Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization Show

Nothing scares people more than the unknown. And the concentration of the uncertainty the world is currently experiencing is unprecedented. In this episode of Geeks, Geezers, Googlization, author, speaker, and leadership trainer, Dr. Joe Serio, talks about how he went from being afraid of everything to hanging around the Russian mafia and the KGB. As you listen, you’ll learn how to take control of what scares you by putting your fears into perspective and acknowledging what you can and cannot control. Resources:  Vodka, Hookers, And The Russian Mafia by Joe Serio

Inclusion has officially become a buzzword. Companies tout it all the time, but it's mostly all talk, little action. It's time for them to stand up and read the writing on the wall. While 80% of employees want to work for an inclusive company, a recent report byJoshBersin.com revealed that 80% of companies are merely going through the motions. Inclusion is not only the right thing to do, it's also the smart thing to do. Inclusion can help businesses attract and retain top talent, increase customer loyalty and build stronger relationships with key partners.  How can your company turn lip service into reality? Let us give you a sneak peek: Inclusion is a feeling and the reality of inclusion varies with the individual.  Ever wonder how you can prevent DEI strategies from turning into reverse discrimination? Yep, we even dared to talk about that too. Inclusion expert Amy C Waninger has a plan for you and she shares it on this episode of Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization. Amy will help demystify inclusion, discuss inclusive leadership, and reveal what inclusive cultures look like, including her essential 3 steps to move organizations in this direction. Amy is the founder and CEO at Lead at Any Level, a firm that works with organizations on building inclusive cultures and diverse leadership pipelines for a sustainable competitive advantage. Her clients include the likes of Microsoft, PayPal, and Delta Faucet.

Relationship intelligence is a missed opportunity for managers and businesses. It helps leaders excel and communicate better. But many leadership development and workplace training programs follow a “one-size-fits-most” approach. That’s just not enough to help leaders be their best, according to our guest leadership communication expert Michael Piperno, Founder of The Comvia Group. Effective communication requires a whole lot more than just using the right words. It takes “relationship intelligence” or RQ: improving communication effectiveness by applying the science of relationships. Join Ira, Jason, and Michael in this conversation about what it takes to turn good leaders into great ones and mediocre workers into top talent.

A paycheck alone isn’t enough anymore. Meaningful compensation and recognition have become just as important. So how can you show your people appreciation to both attract and retain talent? In this episode of Geeks, Geezers, Googlization, Sarah McVanel, a leading recognition expert and author, sheds light on some myths that get in the way of acknowledging others. Sarah also breaks down how practicing recognition can help you create an army of recruiters. As you listen, you’ll hear simple ways to recognize others and understand what meaningful compensation looks like. Resources: Greatness Magnified The Flip Side of Failing by Sarah McVanel

We’ve gone from phone, to email, to text, to video. Communication is constantly evolving. Are you adapting with them to make sure you’re both heard and, more importantly, understood? In this episode of Geeks, Geezers, Googlization, leadership communication and influence expert Dr. Laura Sicola discusses the subtle changes that make communication more effective. As you listen, you’ll hear tips on how to bring your in-person best to video so people take notice and retain the information you’re presenting. Resources:  Laura’s Ted Talk

Remember the good old pre-pandemic days when people woke up, showered, got dressed, crawled through long commutes, and searched for a coveted parking spot, just so that they could sit at a desk in a building to do work? Today, workers demand flexibility - to work from everywhere, anywhere, at any time. Building an Everywhere Workplace is not just an essential talent strategy. To navigate the labor market in this Never-Normal era, it's essential you can differentiate the opportunities from the landmines. You are in for a real treat today. As the worst of the pandemic seemed to be falling behind us, it's doubtful anyone listening today will be surprised to learn the long-anticipated return to normal has been anything but predictable, adequate, or normal. That is certainly true when one observes the back-to-work initiatives. What do workers say about hybrid work, remote work, and in-person work? How do women, men, and different generations feel? No matter the approach, what steps must companies take to ensure their system networks are secure and employees enjoy an optimal digital experience? Listen in to this special edition of The Geeks Geezers Googlization Show when we were joined by Ivanti’s CEO Jeff Abbott and Global VP David Shepherd to discuss the results of the just-released Ivanti Everywhere Workplace Report.

