Thoughtful Org Partners. Previously, I spoke with Brian J. Robertson, the creator of the concept of Holacracy. This concept received fame because of Zappos initiatives around Holacracy. Alexis is one of the people who helped lead the entire Holacracy transition there.
Alexis was a part if the pilot group at Zappos for Holacracy. She worked on the implementation team for over 2 years. Currently, Alexis works with Thoughtful Org, which she co-founded, to help companies explore what the future structure of their organizations look like. In Holacracy, as an operating system, individuals are not confined to one group or team. Reaching across the organization for opportunities is available and encouraged. Self-organization can be used as a diversity and inclusiveness tool as well. Alexis provides great insights to alternative organizational structures. This podcast is a must listen to anyone who wants to learn about alternative organizational structures and how they could work for your company. What you will learn in this episode
Link from the episode (Music by Ronald Jenkees)
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Sun, 20 December 2015
Today I bring to you a very special Future of Work Podcast. I speak with Dr. David Bray the Chief Information Officer of the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC is responsible for regulating interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across all 50 states. The FCC makes decisions on how industry relates to consumers, whether it be telecommunications, television stations, broadband connections and the internet. Any wired or wireless device will have a FCC logo on it. Industry standards are provided by the FCC so these devices will not interfere with each other so communication can be done in the United States. The theme of today’s podcast is how exponential technologies are shaping the future of work.
Dr. Bray is an Eisenhower Fellow. Each year the fellowship program sends 9 or 10 exceptional people to two countries of their choosing to meet with industry and government leaders. David had the opportunity to go to Taiwan and Australia to have conversations with leaders in those countries on how they are getting ready for the internet of everything, as well as, security, privacy and the changing nature of work. At the FCC, David has lead the transformation from legacy information technology to cloud based and commercial service providers. He speaks on the importance of doing this for all businesses for the future of work. What you will learn in this episode
Link form the episode (Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 13 December 2015
My guest this week for the Future of Work podcast is Hal Halladay, the Chief People Officer at Infusionsoft. Infusionsoft is a sales and marketing automation company, specifically focused on small businesses. They have around 700 employees and are headquartered in Chandler, Arizona. Infusionsoft stands out for having won many awards being a ‘Best Place to Work’ for different topics such as Women and Millennials, and received numerous awards for all around excellence. As the Chief People Officer, Hal speaks on why culture is the greatest competitive advantage in business today. Hal leads a team that helps design many of the things Infusionsoft is implementing to create a great corporate culture. Infusionsoft has intentionally tried to create a culture that engages people to do their best work. The company was founded on the principle that people come first. At Infusionsoft, Hal leads the people operations team. This team supports business leaders by providing resources they need. These resources include providing talent, training, as well as processes and systems needed to complete tasks. This is a different approach as operations is not usually paired with HR. Combining these departments enables more of these tasks to be provided with a service aspect toward the business leaders in the company, as well as, remove any negative connotations with the title Human Resources. Infusionsoft made the decision on what their company culture was going to be, they didn’t just let it happen. Having employees who are doing the work they love, engaged, and inspired, produces better work, which in turn, means happy customers. What you will learn in this episode Why Culture Is So important What is a Dream Manager? Flexible Work and the Freelancer Economy Millennials and Culture What is Native Genius? How Can an Organization Choose Their Corporate Culture? Building a Culture of Care and Connectiveness How to Know Your Company’s Culture is Working Links from the episode (Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 6 December 2015
What this episode is about and why you should care My guest this week for the Future of Work Podcast is Dr. J.R. Reagan, the Global Chief Information Security Officer at Deloitte. We speak on the importance of being social inside and outside of a company. While Dr. Regan’s title alludes that he would not advocate for being social outside of a company, this is not the case. There are advantages to using multiple types of social media that can benefit a company and individual employees. While there are many traditional ways of completing tasks, working and doing the same tasks just because of tradition is not the most beneficial. Using internal social tools can assist in modernizing an organization and connecting with the emerging workforce. At Deloitte, Dr. Regan’s responsibilities are to protect the firm’s information across more than 150 countries, inside and outside of the company, for over 210,000 people. Dr. Regan reflects on the previous notion that being social at work is taboo, and would cause employees to become unproductive. Today, social assists in spreading ideas, and flattens our world. Many social platforms have become standard business tools. Dr. Regan highlights how using some of the social media platforms internally can be used as new communication devices in an organization. Using social media platforms externally, can bring networking opportunities and even help save time when communicating in our personal lives. Being social is now becoming a natural part of daily lives and embracing it, brings many benefits for our careers and the future of work.
What you will learn in this episode
Link from the episode https://twitter.com/ideaxplorer (Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 29 November 2015
Today’s guest on the Future of Work podcast is Micha Kaufman, the CEO of Fiverr. Fiverr started as a website where you could get any digital task done for $5. Now, it is becoming a true freelance marketplace with bundled gigs. Organizations are flocking to the website, as well as, individuals who are looking to hire or become freelancers. With the popularity of websites like Fiverr, Micha and I discuss why the gig economy is the future of work. Micha describes Fiverr as the “Amazon for digital services.” It is a full digital marketplace with ‘sellers’ who are the freelancers and ‘buyers’ who are mostly small and medium sized businesses. Right now, 30% of the American workforce is involved in the gig economy. Trends are showing this number will only increase. The changing generational workforce is a major factor of the growing gig economy. Through technology, other types of work in the gig economy, such as driving for Uber, or listing a rental on Airbnb, has brought offline activity to online. As the old concepts of work are being challenged, the gig and freelance economy is being viewed as a legitimate option to participate in, and build a career. What you will learn in this episode
Links from the episode (Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 22 November 2015
What this episode is about and why you should care This week’s episode of the Future of Work Podcast features two very special guests from Skillsoft. Skillsoft is a technology company that produces learning management systems and the content that goes with them. My two guests are Jerry Nine, the Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Skillsoft, and John Ambrose, who is the Senior VP of Strategy and Corporate Development. We speak on self-developing organizations and individualized learning. Self developing organizations and focus on learning is a huge part of the future of work. Skillsoft was started with the vision to leverage the internet to scale. Meaning, previously many individualized learning opportunites had taken place through physical methods such as CD-ROM or VHS tapes. As technology evolved, individualized learning has grown to match. Starting in soft skills, Skillsoft has created many engaging learning opportunities that can be utilized for all learning styles. Technology can catapult the way organizations and people preform. Skillsoft has made it their personal mission to improve the performance of organizations by improving the performance of their employees. Self-developing organizations are able to make transformations from current internal education and training programs to more compelling and effective for platforms for employees and organizations.
