Shows
Inside JobIs There A Wrong Reason to Stay At Work?If you have been wrestling with the question of whether to stay at your job or pursue something else, you’re not alone. The story we’ve often been sold by society is that there are right and wrong reasons to stay or leave a job. But today we’re exploring whether this right-wrong binary choice is actually a reality. You can continue the conversation with us through our new, free, online Inside Job Podcast Community, which you can find here: https://insidejobthecommunity.mn.co/feed Inside Job is brought t...2022-01-1831 minInside JobHow Much Self Improvement Do You Need?Today we’re talking about our hunger for growth and how to tell a real urge (driven by our personal values or core desires) from one that might be coming from outside ourselves. We’ll also explore the action steps you can take to decide what kind of growth you need and why you need it. You can continue the conversation with us through our new, free, online Inside Job Podcast Community, which you can find here: https://insidejobthecommunity.mn.co/feed Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Er...2022-01-1134 minInside JobMaking Authenticity Work For You, Not Against YouToday, our conversation examines each of these words as they relate to showing up authentically. And while “authenticity” itself has become a buzzword these days, this reimagined recipe may just be the antidote to that. In Our Conversation Today We’re Exploring: Why the word authenticity feels like nails on a chalkboard to Eric and the alternative word Nayla uses instead Ways to think about the potential effect of authenticity on your coworkers and loved ones and how this is actually the opposite of masking or dulling our light The interplay of self-awareness, curiosity, mindfulness, and authen...2022-01-0429 minInside JobRErelease: Thoughts on Starting A New Year, #41“How should I start thinking about what I want from the coming year?” We have been getting this question a lot lately, as we do around this time every year. In this episode we offer our thoughts on the principles we use to guide our clients forward in their thinking and planning. The principles we offer are: Notice what your energy is calling you to do, and go after the things that really matter. Approach your life from a place of want, not should. Notice that what is likely to get done is the stuf...2021-12-2826 minInside JobRErelease: The Myth of Work Life Balance, #24In this episode, we address the popular concept of work-life balance, and why it is often misunderstood and is an unintentional source of stress. (Plus you get to hear Eric react to the phrase itself – priceless.) The bottom line is that for most of us escaping work isn’t possible anymore. We discuss why the idea of “balance” is misleading or unattainable, and how it can sometimes even set us up for failure. We pivot and instead discuss the question, “how do I create the right amount of time and space in my life for all of the...2021-12-2123 minInside JobDump the Cliches and Embrace Your ValuesIn this episode we get deep into the topic of values. It’s a subject we’ve referenced in a dozen or more previous shows, but it’s never received a devoted conversation. So we get back to basics and talk about this important and fundamental characteristic of the inside job. There are a lot of websites, journals, and outlets that have been talking about values over the last few years but few treat them as more than buzzwords, and even fewer get deeper than providing assessments to identify them. We’re not afraid of the deep...2021-12-1433 minInside JobPerfectionism By Any Other NameWarning: This episode of the Inside Job Podcast is not perfect. That’s not only okay – that’s the point. It is now socially acceptable to reject the label of “perfectionist” – in fact, it’s hard to find someone who would say that perfect is their goal. However, it’s extraordinarily easy to find colleagues, friends, and/or family members who say: “I have no margin for error on this project.” “I hold myself to an extremely high standard.” “I never settle for less than the best.” What’s the old saying – a rose by any...2021-12-0735 minInside JobExternal Validation and the Inside Job“Am I working hard enough?” “Does this make sense as a next professional step?” “Should I be asking for more?” At various times in our lives, we all pose questions like this about next steps, choices, or knowing where we stand. Does the answer live on the outside, or on the inside, or somewhere in between? We’re navigating the dance between external and internal validation this week on the Inside Job podcast. We talk about what can be answered on the outside, what must be answered from the inside...2021-11-3032 minInside JobThat's Grief You FeelMaybe it’s because of colleagues who have left, cultures that have changed, futures that felt certain that are now not – clients and friends are feeling sad at work. In some cases, that’s grief you’re feeling. It makes sense that we’d experience the full suite of emotions through our work, after all many of our most meaningful contributions, our most important relationships and most of our time happens at work. Yet for some reason, when something hurts, we’re often met with “It’s just work, it’s not personal, don’t let it get to you.”2021-11-2327 minInside JobTaking Time Off WellAs we head into a series of holidays in the United States, clients, friends and we are wondering: How do I take time off well this go round? We sometimes have ideas that vacation should look a certain way or should include or not include certain things (we're talking about you, email) but those ideas can be quite far from how things actually go when we're officially away from work. We dive into some of the social and internal beliefs we have about what time off SHOULD look like and the pressure to 'get it ri...2021-11-1629 minInside JobNo You Don't Love ChangeThere’s a certain way of talking about change that’s become heralded in these times, especially at work: “I just love change!”. This week, we’re uncovering if that’s true. Most of us have endured, and even thrived when change has been thrust upon us. Our nature requires that we adapt, and most often, we do – even if we gnash our teeth along the way. Many of us also like variety – new people, places, foods, experiences… as long as WE get to stay more or less the same. Most of us...2021-11-0931 minInside JobBeing A Force For GoodAs we hit the home stretch of 2021, we know doing a good thing for someone else is a way to bring resolution to another long, confusing year and do something healthy for ourselves at the same time. The world needs support, love and our good wisdom more than ever. This week we talk about being a force for good through our work – how to bring others along and pay it forward by offering our time and expertise. We believe deeply that all of us – regardless of our level of experience or our formal leadership role, has something to gi...2021-11-0233 minInside JobWe Used To Hang Out Now They're My Boss“Don’t screw your friends over, especially at work.