In this episode of True Stories at Work, host Michelle Aronson sits down with Kristen, an attorney with a fascinating career path that began at a west coast startup. Kristen shares her journey through different work cultures—from startups to law firms—highlighting the challenges of creating a culture that aligns with personal values and the importance of self-awareness in leadership.

She discusses her eye-opening experiences, including an outrageous comment from a managing partner comparing employees to toilet paper. Kristen also shares insights on the impact of poor workplace behavior, the importance of mental health, and the need for genuine leadership.

Want to learn a bit more? Kristen shared some favorite books, which include: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, Between the Hour of Dog and Wolf, and Thinking Fast & Slow. She shared them because they are all about people at work – everyone always says that businesses should be making smart decisions, but humans are the ones running the businesses. These books remind us to bring humanity into the workplace… everyday.

No workplace confessions to share, so consider sharing yours 🙂

00:00 It’s Not Enough to Know, You Have to Grow: Kristen

00:05 Introduction

01:55 True Stories at Work

25:30 Culture + Strategy Lab

26:01 Workplace Confession?

26:38 Haiku for Kristen

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me.

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

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Mentioned or Relevant to Today's Episode

And lastly...