The John Poelstra Show: Recent Episodes
John Poelstra
A previous client asks for help navigating their own burn out while dealing with a demanding boss.
Here’s my advice on managing stress, dealing with demanding bosses, and finding sustainable ways to recharge. I look at the importance of questioning assumptions, setting boundaries, and experimenting with new approaches to reclaim control over one’s work-life balance.
Considerations* You can’t keep pumping air into the metaphorical balloon; it will eventually pop * Does constant pressure need to be “managed?” * Stop comparing your limits to others; everyone has different constraints * Saying no is a powerful tool for reducing stress and workload * Team agreements can clarify communication norms and reduce ambiguity * Test small changes like turning off your phone for short periods to gauge the impact * Meditation isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; explore other recharging methods * Write down all of the assumptions you have about your situation and question their validity * Experiment with scenarios that challenge your fears (e.g., being unavailable and seeing what happens) * Ask yourself what your current situation is doing to your body, soul, and relationships * Consider whether your job aligns with what you want in life long-term * Challenge the belief that you must always be available or risk losing your job * Agreements are better than expectations—collaborate with others on clear terms * Test turning off Slack or disabling presence indicators to reduce pressure * Sustainable productivity requires intentional boundaries, not cheat codes * Physical symptoms of stress often signal deeper issues; don’t ignore them * If nothing changes in your current situation, consider the long-term consequences on your health and happiness * Reach out for help or coaching if you’re stuck—there’s always something new to try
Credits* + Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund + Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod + Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Sarah Johnson is a library science educator and social worker. She joins me to explain the evolving role of public libraries in modern society.
Sarah highlights how libraries have transformed from quiet book repositories into vibrant community hubs addressing diverse needs, from providing Wi-Fi and e-resources to offering social services like legal aid, health information, and even showers for unhoused individuals. Sarah explains that libraries are often the last free public spaces where people can gather without needing to spend money, making them essential yet increasingly complex environments.
Sarah also shares her unique career path from social work and massage therapy to academic librarianship, emphasizing how her passion for learning and community service shaped her journey. She discusses the concept of “library social work,” which integrates social work principles into library operations to address challenges like homelessness, mental health crises, and safety concerns in public libraries. Through examples like San Francisco’s pioneering library social worker program, she illustrates how libraries can partner with community organizations to better serve patrons while supporting overburdened staff.
Highlights* Libraries have evolved into community hubs providing far more than books * Public libraries often serve as the last free public spaces accessible to everyone * Many librarians lack formal training in handling social issues like homelessness or mental health crises * Academic librarians typically require advanced degrees, unlike many public library staff * Public libraries provide critical resources like Wi-Fi, job search tools, and legal aid * E-book usage has surged, keeping libraries relevant in the digital age * Serendipitous browsing—discovering books by walking the stacks—is a unique joy that digital catalogs struggle to replicate * Libraries play vital roles during crises, such as providing resources during natural disasters or pandemics * Social workers in libraries help connect patrons with external services rather than solving systemic issues alone * San Francisco was the first U.S. city to hire a full-time library social worker in 2009 * Library staff often experience burnout due to increasing demands and insufficient training * Trauma-informed care and de-escalation strategies are becoming essential skills for librarians * Children’s librarians emphasize physical books over e-books for developmental benefits * Libraries often partner with local organizations to offer tailored programs based on community needs * COVID-19 exacerbated challenges in public libraries, increasing chaos in some urban branches * Libraries are increasingly vibrant but face safety concerns due to their open-door policies * Modern libraries cater to diverse populations through multilingual resources and inclusive programming * Book banning controversies highlight the ongoing cultural significance of libraries * Peer navigator programs offer an alternative model for addressing patron needs without relying solely on social workers * Many communities invest heavily in renovating library facilities, reflecting their continued relevance * Academic librarianship allows professionals to combine teaching, research, and direct student engagement * Libraries must balance being welcoming spaces with ensuring safety for all patrons * Advocacy for library funding and leadership is crucial for maintaining thriving public spaces * Librarians Face a Crisis of Violence and Abuse (NY Times)
Follow More of Sarah Johnson’s Work* Substack * Author of Creating a Person-Centered Library: Best Practices for Supporting High-Needs Patrons * The Library Social Work Podcast * Instagram * LinkedIn
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Tammi Scott joins me to discusses career coaching. Tammi explains that she and her business partner, Elisa, are launching Empowered Careers Group, LLC, which offers a comprehensive career coaching program.