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt (or not) Great friendships often develop at work, and usually this is a good thing. It’s important to work with people we like and people we trust, especially given how much of our time and energy goes into our jobs. So what happens when the power dynamic shifts between friends? What changes when a friend is suddenly the boss? Or when you hire a friend? What shifts when there is suddenly a significant shared outcome that requires input, effort, and accountability between buddies? We...2021-10-2630 minInside JobYou're right, it isn't fair.“It’s not fair!” What is fair, what is unfair, and who gets to decide have been prevalent topics in our coaching and our lives recently. What do we do when we feel like we aren’t getting what we deserve despite believing we have done everything we were supposed to do? We tackle all of this, and more, on the latest episode of the Inside Job Podcast. We know that making sense of “unfair” situations is at the very heart of the inside job. If we don’t do the work when we feel slighted, then...2021-10-1935 minInside JobNavigating Workplace Politics“I LOVE office politics.” ~ No one, ever. Office politics has shown up a lot in our coaching conversations recently, as well as in discussions with our friends and family. It makes sense, as budgets for 2022 are being discussed, end-of-year performance reviews are being prepared for, and businesses get back to pre-pandemic working conditions. Of course, for most of us office politics need to be navigated regardless of the time of year or cycle of the business. But what are office politics really? And are they always bad? We talk about this and more on this epis...2021-10-1231 minInside JobQuick Wins, Quick Bucks, and the Need for SpeedTom Cruise once said, “I feel the need – the need for speed.” He could very well have been summarizing how many of us are feeling nearly 40 years later. (Yes, it has been that long. #old) Whether it be a need for belonging, more money, a clearer identity, more engaging work, or something else so many of us are looking for the short and quick path to “better”. Unresolved pain gets our attention, and that pain is what causes many of us to be impulsive at work and at home and to buy into the promises from companies like LuLaR...2021-10-0530 minInside JobShould I Be Part of the Great Resignation?When we know that more than 11 million people have voluntarily left their work between April – July 2021 in the Great Resignation, we pay attention. So many of our clients, friends and even family members are asking: should I be a part of this Great Resignation? While it can be tempting to fantasize about being a part of this movement, this episode is about slowing down to take this question seriously. If you’re even entertaining being part of the Great Resignation, what is going on? What hurts? What isn’t working anymore? We talk...2021-09-2830 minInside JobEverybody's Side Hustlin'Does it feel like everyone has a side-hustle going on? As part of the great resignation, in the age of Etsy and online businesses, side-hustling has become mainstream. And, we’re fans of the idea. We dive into the idea of personal projects, consulting practices, teaching, making, and the other activities people engage with outside of their day jobs. Perhaps you’re looking for more income, hoping to manage job vulnerability, testing and trying things out, learning skills with an experience you’ve been craving…. A side-hustle can be a great tool to r...2021-09-2132 min
Inside JobWhy You Really Aren't Getting StartedYou want to get something done and you can’t get going. Maybe it’s something new at work, a new personal habit, a home improvement project and you’re standing at the start line for a long, long time. Before you know it, you’re in a cycle of self-doubt and self-punishment about why you aren’t moving at all. If you notice you can’t get started on something, we invite you to explore that as a symptom of something else going on beneath the surface…we dive in deeper in this week’s episode. I...2021-09-1428 min
Inside JobIf You're Feeling the FunkFeeling blue at work? Malaise? Dragging a bit? Feeling the funk? Yeah, we know those feelings, and at some point, everyone has. It might start with a restlessness or feelings that can best be described as “blah”, and while we might think we’re doing a good job faking it, it starts to show in our actions and in our work. How do we know the difference between feeling funky because we’re bored or need a break, or feeling the funk because it’s really time to make a signific...2021-09-0729 min
Inside JobYou Are Not An ImposterSometimes we feel like we don’t deserve to be in the room, on the team, or in the job. That experience can be referred to as “imposter syndrome” but we don’t like that phrase. Feeling like an imposter is more of a phenomenon – and one we believe you have the strength and ability to overcome. We feel like an imposter when we don’t have the ability to see our wholeness and our potential, even when there is evidence to the contrary. Still we know that feeling can paralyze and hurt us, and we w...2021-08-3128 min
Inside JobWhy Hints Don't WorkIs subtlety an art, or a potential waste of time? Have you walked out of a conversation that mattered with a boss or colleague with a wildly different understanding of what just happened than they did? In our work as coaches, we see too often how rhetorical questions, hints, clues and signals contribute to confusion, misalignment and poor results. This episode is a cry for clarity. As managers, as employees, as colleagues, partners and humans, how can we learn to be clear about what we want, expect and need? ...2021-08-2423 min
Inside JobShawshank, Julia Roberts and Deciding for YourselfThis episode of the Inside Job Podcast might be the most action packed yet. In under half an hour, we cover: the Foo Fighters live in concert, a subplot of The Shawshank Redemption, how Julia Roberts likes her eggs, what made Nayla ask for help, how sausage is made, disco music . . . Oh, and the mind-trap of being institutionalized. It all works, trust us. Institutionalization happens to all of us over the course of our life. At its core, it’s a belief system that we develop about ourselves and about the way work ge...2021-08-1731 min
Inside JobWhat's The Best That Can HappenWhat’s the best that can happen? Why does that question paralyze people? In fact, why is it so hard to dream big as an adult? Think about it – if you were asked about the worst possible thing that could happen as the result of a choice, how long would it take you to end up living in a van down by the river? Now what if your choices were wildly successful? What if your dreams came true? Can you picture it? The fact is that most of us can’t; or more accurately, most of us...2021-08-1029 min
Inside JobTo Reveal Or Not RevealHow much of your identity should you share with your co-workers? Does bringing your personal life to work help build trust, or does trust need to exist before you share your personal life at work? What do you do if you don’t want to discuss your personal life at work? As Nayla has said many times, we spend over 90,000 hours of lives at work – so inherently we build a social community within our work. This is true whether we like it or not. As communal creatures we benefit from the connection, but also must reco...2021-08-0330 min
