Inside Job: Recent Episodes
Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson
We’re Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson, and we love to talk about the intersection of life and work. Why? Most of us will spend more hours of our life working than doing anything else. The relationship we have with work, and the way we make meaning of our time and experience there, serves as a great platform to explore how we show up to the rest of our lives: relationships, family and parenting, our health, our hobbies and interests, and our general attitude towards the human experience. With insights and observations pulled from our leadership and career coaching, teaching and consulting work, as well as the most relevant research across fields, we’ll talk about the ideas that really impact how you experience work – and your life – and actionable strategies to make work work for you, from the inside out.
We tend to work with a lot of people who believe they’re incredibly self-aware, and it can be a little hard to break through when they’re actually not as self-aware as they think they are.
As result of this, we’ve realized that taking personal responsibility is one of the more difficult things to coach our clients on. So, we figured it was time to bring this topic to the podcast in case you’re maybe not as self-aware as you think.
In this episode, we want to dive into the topic of taking personal responsibility by showing you how to see the different ways you may be contributing to a problem, how to not get in your own way, and how to not be that person.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Are our fantasies our actual goals or do they represent something deeper?
Whether it’s drooling over #vanlife renovations on Instagram, or daydreaming of reading a book in our private library while overlooking a picturesque garden, or being jealous of the CEO on the cover an industry-leading magazine, we all have fantasies about the life or things we wish could have.
Sometimes those fantasies grow from a want to what feels like a need. But, does that mean we should burn it all down and chase after those daydreams?
In this episode, we explore the idea of what our daydreams and fantasies are really telling us, how we can gain clarity around them, and whether or not we should try to make them a reality.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
“I don’t want to be a jerk, but …”
This is a phrase we’ve said both at work and in our personal lives. At this point, it’s become a default phrase in our vocabularies, and we’re guessing the same goes for you.
On the Inside Job podcast this week, we’re diving into why we call ourselves a jerk for doing things that really aren’t that bad, whether or not we’re actually being a jerk when we stand up for something or we represent an alternative point of view, and where our opportunity is to correct our behavior if we are truly being a jerk.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Eric Johnson, Nayla BahriShould we really leave our emotions at the door?
The inspiration for this week’s episode comes from one of Nayla’s clients who feels angry and frustrated after a recent merger and feels like she can’t take those emotions into the workplace.
At the end of the day, work is personal. So, we want to take a deep dive into the topic of sharing your feelings at work in case you’ve had similar struggles with knowing how to handle emotions in the workplace.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Is a lack of clarity costing you dearly?
This week’s topic is one of Eric’s favorites. It’s something that’s been brought up a fair amount on the podcast while discussing other things, but we want to make it the focal point now.
Specifically, we want to dig into what we mean by clarity, how to generate better clarity for yourself and others, and what might be the obstacle to asking for or offering clarity.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
A “hostile” chat about dried fruit kicks off our episode this week and leads us into a conversation about difficult discussions.
We know from our experiences with our coaching clients, that many of you are likely either avoiding having a difficult conversation or are unsure how to go about having the conversation.
We want to help you overcome whatever is holding you back from finally having that difficult conversation by doing a deep dive of some of the principles we use in these situations.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
What do you do when your new hire seems like a perfect fit during the hiring process but it’s clear it’s not working out when they get into the role?
Or, you put all your eggs into the career track basket you thought would get you promoted, but you find yourself plateauing?
Or, you’ve invested significant resources into launching a new product and the reception is underwhelming?
We all like to think we know how to handle things when our plans go sideways, but our experiences and those we’ve coached our clients through have repeatedly proven that’s not the case.
So, we’re taking the time this week to dive into the various ways we can respond to setbacks, the questions you can ask yourself to help you reframe the situation, and what you can learn from those experience to help you in the future.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Horror movie franchises, Florida State University’s 2024 football season, and prioritization might seem like they have nothing in common, but the connection leads us into our discussion this week about how to feel okay if you find your priorities changing.
When we set long-term career goals for ourselves, we might find that our priorities have changed by the time we see those realized.
Do you owe it to the prior version of yourself who put in the work to achieve that goal to see it through? Do know how to evaluate if you’re truly making a decision about your priorities based on what you want or based on the influence of others? What does it mean about you if your career is no longer your main priority?
We dig into all these questions and more in this week’s episode to help you begin the process of reprioritizing in a way that feels good to you.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Are you lazy if you don’t hustle?
Are you going to burn out more quickly or easily if you do try to hustle?
Ask any seasoned professional what they think of their younger counterparts and you’ll almost certainly hear about how they don’t work as hard or put in as much effort as people used to.
Do a Google search for the word “hustle” and you’ll see item after item talking about how hustle culture is toxic.
So, what should we strive for in the workplace? Hustling and working toward the rewards that come with it or taking a more laid-back approach and going a more sustainable path?
In this episode, we’re diving into this nuanced topic and doing our best to figure out a way to hustle without harm.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Was your career path your choice or someone else’s?
If it wasn’t entirely your choice, is it too late to change things?
Even though this episode is being released in September, we recorded it while the Olympics were still going, and we think the athletes participating in the games are a great example of our topic for this episode. They personify exactly what can happen when you ignore the other voices and choose to follow your passions.
In terms of our careers, choosing to go along with others instead of choosing a path for ourselves can look like having a career trajectory we never planned on and might not even want.
In this episode, we cover how to evaluate what we actually want and how to course correct if we discover we’ve been letting others make our choices for us.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Welcome back to the Inside Job podcast!
After taking our first break in four years of doing this podcast, we’re feeling equal parts rusty and excited to get back into the swing of things. And we’re grateful you’re here with us to experience both.
Part of the reason we decided to take that break was the feeling of burnout we were reaching. Now that we’ve been away for two and a half months, we want to check-in with ourselves to see if taking some time off actually helped the way we thought it would and share the biggest takeaways so you can determine if a break would be beneficial for you.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Summer is around the corner and that brings us to an announcement relating to the podcast. Take a listen to this quick episode to find out why we’re taking a break after not missing a week in over four years, what we’ll be doing over the coming months, what we hope you can learn from our break, how you can stay in touch with us, and when you can expect to get new episodes of the podcast.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
In one of our recent debriefs of how things are going with our coaching practices, we realized at least two sessions in the span of one week focused on the theme of it’s not me, it’s you when it comes to our clients dealing with the leadership teams at their organizations.
We’ve all thought someone else was responsible for things going wrong, negative feedback we’ve received, deadlines getting missed, etc. when the real responsibility lay with us. It’s just the nature of being human.
Our Inside Job, is to take a deeper look at why we’re casting the blame on someone else, what our resistance to taking responsibility means, and how we use that information to grow in the future.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Even though we only just met our guest for the first time a few weeks ago, we’ve quickly discovered we have a lot in common and knew we just had to have him join us on the podcast.
Jeff Wetzler has been on a quarter-century quest to transform learning opportunities. Blending a unique set of leadership experiences in the fields of business and education, he’s pursued this quest as a management consultant to the world’s top corporations, as a learning facilitator for leaders around the world, as Chief Learning Officer at Teach For America, and most recently, as co-CEO of Transcend, a nationally recognized innovation organization.
Jeff is also the author of Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs In Leadership and Life.
Jeff is on the show this week to share his book and his philosophy and framework for making all of us better askers so we can tap into the hidden wisdom of the people around us.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Have you ever thought to yourself, “This job would be so much better if it weren’t for the people?”
When one of Eric’s clients jokingly said this in a recent discussion, they shared a laugh about it. However, Eric later realized it’s not only something he hears often from his clients, but something he’s also said himself in the past.
We thought it would be a good idea to dig deeper into this sentiment on the podcast, but we want to look at it from the perspective of having customers or clients. Businesses need them to be successful, but so many of us wish we could do business without them and the negative things they bring to our workday.
Since we can’t all pull a Henry David Thoreau and live alone in a cabin for years at a time, let’s explore how we can protect ourselves from the naysayers.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’re delighted today to be joined by a guest who is going to help demystify the world of executive search and recruiting. This is an area that we hear from you guys about with questions all the time, and it’s an area that we honestly feel we could use a little more education in as well.
Tory Clarke is a Founder and Managing Partner of Bridge Partners, a retained executive search firm. UK-born Tory has lived in New York for twenty-four years and fell into the world of executive search after graduating with an MA from the University of Edinburgh.
Whether you’re part of an organization looking to hire or you’re an individual looking for a new role, this is one episode you don’t want to miss.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Is it possible to change someone’s perspective of you?
If so, how do you do it?
Nayla’s recently had conversations with several clients about changing other people’s perceptions of us and we’ve realized this comes up a lot in our coaching practices so it’s time we covered it on the show.
Nayla even gets vulnerable and shares an example of feedback she received early in her career that she avoided addressing at first and what she learned from that experience.
If you’ve ever been given less-than-ideal feedback and you want to change what people think of you, or you’re responsible for providing feedback to members of your organization, this is one episode you don’t want to miss.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’re pleased to be joined today by Lesley Jane Seymour who’s going to be talking to us about the concept of reinventing yourself.
Lesley has been the Editor-in-Chief of multiple magazines including More, Marie Claire, and Redbook. When her illustrious career in the magazine world came to an end, she was forced to reinvent herself.
Lesley has since turned her reinvention story into a company called CoveyClub, which supports women with both their career and personal reinventions.
It’s easy to see just from this quick bio exactly why we thought she would be the perfect person to talk to about the reinvention of self and we hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
None of us are immune to feeling angry, but do we express it in a healthy and constructive way that minimizes the negative impact on those we work with?
A recent experience with one of Eric’s clients has led to us tackling the topic of anger in the workplace from not just one angle, but two on this week’s episode of the podcast.
Not only did this client’s experience inspire this episode, but it also inspired us to take a hard look at how we handle our own anger that arises in our work. We invite you to listen to this episode so we can all do this inner work together and create healthier workplaces.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Ever since our conversation last week with Maricella Herrera, we’ve been talking nonstop amongst ourselves and those around us about what can be learned as a result of making big decisions in our lives; more specifically the decision to quit our job.
As part of these conversations, we realized our clients frequently express a fantasy about quitting their jobs. So, today, we want to explore where the fantasy might end and reality begins as you consider even just the fantasy of quitting your job.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
Nayla’s former student and current friend, Maricella Herrera, joins us on the podcast this week to chat about her experience quitting a job and what she’s learned interviewing people on her podcast called, Sht I Just Quit My Job*.
Maricella is also a strategy consultant and advisor for mission-driven companies who has more than fifteen years of experience building communities. Lately, she’s been on a mission to bring more empathy and courage to the world and she believes honestly sharing our stories, especially around quitting our jobs, is a way to do just that.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
It’s our nature to want to feel irreplaceable and that can bring up some complicated emotions whenever we hear how our former departments or organizations are holding up after we vacate a role.
In fact, a recent experience with one of Eric’s clients where the workplace fell apart after she was promoted to a new role is what inspired him to suggest this week’s topic to Nayla.
The realization that Nayla had a client who experienced the opposite situation but was left with the same emotions is why we’re sharing the topic with you on the podcast this week.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We know you’ll find this shocking, but Eric has some strong opinions on this week’s topic, and it might even lead to a rant or two.
A recent meeting with the owner of his son’s racing team inspired this episode where we’re diving into what you do when you feel like you’re not being heard.
This is something we’ve all dealt with in the workplace… likely more than once. So, take a few minutes to listen to us as we share our insights on how to evaluate all sides of the conversation when you feel like people just aren’t listening to you.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
In this week’s episode of the Inside Job podcast, we’re building off an interesting experience Eric had recently with a LinkedIn post where he shared an article about how to get a resume past applicant tracking systems that did not go the way he anticipated.
In fact, the response to that post has us both reflecting on what we think it means to be a good professional citizen. If you’re wondering that as well, or even what we mean when we use the term “professional citizen,” then don’t miss this episode!
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
The latest Green Day album kicks off our conversation today about expectations.
If something fails to meet our expectations, that doesn’t always mean we set them too high, we need to lower them in the future, or we need to overcompensate to make easier for others to meet our expectations. What it might mean instead is that we need to change how we think about our expectations and that, of course, is an inside job.