What you will learn in this episode
Links from the episode
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 15 November 2015
My guest for this week’s Future of Work podcast is Régis Mulot. Régis is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Staples. We speak on why every company should be a platform company. A platform company partners and incorporates technology from multiple corporations, partners, nonprofits, and educational institutions, to name a few. While this concept is not new, it is growing and evolving. Instead of only concentrating on what is going on inside a company, the focus is shifted to building networks outside of the organization. These networks assist in building a stronger, more profitable platform company. Staples is a very large organization, and the 4th largest online retailer in the United States. With over 74,000 employees, Staples has many different lines of business that each continue to grow in the ever changing market. Régis has over 25 years of HR experience, working all over the world. He has spent a lot of his time working to support integration of the corporations Staples has acquired, in the US and Europe. Régis shows how the idea of being a platform company can lead to success. Knowledge sharing, data, and technology, are all collaboration tools that will be very prominent for the success of platform companies and the future of work. What you will learn in this episode
Links from the episode (Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 8 November 2015
The Chief Human Resource Officer of the AARP, John Sigmon, joins me today on the Future of Work Podcast. We talk about what it means to be an employee in the future of work. We discuss the very definition of what being an employee is, and how it is changing. John describes with personal detail, how an employee would view their career path when it comes to working for a company. The role of the employee is changing. Organizations need to think differently about the expectation of employees to settle at one company for a long amount of time. Most positions are changing into more dynamic and flexible roles. Many distinctions of employee types are becoming less defined as organizations are looking to the future, and changing as fast as the world around them. At AARP, one of their goals is to change the dialog regarding what it means to get older. In the HR department, John needs to ask if his department is changing as fast as the rest of AARP and other organizations. His own recruitment to AARP is a great example of how the role of the employee is changing in relation to the organization. When he joined AARP, he was brought on as an HR business partner. He was able to work on projects that allowed him to contribute to the success of the organization, thus increasing his own market value. He accomplished this by receiving more jobs that increased his capabilities. His own story illustrates how his relationship with the AARP has formed into an alliance. John speaks to how this model fits in with the future of work and pushes the innovation of the AARP.
What you will learn in this episode
Links from the episode (Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 1 November 2015
This week on The Future of Work Podcast, my guest is Tara Sinclair. Tara is an Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs at The George Washington University and Chief Economist at Indeed.com. Together, we look at the talent driven economy, which is the talent pool that is increasing and what that means for the future of work. The talent driven economy effects everyone, whether you have a job, or are looking for one. Tara shares her insights on what job seekers desire, and what opportunities and fields we are seeing growth in for available jobs. At George Washington University, Tara teaches courses in everything Econometrics to Macroeconomics, she also runs their research department that works on developing new forecasting models. Tara’s interest in forecasting for labor market applications lead her to Indeed. She is able to provide a picture of the current labor market, and how it effects the employers who are looking for applicants. Tara is also able to identify positive trends for the job seeker. Her fascinating field of study gives us a link between today’s job market and the future of work.
What you will learn in this episode
Links from the episode (Music by Ronald Jenkees)
Direct download: Tara_Michelle_Sinclair_Podcast_DONE.mp3
Category:Business -- posted at: 12:01am PST |
Sun, 25 October 2015
This week’s guest on the Future of Work Podcast is William Davies. William Davies is the author of a book called The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being. He is also the Senior Lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London. This is a very interesting topic, as engagement, health, happiness, and wellness are all topics that many companies are discussing and investing millions of dollars in. In William Davies’ book, he argues that we should be cautious when putting all of our investments in happiness and engagement. His point of view will make you question if we are a bit carried away with this movement and focus on happiness. William Davies works on combining the history of ideas and a critical sociology of political and economic institutions. He is very interested in the way our economy is governed, and is shaped by theories of markets, individuals, and in the case of his book, theories of the mind. The ideas and methodologies used by experts, are used to correlate how we think and how it effects the economy, also how we run our organizations. His book is a critique of the way our vision of happiness is becoming more and more powerful in how we transform the workplace and govern our private lives. What you will learn in this episode:
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Sun, 18 October 2015
This week’s episode with Sree Sreenivansan, who is the Chief Digital Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Digital transformation in the workplace is a massive topic, everyone from Chief Human Resource Officers, to people in Innovation and Technology are talking about it. Chief Digital Officers are emergent titles; they are springing up everywhere as we move forward in the new digital workplace. Sree shares what he is doing and thinking about when it comes to the Digital aspects of work.