We explore various aspects of career coaching, including its definition, approach, and benefits. Tammi emphasizes that career coaching is not about providing a “crystal ball’ solution,” but rather a process of self-discovery and strategic planning.
This conversation also touches on the role of AI in career coaching, the importance of networking, and the typical duration of coaching engagements. Tammi highlights the value of having a coach for accountability, support, and guidance through the ups and downs of career transitions. We also discuss the differences between career coaching and other forms of guidance, such as personal training or consulting. Tammi shares insights on resume writing, negotiation strategies, and the benefits of having a career coach.
Our conversation challenges the common misconception that career coaches should provide immediate answers or specific job recommendations. Instead, Tammi describes career coaching as a facilitated journey of self-discovery, where clients explore their ideal work environment, values, and professional aspirations. While coaches can provide specific guidance on resumes and salary negotiations, the core work involves helping clients understand themselves better to make informed career decisions.
Key Points* Career coaching is not about getting quick answers but facilitating self-discovery * Most effective career coaching engagements last 3-6 months * Career coaches don’t provide magic solutions or guaranteed career paths * The process involves creating a clear picture of your ideal work day * Resume writing receives more direct guidance than other coaching areas * AI tools can complement but not replace career coaching * Career coaching involves accountability and consistent support * Coaches help surface limiting beliefs and handle rejection * Career coaching combines internal reflection with practical action steps * Career coaches help clients understand their values and preferences * The best career management is ongoing, not reactive
Contact Tammi Scott* TammiScott.com * LinkedIn
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Katherine Krupka shares her unconventional journey from the Russian Embassy to energy healing.
She’s an energy healer, interfaith minister, coach and Executive Director of the Energy Medicine Professional Association.
Our conversation reveals Katherine’s fascinating background, including her adventures working at the embassy in Moscow during the fall of the Berlin Wall, her involvement in privatization efforts with the World Bank and consulting projects with oligarchs in Russia.
Katherine shares how her rock bottom moments led her to exploration of raw food, naturopathy, yoga, and meditation. She provides insights into how how healing works and how she helps clients. As a life-long learner, she’s presently focused on a deep study of human consciousness.
Learn More About Katherine Krupka* Website * LinkedIn
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Mark Rumbles reflects on his career of 40 years, what he’s learned in the leadership development space and what’s next for him.
Mark recently retired after 40 years in HR and leadership development. Mark and I discuss his career journey, the concept of retirement, and insights gained from his extensive experience developing leaders. This conversation touches on various topics, including mentorship, career planning, motivation, and the challenges of leadership development.
Mark shares his perspective on career transitions, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, relationship-building, and maintaining a flexible approach to one’s career path. He also discusses his current interests post-retirement, including exploring podcasting and working towards fostering more civil discourse in society. Throughout the conversation, Mark offers his insights on leadership, personal growth, and navigating career challenges.
Key Takeaways* Careers are more like arcs than rigid plans, requiring flexibility and adaptability * Effective mentorship often develops organically through relationship-building * Leadership development is about influencing factors that bring out internal motivation * Follow the fear, energy, and incentives to understand and overcome challenges * Retirement doesn’t mean stopping; it’s a transition to new opportunities and discoveries * Relationship-building is crucial for career success and personal growth * Curiosity is a key driver for personal and professional development * The term “networking” can feel manipulative; focus on genuine relationship-building instead * Leadership development is a fusion of various approaches and frameworks * Behavior is a language that often speaks louder than words * Self-reflection is crucial for aligning one’s words and actions * Fear often stems from a desire to preserve one’s identity or self-image * Motivation is complex and can’t be directly controlled by others * Balance is essential in leadership, knowing when to debate and when to act * Civil discourse and the ability to disagree respectfully are valuable skills * Career transitions can involve multiple steps (e.g., full-time to part-time to retirement) * Volunteering (e.g., joining a condo board) can be a way to stay engaged post-retirement * The concept of “career” is often misunderstood and over-emphasized * HR practices have shaped how people think about careers, sometimes unrealistically * Podcasting can be an alternative to writing a book for sharing ideas and experiences * Leadership development aims to bring out the best in people and help them bring out the best in others * Understanding one’s “wiring” and sources of joy is crucial for career satisfaction * Early career experiences, even if unenjoyable, can provide valuable foundations * The balance between debating ideas and executing decisions is crucial in organizations
Connect with Mark Rumbles* LinkedIn
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Doug Hunter and I discuss artificial intelligence (AI), including how it works, its impact on various aspects of life and work and how to get started with it.