Take a listen to this week’s episode of the podcast to find out what type of inner work we should be doing and whether that Green Day album exceeded expectations or fell short.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
It’s been a little while since we’ve taken listener questions, but we’ve received a few here lately that were really good, so we wanted to take the time to answer two of them on the show this week.
The first question is something that Nayla recently had some personal experience with when she spent about six weeks helping to care for her ailing mother, and the other question is something we’ve all likely thought about doing at some point or another in our careers.
You also don’t want to miss yet another riveting conversation about candy corn; this time with a Will Ferrell twist.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you have ghosts of work past?
No, we’re not talking about the kind of ghost that comes to you covered in chains and leads you around in your old-timey nightshirt trying to get you to be less of a jerk.
Our ghosts are people, events, locations, behaviors, feelings, etc. that we associate with previous jobs or careers that show up for us long after we physically leave them behind.
These ghosts of work are more than likely negatively impacting your performance and your relationships with your colleagues. That’s why we think it’s time to break out the candles and have a metaphorical séance with these ghosts so you can stop letting them hinder your success at work.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you consider a coworker lazy if they clock-in, do the bare minimum, and clock out?
Are you telling yourself a story about their motivations without knowing what they actually are?
A recent experience Eric had with a client who came to terms with the fact they were being judgmental of their coworkers, led to the realization that most of us carry a lot of judgment around at work and in our personal lives.
This is something we regularly try to help our clients gain a new perspective of, and we figured it was time to bring it to you on the podcast this week.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Both of us had the chance to experience boredom on recent trips, and it sparked the idea for this week’s episode of the podcast because boredom sometimes gets a bad reputation.
Boredom also comes up quite often in our work with our clients. They’re usually not sure what it means or what they’re supposed to do about it. It’s precisely those topics we want to dive into today so we can figure out what a healthy relationship with boredom looks like for you.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
If you want to be more successful, you just need to work harder… right?
Asking what success means or looks like for you is one of the most foundational questions you can ask yourself. It’s something we work on often with our clients and something we frequently redefine for ourselves. Take a listen to this week’s episode to find out our thoughts on how success should be measured.
Plus, you don’t want to miss how we manage to discuss spending Christmas in a hotel room, fending off an alligator with a frying pan, and an Arizona dirtbag ala The Good Place all within the first five minutes of the show.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
New year, new… goals?
In this first episode of 2024, we reflect on the goals, or questions, we set for ourselves going into 2023. Did we achieve them? Did we under or overestimate the barriers to accomplishing our goals? Are we setting the same goals in 2024 or are we changing things up?
We also explore some of the themes we noticed while working with our clients on their goals in 2023 and what our movie of choice would be if we spent the night in the last remaining Blockbuster that, apparently, has been listed Airbnb in the past for $4/night.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Here at The Inside Job Podcast, we a love a good year-end review. So, of course, we had to wrap up 2023 with one of our own.
In this special episode, we recap the last year of the podcast and what it’s held for us, what it’s taught us, the things we’re still thinking about, our expressions of gratitude, and some things to help you catch up if you’ve fallen a little behind on the episodes.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Are you using the end of the year to reflect on what it’s been like and what you want out of 2024?
Is it time to channel your inner Jerry Maguire and write a mission statement?
As the title of the episode suggests, we’re talking about manifestos, mission statements, and declaration. More specifically, how and whether they have a place in our personal practices of tuning into ourselves, setting goals for ourselves, and just generally tending to ourselves.
We also share some examples of how this topic has shown up on our own work lately and the related exercises we take our clients through.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Why are we so tired all the time?
Why aren’t we getting the rest and care we need to help ourselves feel more energized?
In almost every conversation with a client, exhaustion is sitting there with us and part of the conversation. Sure, we can blame the pandemic, the state of the world, etc. But, this show is called The Inside Job, after all, so let’s explore that.
In this episode, we try to understand what could be going on, what we’re seeing in our client’s lives and in our own lives, and what we think we can start to explore or experiment with to start getting different outcomes.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Is happiness a destination you strive to reach?
Does an overly positive social media post make you want to throat-punch someone?
For about a year now, Eric has been wanting to talk about toxic positivity on the show, and it’s an idea we’ve tossed around quite a bit before deciding to finally bring it to you on the podcast this week.
We ultimately decided to start the conversation by talking about the stories and advice we hear specifically about the power of mindset, and how it can get confusing, confounded, and pretty damaging.
We also dive into the role happiness should play in our lives and work.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Erica Keswin was just named for the Wallstreet Journal Bestseller list… again. She’s a former management consultant turned workplace strategist who helps companies improve their overall company performance through people.
Erica’s third book, The Retention Revolution, was just released and she calls it the final piece of the human workplace trilogy. The throughline of her books is that creating a more human workplace is not only good for people but it’s also good for business, and her passion is to give organizational leaders a roadmap to do just that.
Erica’s here to talk to us today about her work and how we think of the new world of work.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, we’re doing something a little different on the podcast this week. We’re borrowing from the Atomic Habits author, James Clear, and changing the format of the show to a 3-2-1 style.
In this episode, we share some pieces of media that have resonated with or inspired us recently, a few things we're grateful for, and an idea that we’ll be focusing on for the rest of this year and into 2024.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
When is enough when it comes to quitting, ending, or leaving something?
This week’s episode comes from recent conversations Nayla’s had with two different friends who are experiencing a difficult year in their business and are wondering if it’s time to close up shop. In fact, those conversations mirrored other ones she’s had recently with her coaching clients who are unsure if it’s time to move on from their current corporate role or not.
The question of when enough is enough becomes even more difficult to answer when things aren’t catastrophically broken. How do you when it’s time to leave a role when it’s good, but not great? Let’s explore this topic together.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
A recent conversation with a client about their struggle to meet the goals they set for this year helped us come to some realizations about the goals we all set for ourselves.
Since we know this is the time of year when people start to reflect on whether or not they met their 2023 goals, we figured this would be the perfect time to share what we see when people are frustrated by the goals they set for themselves and offer some guidance to help you get back on track if you’re not achieving your goals.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Al Dea is the Host of The Edge of Work podcast, a former management consultant, and currently a talent development consultant.
Al’s belief in the power of people led to the work he does today where he helps companies attract and develop talent and creates leadership programs to help those leaders rise to their potential.
In our conversation with Al, we discuss the importance of relationships at work. More specifically, we dive into how to build relationships that feel honest, true, and meaningful while avoiding some of the more icky sides of relationship building or networking.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
If you’re a listener of this show, you’ve likely asked yourself how you can become better in some way.
This topic was inspired by a few different sources; questions we’ve received from listeners over the years and tough conversations we’ve had to have with our clients.
So, if you want to know how you can become better or be more coachable, take a listen to the practical tips we have for you in this week’s episode.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you work hard and play hard?
Has that way of doing things led to feelings of exhaustion or problems in the workplace?
In episode 181, we referenced a report on The U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being, and we haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.
As a result, we’re pulling from that report again today as we focus on a couple of things that have come up in our recent coaching sessions with our clients.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What do you do when life starts getting a little too lifey?
How do you use lifey those moments to help make things easier or better after things calm down?
In the year since Eric shared the expression, “Sometimes life gets a little lifey,” Nayla’s said it about 6,000 times. This week was no exception, and it’s the inspiration for this episode.
This week, we want to talk about some exercises we can do to help us cope when life gets to lifey, how to evaluate your relationship with work during these times, and how we can use the clarity of these moments to help us be better prepared for the next time it happens.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What if I, as an employee, feel like I don’t matter?
As a leader who wants their team to feel like they matter, how do I create an environment that fosters that feeling?
This episode was inspired by not only our clients who ask us these types of questions on a regular basis, but also by a GQ interview with a member of the band Blink 182 and recommendations from the U.S. Surgeon General about workplace wellbeing.
Take a listen to this week’s episode to discover why that GQ interview stood out, the five elements the Surgeon General says we need for wellbeing in the workplace, and our answers to the two questions above.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This week, we’re continuing our conversation with the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Design Gym, Andy Hagerman.
In this conclusion to our conversation, we discuss what it really takes to become inspired and get creative when solving a problem in our work or lives, and how all the tools from design thinking can help us take care of our mental health and overall wellbeing.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Our guest this week and next is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Design Gym, Andy Hagerman. The Design Gym is a boutique, independent innovation and strategy consultancy that has been helping organizations unleash the potential of their staff for more than a decade.
Nayla and Andy met years ago through a mutual friend, and he’s worked with some of Nayla’s students and organizations over the years.
In part one of our conversation with Andy, we discuss how design thinking, and that process, can help us identify better problems, how we can use empathy and perspective-taking to make sure we’re solving the right problems as it pertains to coaching, our careers, and leadership.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This episode was inspired by a recent conversation Eric had with his tattoo artist while he was getting his latest tattoo. The artist struggles with back problems and has found that he isn’t allowing himself the time to heal because he feels like he needs to keep grinding at work.
What was especially interesting about this conversation was the same points were brought up by our clients who regularly work on the weekends, refuse to take all their vacation days, or power through the exhaustion day in and day out.
The conversation also made it clear that it’s time for us to tackle this topic here on the podcast and dig deeper into the role that work is playing in your healing process.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
We think it’s fair to say that since the start of social media, we’ve all dealt with somewhat of an epidemic of cynicism. But, what happens when it seeps into the workplace?
While we’ve been kicking this idea around as a podcast topic for a while now, we’ve both had clients recently share how cynicism has been part of the narrative in their careers, so we figured it was time to address this issue head-on.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This week’s topic came to us in the form of multiple questions from our listeners and clients about time. One form these questions often come in usually start with, “How long do I have to …”
You can finish that question with things like how long do I have to stay in a role, how long do I have to wait to get news about this promotion, or how long do I have to keep someone on my team who’s giving a mixed performance?
Another form these questions about time can start with is, “Is there a right time to …”
That version of the question can be finished with is there a right time to stay, is there a right time to go, or is there a right time to take action on something within the organization?
What these questions boil down to is… how much is timing a factor in my choices?
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What do you do when you see someone in your workplace exhibiting behaviors that make you uncomfortable?
We’ve all had a boss who thought yelling was an effective form of communication, a coworker who used aggressive tactics in order to get what they wanted, or a team member who decided to expense some personal items.
Bad behaviors are often tolerated in the workplace, but doing so can lead to far greater problems down the line.
That’s why, in this episode, we’re exploring how to handle the bad behaviors of others in the workplace that might range from explosive outbursts to crossing financial boundaries to lacking courage that almost always leaves us feeling uncomfortable.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
It’s not you, it’s me.
That line doesn’t just apply to romantic relationships. If you’re noticing you’ve had a problem with just about every supervisor or manager you’ve had, then it might be time to look inside to see if there’s some work to be done on yourself.
We’ve spent a lot of time talking about how to manage people better, but not a lot of time talking about how to become more manageable.
We figured it was time to finally address this on the podcast because, not only is this topic one that comes up regularly in coaching sessions, but it’s one that Nayla has some personal experience with.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
How often do you stop yourself from going after something you want?
How often is your reason for stopping yourself related to who you are or what you’re capable of?
So often in life, we find ourselves wanting to do something like writing a book, applying for a new opportunity at work, or starting our own business, but we question who we are to even think of going after those things.
After all, aren’t there already enough books? Isn’t someone else more qualified for that position at work? Didn’t those entrepreneurs make it work because they had more of a financial cushion when starting their business than you do?
These are the stories we tell ourselves to avoid risks and keep ourselves safe in our comfort zone. But, what opportunities or experiences are you missing out on because you never take those risks?
Listen in as we explore these questions on the podcast this week.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you find yourself in the middle of drama without knowing how you got there?
Is workplace drama impacting your productivity or your team’s ability to perform their duties?
While we haven’t spent much time talking about drama on the podcast, it’s definitely something that shows up a lot in the workforce and in our coaching sessions with our clients.
So, we figured it was time to break down what drama really is, what our role is in creating or perpetuating it, and how to resolve it.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Is there one person at work you dread having to interact with or team up with on a project?