Chief Digital Officer’s tasks can vary from company to company. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sree leads a team that produces all audience facing technologies. Emails, social media, videos, applications, and development are all part of accomplishing not only the daily tasks at hand, but the goal of his department. Sree looks at his position as helping to make connections between the physical and the digital content, as he describes, the “in person and online”. He believes that if you can do that, you will have a successful enterprise. The future of all business is making that connection between the physical and digital. It is important to build that virtuous circle. There is a powerful image that highlights this, this example is in regards to the Met. If you get people to follow your stuff online, and they love what they see, they can get inspired to visit the Met in person. After they visit in person they love what they see, and they are convinced to stay connected on social platforms. This can be applied to the digital goals of many companies, digital content provided by a business can inspire a visit or a purchase of a product. What you will learn in this episode:
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 11 October 2015
What this episode is about and why you should care My guest for this week’s episode of the Future of Work podcast is Sophie Vandebroek. Sophie is the CTO of Xerox and the President of Xerox Innovation Group, she also has her PHD in Electrical Engineering from Cornell. Sophie shares her extensive knowledge with us today, including her fascinating perspectives on Innovation. We dive in to her personal and corporate history, which is a very inspirational and relatable story. We look at the Five Best Practices for Innovation, focusing on who is going to be effected by the results of your company’s Innovation, the end user. We also go into great detail on how to establish an Innovation culture, providing the resources for the proper research and development, and allowing flexibility and freedom to test and try many different solutions for products and services that will fulfill the needs of the consumer. Xerox is a great example of a company who, is well known for some of their products. They are constantly looking at the future of work, and have grown and adapted themselves to encompass so much more. Included in their business, are their Innovation labs located around the world. Sophie explains how Innovation has changed in her tenure, the best practices she has acquired for successful Innovation research and forecasting. The acceleration of Innovation is great. We have advanced so far in technology, with the internet, mobile devices, big data analytics, the room for Innovation in the Future of Work is endless. What you will learn in this episode Innovation Best Practices How Innovation Has Changed Trends in Innovation How Millennials are Impacting Innovation How to Drive Innovation The Role of Robots and Automation The Scale of Innovation Implementation of Innovation
Links from the episode Xerox.com
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 4 October 2015
Today I sit down with James D. White, the CEO of Jamba Juice. We speak about what the culture is like at Jamba Juice, what the CEO values most at his company. Jamba Juice has spent a lot of time cultivating their corporate culture, and specifically focusing on heath and wellness. We look at the role of technology and trends that are shaping this shift towards organizations spending more time looking at health and wellness. The goal of this podcast is to look at how creating an effective corporate culture centered on a brand's key values is so important to organizations around the world. The corporate culture at Jamba Juice is centered on their core values. Health and Well-being runs through Jamba Juices's veins. If you can actively engage individuals inside of a company to build a culture they want to live in, you have a much higher chance of being successful. Personal investment of the individuals of your company, helps move the culture and performance of the company as a whole ahead. Many conventional businesses put on constraints, and its easy to stay inside these standards, even when moving from one company to another. It is really important to look at the company's mission, and create the culture rooted in it's own beliefs. What works for one, may not be what is best for another company. There is a large shift in people who want to work for a company that they feel connected to. Using feedback to source your information first hand, you can capture the spirit of each employee, creating the benefits that not only provide a passion to their work, but a corporate culture that drives a happy and productive workforce.
In this episode you will learn:
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Sun, 27 September 2015
What this episode is all about and why you should Listen Today I have an interview with Stephen Hoover, CEO of PARC a division of Xerox. PARC is the home of the Ethernet and many other Innovative tools that most people use every single day in the workplace. Stephen & I talk extensively about Open Innovation in the workplace. Open innovation is a very interesting topic and we get deep into what is going on, what is it, why it is happening, what are the trends that are driving it, what are the benefits of open innovation, the challenges, the impact & what organizations should be doing and what they should be thinking about. Stephen Hoover explains what PARC’s take on the Business of Breakthroughs is all about. Find out what they are working on for the future of work. Stephen’s perspective is very intriguing and spot on with exactly what a forward thinking company needs to be doing and implementing. Discover what his number one tip is when it comes to having a Grand Vision. Stephen really believes that innovation is a contact sport. Find out how he is assisting PARC and their employees with having a Vision beyond what is in the everyday workplace. We explore the problems that arise with people who have an “I can do it all” attitude, and why in the real world you need the assistance of many other smart people to be successful when it comes to open innovation. Stephen talks about how to go out and find those smart people and create partnerships to accomplish open innovation. This conversation is very interesting both from a personal approach and a business approach. What you will learn in this episode
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Mon, 21 September 2015
What this episode is all about and why you should Listen Today dive in with me as I sit down with Mary O’Hara, of Blue Cross Blue Shield of California on the topic of high performing teams and individuals in the future of work. Mary has a mass amount of insight when it comes to different techniques and everything that encompasses “touching the people” within an organization. She has great tips on Workplace Rewards and how to collaborate across an organization. Listen as Mary explains if she feels Employee Experience is more prominent now than it has ever been in the past. All things effect different aspects of having a high performing team and individual in the workplace. Talent is extremely important when finding individuals that are at the heart of specific innovation & strategies which leads to less supply. You need to have an employee experience that is reflective in your specific marketplace. Mary shares with me how different industries have different pressure points, and when you have quality leaders in your organization you will differentiate yourself from other companies. Find out what the Lead of Excellence program at Blue Cross Blue Shield is all about. Mary is very knowledgeable on how important it is to grow strong leaders and stay on top of the employee experience in the workplace. What you will learn in this episode
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Sun, 13 September 2015
What this episode is about and why you should care Today I sit down with Kristen Robinson, Chief HR at Pandora located in Oakland, CA. Kristen flourishes and has a phenomenal impact in the Human Resources department with a vast amount of insight on how to successfully operate in the HR arena with any corporation. Pandora for those of you who don’t know, is a free personalized internet radio service that consists of over 1750 employees. Kristen and I dive into why the Employee experience is crucial in any workplace and how it can benefit any business. The Employee experience is about happiness & helping employees fulfill happiness and accomplishment in their lives. Employees that are the happiest both at work and in their lives are the ones that are going to have a strategic advantage compared to other companies. Learn about what Pandora is doing to unleash the employee experience to make it a better work environment for everyone. Kristen shares with me how Pandora is hyper-focusing on integrating very powerful tools to improving the employee experience. Take some time in your day to be sure to listen to Kristen’s view on the overall employee experience. She truly knows what it’s all about and I’m certain you will enjoy and agree with everything she has to say! What you will learn in this episode • Learn about Kristen Robinson and Pandora • What Kristen is doing at Pandora to help make the employee experience better. • Learn about the Employee Experience at Pandora & why it is important. • Why should Managers and executives care about the Employee Experience? • How changing your space can affect the mindset of people in your work environment. • Giving back and how it can personally enhance one’s life. • What is PERG’s at Pandora? • Why Pandora has shifted to having an annual review process without employees having the fight or flight syndrome through Growth & Development. • Why they employee experience that is so becoming in the world today. • In your short time here what are the short phrases that the Pandora Road Crew uses to explain their experience. (Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Thu, 10 September 2015
Centro is a media managment software company with around 700 employees. They were ranked as the best place to work in Chicago for 4 years in a row by Crain's, the #1 best place to work by Fortune among all mid-size Ameican companies, and they have a 4.5 rating on Glassdoor. Clearly Centro is doing something right. At the helm of the company is their CEO Shawn Riegsecker. He has a very simple philosophy around work which is that happiness is the new ROI. In this episode of the future of work podcast Shawn and I explore some of the things he is doing over at Centro, how he defines happiness, the overall business impact of happiness on Centro employees, the role of corporate culture, and much more! Tune in and listen to this episode of the future of work podcast with the CEO of Centro, Shawn Riegsecker as explore why happiness is the new ROI! |
Mon, 31 August 2015
My guest for this week’s episode of the Future of Work podcast is Michael Karnjanaprakorn, CEO and Co-Founder of Skillshare. For those of you looking to adapt and learn new skills, you will find this conversation quite interesting. Skillshare is an on-line platform where you can learn almost anything you need to stay relevant in today’s workplace. Michael and I look at why the future of work is all about teaching yourself and not relying on education institutions or organizations to teach us the skills, information and knowledge that we might need to be successful in life.