Doug provides an overview of AI, distinguishing between classical AI and the more recent generative AI. Doug also explains how AI works on probabilities and patterns, and discusses its current capabilities and limitations.
Our conversation covers the potential applications of AI in fields such as marketing, customer service, education, and coaching. Doug emphasizes the importance of understanding and adapting to AI technologies, while also highlighting some of the risks and ethical concerns. He suggests practical ways for individuals and businesses to start using AI tools and advises on how to approach AI integration strategically.
Key Takeaways* AI is changing lives in ways many don’t realize; those who don’t adapt risk being left behind * Generative AI has democratized access to AI capabilities for the general public * AI operates on probabilities and patterns, not true understanding or knowledge * There are potential risks with AI, including hallucinations and copyright infringement * AI can significantly enhance productivity in various fields, including marketing and customer service * The nature of many jobs, including coaching, may change due to AI integration * AI tutors could revolutionize education by providing personalized, 24/7 learning assistance * Humans should remain “in the loop” when using AI, treating it like a smart intern rather than an infallible authority * AI’s impact on jobs will be significant, but historical technological advances suggest adaptation is possible * Learning to write effective prompts for AI will be a crucial skill in the future * AI can help make educational outcomes more equitable by providing resources to underserved areas * The concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and its potential implications are still theoretical * AI models are rapidly improving, with multimodal capabilities becoming more common * There are ongoing discussions about potential rights for AI systems * AI can be used as a tool to overcome barriers to effectiveness in various professions * Using AI effectively could allow professionals to take on more clients or work more efficiently * AI’s ability to find patterns in complex data sets can lead to insights humans might miss * The ethical implications of AI, including privacy concerns, are significant and ongoing * AI may not be able to replicate human creativity and intuition fully * Job postings in the future may require fluency in AI tools * AI can be used for creative tasks, such as generating bedtime stories or unique images * Understanding the limitations of AI is as important as knowing its capabilities * AI could potentially replace some front-line customer service jobs while making remaining roles more complex * Experimentation with AI tools is crucial for understanding their potential and limitations * AI’s impact may be more profound and widespread than previous technological revolutions
AI Resources Mentioned* Perplexity (AI search tool) * ChatGPT * Google Gemini * Claude (Anthropic’s model) * DALL-E (image generation) * Midjourney (image generation) * Sora (video generation)
More About Doug Hunter* LinkedIn * PeakPointSolutions.pro
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Tammi Scott shares her unique approach to finding new job opportunities by emailing people she knows.
Tammi and I were a money coaches together at Capital One. Tammi shares insights from her extensive coaching background, including her experience at Nordstrom selling shoes. She emphasizes the critical role of building and maintaining professional relationships during a job search.
One of Tammi’s key strategies is sending regular email updates to her network, sharing her progress, goals, and offering mutual support. This approach not only keeps her connections informed but also fosters ongoing engagement. We also explore the importance of aligning personal values with career decisions and the benefits of combining traditional online job applications with proactive networking efforts.
Key Insights* Combining online applications with networking efforts improves job search results * Understanding personal values helps in finding suitable job opportunities * Career coaching can provide valuable insights and strategies for job seekers * Regular practice and continuous learning are essential in careers and personal interests * Offering mutual support in networking efforts creates goodwill * Tracking networking efforts and job applications is important * Previous work experiences, even in different fields, can provide transferable skills * Providing an easy opt-out option in networking emails shows respect for recipients * Balancing online job applications with in-person networking yields better results * Curiosity and willingness to learn can lead to unexpected opportunities * Sharing specific job interests and companies in networking emails facilitates connections * Regular updates to your network keep you top-of-mind for opportunities
Contact Tammi Scott* TammiScott.com * LinkedIn
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Nick Accordino shares the emotional rollercoaster of being laid-off, searching for a new job, and landing a new fulfilling role.
Key Takeaways* Take conscious breaks from the job search process to recharge when needed. * Look for opportunities aligned with your authentic values and passions. * Focus your search locally to increase human connections. * Craft targeted, personalized applications rather than generic submissions. * Seek out volunteer experiences to reengage with your community. * Be open to unconventional or surprising paths. * Know when to pivot strategies if your current approach isn’t working. * Job searching takes an intense emotional and mental toll. * Not getting feedback from potential employers is demoralizing. * Expect ups and downs – the process is a rollercoaster. * Set a sustainable daily routine, likely only a few focused hours. * Generic job boards yield a lot of noise and unhelpful opportunities. * Losing your job can feel quietly disorienting at first. * Take time to recenter on your identity outside work. * Know your limits and don’t overcommit energy to any one opportunity. * Even short breaks from routine tasks can provide perspective. * Tap your local professional network for insights on roles. * Look for transferable skills you can highlight for new paths. * Combine personal interests with professional strengths. * Small companies offer chances to wear multiple hats. * Hands-on volunteering provides an engaging change of pace. * Share your story and be open to others’ for mutual support. * Get out of the house regularly to avoid isolation. * Finding joy and flow in simple, repetitive work. * Embrace serendipity when exploring options.