Have you deemed them your nemesis?
It’s so easy to label ourselves the hero and a co-worker we can’t stand working with as our nemesis, but that’s not always the case.
While calling someone you work with your nemesis can be a playful way to express your frustrations with them, it can lead to some unchecked emotions that might spiral into much bigger problems if the situation isn’t handled properly.
In fact, we’ve both had experiences with a workplace nemesis that lead us down a path we’re not proud of and that’s why we wanted to address this topic on the podcast.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Does it seem like lately everything is going wrong even if you’re doing everything right?
Whenever someone offers a possible solution to an issue you’re experiencing, do you immediately focus on why it won’t work?
Listen, sometimes stuff does go wrong through no fault of our own. Sometimes suggestions of possible solutions aren’t actually viable. However, sometimes we get in our own way by unintentionally adopting a victim mentality.
We’ve been seeing this more and more lately with our own clients and networks, so we figured it was time to address this exasperating issue head-on this week on the podcast.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Is it your responsibility to help your employees and coworkers solve their problems?
If you try to focus on your work instead of the emotions of those around you, does that make you a bad person?
With the amount of layoffs and other negative things happening on a broader scale right now, emotions are high. While that’s understandable, it can also lead to confusion about how leaders in an organization are supposed to handle these emotionally charged moments. For some, the preferred route might be to ignore the emotions of their coworkers or employees and focus on the work to be done. For others, it might be to lend an empathetic ear while putting the work to be done on the back burner.
In this episode, we’re discussing what your responsibility is when someone you work with is experiencing strong enough emotions that it’s interfering with their capacity to get work done.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you buy into the idea that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life?
Are you trying to find a passion so you can turn it into a profit?
The word “passion” gets thrown around a lot these days and we’re not sure people really understand what it means or how it should intersect with their work. So, we thought it was time to cover this topic on the podcast.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Have you recently been laid off?
If not, can you see the writing on the wall and suspect you might be laid off in the near future?
When our very own Nayla got her doctorate, she did her dissertation on layoffs; specifically, how people experience them and how that experience shapes the likelihood of thriving as they move forward.
While we know we can’t cover it all in one episode, we do want to start diving into this discussion today to help you with those first few steps post-layoff so you can begin your journey down the path of thriving.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Have you ever thought you couldn’t leave a job for one reason or another?
Have you ever felt stuck in your current workplace situation because you’re waiting on someone else to make a major decision?
It’s a fairly safe assumption that we’ve all felt stuck or trapped in our jobs in one way or another over the years.
In fact, this is one of the top five stories we hear from our clients. So, we thought it was time to discuss the subject here on the podcast so you don’t have to continue feeling like there’s no way out.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you avoid doing hard or difficult things at all costs?
Or, do you believe the harder you work for something, the greater the payoff will be?
As we enter the summer season, we’re realizing what once felt exhilarating as a child now feels like one of the hardest parts of the year as we put pressure on ourselves to enjoy the warmer weather and handle the extra demands for our time and attention from our families.
Since this theme is something that shows up in both our professional and personal lives, especially during this time of year, this week we’re focusing on how to do hard things, how to not make them harder than they need to be, and how to recognize the limit for how easy you can make them be.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you have people in your organization who report to you?
Do you report to others in your organization?
Does your work require you to work with other people at your same level or other departments entirely?
If you answered yes to these questions, according to Scott Mautz, the chances of you being stressed in your job just went up as a result of being middle management; even if you don’t realize that’s your role.
Scott Mautz is a former corporate executive, a keynote speaker, a coach, and the author of three bestselling books; including Leading from the Middle.
There are a lot of resources out there for how to lead those who report to you and how to climb the corporate ladder, but there aren’t that many for how to lead your peers and get them to help you out when you need it most. That’s where we focused our conversation with Scott in this week’s episode.
Whether you consider yourself middle management or not, you’re likely to find some great nuggets in this episode that will help you lead others more easily and reduce the amount of stress you feel in your work.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Were you as productive as you wanted to be this past weekend?
Were you too productive and unable to get the rest you might have needed?
Either way, it’s likely your weekend didn’t meet your expectations, and you’re left feeling frustrated or exhausted come Monday morning.
In this episode of the Inside Job podcast, we’re exploring whether or not this is an inevitable cycle of disappointment or if there’s a way we can redefine what our weekends mean to us.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What’s the first thought or feeling that comes to mind when you think about money or your current financial situation?
If it’s something related to confusion, shame, fear, anxiety, uncertainty, or anything other than feeling like you have a good handle on things, you don’t want to miss this incredibly informative and practical conversation with our special guest this week.
Bari Tessler has been a Financial Therapist for over 22 years, and she’s here to help us, and we do mean all of us because we’re certainly not financial experts ourselves, take control of our money management so that we can remove all those negative emotions so many of us experience when we think about money or our finances.
In this episode, Bari shares her personal financial journey and some very useful practical advice that will help us all get started on unshaming our money stories.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What’s wrong with me?
Why do I always do this?
Why can’t I get done what I need to get done?
How do I regain all the time I’ve lost?
A lot of us have good ideas and tools for how we can use our time more productively, and yet we often find ourselves wringing our hands in despair and questioning ourselves and where our time has gone.
There’s such a sense of guilt and shame that comes from not being as productive with our time as we think we should be. The problem is that guilt and shame do nothing to help accomplish the things we set out to accomplish.
So, instead, we’re focusing today on how to evaluate what’s stopping you from being as productive with your time as you want to be and the strategies that will help you regain your time… and, in Nayla’s case, maybe even a little sleep in the process.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This episode is a love letter to Nayla’s sister-in-law who’s starting a new job and wants to start things off on the right foot.
While she was seeking guidance as part of starting a new job, the information in this episode could also apply to you if you’re starting a position in your current company, taking on a new client, or even starting a new project.
We understand you could do a Google search on this topic and get a ton of checklists and related articles. However, we’re approaching this topic just as we would if we were coaching a client on this topic.
Also, we may have thrown in a life lesson or two from Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you have to hurt in order to grow?
Eric’s experience with “trauma with a lowercase T” during a recent race kicks off our conversation about how to get outside our comfort zones in a way that is good and constructive as opposed to causing us to always feel unsatisfied or stressed.
Pushing yourself to try new things, gain new skills, and grow in various other ways isn’t a bad thing. However, it can quickly start doing more harm than good. So, how do you know where the line is? How do you know when discomfort equals growth and when it crosses into the territory of “trauma with a lowercase T”?
Take a listen to this week’s episode to hear how we handle these types of situations when they come up in our own lives and in our work with our clients.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This week on the podcast we discuss waiting and why it often presents us with a great deal of inside work to do.
Listen in and join the discussion about waiting on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we welcome Bethany Saltman to The Inside Job to explore what attachment theory can teach us about confidence and our authority in our own careers.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What happens when we say yes to more than what’s good for us? We’re exploring the real cost of saying yes on today’s podcast.
Listen in and join the discussion about the cost of saying yes on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What happens when you realize there’s one big thing stopping you from loving your work situation?
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re exploring regret, how it shows up in our lives, and the inside work we can do to process it and learn from it.
Listen in and join the discussion about living with regret on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we welcome Dr. Christine Li to the podcast. Dr. Li helps her clients make procrastination (and blocks around work) a thing of the past and our conversation dives deeply into why we procrastinate and how to work on better habits from the inside out.
Listen in and join the discussion about Procrastination on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re exploring what it really means (and looks like) when we’re getting in our own way.
Listen in and join the discussion about this on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
What happens when the right decision for you is one that stands to make other people unhappy? Today we’re answering this question and celebrating our 150th episode!
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today’s conversation explores the inside job and outside action of becoming more help-able and how worthiness, guilt, shame, and our vulnerability play a role in that work.
Listen in and join the discussion about Helping People Help You on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re exploring the inside work it takes to build a life beyond our office and the challenges, experiences, and benefits we can expect when we do.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re diving into disappointment and how to develop a better relationship with how you experience this inevitable emotion at work.
Join the discussion about disappointment on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Where’s the line between confidence, ego, and humility?
We all know the leader - celebrity or closer to home - about whom we’d say “their ego just got too big”. This week we explore how we might check in to see if we might be guilty of believing in an outsized sense of our own importance.
We talk about it this week on the podcast.
Join the discussion on LinkedIn (|Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re exploring some common leadership cliches that are everywhere in the world of work and how these shorthand sayings may be limiting us in the long run.
Join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you hold yourself to extremely high standards?
While we may not identify as “perfectionists” per se, it’s likely that many of us give ourselves very little margin for imperfection in our work or personal lives.
In this episode, we’re diving into the practical steps we can take to decide when we’ve done enough and get real about why doing “B” work might just be the right thing for certain situations.
Listen in and join the discussion about perfectionism on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
In today’s podcast, we’re exploring whether there is always a cost to doing nothing and how we can get clear on what’s really at play when we evaluate our options.
What happens if you choose to do nothing?
Tell us your thoughts on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us, and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today, we’re exploring an alternative to “words of the year” and New Year’s resolutions: Questions. And we’ll share the practices you can use to create and get the most out of your question of the year.
Join the discussion and share Your question of the year with us on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us, and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re taking a different approach to year-end reflection. Join us as we dive into The Proust Questionnaire for a bit of fun and introspection.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn: Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Our discussion on the podcast this week centers around the work experiences that leave us asking ourselves, “How am I supposed to trust them now?”
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re sharing part 2 of our conversation with Amy Giddon, as she explores how to navigate curveballs and challenges when life ‘gets in the way’ of work.
Listen in and join the discussion on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This week we’re sharing the first of a two-episode conversation with our friend Amy Giddon, the founder of the app Daily Haloha. In this portion of the conversation, Amy shares how she made a series of thoughtful, value-driven career leaps from corporate life, to academia, to the founder of a tech start-up that aligns with her beliefs that everyone matters and everyone belongs.
Listen in and join the discussion about overcoming fear, naming our desires and value, and having patience with ourselves on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today on the podcast, we discuss our top 3 things that you can do to have an end-of-year review that means something - whether someone else is or isn’t involved.
Ready to jump-start your review of what you’re proud of, what you wish you’d done differently, and where you’re headed in the future?
Listen in and join the discussion about best practices for reflecting on what you’ve learned from this year on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us, and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes at insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
In today’s conversation, we explore a listener question about how much stress is enough stress, how we distinguish between ‘regular’ stress and toxic stress, and how much we’re responsible for our own experience of stress.
When we recognize that stress is not inherently problematic, we can take time to reflect on the nature of the stress we’re feeling and decide how we want to navigate it both internally and externally.
This is a conversation about boundaries, self-care, self-trust, and asking for help when we need it.
Listen in and join the discussion about the guilt we experience at work on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Have you heard about quiet quitting?
Almost everyone has, so we’re jumping into the conversation this week to explore what this term really means, what it’s not, whether it’s inevitable, and what other options we have.
Quiet quitting isn’t just a phenomenon of fed-up, overworked professionals with scope-creep and unreasonable workloads, suffering under unfair working conditions, and burnout finally standing up for themselves.
Turns out, quiet quitting has a lot to do with a chance to explore clarity, appreciation, and communication.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This week on the podcast we explore what it means to get our shit together, why that experience is different for each one of us, and how reframing the concept can make a world of difference.
If we can pause and discern what’s really happening, we may be able to address what’s hurting or “feeling off”.
Listen in this week as we explore and reflect on what it means to “have your shit together” and ways to take action towards shifting to measuring sticks that align with our values.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
While it can feel like additional self-inflicted punishment during hard times, guilt can be clarifying, a reminder of our values, or where we’ve been inconsistent. What might guilt be protecting us from? We offer insights to help decipher the difference between guilt and discomfort and choose the next right step that’s best for us and those we work with.
We open today’s show by sharing what’s exciting us right now including the Bad Sisters series, baseball playoffs, and new music from a host of bands including Blink 182, Marcus Mumford, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We even connect The Peppers back to The Good Place.
Listen in and join the discussion about the guilt we experience at work on LinkedIn (Eric | Nayla).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
This week we’re continuing our conversation about building a better relationship with work.