Inside JobI Can't Talk to My BossOne of the most important relationships in our lives is the one we have with our boss(es). Like any important relationship the quality of the communication between parties greatly affects the emotional well-being of the participants. That’s why it’s so frustrating when we struggle to communicate effectively with our boss. Whether it’s an acute instance or an ongoing issue when we don’t feel heard, seen, or understood it can really jack with our confidence and motivation. We tackle all of this and more on this episode of the Inside Job Podcast. We dis...2021-07-2730 min
Inside JobThis Is Not What I Signed up For“This is not what I signed up for.” Who hasn’t uttered that phrase at least, oh, a dozen times in their career? Whether in regard to a new job, a new boss, a culture shift, a market event, or just life itself we’ve all been in situations that differed – sometimes dramatically – from our expectations. In fact, due to the nature of work and the constant of change it’s normal that our work environment shifts and evolves – and we generally notice it most right about the time we have things exactly the way we want them.2021-07-2030 min
Inside JobKicking Our Own AssThere is an old adage: “We are our own worst critic.” While it is often profoundly true, there are also too many instances where we go from being our own critic to being our own bully. So many of us are guilty of kicking our own ass, and it’s a cycle that we need to stop. It’s normal to experience disappointment, even in ourselves. It’s okay to notice when we are not meeting our expectations. But there is a point at which we become so unkind to ourselves that our behavior becomes self-destructive. That behavior c...2021-07-1331 min
Inside JobThe Real Return to Office DebateAs the scientific community debates the future of COVID-19, businesses and schools are sending the message that life will start returning to “normal” as summer turns to fall. Many of our clients, friends, and family members (and even ourselves) are therefore grappling with the question, “what does it look like to return to normal?” As we’ve had deep discussions around this topic, we’ve noticed that there are an extremely diverse set of wants around the post-pandemic work environment. Some people want life to look exactly like it did in 2019. Some want it to look exactly like it did...2021-07-0631 min
Inside JobThe Search for ConfidenceThe quest for more confidence is one of phenomena that brings so many people to coaching. Most of us want more of it and think other people must be doing something differently than we are to have the belief in themselves that allows them to go for what they want... So where do we find confidence for ourselves? Eric and Nayla dive in to talk through what confidence is and isn’t, how it helps us, and how to build more of it. Confidence is not a point at which we ar...2021-06-2934 min
Inside JobThe Worst Advice Nayla Ever GaveIf we’re doing the work, we are growing as humans as we grow as leaders. Looking back at the times we regret, those moments that make us feel some shame and awkwardness about the things we did and said, can sometimes help us track our growth. Nayla gets that gift this week, as she digs into the bad advice she once gave a valued colleague who came asking for support for a promotion: Don’t Worry About It. What happens when we tell someone what to worry about? Who are we protecting, them or us? And...2021-06-2225 min
Inside JobEnd It WellOver the course of a long career, we will all have beginnings and endings as we move in and out of roles and organizations. This week, we talk about what’s lost when something comes to and, and start by hearing about Eric’s current experience as he ends a long tenure in one organization and creates his next step. Even when we seek change – and make it happen – we have to acknowledge that something is left behind and that represents some loss. We talk through the rich emotions that accompany change and how we c...2021-06-1527 min
Inside JobThe Fallacies of Negotiating with Yourself“You can do it later…” “A little more sleep is more important than that workout…” “You’re great at the last-minute projects, you can start it next week…” We’re all quite skilled at the art of negotiating with ourselves, talking ourselves in and out of habits and actions that would move us towards our goals. Whether you’re talking yourself out of applying for a job you’re interested in, or talking yourself into spending just a few more minutes on YouTube because you had a tough morning, when we’re paying attention, we can s...2021-06-0827 min
Inside JobFiguring Out FearFear. As much as we might hate to admit it, it’s a core part of our suite of emotions. It’s an integral part of the human experience. Yet from a young age we’re taught to either ignore it or fight it. “Kick fear in the teeth,” right? Well, we would prefer not to go to war with ourselves, especially over something that’s a biological imperative. We would rather work with it instead. Throughout this episode we talk about how fear is information, and it typically comes from a good place – a place of self...2021-06-0127 min
Inside JobGetting the Credit You DeserveWe believe wholeheartedly that if you kick ass at work you deserve something for it. You deserve to be seen, you deserve to be recognized, and you deserve credit. Actually, it’s better than “deserved” – you need to get what you have “earned”. Not receiving credit for damn fine work is one of the more common tensions we hear from our clients. Whether it be promotions, special assignments, money, or public recognition meaningful credit can take many forms, so why do we treat it as a scarce resource? Unfortunately the reality is that we o...2021-05-2532 min
Inside JobWhen You Experience RejectionAt the Inside Job Podcast we are huge believers in the importance of taking action. And we do so knowing that when we put ourselves out into the world we are going to face rejection. In this episode we talk about what to do when we experience rejection. Rejection shows up in many ways: not getting a job offer, failing to sell our work on Etsy, not being invited to the book club, getting denied the promotion, etc. Hell, Eric is still bemoaning the rejection stemming from nobody reading his LinkedIn article about Betty White. In any f...2021-05-1830 min
Inside JobHaving A Quarterly Meeting with YourselfOne of the core principles of the Inside Job Podcast is that we believe that all of us should be designing a life and a career on purpose. We think that one of the saddest things in the world is to not be paying attention to ourselves. As such we believe it’s so important to practice periodic reflection and to conduct check-in meetings with yourself. After all, you’re in the business of you – if you have a commitment to personal growth then you owe it to yourself to evaluate if you’re growing, and if you’re d...2021-05-1133 min
Inside JobIt's OK to Talk About MoneyThis week on the Inside Job Podcast we talk about money! By any name — cold hard cash, Benjamins, cabbage, moolah, clams, etc. — it's one of our favorite topics as humans, and yet it often seems so taboo to admit it. Why is that? Maybe the better question is: given how important money is, how do we talk about it in ways that are meaningful and aligned with our values? During our discussion we acknowledge that we are in a relationship with money – whether we like it or not – and like any relationship it needs to be explo...2021-05-0429 min
