『Workplace Weirdness』のカバーアート

Workplace Weirdness

Workplace Weirdness

著者： Maya Kadar Kovalsky
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 Welcome to "Workplace Weirdness," the podcast that takes a deep dive into the delightful oddities of office life. Ever wondered why the break room smells like a science experiment or why your boss insists on using 'synergy' in every meeting? We've got you covered! Join Maya and her revolving door of guest hosts as they unravel the mysteries of cubicle culture and decode the cryptic behaviors of your coworkers. From bizarre email sign-offs to the enigma of office fridge politics, no topic is too weird for us to tackle. Each week, we'll talk about hot HR topics, answer listener questions and dissect an awkward workplace theme, all while keeping things light, fun, and packed with HR humor. Tune in, because in the world of work, the only thing you can count on is the unexpected! So, grab your coffee, put your feet up on that ergonomic footrest, and let's get weird at work together. Trust us, it’ll be a productivity boost like no other!© Green Banana Consulting LLC | 2025 | All Rights Reserved マネジメント マネジメント・リーダーシップ 出世 就職活動 政治・政府 経済学
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  • WD-40 Wisdom: Bravery, Blunders & Breakthroughs

    WD-40 Wisdom: Bravery, Blunders & Breakthroughs
    2025/08/06
    In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky chats with Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40, about leadership, learning from failure, and why “dumbassery” might just be the secret ingredient to great leadership. Gary explains how embracing vulnerability, admitting you don’t have all the answers, and messing up a few times along the way can actually make you a stronger leader. Gary opens up about his time at WD-40, the iconic blue-and-yellow can that’s been fixing squeaky hinges and rusting parts for decades. He explains how building a culture of learning and being okay with failure helped the company thrive. They also tackle listener questions about navigating awkward workplace situations, like surviving a gratitude circle after layoffs, handling the micromanagement label, and escaping an unexpected weekend shift at a trampoline park. Tune in, you might just look at leadership a little differently after this one. Key Takeaways Embracing mistakes and vulnerability can unlock authentic leadership. Great leaders don’t just manage, they coach and support their team through change. Recognizing the power of asking “I don’t know” can create a more open, collaborative work environment. Transparency and humility are key to gaining trust after tough situations like layoffs. In leadership, authenticity outweighs trying to look like you have all the answers. Setting clear boundaries, even with a boss, is essential for maintaining professional integrity. In This Episode [00:00] What is WD-40? [01:01] Meet Garry Ridge [02:59] Why “Dumbassery” Is a Leadership Superpower [07:25] Coach vs. Manager: What’s the Difference? [09:18] Turning Mistakes into Learning Moments at WD-40 [16:01] Weirdest Workplace Moments [19:01] Week in Work: Why Fear-Based Leadership Backfires [26:01] Listener Question #1: Navigating Gratitude Circles After Layoffs [33:12] Listener Question #2: Micromanagement Feedback and How to Handle It [39:01] Cringeworthy Question: How to Decline an Unwanted Social Invitation [44:27] Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts Notable Quotes [03:26] “ Admitting you're wrong and saying you don’t know is actually a superpower.” — Garry Ridge [06:14] “ Success in business is not you being the smartest person in the room. It's you being in a room bringing out the smarts of everybody else. And once you expose yourself and display vulnerability, everybody else relaxes and suddenly you get an enormous amount of brain strength that comes out in the room.” — Garry Ridge [20:27 “ If leaders think that building a fear-based culture where people want to escape from their workplace instead of escape to it, they have a wake up call coming for them.” — Garry Ridge [34:17] “When your team calls you a micromanager, that’s feedback, not a defense.” — Garry Ridge Garry Ridge LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge The Learning Moment - https://thelearningmoment.net/ Maya Kadar Kovalsky Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/ Workplace Weirdness Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/ Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.
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    46 分
  • Spotify, SoulCycle & the Science of Strong Cultures with Meredith Haberfeld

