Have you ever found yourself in a meeting, eyes wide, stomach dropping as a colleague says something that cuts right through you? Maybe it was an offhand comment laced with bias. Or a flat-out prejudiced belief masquerading as opinion. Perhaps it was the sting of outright bullying that left you feeling small and disrespected.If you've been there, you know that awkward, powerless feeling all too well. But what if you had the tools to deftly disarm those moments - to respond in a way that honors your humanity while creating an opportunity for change?My guest today is Kim Scott, author of the groundbreaking books "Radical Candor" and her latest "Radical Respect." Kim's work is paving a courageous new path towards the kind of workplaces we all deserve - cultures steeped in collaboration, where individuality is fiercely celebrated.We’re in conversation with:SPARKED GUEST: Kim Scott | Website | BookKim Scott is the author of Radical Respect and Radical Candor and co-host of the Radical Candor podcast. Kim was a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies. She was a faculty member at Apple University and before that led AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google.ABOUT YOUR HOST: Jonathan FieldsJonathan is a dad, husband, award-winning author, multi-time founder, executive producer and host of the Good Life Project podcast, and co-host of SPARKED, too! He’s also the creator of an unusual tool that’s helped more than 850,000 people discover what kind of work makes them come alive - the Sparketype® Assessment, and author of the bestselling book, SPARKED.More on Sparketypes at: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsitePS. If you're ready to ignite change and share your story with our community, we encourage you to apply to be a guest on SPARKED. We believe that everyone deserves to find fulfillment and purpose in their careers, and we're on a mission to help you get there.To apply, please check out this form. We can't wait to hear from you!Presented by LinkedIn.

Discover the magic of flow state for peak productivity and joy at work. Learn how to trigger and cultivate flow intentionally. Explore the benefits of flow in work and life, and how to align tasks with your 'Sparketype' for optimal engagement. Dive into the power of flow states for increased productivity, creativity, and overall enjoyment in various professions and creative activities.

Jadah Sellner, a multi-time founder and CEO, discusses Sparketypes and their evolution over time with Jonathan Fields. They delve into adaptability in different roles, self-awareness through meditation, and the importance of embracing authenticity for personal growth.

Guest Jessica Chen, Emmy Award-winning journalist, explores navigating quiet culture in loud workplaces. She shares strategies for self-advocacy, effective communication, setting boundaries, and leveraging nonverbal cues. Learn how introverts can succeed in a noisy work environment.

Former executive editor of Teen Vogue, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, challenges the myth of 'having it all' for women. She discusses the toll of unrealistic work-life expectations, advocating for more meaningful lives and careers. Topics include crafting sustainable work environments, job crafting for fulfillment, and exploring the notion of 'enoughness' in personal choices.

Have you ever felt that the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs mentality celebrated in business today leaves you feeling empty instead of fulfilled?In chasing status and wealth above all else, are we sacrificing our humanity along the way? How can we redefine success to prioritize significance over promotion and real human connection over control?  My guest today, James Rhee, proposes a radically more holistic vision of business and life in his new book Red Helicopter: Lead Change with Kindness. James argues that when leaders stay grounded in kindness and intrinsic motivation, they unlock the potential for companies to become true forces for good. His story reveals how embracing empathy over ego and leading with compassion enabled him to turn around the fashion retailer Ashley Stewart. Now he's on a mission to inspire more leaders to follow his lead. Together, James and I explore questions like: What will it take to integrate work and life instead of balancing them? How can we regain a sense of agency and demand accountability from those in power? And what will it take to prepare young people to bring their whole selves as they navigate the future of work?We’re in conversation with:SPARKED GUEST: James Rhee | Website | BookJames Rhee is a high school teacher turned private equity investor and CEO. James’ leadership story first grabbed global attention during his unlikely seven-year tenure as Chairman and first-time CEO at fashion retailer Ashley Stewart. After his radical approach fueled a transcendent comeback story for the company, James concretized his leadership philosophy—kindness plus a little math—in the form of red helicopter, his media-education platform. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he is now a Senior Lecturer at Duke Law School and MIT Sloan School of Management and the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University—the first joint appointment of its kind in history. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have captured the imagination of millions. He is the author of Red Helicopter (HarperOne; April 9, 2024). YOUR HOST: Jonathan FieldsJonathan is a dad, husband, award-winning author, multi-time founder, executive producer and host of the Good Life Project podcast, and co-host of SPARKED, too! He’s also the creator of an unusual tool that’s helped more than 850,000 people discover what kind of work makes them come alive - the Sparketype® Assessment, and author of the bestselling book, SPARKED.How to submit your question for the SPARKED Braintrust: Wisdom-seeker submissionsMore on Sparketypes at: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteFind a Certified Sparketype Advisor: CSA DirectoryPresented by LinkedIn.