This episode takes a closer look at the journey of accountability to self; the tough love of knowing what you need and insisting upon getting it.
Listen to this exploration of the roles of self-worth, accountability, and self-honoring in our relationship with our work.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today on the podcast we explore how to build a better relationship with work and how our inside work can give us the perspective, accountability, and permission to make that relationship even better.
We kick things off by discussing the various types of “metric tons” we can use as yardsticks for measuring our experience of work before moving into the core of our conversation: Our relationship with work. We also discuss whether leaving one situation to go to another situation is really the way to improve the way we relate to our work.
Use the questions we provide to assess the health of your relationship by understanding what you need from a healthy relationship with work, and use yourself as a barometer to measure whether you are able to be your fullest self in the relationship you currently have with work.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Are you missing the opportunities a great question can bring?
A good question not only unlocks potential in your team, fuels innovation, and builds relationships, but asking better questions can actually get us out of an unproductive loop.
What happens when we feel we’re checking all the “good question” boxes but aren’t getting where we want to go?
At the heart of our discussion is the purpose of a great question and how great questions help new things come to light, shine that light on the factors that could create (or are creating) discomfort, foster curiosity, and expand our awareness. We also share the dangers of basing a question on a set of assumptions and how that can limit us.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
After so many years of hearing it’s okay not to be okay, we’re talking about how it can be okay to be okay.
This idea can be challenging because it flies in the face of what we often hear about self-improvement or career growth as constant pursuits.
We also share insight from Matthew McConaughey's Oscar acceptance speech for Dallas Buyers Club and how the dark side of constantly chasing a better version of ourselves is that, if we’re not careful, we could miss those seasons of life where we’re truly living in flow.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we explore the experience of feeling jaded at work.
We open with a discussion of school supplies including Eric’s Tottenham Hotspur pencil case and Nayla's current, jaded feeling toward selecting the just-right writing utensils. We move on to the main topic with a discussion of how feeling jaded illuminates things for us even as it gets in our way. We also explore ways we can change the pattern if we want to do so.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re exploring the trade-offs we make at work and over the course of our careers, how we think about potential gains and losses, and the inside job to shift the stories we tell ourselves about our decisions.
We open today’s show talking about the daily life trade-off between eating at the kitchen table and eating over the sink — the classic etiquette vs. efficiency debate. (This includes that Kung Fu Panda, “Don’t Tell Monkey” moment when someone catches us!)
Then, we move on to address a listener question that gets to the heart of the tradeoffs we make in our work and our lives. From The Good Place to Almost Famous, we share touchpoints that help us examine these gains or losses more deeply. The inside job here is to pay attention to what can be gained as much as what can be lost, to acknowledge the complexity of the things we believe are important, to examine the stories we may be telling ourselves, and to be honest about whether “the market” will truly care either way.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re answering listener questions about the urge to justify our career paths and what it really takes to become better presenters.
When it comes to the urge we might feel to explain certain parts of our career journey, we might feel that anything on our resume that doesn't directly connect to the next thing on that list needs to be defended. But the inside job here lies in recognizing that it is a (totally optional) story. And this inclination is also your chance to get curious and to understand why you made certain choices.
Our second question is about presenting at work. We discuss the internalized standards we might have about what it looks like to be a great public speaker and the power of asking ourselves questions that focus our attention on our goals and the needs of our audience.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Are your thoughts holding you back at work or in your personal life?
Today we’re exploring why this might just be the case and how to reclaim your power in ways that truly serve you.
We open our show with a discussion of Eric’s “Spock-like” off-air comments and Nayla’s enthusiasm for what The Bear on Hulu can teach us about work and family. But the core of our conversation today centers around how powerful beliefs are, how they drive our behaviors (sometimes without our consent), and how we can begin to do the inside work to understand and choose our beliefs on purpose.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
On today’s show, we open by mentioning the accountability and rage-parenting Venn diagram that we return to later in the episode. Then we explore the differences between responsibility and accountability and why micromanagement is not necessary.
While accountability is the neutral reporting of what did or did not happen, the stories we tell ourselves may layer on feelings like disappointment or panic and those are not required parts of accountability.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re answering listener questions, including what to do when life interferes with our work and what to do when your organization doesn’t offer 360 Feedback – which is not an exercise where you spin in a circle in front of you colleagues.
We work through strategies for coping with both in a way that results in a better understanding of where the pressures we might feel are coming from.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re exploring success and how to navigate the thoughts and feedback that tell us we’re missing the mark at work.
We share an Office Space reference that begs the question, “How would I even know if I’m being successful?” and why it's helpful to seek clarity from our supervisors about what it means to succeed in our role.
And we discuss the benefits of slowing down, becoming aware of how we define success and looking for evidence in the outside world to show whether the story is true or in our heads. Slowing down puts the brakes on our “Van down by the river” downward spiral and allows us to identify what we need to feel successful: Whether that’s training, clarifying goals with managers, or more support.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today on the podcast, we talk through our ability to confront and explore those feelings that prevent us from celebrating the contributions of others.
We open the show with a discussion of Joni Mitchell’s performance at The Newport Folk Festival, 10 years after a severe brain injury. Brandi Carlile’s relationship with and support of Joni Mitchell is a model for how we can appreciate someone else’s work without jealousy, envy, and comparison, which is at the heart of today’s topic.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
We explore the feelings and questions that come up when we consider setting goals outside of work.
We kick things off with a story from Eric about introducing his children to the joys of scratch and sniff stickers – a reminder that our personal lives are also important.
Our discussion centers around the guilt we might feel for prioritizing personal goals because common wisdom has taught us to invest in our careers over everything else.
We share tools and resources to help unpack what we believe about work and "everything else". If you’re working on setting goals outside of work, we’d love to hear from you!
Visit the podcast website to listen to the episode What If My Professional Goal Is Not Professional? and learn that it's okay to give ourselves permission to be done with work for the day and to switch focus to another area.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
It’s one of the most common metaphors in the workplace: that person is ‘in my lane’!
It’s the professional equivalent of: mind your own business!
But what does it mean? Is it a bad thing? Is there any purpose to being in someone else’s lane?
Today on the podcast, we’re exploring whether we really need to stay in our lane, how to handle people dipping into our lane, and what to do when we feel the urge to dip into someone else’s lane.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
There are many things that we may think our organizations owe us or we owe our organization that deserve a closer look.
Today we explore the question of what we owe each other at work and we share our mutual love of the TV show ‘The Good Place’.
Ted Danson, Kristin Bell, and the rest of the amazing cast explored week by week for four seasons the question, “What do we owe each other in our families, relationships, and communities?” which inspired us to examine this question in terms of what we owe each other at work.
This is on our minds because it’s fairly regular to have a coaching conversation center around a belief that the client owes their company or the company owes them. This dynamic is driven by experience and expectation that colors our choices and feelings about our work.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re answering listener questions that address two key moments when it’s helpful to hit “pause”. First, when our faces can’t help but share that all-too-familiar WTF expression, and second when we explore what it means to hold space for ourselves and for others.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Welcome to the Inside Job where you-the-listener are apart of y’all and everybody and not “guys”.
Seriously, today we’re talking about HOW to have more effective, impactful conversations with our managers. This is especially rooted figuring out how to share an unpopular opinion in those times when there are business decisions that we don’t agree with.
There are strategies for dealing with our own assumptions about our roles, options for redefining what it is to “push back”, and approaches to avoid treating work like an episode of “Survivor”.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we kick the episode off by talking about the lesson in clarity that we can learn from Tom Cruise when he accepted his role in Tropic Thunder.
Then we tackle the inside work that can help us navigate our action [and reaction] to the experience and feeling of being thrown under the bus. We also take time to talk through this type of experience from the lens of being the leader coming into a role or position with a desire to make your mark.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re talking about building a career narrative that we believe in and that is useful for the people who need to know about it.
In our conversation, we explore:
- The characteristics of a career narrative that will help you set your story apart
- The role evidence plays in the stories we tell about ourselves
- Why the career narrative isn’t a monologue and how to create connection by keeping the narrative flexible
It turns out that the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off can highlight how, out of the picture you paint of your experience and learning, the people that we interact with will be drawn to different things about you. It’s especially true for people that have experience across more than one industry or role that knowing the needs of the person we’re talking to will help us define what’s relevant.
Listen in to understand how to craft your answer to that “Tell me about yourself” question AND discover strategies that might get you excited about being asked.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we explore how vital self-awareness is to our experience at work and beyond and why beginning to do the inside work to foster and sustain our self-awareness is essential. We open the episode discussing Lightning McQueen’s journey of self discovery and move right into self-awareness as a keyword to weaponize personal and professional preference.
We also discuss the internal and external contexts of examining self-awareness and review resources that offer us insight into the process of building that awareness for ourselves.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
We explore what we really mean when we label a person, “difficult” and how to do the inside job of making it possible to engage with the people in our lives to whom we’ve given this label.
We discuss the tools to make sense of what’s really happening and examine more than just our own perspectives, motivations, and goals.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today on the podcast we’re answering a listener's question about how to create energy and momentum in a new direction. We discuss declaring intention as a starting point for exploration and a variety of ways to ask for and make use of support.
We also share our thoughts on what it really means to ask for a book recommendation and some book recommendations of our own.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
We explore prestige and how the pursuit of prestigious positions or companies impacts us in different ways, from the stories we tell to the positions we take.
It’s understandable that we use prestige to catch eyes when a notable name might buy us a few more seconds in front of a potential employer. We’re naturally going to consider what working in a particular position or at a particular company means as we decide which recruiter calls to return and where to put our energy.
And that’s what we’re diving into on today’s podcast.
How we tend to use prestige as conversational shorthand and whether the “brand name”, be it the company or the title, is enough.
We close today’s episode with some helpful action steps to examine our relationship with prestige and recognize the power of knowing our story and deciding how we will share it.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit insidejobthepodcast.com.
You can also continue the conversation with us through your favorite social channels:
- LinkedIn Eric | Nayla
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we get ALL BUSINESS (not!) and discuss how self-awareness and some key mindset shifts can help us identify and unpack reasons delegation can feel challenging and get to a place where we can delegate more effectively.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
We kicked off this episode with book picks.
- Eric is fascinated by the incredible Dolly Parton and her best-selling book with James Patterson, Run Rose Run.
- Nayla is loving The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne which is about the Romanov family (no, not Natasha’s origin story)- highly recommended
Getting into today’s topic, we discuss a listener/client question about “HOW to prioritize?” and the mini-epidemic we’ve noticed around our worries about not being able to manage our responsibilities and being too busy.
The goal of prioritizing isn’t to create a better list.
We question the assumptions and biases that lead us to overcommit, how the “post-it-note” method/massive to-do list might be a casual disregard of our time, and the critical questions to ask yourself to add more awareness of what is and what should be on the “list”.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today, we’re discussing the common advice around burnout and why it’s too generic to be helpful. We talk about taking the time to explore what we’re feeling before jumping into a mindset of “fixing ourselves” and what it might look like to work towards feeling 10% better that adding to overwhelm with an imposed need for sweeping change.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
In this episode, we’re exploring company culture including how to navigate that culture as it changes, whether creating subcultures in our workplace is possible, and what it means to want something different than our current company culture.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
It happens. It’s harmless. If I speak up, what happens to me?
If you're in the business of working with people you’re going to encounter behaviors that leave you feeling uneasy. Incidents that at face value don't seem so egregious that they must be dealt with urgently.
Today we’re talking about these yellow flags, how to notice them, and how to address them in our work lives and relationships.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re exploring the often anxiety-inducing experience of having choices. We share our perspectives on why having several options, even good ones can be a bit scary and how to make the process of choosing less daunting.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we discuss why self advocating – which is not the same as bragging – feels uncomfortable, what it means to share yourself, and how to avoid being “that person” in the face of opportunity.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re tackling that persistent question of, “What’s next?”. What do we truly want from work? We discuss why it feels hard answer these questions and to clarify these things and strategies to help us think it through no matter where we are in our lives.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today on the podcast we’re exploring public recognition: Whether we get it, how we feel when we don’t, and the inside job that’s involved when we find ourselves with difficult feelings along the way.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today on the podcast we’re tackling three myths about work and sharing our perspectives on what’s at the core of each of these common misconceptions.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we’re celebrating our 100th episode!