Workers are stressed. Many employees are burned out, running on fumes. Symptoms of stress and burnout are proliferating. A recent McKinsey report revealed that nearly 1 out of every 4 employees has moderate needs for counseling and psychotherapy. The World Health Organization estimates the impact of mental health symptoms on absenteeism, presenteeism, and loss of productivity is costing the global economy over $1 Trillion per year. Unfortunately, stress and burnout still carry a stigma and employers struggle to deal with them effectively.  In this Geeks Geezers Googlization episode, we tackle the topics of workplace burnout and meaningful work. We’ll hear from Burnout and Meaningful Work Expert David Shar who will share what burnout is, what causes it, and how leaders can fix it by helping workers find purpose in work and passion for their job.   What’s different about work stress and burnout this time? David Shar believes the pandemic created the perfect storm for a crisis of workplace stress and burnout, where you have this loss of control coupled with the loss of support. Millions of workers escaped into their own cocoons and jerry-rigged home offices. They didn’t have the level of deep interaction and routine that typically helps us move through a disruptive crisis like this. Contrary to popular belief, work stress and burnout were increasing long before the pandemic. Ironically, burnout was recognized by the World Health Organization for the first time in 2019 just a few months before the start of the COVID19 pandemic.  Then the world hit pause. Our lives and routines got completely flipped on their head. We all had something that you don't normally get in a capitalistic, rat-race society. We had time to reevaluate. David is the founder of Illuminate PMC, David Shar, SHRM-SCP is a Keynote speaker, consultant, and corporate trainer. David is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Maryland’s Industrial/Organizational Psychology Master’s Program.

To everyone else, it looked like Dr. Loubna Erraji had a perfect life. She is a high achiever, a neuroscientist with 20 years of experience encompassing scientific research, teaching, consulting, and coaching. She’s held important academic positions and executive corporate roles. But despite her distinguished career and a long list of accomplishments, she wasn’t happy. Nothing was working in her life and job until she found a coach. One might wonder why high achievers like Loubna Erraji would need a coach. With nearly 4 out of 10 workers looking to change jobs and careers this year, a lot more people are throwing their hat in the I-want-more-out-of-life ring.  A February article from the New York Times revealed that it’s not just employees who are quitting their jobs but senior executives too. Their reasons vary - from just scratching that itch to take a break to reassess the role of work in their lives to want to pursue a new venture. In short, you could say they were searching for “it.”  Unfortunately finding “it” isn’t a skill a lot of people have. This is precisely why you should just click now on this episode of Geeks Geezers Googlization. Dr. Erraji shares what “it” is and how everyone from front-line workers to executives can either find it or make it.  What is it that drives some people to make bold moves while others accept their fate? Dr. Erraji will share her experience, her struggles, and how she found her purpose. She will then reveal the right ways to think about advancing your personal ambitions and professional career. Here's a bit more about her background and her journey. She is an ICF Certified Executive Coach, Neuroscientist,  adjunct professor, and management consultant with more than 20 years of global experience encompassing scientific research, teaching, consulting, and coaching. Based out of the New York City and New Jersey area, she frequently travels abroad, and her work spans the globe across the US, Europe, and North Africa. Some of her clients are leaders at Fortune 500 companies in healthcare, banking, financial services, technology, higher education, and more, working with the likes of UBS, IBM, Prudential, Deloitte, Merck, AbbVie, BMS,  to name a few. She's also the founder and CEO of her own consulting company called Advancis Consulting LLC, where she provides services to organizations and individuals committed to creating impactful leadership and high-performance environments. 

The Great Resignation, The Great Attrition, The Big Quit - whatever you want to call it, Steve Browne isn’t buying it.  Steve, Chief People Officer at LaRosa’s Pizzeria, says people aren’t leaving the workforce, they are simply leaving places that don’t value them as both a person and an employee. That’s why Steve is making Larosa’s an organization people want to be a part of by putting people first. And not just in theory, but in practice. In this episode of Geeks, Geezers, Googlization, Steve shares how the changes he’s made to LaRosa’s hiring process have brought in unexpected candidates who add to the organization's culture. As you listen, you’ll learn why you should do away with job descriptions and overarching policies and take a more individual-focused approach to your team members. Resources:  Steve’s HR Blog

For Kiersten Rippeteau, purpose, meaning, and company culture aren’t just lofty words but high-impact actions. Unfortunately for many business leaders, they are just word-du-jour. They toss them around in the hopes something sticks. She, however, believes that every business can have a powerful positive impact on its employees, customers, and community. And for nearly 15 years, she has been helping leaders do exactly that - connect the dots between the business strategy, mission, and people. You are not going to want to miss this episode. Determined that every business can be a powerful source of positive impact, Kiersten Rippeteau started her consulting firm New Commodity with a mission to make authentic purpose a practical tool for every business to generate that impact and drive performance and organizational health. Her background is in business operations, leadership, and organizational strategy in healthcare, non-profits, food & beverage, and construction. Before heading down this professional path, Kiersten led groups of teens and adults on wilderness trips across the U.S. and Canada. Kiersten holds a master’s of science in Management & Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University.