Why is it that we should be teaching ourselves? Michael talks about the common problems with learning and acquiring skills today. We look at the skills gap, gamification in the workplace, how demographics are changing, and what the future of learning is going to look like. Michael shares his insights taking a look at why creativity is so crucial for the future of work and what learning is going to look like in the next couple of years. Take a moment and listen to Michael’s thought-provoking insights into the future of learning, which I’m sure you are going to enjoy!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees)
Direct download: Michael_Karnjanaprakorn_Podcast_DONE_WM.mp3
Category:Business -- posted at: 4:15pm PST |
Sun, 23 August 2015
I believe you will find this week’s episode of the Future of Work Podcast to be extremely fascinating, insightful and exciting. My guest is Tim Mulligan, Chief Human Resources Officer of San Diego Zoo Global. Most of my guests have been from large brands in very traditional business areas, such as technology, finance, etc. with employees that are typically from a primary group of knowledge. But, Tim is directly responsible for managing a wide range of employees in very diverse areas such as horticulture, botany, zoology, catering, retail, and animal trainers, to name a few. When you think about the future of work in that context, it is very different from the future of work in a company like IBM, Coca-Cola or any other company you may be familiar with. And, one would not think of a zoo as being one of the most forward-thinking and progressive organizations that is also ranked as one of the best places to work in San Diego.
Tim and I have a very, very interesting conversation concentrating on redefining culture to focus on performance. Tim has been with the company for quite some time and he shares with us what it was like when he first started and what it is like now; and why he had to move the corporate culture at San Diego Zoo Global to be more focused on performance. We get an inside look at the initiatives and innovations he has implemented around performance and accountability; employee engagement; talent management; Millennials, Baby Boomers and everyone in-between; the role of technology; and the evolution of management and leadership practices at the company. Listen in to Tim’s very unique and diverse experience that you will definitely learn much from. Enjoy!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Mon, 17 August 2015
This week’s episode is with Eric Severson on work-life integration. Eric is the former Co-Chief Human Resource Officer at The Gap, and is now an Appointee to the U.S. Department of Commerce National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship as well as the director of the Felton Institute. Eric led most of The Gap’s talent initiatives including their move towards work-life integration and the creation of their results-oriented workplace (ROW). The debate around work-life balance versus work-life integration is a very hot topic. We explore Eric’s perspective on the “winning side,” which to him is work-life integration. And, I must confess that I completely agree with him. In this podcast Eric shares in-depth insights into his initiatives at The Gap to encourage work-life integration. We also talk about corporate culture, why work-life balance is no longer effective and why the shift to work-life integration is happening. Eric explains ROW whereby an organization is purely focused on what employees produce and not the hours they spend doing it. Eric also give us his insights and perspectives on Millennials and the different generations of employees, and the role technology management plays. And, Eric answers your questions posed to him on Facebook; and gives his advice to employees, managers and executives.
