What Works

"When The Voice In Your Head Whispers... Meritocracy" explores the concept of meritocracy and its impact on marginalized groups. It proposes an alternative system that values social usefulness and discusses the historical origins of willpower. The podcast also delves into changing one's relationship to work and introduces the Work in Practice program.

Charlie Gilkey, author of Team Habits, discusses the importance of explicit rules, understanding social dynamics, and improving team habits to create a sense of belonging and high performance. They also mention their upcoming series featuring Charlie and his book, 'Team Habits: How Small Actions Lead to Extraordinary Results'.

Mauro Guillén, the author of "The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society," discusses the sequential mode of life and proposes a new story for navigating through life. He challenges traditional milestones and expectations, encouraging flexibility in work and learning. Guillén suggests adopting a long-term mindset, making career switches, and supporting older workers. He also explores the concept of creating a post-generational society through quality of life guarantees.

This is the 8th edition of This is Not Advice, my "not-advice" column for premium subscribers of What Works. Today, I'm talking about our over-reliance on metrics and how easily we're seduced by reductive data. When does a metric turn into an incentive for bad behavior? And why are we so happy to accept the feeling of clarity and certainty without actually understanding what's going on?Click here to upgrade your subscription and get the full episode! Or learn more about becoming a Premium Subscriber. ★ Support this podcast ★

Making work for the public seems to come with a slew of fuzzy social expectations. What do we owe our readers, listeners, viewers, and followers? What more is expected beyond the post, episode, or video? How do you navigate the tension between care and boundaries? When I came across a LinkedIn post that Randi Buckley made, I felt a wave of relief. Her answer to those questions? Nothing. We owe nothing more than we've already given. In this episode, I share wisdom from Randi, additional wisdom from Jordan Maney, and a lot of the inner workings of my own mind.Footnotes:The LinkedIn post that started it allFind out more about Randi BuckleyFind out more about Jordan ManeyNo Time to Spare by Ursula K. Le GuinLe Guin's first blog postNEW: I’m teaching a 12-week training program for coaches, managers, consultants, and guides of all kinds starting in September. The program is called Work In Practice, and it’s a deep dive into the social, political, and economic systems that impact what we believe about work.Every episode of What Works is also published in essay form and delivered in my newsletter: whatworks.fyiLove What Works? Support the show and help me reach more people with assumption-busting ideas about work, business, and culture by becoming a Premium Subscriber. For just $7 per month, you get access to bonus episodes, full-length interviews, and quarterly workshops—including August 24's Breaking the Self-Sabotage Cycle. Upgrade your subscription today! ★ Support this podcast ★

The media give us wildly exaggerated images of wealth and consumption. And even if we recognize that a tv show or an Instagram account is more fantasy than reality, those images impact what we believe we should be earning and buying. MoneyZen author Manisha Thakor calls the result Counterfeit Financial Culture and argues that it's one of the reasons we end up feeling like we're never quite enough.In this episode, Manisha details Counterfeit Financial Culture, and I offer the mimetic theory of desire as additional context for understanding the situation.Footnotes:Find out more about Manisha ThakorMoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your Enough by Manisha ThakorWanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life by Luke BurgisPsychopolitics: Neoliberalism and the New Technologies of Power by Byung-Chul HanCapitalism and Desire by Todd McGowanNEW: I’m teaching a 12-week training program for coaches, managers, consultants, and guides of all kinds starting in September. The program is called Work In Practice, and it’s a deep dive into the social, political, and economic systems that impact what we believe about work.Every episode of What Works is also published in essay form and delivered in my newsletter: whatworks.fyiLove What Works? Support the show and help me reach more people with assumption-busting ideas about work, business, and culture by becoming a Premium Subscriber. For just $7 per month, you get access to bonus episodes, full-length interviews, and quarterly workshops—including August 24's Breaking the Self-Sabotage Cycle. Upgrade your subscription today! ★ Support this podcast ★