This week we spend some time reflecting on what each human deserves from work and why. We know there’s more to work than money (and that money really does matter.) There’s also time spent reflecting on what we believed, what we still believe, and what we have come to believe about the work that we do and how we do it.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
On this week's episode, Nayla, Eric, and Physical Therapist Joe LaVacca explore the inside job of making change in our lives. In the professional setting and in our health, we talk about what happens when we understand the stories we tell ourselves about why things are hard, how powerful good listening can be, and taking on the challenges of 'getting better' with support.
Joe currently owns and operates Strength in Motion PT located in the heart of New York City and in addition holds a role as Lead Educator for Fringe, a whole person health and wellness company.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today on the podcast we’re exploring the idea that what worked for us in one phase of our lives may not be serving us now. We discuss what this concept means for our daily lives, how it’s showing up for our clients, and how to choose our beliefs.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today we're exploring ways to manage your energy more consciously and effectively so you can prevent that feeling of depletion and take care of yourself through boundaries.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Today’s podcast is about planning for professional challenges by creating a professional insurance policy. We’ll explore the steps we can take when times are good to prepare for times that might not be and we’ll explore why this process really is an inside job.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
Setbacks at work can vary: From getting laid off or demoted to getting a project denied or even being fired. On today’s podcast, we’re sharing practical tips for moving forward.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
In this podcast episode, we’re answering two great listener questions about asking for raises and navigating strong emotions at work and we’ll share reflection questions and helpful strategies too.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, us and our work, and to join our mailing list, visit the show notes.
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 Eric Johnson.
Let’s connect!
- Community
We’d love to hear from you.
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 to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
Today, 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 authenticity in our relationships and the workplace
- Questions to consider when you think about how you show up in the world and the effect you may be having on others
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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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 stuff you actually care about, and not the crud you think you should care about.
- Maintain a generosity of spirit towards yourself. Focus as much on answering the question, “How do I want to be?” as you do on, “What do I want to accomplish?”
As we explore these principles we also introduce the idea of “new year’s dissolutions”; we recognize that 2021 isn’t giving any of us more hours in a day and we can’t start doing new things until we stop doing the things that aren’t serving us anymore. Throughout our conversation we continue to offer that we’re all just trying to do the best we can with what we’ve got.
As a bonus we offer our guidance on why you don’t want to run the toilet toss at the school carnival and how to avoid kicking your own ass.
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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 things that are meaningful and bring me joy?” We talk about the importance of specificity and boundaries, and why it’s important for us to evaluate the choices we are making which compromise the goals we have for ourselves. We also discuss how to design flexibility and options into our lives so we can manage the shifts that occur in our lives across seasons.
Finally, we celebrate the fact that we are now a top 150 Apple podcast in South Africa. Thank you to all of our fans in Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, and the surrounding areas. We’ll come visit – and maybe even broadcast a live show – when we can travel once again.
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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 work, so we use our conversation to investigate values intensely. We talk about the evolving nature of our values, what it means to live a life – and manage a career – that is in line with our values, how to notice when our values conflict with our work, and what to do when we are asked to work closely with someone who has a very different set of values.
And we talk about the Barefoot Contessa, how weird it is to hear our own voices, and why Eric should not do impressions.
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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Warning: 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 other name is still a rose? Well perfect by any other name is still perfect. And the language we use and the actions we take as a society still suggest we’re trying to be perfect.
We simply can’t.
In this episode we talk about how self-punishing it is to live and work in environments with no allowance for mistakes, despite language we may use to suggest otherwise. We discuss the origin story of our perfectionist expectations and highlight how to recognize when we’re trying to achieve the impossible.
We also talk about how to know when we’ve done enough, when to realize that our goal should be to do “B+” work, and why it’s important to define success in advance of our efforts.
And we wish Nayla a happy birthday!
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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, and how to know where to look for the answers to some of the biggest questions in work and life.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Maybe 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.”
We’re here to say: We know work can be personal, and we know grief shows up in our relationships with work, as it does in so many others. And we’re here to support you through it.
We talk through what we’re seeing, and how our clients are navigating through the hard emotions at work, this week on Inside Job.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
As 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 right', and offer a few practical suggestions around setting ourselves up to get what we need from our time away from work.
Here’s hoping all of you take the time off you need – in the way you want to - in the next few weeks!!
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
There’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 don’t want to change ourselves. Or if we do want to make a change, we find it hard to succeed at being consistent with new behaviors. In this episode we talk about why that’s true, and share our favorite tool for going deeper and understanding what’s really going on inside.
We’re running a workshop on the Immunity to Change framework, for anyone who has ever wanted to change something in their work or lives, but finds themselves stuck. Based on Robert Kegan’s model of adult development, a practical, action-based toolkit to help you move forward with change that will have a positive impact on your work and/or life.
- Two Wednesdays, November 17 and December 1 — 3:30 pm ET
Learn more and register here: https://hive.insidejobthepodcast.com/product/immunity-to-change/
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
As 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 give, and this week’s episode is an invitation to do something great for someone else.
We explore the differences between mentors, sponsors, teacher, peer leaders and more… We also use this opportunity to talk about our passion for coaching and how we distinguish coaching as a force of good from all the other wonderful ways to help.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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 tackle these questions and more on this episode of the podcast. We talk about:
- How to recognize and process what is gained and lost
- What to discuss when designing a new alliance, both as colleagues and as friends
- What to do with the inside information already known about each other
- How to handle the resulting shifts when getting together outside of work
- How to avoid assumption traps by developing a beginner’s mind
- Not using friendships as an excuse to cut corners or deprioritize work
- And more
We also get into the difficulties of seasonal allergies and nasal probes.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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 we can become emotionally arrested. The longer these situations become unresolved the more resentment we build up and the more toxic the situation will feel. We must break the cycle and find a better path forward.
So what are our options?
We need to start by noticing what’s happening on the “ladder of inference”, a tool we reference and explain during our conversation. In doing so we can notice how we are assigning meaning to what’s happened, how we are allowing assumptions to become reality, and how we are populating simple stories with partial data and biases. We need to move from our own subjectivity about the situation to one with more objectivity, often by getting clearer about the motives and intentions of others who are involved.
Sometimes this work will help us understand that things were fairer than we realized. And sometimes, it will turn out that we were right – things are unfair. When unfairness is reality, we have to work through sense-making, acceptance, choice, and action. It’s an uncomfortable and painful place to be -- you don’t have to get over it, but you do have to do something about it. You must choose the pain you are willing to sustain for the best possible outcome for you.
In this episode we help you determine how to do that in a conscious and deliberate way. We also talk about the origin of the phrase “Johnny on the spot” and why it’s not just a portable toilet company in the Northeast.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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 episode of the Inside Job Podcast.
In summary, office politics are about how people relate to each other and how resources get allocated – so relationships and power. They tend to be experienced when we believe there is an imbalance of influence, which leads us to believe we’re getting the short end of the stick.
Office politics, however, are more about what’s happening inside of us than they are about what’s happening to us. Most of the perceived unfairness of politics stems from the stories we tell ourselves, the assumptions we’re making about what’s happening when people get together, and the existence of healthy networks that we’re simply not a part of.
During our conversation we talk about how to make sense of these circumstances, and what to do about it. We talk about personal power versus political power and how to stand up for ourselves when we want to have more influence at work. We also talk about gathering and evaluating evidence, and how to get to the heart of what’s really at stake when we think we’re missing out.
These things will even help your book club run more effectively. Just ask Nayla.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Tom 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 LuLaRoe.
Oh yes, Nayla gets into a rant in this episode about LuLaRoe. You are not going to want to miss it.
What LuLaRoe – and other multi-level marketing companies – know is that humans are wired to accept the promise of quick fixes when they are experiencing pain. In this episode we talk about the importance of slowing down our decision making and exploring other options to generate momentum in our lives.
We discuss what quick wins are and are not, and how to create them the right way. We also talk the importance of finding ways to create a substantial and lasting change for the better, and why we should be curious about what we’re already doing well when looking for ways to create more value in our lives.
And we talk about how Tom Cruise runs, and why Will Ferrell is always in his underwear.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
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 about quitting or exiting as a purposeful choice and what the alternatives could be to walking away from the whole thing. We explore the distinctions between impulses, dreams and plans, the idea of renegotiation, and some questions you can ask yourself as you figure out where you land in one of the great employment stories of our time.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
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 round out a professional portfolio.
Side-hustling isn’t without its risk and watch outs, so we cover that, too.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
You 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.
- Is it possible that your goal is not really your goal, or it’s an idea that compels on the surface but you don’t have deep longing to see this thing through?
- Could fear of falling down or getting it wrong be stopping you from starting?
- Could you be missing knowledge of how do this new thing? Or even, could doing something new mean you have to adopt a new way of understanding and presenting yourself to the world?
- Or, are you out of energy at this time in your life and something has to come off your plate before you can start something new?
Most of all, we encourage you to look within with compassion and self-honesty to learn why you aren’t starting yet, and then, what – if anything – to do about it.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Feeling 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 significant change?
Let’s talk about it.
We talk about the clues we experience when we’re at the point of funk, how genuine self-care can help, the risks of impulsive and drastic action, and how time can be our ally in the search the right path.
We also offer useful questions for self-exploration and generating healthy options for handling the funk, that don’t involve burning it all down (h/t to Parliament and Talking Heads in this one!)
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Sometimes 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 want to explore why and what to do.
On this episode we talk through how to do the work to uncover the imposter’s voice, its origins and its deception, and how to overcome the self-sabotaging behaviors it can lead us to enact.
We talk about how to choose action over procrastination, practice instead of over-prepare, and show up instead of miss out.
And we talk about the dark side of humility – which doesn’t get enough attention, but which absolutely makes us hard to work with.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Is 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?
How can we learn to manage the complex and sometimes difficult feelings that lead us to dance around the facts, when the facts are really what would help solve the problem at hand?
We talk about:
- what we’re avoiding when we dance around a topic
- how to begin with the end in mind, and
- doing the work to have the hard conversations that eliminate confusion and set our teams up for success.
Interested in this topic? Want to create clarity, not confusion, in your organization?
We explore these topics and much more in the Inside Hive, an offering with coaching, courses and community – open for registration now.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
This 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 gets done, primarily through the existence of loud and dominant external voices.
It can show up in what we think is important to do and how to do it. It can show up in how important we view ourselves at our companies and why we’re reluctant to leave. It shows up in our habits, our preferences, our choices, and our systems. We accept and abide by it so unconsciously that when things shift we struggle mightily to adapt to the change.
Yes, even when we go grocery shopping.
Give this episode a listen to uncover how you may be institutionalized, and how to become more consciously aware about your decisions, your work preferences, and even your eggs.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
What’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 won’t. It seems we’re not wired to give as much credit to the best case scenario as we are to the worst case scenario. So what do we do about it.
In this episode we talk about how we help our clients and colleagues unleash their inner dreamer. We talk how important it is to picture the best case scenario if we want to be creative, innovative, excited, and resourceful. In doing so, we also provide some important coaching questions to consider and a fun exercise to complete.
And we talk about why we love to combine sweet and salty foods together for an optimal flavor experience.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
How 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 recognize the risks associated with various forms of relationships at work.
How do we balance it all? In this episode we tackle these questions, and more. We revisit boundaries and values and highlight how these tools help us determine what works for us and how they help us navigate these sometimes-uncomfortable situations. We also offer some practical advice for making your work culture work for you.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
One 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 discuss the ways differences in expectations, needs, and hierarchy play in communication breakdowns and how to adapt to and overcome each. We also talk about how to work through the dissonance than we experience when the present reality of our relationship with our boss is different than our historic experiences.
As always, we also highlight the ways specificity (or the lack thereof), assumptions, stories, and expectations play in helping and hindering the communication with our bosses.
Finally, we remind our listeners that Eric is NOT named Chris. Yes, effective communication does begin by calling people by their correct name.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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.