If you are interested in the work-life balance versus work-life integration debate, you won’t want to miss this podcast. Enjoy! |
Wed, 12 August 2015
I’m very excited about this week’s podcast because it is different any of my previous podcasts. My guest is Marcus Buckingham, the New York Times best-selling author of First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently; Now, Discover Your Strengths, and the recently released StandOut. Marcus is also the founder of The Marcus Buckingham Company, which is a human capital management software and education company. Marcus states that most organizations actually are not ready for the future of work. His rationale being that we still measure things in very antiquated ways, particularly around performance management and talent management. We spend an insightful and engaging conversation on this topic including the inner workings of how ratings and reviews work within organizations, the problems, challenges and solutions. We talk about the trends causing the need for change, why measurement is so ineffective today, competency models and more. Marcus shares the four key questions he believes organizations need to ask regarding evaluating performance, and explains why performance coaching and performance evaluation are two completely different processes. We also get Marcus’ insights about engagement and happiness, his advice to organizations on preparing for the future of work, and what employees can do. Don’t miss this fascinating and unique opportunity to listen to Marcus Buckingham on why most organizations are not ready for the future of work! |
Wed, 5 August 2015
My guest for this week’s Future of Work podcast is Maynard Webb, the former Chief Operating Officer at eBay; and currently Chairman of the Board at Yahoo!, and board member at Salesforce and Visa. Maynard is also the author of the recently released book, Rebooting Work: Transform How You Work in the Age of Entrepreneurship. This is a really fascinating discussion because Maynard is one of the most influential people in the worlds of business and technology, and is involved in so many amazing projects. We talk about the concepts from his book including the framework of employees, the employee experience, the role that Millennials play in the future of work, and the impact of technology. Maynard is really big on freelancing and I get his take on the future of this economy. Maynard also shares why people need to take professional and personal development into their own hands. We look at all sorts of fascinating topics. We also discuss where Maynard sees the future of work in the next five to ten years, and he shares his advice to management and employees. Maynard is definitely someone that you want to pay attention to. Enjoy this episode with Maynard Webb and let me know what you think!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 29 July 2015
This episode of the Future of Work podcast I have the pleasure of speaking with Adam Warby, CEO of Avanade. Avanade is a global technology solutions/cloud management service with over 20,000 employees worldwide. Our focus is exploring why the future of work is all about digital transformation. While there is a lot of discussion happening around digital transformation, there is still not that much clarity around what it actually is, how to do it, what it is going to look like, etc. Adam and I go in-depth around digital transformation, and he shares Avanade’s recent report that identifies four trends that they see as driving digital transformation going forward. We also look at how the workplace is evolving, trends that are shaping the future of work, Millennials, wearables and more. Adam also shares valuable insights for organizations and employees interested in embarking on this digital transformation journey. So, tune in to hear Adam Warby on digital transformation! |
Wed, 22 July 2015
This episode of the Future of Work podcast is with Dorie Clark is the author of a new book called Stand Out: How To Find Your Breakthrough Idea And Build a Following Around It. Dorie is also a marketing strategist, professional speaker and adjunct professor at Duke University. For anyone interested in personal branding, this is going to be a very, very interesting podcast. We look at everything ¾ why personal branding is for everyone, how to develop your own niche, how to deal with online trolls, how to grow your network, and more. Both Dorie and I share advice on consistency, frequency and visibility towards building your personal brand. For those of you interested, Dorie also has a great column on Forbes that you can also check out. This was a great conversation and lots of fun. Tune in and listen to Dorie Clark on personal branding!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 15 July 2015
This episode of the Future of Work podcast I speak with Nancy Duarte, Principal, and Patti Sanchez, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services, at Duarte. Duarte is known as “persuasive presentation experts,” and those of you who are interested in learning and improving your presentation and speaking skills may be familiar with them. In this podcast, we look at why storytelling is a big part of the future of work. Nancy and Patti have a new book being released early next year about leaders as strong, transformative communicators titled, “The Torchbearer Leader.” I had an opportunity to preview their book and found it very fascinating. We talk about some of the concepts in their book that they refer to as “the torchbearer’s toolkit” as well technology and globalization, technology in storytelling, and storytelling as personal branding. This is a very thought-provoking podcast that will resonate with everyone. So tune in and listen to Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez on why storytelling is crucial to the future of work!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 8 July 2015
On this week’s episode of the Future of Work podcast I’m speaking with Dana Bottenfield, VP of Human Resources at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude is among one of the most famous research facilities known for the amazing work they do with kids. But, did you know St. Jude was voted as the No. 1 company to work for by Millennials? On Glassdoor, St. Jude received 4.5 stars, 100 percent of their employees recommend their CEO, and 93 percent state they would recommend the company to a friend. These are among the highest numbers I have ever seen for any company. In addition, for the past several years they have also been on Fortune’s Top 100 Companies to Work For. Earlier this year I had the honor of speaking at St. Jude at an internal conference on leadership and management. While there I found out they are an amazing place to work, and I wanted to find out what Dana and her team at St. Jude are doing to create such a desirable work environment. In this podcast, Dana and I explore topics such as driving employee engagement, low-cost initiatives, work-life balance, scaling HR, open and closed offices, and scaling HR. Dana shares her perspective on how the role of HR is evolving, how the workplace is changing, freelancers, and what challenges she faces. I always like to interview interesting organizations and the people running them from a people perspective. And, I think you’ll find this episode with Dana Bottenfield to be both inspirational and educational. Enjoy and let me know what you think!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 1 July 2015
My guest this week on the Future of Work podcast is Xavier Unkovic, Global President at Mars Drinks. Mars Drinks is a segment of the global Mars brand, which focuses specifically on drinks such as coffees, teas and the like. You may wonder why a beverage company is so interested in the future of work, but Mars Drinks is 100% focused on the workplace. Their products and solutions are for the workplace. Internally, Mars Drinks has been doing some very interesting things lately including the design of a brand new office space in Westchester, Pennsylvania. The focus of this podcast with Xavier is how to create a culture of innovation, and we take a closer look at what Mars Drinks is doing including the creation of “coffee shop culture.” Xavier also shares his insights on a host of topics such as how the workplace is changing, and management and leadership. We even cover the impact that food and drink might have on how we collaborate and get one’s job done. Xavier gives us his perspective on how innovation has changed over the years and shares some of the cool things he is doing at Mars Drinks. Xavier is clearly passionate about his work. Don’t miss this really great and interesting conversation with Xavier Unkovic on fostering innovation.
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 24 June 2015
For anyone interested in getting a first-hand perspective on how an organization is actually transforming and thinking about the future of work, this is an especially exciting and fascinating episode of the Future of Work podcast. My guest is Ben Bratt, VP of HR, talent and Organizational Capabilities at T-Mobile. T-Mobile is undergoing a radical transformation. They are all over the news with their Uncarrier strategy, and their new CEO, John Legere, has a dynamic and unconventional personality in the media. The company is virtually unrecognizable from where it was five to ten years ago. Now, a lot of what consumers are seeing is the front-end transformation, but what most people don’t realize is there is actually quite a lot that T-Mobile is doing internally. In fact, T-Mobile has completely re-invented HR from the ground up. What it means to work at T-Mobile has been completely re-engineered and put together in a new way that is able to support this new Uncarrier strategy. I had the pleasure of talking with Ben and getting details of what that transformation looks like. We talk about how the role of HR is evolving and what T-Mobile is doing lately. We talk about some of the transformative principles that they have been applying, and how the workplace is changing. We talk about everything from diversity and inclusion to their performance and reward structure to what a T-Mobile office actually looks like. We also cover how they think of managers and organizational structure. It is rare to talk to such a large organization that has literally re-invented the HR function and what it means to work there. So take a moment to listen to this exciting podcast with Ben Bratt at T-Mobile.