    Spotify, SoulCycle & the Science of Strong Cultures with Meredith Haberfeld
    2025/07/23
    What does neuroscience have to do with leadership? How do you pivot from frog dissections to Fortune 500 boardrooms? And what do you do when your boss says you’re "great behind closed doors"... and not in a good way? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by the ever-dynamic Meredith Haberfeld, CEO of ThinkHuman and longtime advisor to companies like Spotify, SoulCycle, and Goldman Sachs. Meredith takes us on her wild journey from whitewater rafting guide to one of the most trusted names in executive coaching. And yes, there are weird workplace moments aplenty. Together, they unpack everything from awkward culture faux pas and executive presence mishaps to burned-out CEOs, dueling project management systems, and what to do when you accidentally "like" your boss’s shirtless Instagram post from 2017. (Spoiler: Don’t panic.) Key Takeaways Why executive presence is less about posture and more about connection How to lead teams through major change even when it's messy What to do when your role changes... but no one told you first Creative solutions to cross-functional dysfunction Why emotional intelligence and business strategy must go hand-in-hand How to handle embarrassing social media moments with humor and grace In This Episode [00:00] Introduction to Meredith Haberfeld [04:19] Developing Executive Presence [10:35] ThinkHuman: Finding the Right Fit [13:18] Weirdest Workplace Moments: Boss calls her a "banger behind closed doors" [16:13] The Week in Work: CEO Exodus [23:01] Listener Question #1: Dueling Project Management Systems [30:22] Listener Question #2: Outsourced Team Challenges [36:50] Cringeworthy Question: Accidentally Liked My Boss’ Old Swim Selfie! [40:35] Closing Remarks and Credits Notable Quotes [06:01] - “ I can take things on that I feel totally not equipped to do, and if I just relentlessly go for it, I eventually will be able to do it.” - Meredith Haberfeld [09:11] - “ Sometimes women more than men might struggle with how to modulate their persona into a presence that can be taken seriously.” - Maya Kadar Kovalsky [13:36] - “ In the startup world, for anybody who works in it, you end up with more in places you don't belong in a good way, 'cause you're like, all right, well we're a small team trying to build something, and here I am.” - Meredith Haberfeld [19:41] - “ I really think leading is an incredible privilege. So if somebody is called to that and feels inspired toward that, hold it with the level of care that it deserves.” - Meredith Haberfeld [27:52] - “ I think that the idea of purely digital written communication in a virtual or hybrid environment is just a fail.” - Meredith Haberfeld Resources and Links Meredith Haberfeld Website - https://www.meredithhaberfeld.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-haberfeld-she-her-29aa7a5 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thinkhumankind/ ThinkHuman Website - https://think-human.com/ Maya Kadar Kovalsky Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/ Workplace Weirdness Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/ Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.
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    42 分
  • Unbossed and Unbothered: Ex-Chief Creative Gets Real

    Unbossed and Unbothered: Ex-Chief Creative Gets Real
    2025/07/09
    Ever wondered what happens when you trade agency ownership for creative leadership? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Paul McDowall, brand architect, former agency owner & co-founder of ClarkMcDowall, to discuss his unconventional career journey from Liverpool to New York and his transition into leadership at Vault49. Paul shares insights from decades in branding, touching on the challenges of staying culturally relevant without losing brand identity. He opens up about the personal and professional growth that comes from letting go of ego, embracing new roles, and learning from failure. They also explore how to navigate tricky workplace dynamics, including handling conflicting feedback from leadership, weighing the pros and cons of moving into consulting, and recovering gracefully from Zoom call blunders. Tune in to hear reflections on leadership, resilience, and the joy of embracing the weirdness in the workplace! Key Takeaways You don’t have to lead to lead: A creative life can thrive without the title. Ego can be a culture killer; humility and humanity build stronger teams. Your brand’s future is written in its past... Go back to the DNA. Flexibility and authenticity are driving today’s shift toward small consultancies. If you’re stuck between bosses, don’t pick sides: document, clarify, and protect yourself. In This Episode: [00:00] Introduction to Paul McDowall [02:18] Paul’s journey in the creative world [06:00] Lessons from running a business [09:10] The transition from boss to peer [13:29] Paul’s weirdest workplace moment [17:29] Week in Work: Un-bossing yourself [20:32] Freelancer vs. consultant lifestyle [21:09] Flexibility and challenges of small agencies [21:36] Massive shifts in the industry [23:34] Navigating conflicting bosses [23:45] Creating supportive workplaces in education [25:14 ] Listener Question #1: Stuck between feuding bosses [30:31] Listener Question #2: Consulting as a career pivot [36:09] Cringeworthy Question: Job hunting caught on Zoom [39:24] Final thoughts and farewell Notable Quotes [03:02] “You can leave Liverpool, but Liverpool never leaves you.” — Paul McDowall [06:24] “Fear is the biggest thing that holds us back.” — Paul McDowall [07:17] “ Define your authentic self, your own tone of voice. That takes away a lot of the pressure.” — Paul McDowall [08:40] “Ego silos us and it destroys culture.” — Paul McDowall [11:43] “Gut instinct is there for a reason. It's why we think with our stomachs.” — Paul McDowall [12:06] “For a brand to survive, you need to survive in culture.” — Paul McDowall [18:05] “ For many managers who wanna un-boss themselves, letting go of management responsibilities can also be a little bit psychologically challenging.” — Maya Kadar Kovalsky [31:47] “The  hardest question in life is ‘what do I want?’”— Paul McDowall [41:16] “The world doesn't need another asshole. So don't be one.” — Paul McDowall Resources & Links Paul McDowall LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-mcdowall-00b0b11 clarkmcdowall - http://www.clarkmcdowall.com Vault 49 - https://www.vault49.com/ Maya Kadar Kovalsky Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/ Workplace Weirdness Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/ Mentioned WSJC Article: Can You 'Unboss' Yourself Without Ruining Your Career? Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.
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    43 分
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