Which brings us to the word of the episode – resistance. Despite what we tell ourselves, humans don’t like change – and we have any number of habits that we’ll kick in to resist it as long as possible. In this episode we dive into our relationship with resistance, and how to overcome it as we adjust to our new reality.
We talk about the importance of naming, specifically, what it is we feel like we’re losing (or losing out on) when our situations are different than our expectations and how to accept that we always have a choice when we recognize a need to leave a situation.
We also quote The Eagles, remember the Violent Femmes, and commit to creating an Inside Job Podcast mixed tape. Yes, we are that old.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
There 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 can range from outright self-sabotage to more subtle patterns and bad habits. In this episode we talk about the many ways we kick our own ass, and how we can put an end to it.
We talk about the stories that we tell ourselves about our work and lives, and the often outsized sense of importance we place on our roles in them. We talk about the myth we often believe that our actions are so powerful that they leave an imprint on the world that cannot be undone. We discuss how these narratives distort the way we view ourselves and cause us to catastrophize our situations. There is a difference between saying, “I screwed up”, and “I’m a screw up” – and we get into why that difference matters so much in how we treat ourselves.
We also dispel the myth that work must hurt – that we must work ourselves to exhaustion for fear of believing that we haven’t worked hard enough. We do not have to work to depletion, we do not have to be perfect, and little of what we do is permanent.
Throughout the episode we offer tips, coaching tools and questions, and perspectives designed to help change the way we approach our situations and, more importantly, ourselves – especially when things aren’t going our way. All of this so we can stop kicking our own ass.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
As 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 in February of 2021. But everybody wants something.
That, it seems, is the real question each of us needs to consider: What are you longing for?
Throughout our episode we explore the origin, and importance, of that question. We also highlight why it’s critical to be specific around our needs, wants, and values and why we need to have a deep sense of consciousness and honesty around the role work played – and will play – in satisfying our longing.
We also talk about whether work is a context or an excuse when it comes to our needs, and how to know whether we undersize or oversize the importance of our physical work environment.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
The 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 arrive, a thing we ultimately achieve.
Rather, it is a muscle we have to exercise regularly, a set of practices we have to engage in to develop courage and belief in ourselves in increments. The search for confidence requires an honest look within, a record of our achievements and a plan to close the gaps we have.
Building confidence is within our reach with consistent effort. Let’s talk about it this week on Inside Job.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work and to join our mailing list, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
If 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 how does a problem – even if the worry is the problem – get solved, if we brush it aside?
We talk through how things could go differently now, with a coach's mindset and the benefit of time. We also talk through how the habit of minimizing someone else’s concerns can have its roots in how we minimize our own needs and wants.
We explore bearing discomfort (ours and others’), how to use curiosity to lead in these moments, and the art of holding space for others to tell us what they really need.
Join us this week and every week, and don’t forget to hit that subscribe button. While you’re at it, follow up all over social media at @insidejobpodcast.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Over 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 can use time as a resource to help us understand we’re learning about ourselves as we transition.
We offer some practical tools to help us manage transitions including appreciation of the people who helped shape this experience, celebration and ceremony, and the personal documentation of how we’ve gotten better as a result of this change.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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 see this habit at work.
This week we talk through how to get more skilled at noticing how we hold ourselves back, make excuses for ourselves, or hide when we negotiate with ourselves.
We offer ideas to notice how frequently we engage in the personal negotiation and a shift to use negotiation as a tool to challenge and uphold yourself to be the best version of you.
And, Nayla gets to use one of her favorite quotes: we can learn to talk to ourselves more than we listen to ourselves.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Fear. 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-protection. Fear is an invitation to be curious about what our minds and bodies are telling us. We draw a distinction between a fear and a threat, and why it’s crucial to answer the question, “what form is the threat taking?”
We also talk about the rudeness of Cheetos and cough drops, and why Eric is like the Tootsie Pop Owl.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
We 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 often need to ask for the credit we have earned, which is a hard pill to swallow for many. Some of the most talented people are humble to a fault, and asking for credit is akin to the eighth cardinal sin. Beyond that, there are stories we tell ourselves about credit, such as:
- My gain is someone else’s loss
- There is no “I” in team, and I’m not supposed to stand out
- If we keep our head down and our work up we’ll get noticed
In this episode of the Inside Job Podcast we break all of this down and more. We dig into the differences between humility, confidence, and arrogance and highlight how it’s possible to both be humble and earn recognition. We also tear apart the origin stories behind the myths that lead us to believe we don’t deserve credit above our steady paycheck.
We know it’s hard to ask for attention, but if you kick ass you should be rewarded for it. After all, you’ve earned it. So don’t keep yourself in a cage – allow yourself the space to get noticed and applauded. We’ll help you figure out how.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
At 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 form rejection is real, and it hurts.
During our conversation we talk about how the work of the inside job is to make sense of rejection and figure out what we can learn from it. We start by acknowledging the courage that comes from the choice to get in the arena in the first place; we experience rejection because we choose to do the big work in life. Taking brave action is always worth celebrating.
More importantly, we talk about the need to sit in the emotional response for a bit. It’s important to experience it, process it, and then release it. By releasing it we choose not to let it define us, nor hold us back from taking the next step forward.
We also talk about ways we can make sense of rejection. Rejection presents us with an opportunity to learn, improve, and pivot. We talk about ways to ask for feedback, how to get others to help us improve for the next time, and how to overcome common mistakes that might be leading to serial rejection.
We close by talking about ways to find the strength to move forward. Nayla talks about the importance of reconnecting with ourselves and replenishing our spirit, while Eric reminds us to reflect on the cost of not trying again.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
One 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 doing it in the way you intended.
During this episode we talk about the value of a personal quarterly meeting – one that is taken seriously and conducted deliberately. We talk about what to ask yourself, how often to do it, and how to make sense of the analysis and results.
We share our favorite tools for personal meetings, and how to use them, including:
- Wheel of Life
- Journal
- After Action Review
- Calendar audit
- Financial audit
- Nayla’s 5 favorite reflection questions
We also talk about the importance of using these meetings as a time to celebrate – something we firmly believe in and practice at the Inside Job Podcast.
As Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our day is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.” So pay attention to how you spend your days so you can understand how you spend your life.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
This 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 explored, evaluated, and discussed on a regular basis. We notice that money shows up in our values (like financial security or appreciation), our needs (like acknowledgment or freedom) and even in our joys (like adventure or travel). It literally can be a means to an end, and by opening up the conversation about the role we perceive money plays in our lives we can better understand ourselves, our beliefs, our desires, and our biases.
Simply put, the work of understanding our relationship with money is at the core of the Inside Job of understanding ourselves.
During the conversation we also bring up the 80s glam rock band BulletBoys, pick on Alan Watts, quote the movie “Almost Famous”, and summarize about a third of country music. All in less than 30 minutes.
You can listen to the episode on our website: www.insidejobthepodcast.com or on your favorite podcast platform. Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button and sign up for the newsletter – we have a lot of exciting things coming out over the next few weeks!
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
This 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 on. How can we check reality on these weights? What can we shift in our thinking through exploration, partnership with someone who challenges us.
Each of us also has resources that allow us to move forward: optimism, support, past successes, good habits…
We dive into:
- How important other people (a coach, a community, a trusted friends) can be to getting unstuck…
- How much good questions can help us move forward…
- How daily practice is the key to removing the weights and deepening the resources…..
- And, Kevin Costner.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
To 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 reputation will be impacted, maybe a boss or employee will be hurt, maybe we’ll be the ones to suffer.
Avoiding tough conversations can be a form of self-protection. We explore the inside job being the bearers of bad news requires of us. It makes us face stirred up pain, worry, unpleasant memories of other bad news we’ve been a part of in the past.
Being the bearer of bad news can also lead us down the risky road of assumptions, where we think we know what the other party is thinking or will feel, and we act.
We offer some best practices and models to keep conversations specific and spacious at the same time so we can be truly present, share what needs to be said, and solve problems that move us all forward.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Networking. 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 your career, it’s rewarding for your life.
In this practical and grounded episode, we talk about:
- Shifting our thinking about networking from a series of transactions to be about learning something new
- Simple ways to reach out to even the contacts we have let cool off over time
- Guidance about how to engage on LinkedIn and other ways that are low touch and high impact.
This episode is full of encouragement, human connection and things you can put into place today!
Plus, we have a healthy debate about the merits of Brussel sprouts.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
By 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 differently?
Nayla offers that sometimes clues for our experiments are in the way we talk to ourselves and others about what we are drawn to, when we say things like:
- I’m afraid…
- I’m worried…
- I don’t think…
- I wonder if…
Great! Those thoughts often point us in the direction of the thing we can plan and design an experiment around.
But experiments aren’t just about thoughts and plans – they require action. Eric makes the case for the value of public declaration beyond the people who are already in our cheering squad, to help us stay accountable for moving forward.
We talk about incremental, measurable steps, the value of looking at the information gathered in our experiments neutrally…(and how hard that can be!) and how to think about knowing when we’ve collected enough information and are ready to decide what it means.
We offer a handful of personal and client stories, the ups and downs of experiments we’ve tried, and would love to hear from our listeners about the experiments you’re running on the way to new adventures in your own career and life.
You can listen to the episode on our website: www.insidejobthepodcast.com or on your favorite podcast platform.
Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button and sign up for the newsletter – we have a lot of exciting things coming out over the next few weeks!
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
This 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 spend around people who build, maintain, and fix things the more we value not only what they do but we also feel a little jealous that they get to do it.
We recognize that many of us need to have room in our careers and/or our lives to introduce things that we make; that we need to experience the sense of accomplishment when we create something, or when we have something to show for our work. We know that when we can see the impact of what we do, then we experience more meaning in our work and in our lives.
It’s a fun conversation, during which we:
- Liken PowerPoint to the Dementors in Harry Potter
- Talk about Ben Affleck and how we’re fans even though it’s sometimes not popular to admit it out loud
- Laugh at Nayla’s inability to draw her family’s dog
- Recommend the book “Shop Class as Soulcraft” by Matthew Crawford
You can listen to the episode on our website: www.insidejobthepodcast.com or on your favorite podcast platform. Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button and sign up for the newsletter – we have a lot of exciting things coming out over the next few weeks!
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
This 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, we can start by noticing the moments when we can practice self-regulation and apply our values in ways that allow us to show up as our best for ourselves and for those observing these situations.
We talk about how our leaders’ careers can attract drama – with a capital D – and why it’s important for us not to get involved in, contribute to, or instigate water-cooler talk about what’s happening with them.
We also get into two of our favorite topics – noticing our assumptions and collecting evidence – and we talk about how to discover the truth about our situations and our reputations from leaders and stakeholders inside our organization.
Par for the Inside Job, Jason Bourne makes an appearance . . . again. And we attempt to use the words “fivology” and “hexology” as we draw an analogy between our podcast and the blockbuster movie franchise starring Eric’s hero Matt Damon . . . poorly.
As always, we’d love to hear what’s on your mind and what you think we should talk about in an upcoming episode. Contact us via insidejobthepodcast.com or on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook @insidejobpodcast . Make sure you sign up for our newsletter so you receive exciting updates about the Inside Hive, our new venture offering our community exclusive access to coaching, extra content, and each other.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
One 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 to improve the way their relationship works with their manager.
In this episode – part 1 of 2 on the subject – we respond to questions about how to work with a manager whose attitude is “hot and cold”, and what to do with a boss who is vague about their expectations. These two situations will show up in a variety of ways in the workplace, which allows for a rich conversation about the responsibilities of all parties involved.
We begin by discussing the difference between being a manager and being a leader, and therefore between asking to be managed and asking to be led. The differences are important because as employees it’s important for you to know what your needs are. Do you need teaching or training or managing or coaching? What you need will differ depending on how long you’ve been in a role and how high your level of competency is for the skills in the role.
We also talk about the fact that managers may or may not be accurately assessing your individual needs, especially if they lead large teams. Your ability to put a name to what you are experiencing and to ask specifically for what you need from them can be a huge positive boost to the relationship. You might actually be surprised by how well it’s received and how much it’s appreciated.