At age 50, Manisha Thakor realized that she'd sacrificed her life at the altar of work. How did that happen? And what was she to do about it? Manisha's new book tackles how to unwind a toxic relationship with work and money.Footnotes:MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your Enough by Manisha ThakorFind out more about Manisha ThakorAlienation by Rahel JaeggiCapitalism and Desire by Todd McGowanWhat Works by Tara McMullinNEW: I’m teaching a 12-week training program for coaches, managers, consultants, and guides of all kinds starting in September. The program is called Work In Practice, and it’s a deep dive into the social, political, and economic systems that impact what we believe about work.Every episode of What Works is also published in essay form and delivered in my newsletter: whatworks.fyiLove What Works? Support the show and help me reach more people with assumption-busting ideas about work, business, and culture by becoming a Premium Subscriber. For just $7 per month, you get access to bonus episodes, full-length interviews, and quarterly workshops—including August 24's Breaking the Self-Sabotage Cycle. Upgrade your subscription today! (00:00) - Rough Edit (02:05) - The Cult of Never Enough (02:20) - The Roles We Play (13:40) - Money Worries versus Money Problems (18:31) - The Image of Our Dissatisfaction ★ Support this podcast ★

This is an excerpt from the 7th edition of This is Not Advice—a not-advice column exclusively for premium subscribers. In this episode, I take a closer look at flexibility. When is it a feature? When is it a bug? When does flexibility create more opportunities for learning or value? And when does it devolve into chaos?To hear the whole episode, become a premium subscriber for just $7 per month. You'll get twice monthly This is Not Advice episodes, plus (mostly) full-length interviews with the people I feature on the show, and more! Go to whatworks.fyi/subscribe ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally ran on May 25, 2022. It's been lightly remixed for today's release!“Rugged individualism” is the very language we speak in America. It shapes the way we approach work, family, and society. And rugged individualism has a direct impact on the decisions we make about our businesses and careers. In this short episode, I unpack where rugged individualism comes from and highlight a different way forward.Footnotes:Rugged Individualism Monologue by Terry Smith "The Myth of Rugged Individualism” by Robert Reich“We’d Like To Thank You, Herbert Hoover” from AnnieIndividualism and Economic Order by Friedrich HayekHope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit“The Philosophers: Loneliness & Totalitarianism” on Vox ConversationsEvery What Works episode is also published in essay form in my newsletter. Subscribe FREE or become a premium subscriber for bonus content for just $7/month. Go to: whatworks.fyi  ★ Support this podcast ★

So much of our modern discourse around productivity, empowerment, entrepreneurship, and personal growth includes messages about our bodies. These messages might not be explicit, but the messages are there—and our brains pick them up loud and clear.Similarly, we might not realize that we’re sharing messages that insert themselves into how others perceive their own bodies—but many of us are. It’s impossible to talk about self-discipline, accountability, or efficiency without those concepts leaving their marks on our flesh.This episode covers a tiny sliver of all the ways that the medium of self-help acts on our bodies. But my hope is that it will encourage you to think critically about the messages you receive about your body and the messages you share that might impact others’ bodies.You’ll hear from independent beauty culture journalist Jessica DeFino, body confidence influencer Tiffany Ima, and Flaunt Your Fire founder India Jackson.This episode contains frank talk about bodies, weight, beauty, dieting, and related topics. I know that these subjects can trigger harmful thoughts and behaviors for me if I’m not careful. So please, take care while listening to this episode.This episode originally aired on October 18, 2022. It's been slightly updated for this rebroadcast.Footnotes:Subscribe to Jessica DeFino’s newsletter about beauty culture and the beauty industry.Follow Tiffany Ima on Instagram.Listen to the Flaunt Your Fire podcast and learn more about India Jackson.Erica Courdae on reconsidering your normal, as well as “Normal is a Life with Michelle Kuei” on the Pause on the Play podcast.“Body acceptance stops at the skin. Why?” by Jessica DeFino“The Skin as an Antidote to Consumerism” by Jessica DeFino“How White Supremacy and Capitalism Influence Beauty Culture” by Jessica DeFino in TeenVogueWhat We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon“Postscript on Societies of Control” by Gilles DeleuzeSelf-Help, INC by Micki McGee“Rachel Hollis Part 1: Hashtag Relatable” on Maintenance Phase“The Trouble with Calories” on Maintenance Phase“Bodybuilding vs Powerlifting vs Weightlifting” on ShapeConfidence Culture by Shani Orgad and Rosalind GillLet’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World by Danielle Friedman3 Books for Remembering “You Have a Body”: On disability, on chronic illness, and on our bodies in societyYou can find essay versions of every What Works episode at whatworks.fyi - where you can become a premium subscriber, support my work, and get bonus content for just $7 per month. Upgrade today! ★ Support this podcast ★