Inside JobYou Don't Have to SettleThis week we’re talking about the sensation of being trapped or stuck, and settling for a situation that doesn’t work for us. It’s often the reason clients seek coaching, and we know from personal experience that it can feel intractable. And yet, this is also an opportunity in our lives to see things clearly, to understand the tensions between what we want and where we are, and to create a shift that results in momentum. There are weights that give us the sensation of being stuck: fear, comparison, worry…the list goes...2021-04-2729 min
Inside JobWhen You Are the Bearer of Bad NewsTo kind of quote Jane Austen, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a person who works with other people will one day have to be the bearer of bad news.” It is a reality of organizational (and adult) life that we will have to say the hard things. And yes, if we want to lead, we must say the hard things. Whether it’s delivering tough feedback, acknowledging mistakes and missteps, or resigning from a job, we’ll have to share information that has the potential to hurt something or someone. Maybe our reput...2021-04-2030 min
Inside JobWhy You Resist NetworkingNetworking. It’s one of those things we know can help us, advance us, grow us…and yet, for many of us, it’s something we deprioritize or avoid. This week, we jump into why some of our clients resist this essential part of career and leadership development. Too many people carry the impression that networking is gross, sleazy, needy and a host of other things that leave a bad taste in our mouths. We believe – deeply – that networking is about learning, about relationship building and above all, about CONNECTING. And connecting isn’t just good for...2021-04-1331 min
Inside JobA Blueprint for ExperimentsBy now our listeners have heard us talk about ‘running experiments’ in our process for making change happen in our work and in other domains of our lives… but what does that mean, really? It’s not an understatement to say that we think experiments are key to growth and development. (And we think the Inside Hive in the company of coaches and a supportive community is a great place to do this work!) We offer a blueprint for experiments in this week, starting with the question: What are you trying to find out or do diffe...2021-04-0625 min
Inside JobRiffing On Working with Our Minds and Our HandsThis week on the Inside Job Podcast we challenge the notion that work must be defined and limited to the tasks that we can perform using the tools "above our neck". We discuss how important and meaningful it is that we are able to be creative and expressive in our lives, and why we should both value and develop the ability to leverage our hands and our bodies to add value to our work. We question why many in society differentiate between “meaningful work” and trades. For the two of us, we notice the more time we spen...2021-03-3030 min
Inside JobMaking It Work with Your Manager Part 2This week we continue the conversation about how to make the relationship with your manager work. Specifically we dive into two listener-submitted questions: What do I do about my career if I perceive that my boss is falling out of favor with our organization? How do I talk to my boss about pursuing a new role given how important “loyalty” is to her? We love these because both questions serve as an invitation to explore our own internal contributions to the relationship we have with ourselves, our managers, and our organizations. In these situations, and others like them...2021-03-2334 min
Inside JobMaking It Work with Your Manager Part 1One of the most significant relationships in our lives is the one we have with our boss. It’s a relationship which can make or break our day, and which has significant impact on our emotional well-being. Like all meaningful and important relationships the one with your manager takes effort, communication, and conscious contributions from both parties. Yet it can be a difficult one to navigate because of the different personalities, power structures, assumptions, and expectations at play at any one time. So it’s no surprise that several of our listeners submitted questions to us about how...2021-03-1631 min
Inside JobGaps, Pivots, and the Non-Linear Career PathOur milestone episode number 50 is full of excitement! First, we announce the launch of the Inside Hive. The Hive is an extension of the podcast – we are creating a community for people who want to experience coaching, access exclusive content, and engage with us (and with each other) to better improve the way we all experience the intersection of work and life. More details will be forthcoming! Then we make fun of Nayla’s huge face, but nice eyebrows, from our too-zoomed-in Instagram Live event. Finally, and most importantly, we tackle a question posed by one...2021-03-0930 min
Inside JobWhy You're Really ProcrastinatingWho hasn’t put something off? It’s so easy to be frustrated by the things that we find ourselves procrastinating. We usually start by blaming ourselves or our organizations for overstuffing our calendars. (We acknowledge that this can be a reality for many of us). Or we get on our own case for being too lazy to get things done. As always, we offer that finding ourselves in patterns of procrastination is an opportunity to be kind to ourselves, and to be curious about what’s going on. This week, Nayla and Eric wan...2021-03-0226 min
Amrita VaaniKal Ki Yaadein - Amrita BahriMemories of my parents and my lovely childhood days with my family are my true possessions in life and the backbone of my today and tomorrow.2021-02-2302 min
Inside JobRedefining AmbitionHow much is enough? Is ambition always about more, bigger and higher? Ambition is a concept most of us have been trained to understand in a very particular way, and many of us design our lives in search of a career that meets our narrow understanding of the word. Many of the organizations carry that same limited view of what ambition can look like, so the messages are reinforced over and over again that more is always better. Yet, many of us take all the ‘right’ steps towards a bigger, flashier career and don’t feel great about it.2021-02-2326 min
Inside JobHelp! I'm Working 14 Hour DaysAny chance you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work you’re trying to get done in a day? Routinely finding yourself working 14-hour days with no end in sight? Skipping meals, delaying sleep because there’s simply too much to do? We hear you. Nayla and Eric start by saying: pause. The panic cycle of overwhelm will only grow and grow if we don’t step away from the real and perceived churn to pause, breathe and reflect. Stepping away to give your brain, body and nervous system a break may seem like an indulge...2021-02-1629 min