Mentioned* Bee Downtown website * Bee Downtown Instagram * Volunteer Match
Other Title PossibilitiesClaude2 helped me with the title for this post. Here are the runner-ups which I thought were equally funny and creative.
- Stinging Insights: Nick Accordino on Life After Being Laid Off
- The Buzz on Bouncing Back: Nick Accordino’s Winding Path from Corporate to Bee Maven
- From Red Hat to Beehive: Nick Accordino’s Unexpected Career Pollination
- Corporate Refugee Finds Sweet Success with Bees: Nick Accordino’s Unlikely Pivot
- A New Honey Pot: Nick Accordino Rebuilds After a Layoff, One Bee at a Time
- The Birds, The Bees, and a Layoff: An Unconventional Metamorphosis for Nick Accordino
- Laid Off and Stung, But Not Down: Nick Accordino’s Apian Rebound
- From Pink Slip to Honey Dipper: How Nick Accordino Cultivated a Sweet New Career
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Stephen Worley joins me to explore why your job search and networking strategies aren’t working and what to do instead.
Top Takeaways* Stop relying solely on online job applications and start talking to real-live people! * Create and maintain a list of your existing contacts and reach out to them with curiosity and honesty. * Understand your desired lifestyle costs and calculate the income needed to sustain it–don’t chase an arbitrary salary number. * Learn to articulate and demonstrate your value proposition to potential employers/clients. * Be open to unconventional paths like consulting, freelancing, or non-traditional roles. * Continuously invest in improving your skills and curating a portfolio of your work. * Market and promote yourself proactively, don’t just wait for opportunities. * Identify companies/organizations aligned with your values and interests. * Explore volunteering or gifting services to showcase your abilities. * Ask for additional connections/introductions in every conversation. * Adopt an entrepreneurial, empowered approach to managing your career. * Form a job search community for support, perspectives, and accountability. * Don’t undervalue your worth, but remain realistic about market rates. * Follow up consistently–a lack of response doesn’t mean you should stop pursuing. * Get out of your head and take action–even in small steps. * Challenge assumptions about what’s possible or conventional. * Align your work with your personal values and find the right fit. * Consider interim/temporary roles as potential paths to something more permanent. * Embrace lifelong learning as industries and roles evolve. * Focus on continuous self-improvement, not just securing any job.
More About Stephen WarleyStephen Warley has been a serial solopreneur for the past 25 years. He’s the founder of LifeSkillsThatMatter.com. He’s a career and business coach on a mission to help you create work that works for you in alignment with your values, needs and abilities. He believes work is fundamentally changing as you know it and we’re all going to have to manage ourselves whether you work for yourself or someone else. Learn how to start making your work, work for you at www.lifeskillsthatmatter.com/about.Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Seth Vore joins me again to recap the final leg of his family’s 6,000 mile boat journey. We also revisit the original question that turned this dream into reality.
Learn More about Seth Vore and His Family* Previous conversations with Seth: + 121: Captain Seth Progress Report (June 2023) + 112: Checking in with Captain Seth Vore (June 2022) + 110: Boats and FIRE with Seth Vore (December 2021) * The Great Loop is a 6,000 mile, year-long boating trip Seth and his family are on * onFIREfamily – Website * onFIREfamily – YouTube
Credits* Hallon by Christian Bjoerklund * Cold Funk by Kevin MacLeod
All songs licensed under Creative Commons
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Greg Sterling joins me to share his experiences navigating a layoff and finding a job in the current market.
Conversation SummaryLosing a job is never easy, even when the economy seems strong. Greg Sterling was was part of a layoff at Red Hat after 13 years with the company. He spent the last 7 months searching for a new position. We talked in November 2023 to get his insights on the current job market and advice for others trying to find new work.