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 17 June 2015
I’m really excited about this episode of the Future of Work podcast. My guest is Brian J. Robertson who actually created Holacracy, a new management and organizational structure; and is the author of Holacracy: The New Management System for a Rapidly Changing World. Holacracy has been in the news quite a bit as it pertains to Zappos’ radical shift to this new organizational structure. There has been quite a bit of confusion and discussion around Holacracy, so I thought this would be an ideal time to speak to its creator to find out what is Holacracy, how it works and why it should be considered. Brian dispels a lot of the myths and, overall, it is a very thought-provoking discussion. Brian is very passionate about the work he is doing and sheds light on exactly what Holacracy is. So tune in and enjoy this very fascinating discussion on Holacracy!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 10 June 2015
My guest for this episode of the Future of Work podcast is Jeroen Tas, CEO of Philips Informatics, Solutions and Services Business Group. Jeroen is also the former CIO of all of Philips. Healthcare is a very popular topic today affecting how we live and work. Jeroen gave me a crash course on what the future of healthcare will look like. We talk about a lot of fascinating concepts such as healthcare fragmentation and corporate culture. We look at wearables, big data, and the internet of things in healthcare. We also look at some of the cool things coming in the world of healthcare and what it will look like in five to ten years. Health and well-being play a major role in the future of work and our everyday lives. So, tune in for a fascinating look at the future of healthcare with Jeroen Tas!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees)
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 3 June 2015
This episode of the Future of Work podcast I had the pleasure to speak with Paul Green, Jr., co-founder of the Self-Management Institute at the Morning Star Company. Morning Star is an agri-business and processing company who is largest processor of tomatoes. Everyone in some way, shape or form has consumed products that have come from Morning Star. What is really fascinating about the Morning Star Company is that there are no managers, and is the reason why I was so interested in speaking with Paul. Paul and I address some of the principles of self-management and how Morning Star came to this process of self-management. Our discussion includes hiring, firing and problem resolution ─ all functions traditionally handled by managers. He also shares insights into something they created called CLOU - Colleague Letters of Understanding, which is essentially an agreement employees make with each other where they agree upon what type of work they will be doing, how they are going to do it, etc. We cover much more, and end with Paul’s advice to organizations and employees. This is an absolutely fascinating discussion ─ and one that is very timely given Zappos recent shift to holacracy and the recent discussions on new models and concepts for restructuring. I learned so much speaking with Paul and I think you will as well. Tune in for this fascinating conversation on self-management with Paul Green!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 27 May 2015
This episode of the Future of Work podcast I speak with Cheryl Kerrigan, Vice President of Employee Success at Achievers. Achievers is known for its employee recognition platform that you may have heard of and some of you may be using in your organization. Also, it should be noted that Achievers was recently ranked as one of the best places to work. Cheryl and I talk about how organizations can do a better job of recognizing and incentivizing their employees, how organizations can create a more engaged environment, and some of the tactics and strategies organizations can follow. We also cover what Achievers is doing internally with their own employees. Cheryl talks about the really cool programs Achievers has implemented designed to engage and get employees involved in what the organization is doing. She also covers how organizations can apply some of these concepts and ideas to help create a more engaged workforce and a solid corporate culture. One of the things that I always talk about is that organizations have to shift away from creating a place where they assume people need to work there to creating a place where people want to work there. And a big part of that is recognition, rewards, culture and engagement. Tune in for a great conversation with Cheryl Kerrigan on creating a more engaged environment through employee rewards and recognition!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 20 May 2015
In this episode of the Future of Work podcast my guest is Jeffrey Rodman, the co-founder of Polycom. Many of you are familiar with Polycom and, in fact, have used their products. They became famous for their speaker phones found in the conference rooms of most organizations. Jeff and I talk about the role of technology in collaboration. It’s no secret that technology is obviously one of the biggest driving factors that is enabling collaboration today. It’s a topic covered in my first book, The Collaborative Organization; and is also explored in my new book, The Future of Work. Collaboration is a huge theme ─ one that organizations are continuously spending more time and resources investing in. In this episode, Jeff and I explore many topics including differences in collaboration between smaller and larger organizations; and the concept of office space and do we still need offices. We cover Millennials, freelancers and the contingent workforce; and how collaboration plays a role in connecting these different types of employees. We also talk the about challenges associated with collaboration. And, Jeff takes us through some of the cool technologies that he’s working on at Polycom. We conclude with Jeff’s advice to organizations, managers and employees who are looking to improve collaboration within their organization. Tune in for a great discussion With Jeff Rodman on the role of technology in collaboration!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 13 May 2015
My guest for this episode of the Future of Work podcast is Ralph Loura, CIO at Hewlett-Packard’s Enterprise Group, and former CIO of the Clorox Company. We looked at technology as tools and not toys. Ralph also shared his perspective on how the role of IT is changing, how the role of the CIO is evolving, and what the future is going to look like. We covered technical issues like IT and business units working together, important skills IT professionals must possess in the new world of work, and technology and the business side. But we also explored some interesting topics such as women and technology, the culture of H-P, millennials, and much more. As with every podcast, Ralph ends with his advice for CIOs, organizations, and employees regarding technology. Tune in for a captivating discussion on technology as tools and not toys with Ralph Loura!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 6 May 2015
In this Future of Work podcast, I speak with Josh Bersin. Josh started a company called Bersin & Associates, which was acquired by Deloitte and is now known as Bersin by Deloitte. Since the acquisition, Josh has been working at Deloitte providing a lot of really interesting thought leadership around how the world of HR and talent is changing. Because Deloitte recently released a report called “Global Human Capital Trends 2015: Leading in the new world of work,” I reached out to Josh to talk about what some of these trends are and what that means for us. Josh gives a unique perspective from a “big picture” view as to how these trends are impacting the world of HR and talent. Our talk covers leadership, learning, culture, workforce in demand, performance management, and re-inventing HR. We also talk about analytics, the simplification of work, as well as machines as talent. While this podcast is especially relevant to you if you are a HR leader, it is just as relevant to you if you are just an employee that is trying to understand how your job is going to change or how your career might change in the future. Be sure to listen in to this fascinating discussion with Josh Bersin on the top human capital trends for 2015!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 29 April 2015