Inside JobThe Reputation MakeoverIn a prior episode, Eric and Nayla dove into the distinctions between our professional identities, brands and reputation, acknowledging we all have all three! This week, we talk about what happens when we learn that the professional reputation we have isn’t totally aligned with what we want it to be. We might learn this through a 360 review, from a feedback-oriented manager, or from a passing comment from a colleague, and we think it’s an opportunity to take a look at what’s really going on, and decide what to do about it. The first t...2021-02-0928 min
Inside JobRiffing on Professional Reputation, Brand, and IdentityThis week, Eric and Nayla enter the arena to tackle a topic that comes up nearly every week – our clients’ concerns about their professional reputation. While the conversation is free form (and likely to take a few episodes to reconcile), we start by distinguishing between three terms: our identity (how we see and understand ourselves), our professional brand (what we choose to show the world) and our reputation (how the world sees us). This topic is so highly sensitive because while we may have the impression that we can control and manage our personal brand (even...2021-02-0228 min
Inside JobRevisiting the MO in FOMOIn this episode we talk about FOMO one MO time! In a previous episode on the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) we talked more about the “Fear Of” than the “Missing Out”. Yet sometimes we do actually miss out – when we make choices we have to deal with trade-offs and sacrifices. Saying “yes” to one thing does lead to “no” for other things. So how do we deal with the aftermath -- the feelings of remorse and regret that accompany lost opportunities? It’s not dramatic to say that as humans we are wired to experience grief and...2021-01-2623 min
Inside JobThere Are No Guarantees At WorkIn this episode we tackle the question, “What do I do with the sense I have that I was promised a specific outcome at work as a result of a certain amount of time and energy on my behalf?” In what will likely be disorienting to many workers, neither of us believe that companies can make promises. Which means that addressing the question at hand requires a meta-analysis of not only each individual circumstance but also the general employer-employee relationship and agreement. Certainly companies send a lot of signals about how it views its employees, and...2021-01-1921 min
Inside JobHandling Professional FOMO“Comparison is the thief of joy.” In this episode we tackle a topic suggested by one of our listeners – how to handle professional FOMO (the Fear Of Missing Out). FOMO arises when we look around at our colleagues, friends, and even our families and see that they have things that we want. They may be getting promoted faster, paid more, recognized more publicly, or taking on assignments we desire. FOMO may lead us to feel as though we are not doing enough, or not doing it quickly enough (or both), and may have us experiencing a sens...2021-01-1228 min
Inside JobThoughts on Starting A New Year“How should I start thinking about what I want from the coming year?” We have been getting this question a lot lately, as we do around this time every year. In this episode we offer our thoughts on the principles we use to guide our clients forward in their thinking and planning. The principles we offer are: Notice what your energy is calling you to do, and go after the things that really matter. Approach your life from a place of want, not should. Notice that what is likely to get done is the stuf...2021-01-0524 min
Inside JobWhy It's Important to Celebrate Your WinsAs the year comes to a close, we’re taking a deliberate moment to declare victory and celebrate the wins of 2020. Yes, the year has been difficult, “unprecedented” and full of hardship, and yet, we know that each of us can find at least one thing to celebrate, no matter how small. It’s so easy to overlook, minimize or simply forget the wins we create. Most of us lack good habits around celebrating ourselves, and our biology is designed otherwise. After all, as Rick Hanson says, our brains are like Velcro for negative experiences, and Teflon for positiv...2020-12-2933 min
Inside JobWhen The Inner Critic Shows UpCall it the internal saboteur, the gremlins, the inner critic, or as the great Anne Lamott calls it – KFKD, all of us have heard the internal voice of doubt, fear and discouragement that stops us from the pursuit of the thing we want. This voice keeps us small and still, and often tricks us because it proports to tell us the truth and keep us safe. As always, we start with the inside job of noticing that the voice exists in the first place, and that while it shows up as evidence- based, it doesn’t have your...2020-12-2226 min
Inside JobWhat to Do When Things Don't Go As PlannedIf we’re human, we’re going to have the experience of things not going as we’d planned. We did the preparation, we put in the effort, practiced and still… disappointment. Eric and Nayla share their own disappointments in an unproductive day of recording this very podcast, and how they noticed the spiral of normal reactions immediately afterwards. A natural instinct might be to catastrophize and personalize the circumstances to signal an unmitigated, irreversible disaster, thinking to ourselves: I can’t be trusted… No one will ever hire me…something is terribly wrong with my candidacy, o...2020-12-1518 min
Inside JobWhat to Do When You Don't Know What You WantMost of our clients come to us asking: Can you help me figure out what I want? Our position: we can help YOU explore and express what you want – the answer to that question resides in you. Yet, we have a ton of empathy for all the reasons this question is so common: we have all internalized messages about what we can or can’t have because of the other commitments in our lives, have ideas of what is or is not available to us, or have restricted views about ‘how’ the things we love could be...2020-12-0827 min
Inside JobWant a Better 2021? Start Now and Start SmallWhat’s really going to change on January 1, 2021? The hype around the fresh start of a new year can have the side effect of letting us wait to take action until the calendar turns over – we think there’s a better way. If you’re looking for a better outcome in any domain in your life, don’t wait for an outside marker of a new start (new year, birthday, new semester). We suggest you start with small steps, now. Sometimes we act our way into new ways of thinking, rather than waiting until our beliefs or...2020-12-0122 min
Inside JobHow We Manage Our Time (Or Don't)In this episode, we take on the expert advice around time management and the sacredness of daily routines. Admittedly, this is an area where we are drowning in knowledge but short on wisdom. We know that this time of year store aisles are filled with yearly planners, organizers, habit trackers, and the like. For those of us feeling a little disorganized and overwhelmed it can be tempting to believe the answer lies in somebody else’s “tried and true” approach. The reality is that what works for one person rarely works for everybody else, and that’s ok. The...2020-11-2426 min