Key Takeaways* Job searching can be very discouraging with extremely low response rate * Companies can receive an overwhelming 500-1000 applicants for a single role in minutes * The current job market is very tight with companies being extremely selective * Networking continuously is crucial, though even close contacts may not respond * Self-care through exercise or other outlets helps manage the emotional toll * Finding local opportunities rather than remote roles yields better results * Asking for feedback after rejections can provide useful insights to improve * Regularly tweaking your resume to polish message and fit is important * Recruiters tend to only work with those they can easily place in a role * Set limits on job search time to avoid burnout
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Michael Marvosh joins me to share his experiences and perspective on the Landmark Forum. I’ve heard a variety of things about it over the years and I was curious to get Michael’s take on it.
Conversation Highlights* Taking responsibility rather than blaming external factors * Staying present in relationships * “Choosing” (open) vs, “Deciding” (limiting) * Letting go of judgment traps–“right vs wrong” and “good vs bad” * Learning to be more unconditionally present * Exploring “integrity” – Michael aims for authenticity * Tightening up the wishy-washy areas * Michael realized how he wasn’t showing up fully in key relationships * The paradox between the past and future self-improvement * Landmark courses are very affordable–Michael has taken several and is planning to take more
Credits* Original photo source: Michael Marvosh
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We’re checking in again with Seth Vore and his family. So far they’ve completed 5,000 miles of their 6,000 mile journey. Last time we talked it was June of 2022, and they had just bought their boat. Learn More about Seth... Continue Reading →
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Sometimes we’re afraid to slow down because we’re afraid we’ll fail. What if the opposite is true?
Highlights* Brad Solomon’s post on LinkedIn about slowing down inspired today’s thoughts * What if you can’t slow down too much? * The important distinction between slowing down and stopping * Slowing down to speed up * What would be possible for you if you slowed down, but didn’t stop? * Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times by Dusan Djukich + Stop Stopping vs. Stopping: Chapter 6 * Maybe there isn’t a “right path” or “right track”–sometimes we waste more time trying to figure that out than actually getting somewhere * Maybe you don’t need to know all the steps to start or keep going, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop * Giving your “time and attention” to the things you are committed to * Micro vs. macro commitments * Where have you “stopped” in your life? * What’s the smallest way you can start? * “What haven’t you tried yet?”
Credits* Original photo source
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Have you ever learned something you already knew? That happened recently with what’s written on my About page.
I was surprised to find many of them relate to the theme of commitment I’ve been sharing on recently.
Credits* Original photo source
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The other day I was overwhelmed with all the things I needed to. This is how I got organized and less overwhelmed.
Highlights* Getting email and Trello under control * Where are the places you store things that need to get done? + Trello + Post-it Notes + Email + Slack + 3×5 Cards + Notebook * Offline email client–Thunderbird + Used in conjunction with GMail and other email providers + All of my email is stored locally where it can’t be hacked or lost * Recomendo (my favorite newsletter of all) * Getting to Inbox Zero at least once during a given day * Sharpies & 3×5 cards are an easy way to capture and organize all the things overwhelming you + Easy to move around + Don’t stick to surface + Collapsable into a single pile so you don’t have to see all the cards (and get overwhelmed) * Trello + Columns - Today - This Week - Next Week - Backlog + Set due dates and alerts for specific cards (generates email) * Overall triage process + Go through all the email in Thunderbird and get the main Inbox to zero - Move to folder - Delete - Forward tasks to Trello via email - Book mark related webpage/information via Pinboard + Organize and move cards in Trello - Move all the cards (not in Backlog) to “Next Week” column (as often as you need to) - Triage from there + Look for patterns in the cards/tasks if there’s another * Projects vs. tasks * How to do this process with 3×5 cards
Credits* Original photo source
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You might find it easier to honor your commitments by eliminating the things that waste your time and energy. Here's how to do it.
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When I'm looking to move something forward I've found better results by getting clear about what I'm committed to rather than searching for motivation.
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Here's how I got back up again after getting off track. I hope it helps you do the same.
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One of the keys to the universe and a better life is our relationship with judgement of self and others. Setting it aside has been one of my biggest paths to freedom.
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Maybe you can relate to my experiences and discoveries here and the revelations I had upon waking one day.
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Seth Vore joins me in June 2022 to give an update on the plans he shared in December 2021. Everything has come to fruition. Seth no longer lives in his house or has a job, however he does have a new boat his family is preparing to live on for the next year as they travel.
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Lisa DiMatteo joins me to revisit our previous conversation while consciously exploring new things we thought might be uncomfortable and weren't.