This week’s episode of the Future of Work podcast is with Harry Kraemer, the former CEO of Baxter and now professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management where he teaches management and leadership. Many of you are familiar with Baxter, the large pharmaceutical company that today has just over 60,000 employees around the world. Harry does quite a number of things, one of which is that he is a best-selling author. His second book just came out titled, “Becoming the Best: Build a World-Class Organization Through Values-Based Leadership.” You will recall that in a recent podcast, I spoke with Herminia Ibarra who also wrote a book on leadership. This episode explores leadership from Harry’s perspective. I must say that it was interesting to compare and contrast these two different models and styles of leadership. Of course, Harry and I examine what makes a leader. One of the common themes in Harry’s book is all about “being yourself.” We discuss the four principles of values-based leadership that include humbleness and humility, which Harry believes are very important for leadership. We also talk about how he scales leadership and the importance of corporate culture on leadership. There is a fascinating discourse on employee engagement as well as Harry’s concept called “leading up.” Harry shares some interesting stories and anecdotes from his life and experience as CEO of such a large organization as Baxter. As with every episode of the podcast, we end with his advice for managers, employees and organizations around the world. This is a great podcast episode. I found Harry’s thoughts, views and perspectives quite interesting, and I think you will too. So tune in and listen to this fascinating discussion on values-based leadership!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 15 April 2015
In this podcast I continue my exploration of leadership with my interview with Herminia Ibarra. She is a professor at the INSEAD School of Business, one of the top business and management schools in the world, where she teaches leadership. Most of the people I talk to are all pretty much in agreement that there is a leadership crisis within our organizations. We are putting the wrong people in positions of power and we really need to re-think what it means to be a manager and a leader within our organizations. In previous podcasts, I spoke with Barry-Wehmiller CEO Bob Chapman and Rita McGrath, a professor at the Columbia School of Business, about leadership. In this podcast I talk with Herminia about her new book that just came out called “Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader.” This is a very fascinating book, and we talk about a lot of the different concepts contained in it. As you can tell by the title, it’s a bit counter-intuitive. She challenges the common assumption that you should think like a leader and then start to act like a leader. Herminia says you have to act like one first before you start to think like one. In the podcast, we talk about how people can actually become leaders. I get Herminia’s feedback about the concept of management versus leadership, using Whirlpool’s rebranding of their internal job titles to give everyone a leadership title as an example. We also touch on the importance of getting out of your comfort zone, the importance of becoming and building bridges within your organization, and other cool concepts from her book such as authenticity and employee engagement. We cover the idea of outsight instead of insight — basically, redefining your job and thinking about it from an outsider’s perspective. Herminia also touches on the importance of your network and the people you are connected with, which I think this is a huge factor when thinking about leadership. In conjunction, Herminia discusses another theme called the “innovators network dilemma” where she talks about how your network can basically impact a lot of roles and perceptions that you get. This is a must-listen to podcast for anyone thinking of advancing into leadership or management roles; or those looking to become a better, more relevant leader. Listen in and don’t forget to share your thoughts with me!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Thu, 2 April 2015
In this week’s episode of The Future of Work podcast I talk with Pat Wadors, Senior Vice President of Global Talent Organization at LinkedIn. Pat runs all of talent and Human Resources (HR), and she is pretty much responsible for all of the cool things that you keep hearing about LinkedIn. It is no surprise that Pat was ranked as one of the 2015 top 50 women in technology by the National Diversity Council. And, I’m excited to say that Pat will be one of the speakers at our upcoming Future of Work Forum on April 29th in San Francisco. Pat and I talk about everything from Millenials and how HR is changing to what she is doing to leverage big data and analytics to drive HR decision-making. She also shares some great stories about vulnerability that I think will resonate with any senior leader. Considering that LinkedIn’s workforce has almost doubled during her tenure, you have to assume that Pat is doing some really interesting things to make sure that culture can scale, employee engagement stays high, and that LinkedIn as an organization can succeed. Pat walks us through how LinkedIn is transforming and the challenges she’s facing, and gives us a rare insight into some of the fascinating experiments she’s done and the results she’s seen. Pat shares her sagacious grasp of how to make corporate culture scale, how the role of HR is evolving, and how she sees her role, specifically. Tune in and listen to what has become one of my favorite episodes!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Tue, 24 March 2015
This episode continues my interview with Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc., a manufacturing company with over 8,000 employees. In the last episode we became familiar with Barry-Wehmiller; and how Bob feels personally responsible for every employee that works at his company, how this perspective came about, the justifications and metrics. In this episode we talk about leadership and management. In a very interesting discussion, Bob shares some of the creative and innovative things that he and his company are doing to really create a workplace where people feel fulfilled and engaged — and where they actually want to show up. It is all about his idea of “truly human leadership.” Tune in and listen to Part 2 of this lively discussion!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 18 March 2015
With the crisis in leadership and so many employees in the world disengaged, I’m always looking to find organizations that are doing things differently or thinking about leadership differently. This is Part 1 of the future of work podcast featuring Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc., a manufacturing company with over 8,000 employees that has shown a growth rate of 16 percent a year compounded over the past 25 years. Bob has a unique approach to leadership whereby he feels personally responsible for every employee that works at his company — a concept that he calls “truly human leadership.” When surveyed, employees described Barry-Wehmiller as “family.” We talk about this idea of truly human leadership, and what Bob and his company are doing differently as far as management and leadership are concerned. We have some very interesting debates and discussions around the concepts that he is implementing, the justifications and metrics he may be using, and more. Bob also shares many interesting and fascinating stories. Enjoy and make sure to tune in for Part 2!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 11 March 2015