Throughout the episode we highlight the nuances of this important relationship, and offer our advice about ways to talk about your emotions, experiences, and perspectives in meaningful ways that lead to all parties saying good things about each other at dinner each night.
As always, we’d love to hear what’s on your mind and what you think we should talk about in an upcoming episode. Contact us via insidejobthepodcast.com or on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook @insidejobpodcast. Make sure you sign up for our newsletter so you receive exciting updates about the Inside Hive, our new venture offering our community exclusive access to coaching, extra content, and each other.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Our 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 of our loyal listeners who is returning to work after an extended time off and wants some thoughts on how to make a successful transition. This is similar to challenges we’ve heard from some of our clients who are also returning to work for a variety of reasons, making a significant career pivot, or navigating non-traditional career paths, so we were eager to talk about it.
This is such a rich topic because for starters it’s more common than we often believe. It’s clear to us that the career path of today ain’t your parents’ career path. For that reason, we begin by stating emphatically that you do NOT need to apologize for gaps or for having a non-traditional career. Everything you have done has made you who you are – you simply need to be able to tell your story in a compelling way, and connect the dots between your strengths and what a hiring manager needs on their team.
The chapters of your story do not need to be chronological, nor do they only have to focus on the traditional definition of work. In fact, Nayla routinely points out that the way you live your life provides so much evidence for how you would show up in a job. So mine your life for data and focus on the key moments, values, and learnings that make you interesting, unique, and a great fit for the “next thing”. What matters the most in your narrative is the meaning you give to the impact you’ve had on the world.
We share stories, examples, and thoughts on how to do this successfully regardless of the twists and turns your life and work have taken. And we have fun doing it, because we love helping our listeners advance their lives in meaningful ways.
As always, we’d love to hear what’s on your mind and what you think we should talk about in an upcoming episode. Contact us via insidejobthepodcast.com or on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook @insidejobpodcast . Make sure you sign up for our newsletter so you are among the first to receive information about the Inside Hive!
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Who 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 want to go beneath the common ways we explain procrastination, especially when we talk about wanting something and still not getting to it. We believe this is less about time management, and more about understanding the competing commitments that results in procrastination actually doing something for us.
Read that again: NOT doing what you say you want to do is DOING something for you.
The ultimate question might be: How is procrastination serving you?
We offer the Immunity to Change framework as a tool to explore the tension between what we say we want, and what we must also want (sometimes under the surface) in order to keep things they are.
We talk about the relationship between procrastination and revenge, control, imposter syndrome, the stories we tell ourselves, and our fears of failure.
Don’t put it off… you’ll want to dig in to this episode.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
How 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.
We dive into what’s going on, and explore other ways of defining ambition.
In fact, we wonder if ambition is even the word we want to keep using:
Nayla offers the word: appetite, and Eric offers: energy… what if we are in pursuit of satisfying our appetites and following our energy? Where might that lead us?
We talk openly about our own efforts to redefine ambition for ourselves, and some of the tools we offer our clients as they explore build a better life and career for themselves.
How are you thinking about your own ambition these days? Be in touch on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or on our website.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Any 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 indulgence, but we believe it is a necessity. This pause allows us distinguish between activity and productivity, to see the problem clearly, and take action.
We introduce the analogy of the dance floor versus the balcony. The dance floor is thrilling and often chaotic – it can also be overwhelming and when we’re stuck on it, it’s hard to see anything more than a few feet away. We have to choose to see the higher-level perspective of what we’re working towards – getting to the ‘balcony’ allows us to see the overarching goals, how far we’ve come, and how to adjust our schedules accordingly.
Morning or evening routine can give us a chance to get to the balcony, as can a good habit of moving ourselves throughout the day, literally getting up to change our perspective at intervals to ask ourselves: is my attention where it should be? Am I getting results from how I’m spending my time?
We also ask our listeners: Where are the expectations for the long, grueling, breakless days coming from? It’s possible that your boss has unrealistic standards? Sure. Is it just as likely (maybe more likely) that you are putting this pressure on yourself?
If you need clarity, it’s time to enlist help. We suggest tools like a time audit to get an honest accounting of where your time is going, and then engaging your manager in a prepared thoughtful conversation to check assumptions and right-set expectations.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 thing we always advocate is to gather a broad set of helpful (specific) data…what are people really experiencing of you? There are lots of tools to help with this, and one of our favorites is an open-minded, humble conversation where we seek to understand how people truly perceive us and what the organizational context we’re operating in calls for.
Once we have this information, we can make some conscious choices about what we want to do by asking ourselves a series of questions. How is what I’ve learned about myself helping or hurting me in the pursuit of my goals? What about my behavior am I compelled to do differently? How do I respond to feedback in a way that feels honest to me and sustainable?
Then, we talk about expressing your goals, enlisting help and getting ongoing support/feedback from others, to run small, safe, measurable experiments to see if and how you can get your reputation closer to where you want it to be.
This conversation is full of compassion, stories and humor, because this stuff is both difficult and essential if we want to show up to work in a way that allows us to maximize our impact and our purpose in whatever we’re doing.
As always, we’d love to hear about your experiences!
Reach us on www. insidejobthepodcast.com or on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook @insidejobpodcast
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
This 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 as we flex and adjust it depending on our audience) we cannot always control how people perceive us – our reputation.
Getting comfortable and owning the shadow sides of our reputation as we learn about them allows us to accept ourselves and decide how to engage others in our personal growth. We advocate this through moving away from the secrecy and ‘big reveals’ of 360 data collection and other forms of building self-awareness, instead moving our reputation into the light through ongoing conversation and more openness with colleagues. Let them in on what you’re working on. This way we can have and acknowledge incremental progress as we make it and get help along the way!
The inside job is doing the conscious work of reconciling our desired brand with the way we are perceived, deciding what we can live with in terms of discrepancies between the two. Then, we can decide what to do about it – which we’ll explore further in a future conversation.
As always, we’d love to hear about your experiences, so please contact us via insidejobthepodcast.com or on Instagram and Facebook @insidejobpodcast.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 regret when we lose out on opportunities. This happens even when we know we made the right decision! There is always loss – we can’t have it all. The point is not the quality of the choice; the point is that we have to make sense of the emotions we experience when we are denied an opportunity or experience so we can be at peace with the decision.
We offer our perspectives on why we tend to sit in our negative emotions more than the positive ones, and offer some thoughts on how to shift our mindset so we can spend equal (or more) time focusing on what we have gained from our choices. In doing so we can leave options on the table from a place of wisdom and self-confidence and move forward with grace.
We also talk about the importance of remembering that our lives have seasons, and that saying “no” to something now does not mean it won’t present itself in a different form at a later point in life – at a time when we are in a better situation to say “yes”.
As always, we’d love to hear about your experiences, so please contact us via insidejobthepodcast.com or on Instagram and Facebook @insidejobpodcast
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 how it plans to implement a system of reward, recognition, and advancement. Employees are left to interpret those signals and determine how to make sense of their own situation. The result is a complicated web of expectations, entitlements, implied promises, interpreted promises, and probabilities that drastically affect how all parties feel about each other (and themselves) and their future together.
We break that web down and talk about what it means to imply a “promise” or “guarantee”, and how employees should think through the ways to interpret and respond. We also highlight the critical differences between promises and possibilities/options, and discuss how specificity can be a bridge to resentment when it comes to these conversations.
We close by talking about how to stay positive when considering our future, and how to avoid becoming cynical when discussing our path forward with our organizations.
As always, we’d love to hear about your experiences, so please contact us via insidejobthepodcast.com or on Instagram and Facebook @insidejobpodcast.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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 sense of inadequacy.
Throughout our conversation we unpack FOMO, reminding our listeners (and ourselves) that the picture we are viewing is only a fraction of what’s happening in the lives of others. Nayla talks about why we have to be careful comparing our “middle chapters” to other people’s “ending chapters”, and Eric discusses the importance of noticing if we are using norms or outliers as our benchmarks.
More importantly we recognize that FOMO and envy are related, and rather than to be avoided they are both to be explored. We believe envy can be an important source of information, and that it holds clues that our values need to be revisited and possibly updated. FOMO and envy also serve as an invitation to create personal research questions to further identify information that might help us make better decisions about future roles and opportunities.
And because we are who we are, we talk about the role hummus can play in career advancement and what Matthew McConaughey would say about FOMO.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
“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 stuff you actually care about, and not the crud you think you should care about.
- Maintain a generosity of spirit towards yourself. Focus as much on answering the question, “How do I want to be?” as you do on, “What do I want to accomplish?”
As we explore these principles we also introduce the idea of “new year’s dissolutions”; we recognize that 2021 isn’t giving any of us more hours in a day and we can’t start doing new things until we stop doing the things that aren’t serving us anymore. Throughout our conversation we continue to offer that we’re all just trying to do the best we can with what we’ve got.
As a bonus we offer our guidance on why you don’t want to run the toilet toss at the school carnival and how to avoid kicking your own ass.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
As 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 positive ones!
We’re not talking about silver linings, the “at least” statements we often fall to, but honest-to-goodness wins – things that went well, plans that we saw come to fruition, simple pleasures we generated for ourselves (learning to cook something new, reconnecting with an old friend, making time for a personal project we’ve delayed…) and the big tasks we took on despite the changes to how we live our daily lives (finishing school, getting professional mental health help, developing an exercise routine.)
We believe in the power of noticing and celebrating the victories in our lives, and in practicing that routinely.
To hear how others are celebrating their victories, we partnered with Daily Haloha (an app that connects people around the world through responses to thought provoking questions every day) to ask participants to weigh in: “A win I had in 2020 was_____”.
We received 1100 replies from around the world, ranging from the simple: “I learned to cut my own hair” to the deeply profound “I finally dealt with my depression and got professional help”.
In this week’s episode, we explore the responses to that question, and offer ideas of how to build a celebration practice of your own.
Also, this week, we celebrate our 40th episode of Inside Job, and crossing the threshold of 10K downloads. Join us on Instagram where we’re hosting our first giveaway, to celebrate!!
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Call 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 best interests at heart.
How we start to notice the inner critic and what do we do?
Sometimes the inner critic is revealed to us in language, often with the word “but”:
- I would love to go for that job, but I don’t think I have the right experience.
- I would love to go for that business idea, but I love the steadiness of my current paycheck.
- I really want to try that sport, but it would be too expensive to start.
We also have to develop the sophistication and discernment to know how sneaky the inner critic can be. Sometimes the inner critic is loud and black and white, sometimes the voice is delicate in its deception – we offer examples of both.
We talk about how personifying – giving a visual identify or even a name to our inner critic – can help us relate to his or her voice differently, reminding it that we can handle whatever we’re facing. It also can spare us from wasting energy “crushing” the inner critic, so that we have the energy to chase what matters.
Finally, invite our listeners to dial down the voice of the inner critic in favor of the other voices we have internally, whether it’s our inner voice of wisdom, our personal board of directors, or our future selves.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
If 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, or worse, with me!! Part of the Inside Job is to explore the question: What Am I Making This Mean? How likely is that? What else could possibly be true?
We offer that the opportunity to turn our disappointments into learning experiences shouldn’t be missed. What really happened? What would we do differently next time? What did go well? Are there messages we have to understand and integrate from this event? (Also, these setbacks are evidence if the leaders and organizations that say things like “We celebrate failures as a source of learning” really mean it, or are blowing smoke.)
Next, we propose, ask yourself: how much does this still matter to me? Do I still want the thing that didn’t work out? Do I have the energy to dig deep and try again? What would it take to keep going?
Finally, we talk about the opportunity to show ourselves goodness and compassion, to treat ourselves as a beloved member of our families, rather than resorting always to working harder and faster to make things right.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Most 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 part of our work.
Nayla introduces the continuum of Should/Could/Want and Must, (and that Want is the most expansive and creative of these options). Want comes from a place of desire and energy, the sustenance we call on to keep moving forward in our search for what’s right for us.
Eric introduces how our internal saboteurs (the internal voices and reasons that block us from articulating and going after what we want) can wreak havoc on our emotions and must be explored and often set aside if we want to move forward.