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Seth Vore shares about his local boat tour company, being debt free, retirement and the year-long adventure his family is looking forward to next year on a boat.
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Lisa DiMatteo joins me to discuss the dance between "being & doing" and "enoughness" against the backdrop of a three week solitude retreat I experienced in October 2021.
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Wherein I read another section from The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins and contemplate whether "action" is always the answer.
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Maybe you aren't a procrastinator, a perfectionist or broken. Maybe you're just scared. Moving forward might be as easy as having a conversation instead of staying stuck in your head and trying to do it yourself.
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Aaron Graham joins me to explore the meaning we give our experiences and how it affects us. We also discuss different ways to interact with our experiences and how to restart when we've lost our way.
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Alfredo Deza shares what it's like to be an Olympian, how he found his way to software and how others can get started there too. We also explore the power behind the word "yet."
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Issac Roth helps me explore the grim and frustrated perspective I had on the state of the world in August 2020, and redeem it aided by old memories from OpenShift & Red Hat.
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Issac Roth and I cover a wide-range of topics linked to our personal lives, our work together at Red Hat and the technology world in general--all sparked by wildfires he almost lost his house to.
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I'm back in another conversation with Brad Solomon where we get into the mechanics of effective coaching.
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Brad Solomon and I continue our reflections and riffs about what's present to us. This time it's about being present, journaling, and the power (and difficulty) of getting clear about what you want.
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Brad Solomon and I set off on another unplanned exploration into what's present to us in the moment, including sharing childhood pictures of ourselves.
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Ken Dreyer and I discuss The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier. Our conversation evaluates the book and examines Ken's experiences putting it to work.
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Brad Solomon and I talk about all the books we've started and not finished, what the full catastrophe of life is and how implementing what you know is more powerful than continuing to acquire more knowledge.
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Brad Solomon and I explore the power of choosing, experiments, discipline, habits and what we are making of the time that is COVID-19.
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Alexis Monville and I discuss The Anatomy of Peace, a pivotal book in my own personal transformation and path to discarding judgement.
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Here's how I salvaged a day that might have turned out very differently though the simple act of writing down what was going on in my head.
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On his birthday this year, Rick Tamlyn committed to a whole year of not making any decisions from a place of fear. That reminded me of other things he taught me and the power of making choices.
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Alexis Monville and I reflect on a time I gave feedback that was not well received and what we both learned from it. Hopefully you'll learn something too.
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Meg Buzzi, Tina Robinson and I explore archetypes and their usefulness on Massively Useful Thing.
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Yann Toutant and I explore what it means to work remotely in a time of Covid-19 and what we are taking from it.
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Yann Toutant returns to share more deeply from his life and what's next having stepped down as CEO of his previous company. We talk about intrapreneurship, when to break the rules, sailing and more.
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More on what I'm learning and how I am being as a result of consuming fewer books and less information.
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Anthony Ongaro interviews me about finding clarity, making lasting changes and how I got into this thing called coaching. It's a rebroadcast from his video podcast in 2019.
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Here are some ways to get back on track when your coaching session has lost its way.
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Here's what happened and what I learned from our cross-country road trip in August of 2019
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This episode explores the new approach to reading books I adopted in July of 2019. Since then I have completed less than five books, a time period during which I would have probably completed twice as many.
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Sometimes the end of one year and the start of a new one is a good time to take stock of things. For 2020 I'm not feeling the need.
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Here's what I've been up to from August to November 2019 and what I'm learning.
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Vinod Jain leads this conversation where I share the path that led me to coaching, what I believe about certain things, and how coaching works.
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I don't have a typical work week. However, here's one I chronicled and reflected on with Mike Vardy as an experiment for his podcast.
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Yann Toutant believes companies can be more innovative by creating and working as remote teams. Our conversation explores Yann's journey and what he's learning.
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Here are some different ways to prepare and think about your next job interview--as the interviewer or the interviewee.
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Alexis Monville, Michael Doyle and I talk about working effectively with remote teams when meeting in person is not possible-- a topic that came up as we collaborated on version two of Alexis' book Changing Your Team From the Inside.
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This episode explores the book A Second Chance by Catherine Hoke, my interest in law enforcement and the complexities of incarceration.
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This riff explores the power of thoughts on feelings and how asking better questions yields better thoughts.
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This in-depth episode explores personal values through conversation and live coaching with Michael Doyle.
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Kate Dixon and John explore Kate's discovery of gratitude journaling, all the benefits it has provided, and the impact it's had on John.