This week on the SPARKED podcast, we invite a listener to share what’s going on in their work & life, then pose a specific question to Jonathan Fields and a rotating lineup of wise and kind mentors - the SPARKED Braintrust. In today’s episode we’re in conversation with:SPARKED BRAINTRUST ADVISOR: Jenny Blake | WebsiteJenny is the bestselling author of Life After College, her groundbreaking books PIVOT, and Free Time, and also an incredible career and business strategist.LISTENER: Megan - Sparketype: Maven/MakerQUESTION: How do you know when the best time to make a jump is, especially when you’re clear on exactly what you’re jumping into and, in fact, have already started building it on the side? YOUR HOST: Jonathan FieldsJonathan is a dad, husband, award-winning author, multi-time founder, executive producer and host of the Good Life Project podcast, and co-host of SPARKED, too! He’s also the creator of an unusual tool that’s helped more than 850,000 people discover what kind of work makes them come alive - the Sparketype® Assessment, and author of the bestselling book, SPARKED.How to submit your question for the SPARKED Braintrust: Wisdom-seeker submissionsMore on Sparketypes at: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteFind a Certified Sparketype Advisor: CSA DirectoryRead more on the Sparked Newsletter on LinkedIn.Presented by LinkedIn.

Explore how to find fulfillment beyond your day job by uncovering joy and meaning in different domains of work, aligning work with passions, understanding personal spark types, and investing in personal learning. Discover a world of possibility where you can come alive outside of conventional career paths.

You may not think of your work as your religion, but for many, it’s trying to become exactly that! Without us even realizing it. Question is – is that a good thing? A bad thing? Or just a thing?Today’s guest, sociologist, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, and Co-Director of the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion, Carolyn Chen, has a lot to say about this silent, yet deeply impactful, phenomenon. She spent years studying workplace culture, with a focus on the near-religious cultures of Silicon Valley. As home to startups, major tech companies, and some of the world’s most innovative and, arguably, faithful entrepreneurs and professionals, she noticed the lines between doing meaningful work and religion have not only been blurred, but work has, in many ways, squeezed out and even become employees’ religion. Problem is – the goal is not personal and societal betterment, but rather in service of one central purpose: working harder and smarter, and generating innovation and profit.In our conversation, we explore big questions like why are so many people leaving traditional religion? How do religion and spirituality meet our needs in the first place, and what are the ways big tech or corporations are filling those gaps? What does it look like for us to choose what we want to worship and find meaning and belonging in healthy, nontraditional spaces? And, is this conversion of work into faith, actually a societally destructive phenomenon, even while organizations benefit from it? We’re in conversation with:SPARKED GUEST: Carolyn Chen | Website | InstagramCarolyn is the author of Getting Saved in America: Taiwanese Immigration and Religious Experience and co-editor of Sustaining Faith Traditions: Religion, Race and Ethnicity among the Latino and Asian American Second Generation. Her latest book, Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley, is an account and exploration of her time spent interviewing the best and the brightest in the tech world to unfold how tech giants are reshaping spirituality to serve their religion of peak productivity.  YOUR HOST: Jonathan FieldsJonathan is a dad, husband, award-winning author, multi-time founder, executive producer and host of the Good Life Project podcast, and co-host of SPARKED, too! He’s also the creator of an unusual tool that’s helped more than 850,000 people discover what kind of work makes them come alive - the Sparketype® Assessment, and author of the bestselling book, SPARKED.How to submit your question for the SPARKED Braintrust: Wisdom-seeker submissionsMore on Sparketypes at: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteFind a Certified Sparketype Advisor: CSA DirectoryPresented by LinkedIn.

Bonnie Hammer, Vice Chair of NBCUniversal, challenges conventional career advice in the business world. She emphasizes the importance of truth tellers over cheerleaders and reflects on the value of tough love mentors. Hammer shares insights on resilience, honesty, and navigating imposter syndrome in career progression.