Unserious

At work, we all want to be respected, heard, and taken seriously. But for people from non-dominant groups, especially women, gaining respect is anything but straightforward. How can one be seen as competent and assertive, without being labeled as aggressive—or maybe worse, unlikeable? In this first episode of Season 3, J.B. and Molly are joined by Dr. Alison Fragale, distinguished professor of organizational psychology and author of Likeable Badass, to discuss practical ways women, and their allies and managers, can shift perceptions of status, power, and likeability in the workplace."Status exists only in other people's brains... it comes from people believing that you care and that you have a capacity to deliver." - Dr. Alison FragaleFollow Alison on LinkedIn, Instagram or on Peloton @afbombLikeable Badass is available everywhere books are sold!Sign up for Alison's newsletter, The Upper Hand (Behavioral Science to help Women Excel) at alisonfragale.comFollow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

If it doesn't already come naturally, communicating about your work can feel uncomfortable and downright cringey. But like it or not, it's part of the job. What you need is a method and a motivator, and fortunately Courtney Kaplan returns to Upshots to be just that! In this episode, Courtney offers a structured approach to not just build cold case studies but real stories that connect with hearts and minds. You'll also gain practical tips for gathering testimonials and overcoming the discomfort of self-promotion. This episode is brimming with actionable advice to help you effectively represent yourself in any professional setting!"Own your part of it, own the strengths of the conversations you brought to the solution, and be bold and braggy. If you have a hard time being bold and braggy, you can turn up the volume to 11 and you're still probably only hitting a five or six." - Courtney Kaplan Free PDF guide @ https://bit.ly/upshotskaplan2Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn or check out her courses, worksheets, and coaching offerings at iconicleadershipcoaching.com. Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

As working professionals, meetings are so ubiquitous that we just think of them as something that happen to us. We check the weather to see if it's going to rain, the stocks to see what we gained or lost, and the calendar to see how many meetings we have. But we have much more control over meetings than we might think, as hosts and even as attendees. In this episode, we put Upshots host Micah Vono into the hot seat as J.B. Skelton takes over to learn practical steps to redefining meeting culture and getting more out of a company's most expensive investment: time."If you're just white-knuckling your meetings, that comes at a big personal cost of your own energy, identity, and perception." - Micah VonoPDF cheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/upshotsmvonoConnect with Micah on LinkedIn and see his work at micahvono.com and unserious.com.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

With a record 5.5 million businesses starting up last year alone, it's not easy for early stage companies to stand out. Fortunately, John Cantwell, a creative director who specializes in brand and copy startups, is here to share his secrets behind building a memorable and authentic brand. In this Upshots episode, John shares his approach to harnessing the core ideas of founders and key team member to create a brand that resonates deeply with both its creators and its audience."A brand is the sum total of everything you do, everything you make, everything you say, everything you put out into the world. And it takes a while to shape that." - John CantwellPDF cheat sheet @ bit.ly/upshotscantwellConnect with John on LinkedIn, check out his work at g-w.studio, and his most recent project itsdandi.com.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Ever had a spark of inspiration that fizzled out when you shared it? Or a great idea that was misrepresented when you weren't there? Let's face it, sometimes getting your ideas across is harder than coming up with them in the first place. In this Upshots episode, Micah is joined by fellow Unserious co-founder and host J.B. Skelton to learn how the briefing process can not only organize your thoughts but captivate leadership and drive decision-making. This simple tool can be your secret weapon for bringing big ideas to life and making sure they stick the landing."Most of the time that a decision gets made, you're not able to be in the room. So a solid brief really helps us focus our story and tell it story for us. It brings stakeholders along and wins sponsorship for promising ideas." - J.B. Skelton Free PDF guide @ bit.ly/upshotsskelton1Follow J.B. on LinkedIn and @jbskelton on Instagram.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Most of us have been taught from early childhood that dreams aren't meant to be taken seriously. "Don't worry, it's just a dream," your parent might have said. But as community builder, author, and product leader Sarah Epps shares with Micah in this Upshots episode, dreams can be a potent source of data to be explored for personal and professional growth. Don't miss this easy approach to receive life direction from your subconscious and literally follow your dreams."Listening to your dreams can be an act of deep compassion and self-trust... when you acknowledge yourself as having something worthy to tell yourself, that can change your life." - Sarah EppsPDF cheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/eppshotsHear more from Sarah and sign up for her Substack at recipeasfeeling.com.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Building a customer community has been on the goal sheet for most B2B and consumer product companies at some point or another. But do your customers really need one? And are you ready to go all in to make it work? In this episode, Micah is joined by customer community consultant Heather Foeh to break down the elements of successful online communities and some common misconceptions. With actionable strategies for starting small and scaling effectively, this episode is packed with valuable tips to help you build a thriving and engaged customer base - or avoid a potential misstep altogether."Customer vibe is very hard to put into an ROI. Once they feel like it's their community, that's a great tipping point. It's a good six months before that first glimmer." - Heather FoehFree PDF guide @ https://bit.ly/upshotsfoehConnect with Heather on LinkedIn. Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

There are a number of reasons why we might not gel with a co-worker - some personal, some not. But luckily, being chummy isn't a requirement for great work, and there are tactical approaches to working in spite of interpersonal challenges. In this Upshots episode, product and marketing leader Natalie Kubitz shares her insights on identifying signs of difficult interactions to a framework that helps you identify common goals and foster effective collaboration without the need for personal rapport."It's inevitable that you're going to cross paths with a coworker where you just don't gel but results are still expected. Getting these skills is sort of a gift to yourself." - Natalie KubitzFree PDF guide @ https://bit.ly/upshotskubitzYou can connect with Natalie on LinkedIn. Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

If you're human like us, chances are you've had times where you've felt like you're drowning in commitments. But there's a way to keep your head above water, as Micah learns from Courtney Kaplan, the force behind Iconic Leadership Coaching, who shares a powerful approach for conquering overwhelm. Discover the transformative "whiteboard" technique that helps you visually organize and cut through what's dragging you down. This episode isn't just about managing tasks; it's about aligning your time with what truly matters."We know we've committed to more than what we can handle, but it's fixable. So how can we get back on track?” - Courtney KaplanFollow Courtney's work at iconicleadershipcoaching.comFollow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

When people talk about managing up, they don't usually dig into what that actually means. But becoming your boss's biggest ally can have a profound affect on your career and professional well-being. In this episode, product management leader Katie Bolz, shares her profound and practical insights on aligning with your boss's goals, tackling tasks they might dread, and communicating with precision. By mastering these strategies, you’ll not only achieve greater autonomy but also pave your way to leadership roles and smoother team dynamics."A lot of us get hyper-focused on things like ‘I'm going to climb the ladder and here's all the steps’... But they forget to invest in the relationships or even how helpful they actually are to their immediate boss.” - Katie BolzPDF cheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/upshotsbolzFollow or connect with Katie on LinkedIn.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.