Inside JobTrust Yourself to Feel At WorkHow many of us have been told to “tone it down” at work? How many of us have bought into the old cliché that, “the consummate professional is cool, measured, calm, and reserved.” We call B.S. At the Inside Job Podcast we believe that emotions are important signals and that we can be trusted to learn to use them well. Emotions can lead individuals, and their organizations, to be more human and more effective. The work that needs to be done is to learn how to notice one’s emotions, regulate the natural reaction/response mec...2020-11-1724 min
Inside JobTrust Yourself to Make Sense of FeedbackHave you received the gift of feedback? Eric and Nayla are big believers in the power of feedback to help us understand how we’re perceived by others, what we’re doing well, and what we can do differently at work. This week, in line with our November theme, we’re exploring how we get better at trusting ourselves to make sense of feedback that comes our way. First, we offer that we must trust ourselves to think feedback through before reacting or responding. It is not a fact that every piece of feedback we get is accurate...2020-11-1022 min
Inside JobTrust Yourself More Than the ExpertsNovember’s podcast theme is how we learn to trust ourselves more than the “experts”. In this week’s episode we introduce the topic of “expert” advice and talk about why we are so drawn to their voices – often unreasonably so. We talk about why we listen to what they have to say, and why it’s hard to make sense of all of the external voices. Nayla asks us to remember that it is the full time job of most experts to advocate for, and perpetuate, a particular state of life, and that it can be enough to pull a...2020-11-0324 min
Inside JobHow We're Really Feeling Right NowWelcome to the collective exhaustion. The biggest cliché of our time is how hard 2020 has been. And yet, that cliché turns out to be true. How many times have we said: all things considered, we’re fine!! This week, Nayla and Eric are done pretending it’s all fine. Sometimes, we just need to vent. Let it out. (We sure do, for nearly ten minutes). Then, we start to explore some ideas to move ourselves forward. We talk about taking one step or action at a time. Maybe it’s a walk outside, defr...2020-10-2718 min
Inside JobWhen Workplace Relationships Go SouthWe cover three things we think of truths when it comes to workplace relationships in pain: Some workplace conflict is inevitable Sometimes we work with people who act like jerks Sometimes we act like jerks The workplace is full of decisions, tradeoffs, pressures and high stakes, and many of these are associated with strong emotions, and sometimes, conflict. When conflict happens, many of us feel hurt, disappointed, even targeted, which rubs up against our human desire to have harmony and get along at work. Is that always the goal? We ask our clients (and ourselves) about the co...2020-10-2030 min
Inside JobThe Pros and Cons of Friendship at WorkWe can agree that having friends at work helps us stay engaged, productive and satisfied with what we do all day. It’s so important that the most commonly used employee engagement survey asks respondents to weigh in on having a best friend at work. We discover new opportunities, get valuable – often unfiltered feedback – and grow because of our true connections on the job. Friendships at work build culture, lead to great collaboration and innovation, and fun! And yet… friendship at work can be complicated. We explore this in greater detail in our latest episode. Eric leads...2020-10-1326 min
Inside JobWhy You Need A Personal Board of DirectorsIn this episode we talk about the concept of a Personal Board of Directors (or a personal committee) – the group of influential teachers, managers, friends and colleagues (even heroes) who offer us a new way of exploring, managing and shaping the decisions we make as leaders and humans. We also offer the ideas that our Boards are comprised of people we know, and also people we’ve never met, as well as teammates, kids and other people in our lives. Eric talks about a former manager, John Hickson, to whom one of our favorite lines: “A lack of clarit...2020-10-0627 min
Inside JobThe Lies We Tell Ourselves Part 2In this episode – the second of two parts on the topic of lies humans tell ourselves – both Eric and Nayla share a lie/story that frequently show up in our clients. Eric talks about the lessons from a client who believes he is being unfairly passed over for promotion. We explore the myth that great work will be rewarded simply because it’s so good (as we define it) and the roles that both performance and potential play in the reward system. We also contrast the difference between what one accomplishes from how they accomplish it, and how th...2020-09-2927 min
Inside JobThe Lies We Tell Ourselves Part 1Some of the hardest obstacles we have to overcome as leaders of ourselves are the lies that we tell ourselves. These lies are deeply woven into our belief systems, serve as both detractors and motivators, and are often the cause of many of our blind spots. The lies we tell ourselves are typically born when we are young, and feature prominently in our origin stories. To understand these lies requires that we examine our beliefs, both past and present, and review where our experiences conflict with our expectations. In this episode – the first of two pa...2020-09-2225 min
Inside JobYou Only Think You Want More ControlAn old Stoic philosophy says, “The only thing you have control over is how you respond to your circumstances.” While that is absolutely true, it’s also a deeply unsatisfying response to give someone when they say, “I feel helpless” or “I feel out of control.” In this episode of the Inside Job Podcast we discuss the topic of control, and the fact that our clients and colleagues are often struggling with something deeper when they express these feelings. We contrast the desire for control with the need for clarity, and how having the courage to make a deci...2020-09-1524 min
Inside JobThe Myth of Work-Life BalanceIn this episode, we address the popular concept of work-life balance, and why it is often misunderstood and is an unintentional source of stress. (Plus you get to hear Eric react to the phrase itself – priceless.) The bottom line is that for most of us escaping work isn’t possible anymore. We discuss why the idea of “balance” is misleading or unattainable, and how it can sometimes even set us up for failure. We pivot and instead discuss the question, “how do I create the right amount of time and space in my life for all of the...2020-09-0821 min
Inside JobWhen Your Options Aren’t What You ExpectedThere are at least two truths when it comes to careers: progression is rarely linear, and reality often fails to meet our expectations. When faced with these truths we can experience frustration, anxiety, and disappointment; we can also feel like our options are limited and are forcing us to compromise or settle. In this week’s episode, we discuss how to make sense of career choices when what we expect and what we get are two different things. We talk about needs vs. values, how to balance short term and long term gains, and the im...2020-09-0120 min