We believe that your life is the primary source of information about what you want; chances are you are already devoting time to the things you want in your spare time and with your discretionary attention. We offer some tips about how to excavate your own life to find clues that point you towards your true wants. The search for your true career (and life) desires is a process that requires patience. And, it is a process that we can bring other people into as we design and pursue the personal research questions that get us closer and closer to expressing what we want.
Finally, we believe that our wants are fluid and evolve as we grow, so learning to be open to the process of seeking is the surest way to continue to explore the question: what do you want?
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
What’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 thinking is different. Sometimes the “just do it” advice makes sense! There are lot of popular messages about gathering just a few moments of energy or courage to propel us into action (the movies We are the Millers, We Bought A Zoo and Mel Robbin’s work offer a few variations on the theme) – our experience is that sometimes this idea works as an alternative to over-thinking or over-planning.
Aligning your action – even small actions – with purpose and focus offers an antidote to thoughtless and frenzied action, making sure you’re working on something that matters to you and is likely to bring you closer to your goals. And the key word is ‘closer’.
We also talk through how to combat the instinct to ‘get it right’ by considering learning rather than perfect outcomes, knowing that even our imperfect actions can serve as practice rounds to get better at whatever we’re trying to take on. Finally, we offer the ideas of declaring your intentions out loud as a form of instant energy, and doing the post-action debrief to sort out how things went, and what could come next.
Starting now has the wonderful effect of building momentum in the areas of our life where we want to create change. As the great Dolly Parton says: Energy begets energy.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
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 point is to find what works for you.
We talk about the pros and cons of routines, and the struggles we have with rigidity and the implied need for perfectionism. We compare and contrast daily vs. weekly routines, and share thoughts on breaking days into segments instead of minutes.
We also revisit the importance of knowing your values and your non-negotiables, and using them to define what a successful day (or week) looks like. Recognize that your values will be different than others, and those differences can lead to unique approaches for time management.
And like always, we discuss the need to be gentle with yourselves and hold yourself with grace. It’s not failure if you can’t live up to other people’s processes. Find what works for you and be okay working your own style on your own schedule, with consciousness and discipline. As long as the results are there and you don’t step on organizational norms or break bones in the process then you’re probably doing something right.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
How 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 mechanism, and make a wise choice about how to use emotions in the most productive way.
Rarely will that ever involve a throat punch, to Eric’s dismay.
Nayla highlights the dangers of suppressing our emotions and dehumanizing ourselves at work (plus, all that suppression is exhausting!). Instead, we need to learn how to understand what we’re feeling – and why – and choose to dial up and dial down our emotional responses to match the moment.
Eric talks about how the philosophies of Stoicism and Mindfulness are misunderstood and misapplied. Rather than using these tools to disguise or eliminate emotions, we talk about how to use them to recognize what’s triggering our emotions and make conscious choices about how to respond, regulate and react.
We believe that we are at our best as humans when we embrace all of the richness and complexities or our existence – including our emotions. Feelings are going to happen and they’re incredible sources of information. The key is to learn how to manage and use your emotions, rather than letting them use you – which is at the heart of the Inside Job.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Have 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, or truthful, or must be acted upon. It’s our responsibility to pause, breathe and reflect on the messages we get about our performance before we dive into action.
Eric suggests that processing the internal feedback about our performance can be as useful as processing the external feedback we get from others. Listening to our own body’s cues is one way to do this.
We offer suggestions about looking for patterns and trends in feedback, using the idea of ‘resonance’ to explore whether feedback lines up with our self-knowledge or other things we’ve heard. Is this comment in line with what we know to be true for us? Does it reveal a blind spot? Or might it tell us something about the other party’s agenda?
This helps us decide how to filter and make choices about our ‘personal curriculum’ as Nayla calls it – we can only focus so much attention on so many things at once – what are you choosing to pay attention to, learn from and take action on?
We offer a pathway of how to express appreciation for feedback, think it through (alone or with others), and decide (trust yourself!) how to move forward.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
November’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 few ideas that work to meet our deepest needs. Eric highlights why it’s both normal and dangerous for us to curate the voices of many to create a standard for ourselves that is impossible to attain.
The point we arrive at is that each of us the expert of our own lives. It’s important to dig deep internally and do what’s right for you. Pick one place to start. Choose what works for you. And most importantly, listen to the internal voices telling you what you really need more than the external voices telling you what you should need.
And true to form we mock what the Dalai Lama would be like as a father and highlight the advice of Matt Damon’s character in the movie, “The Martian”. Oh and Eric sings. Which he should never be allowed to do in public again. Ever.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Welcome 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, defrosting the chicken for dinner, or tackling a quick task from a tall pile to create just a little bit of momentum.
- We also talk about how important it is to celebrate even small victories. A virtual high five, an extra few minutes outside, (or a handful of Pringles for Eric) can all bring more light to the hard days.
- Finally we talk about how important human connection is these days – perhaps more than ever. The work may be personal, as Parker Palmer says, but it doesn’t have to be private.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
We 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 continuum between being respected and liked (or feared and loved – thank you, Michael Scott). We argue that conflict can be healthy and productive, as long as it stays respectful, safe and there’s a pathway forward.
Second, we offer that when we face bad behavior from others at work, it’s not enough to follow the guidance to give courageous feedback…That may be a best practice, but it doesn’t adequately offer us a way to make sense of being on the receiving end of someone else’s outburst. Nayla offers a story that illustrates a few ideas for sense-making of a workplace relationship gone wrong. We explore the idea of taking ourselves out of the leading actor role in someone else’s movie, and how to explore the limits of our responsibility for someone’s else actions.
Finally, we admit that each of us has been the jerk at work. These are times when we believe we bear 100% responsibility for our actions (even though that’s difficult at times!) and that the inside job is about getting better at anticipating, understanding and managing our own behaviors. We explore ideas of body awareness and reflection, and the role of a honest apology when it’s necessary.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
We 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 the exploration of how shared accountability can be fuel for friendship at work, and also a source of potential tension. Whether we have a manager/employee relationship or are both accountable for a piece of work we’ve all been in situations where conscious creation of ground rules and conversation about ‘how we’re going to do this’ can help protect the relationships with the people we care about in the office.
Nayla wonders how information and shared experience can be the building blocks of friendship, but also risky terrain when the impulse to share news with a friend can be costly down the road. We talk about how self-awareness and self-regulation can help us make decisions that are in line with the friend we want to be at work – taking care, anticipating the impact of our actions, and doing right by those we call our friends.
In line with our philosophy, we think friendship at work is a great way to explore the inside job. Acknowledging that we’ve all made missteps we encourage our listeners to really define the kind of workplace friend they want to be, the kind of friendship they want to have, and to take deliberate action in that direction.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 clarity will cost us dearly” is attributed. John’s voice continues to shape Eric’s view of creating clarity in crisis and chaos.
Nayla also talks about a former manager, Amir Ziv, an accounting professor turned dean, who taught her the value of letting other people operate in their zone of genius without jealousy or threat, while honoring your own area to shine.
We also talk about the heroes and influencers we have yet to meet:
- Eric talks about Dave Grohl’s wisdom and exemplary humanity.
- Nayla shares her gratitude for Anne Lamott’s lessons on taking chances with “shitty first drafts” and deciding – rather than succumbing – to worry or not worry about certain things.
We also celebrate the good fortune that has both of us appreciating the insights and counsel of our respective 12-year old daughters – it turns out they are two of the best mentors we could ever ask for.
Finally, we leave our listeners with the guidance to look for those who challenge and support you, who help you see problems and opportunities in a new light, and who can serve as your personal committee of advisors when you need one. We acknowledge that our personal committee or board may need updating as our career grows and our lives change, so we avoid the echo chamber or the trap of a fan base. Eric even recommends printing out an org chart of advisors as a visual reminder.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 the reward systems at our jobs may differ from early in our career to later in our career.
Nayla frequently hears from clients that the job they are in is the “only” place where they can make their career work, and the corresponding belief that going somewhere else means starting over. This leads to a discussion of the difference between technical competencies and transferable skills and the importance of continuing to reflect on the question, “what is the work that you really do?”
We also briefly remind our listeners that you are not the only one who doesn’t have it all figured out. We have no problems admitting we don’t have much of this so-called life figured out either.
Finally, we leverage the wisdom of both Marshall Goldsmith and Twenty-one Pilots. Don’t believe the hype, people.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Some 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 parts on the topic – both Eric and Nayla share a lie they tell themselves, discuss where it has roots in their history, and investigate how it has both served and hindered them in their careers.
Eric talks about the belief that he is only as valuable as his accomplishments and how the desire to achieve has always come at a substantial cost.
Nayla talks about her struggle between standing out and being “too much or too big” and how that has led her to say yes when she wants to say no, and to support ideas she doesn’t always believe in.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
An 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 decision – even a small one for oneself – can help provide relief from the pain and agony of helplessness. We also talk about how we all have more influence than we realize, and why it’s important to stop waiting and to take action to alter our circumstances.
Lastly, we discuss the concept of discernment and how important it is for us to consciously choose what we put our energy towards. Nayla reminds us that discernment is a muscle, which only gets stronger with practice.
Finally, true to form we talk about the merits of neck tattoos and why we need more Janet Jackson in our lives.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 things that are meaningful and bring me joy?” We talk about the importance of specificity and boundaries, and why it’s important for us to evaluate the choices we are making which compromise the goals we have for ourselves. We also discuss how to design flexibility and options into our lives so we can manage the shifts that occur in our lives across seasons.
Finally, we celebrate the fact that we are now a top 150 Apple podcast in South Africa. Thank you to all of our fans in Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, and the surrounding areas. We’ll come visit – and maybe even broadcast a live show – when we can travel once again.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
There 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 importance of changing the way we process these situations so we can expand the way we make meaning of our opportunities.
We also talk about why it’s so important to believe your own story, and why we have to deeply explore the question about what we really want out of our life and our professional hours.
Nayla drives home the point that only you can give yourself the gift of options.
Also, we discuss the horror Eric experiences when finding out Nayla has not yet seen The Big Lebowski. “This aggression will not stand, man.”
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Actual 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 said than done.
How many of us have been guilty of slowing our transition into a new role because we are trying to complete all of our unfinished business in our old role? Worse . . . how many of us have avoided leaving a job because we are trying to make sure our legacy is intact by checking everything off the to-do list and getting the “house” in order before the next person takes over?
In this episode we discuss how to balance our responsibilities to our old jobs (which will be different if we are staying in the same organization or leaving completely) while also coming to grips with the fact that every chapter must eventually end. We talk about the illusion of control when it comes to our reputation, and how much of that is totally out of control once we leave a situation/job/organization.
We also explore our own egos, and highlight the emotional arm-wrestling that happens when we are simultaneously a high performer and totally replaceable.
And, true to form, we quote both Ron Burgundy and Jerry Maguire.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
At 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 at supporting us the way that is best for everyone.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
It’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 work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
When 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 is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
How 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 exploration and decision-making so you maximize your chances of leaving with dignity and peace.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Ever 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 Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Why 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 Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
What 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 work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Have 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 go it alone.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
There 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 www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Oh, 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 to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Work 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 sitting in the feelings before moving on to next steps.
Note: If you are laid off and are ready to take action, in episode 6 we touched what we think you can prioritize. You can also read and hear more about Nayla’s research on recovery from layoff on her website.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Eric 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 Vedder (and why he needs to call Eric).
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
There’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 they can explore and relish feeling great at work.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 passions, how work fits in, and what choices we have when we seem unable to have our work and our passions go hand in hand throughout our professional lives.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
In 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 you gather the strength to get back in the game.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Students 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 our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
We 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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Is 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 by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
We 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 still at work – by all means, wear a shirt when you’re on a Zoom call.
Inside Job is brought to you by Nayla Bahri and Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
We 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 Eric Johnson.
To learn more about us and our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.
Most 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 our work, visit www.insidejobthepodcast.com or email us at info@insidejobthepodcast.com.
To learn more about the ideas and resources discussed in this episode, check out our show notes.
Let’s connect!
We’d love to hear from you.