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This conversation with Michael Doyle (former colleague at Red Hat) explores what we found in Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday and reflect it back on ourselves.
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Carolyn Campbell explains the fascinating journey she's on to understand rural America by listening to the people she's sent to by others. I met Carolyn as my first coach several years ago.
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Here are a few things I've learned in the past few months.
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This deep conversation with Michael Marvosh explores meaning and life lessons with prompts from nature and our own life experiences.
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Here's a short riff on a section from Time Warrior by Steve Chandler about alleged "time management" problems.
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Vinod Jain works as a technology and management consultant in Northern Virginia. In this conversation we explore how get got to where he is today and the personal journey he is on.
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Here's what happened and what I learned in October 2018, a couple of which were the culmination of how the year started.
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It's easy to get off track and lose focus. Here are some of the ways I have been attempting to sharpen my focus and execution.
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Stephani Roy McCallum is a leader who helps people have difficult conversations. In this conversation she navigates a deeper of understanding of what leadership really is and how to be an effective leader.
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Here's a recap of the things that happened in September 2018 and what I learned from them.
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Alexis Monville from the Red Hat Engineering Leadership team joins me to talk about his experiences leading, developing and changing teams. He's also the author of a new book: Changing Your Team From The Inside.
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Summer 2018 was a busy time with lots of trips, continuous learning and new ways to grow.
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Enjoy this wide ranging conversation with author, singer, business owner and entrepreneur, Kathy Jorsch.
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It's easy to get stuck in the past, and yet there's not much it gives us. Here's an encouragement to live in the present and look to the future.
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This conversation explores teaching, experiential learning, leadership and so much more with Dave Stuart Jr. These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most is his latest book.
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This short riff considers what it might look like to live a life of "no excuses." It was inspired by a story about Navy SEAL training combined my list of beliefs which center around personal ownership.
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Nancy Jamieson and I explore her interest in podcasting by sitting down to record an episode. We talk about her experiences how she believes life works.
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Tina Robinson is back to delve into the often murky topic of figuring out what we want. Together we share some ways to get clearer.
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Over the past couple of months I've been learning by doing, living more from my heart than my head, and learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Next month I'm teaching an in-person class on how to create a podcast in Portland, Oregon, and I hope you'll join me.
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Long time Red Hat colleague Greg DeKoenigsberg and I talk about managing our time--how we get off track and how we fight against letting it happen.
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In this episode I share the experience of following an inkling I had and the ways I was rewarded. I also share a simple process for capturing your beliefs.
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Ryan McRae helps adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) live more effectively. Ryan explains how ADHD affects his life, how he deals with it, and the benefits he's found from having it. He also explains how he helps people live above it.
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Join me in this riff about email handling and getting your important work into the world.
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In this episode I read a letter I wrote to myself encouraging me to keep showing up while calling out the things I to need stop doing. I encourage you to write your own Dear John letter and break up with the unhelpful parts of your brain and share it with me.
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John and Tina Robinson, CEO of WorkJoy, LLC, explore the notion of "coping" and nuances of what it means as it relates to handling situations or problems in our lives. Sign-up to join John at a virtual live event to discuss this topic more and be coached around something you're coping with.
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Enjoy this conversation with Josh Bressers, product security at Elastic and former colleague at Red Hat. Josh answers my questions about password management, general computer security and what matters (or doesn't) in today's predominantly online world.
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Here's a riff on what I've been learning since the last update and my challenge to consider different perspectives around the notion of time.
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Mike Vardy from The Productivityist shares practical details about his approach to planning and managing the things he wants to accomplish through the use of themes, modes and energy levels.
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Getting off track happens in just about every area of life. It’s inevitable that things are going to get off track and not go as planned. The key to overall success is how you get going again when you have a setback. Here are some ideas to get you restarted.
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This conversation with Ron Renaud (coach, author, podcaster, and trainer) explores the topics of truth, freedom, personal growth, taking responsibility and more.
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In February I learned to embrace the emotional roller coaster of building your own business. I was surprised how quickly a "low" could turn into a "high" and then back into a "low."
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How do you move forward when you aren't sure what to do next? How do you escape the trap of continuing to need more information before you make your next move? You move.
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Here’s what I learned, experienced and accomplished as I push forward to build a business around personal development.
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This episode explores the balance between honoring people and expanding professional opportunities in the context of networking. I also share my best advice for approaching networking events if you dread or dislike them.
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Learn how saving more money isn't always the answer and what's possible when you look at something as an experiment. Stephen Warley also explains his belief that the nature of work is changing.