The world as we know it is becoming more and more connected. But, what will a world look like when devices as small as your watch to as large as a jet engine are all connected to each other and to people? In this episode of the future of work podcast, I speak with Rich Carpenter who is the Chief of Strategy for GE in their Intelligent Platforms division. Rich shares fascinating insight around how connected machines (usually very large machines) and devices are going to impact our economy, our jobs, and our future. He shares several examples and provides some great advice for business leaders and employees alike. Rich also touches on the importance of creating more data scientist jobs at companies around the world. This is definitely an interesting look at what the "industrial internet" is going to look like, we even touch on the possibility of a Skynet-like scenario happening! Listen to learn more!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 4 March 2015
Toni Cusumano is a Principal and Technology Sector Human Capital Leader at PwC, and she and her team have been spending a lot of time exploring what the future of work is going to look like. They have created three scenarios or "worlds" that might play out: the orange world, the green world, and the blue world. In this episode of the future of work podcast, Toni shares what the difference between these worlds is and what organizations should be thinking about. We talk about everything from technology and Millennials to talent management and workplace trends. It's definitely an important episode to listen to if you want to know the direction that work is headed in. Tune in to learn more!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 25 February 2015
This week’s episode of the future of work podcast is one of my favorites. I talk with Salim Ismail, Founding Executive Director of Singularity University, and co-author of “Exponential Organizations: Why new organizations are ten times better, faster, and cheaper than yours (and what to do about it).” I had a fascinating conversation with Salim covering a lot of topics — jobs and technology to exponential organizations to employee tenure, and more. To sum it up, it’s all about disruption — how do you deal with disruption in this world that we are approaching? Salim describes it best as “you are either the disruptor or you are being disrupted.” Salim provides a very fascinating perspective on what the future of work is going to look like that I’m sure you’re going to enjoy. Listen in and tell me what you think!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 18 February 2015
Spiceworks is the world's largest community of global IT professionals that come together online and offline. Spiceworks was recently named by Glassdoor as one of the world's best companies to work for and they have received numerous other similar awards. In this episode of the future of work podcast I talk with Scott Abel, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer for Spiceworks. We explore some of the things that he does to create such a great place to work. From having "slices with Scott" where employees can ask Scott absolutely any question to having open-door meetings with venture capitalists, Scott may just be running one of the world's most open and transparent companies. According to Scott, being open and transparent is one of the best ways to build trust and engagement. Tune in to learn more!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 4 February 2015
The "skills gap" is inarguably one of the biggest threats for modern day workplaces. Many employers say they can't fill open jobs and employees say that they aren't getting the proper education and training at their companies. So what's the solution? In this podcast, Udemy CEO Dennis Yang shares his perspective on mitigating the skills gap, and how his company is helping people learn and acquire new skills while preparing workers for a future that holds untold possibilities.
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Mon, 2 February 2015
MuleSoft is another organization that was recently ranked by Glassdoor as one of the best places to work in America and they have also won plenty of other awards for being a great place to work. According to Greg Schott, the CEO of MuleSoft, the key is creating a great corporate culture. I had the pleasure of visiting MuleSoft's offices in San Francisco to speak with Greg in person. In this episode of the future of work podcast Greg shares some of the things he does at his company to help make sure his employees are engaged, happy, and always doing their best. Greg is one of the few CEO's I know who personally interviews every new candidate that applies for a job. This means many hundreds of interviews a year. Listen in to learn what else Greg does to create a great corporate culture.
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 28 January 2015
How does a nuclear submarine captain take one of the lowest performing vessels and make them one of the top performing ones? David Marquet did just that and he explains how he did it in his new book, "Turn the Ship Around." In this episode of the podcast David shares some of the ideas and insights from his book where he provides a contrarian model for leadership in the coportate environment called "leader-leader." Learn how David empowers his team and creates leaders out of everyone!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 21 January 2015
Many people are already using technology to track things in their personal lives such as food they eat, steps they take, sleeping patterns, and much more. However, what if we took this same approach of the "quantified self" and applied it to creating the "quantified workplace?" That is, using data and technology to measure and track how we work. In this podcast I talk with Kris Duggan the CEO of BetterWorks that allows organizations to do just that but setting and measuring their goals and objectives. Is the quantified workplace the future of work or is it a bit too much? Listen to find out!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Wed, 14 January 2015
F5 Networks recently made it to "Glassdoor's prestigious list of the Top 50 Places to Work in America" and was ranked #4 out of the "large companies" category. This podcast has Staffing Director, Richard James offering an insider view of F5 Networks–the company, core values, the work culture, people, and much more. Tune in to learn why F5 Networks is one of the best places to work in America!
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |
Mon, 5 January 2015
In an effort to provide company and job transparency, Glassdoor stands out to be a popular name for employees and employers alike. Vested with tons of valuable information, including company salaries, work culture, open positions, employee reviews, Glassdoor is certainly making a foray into redefining the future of work. With their newly released list of "Top 50 Places to Work" (featuring the top 50 SMBs and top 50 large companies to work for in America), David Staney and Lisa Holden offer a glimpse inside the company and what goes on behind putting together the list for "Best places to work." They also talk about their recent findings, lessons learned, and tips for companies who wish to make it to the prestigious list.
(Music by Ronald Jenkees) |