What if the biggest threat to your team’s creativity and performance isn’t the workload but outdated ideas of what “professionalism” should look like?

It’s easy to fall into the trap of performative professionalism: obsessing over sounding smart, dressing the part, and following invisible rules about how “real professionals” should behave. But all that effort often masks the very things that fuel creativity, innovation, and productivity.

Today’s guest is here to flip the script on professionalism and show you how to bring more fun into work without being labeled unprofessional.

Meet Bree Groff. Bree is the author of TODAY WAS FUN: A Book About Work (Seriously) and a transformation expert who’s advised leaders at Microsoft, Google, Pfizer, and more.

In this episode, Bree reveals the difference between functional and performative professionalism, shares simple rituals that create psychological safety, and explains why micro acts of fun at work (whether you’re on site or fully remote) are actually strategic for building team trust.

Plus, in the extended episode available exclusively to Podcast+ members, Bree shares practical tips on how to respond when someone calls you “unprofessional” and other small ways to infuse fun into the workday.

Join the conversation now!

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Conversation Topics

(00:00) Introduction
(01:23) Understanding functional vs. performative professionalism
(06:20) The problem with wearing “business masks”
(10:17) How to balance client expectations
(15:22) What real professionalism looks like in practice
(21:07) How to talk about professionalism with your team
(25:04) The impact of human-first leadership
(27:35) A great manager Bree has worked for
(29:30) Keep up with Bree
(30:19) [Extended Episode Only] How to respond when someone says you’re unprofessional
(35:32) [Extended Episode Only] Other ways to bring more joy and fun into the workplace

Additional Resources:

- Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month

- Read the full transcript here

- Follow me on Instagram here

- Visit my website for more here

- Upskill your team here

- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here

Keep up with Bree Groff

- Follow Bree on LinkedIn and Instagram

- Grab a copy of her book, Today Was Fun, here

- Subscribe to Bree’s Substack here

FREE 1-A-Day Calendar

Bree is giving Podcast+ members a 1-A-Day Calendar for free. This playful calendar provides 30 days of prompts—a quote, a provocation, or a little something to try—to help you love your days.

To get this bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.

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Episode 54: Education