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Today John and Alene Gabriel talk about how she quit her corporate job to go out on her own as a coach and how John is pursuing a similar, but different path.
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This episodes looks at how I use Trello to manage my tasks and todos.
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If you want to have the best coaching session possible, prepare an agenda in advance. Not sure what to put on your agenda? Here are some ideas.
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You're thinking about holding and facilitating a meeting. Here are some questions to determine if it is a good idea and how to plan for success.
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Asking one question is more powerful than asking three. Creating a new blog post is often better than polishing an old one.
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I recently installed a new dishwasher and here's what I learned that will hopefully save you more than $150.
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John and Alene Gabriel talk about how to manage our inner critics and the benefits of having your own board of advisors.
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Today John examines an article titled "Why project managers need to lose control" by Jason Coghlan from opensource.com. John mostly disagrees with this notion, believing that ownership across the team is more important.
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This episode takes an in-depth look at the book Life on Purpose by: How Living For What Matters Most Changes Everything by Victor Strecher.
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One of my favorite moments as a project manager was when two people told me it was impossible to draw a picture of all the people working the project. Here's how I did it.
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This episode shares the highlights John found in the book Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness.
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In this conversation, John and Alene reflect on their experiences with Co-Active coaching, the things they are learning as coaches and what leadership means.
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Sometimes the best next step is simply to start, even if it isn't the perfect next step.
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This episode explores the topic of loneliness, some ideas for "finding your people," and how John found one group of "his people."
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This episode riffs on my thoughts from reading the book "Fire in My Eyes: An American Warrior’s Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory."
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This episode explores the different ways I manage my todo list items and along with techniques I've learned to avoid feeling overwhelmed by them and get more done.
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This in-depth episode examines and explains the steps for creating and publishing your own podcast. It looks at the five key ingredients to creating a successful podcast and provides additional resources and recommendations.
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Are you as clear about what you want as you think? This episode explores some ways to get clearer.
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In this episode I share one of my hacks for creating quiet and peace when I need to concentrate. That hack is ambient water recordings I've made myself.
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Paul Frields joins the podcast to talk about working remotely and what it takes to succeed. John and Paul also discuss some of the misconceptions about remote work and how to overcome them.
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In this wide-ranging conversation, John and guest Paul Frields, talk about working at Red Hat, how they got started with collaborative meeting minutes and Paul’s love of playing the bass.
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This episode explores some techniques for facilitating meetings with stronger personalities or those that dominate the discussion too much.
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Sometimes the best way to get your day out of a ditch is to find something fun. Any amount of fun might be good enough. That's what I explore in this episode.
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This episode explores the topic of personal ownership through the eyes of two books: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin and QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work by John G. Miller
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This episode explores the topic of listening through the Co-Active coaching model and an article from Harvard Business Review.
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This episode is a collection of some of my favorite things. It was inspired by some similar things I shared in a recent podcast interview on "How to be Awesome at your Job."
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This episode responds to listener questions and feedback from two previous episodes around how to collaboratively create meeting minutes and how a central mailing list repository for meeting minutes works.
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This episode covers some of my thoughts on a recent return from vacation and how to keep the vacation glow going for as long as possible.
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This episode explores the benefits for setting and agreeing to criteria before making decisions.
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This episode talks about coaching and uses the recent Netflix documentary “I am Not Your Guru” as the the jumping off point. The documentary examines Anthony Robbins’ “Date with Destiny” event and his approach to helping people change.
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In this episode I share a super easy way to take attendance at meetings--don't! Instead have attendees take do their own check-in by adding themselves to the minutes (in a shared document). Then you can skip asking “who just joined?” twenty-five times.
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This episode examines the process I use and suggest to decide who to invite to specific meetings.
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In this episode of the podcast my friend Charlie and I talk about the frustration of status meetings. Do you like status meetings?
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There’s a notion out there that project managers only care about making the schedule. While it’s easy to get fixated on it, the more I work on product releases the less I find myself caring about “the schedule.”
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Not too long ago I was in a situation with a very limited amount of time and energy and had to make sure I used every minute and ounce of energy on the right things. Prioritization with Post-it notes and a Sharpie was the solution!
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This episode is a conversation with my friend Charlie about how meetings drain our energy and what we can do to minimize it.
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Here are my thoughts and experiences on how to deal with worries (without solutions) introduced at software project meetings.
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This kicks off the first episode of the John Poelstra Show. I talk about my goals and motivations for doing this new podcast and what I hope comes of it.
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