Inside JobThe Value of a Clean BreakActual quote from episode 22: “I think some of the best episodes we have are when we take the leash off of Eric’s ego and just let it lead us into the forest of wonderment.” He’s kind of a big deal (in his own mind). We did that, and yes wonderment ensued -- all the way into the effin’ sunset. In a previous episode we talked about knowing when it’s time to leave, and this week we build on that idea by exploring how to exit with a clean break. Spoiler alert: it’s so much easier sa...2020-08-2520 min
Inside JobYour Boss Is Not a SorcererAt some point, we all think our manager should *know* what we need, what we want, and what it takes to bring out the best in us. But how can they know if we never share that information, or even know ourselves well enough to know what drives us? Our managers may be our coaches, mentors and people we truly value, but they are not mind readers or sorcerers. We make the case that it is OUR role as employees to know what we need, and to talk to our bosses about it so they have a better chance...2020-08-1827 min
Inside JobWhat We Love to Hate About EmailIt’s really easy to complain about how much we hate email because we get so much of it. It overwhelms us, delays us and infuriates us. Let’s get beyond the complaining to understand that we can do about this. We dive a little deeper – what are the professional habits that lead us to overuse this tool – laziness, fear of conflict, lack of accountability? And, when is email useful and enjoyable? Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson. To learn more about us and our wo...2020-08-1125 min
Inside JobWhat Are You Moving Towards?We’ve talked about who you know when it’s time to leave a job or professional situation, but how much do you know about how to explore what could be next? We discuss some of the ways we have managed our own exploration about our next steps, from daydreaming, to values and skills assessment, to enlisting the support of others. We hope this will motivate our listeners who feel stuck or bred at work to start the process of determining what they are heading towards. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and E...2020-08-0430 min
Inside JobTo Gripe or Not to GripeWhen is it okay to complain about work? To whom? What is the difference between griping, unloading, advocating and expressing our true feelings at work? We talk about the emotional hot potatoes at work and the things we do to relieve our own pressure that are constructive and less constructive. We talk about the draw of drama and griping and work, and how we have to learn to manage our instincts to fall for the quick sugar fix and instead seek substantial understanding, empathy and problem solving from the situations that evoke high emotion. Inside Job...2020-07-2830 min
Inside JobKnowing When It's Time to LeaveHow do you know when is enough is enough? What are the signs and signals that tell you it’s time to move on professionally? We talk about the importance of noticing when boredom or resentment at work, or skepticism about your organization are pieces of information telling us we need a change. We explore the need to identify not only what we’re moving away from, but also what we’re moving towards as a next step (more on this in a future episode). We also offer some strategies about how to engage stakeholders and thought partners in your e...2020-07-2126 min
Inside JobHandling the Workplace BombshellsEver been blindsided by a piece of professional news, an organizational change or tough feedback? We have, and nearly everyone we know has been unpleasantly surprised at some point at work. We talk about the different kinds of workplace bombshells and what you can do to manage your reactions and maybe even minimize the impact. We also offer some ideas about what you can do to be more aware of both of what’s happening organizationally and what’s happening to you in your mind when you get tough news. Inside Job is brought to you by...2020-07-1431 min
Inside JobThe Magic of Asking for HelpWhy is it so hard to ask for real help when we need it, especially at work? We talk about the messages of perfection, expertise, reputation and looking like we’ve got it under control. Sometimes even knowing how to ask for help when the overwhelm is great seems like more work than we can handle. We offer a few thoughts on how we can enlist the support of people around us, give ourselves the freedom to focus by delegating, and even develop others along the way. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bah...2020-07-0721 min
Inside JobChallenging the Scarcity MindsetWhat if there aren’t enough opportunities, time and money? Don’t we all have days where we worry that there just isn’t enough to go around? We talk about the limiting beliefs around scarcity, the ironies of how these beliefs that are meant to protect us from losing things we value actually trap us, and some ideas (including one of Nayla’s favorites – data collection) to wrest yourself free of this mind trap. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson. To learn more about us and our w...2020-06-3029 min
Inside JobYou're Readier Than You Believe You AreHave you ever heard yourself say: I’d love to do that (apply for that job, ask for that promotion, launch that personal project…) but I’m just not ready? In the first in a series of conversations about limiting beliefs, we explore the ways in which aiming for an ideal of ‘readiness’ for what’s next can hold us back from taking chances, from asking for what we want, or seeing how much we’ve already accomplished. We explore how systems of measurement can lead to outdated forms of self-assessment, how comparison keeps us trapped, and how we don’t have to g...2020-06-2330 min
Inside JobThe Surprisingly Good Significant Gains of Working From HomeThere are a number of things we thought we’d lose when we were sent to work from home…creativity, collaboration, community…Eric and Nayla talk about the steps they’ve taken to mitigate some of these losses. We also explore the surprising gains of being home full time. We talk about using Zoom to build rather than bore, Artists Dates, and the joy of experiencing someone else’s toddler on the phone. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson. To learn more about us and our work, visit...2020-06-1625 min
Inside JobExhausted? Examine Your BoundariesOh, boundaries… are any of us handling them well? Exhaustion, resentment, stress (not to mention doing three things at once and neglecting our non-negotiables) are all the signals that our boundaries need some strengthening. We talk about people-pleasing, saying yes when we mean to say no, and the ways in which we’re telling ourselves this is what work requires. We also explore the origin stories we all carry about what giving more and more of ourselves does for us, and offer a few points of entry to rewrite some healthier stories. Inside Job is brought...2020-06-0929 min
Inside JobWhen Work Breaks Your HeartWork can hurt. Maybe it’s a layoff or firing, maybe it’s a professional disappointment or a plan that doesn’t work out. Our instincts and our culture tell us that we should get back to work – it’s just a job after all – figuring out what’s next. We know though, that there’s a time to experience the feelings and learn from them. Nayla and Eric talk about their own work heartbreak, and offer some ideas of how to understand how the pain can teach us about what matters to us. They also talk about the importance of sitti...2020-05-2625 min
