What Works

In this podcast, Erin Perkins discusses the importance of empathy in online accessibility, sharing her journey as a deafblind individual. The episode highlights the value of inclusivity, understanding, and implementing simple accessibility measures. It also delves into the significance of embracing diversity, self-acceptance, and radical accessibility in creating inclusive spaces.

Discover how to get noticed in a world that overlooks you as behavioral scientist N. Chloé Nwangwu discusses helping underrecognized individuals emerge. Explore the impact of societal norms on visibility, navigating exclusion in conflict resolution, the power of branding for inclusivity, and fostering empathy in the workplace.

Today, we peel back the layers of a term that's become ubiquitous in the business world and beyond: empathy. In this episode, empathy's origin story. Er, stories. We'll explore its philosophical roots deep in the 19th century, through my personal trials and errors with empathy, to some of the challenges we face in empathizing with people we have less in common with. Ultimately, I want to explore the ways empathy invites curiosity, leverages imagination, and recognizes our differences.This is the first in a 5-part series in which I'm decoding empathy. We'll talk brand strategy, non-violent communication, disability, and copywriting. And all throughout the series, we'll look for ways to recognize difference instead of assuming sameness.Footnotes:"Build Your Creative Confidence: Empathy Maps" via IDEOBewilderment by Richard Powers"Double empathy, explained" by Rachel Zamzow "On the Ontological Status of Autism: the 'double empathy' problem" by Damian Milton"Don't Mourn for Us" by Jim SinclairEmpathy: Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives by Amy Coplan and Peter GoldieWaiting for God by Simone WeilNot Mentioned:Anderson, Ellie , and David Peña-Guzmán. 2020. “Episode 07: What’s the Deal with Empathy?” Overthink Podcast. December 1, 2020. Ganczarek, J., Hünefeldt, T., & Olivetti Belardinelli, M. (2018). From "Einfühlung" to empathy: exploring the relationship between aesthetic and interpersonal experience. Cognitive processing, 19(2), 141–145. Every episode of What Works is also published in essay form at whatworks.fyiIf you love deep dives like this series, please consider becoming a premium subscriber. You get access to my premium columns, quarterly live workshops, and discussion thread. Visit: whatworks.fyi/subscribe (00:00) - The Language of Empathy (00:07) - Corporate Empathy (01:20) - Empathy's Origin Story (04:54) - My Empathy Engine (10:48) - Empathy in Richard Powers's Novel, Bewilderment (14:54) - The Double Empathy Problem (19:33) - No, Really: What Is Empathy?! (21:18) - 1. Empathy can be cognitive and/or affective. (22:19) - 2. Empathy is a product of imagination. (22:49) - 3. Empathy is situational. (23:44) - Recognizing Difference Is Part of Empathy (28:13) - Simone Weil's Attention (31:22) - Attention (and Empathy) Isn't Attached To Outcomes ★ Support this podcast ★

The podcast discusses the challenges of adapting to changes in operational processes and strategies in entrepreneurship. It explores running a podcast production agency, facing client attrition, and regaining stability. The importance of creating effective procedures and maintenance for evolving processes is highlighted.

In this episode, the host reflects on beliefs about quality of life influenced by Star Trek's Data, discussing technoableism, self-judgment, and narratives of overcoming. They explore societal expectations, identity, and disabilities, raising thought-provoking questions. The episode ends with an introduction to a transformative course on reshaping perspectives on work-life balance and success.

The proliferation of derivative nonsense on various social media platforms begs the question: Is it possible to make a TikTok video, Instagram post, or LinkedIn update that's remarkable? Is it possible for repetition to be an asset? For repetition to even be remarkable?In this episode, I take a deep dive into gimmicks—the formulaic and repetitive media that can help us think in new ways. Specifically, I'm looking at Frankie's Cultural Observations. If you don't know the series, I'm delighted to share it with you today!This is the 3rd in my series, What Makes This Remarkable, where I break down remarkable content I come across to give you new perspectives on your own work (creative or otherwise). Premium subscribers also get "Remarkable Homework"—prompts for thinking differently about your projects—and the chance to ask questions or discuss that week's lessons. Upgrade your subscription to join in!Footnotes:What Makes This Remarkable (60 Songs That Explain the '90s, Savior Complex)Frankie's Cultural Observations on YouTube"Observing Frankie McNamara's Observations" by Brandon Tauczik in Paper MagazineSandwiches of History on YouTubeGirl with the Dogs on YouTubeWorking definition for the gimmick as a medium: A gimmick is a nonsequential series of works that utilize a novel scheme, angle, or device to explore a network of ideas."Why Write In Form?" by Rebecca Hazelton via The Poetry FoundationAmusing Ourselves to Death by Neil PostmanHyperculture by Byung-Chul HanTed Nelson & "intertwingularity"The Cluetrain ManifestoAll new episodes are available in written essay form at whatworks.fyi***If you’re questioning your relationship to work but finding it difficult to make lasting changes, I’d love to help.I’m committed to helping you confront and deconstruct big assumptions that compete with your good intentions. And that’s exactly what we’re doing in my new 8-week cohort-based course, Rethink Work.We’ll examine the beliefs, stories, and systems that keep us hustling—even when it hurts—so you can make changes that last and create a more sustainable approach to work. (00:00) - Gimmicks (00:08) - Introduction (02:20) - What Makes This Remarkable: Gimmicks (03:52) - Frankie's Cultural Observations (08:37) - The Gimmick as a Medium (14:23) - Gimmicks are like Poetry (17:24) - Citing Theorists to Think About TikTok (21:33) - Intertwingularity and Hyper-rationality (24:33) - New Media Influence How We Think (26:08) - Conclusion (27:32) - You're invited to Rethink Work ★ Support this podcast ★

This podcast episode explores the changes in content promotion online, the ineffectiveness of self-promotion in digital content, and the importance of meaningful and engaging media beyond promoting oneself. It introduces the concept of 'in shitification' and the three R's of digital content - respecting the medium, respecting the audience, and redistributing the idea.

Layers. Unless we're talking about cake, you can have too many layers. In today's episode, I share a recent metaphorical revelation I had about sound and sensory sensitivity. And then, I introduce you to a different way of thinking about stress that can help you identify better ways to manage it.Footnotes:Rethink Work: an 8-week cohort-based courseThe Highly Sensitive Brain by Bianca AcevedoStress: A Brief History by Cary Cooper & Philip DeweStress, Appraisal, and Coping by Richard Lazarus and Susan FolkmanEvery episode of What Works is also published in essay form at whatworks.fyi! (00:00) - Layers (00:06) - Layers of Sound (03:12) - Overstimulation and How I Cope (05:01) - Sensory Overload and Work Stress (07:31) - A New Model for Understanding Stress (Richard Lazarus & Susan Folkman) (10:50) - The Layers of Work Stress (12:58) - 6 Categories of Work Stress (18:16) - Managing Stress by Removing Layers or Asking for Accommodation (22:07) - Course Info & Credits ★ Support this podcast ★

Explore the stress and challenges of creative and knowledge work. Rethink the outdated factory model. Introduce a new course to challenge outdated beliefs about work.

Explore the outdated mental code we operate on, how beliefs shape reality, and the impact on work-life balance. Dive into parental anxiety, gender roles, decision-making, and reprogramming beliefs for better productivity.