Inside JobCreating (And Updating) Your CrewEric and Nayla talk about building and expanding their networks of colleagues and friends through some of their new work and personal interests. This opens a conversation about the high value of having strong, restorative relationships with people who challenge us, open us to new ways of thinking, and support us. We talk about the people on our board of directors (our closest network), the people we’re just getting to know, and the sometimes awkward need to put some old relationships aside if they are no longer bringing out the best in us. And, we talk about Eddie Vedde...2020-05-1921 min
Inside JobDon’t Feel Guilty if Works Feels GoodThere’s a dominant storyline around work being something we endure out of necessity. Think of the images of the workplaces in pop culture, shows, movies and even songs – work suffers from a reputation problem. At the Inside Job, we think it’s great to feel good at work, and to learn from the moments where we experience flow, productivity and positive emotions. We talk through some the guilt we might experience when you feel good at work when others around you have a lot to complain about. We offer our listeners a chance to update their existing narratives so the...2020-05-1222 min
Inside JobThe Worst Advice Eric Ever GaveIn our roles as coaches, teachers and leaders in higher education and business, Eric and Nayla are often asked for advice. It’s part of the job, and a rewarding part of the job, to share our insights and learnings with the people who trust us. Yet, we both know that during a long career, it’s possible that we’ve given advice that we wish we hadn’t. Today we talk about Eric’s advice to ‘find work that aligns with your passion’, and why that guidance now gives us pause. We explore the questions of discovering and honoring your pa...2020-05-0522 min
Bahri Karacay ile BilimKorona (Corona) Pandemisinde Son GelişmelerPodcastimin bu bölümünde, corona pandemisi ile ilgili son gelişmelerden, ilaç ve aşı geliştirmede elde edilen ümit verici sonuçlardan bahsediyorum. Merhaba Bahri Karaçay ile bilim programıma hoşgeldiniz! Bu programda, korona virüs…2020-05-0414 min
Inside JobGuidance If You Are Laid OffIn the midst of this global crisis of Spring 2020, we’re facing record unemployment and the distressing prospect of more layoffs ahead. Today, Nayla shares some of the insights she’s gained in her study and work with professionals who were laid off in the 2008 Recession and since. We focus on the ideas of balancing the need to manage the practical realities of layoff (insurance, cost-cutting measures, unemployment measures) with the opportunity for a thoughtful reset of your career plan. We discuss why we prioritize intentional mindset management (the inside job), reflection and planning, and how your network can help yo...2020-04-2818 min
Inside JobGuidance for Graduating Students in Spring 2020Students graduating from college or graduate school in the Spring of 2020 are facing a different global economy than they (or anyone) was expecting. We offer a glimpse into the guidance Eric is offering his students graduating from a top US business school that we think is relevant for anyone completing their studies this year. We offer both mindset and practical tips for opening your options, intelligent networking, and taking the pivots this time requires. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson. To learn more about us and...2020-04-2117 min
Inside JobYour Job Title Is Not Your IdentityWe share our stories of our personal experiences of being too attached to our job titles, and what we had to do to create professional identities that are based less on our titles, more on our work itself. We argue that while our titles can offer access and signal achievement in our career, they can also limit our sense of creativity and imagination when it’s time for a change. Practical ideas of how to work on the distinction between you and your job title included. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and E...2020-04-1428 min
Inside JobWork Worth DoingIs work supposed to make us happy? Or is work supposed to mean something else? We introduce the idea that we are in a relationship with the work we do, and how we believe that idea sets us up to derive greater meaning from work. Knowing how to create meaning at work comes from practice in really understanding ourselves, our needs and our values, so we introduce a few ideas to help listeners gain clarity on what matters to them in order to create a stronger relationship with work. Inside Job is brought to you b...2020-04-0731 min
Inside JobInside Managing Job Uncertainty During A Global CrisisWe share some early thoughts about how to navigate and take some action if you’re feeling job insecurity during a period of rapid change. We offer a number of strategies and ideas of how to use the time you have to both reflect and take action. We talk about effective networking during difficult times, researching companies or leaders you admire during this time, and some thoughts on using social media (especially LinkedIn) to explore and contribute to what’s happening at work right now. Also, we encourage you to remember that even if work is happening at home – we’re...2020-03-3119 min
Inside JobInside Our First Reactions to Working From Home Full TimeWe talk about the first reactions we’re having in our professional and personal lives as we adjust to the realities of staying home in Spring 2020. We talk about the criticality of reaching out and connecting, even as circumstances having us staying at home, apart from one another. We talk about some of the actions we’re taking – including honest, vulnerable conversations with friends, taking one action (even imperfect) to move things forward with things feel chaotic and ambiguous, and designing the self-care that you need. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eri...2020-03-3116 min
Inside JobWelcome to the Inside Job PodcastMost of us will spend more hours of our life working than doing anything else. Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson introduce their personal journeys to have healthier, more productive and conscious relationships with work. Our commitment is that these conversations will offer honest insight into our own exploration of how we are learning to relate better to work, as well as practical learnings and actions that all listeners can experiment with right away. Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson. To learn more about us and ou...2020-03-2307 minBahri Karacay ile BilimCorona virüsü (Korona virüsü; Covid-19) ile ilgili son gelişmelerBahri Karaçay ile Bilim programımın bu bölümünde Corona virüsü (Covid-19 veya Korona virüsü) hakkında elde edilen son gelişmeleri sizlere aktarıyorum. Programda virüsten korunmak için neler yapabileceğimizden, hasta olmamız durumunda nasıl…2020-03-1614 minBahri Karacay ile BilimÇin Wuhan Korona (Corona) VirüsüMerhaba, Bahri Karaçay ile Bilim programımın yeni bölümüne hoşgeldiniz. Bu programda Corona virüsü ile ilgili son gelişmelerden bahsedeceğim. Benden korona virüsü ile ilgili bilgi aktarmamı isteyenleriniz oldu. Aslında başlangıçta acaba…2020-02-0308 min